The Emperor’s profound pain shook everyone in the great hall. This unique man in the world had shed a tear, a tear so precious that even Cui’er and Mu Xing felt the shock.
At the same time, they understood a truth: how much their father loved their mother. If something happened to their mother, what would their father do? Mu Xing’s tears began to flow, unsure if it was from fear or because his father was crying.
“She is poisoned by a Gu,” the low voice, as if from the bottom of a valley, carried a chilling coldness.
“Gu poison?”
The Empress Dowager and Feng Lie gasped. Who could have inflicted such a wicked thing upon Liu Liu? They spoke in disbelief, “Who could get close to the Empress and administer a Gu poison?”
As Feng Lie’s words fell, Su Xie’s cold gaze swept over everyone’s heads, landing directly on Mu Xing. All eyes in the hall turned to Mu Xing.
Little Mu Xing was suddenly overcome with grief, as if he were a great villain, as if he had harmed his father and mother. He was a bad person, and tears streamed down his face as his small hands tightly gripped Cui’er’s arm.
Cui’er felt an immense pity. Although what Mu Xing had done was wrong, he was only a five-year-old child who knew so little. The Emperor’s gaze was almost killing him, yet the Emperor could do nothing; he loved the Empress too much. The hall was filled with a suffocating stillness.
Feng Xie’s glance made the Empress Dowager and Prince Yan, Feng Lie, realize that someone must have used the Crown Prince to administer the Gu poison to the Empress.
Thinking about it, few could get close to the Empress in the harem, and others would not be easily deceived. Only the Crown Prince could succeed. He was just a five-year-old child, Feng Lie sighed.
Xin Hun, who had been kneeling silently beside them, felt displeasure when everyone looked at his older brother, the Crown Prince, with blame. His small body quickly stood up and said loudly, “Crown Prince Gege did not do it on purpose, do not blame him.”
Xin Hun’s words startled Feng Lie and the Empress Dowager. This child was indeed very bold. Xie Lan’s face turned pale, and she quickly rushed over, pulling her son’s small body, “Xin Hun, do not speak carelessly. Everyone does not blame Crown Prince Gege. Gege is so young, we know he did not do it on purpose.”
Hearing Xin Hun’s words, Mu Xing began to cry sadly, “Mu Xing did not do it on purpose. Mother is like this, Mu Xing is so heartbroken, so sad.”
As he cried, his sobs startled Liu Liu awake. She slowly opened her eyes and, seeing her son crying, felt a pang of heartache.
“What’s wrong with Mu Xing?”
As soon as Feng Xie heard Liu’er was awake, he quickly reached out and embraced her. Liu Liu glanced at Feng Xie and asked cautiously, “I’m fine. What’s wrong with Mu Xing? You haven’t blamed him, have you?”
A hint of displeasure appeared on Liu Liu’s pale face as she looked coldly at Feng Xie. Feng Xie, fearing she would worry too much and cause trouble, quickly shook his head, “I have not blamed him. Don’t worry.”
“Mm,” Liu Liu nodded and extended her slender hand to beckon her son over.
When Mu Xing saw his mother awake, he could no longer hold back. His small body stood up, rushed past everyone, and threw himself before his mother, crying sadly, “Mother, I didn’t do it on purpose. Mu Xing is so scared.”
“Good boy, Mu Xing, don’t be scared. Mother will be fine,”
Liu Liu reached out and held her son. She saw the fear in the eyes of her usually lawless son and felt extreme pity. She looked up at Feng Xie, placed Mu Xing’s hand into his, and said calmly.
“Feng Xie, he is our son and also my reason for being. If something truly happens to me, please love him well.”
Liu Liu said this because she knew the Gu poison was difficult to cure. Seeing Feng Xie’s expression, she feared he would blame Mu Xing for her death, which was why she spoke this way.
Little did she know that as soon as her words fell, a chorus of cries erupted in the vast hall of Wei Yang Palace.
“Mother, no.”
“Your Highness, no.”
