Upon hearing such a pointed question, Cai Xun’s expression shifted slightly, and he immediately bowed his head in deference, saying:
“This subordinate would not dare.”
Feng Qing ignored him and instead descended from the city gate to personally escort Li Yueyao inside.
With Feng Qing accompanying her, Li Yueyao proceeded without obstruction all the way to the entrance of Taiji Palace.
Inside Taiji Palace at that moment were the Empress, consorts from various palaces, princes, the Crown Prince, as well as the Emperor’s siblings.
Princess Zhaoging was loudly reprimanding the imperial physicians: “If you all claim there is no issue, why has His Majesty still not awakened after two hours?”
The kneeling physicians kept their heads bowed, trembling and not daring to speak.
“Or is it that your medical skills are inadequate, and you simply cannot diagnose the cause?”
Seeing that none of the physicians answered her, Princess Zhaoging grew even more furious:
“If that is the case, what use are you? Guards—”
At that moment, Prince Qin, seated by the Emperor’s bedside and watching the Emperor remain unconscious, felt a headache coming on:
“Zhaoging, calm yourself. Do not trouble them further.
We have already sent for Zhao Yuanzheng to enter the palace. Let us wait until he arrives.”
Hearing Prince Qin’s words, Princess Zhaoging’s willow-like eyebrows shot up:
“Brother Prince Qin, I have yet to question you!
While His Majesty lies unconscious, you conspire with the Empress to control the palace gates—do you intend to rebel?”
Prince Qin looked at his sister as if she had lost her mind, his expression one of disbelief.
He then sneered coldly: “I intend to rebel? Which of us truly harbors such intentions—you know it well in your heart.
It is not I who forms factions for personal gain and disrupts the court’s order.”
Princess Zhaoging was left speechless by Prince Qin’s retort, her face flushing red:
“Brother Prince Qin, you are exceptionally brave and capable. Is it only because our eldest brother was the legitimate firstborn that he ascended the throne? All these years, have you truly been content? Do you think others cannot see your ambitions?”
Prince Qin, Zhaoging, and the Emperor were siblings born of the same mother.
With the Emperor unconscious, Prince Qin was already deeply worried.
To see that the one obstructing him now was none other than his own sister left him with little patience for further entanglement. He spoke directly:
“Zhaoging, today at Tai Temple, with our ancestors as witnesses, do you dare to swear an oath with me?”
With that, he raised three fingers toward the sky and took the lead in making a public vow:
“Ancestors above, if I, Li Chengrui, harbor any treacherous intentions today, seeking to force my way into the palace and seize the throne, may the ancestors manifest their power and strike me down with lightning on the spot, ending this unfilial son.”
He then turned and looked coldly at Zhaoging: “Do you dare to swear publicly?”
Zhaoging was momentarily at a loss for words.
Seeing her silence, Prince Qin snorted coldly, his face darkening as he turned to ask the Crown Prince:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, what decision should be made now? Do you have any ideas?”
The nine-year-old Crown Prince, upon hearing the question, turned blankly to look at the Empress.
The Empress then spoke slowly: “Prince Qin, perhaps we should first listen to the imperial physicians and wait for Zhao Yuanzheng.
If even Zhao Yuanzheng proves helpless upon arrival, we can then decide what to do. What do you think?”
Before Prince Qin could respond, a clear, cold woman’s voice came from the doorway.
“There is no need to trouble the imperial physicians further. I will handle it.”
The guards at the door immediately bowed upon hearing the voice: “We pay our respects to Princess Jin Yang.”
Everyone inside the room looked up in unison toward the entrance.
Li Yueyao was exceptionally beautiful—her face like a full moon, her eyes like distant mountains, her brows like ink paintings, and her lips like cinnabar, resembling a blooming peony.
But at this moment, Li Yueyao was dressed in a lake-blue round-collared robe, with only a jade hairpin in her hair, disguised as a man. She looked travel-worn and weary, appearing simple and frail in the cold wind at the door.
Prince Qin, Prince Jin, Zhao Qing, and the others were momentarily stunned. After a closer look, they realized it was indeed their aunt who had been staying at Chun Shan Palace.
They quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Aunt."
The princes also bowed and said, "Greetings, Grand Aunt."
The Empress nodded as well and said, "Aunt."
The rest of the people all bowed in unison toward Li Yueyao and said, "Greetings, Princess Jin Yang."
Li Yueyao looked at the group standing before her.
