Chapter 8: 8.第8章 深宫4

“Why do you keep running to me for no reason? If you have the time, spend more of it with the Emperor. I am getting old and prefer peace and quiet; there is no need to come and accompany me every day. No one has ever been able to sit firmly in the position of Empress for even three months. Looking at that enchantress's frail constitution, I fear she won't even last three months.”

Seeing a flash of ruthlessness in Zhuang Ying's eyes, the shrewd Zhuang Yayun curled her lips and acted coquettishly: "Yun'er knows what Auntie is saying, it's just... it's just that the Emperor hasn't come to Yun'er's palace for a long time. Yun'er is also in a difficult position..."

Zhuang Ying tapped her niece's head, complaining with a sense of frustration: "Why are you so stubborn? Usually, you are quite clever, so why do I have to teach you when it comes to something like this? Just light some Joyous Incense, and won't everything flow naturally?"

Zhuang Yayun put on a look of shock, shaking her head in fear as she answered: "How would Yun'er dare? The Emperor is not only Yun'er's heaven, but also the heaven of the Crimson Flame. If we do this and the Emperor is greatly angered, I fear it will implicate my father and brothers. By then, the Zhuang family's status in the imperial court will be in jeopardy, and Yun'er will be the sinner of the family."

Zhuang Ying stroked her niece's head with heartache, repeatedly praising her as a "good child." Her son's attitude made Zhuang Ying admire him even more in her heart. However...

"Do as I say. If anything happens, your biological aunt will protect you. The Zhuang family is my maiden family; how could I allow him to act recklessly?"

Consort Yue's brows furrowed tightly. Meeting the Empress Dowager's phoenix eyes, she hurriedly lowered her head and whispered her agreement: "Yun'er obeys the Imperial Decree." The moment she lowered her head, a flash of excited light flickered in her eyes.

Empress Dowager Zhuang nodded with satisfaction, then said tenderly, "Silly child..."

Inside the Fengyi Hall, a tense atmosphere permeated the air. Mu Ya felt as if her legs were acting against her, trembling uncontrollably; her feet wouldn't obey her, and her heart was racing so wildly it felt as if it might leap out of her chest. Her eyes were fixed intently on Yue Xiyan, not even daring to blink, for fear that her young mistress might vanish in the blink of an eye.

Having just administered the antidote for the cold poison, Lan Qingxue intended to use the water temperature to assist in acupuncture to expel the toxins from Yue Xiyan. Inside the bathtub, because the water temperature was somewhat high, Yue Xiyan's fair and tender skin had become slightly flushed from the heat. Her cheeks gradually turned rosy, and a thin layer of fragrant sweat covered her forehead.

Taking the golden needles passed to her by Mu Ya, Lan Qingxue carefully inserted one into the Jiaochong acupoint on the top of the head. *Jiaochong* refers to the point where the Qi and blood of the Governing Vessel converge and collide with one another. The Qi and blood ascending to Jiaochong collide like waves crashing against each other, hence the name. When cold, one supplements with moxibustion; when hot, one uses the needle to drain the Qi. While using this point to expel toxins is effective, the risk is great. If one applies even a fraction too much force or goes a hair's breadth too deep, all previous efforts could be in vain.

Lan Qingxue's eyes widened as she nervously rotated the end of the golden needle, slowly applying pressure. She didn't dare even to breathe, fearing she might misjudge the force.

"Ngh..." As the medicine took effect and the needle was inserted, the pain of the reversed meridian flow surged forth. Yue Xiyan let out a muffled groan, yet she did not move an inch.

Lan Qingxue felt a pang of heartache; although this treatment was fast, the pain was extreme. Even a grown man might not be able to endure it. Yet, the girl gritted her teeth and endured it. What kind of willpower was this? What exactly was supporting her? *Yue Mulin, if you were here and saw her like this, your heart would probably break, wouldn't it?*

Having no time to dwell on much, she slowly infused internal energy through her fingertips into the Jiaochong acupoint, not daring to slacken for a moment.

After a long while, seeing that the timing was ripe, Lan Qingxue withdrew the golden needle without hesitation.

Suddenly, her country-toppling beautiful face turned ashen and contorted.

"Pfft..." A mouthful of black blood sprayed out.

The blood within her body accelerated its circulation, crashing against Yue Xiyan's extraordinary meridians, to the point where she cried out hoarsely: "Ah... ah..." Her elegant brows were tightly knit, her nostrils flared, and she gasped for breath. Her voice turned hoarse instantly, and her hands gripped the edge of the bathtub so tightly that the veins on her arms bulged.

"Long live the Emperor, may he live for ten thousand years..." The palace attendants bowed and knelt.

Qin Yihan, who had just arrived, was truly startled by her soul-piercing scream. His whole body trembled, and his eyes revealed terror and helplessness. Before he could regain his composure, he rushed through the door.

A bright yellow figure stepped into the room and walked straight toward the screen. His face was grim and his steps heavy, as if a stone were pressing down on his heart. His dark pupils were icy, emitting a chilling aura. His tightly pursed lips and clenched hands seemed to be restraining something.

Seeing her face contorted in pain, Qin Yihan said nothing, but his deep eyes instantly filled with heartache. His heart felt as if it were blocked by a massive stone; his well-defined hands clenched tightly, and his entire heart felt crushed, making it hard to breathe.

Her voice gradually faded, and her wide, bloodshot eyes slowly closed. The exhausted girl's vision went dark, and she slumped down.

Quick as a flash, he reached out to catch Yue Xiyan first, swept the clothes from the screen with his hand, and wrapped them around her. Then, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the phoenix couch...

In the slightly chilly morning, a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon. It was this faint morning light that made one feel as though all the darkness had receded. A moment later, the sun, hiding behind the thin mist, lazily revealed a dazzling golden hue, symbolizing the arrival of a new day...

The person on the phoenix couch slowly opened her eyes, struggling to move her parched lips, but she could not make a sound. Tilting her head slightly, she saw Qin Yihan leaning by the side of her couch, sleeping very fitfully. Once again, she could not help but overlap the person before her with the person in her memories.

When she was thirteen, she had a persistent high fever, and her brother had stayed by her bedside all night just like this...

She slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch the person before her. At that exact moment, Qin Yihan woke up. Seeing her tightly furrowed brows and her expression of pain as if she were about to cry, he hurriedly took her hand and squeezed it in his palm: "Xiyan, don't be afraid, I am here. Qingxue said that you injured your throat shouting yesterday, and you might lose your voice for a few days. It will get better once you rest." Fearing she would worry, he hurriedly explained to her.

Yue Xiyan's complexion gradually improved. She curled her lips into a smile and shook her head, sighing in her heart: *Silly man, I wasn't worried about losing my voice at all.*

"Oh... I see... Xiyan is thirsty. Wait, I will pour some water for you."

Watching an Emperor nervously serving her tea and water, a wave of warmth suddenly rose in Yue Xiyan's heart. To be honest, she really was thirsty.

Bringing the tea, he carefully supported her up, sitting behind her so she could lean against his chest. While feeding her water, he instructed: "Take small sips to moisten your throat first, so you don't choke."

Once her throat was moistened, Yue Xiyan grabbed his hand and wrote in his palm: "There are so many palace attendants; there is no need for the Emperor to personally attend to me."