Afternoon.
After waking from her midday rest, Fu Lingxi sent Huichun to the Imperial Medical Bureau to summon an imperial physician and a medical maid to Yikun Palace to take her routine pulse.
As soon as this news spread, it naturally stirred unrest among the concubines of the harem once more, and all attention was directed toward the gates of Yikun Palace.
In particular, the one who came to take Lady Yi’s pulse was none other than Imperial Physician Qin himself—a trusted confidant of the emperor—
Imperial Physician Qin was a master physician exclusively serving the royal family of Shangyi.
He was proficient in internal medicine and had unique treatments for difficult and complicated illnesses, earning great trust and responsibility from the royal family.
In the current imperial palace, aside from the emperor and the two Empress Dowagers, only an old, senior Grand Princess of the imperial clan could command this esteemed physician…
Now, Yikun Palace had once again become the center of another disturbance.
Sensing the unusual tension among the palace servants in the main hall, Fu Lingxi gathered her thoughts to deal with this “Imperial Physician Qin.” Yet although he had a head full of white hair, his face appeared middle-aged, making it difficult to gauge his true age—
Moreover, his long brows reached his temples, and white whiskers extended from the ends, giving him an auspicious, benevolent appearance, like a longevity elder. There was nothing outwardly strange about him.
“Lady Yi’s health is sound. She may have her green plaque presented and receive His Majesty’s favor.”
After leaving behind this blunt statement, Imperial Physician Qin departed with the medical maid.
“Eunuch Fang, who exactly is this Imperial Physician Qin?”
Fu Lingxi had no intention of detaining him. After he left, she immediately dismissed the idle servants, keeping only Fang Quanfu and the three senior maids in the main hall to question them.
The main reason was that she had clearly sensed a flow of “qi” emanating from Imperial Physician Qin. As he took her pulse, it circulated through her extraordinary meridians. He likely had not discovered the spirit core crystal hidden in her left palm, but she distinctly felt that his gaze toward her had become increasingly “kind”!
“Replying to Mistress, Imperial Physician Qin is a close and trusted official of His Majesty, specifically responsible for the emperor’s medical care.”
In simpler terms, among officials, anyone who could have the emperor send Imperial Physician Qin to treat their family members could prove that they were currently in favor with His Majesty.
“Oh?”
Fu Lingxi glanced at her four close attendants and saw the same confusion in their eyes. Realizing she could not obtain the answer she sought, she waved them away helplessly and returned to the inner chamber to think—
[What does this Emperor Taiyong intend?!]
As expected, the imperial will was not to be guessed.
This was partly the fault of the original body’s legal mother, who had suppressed her too harshly!
The original host had no sense of the broader world she lived in, only knowing that the current emperor possessed extraordinary martial strength, and that this world revered martial prowess.
The only impression she had was that, from her younger brother, she learned that the Shangyi Kingdom not only had academies for scholars but also martial halls…
…
Qianqing Palace · Zichen Hall
“Well? Is what Imperial Physician Huang reported true?”
Xie Subing set aside the memorial he had just reviewed and asked calmly as he looked toward Qin Gangyan, who had been led in by Sheng Shizan.
“Replying to Your Majesty, Lady Yi indeed possesses a ‘martial womb physique.’ What Imperial Physician Huang said was not false.”
Seeing the emperor raise a brow slightly with interest, Qin Gangyan smiled and nodded as he continued:
“However, Imperial Physician Huang’s knowledge is shallow. He could only identify that Lady Yi possesses a ‘martial womb physique,’ but he does not know that she actually has the rare ‘Phoenix Bone Physique’!”
“What?!”
Upon hearing this, even the usually indifferent Emperor Taiyong stood up in shock. He glanced at Sheng Shizan, who immediately withdrew to guard outside the study, before stepping closer to Qin Gangyan and pressing:
“Old Qin, are you certain—it is the Phoenix Bone Physique?”
Previously, when he learned from Qin that Ruan Ji possessed the rare Luan Bone Physique, he had shown no reaction. Yet upon hearing that Lady Yi shared the same rare Phoenix Bone Physique as his own birth mother, his expression finally changed.
