While Guan Zhiyue was still observing the stars, things were in an uproar at Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Xin, furious, led a group of servants, Consort Zhuang Jie, and Consort Nie.

"Empress Dowager, you must stand up for the Emperor! This Empress is too wicked." Nie Baolin complained as she walked.

Walking in front of the group was a Maoshan Taoist priest, who was chubby and plump, just like a meat bun.

He held a compass in his left hand, a whisk on his right arm, a cloth bag slung over his shoulder, and wore a black and white Taoist robe.

On his chubby face, there was a large mole on his left cheek, with a single hair on it.

Right now, he's muttering something to himself.

Empress Dowager Xin, leaning on her dragon-headed cane and supported by Granny Jin and Granny Fan, stormed toward Chengqian Palace.

Empress Dowager Xin didn't actually believe it, but Consort Zhuang's words were so detailed and convincing that she never thought the Empress would harm the Emperor.

After all, in her eyes, Guan Zhiyue loved her son, who was now the emperor, very much. She was willing to do anything to marry her son.

——

Chengqian Palace.

"Hua Quan, how is the Emperor?" Empress Dowager Xin asked.

Hua Quan respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the Emperor still has not shown any reaction."

"Oh, my poor son! Where is the Empress? I haven't seen her at all. The Emperor is sick in bed, why isn't she by his side to attend to him?" Empress Dowager Xin asked three urgent questions in quick succession.

Hua Quan quickly replied, "Your Majesty, the Empress has gone to the Star Gazing Temple. She said she wants to ask the Imperial Advisor to come out and take a look."

"Hmph, the Imperial Preceptor Liu is in seclusion. No one can see her. Isn't she wasting her time? I have a master here. Open the door and let this master in to examine the Emperor!"

Hua Quan quickly spread his arms to block the doorway and said to the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, this is probably inappropriate! This..."

"Hey you damned eunuch, open the door right now! If you delay the Emperor's treatment and something happens to him, can you take responsibility?" Nie Baolin was the first to rush forward and shout loudly.

Hua Quan was naturally unwilling and shouted loudly to the side, "Lord Ji, come quickly! Someone is trying to break into the Emperor's bedchamber!"

Upon hearing the noise, Ji Wu rushed out of a nearby room. He had finally managed to get rid of the ministers and had just sat down to drink some water when someone else came to cause trouble.

You wouldn't believe it until you see it! It's shocking how Empress Xin got involved with this group of people.

"Your subordinate greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Consort Zhuang."

The people who were initially agitated stopped their commotion upon hearing the voices of those nearby and turned to look at the newcomer.

"Oh, I thought it was someone else. It's just Guard Ji. Guard Ji, let me tell you, this is a master that Consort Nie asked someone to invite from outside, who is here specifically to treat the Emperor."

"This master is a master who knows the past five hundred years and the future five hundred years. If you delay the master from treating the emperor, your crime will be compounded." Consort Zhuang said arrogantly. She was not afraid of anyone now. With the Empress Dowager backing her up, she could walk sideways.

This time, I must bring down the Empress and finally get my revenge. Consort Shen is currently confined to her palace and cannot come out. The other two women of equal rank are both inexperienced, one heartless and the other insensitive.

If I can drag the Empress down with me, wouldn't I have a chance to take advantage of her? Just thinking about it makes me happy!

"Get out of my way right now."

Empress Dowager Xin nodded solemnly and said, "Eunuch Chen, go and open the gate for me."

So Eunuch Chen, along with several junior eunuchs, insisted on breaking down the door. In the end, the door to Chengqian Palace was pushed down during the scuffle.

Empress Dowager Xin led several people inside. Hua Quan, who had been lying on the ground, sat down and looked at Ji Wu with a resentful gaze.

"Hey Jiwu, what's wrong with you? Aren't you usually a great fighter? Why didn't you make a move just now?"

Ji Wu is innocent! How could he dare to lay a hand on the emperor? On one side is the emperor's mother, and on the other is the emperor's wife. He dares not lay a hand on either side. If he did, wouldn't he never see the emperor again?

