Zhan Yuheng’s complexion shifted drastically, the large hand gripping Feng Jiu’er’s wrist clenching ever tighter.

Jiu’er was startled by him. When she turned to look at him, she saw that his brows and the space between them had turned a deep black color.

Quickly, he opened his mouth, and ultimately could not hold it back — he let out a cry and vomited a mouthful of fresh blood.

The blood Zhan Yuheng spat out was black!

The moment that mouthful of black blood came out, his eyes rolled back and he fell unconscious.

“Your Highness, what has happened to you?” Jiu’er was nearly frightened out of her wits. The medicine Qing Yun had brought — it was poisoned!

She steadied Zhan Yuheng and laid him down. Without another word, she immediately drew out silver needles and sealed the vital channels around his heart, preventing the toxin from spreading further.

Of all times for something to happen, a composed voice came from outside at that very moment: “We greet Her Ladyship the Empress.”

The Empress had arrived! At this most critical of moments!

Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed tightly, but her hands with the silver needles did not pause for even a moment. Over a dozen needles swiftly fell into the acupuncture points surrounding the vital channels around Zhan Yuheng’s heart.

In the midst of his unconsciousness, Zhan Yuheng seemed to claw back a sliver of awareness. He slowly opened his eyes and parted his lips, yet before he could manage a single word, another rush of fresh blood surged out!

At this point, Empress Rong and Qing Yun had already entered. Seeing the two figures within the canopied chamber, Empress Rong knitted her brows tightly: “Heng’er, what are you two doing?”

In broad daylight, already tangled up together on the bed!

Zhan Yuheng naturally could not answer this question. He could barely even open his mouth right now.

Jiu’er said urgently: “Send someone to the medicine kitchen to fetch antidotes — the more rare and potent, the better!”

“What? Who has been poisoned? Is it Heng’er?” The Empress’s expression underwent a complete transformation. She took a swift step forward.

Qing Yun was frightened as well and hastily followed her in.

Only upon entering the inner chamber could they see — Zhan Yuheng was vomiting black blood, and had already slipped into a half-unconscious state.

“Heng’er!” The Empress cried out in shock, lurching forward. She shoved Feng Jiu’er aside with both hands. “You! You actually poisoned Heng’er! You!”

“Qing Yun! Qing Yun, quickly go find the antidote! Summon the Imperial Physicians, quickly!”

Qing Yun was stunned for a moment, then finally snapped back to his senses. He withdrew immediately and rushed off to find the Imperial Physicians and fetch an antidote.

“Empress, I am still sealing the Crown Prince’s acupoints to keep the poison from spreading. Please step aside!”

The poison in Zhan Yuheng — although it was still unclear what poison it was — had an extremely violent toxicity. If the acupoints were not sealed in time, it would certainly cost him his life!

He had only just been wounded by a blade, and his body was still very weak. Having poison administered now, it could take his life within moments!

“You poisoned Heng’er, and now you are putting on a false show of pity? Someone, drag Feng Jiu’er away and beat her to death!”

The Empress sat herself on the bed and helped Zhan Yuheng upright. She placed both hands on his back and channeled her inner energy into his body in an instant.

“Heng’er, do not be afraid. Your imperial mother will not let anything happen to you. Do not fear — imperial mother will absolutely not let anything happen to you!”

Her complexion was ashen and her heart was in disarray, so much so that she could not even concentrate her energy properly.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er still pressing silver needles into Zhan Yuheng’s chest, the Empress flew into a fury and shouted: “Get away from him! Do not touch my Heng’er! Get away from him!”

Outside, a group of guards burst in, surrounding the inner chamber on all sides.

Yet Feng Jiu’er was clearly still in the midst of treating the Crown Prince. At this moment, should they subdue her or not?

“Feng Jiu’er poisoned the Crown Prince — a grave and heinous crime! Seize her at once! Drag her out and beat her to death!”

Had Feng Jiu’er poisoned the Crown Prince?

At this, the guards’ sword tips immediately leveled themselves at Jiu’er.

