The sky had already darkened.
Yun Chu and Fan Ming, leading the Imperial Guards, surrounded a dilapidated courtyard ahead.
This courtyard was where the late Empress Dowager had once worshipped Buddha. After the Empress Dowager’s death, the small courtyard had no one to manage it. When it fell into disrepair, no one fixed it, and gradually it became rundown.
Yun Chu’s eyes were very cold. She never would have imagined that Chu Rui would actually dare to make a move within the palace.
Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. Chu Rui had exhausted all his tricks and could only resort to the crudest methods.
She said in a low voice: “Leave some people to guard all the exits. The rest of you, follow me inside!”
She was about to step forward.
Fan Ming took the lead: “There may be an ambush. I’ll go in first—Crown Princess, walk behind me.”
He used to think the Crown Princess was just a beautiful woman.
After these past few days together, he discovered that the Crown Princess’s beauty concealed her abilities.
On the surface, the Hall of Mental Cultivation was controlled by Consort Yun and Grand Tutor Xu, but in reality, the person making the decisions was the Crown Princess.
He had unconsciously begun following Yun Chu’s instructions and wanted to protect Yun Chu as much as possible.
If anything happened to the Crown Princess, the Hall of Mental Cultivation would lose its backbone.
Stepping inside, Yun Chu immediately saw Princess Qinghua lying on the ground, her life or death unknown.
“The Crown Princess has arrived.” Chu Rui sat in a chair with a relaxed demeanor. “Bringing so many people—you think too highly of me.”
“Audacious Prince Zhuang!” Fan Ming said angrily. “How dare you abduct Princess Qinghua—this crime deserves execution!”
He made a gesture.
The Imperial Guards immediately surged toward Chu Rui.
At the same time, Yun Chu hurried toward Qinghua and reached out to check her breathing. Still alive. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
But—all of Qinghua’s hair was gone, several deep bloody marks on her face, and a piece of flesh missing from her ear… What kind of torment had she endured…
Yun Chu raised her head and saw that Chu Rui and the young eunuch beside him had already been restrained.
But the corner of Chu Rui’s mouth held a sinister smile that made her feel a trace of unease.
She had the nanny behind her pick up Qinghua and quickly take her to the Imperial Medical Bureau.
She walked forward.
The Imperial Guards made way, and she walked before Chu Rui.
Chu Rui looked at her quietly: “Crown Princess, kill me or torture me as you please. After all, you were the one who saved this life of mine in the first place.”
Yun Chu took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and poured out a pill: “Hold his chin.”
Fan Ming roughly grabbed Chu Rui’s jaw, forcing him to open his mouth.
Yun Chu was about to throw the pill into his mouth.
Suddenly!
A gust of force attacked.
A short sword came flying with a whoosh and struck Fan Ming’s wrist.
Fan Ming’s right hand was hit. Instinctively, he released Chu Rui.
“Pfft!”
Chu Rui spat out a mouthful of blood.
His face full of evil madness, he spoke: “Crown Princess, you’re still a step too late after all.”
Having said this, he looked toward the main entrance and shouted with extreme weakness: “Imperial Uncle! Save Rui’er!”
Yun Chu turned around.
She saw the Emperor standing there.
She couldn’t believe it.
Imperial Uncle had taken medicine personally developed by Wu Yun. Without an antidote, how could he have awakened?
The person supporting the Emperor was Consort Yun.
Consort Yun shook her head at Yun Chu.
When she and Consort Shu were attending to him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor sleeping on the dragon bed had suddenly sat up, then violently spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Before they could do anything, the Emperor got off the dragon bed and came here regardless of everything.
He wasn’t even wearing shoes and was still in his undergarments. She had forcibly draped an outer robe over the Emperor…
“Rui’er!”
The Emperor shook off Consort Yun and walked barefoot toward Chu Rui.
