These words struck like a hammer blow.
It struck the emperor squarely in the heart.
The left hand, which was draped over the quilt, suddenly grabbed and crumpled the brocade into a ball.
The emperor's mind flashed through the tonics he had taken over the years.
It was handled by the Internal Treasury Office.
I glanced at the Palace of Phoenix Ceremony.
The Empress personally oversaw the preparation of the "Nine-Turn Vitality-Boosting Paste"!
So that's where he was waiting!
Someone is slowly but surely tearing his old bones apart!
Three needles were inserted.
The phlegm in the emperor's throat dissipated.
I feel better now.
But the venomous fire burning in his chest was threatening to set his skull ablaze.
Gu Moli walked to the bedside.
He took the newly warmed medicine bowl from the beauty's hand and used a silver spoon to skim off the foam on the surface.
She sat down on the embroidered stool.
He scooped up half a spoonful of medicine and steadily brought it to the emperor's dry lips.
"Father, the medicine is at the perfect temperature. Let me feed it to you."
Her expression was extremely gentle.
My wrist didn't shake or wobble at all, and not a single drop of medicine was spilled.
The emperor sighed silently.
The entire hall was filled with people plotting to kill him.
Only the daughter, who had been sent to Ganye Temple, quietly stayed by her bedside to fulfill her filial duty.
The emperor did not open his eyes.
But he could feel the warmth of the medicine.
There was also the gentle gesture of Gu Moli wiping the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief.
The hall fell completely silent.
The only sound was the soft clinking of the silver spoon against the porcelain bowl.
Just then...
"The Empress has arrived!"
A sudden burst of footsteps echoed in the outer corridor.
Accompanied by the sharp, resounding clang of the jade pendant striking against the ground.
"Bang--!"
The carved doors of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate were pushed open.
A cold draft swept through.
It swirled in, carrying with it the snowflakes from outside.
The bright yellow curtains surrounding the dragon bed billowed violently.
The Empress wore a plain white dress.
She wore no makeup, not a single gold hairpin in her hair, and held the Sixth Prince Gu Nian'an, tightly with her right hand.
Gu Nian'an's face turned pale, her legs trembled uncontrollably beneath the wide hem of her robe, and her fingers gripped the Empress's sleeve tightly.
The Empress walked on the cold, gold-brick floor.
He walked step by step to stand three feet in front of the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, I am fortunate that the Empress Dowager has lifted your confinement, and I have brought the Sixth Prince Nian'an, to inquire about your health."
The voice, tinged with sorrow, echoed beneath the dome of the main hall.
She slowly raised her head.
His gaze passed over the kneeling imperial physicians and palace maids, and went straight to the emperor on the bed, who was unable to speak or move.
She had made up her mind.
This was her last chance.
Otherwise, if the emperor recovers, and given Consort Xian exposed about her actions, she might be banished to the Cold Palace!
The Queen spoke calmly.
"The Crown Prince has committed a grave error, and the Fifth Prince has tragically died young. As a mother myself, I am already devastated."
"But with the Dali rebellion in the south and the Tubo forces besieging the borders in the west, the Great Yan and its people of Dayan cannot tolerate me weeping behind closed doors."
She took half a step forward, her words, though seemingly scathing, held a hidden sharpness.
"The imperial physicians say His Majesty needs to rest and recuperate, but the cabinet ministers and the entire court are already filled with anxiety."
"If a grand plan is not decided soon, the people's hearts will remain uneasy!"
The emperor, lying on the couch, heard this and his teeth clenched so tightly they clicked.
This woman, who had been the mother of the nation for over twenty years, saw that the crown prince had been deposed, and then turned around and wanted to put the fifth prince on the throne.
If it weren't for her, would the fifth brother have died?
Now she's in a frenzy, leading another prince to stage a coup.
Seeing that the emperor could not respond, the empress's eyes reddened at the opportune moment, and she adopted a posture of humiliation and submission.
"Although Nian'an was not conceived by me for ten months, she was raised in Palace of Phoenix Ceremony from a young age, registered under my name, and treated as my own child."
"Now the country can no longer rely on a mature ruler. Although there is an order of seniority, things are in chaos on Prince An's side, and Prince Yi's side still has to resist the Tubo and pacify Dali."
At this point, Nian'an was the most law-abiding person.
"I humbly request Your Majesty to issue an imperial edict as soon as possible, formally establishing Nian'an as the heir apparent. Your Majesty, I am willing to join the cabinet ministers in assisting the young emperor and sharing Your Majesty's burdens!"
