After Prince Zhuang finished his report.

The Emperor coughed violently.

Eunuch Gao spoke at the opportune moment. “Your Majesty, Talented Lady Li has prepared nourishing soup. Why not let Talented Lady Li come in to attend Your Majesty while you drink some soup? Your body should feel better.”

The Emperor’s voice was extremely cold. “Tell her to leave.”

“Imperial Uncle, Rui’er has something to say but doesn’t know if it’s appropriate.” Chu Rui raised his head to look at the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor nod, he continued, “Now that Your Majesty is gravely ill and the Crown Prince has gone to war, people’s hearts in the palace are unsettled. Indeed, many people aren’t worthy of trust, but there are also those who are trustworthy.”

The Emperor looked into Chu Rui’s eyes and suddenly felt dizzy.

What happened next, he had no idea. He only knew that he had issued an order for the Seventh Prince’s birth mother, Consort Shu, to move into Yangxin Hall to attend to his illness.

Chu Rui stood at the entrance of Yangxin Hall, watching Consort Shu attending to the illness inside, and couldn’t help but smile.

He was very curious what methods Yun Chu would use next.

Just as the order had been issued, many ministers from the court arrived together.

Because morning court had been canceled, at this time every day, the ministers would come to Yangxin Hall to report matters to the Emperor. Some minor matters they could decide themselves, but certain major issues required the Emperor’s decision.

All the first and second rank officials of the court had come, along with some officials responsible for implementation on the ground.

Altogether, there were more than thirty ministers present, kneeling in a dark mass.

The Emperor rubbed his brow.

Recently feeling unwell, he always felt he would forget some things.

The more confused a person became, the more suspicious they grew.

Everyone around him seemed untrustworthy.

He raised his hand and said indifferently, “If you have matters to report, speak. If not, withdraw.”

The first and second rank ministers hurriedly reported major matters one after another. Some matters requiring the opening of the national treasury were of utmost importance and were discussed for quite some time.

Finally, Yun Ze stepped forward and cupped his hands. “Reporting to Your Majesty, a few days ago when this subject went to Ningxi to handle garrison field matters, I discovered a grave on Dragon Vein Mountain.”

The Emperor’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The Dragon Vein is a geomantic treasure site for the imperial mausoleum, the resting place for members of our Great Jin Dynasty’s imperial family. Yet now, we’ve discovered that someone has built their ancestral grave in the dense forest of the Dragon Vein.” Yun Ze spoke word by word. “This subject specially requested the National Preceptor to examine it. The National Preceptor said that Your Majesty’s current confinement to the sickbed is very likely because someone has borrowed away the Dragon Vein’s vital energy!”

“What! Such a thing exists?!”

The Emperor’s expression changed dramatically.

Since last year, he had been continuously falling ill. He didn’t know how much medicine he had consumed, yet his body showed no improvement whatsoever.

Yi’er had previously told him he was poisoned with parasites. He had specially requested all the physicians from the entire Imperial Medical Bureau to examine his pulse. Everyone said it was a cold, with no signs of poisoning.

He had Eunuch Gao invite physicians from among the common people to examine his pulse—still the same diagnosis.

It was from that time onward that he had begun to harbor suspicions about Yi’er.

Therefore, even though he had issued an edict in confusion ordering Yi’er to campaign east against Dongling Kingdom, he had not withdrawn the decree.

The Emperor suppressed his rage. “Minister Yun, explain in detail. Someone, quickly summon the National Preceptor!”

Yun Ze cupped his hands. “This matter is grave. Before investigating it clearly, this subject didn’t dare report it. Therefore, I took it upon myself to arrange for people to investigate the grave’s owner. The grave’s owner is surnamed Gao, a person from the capital. The grave was relocated here last November. If villagers hadn’t cleared land into the dense forest, it probably wouldn’t have been discovered for another three to five years that an outsider’s grave had been added to the Dragon Vein…”

Hearing him say the surname was Gao, Chu Rui’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Yesterday when Yun Chu went to the Yun Family residence, could it be that she wasn’t sending word to Consort Yun to create chaos in the rear palace, but was actually targeting Eunuch Gao?

Indeed, the next moment, Yun Ze continued, “The grave’s owner is Eunuch Gao’s grandfather. The other small graves beside it are Eunuch Gao’s biological father and mother…”

Minister Du of the Ministry of Justice stepped forward. “Eunuch Gao attends Your Majesty closely, yet has nurtured such wild ambitions, daring to relocate his ancestral grave onto the Dragon Vein. This is a capital offense!”