The final silver needle in Jiu’er’s hand fell into place, thoroughly sealing all the major acupoints throughout Zhan Yuheng’s body. Then, her eyes narrowed faintly, and she suddenly struck a palm down onto Zhan Yuheng’s shoulder.

“Ungh…” Zhan Yuheng’s mouth opened, and another surge of fresh blood gushed out!

“What are you doing?” The Empress screamed at once. “You dare assault Heng’er! Someone, someone come quickly!”

This time, without needing the Empress’s order, three guards at the forefront had already stepped forward in one stride, pinning Jiu’er’s shoulders in their grip.

They had witnessed it with their own eyes — Feng Jiu’er had struck the Crown Prince with a palm. They had never expected this woman to be so audacious as to attack the Crown Prince in front of everyone!

“Let go! I am saving him!” Jiu’er twisted her body, and her shoulder slipped free, evading the two trying to seize her.

But at this moment, remaining at Zhan Yuheng’s side was impossible.

She slapped a palm against the guard nearest to her, stepped off the bed, and swiftly retreated several paces.

She looked back at Zhan Yuheng. As expected, he vomited yet another mouthful of blood — but this time, the color had shifted to a deep red. The toxicity was clearly not as severe as it had been just moments ago.

Outside, Qing Yun came rushing in with an Imperial Physician in tow.

Seeing the Imperial Physician arrive, Empress Rong grew all the more eager to subdue Feng Jiu’er.

“Quickly save my imperial son!” She stepped down from the bed. Once she had watched the Imperial Physician administer the antidote golden elixir to the Crown Prince, she spun around and suddenly struck a palm toward Feng Jiu’er, who was still tangled in a struggle with the guards.

Jiu’er only felt a cold, fierce air closing in on her. Knowing full well that the Empress was a skilled martial artist, she dared not linger. With one push of her feet, she flew toward the door.

This place could not be stayed in for now. If she fell into the Empress’s hands, she would certainly be beaten to death on the spot.

Afterward, the Empress would only need to say one sentence — that she had attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince — and everyone would consider it merely the rightful execution of an assassin on the spot. With her already dead, whatever charges they wanted to pin on her could be pinned on her!

The Empress — this vicious and malicious woman — the Ninth Imperial Uncle had only just left the imperial capital, and she was already impatient to move against her!

And yet Zhan Yuheng was in this condition right now. His own mother — instead of caring about whether her son lived or died, she still had the mind to deal with someone else?

Feng Jiu’er’s attention slipped for a moment, and she nearly caught the edge of Empress Rong’s palm force.

It was said that the Nanmen clan were all skilled fighters. Though Nanmen Xu himself was nothing to speak of, looking at this now, those words were not false.

Empress Rong’s inner power had far exceeded what Feng Jiu’er had anticipated.

The Empress had not expected either — in barely under a month, the former martial arts wastrel Feng Jiu’er had somehow reached this level in her cultivation!

With her own abilities, plus over a dozen guards surrounding them, she still could not immediately restrain this woman!

And even now, the outcome of the struggle remained undecided!

Then, within her line of sight, a frail and aged figure suddenly appeared.

Accompanied by a maid, she was hurrying toward them, evidently walking with great urgency, and had not yet noticed the commotion on this side.

Nanmen Rong allowed the corners of her lips to conceal a smile that was barely perceptible, then suddenly let out a furious roar: “Feng Jiu’er, you dare even move against the Empress Dowager!”

Whoosh — the palm swept out, yet it was not directed at Jiu’er at all. Instead, it swept past her side, and the fierce palm force struck directly at what lay behind her!

Jiu’er had originally not known what she intended. With the Empress’s level of martial cultivation, there was absolutely no way this palm could have missed by this much in a manner so lacking in skill.

She was standing plainly right there — for the Empress’s palm to veer off this far — how could any skilled martial artist make an error like that?

But the moment the thought struck her, Jiu’er’s expression changed drastically. She leapt back with swift steps, and with the speed of thunder, pulled the frail elderly woman who had been hurrying toward them from not far behind her — shielding her securely within her arms…