Cries continued. Feng Xie’s starry eyes turned blood red, and he fiercely pulled Liu Liu into his embrace, calm and collected, with a resolve that could destroy the world.
“Liu’er, you will be fine. Believe me, you will be fine. If you die, I will not live alone.”
He roared the last sentence, the sound shaking the great hall of Wei Yang Palace. The hearts of the Empress Dowager and Prince Yan, Feng Lie, burned like fire.
Must they now bear the pain of losing not only Liu’er but also the Emperor?
Liu Liu was stunned by Feng Xie’s words. At this moment, her heart felt strangely warm, and tears slid from the corners of her eyes. She spoke softly and weakly, “Thank you. Then, live well, even if it’s for me.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she fainted again. Feng Xie roared madly, “No, Liu’er, don’t be so cruel to me. Please, you must be strong. Someone will come to save you soon.”
Everyone looked at the Emperor and Empress before them and began to cry again. The Emperor’s love for the Empress was perhaps etched into his very bones.
May the Empress be all right. If the Empress were to have an accident, no one dared to imagine what would happen to the Emperor. The Emperor was a good emperor.
Although he was harsh on the eunuchs and palace maids in the inner palace, he never punished them arbitrarily. He was benevolent to the people of the land. Such a good emperor was perhaps rare.
Which emperor in all the dynasties was not a tyrant? Although the Emperor had been excessive towards the Empress before, everyone forgave him now, only hoping that the lovers would end up together.
Outside the great hall, Yue Ying strode in and said gravely, “Reporting to Your Majesty, there is not a soul in the cold palace. Lou Si Jing has long since disappeared.”
Feng Xie’s handsome face was filled with all-encompassing hatred in his dark eyes. That woman was indeed feigning madness, her purpose being to poison the Empress.
He had not expected that woman to be so profound, possessing extraordinary skills. Her martial arts must have been taught by Feng Luo. This woman was truly malicious.
“I didn’t expect that woman to be pretending to be crazy, how detestable,”
The Empress Dowager thought of Liu Liu’s suspicions that day, it seemed Liu’er’s vigilance was indeed high.
And they had all been kept in the dark, how detestable. Feng Xie waved his hand, and Yue Ying retreated. Fortunately, Ri Ying had returned.
Behind him followed several of Liu Liu’s subordinates, one of whom was carrying a medicine box. When Feng Xie saw that the man was A Bao, who had treated him in Chu Jiang years ago, he immediately waved to stop A Bao from kneeling. Saving lives was the priority.
“Quick, see what Gu poison the Empress has been afflicted with.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, please lay the Empress down,” A Bao said respectfully.
Feng Xie immediately picked up Liu Liu and walked towards the sleeping quarters, followed by A Bao and Mu Xing.
Prince Yan, Feng Lie, also followed them into the sleeping quarters. The others waited in the great hall for the results of the treatment, their palms sweating. Seeing that the eunuchs and palace maids were kneeling, the Empress Dowager waved her hand, signaling everyone to stand up and wait.
In the sleeping quarters, A Bao diligently examined the Empress’s pulse. However, the Empress’s usually bright and beautiful little face was pale, devoid of any color, which made A Bao extremely sad.
He had learned a lot about Gu poisons from those who could cure them in Qilian Mountain, and he had conducted extensive research on Gu poisons. Therefore, after taking her pulse, he had a clear understanding of the Empress’s Gu poison.
His face became solemn. He released the Empress’s arm and spoke calmly and steadily.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Gu poison afflicting the Empress is a small insect Gu called a blood-eating flower. This insect Gu is very small but naturally feeds on blood to meet its needs. When it feeds, it feels like being pierced by ten thousand arrows, causing unbearable pain. The Gu raiser put flower pollen into the blood, also the pollen of a flower called Phalaenopsis, because the Empress likes the scent of Phalaenopsis. This was precisely what the villain noticed. Therefore, she raised the Gu with Phalaenopsis pollen, and over time, the Gu worm became interested only in people with this scent.”