“Fan Ming, you’re merely a guard, yet you dare attack a prince personally enfeoffed by me. Who gave you such audacity!” The Emperor’s gaze swept across Fan Ming’s face and landed on Yun Chu. “You truly are my good daughter-in-law—taking advantage of my serious illness to attack Prince Zhuang. You…”
“Your Majesty!” Fan Ming knelt on the ground. “Everything was this subject’s idea and has nothing to do with the Crown Princess. Please punish me, Your Majesty!”
The Emperor kicked Fan Ming over.
But Fan Ming didn’t fall. Instead, the Emperor’s own form became unstable, nearly falling to the ground.
Chu Rui quickly supported the Emperor: “Is Imperial Uncle alright?”
The Emperor gasped for breath.
He had been unconscious for six days, hadn’t eaten for many days, and had walked here driven by some inexplicable summoning. Upon reaching his destination, his body collapsed.
A group of palace attendants hurried forward to support the Emperor.
After catching his breath, the Emperor said: “What exactly is going on here!”
“Your Majesty, Princess Qinghua went missing, so the Crown Princess and Chief Fan searched the inner palace.” Consort Yun spoke. “It was Prince Zhuang who abducted Princess Qinghua…”
“Nonsense!” The Emperor said sternly. “Consort Yun manages the Phoenix Seal yet allowed these male Imperial Guards to search the rear palace—this is dereliction of duty. Immediately revoke the Phoenix Seal and confine Consort Yun to the Cold Palace!”
Consort Yun’s form swayed.
She finally understood why Chu’er was so wary of that poisonous insect.
So this was its power.
As long as Chu Rui and the Emperor met face to face, the Emperor would no longer be the Emperor he once was.
“Fan Ming abused his authority—strip him of his position and investigate!” The Emperor’s chest heaved violently. “Someone come, help me back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Rui’er, from now on, you shall live with me in the Hall of Mental Cultivation!”
Chu Rui lowered his head: “Yes, Imperial Uncle.”
A group of palace attendants came forward, helped the Emperor out of the courtyard, and carried the Emperor and Chu Rui on a palanquin toward the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Sitting on the palanquin, Chu Rui looked back and gave Yun Chu a smile.
He had used twenty years of his yang lifespan to inject vitality into the child insect in his body, allowing the child insect to summon the parent insect.
If he could have lived to sixty, then from now on, he could only live to forty—meaning he had less than ten years of lifespan left.
Although he had paid such a great price, seeing Yun Chu’s incredulous face, he felt it was worth it.
He really wanted to know what other moves Yun Chu still had.
The palanquin quickly arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Chu Rui was helped down and said slowly: “Imperial Uncle, all the palace attendants in this hall must be replaced.”
He knew these people were all Consort Yun’s people.
The Emperor nodded: “Good. I’ll leave this matter to you, Rui’er. Also, the commander of the Imperial Guards shall be appointed by you as well. I’m tired—I’m going to sleep.”
His body had truly collapsed. He fell onto the dragon bed and slept.
Chu Rui raised his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He saw Grand Tutor Xu hurrying into the hall. He smiled: “Grand Tutor Xu, how did it feel impersonating the Emperor and reviewing memorials these past days?”
Grand Tutor Xu said angrily: “Chu Rui, you insolent wretch! How dare you use poisonous insects on the Emperor—I’ll take your life!”
Grand Tutor Xu pulled out a dagger from his bosom and stabbed toward Chu Rui.
Chu Rui easily dodged. Grand Tutor Xu fell onto the dragon bed, the dagger in his hand only inches away from the Emperor.
“Grand Tutor Xu is attempting to assassinate the Emperor.” Chu Rui laughed lightly. “However, Grand Tutor Xu has been loyal to the country all his life. This prince truly cannot bear to see such a loyal official perish. Why doesn’t the Grand Tutor pledge allegiance to this prince instead?”
Grand Tutor Xu gritted his teeth: “Don’t even think about it!”
“I’ll give Grand Tutor Xu seven days to consider.” Chu Rui enunciated each word. “After seven days, if Grand Tutor Xu doesn’t submit, the entire Xu family will be buried alongside you!”