Chapter 422: Chapter 292: Emperor Xia’s Request
When Xiahou Qi learned from the Empress Dowager that Emperor Xia intended to arrange a new marriage, he disregarded his illness and had General Chi Yan immediately bring him to the imperial study.
However, he did not expect that he was still too late. Emperor Xia had already issued the Imperial Decree, and Ye Lingyue had directly angered the Emperor by refusing his decree.
Looking at the woman in the imperial study, fiery like a bright flame, unbearable to look directly at, Xiahou Qi sighed deeply in his heart, knowing that he had completely lost Ye Lingyue’s heart.
Years later, when people asked Xiahou Qi, the most outstanding emperor in Daxia’s history, about his biggest regret in life, he always answered that the flowers bloom intentionally while the water flows heartlessly. Because of his capriciousness, he missed out on the most precious friendship.
When asked about the happiest moment of his life, Xiahou Qi would fall silent, his thoughts returning to a dark night decades ago, where in a narrow side hall, a young girl shared with him all about her childhood.
That moment was the closest Xiahou Qi had ever been to Ye Lingyue, and it was the only time in his life.
Xiahou Qi walked up to Emperor Xia, pushing away General Chi Yan’s support and knelt before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to spare the Ye Family’s mother and daughter. For the past decade or more, they have suffered too much. Some wounds, once inflicted, are difficult to heal in this lifetime," Xiahou Qi passionately recounted the night Ye Lingyue told him how she and Ye Huangyu were driven out of Hong Residence and bullied at the Ye Family Sect.
Ye Lingyue had even spent over a decade mistakenly considered a fool, he narrated every detail.
Emperor Xia was utterly astonished.
He only knew part of the story, not realizing that before coming to Xia Capital, Ye Lingyue was thought to be a foolish girl.
And the expressions of everyone from Hong Residence were also varied.
They had never imagined that as a member of Hong Residence, Ye Lingyue’s childhood was even more miserable than that of pigs and dogs.
"A broken mirror can never be made whole again; tell me, who in the world could acknowledge their ancestors and return to their lineage after enduring such humiliation? Father, your son begs you to rescind the decree," Xiahou Qi pleaded, then started gasping for breath, for in his quest to save Ye Lingyue, he had ventured into the heavily polluted area of Hei Wu. Now, his body was severely tainted by the pollution, and every move he made was agonizing.
"Ah," Emperor Xia was greatly troubled.
But at that moment, Xiahou Qi’s body swayed and he suddenly had difficulty breathing, his vision darkened, and he fainted.
"Qiqi, someone, quickly summon the Imperial Physician," Emperor Xia was frightened.
The Imperial Physician and Alchemist Mei quickly arrived, but they were at a loss about how to treat the comatose Sixth Prince.
"Your Majesty, let me try," Luo Song said, pulling out some water from the Wind Riding Treasure Bottle to feed Xiahou Qi.
Before it was administered, it was pushed away by Ye Lingyue.
"If you want him to die quickly, let him drink it. If I am not mistaken, only those with a strong physique can drink your water. The Sixth Prince is frail and not a martial artist; drinking it would not cure him but cause his body to explode and die."
"How do you know the purpose of my water, and I didn’t know that the prince wasn’t a martial artist, besides we can’t save him, maybe you can save him, if not for you, the Sixth Prince wouldn’t have ended up like this," mocked Luo Song, flushing with embarrassment.
"I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I indeed have a way to heal him," Ye Lingyue retorted and then took out an Elixir Pill.
"Don’t put on airs, I’ve seen shameless, but never someone as shameless as you. That pill of yours is just an ordinary Third-grade Gathering Spirit Powder, it’s only used to restore spiritual power and has no effect on resolving the poison of Hei Wu," Luo Song scoffed.
Both Alchemist Mei and the Imperial Physician were also clueless; the Elixir Pill that Ye Lingyue held was indeed Gathering Spirit Powder.
Ye Lingyue did not say much and directly fed the Elixir Pills to the Sixth Prince.
The Concentration Powder was not mistaken, but this one piece of Concentration Powder she refined had a trace of her Cauldron Breath mixed in.
The Hei Wu on the Xixia Plain was not seen by Ye Lingyue, but she was certain that it was related to the mysterious black miasma from earlier.
Once the Concentration Powder was taken, the darkened Yintang spot on Xiahou Qi’s forehead gradually cleared.
This took both Hong Mingyue and Luo Song by surprise.
Within but the time of a tea cup, Xiahou Qi’s condition stabilized.
"The Muddied Energy inside the Sixth Prince has not been completely eradicated; I will cleanse him of it over the next few days. In three to four days, he should be no different from an ordinary person, but for the sake of his life, he still needs to recuperate in silence," Ye Lingyue stated, her expression unreadable, her tone strictly professional.
None present—including Emperor Xia and those from the Hong Residence—anticipated that the ailment thought incurable even by Three-Life Valley would be so easily resolved by Ye Lingyue.
"Princess Ye, do you possess the means to fully cure the strange ailments in the Xixia region?" Emperor Xia seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
"Your Majesty, the last time there was an outbreak of a strange ailment in a village on the Xixia Plain, it was Princess Ye, along with the Alchemist Mansion staff, who cured it. It’s just unknown why the Military Department did not report this to the court," Alchemist Mei took the opportunity to add.
The implication was clear, and without need for further explanation, Emperor Xia understood that it must have been Hong Fang—serving as the Western Expedition General—who had unilaterally decided to conceal this matter.
Emperor Xia gave Hong Fang a cold glance.
Good job, Hong Fang, hiding such significant news on your own accord.
"The Sixth Prince’s illness is not of grave concern. However, as a minister’s daughter, I have defied an Imperial Decree and committed a grave sin. Should the Sixth Prince require further treatment in the coming days, please move him to the Heavenly Prison," said Ye Lingyue, putting on airs to return to the prison.
"Hold on, Princess Ye. Your medical skills are superb, truly a pillar of the state. Now that the Xixia Plain faces internal and external troubles, it is precisely the time to utilize someone of your capabilities."
Today, Ye Lingyue found that Emperor Xia too was quite talented; his ability to change his stance was faster than flipping a book.
Unfortunately, Emperor Xia’s earlier actions had already left Ye Lingyue disheartened.
If it weren’t for the fact that a large part of the Sixth Prince’s illness was caused by her, she wouldn’t have intervened.
The mysterious black miasma of the Xixia Plain had already been revealed to Hong Fang by Ye Lingyue.
But Hong Fang, not only failing to report to the court, left it unmanaged, leading to an uncontrollable situation.
"Your Majesty, I am inept, please find someone more capable," Ye Lingyue spoke firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Ye Lingyue, don’t be ungracious. It’s merely some alchemy skills you possess. His Majesty appreciates you and is offering you a chance to redeem yourself," Hong Yuying couldn’t bear seeing Ye Lingyue so arrogant and couldn’t help but sneer at her.
"I do not want this opportunity. If Lady Hong likes it, I’m all in favor of handing it over," Ye Lingyue replied, unbothered as if immune to boiling water.
Furious, Hong Yuying almost wished she could slap Ye Lingyue a few times.
"This is the imperial study, not a place for you to quarrel. All of you, withdraw. Princess Ye, you stay," Emperor Xia seemed to have understood; Ye Lingyue was a tough bone to chew, getting her to nod in agreement wouldn’t be easy!