Wow, a room full of handsome men!
Both Prince Qin and Prince Jin were older than her, now middle-aged, but still undoubtedly two handsome middle-aged men.
They both called her "Aunt."
Then she looked at the group of princes—the eldest prince was steady, the second prince was valiant, the third prince was gentle, and the fourth prince was refined.
Each one of them had grown into handsome young men with rosy lips and white teeth, all taller than her by a head, yet they called her "Grand Aunt."
Li Yueyao felt a pang of frustration.
Damn it, I'm only twenty-seven, and I'm already a grandmother? My eldest grandson is fifteen or sixteen?
Sigh… I've wasted all these years hiding away on Chun Shan.
If I had known, I could have wandered the world and maybe met a few handsome young men, enjoying a carefree and romantic life.
Li Yueyao felt deeply regretful inside, but her expression remained unchanged as she said calmly, "Rise."
Then she walked past the crowd, approached the Empress, and said, "Your subject pays respects to the Empress."
The Empress quickly reached out to help her up. "No need for formalities. Aunt, why have you returned?"
"To save His Majesty."
Li Yueyao answered briefly and then walked directly to the side of the Emperor's imperial bed, taking out a needle case from her sleeve and placing it nearby.
Princess Zhaoging, who was standing nearby, spoke up, "Aunt, your medical skills… perhaps we should let the imperial physicians take another look?"
"If we relied on them, your brother would have died eight hundred times over."
Li Yueyao replied bluntly.
While checking the Emperor's pulse, she instructed Sun Fu, the Emperor's personal eunuch, to open the Emperor's chest clothing for better observation.
Looking at her nephew, the Emperor, Li Yueyao felt a wave of sadness.
Emperor Li Chenghong was originally fair-skinned, tall, and quite handsome.
But now, his cheekbones were prominent, dark circles under his eyes were hard to conceal, his lips were parched, and silver strands were visible among his black hair. He looked utterly ill.
Li Yueyao frowned deeply and asked, "How did His Majesty become so gravely ill?"
The Empress stepped forward and replied, "Aunt, after autumn began this year, His Majesty initially caught a slight cold, but it kept recurring without improvement.
It also triggered His Majesty's old chronic illness, which is why…"
Li Yueyao checked the Emperor's pulse and examined the area around his chest's Danzhong acupoint, her frown deepening.
The Emperor's symptoms were exactly like those described in the Poison Canon for the Chimu poison.
So it really was poisoning. The words spoken by the imperial ancestor in the dream had come true again.
Just as Li Yueyao was worrying over the Emperor's condition, Zhao Qing spoke up again, tactlessly:
"Aunt, it's not that we don't trust your medical skills, but the imperial physicians have more experience…"
Li Yueyao snapped back to reality and looked at her niece before her. Since entering the hall, she had been the center of attention.
Earlier, she had been shouting and arguing with Prince Qin in the hall, and now she kept interrupting, disturbing Li Yueyao's treatment of the Emperor.
Today was the day for offering sacrifices at the Tai Temple, yet her attire was embroidered with gold thread, and her hair was adorned with jewels and ornaments, extravagantly luxurious.
Li Yueyao recalled again the dream where her sister-in-law the Empress spoke of Zhao Qing—how she kept male consorts, amassed wealth recklessly, and sowed chaos in the court.
Suddenly, anger surged within her. With a backhanded motion, she drove a needle into Princess Zhaoging’s elbow.
Zhao Qing instantly felt her entire arm go numb and tingly.
“Aunt, why did you hurt me?” Zhao Qing demanded, unable to believe it.
“What if I did?”
Li Yueyao’s tone was sharp.
Seeing that Li Yueyao held her in such contempt, publicly humiliating her in front of everyone, Zhao Qing flushed crimson with rage. In a heated moment, she blurted out without thinking:
“Aunt hasn’t left the mountain in seven years. Coming back now to take charge—I’m afraid you’re not qualified…”
Before she could finish, Li Yueyao flicked another silver needle straight toward Zhao Qing’s throat.
“Say one more word, and I’ll make sure you never speak again.”
Li Yueyao’s voice was like ice.
Seeing the murderous glint in Li Yueyao’s eyes and her hostile expression, Zhao Qing suddenly remembered the two years of strict discipline she endured under Li Yueyao as a child. Her body trembled involuntarily.
She opened her mouth to apologize, but found she truly could not make a sound. Panic seized her in that instant.