Consort Shu smiled and said, "Today? It seems we'll have to find a way to wake His Majesty up."

Shen Zhizhang withdrew his hand, his eyes lowered. "The Crown Prince is imprisoned in the Eastern Palace. Now is the perfect time to depose him. We can't delay any longer."

"Then let's get started quickly." A glint flashed in Consort Shu's eyes. "Take advantage of his current isolation and helplessness, and get rid of him."

Consort Shu hired assassins time and again to try to kill the Crown Prince, but he escaped each time by sheer luck.

Now that the Empress Dowager has returned to the palace, she has even less of a chance to take action and can only place her hopes on Emperor Zhaowu.

"His Majesty's suspicions are growing stronger, and the Crown Prince has become so audacious that he dares to disobey him. Naturally, His Majesty is worried that if this continues, the Crown Prince might even seize the throne he currently sits on." Consort Shu paused, then continued...

"However, although His Majesty was furious, he never proposed to depose the Crown Prince."

Her delicate, arched eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I think it's his meager and pitiful fatherly love that's to blame."

Even if he hated the crown prince, he was still his own son, so he couldn't just depose him.

"Don't worry."

Shen Zhizhang lowered his eyelids and said in a low voice, "I have my own way."

Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back. From the moment he couldn't resist Zheng Yuanyuan's temptation, Shen Zhizhang was already prepared to sink into depravity with her.

"Now that you know I'm pregnant, you seem to have a bit of a father's responsibility." Consort Shu smiled, her peach blossom eyes curving as she looked at the man who, even in middle age, was still handsome and dazzling. "Aren't you afraid that the child might not be yours?"

Once the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; once the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away.

Shen Zhizhang understood this principle well.

If it succeeds, he himself may very well be the next one to be silenced.

But he was not afraid and was willing to be used by Consort Shu.

"Whether you are pregnant or not, I will help you fulfill your wish. Even if the child is not mine, I will have no regrets."

Shen Zhizhang slowly knelt before Zheng Yuanyuan, a faint smile finally escaping his tightly pursed lips. "I have wronged you. After this is done, you may take my life if you wish, I will not resist. But my children are innocent, I hope you can spare them."

Upon hearing Shen Zhizhang's words, which sounded like a plea for mercy, Consort Shu's lips trembled slightly.

After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and said, "What would I do with your life? As long as you stay by my side, I won't hurt your family. Don't worry."

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhizhang relaxed his brows and exhaled. He stood up again. "His Majesty is still asleep, and the Empress Dowager is by his side at all times. Whether he can be awakened depends on the Consort's abilities."

Consort Shu raised her delicate hand slightly, picked up a cup of tea from the table, took a sip, and said, "It's time, Your Majesty should take your medicine."

Shen Zhizhang was taken aback, but quickly realized what Consort Shu was about to do.

The sun sets in the west, and the wind sweeps away the remaining clouds.

The atmosphere inside the Chongwu Hall's sleeping quarters was heavy and uneasy.

The palace servants stood guard to one side, waiting for the emperor to wake up. The empress dowager sat at a table to the side, chanting scriptures and constantly turning the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

Consort Shu hurriedly entered the room with a royal physician carrying a bowl of warm medicine. She first bowed to the Empress Dowager, then lowered her head and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I just brewed a bowl of medicine. The royal physician said that Your Majesty is weak and has lung heat. Drinking this medicine may help you wake up."

Empress Dowager Xiao looked up at Consort Shu, who was dressed very plainly, with no makeup on her face, and looked much paler and thinner.

These days have really worn her out.

Empress Dowager Xiao sighed and earnestly advised her, "Consort Shu, you are pregnant now, so please don't worry too much."

Consort Shu opened her bright, watery eyes and said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am not tired. After I personally serve His Majesty this bowl of medicine, I will return to my palace to rest and have the Consorts and other ladies-in-waiting come to serve me."

Empress Dowager Xiao waved her hand wearily, "Go."

Seeing that the Empress Dowager looked so listless, Consort Shu couldn't help but advise, "Your Majesty has been keeping watch here all day. Don't ruin your health. Why don't you go back and rest early? Once His Majesty wakes up, I will send someone to invite you over."

Empress Dowager Xiao had been sitting here for a long time, and her hands and feet were getting stiff.

She turned her numb shoulder slightly and said, "I'm really getting old and useless. I've only been sitting for a short while and I already have tinnitus and dizziness."

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? You're just tired. Why don't you go back and get some rest?" Consort Shu quickly replied, feigning alarm.

Empress Dowager Xiao patted Consort Shu on the shoulder, thinking to herself that Consort Shu was always kind and understanding, and it was fortunate that the Emperor had her serving him.

I felt more at ease then.

"Alright, I'll go check on Jin'er. You help the Emperor take his medicine first. Remember, call me over when he wakes up," Empress Dowager Xiao said before turning and leaving.

Consort Shu bowed respectfully, and only after Empress Dowager Xiao's figure faded from sight did she raise her eyes and calmly instruct Eunuch Gao to dismiss the palace servants. Then she looked at the imperial physician before her and said, "Imperial Physician Qin, do you know how to make His Majesty wake up immediately?"

Physician Qin nodded in alarm, took out a packet of powder from his sleeve, and sprinkled it into the dark medicinal liquid.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty's health should not last more than a few days, but after taking this medicine, all the meridians in his body were forcibly reopened, and it had the effect of a final burst of energy before death."

After swallowing hard, Imperial Physician Qin said, "Your Majesty, this medicine is extremely toxic. Are you really planning to do this?"

He trembled with fear, his legs went weak, and he dared not look directly into the dark eyes of Consort Shu.

Physician Qin knew that asking this question was pointless.

Consort Shu is cunning and shrewd. Years ago, she had the Emperor completely fooled, making him believe that taking elixirs was more effective than having the imperial physicians diagnose and prescribe medicine.

Therefore, the Emperor has basically not seen the imperial physicians in recent years. Even when he does, Consort Shu requires him to answer according to her script.

The emperor had no idea that his life was coming to an end!

Physician Qin did not want to aid and abet evildoers or do something that would lead to his execution.

But the Imperial Concubine holds the lives of his entire family in her hands.

He had no choice but to help.

Those who dared to defy her, like Imperial Physician Jiang, met a tragic end. He had already died suddenly in the Consort's palace a few days ago, and his body was hastily collected.

That Imperial Physician Jiang was a physician under the Crown Prince. Consort Shu dared to touch even those close to the Crown Prince, revealing her ambition.

"Imperial Physician Qin, force-feed him that medicine," Consort Shu replied coldly. "Today, I want him to wake up."