Gao Fu frowned, looking at the emperor's heaving chest, and spoke.
"Your Majesty, although the Sixth Prince was raised by you, his birth mother is still recorded in the imperial genealogy. He was never formally adopted, and is ultimately a son of a concubine."
"To establish a son of a concubine as heir without due cause and order would be difficult for the imperial family and officials to accept."
The Queen's eyelid twitched.
This move was indeed risky, but she had to take the gamble.
"Now that the crown prince is imprisoned, the foundation of the nation is in jeopardy."
"Your Majesty is seriously ill; the fate of the nation should be the priority."
"What's wrong with establishing an heir first to stabilize public sentiment, and then proceeding with the adoption ceremony to complete the family genealogy once the court is stable?"
The main hall was deathly silent.
Elder Shen lay prostrate on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, his back soaked in cold sweat.
This is hardly the act of offering advice and sharing burdens.
It's clearly taking advantage of the emperor's paralysis, using the pretext of stabilizing the court to blackmail him.
Gao Fu stood by the couch, his whisk trembling, his eyes secretly glancing at Gu Moli on the other side.
Gu Moli lowered her eyes, her expression unusually calm.
She slowly put down the medicine bowl in her hand and pulled the brocade quilt on the dragon bed up a little.
Instead of refuting her, he smiled gently.
"The Empress Dowager's words are also for the sake of the Great Yan's empire."
"With the court in turmoil, a legitimate prince is indeed needed to stabilize the situation."
Gu Moli turned to the side, generously giving up the most central position in front of the bed.
"Sixth brother, Father Emperor dotes on you. Come closer so Father Emperor can take a good look at you."
Gu Nian'an shrank back in fright.
She glanced at her mother, whose expression was cold and hard, then turned to look at her elder sister, who was smiling gently.
A hint of wariness and sharpness flashed in the Empress's eyes.
She let go of his hand and gave Gu Nian'an a subtle push on the back.
Gu Nian'an timidly moved her small, hesitant steps to the edge of the dragon bed.
Gu Moli smiled and helped his small body forward. The Sixth Prince was lying on the edge of the bed, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
"Father, An'er has come to see you."
Gu Nian'an had just approached the dragon bed.
Standing behind Elder Shen, Chu Tianxing suddenly frowned and sniffed repeatedly.
His previously nonchalant face instantly darkened.
He disregarded the capital offense of disrespecting the emperor and strode forward.
He grabbed Gu Nian'an by the back of her neck and collar, bringing his face close to the cuffs and front of her clothes, and took two deep sniffs.
"Stop! You're here to harm your father, aren't you?"
"Presumptuous!"
The Empress was taken aback, her face suddenly darkened, and she shouted in a fierce and incredulous voice.
"Where did this madman come from, daring to lay a hand on a prince in front of the Emperor! Guards, drag him out and beat him to death with clubs!"
Upon hearing the commotion, the guards outside the palace gates immediately placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.
Chu Tianxing straightened up, not only did he not back down, but he also shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Stop right there, all of you! This child is poisoned!"
These words struck as if everyone in the hall had been struck by lightning.
Elder Shen's body went limp and he collapsed to the ground, desperately reaching out to tug at Chu Tianxing's clothes.
If this was truly a trap set by the Empress, how dare this scoundrel dismantle it right in front of everyone?
Chu Tianxing kicked away Elder Shen's hand and pointed at the faint fragrance emanating from Gu Nian'an's collar.
"This garment is scented with the finest South China Sea agarwood!"
"And the calming soup His Majesty just drank contained a large dose of sandalwood!"
He turned around, pointing at the old emperor panting heavily on the bed, and then at Gu Nian'an, who was crying in fear.
"Agarwood paired with sandalwood, on its own, are both top-grade tonics for prolonging life."
"But once they're mixed together, it's a death sentence!"
"Not to mention, this incense also contains withered blood vines and broken bones from the Western Regions!"
"A normal person would at most feel dizzy from smelling it."
"But if it were someone paralyzed in bed, suffering from both qi and blood deficiency, inhaling this for even half an hour would immediately cause phlegm to cloud their mind, beyond the help of even a miracle!"
[Thanks to: 100 million Xiuer, Xixi's milk tea x3, Naizi's flowers x3 + love letter, Derong's milk tea! 777 likes, Fengdi, star, how, 123's flowers, Yuse's love letter, and everyone else for their love and support~!]