Qinghua wiped away her tears.

She picked up the medicine bowl, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to the Emperor’s lips.

The Emperor’s lips slowly parted.

Just at that moment—

A cold, stern voice rang out.

“Stop!”

Yun Chu rushed in.

Consort Yin’s expression changed. She grabbed the medicine bowl and poured it toward the Emperor’s mouth.

“Qinghua, stop Mother!”

Yun Chu shouted loudly.

Qinghua, who was closest, instinctively blocked Consort Yin’s movement. It wasn’t that she trusted Yun Chu, but rather that she genuinely felt Mother seemed to have become a different person.

“Crash!”

The medicine bowl was knocked to the ground by Yun Chu.

At the same time, she stepped forward and forcefully chopped down with her elbow on the back of Consort Yin’s neck. Consort Yin’s eyes rolled back and she softly collapsed to the ground.

Noble Consort Shu was so frightened she covered her mouth.

Qinghua’s eyes widened: “Yun Chu! What are you doing!”

Yun Chu took a deep breath and bent down to clean up the shattered medicine bowl.

Now that His Majesty was unconscious, the Hall of Mental Cultivation no longer allowed any palace servants to enter or leave. They had to do everything themselves.

The terrified Noble Consort Shu didn’t dare say anything and hurried to help lift Consort Yin and place her on a chair to the side.

Qinghua said through gritted teeth: “Yun Chu, if you don’t give me an explanation, I won’t let this go!”

Yun Chu wiped the residual medicine from her hands and spoke slowly: “On the way to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, who did you encounter?”

Qinghua answered, involuntarily following Yun Chu’s lead: “Princess Zhuang.”

“Just as I thought.”

Yun Chu’s eyes were full of murderous intent.

Halfway along as that young eunuch was leading her toward the Imperial Garden, she had sensed something was wrong.

If this had been half a year ago and someone told her Yu’er was fighting with someone, she definitely wouldn’t have had any doubts.

But since Chu Yi went on campaign, Yu’er had rapidly matured. Especially at a time like this, Yu’er already had the sense of responsibility befitting a legitimate son. There was no way he would fight with anyone in the palace and make his mother worry…

She quickly realized someone had deliberately diverted her away.

So she had rushed here to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and sure enough saw Qinghua and Consort Yin standing before the Emperor’s bed, about to feed him medicine.

Feeding His Majesty medicine had always been Noble Consort Shu’s responsibility.

Consort Yin interfering was abnormal to begin with.

Fortunately, she had stopped it in time.

She dared to be certain that this medicine must contain something that could revive the parasitic worm in His Majesty’s body, and the seven doses of antidote fed previously would have been wasted.

Yun Chu walked to Consort Yin’s side, took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve, extracted a pill, and stuffed it into Consort Yin’s mouth.

“What did you feed my mother?”

Qinghua hurried to stop her.

Yun Chu spoke slowly: “Princess Zhuang implanted Mother with a child worm.”

She had been wondering where the third worm would be. It turned out Chu Rui had kept the third child worm as a trump card, to be used only in desperate circumstances.

The child worm could confuse the mind.

Even if Consort Yin wasn’t that kind of person, she would temporarily lose her rationality under the child worm’s influence.

After the antidote was administered, Consort Yin gradually awakened. She pressed her head, somewhat bewildered: “Why does the back of my neck hurt so much? What happened?”

Yun Chu calmly recounted the events.

Qinghua was completely stunned: “Witchcraft worms? Child worm? Father Emperor unconscious? Prince Zhuang plotted this? This…”

“Chu’er, fortunately you stopped me from feeding the medicine. Otherwise, His Majesty would truly have to suffer again.” Consort Yin’s expression was grim. “That Su Ziyue, to dare scheme against me—I’ll see how I deal with her!”

“Mother is currently in a state of being infected with the child worm.” Yun Chu pressed her lips together. “First deceive Prince Zhuang. Otherwise, he’ll cause more trouble. Once these two days pass and Father Emperor recovers, everything will be fine.”

Consort Yin nodded: “Alright, then I’ll temporarily remain in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”

Qinghua pressed her hands to her head.

She had traveled all this way and was already very tired. To suddenly receive so much information—her head was about to explode.

She looked toward the Emperor on the dragon bed with great concern.

With such a great commotion, Father Emperor still had no reaction at all, as if he were a… dead person.

She was badly startled and spoke: “I’ll also stay in the Hall of Mental Cultivation to attend the sickbed.”

“Attending the sickbed doesn’t need so many people.” Yun Chu said. “Second Sister is tired. First have a meal, then wash up and sleep. Oh, and Shen’er has been asking about Second Sister for a long time.”

She had originally wanted Qinghua to stay at the former Prince Pingxi’s residence.

But now that probably wouldn’t work.

Chu Rui would stop at nothing.

She worried Qinghua might also become Chu Rui’s chess piece.

It was more appropriate to stay in the palace.

She only hoped these two days would pass without real danger.

Qinghua did indeed miss her son and followed Yun Chu to the Eastern Palace.

The palace servants brought up the meal, filling an entire table. Meng Shen accompanied Qinghua to eat while Yun Chu went to be with Jue’er.

“Shen’er, you don’t need to worry about these changes in the imperial court and inner palace. Just study your books properly.” Qinghua instructed. “The palace examination is coming up soon. Although you’re young, you have talent. You can try taking it first. Your father has high hopes for you. You must strive harder. After you become an official, you can also help your uncle.”

Meng Shen nodded: “Mother, rest assured. I know all this.”

After the meal ended, Qinghua was truly exhausted.

Naturally she wouldn’t stay in the Eastern Palace but went to Consort Yin’s Changqiu Palace, where her bedchamber from before marriage was located.

The main hall of Changqiu Palace was where Consort Yin lived. One of the two side halls was Princess Qinghua’s residence, and the palace maids serving there were people she was familiar with.

The palace maid prepared hot water for her. The bathing tub contained some medicinal herbs for calming the mind. Qinghua removed her garments and sat in the tub, closing her eyes to rest.

After bathing, her entire body was relaxed. She put on an outer robe and went into the inner chamber to sleep.

Before sleeping, she was still thinking that once she had rested enough, she must go stay at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. She didn’t know why, but she was very worried about Father Emperor…

She didn’t know how long she had slept when she suddenly felt voices near her ear—a man’s voice.

“Princess Qinghua, wake up.”

Her eyes suddenly flew open.

What met her gaze was a refined, scholarly face.

Her heart jumped in alarm: “Chu Rui!”

She raised her head and only then discovered she was actually lying on the ground. Above were dilapidated roof beams. The doors and windows all around were broken. She had no idea where this place was.

“Chu Rui! You dare abduct a princess of the Great Jin Dynasty! You don’t want to live!” Qinghua said furiously. “Although you have merit for saving the Emperor, at the end of the day, you’re the son of a former dynasty’s crown prince—you’re nothing! Release me quickly and I can petition Father Emperor to spare your life!”

“Heh.”

Chu Rui showed a mocking smile.

He had thought that after Su Ziyue fed the child worm to Consort Yin, that child worm would surely have a tremendous effect.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the child worm found its host, it was killed.

The child worm in his body was also getting weaker and weaker because—the mature worm was dying, and the child worm couldn’t survive much longer either.

He had no choice.

He could only take this desperate risk.

“Princess Qinghua, the relationship between us is not one of mortal enemies.” Chu Rui’s face was full of smiles. “How about we cooperate instead?”