Marquis Pingjin said through gritted teeth, “No wonder Your Majesty’s health has deteriorated. So it was Eunuch Gao’s doing. Although Eunuch Gao has served Your Majesty for many years and even without merit has endured hardship, he has attempted to sever the foundation of the Great Jin Kingdom. Such an act is intolerable by heaven’s law. Please, Your Majesty, do not be softhearted!”

A voice sounded from outside—it was Eunuch Gao’s voice. “Your Majesty, the National Preceptor has arrived.”

The Emperor’s voice turned ice cold to the extreme. “Eunuch Gao, enter the hall together with the National Preceptor.”

For some reason, Eunuch Gao felt a bone-chilling aura. He secretly glanced toward Chu Rui.

Chu Rui kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, silently standing in his position.

Yun Chu’s move directly targeted Eunuch Gao. He was completely unprepared—there was no need to implicate himself.

One Eunuch Gao dies, there would be another eunuch.

It caused him no harm whatsoever.

The Emperor spoke word by word. “National Preceptor, Minister Yun has told you everything, hasn’t he? What’s your view?”

Ding Yiyuan extended his hand and formed a hand seal. Then those eyes fell upon Eunuch Gao’s body, and he descended the steps, circling around Eunuch Gao once.

Eunuch Gao only felt an indescribable fear enveloping him.

“Your Majesty!” Ding Yiyuan turned around, his voice filled with disbelief. “This subject actually detected dragon vital energy on Eunuch Gao’s body… Eunuch Gao has served Your Majesty for many years. Logically, the dragon energy should only surround Eunuch Gao’s body, but now, this subject has discovered that the dragon energy has actually entered Eunuch Gao’s five viscera and six bowels… Eunuch Gao relocated his ancestral grave to occupy the Dragon Vein, absorbing the dragon energy, which is why Your Majesty’s health has deteriorated day by day! If Eunuch Gao isn’t executed, Your Majesty’s dragon energy will be completely drained. Even if Bian Que were reborn, Your Majesty’s dragon body would be beyond saving!”

Eunuch Gao was incredulous. Frightened, his knees went weak and he immediately knelt on the ground. “Your Majesty, this servant didn’t! This old servant is utterly loyal to Your Majesty, absolutely without any selfish thoughts… That ancestral grave—this old servant knew nothing about it. Someone is framing this old servant…”

“Ha, you’re just a eunuch. Who would waste their time framing you when they have nothing better to do?” Marquis Pingjin sneered. “It’s because Your Majesty trusted you too much, causing you to develop thoughts you shouldn’t have!”

The Grand Scholar cupped his hands. “The National Preceptor once calculated the earth dragon turning over, which fully demonstrates the National Preceptor’s abilities. Your Majesty, please make an early decision!”

“You! You!”

The Emperor was so angry his fingers trembled.

The National Preceptor had accurately calculated several natural disasters. He wouldn’t doubt the National Preceptor’s words.

He and Eunuch Gao had grown up together since childhood. In his youth when he didn’t understand things, he often had Eunuch Gao sleep and dine with him. This was the person he trusted most, also the friend he valued most.

But he never imagined Eunuch Gao would do such a thing!

“Your Majesty, this old servant didn’t!”

Eunuch Gao crawled over and embraced the Emperor’s thigh.

Just at that moment.

Ding Yiyuan suddenly drew the Emperor’s Shangfang sword and shouted sternly, “Contact with the dragon body can cause the dragon body to rapidly weaken. Your Majesty, quickly avoid him!”

He swung the sword, and Eunuch Gao’s arm was directly severed.

Eunuch Gao himself was stunned, then used his other hand to grab the Emperor’s dragon robe. “Your Majesty, this old servant is truly wronged. Please, Your Majesty, thoroughly investigate this matter!”

The Emperor began coughing violently.

He firmly believed that as long as Eunuch Gao touched him, his dragon energy would be absorbed, making him weaker and weaker.

No wonder for so long, his illness had worsened with treatment.

The culprit had been right beside him all along.

“Fan Ming!”

The Emperor shouted loudly.

Fan Ming, who had been guarding outside the hall, quickly entered. Seeing a severed hand and blood everywhere in the great hall, his expression immediately changed.

He saw the National Preceptor holding the sword and thought the National Preceptor was attempting assassination.

“Kill Eunuch Gao!” the Emperor commanded sternly. “Kill him!”