The two imperial physicians’ legs went weak, and they collapsed to the ground.

After a deathly silence, Imperial Physician Li struggled to prop himself up, his face ashen as he said, “Your Majesty, you, you—”

You cannot be joking about this!

Emperor Taixiang rolled his eyes: “Both imperial physicians must cure me!”

Imperial Physician Li’s hands went limp, and he collapsed to the ground again.

The two imperial physicians took turns examining Emperor Taixiang’s pulse, choosing their words carefully: “Your Majesty’s dragon body is of utmost importance. Please allow us to discuss this matter.”

With Emperor Taixiang’s permission, the two imperial physicians went to a secluded place to deliberate.

“Chen Yuanpan, you have served His Majesty for many years and understand His Majesty’s physical condition best. You should speak first.”

At this time, Chen Yuanpan did not decline, sighing: “His Majesty has had congenital deficiencies. After reaching adulthood and taking wives, his condition has become increasingly depleted. His current state is still caused by insufficient kidney qi.”

Imperial Physician Li scratched his head in distress.

The late emperor had long consumed “immortality pills,” resulting in few and weak offspring. This could be said to be the consequence of past causes bearing present fruit, but it brought suffering to these imperial physicians.

“Although it’s insufficient kidney qi, it shouldn’t be completely impossible, right?”

After some deliberation, the two decided to first prescribe kidney-tonifying and essence-consolidating medicine for the emperor to observe the effects.

More than ten days later, Emperor Taixiang again summoned the two imperial physicians for a private consultation.

Seeing Emperor Taixiang’s radiant complexion, the two imperial physicians felt slightly relieved and asked: “Has Your Majesty seen any improvement in bedroom matters recently?”

“I have succeeded several times.”

The two imperial physicians exchanged glances.

Only ten-odd days and he had already succeeded several times—it seemed the effects were quite good.

Facing the two imperial physicians, Emperor Taixiang had thrown caution to the wind and spoke frankly: “I have been sleeping with my imperial guards and have no interest in the palace consorts—”

Before he finished speaking, both imperial physicians collapsed to the ground one after another.

Emperor Taixiang’s physical condition was naturally kept strictly secret from others except for the two imperial physicians. While the two physicians worried themselves to gray hair, Emperor Taixiang seemed to have discovered new pleasures in life, showing particular favor to handsome guards.

Of course, to conceal this impropriety, Emperor Taixiang acted against his usual nature, visiting the rear palace daily, either staying overnight at the Empress’s Fengzao Palace or resting at Noble Consort Xian’s Yufu Palace.

This continued until the end of the year. Seeing that neither the Empress nor Noble Consort Xian showed any signs of pregnancy, both Empress Dowager Yang and the ministers could no longer sit still.

Memorial scrolls advising the emperor to spread his favor evenly came like snowflakes. Empress Dowager Yang was more direct—she summoned Li Jiǎo and scolded her harshly, then kept her under the pretext of having her copy Buddhist scriptures for blessings.

Hearing Empress Dowager Yang’s arrangements, Li Jiǎo felt relieved.

For the past six months, she had lived a life unfit for humans. On the surface, she shared the emperor’s favor with the Empress, making countless consorts green with envy, but in reality, every time the emperor came, he would torment her. Several times, she even thought she might die.

There were also several occasions when she harbored thoughts of mutual destruction with the emperor. If not for still holding a sliver of hope about the emperor’s condition, she probably would have acted on those thoughts.

“You may go.” Empress Dowager Yang impatiently dismissed Li Jiǎo and summoned the Empress for conversation.

Looking at the frail Empress, Empress Dowager Yang sighed: “Empress, this dowager knows you are under great pressure, but you cannot let it affect your health. His Majesty is still young, and since he favors you, offspring will come sooner or later.”

The Empress smiled bitterly without speaking.

Favor? What the world saw as favor was merely the emperor sleeping beside her, yet he wouldn’t even touch her with a finger.

