Five days later.

Another riot broke out at the gate of Chengqian Palace. This time, not only the concubines but also the ministers were involved, shouting loudly at the gate.

"We want to see the Emperor! Let us see the Emperor!"

"Yes, we need to see the Emperor!"

"Lord Su, what's wrong with His Majesty? Why hasn't he attended court for five days?"

"Lord Su, shouldn't you give us a reasonable explanation?"

"Your Majesty, are you ill?"

The ministers were all talking at once, arguing and shouting amongst themselves, each trying to outdo the other, their voices rising higher and higher, all wanting to know what was wrong with the emperor.

Su Xu stood on the high steps, looking down at the ministers below with a faint smile on his lips. He flicked the sleeves of his bright red official robe and said in a friendly tone, "Ministers, please be patient! Let me have a proper talk with you all."

"As you all know, His Majesty was injured a few days ago. However, some lingering effects from that time have recurred, causing His Majesty to recuperate. Therefore, all ministers should refrain from disturbing His Majesty's rest."

"You should all return to your posts, perform your duties, and wait patiently for the Emperor's recovery."

This was the first time Su Xu had ever spoken so much, especially when facing these ministers. In the past, he would simply give them a sharp look and they would back down. But this time, the emperor had really gone too far, showing no signs of waking up even after so long.

After hearing what the chief minister said, the ministers all backed down. Someone in the crowd shouted, "The emperor is ill, why hasn't the empress come to attend to him?"

Upon hearing this, everyone searched through the crowd. Among the many concubines, the Empress was nowhere to be seen. Someone from the concubines' group called out loudly, "Her Majesty the Empress is resting in the Cold Palace!"

This reply gave this group of old-fashioned, rigid people something to hold against them, and the ministers started chattering and making a fuss again.

This time, they're only talking about the Empress's faults.

Some people said that the empress was ignorant of etiquette and rules, that she was immoral, that she didn't know how to be a good wife and mother, that she was unworthy of her position, and that she was not fit to be the mother of the nation. In short, all sorts of unpleasant things came out of the mouths of these old men.

When Guan Zhiyue arrived with Bilian, she heard the ministers chattering and making a racket, like a marketplace.

"Hey, it seems like they're starting to set up stalls and do business right here in front of Chengqian Palace today!"

Bilian immediately echoed, "Your Majesty, it seems that it is."

The ministers heard the noise and looked in the direction of the sound. They saw Guan Zhiyue dressed in the Empress's court dress. The ministers were all speechless. They had been cursing her behind her back and had now been caught red-handed. They were losing face.

"Hey, ministers, why aren't you continuing? Isn't this going well, this is quite lively?"

"Ah, the ministers are so thoughtful! Knowing that I am quite bored in this palace, they actually humbled themselves to go to the market to learn. Now they're here to amuse me!"

"The ministers have truly gone to great lengths; shouldn't I reward them?" Guan Zhiyue said, looking at Su Xu.

When Su Xu saw Guan Zhiyue arrive, his whole demeanor softened, and his gaze towards her became gentle and polite.

"Your Majesty, you jest. The ministers were only doing this out of consideration for you. Now that they have mastered their skills, it is a testament to their loyalty to you," Su Xu added from the side.

The ministers below watched the Empress and Chief Minister Su, each saying their own thing, but they completely belittled them, calling them shameless.

Guan Zhiyue glanced at the concubines beside her, said nothing, nodded to Su Xu, and went into the room.

"Eunuch Hua, how is the Emperor now?" Guan Zhiyue asked as soon as she entered the room.

Hua Quan looked haggard, almost as thin as a stick, and had a sleepy look in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor still shows no signs of waking up."

"Has the imperial physician found anything wrong? It's been five days already."

Hua Quan shook his head; the imperial physicians were also unable to determine what was wrong with the emperor.

Guan Zhiyue thought for a moment and muttered to herself, "This isn't an illness, and she's unconscious. Could it be that she's been summoned by a ghost?"

"Is it haunted?"

Upon hearing the Empress's muttered words, Hua Quan felt a chill run down his spine. He looked around and then said, "Your Majesty, be careful what you say. The Emperor is the incarnation of a true dragon. How could such demons and monsters possibly enter his body? Please don't talk nonsense."

Guan Zhiyue pouted, plopped down on the edge of the bed, and looked at Hua Quan, saying, "Then what do you mean if it's not this thing, but what is it?"

"Besides, it's been five days already, and so many imperial physicians haven't been able to find anything. If it's not that kind of thing, what else could it be?"

"No, do we have anyone in our palace who knows what... you know?"

After Guan Zhiyue's reminder, Hua Quan actually thought of one and said, "Oh, Your Majesty, I really didn't think of that if you hadn't mentioned it. There really is a master in our palace."

Guan Zhiyue turned her head to look at Hua Quan and said, "There's a master here, why don't you go and invite him? Look at the state of the Emperor now!"

Hua Quan said, somewhat aggrieved, "But that master..."

"What is it now?" Guan Zhiyue asked.

Hua Quan said, "That master is currently in seclusion, and we can't find him!"

Guan Zhiyue looked at Hua Quan and asked, "Who is this expert you're talking about?"

Hua Quan said, "Your Majesty, don't you know? Of course, it's our Southern Ding Kingdom's Celestial Master, the Benevolent Celestial Master."

"Senryu-sen?"

"Yes, yes, that's him. He's an expert in astronomy, calendar systems, geography, astrology, and divination. He can predict things that others don't know, and he's also an expert in physiognomy. He's a very powerful and remarkable person."

Guan Zhiyue recalled that when she first arrived, she seemed to have encountered something similar in the palace when her soul left her body.

"Since such a person exists, let's go and invite him!"

Hua Quan looked pale and said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Advisor has already gone into seclusion, we can't invite him!"

"If you're in seclusion, then go bang on the door! What time is it? You're still in seclusion? Hurry up and go!" Guan Zhiyue said.

Hua Quan remained unmoved, and Guan Zhiyue, furious, put her hands on her hips and said, "Then go and fetch the Prince of Xiaoyao, and let him go."

When Li Qishang heard that he was to go to Zhanxing Temple to find the Grand Preceptor who was in seclusion, wasn't that like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth, or simply courting death?

Guan Zhiyue was furious. What the hell was going on?! They usually ran around like lightning, but when they were needed, they were the ones who hid faster than anyone else.

Are you two going or not?

Hua Quan and Li Qishang both shook their heads, indicating that they would not go!

"Fine, fine, fine, very fine! If you won't go, I will!" Guan Zhiyue flicked her sleeves, opened the door, glanced at the crowd outside, and then left haughtily.