Chapter 174 Cruelty—Helplessness

Inside the side hall of Chengqian Palace, the strong smell of medicine was mixed with a hint of decay.

The once shrewd and capable nanny now lay helplessly on the bed, like a lamp that had run out of oil.

Her face was ashen, her eyes were sunken, and her breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

Her cloudy eyes stared at the top of the tent, her heart filled with resentment and doubt.

She was only in her fifties and had always been in good health, so how could she have caught such a seemingly ordinary cold?

Did she just reach the point of exhaustion?

She had her suspicions that she had been tricked.

However, recently, Gege has been suffering from her illness.

They tried every possible way to invite almost every imperial physician on duty at the Imperial Medical Academy.

However, after examining the pulse, each imperial physician arrived at a similar conclusion.

The old woman was quite old and had a weak constitution. She caught a cold, which caused her to fall ill.

The prescriptions they gave were all based on the principles of warming and tonifying to dispel cold.

But as she was forced to drink bowl after bowl of bitter medicine, her health not only failed to improve, but she grew weaker day by day.

Even now, I'm so exhausted that I don't even have the strength to get up.

She had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but the imperial physicians all said the same thing: they couldn't find any signs of poisoning or external harm.

Could it be... that her fate has truly come to an end?

This elusive yet undeniably consuming sense of powerlessness filled her with profound fear.

Tongjia sat by the bed, tightly holding the old woman's withered hand, her eyes red and swollen, her face full of genuine sorrow.

This old woman was not only her servant.

He was also her close companion who watched her grow up from childhood, taught her principles and rules, and protected her.

Seeing the old woman on her deathbed, she felt both pain and panic.

Only the two of them, mistress and servant, were inside the hall at that moment.

The medicines prescribed by the imperial physicians were no longer effective, and she no longer held any hope.

Li Guiping stood silently outside the palace gate, hands clasped and bowing.

Like a clay sculpture devoid of emotion, yet its ears are constantly attentive to the sounds within.

"Giggle...giggle..."

The old woman used all her strength to make a faint, thread-like sound.

"It's my fault... my body is too weak to serve you anymore..."

Upon hearing these heartfelt words, tears welled up in Tongjia's eyes, and she choked out.

"Granny! Please don't say that. You will get better. If you leave... I will be left alone in this deep palace. What will I do then?"

She was genuinely terrified; losing her most trusted confidant was like breaking her spine.

The old woman shook her head with difficulty, forcing a bitter smile onto her face.

"Princess, people are born, grow old, get sick, and die... this is the way of nature... this old servant just... didn't expect this day to come so soon..."

She took a few deep breaths, mustered her last bit of strength, and looked at Tongjia with earnest eyes.

"Please listen to my last few words..."

Tongjia nodded vigorously, tears falling onto the back of the nanny's hand.

"Granny, please speak, I'm listening!"

"First... after this old servant leaves, you must send a message to the master as soon as possible... have him find another reliable person... and send him to the palace to serve you personally... you should personally speak to the Emperor, and considering the Tong family's relationship... he won't refuse..."

"Secondly... Princess... you must remember the low-key and patient lessons you've learned these past two months... think thrice before you act, and never again lose your temper easily, giving others a handle against you..."

The old nanny's eyes suddenly sharpened, carrying a kind of clarity like a final burst of energy, as she stared intently at Tongjia.

"This old servant... always feels... that this illness is strange, as if I have been tricked... but I can't find any trace of it... perhaps this old servant is just being paranoid, but in any case... Princess, you must be extra careful about everyone around you from now on. If you really have to deal with someone, either don't do anything... or eliminate the evil completely... you must not leave any trouble for yourself!"

She spoke the last few words with exceptional clarity, her voice filled with deep worry.

Tongjia listened to these words of advice, which sounded like a dying wish.

Especially the phrase "scammed but no trace can be found," made her feel a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, chilling her to the bone.

She gripped the old woman's hand tightly, making her promise with a choked sob.

"Granny, I understand. Don't worry!"

The old nanny's eyes flashed with relief when she saw that she had agreed; at least, her young master had listened.

After saying these words, her last bit of strength seemed to have been exhausted, her eyes gradually became unfocused, and she murmured to herself.

"This old servant is tired... I'll... take a nap..."

His voice gradually faded, and the hand that was tightly gripping Tongjia's loosened its grip.

Tong Jia felt the warmth in her palms rapidly dissipating.

She reached out her hand, trembling, to check the old woman's breath—it was gone.

The old woman has left.

Tongjia sat blankly on the edge of the bed, tears silently streaming down her face.

After the immense grief came an indescribable fear, like a tide engulfing her.

The old woman's dying words, "We've been tricked, but we can't find any trace of it," echoed repeatedly in her mind like a curse.

Even the shrewd nanny and the entire Imperial Hospital couldn't find a flaw in this scheme...

What kind of terrifying and insidious schemes are hidden within this harem?

Today it was the old woman who collapsed, will it be her turn tomorrow?

Will she, like her grandmother, one day quietly and without warning, pass away from illness?

They can't even figure out the cause of death?

This unknown and invisible threat terrified her more than any open and direct confrontation.

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Tongjia wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down.

Now is not the time for endless sadness and fear.

She stood up, restoring the dignity that belonged to a princess.

But beneath that imposing demeanor lay a hint of panic.

She walked to the entrance of the palace and called out in a deep voice.

"Li Guiping".

Li Guiping, who had been waiting outside the door, immediately responded and entered, bowing respectfully.

"Your servant is here."

Tongjia looked at him, her tone calm but carrying an unquestionable command.

"Granny is gone. Arrange for someone to properly collect her body and send it back to the Tong residence to be handed over to my father. Make sure it is done in a dignified and proper manner."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your command and handle it properly."

Li Guiping respectfully agreed, lowering his head even further to conceal the complex emotions that flashed across his eyes.

Lady Tongjia stopped looking at him and turned to walk out of the side hall.

Under the blazing sun, she felt no warmth whatsoever.

With the old nanny gone, she was truly all alone in this deep palace.

Inside the Chengqian Palace, Lady Tongjia sat alone by the window, gazing out at the view, feeling utterly empty inside.

The sudden death of her nanny left her feeling like her pillar of support had been removed, and she was enveloped by an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

She has already sent someone to the Qianqing Palace to invite the Emperor's cousin to pass by the Chengqian Palace during his evening dinner.

At this moment, she desperately needs comfort and support from her cousin.

Even a single gentle word could bring her a touch of warmth in this palace.

At the same time, the old woman's dying words, "Eliminate evil completely," were etched into her heart like a brand.

She couldn't help but think of the palace maid she had whipped two months ago—Uya.

For the past two months, Uya seemed to have vanished into thin air.

He never appeared before her eyes.

Is it because they are afraid of her as their master that they dare not approach and serve her?

Looking back now, isn't this a silent form of alienation and resentment?

The old woman is right, we absolutely cannot use the Uya clan anymore!

Once the funeral arrangements for the old woman are completed, she must find a reason to return this potential threat to the Imperial Household Department.

As for fighting and killing…

She ultimately dared not, fearing that she would leave a vicious and domineering impression on her imperial cousin, which was the last thing she wanted to see.

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