Not knowing how long such torment would continue, sometimes she truly felt that death would be preferable to life.

“Empress, you have been married for more than half a year. Since you are the Empress, you should have the bearing to be mother to the nation, and you should also advise His Majesty to visit other consorts.” Empress Dowager Yang noticed something amiss with the Empress’s expression and couldn’t help frowning. “Empress, you are a daughter of the Yang family. When you entered this imperial household, you should have known it differs from ordinary marriages—”

The Empress covered her mouth with a handkerchief, trembling.

“What is wrong?” Empress Dowager Yang felt increasingly that something was amiss.

“Great-aunt—” The Empress finally couldn’t help but throw herself into Empress Dowager Yang’s arms, crying out in despair.

Empress Dowager Yang glanced around. Fortunately, she had only kept trusted attendants nearby earlier, with no outsiders present, so she felt relieved.

“Empress, whatever troubles you have, you can tell this dowager.”

“Great-aunt, I, I am still a virgin…” The Empress lowered her voice and sobbed.

“What?” Empress Dowager Yang stood up directly, her face full of shock.

“Empress, you, you are not joking?”

The Empress covered her face and wept: “Great-aunt, if there were still hope, how could I, how could I speak of such matters—”

Empress Dowager Yang raised her hand: “Wait, let this dowager compose herself.”

After calming down for a while, Empress Dowager Yang asked about the whole story, becoming increasingly alarmed as she listened.

Emperor Taixiang’s recent days had been both painful and pleasurable.

Speaking of pain, the mountain of having no heir weighed heavily on his mind, naturally causing great suffering.

However, after tasting the pleasure of men, that joy was indescribable.

He now seemed to understand his father’s obsession with the path of immortality.

“The Empress Dowager requests my presence?” Hearing the eunuch’s report, Emperor Taixiang walked to the Cining Palace.

“Imperial grandmother summoned me?”

Empress Dowager Yang looked grave: “Your Majesty, you have a hidden ailment—why did you not tell this dowager?”

Emperor Taixiang was startled, then his eyes showed anger: “Imperial grandmother, who told you this?”

“Who told me is not important. Your Majesty, your health concerns the inheritance of the realm. Do you intend to keep hiding this forever?”

Having secretly consumed medicinal decoctions for over half a year with no improvement, Emperor Taixiang had already gone through stages of pain, despair, numbness, and complete dejection. Now he had successfully entered a new phase of throwing caution to the wind. Hearing Empress Dowager Yang’s question, he sighed deeply: “Imperial grandmother, your grandson has no choice. If I don’t hide it, should I announce it to the world?”

Empress Dowager Yang never expected Emperor Taixiang to be so “resilient.” After being stunned for quite a while, she said with trembling lips, “Of course, you cannot announce it to the world, but you must seek timely treatment!”

“It’s useless. After your grandson discovered his physical problems, I had Imperial Physicians Li and Chen jointly diagnose and treat me. I’ve been drinking medicinal decoctions for over half a year with absolutely no effect.”

There were effects, but unfortunately not with women, but with men—he wouldn’t mention this to frighten people.

“If Imperial Physicians Li and Chen cannot help, then summon others!”

“Imperial grandmother, Chen Yuanpan has served your grandson for many years and understands the changes in my body best, while Imperial Physician Li has the most outstanding medical skills in the Imperial Medical Bureau. If these two cannot help, whom else could we summon?”

His body was beyond hope. Physician Li had warned him back then that he must endure for one year, otherwise even immortals couldn’t cure him.

Now, forget immortals—even the divine physician was gone.

Having long given up hope, Emperor Taixiang felt quite calm thinking about these matters.

“Doesn’t Marquis Guanjun’s wife practice Physician Li’s medical arts?” Empress Dowager Yang said lightly.

Emperor Taixiang hastily shook his head: “We cannot summon her!”

“Why not?” Empress Dowager Yang asked in confusion.