If Fang Lingchu knew what the System was thinking, she would definitely open its system brain to see what was going on.
Fang Lingchu said weakly: [I want to too, but how am I supposed to save him? Run up and tell the Emperor: “Your Majesty, you are poisoned and have parasites in your body, you’re about to die.” If I say something like that, I feel like my entire nine generations of family will be reporting to the Black and White Impermanence tomorrow.]
The Emperor glanced at the young girl, thinking to himself: “Actually, I’m not that brutal, you know.”
Minister Fang didn’t even want to criticize his daughter—did she think her previous ideas would keep their family’s nine generations safe?
Although this daughter’s arrival had changed their family’s fate, this daughter was also quite a handful.
The System thought for a moment and said: [But if you don’t speak up, your country will soon fall into war, and your family will still be in the same situation. If you save His Majesty, at least there’s a chance to survive, right?]
Everyone almost nodded subconsciously but managed to restrain themselves.
Hearing the System say this, Fang Lingchu thought it over and agreed, then asked: [Is there any mission that can give me a universal antidote?]
Hearing that there might be an antidote, everyone became quite expectant.
Their Minor Court Assembly had already lasted for two hours, yet His Majesty showed no intention of ending it.
Hearing Fang Lingchu’s question, the System said: [I’ll go ask in the system group chat to see if the Cultivation systems have something like this.]
Then the System disappeared.
The others, learning that the systems could also engage in Cultivation, felt inexplicably envious, but the most important thing right now was His Majesty’s health.
At that moment, a eunuch from outside entered, announcing that the medicine ordered by the Empress Dowager for His Majesty had arrived.
The Chief Eunuch could also hear Fang Lingchu’s inner thoughts. Now, seeing the medicine brought in by his apprentice, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
His Majesty merely glanced at it, and the Chief Eunuch took the medicinal broth, then escorted the person to the back. Immediately, someone apprehended the eunuch, while others took the broth to the Imperial Hospital for thorough examination.
Fang Lingchu noticed nothing. After a while, the System returned.
[Host, Host, I’m back.]
Hearing the System’s return, Fang Lingchu asked: [Did you find any?]
[Yes, Host, but this mission is rather mean. Are you sure you want to accept it?]
Fang Lingchu just wanted to roll her eyes at it—was it really up to her whether she accepted it or not?
[Hurry up and tell me. The medicine sent by the Empress Dowager just arrived. If His Majesty drinks it after the court session ends, we’ll all be dead tomorrow.]
The System was aware of the situation and said: [Daily Mission: Pluck the beards of seven court officials, then wrap them in a scented sachet and give it as a gift to a certain lord. Reward: Two Antidote Pills.]
Fang Lingchu asked: [This Antidote Pill sounds good—it can cure all poisons and prevent future poisoning. It’s acceptable, but this mission…]
Fang Lingchu glanced at the officials attending the Minor Court Assembly—she couldn’t afford to offend any of them. What should she do?
Besides, how could she secretly pluck someone’s beard?
Fang Lingchu thought for a moment, then stealthily reached out and first plucked her superior’s beard.
She then pretended to look around here and there, just not daring to look at Lord Chang, who was diligently taking notes.
After a while, realizing her superior hadn’t noticed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she glanced at her father again, then at the several officials who were deep in discussion. They seemed so engrossed in their debate that they didn’t notice her little movements.
Fang Lingchu quickly moved to her father’s side, swiftly and precisely plucked a few strands of his beard, then hurried back to her own spot.
Although Minister Fang knew why his daughter was doing this, he still pretended to be angry and glared fiercely at her.
Fang Lingchu guiltily looked around everywhere—except at her father.
Minister Fang only glanced at her once before looking away.
After all, they were in the middle of a court assembly, and it seemed no one could really do anything to her anyway.
Whether she stuck her neck out or pulled it back, the outcome might be the same—so she might as well take a gamble.
Then she quickly moved to pluck the beards of the Crown Prince’s Taifu, the Grand Preceptor, and the Left and Right Chancellors. The last one, however, was a bit too far from Fang Lingchu.
Fang Lingchu began to worry.
[System, why is that Libu Shangshu so far away from me? How can we quickly get over there to pluck his beard? Ahhhhh…]
Fang Lingchu’s anxious voice echoed all around, the “ahhhhh” so piercing it felt like everyone’s ears were ringing.
Still, they secretly shot reproachful glances at the Libu Shangshu, urging him to move closer to Lord Xiao Fang.
The Libu Shangshu quickly stepped forward to discuss matters, bringing himself much closer to Fang Lingchu.
Seeing the Libu Shangshu now within reach, the System said: [Host, now’s the time. Just one more to go. Hurry up and make your move, Host.]
Fang Lingchu was also a bit excited. Looking at the long beard, she stealthily reached out, gave it a tug, then lowered her head to look at what Lord Chang was writing, pretending to be very busy.
The Libu Shangshu pretended as if he had been bitten by a mosquito but didn’t dare make any big movements.
After all, behaving improperly in front of the Emperor could lead to punishment.
Fang Lingchu held the beards of several people in her hand, quietly placed them into her scented sachet, then slipped back to her father’s side and whispered, “Father, this is a gift from your daughter.”
When Minister Fang saw his daughter, his temples throbbed, but he didn’t dare do anything. He simply took what she offered and motioned for her to quickly return to her place.
Fang Lingchu thought happily to herself: [Ahhhhh, thank goodness I still have my father, the Minister. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know who to give this to.]
The System also chimed in: [Host, the mission is complete. Rewards have been successfully distributed.]
Fang Lingchu asked curiously: [How did you distribute them?]
The System replied proudly: [I swapped the pill that Consort Jing gave to His Majesty with our medicine. Pretty clever, right?]
Everyone heard that Fang Lingchu had completed the mission and that the medicine had been delivered, so they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, someone brought over a pill. The Emperor expressionlessly swallowed it, and before long, he felt the benefits of the medicine.
The oppressive feeling in his chest vanished.
His entire body felt much lighter, as if he had instantly returned to his peak condition.
The Emperor hadn’t expected the medicine to be so effective—it even restored his body to how it was when he was still the Crown Prince.
Seeing the Emperor’s complexion improve, Fang Lingchu inwardly sighed in relief.
At that moment, the System spoke again: [The plot is starting. The beam above your Emperor is about to fall. Host, get out of the way quickly.]
Upon hearing this, Fang Lingchu instinctively threw herself toward the Emperor, knocking him down just as the beam above them came crashing down.
Fang Lingchu closed her eyes, bracing herself for the pain to come.
But the expected pain never came, and only then did Fang Lingchu cautiously open her eyes.
Then she saw someone had split the roof beam in two.
Looking down, Fang Lingchu saw the Emperor she had knocked over and quickly scrambled to her feet, saying, “Your Majesty, please forgive me! I… your subject didn’t mean to, Your Majesty…”
Kneeling in fear, Fang Lingchu appeared terrified on the surface, but in her heart, she still had the composure to discuss with the System.
【System, do you think since I knocked the Emperor over, he might take me into the harem? Wuwuwuwu, no way! I just wanted to save him!】
Everyone: Shouldn’t you be worrying about your own life right now? Instead, you’re worried about being taken into the palace?