"Hua Quan, please don't wrong me. I wanted to do it too, but I didn't dare. This is both my mother and my wife. If I did it, wouldn't I be killed when the Emperor wakes up?"

Hua Quan snorted, got up from the ground, and brushed off the pieces of broken doors and windows on his body, saying, "Hmph, wait until the Emperor wakes up, and see how I complain to him!"

Ji Wu was truly speechless. Who had he offended? He couldn't afford to offend anyone!

****

"Master, please take a look at my son. What's wrong with him? Why has he been unconscious for so many days and still hasn't woken up?" Empress Xin looked at the pale-faced, sickly man lying on the bed.

The one who was called a master walked pretentiously to the emperor's bedside, muttering something under his breath, flicking his whisk, flipping through his compass, and finally wandering around the entire room.

"Your Majesty, I now know why His Majesty is acting this way," the master said.

Empress Dowager Xin's eyes widened as she looked at the master and said, "Master, do you truly know why my son is like this?"

"Your Majesty, yes, His Majesty has been bewitched."

"This has stolen the Emperor's soul! Now we must find the thing that carries the Emperor's soul so that the Emperor can wake up!" Upon hearing the master's words, Empress Dowager Xin was so frightened that she took several steps back.

"Who is this person, so vicious, daring to cast a curse on the Emperor?"

"Master, you must find this harmful thing!" Empress Xin said, her eyes red and her hand clutching her chest.

The master flicked his whisk and said, “Your Majesty, rest assured, I came here to save the Emperor. Once I find the object that carries the Emperor’s soul, he will be able to wake up.”

So the master began chanting, "Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, Heavenly King, please show your power and summon the Emperor's soul."

Whether the compass in my hand was truly working its magic or the master had done something to it, the compass needle began to sway in all directions before finally pointing straight to one spot.

The group followed the compass to the entrance of the Empress's Cold Palace.

The situation here was in an uproar, but Guan Zhiyue had just left Zhanxing Temple and was heading towards Chengqian Palace.

Guan Zhiyue looked at Shan Liuxian with great dissatisfaction. "Going out is fine, but you have to burn incense and bathe before you go out. You even said that you haven't bathed for almost half a year and you can't go out without bathing."

It was all because Shan Liuxian needed to burn incense and bathe; otherwise, Guan Zhiyue wouldn't have missed this grand performance.

When the group arrived at Chengqian Palace, Hua Quan tearfully recounted the events to Guan Zhiyue, after which Guan Zhiyue led Shan Liuxian toward the Cold Palace.

——

The Cold Palace.

When Guan Zhiyue and the others arrived, they saw a palace servant fish out a toy doll made of gold silk from the pool on the right. In front of it was a white cloth embroidered with the emperor's birth date and time, and two embroidery needles were stuck in its head and chest.

The Empress Dowager was startled and took two steps back. Consort Zhuang saw Guan Zhiyue behind the Empress Dowager and loudly accused her, "Empress, do you know your crime?"

Everyone turned to look at the three people standing behind the Empress Dowager. Guan Zhiyue was standing with her arms crossed, looking at everyone.

"What crime have I committed, and what punishment should I receive?"

“You audacious Empress, did you see this? This thing was found right outside your Cold Palace! Don’t you admit your guilt?” Nie Baolin stepped forward and shouted.

Guan Zhiyue took one look and exclaimed, "Oh, a newcomer! I've never seen her before. Who is she?"

He grinned and asked, "And who are you?"

Nie Baolin was furious; the Empress didn't even recognize her! It infuriated her!

Empress Dowager Xin, who was standing to the side, finally reacted and slammed her dragon-headed cane on the ground with a thud. She looked down at Guan Zhiyue and said, "Empress, you should explain to me what's going on."

Guan Zhiyue curtsied slightly to Empress Dowager Xin before speaking, "Your Majesty, let me explain slowly."