In the Martial Spirit Continent, ninety percent of women were ordinary.
Only ten percent had the chance to possess a special innate talent—the martial womb physique.
This physique was currently classified into four levels: the lowest was the Martial Bone Physique, followed by the Spirit Bone Physique, then the Luan Bone Physique, and at the very top—the Phoenix Bone Physique.
To put it into perspective, Emperor Taiyong himself, at only twenty-five years old, had already reached the Nascent Soul stage of martial cultivation—a level equivalent to a Martial Sovereign!
This was precisely because his mother, the Empress Dowager Yi, possessed the Phoenix Bone Physique, granting him extraordinary talent from birth.
Unfortunately, such talents were not inherited by bloodline. Although the Empress Dowager possessed the Phoenix Bone Physique, among the entire Li clan, only Li Jinyun had a martial womb physique—and it was merely the lowest-level Martial Bone Physique.
To be honest, with his mother’s Phoenix Bone Physique as a standard, Li Jinyun’s talent was beneath his notice.
“Replying to Your Majesty, how could this old servant joke about such a matter!”
Qin Gangyan straightened, speaking firmly, before smiling again as he reminded the emperor:
“Your Majesty, Lady Yi’s appearance is precisely your opportunity and fortune. Since Your Majesty intends to personally lead a campaign, you must leave behind a drop of golden bloodline for the Xie imperial family!”
As a trusted confidant, he naturally knew of Prince Huai’s ambitions.
However, His Majesty had always been devoted to martial cultivation and had paid little attention to heirs. He still maintained a pure yang body, simply because he had yet to find a woman who stirred his heart—his emotions had not yet awakened.
“I understand. You may withdraw.”
Hearing this, Xie Subing lifted his deep phoenix eyes toward the starry sky and bright moon. After a brief pause, he waved his hand, signaling Qin to leave.
Moments later, Sheng Shizan entered again, this time bringing Ye Jiuyan, the chief eunuch of the Bureau of Palace Affairs—
On the tray, placed in the very center, was Lady Yi’s green plaque.
“…This old fox!”
Xie Subing’s face darkened as he cast a sharp glare at Sheng Shizan, who immediately lowered his head in submission. In the end, the emperor did not reject his subordinates’ intentions. Considering that he would soon depart for war, leaving his mother alone in the dangerous palace…
He reached out, picked up the green plaque representing Lady Yi of Yikun Palace, and relented:
“Lady Yi, then. Prepare the imperial bath.”
“Yes!”
At the command, Sheng Shizan and Ye Jiuyan both showed joy on their faces as they quickly withdrew to carry out their duties.
Within the time it took to burn a stick of incense, the entire harem knew:
Lady Yi had only requested a routine pulse check at noon, yet by evening, she had already been summoned to serve the emperor at Qianqing Palace!
Upon hearing this shocking news, the concubines in every palace tore apart countless handkerchiefs. However, since the matter was trivial and no fool reported it to the Imperial Household Department, it remained unknown to outsiders.
At this moment,
After hearing Zheng Guanhe from the Bureau of Palace Affairs deliver his congratulations, Fu Lingxi was completely stunned!
She stood frozen in place until Surang lightly nudged her waist, snapping her back to her senses, prompting her to quickly present a red envelope as a reward.
Yet the matter was not over. After being summoned to attend the emperor, she was required to immediately proceed to Qianqing Palace to accompany him!
[What the hell—he wants me to attend him?!]
Upon hearing this order, Fu Lingxi’s smile froze on her face. Only when Surang gripped her wrist hard enough to hurt did she suddenly calm down—
[Damn it, what “this one”? I’m just a nobody who can be kneaded and shaped at will, not even able to make my own decisions—what right do I have to speak like that!]
“This concubine… obeys the command.”
Resigned, Fu Lingxi did not bother with elaborate makeup or changing into luxurious attire. She simply took Surang with her and followed Zheng Guanhe out of Yikun Palace—