Chapter 555 Confirming the Empress's Whereabouts
Since his repeated failed attempts to find the empress, the emperor had long lost his former joy.
He calmly asked the scout, "Where is the Empress now?"
The scout bowed and replied, "The Empress is currently in Xuzhou."
"Xuzhou? Why would she be in Xuzhou?" The emperor was startled, his face full of doubt. "As far as I know, my third brother and the empress do not know anyone in Xuzhou."
The scout continued, "I don't know either. The men I sent out only said they saw the Empress in Xuzhou."
The emperor stood up and asked again, "Did you really see the empress?"
The scout nodded emphatically, "That's right, I also saw her holding a child."
The emperor hadn't told anyone about the empress having a child, so it must be true.
The emperor waved his hand and said, "Alright, I understand. You may all leave now, but remember not to alert the enemy."
The scout replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
After the spies left, the emperor suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, "Great! I've finally found you all! Let's see where you can run now!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he coughed violently, spitting out two mouthfuls of blood, and then collapsed onto the bed, exhausted.
Just three days ago, the imperial physician examined him and said he only had one month to live.
That night, he didn't sleep a wink; he kept thinking about what he should do with the last month left.
Perhaps a dying man's words are kind; he didn't want to cause any more trouble for his sons.
He was prepared to relinquish everything in the court and pass the throne to Zhou Ruiyuan.
As for the Empress, he didn't want to die alone; he needed to find someone to be buried with him.
He wanted to separate the Empress and the Third Prince by death to vent his hatred.
That night, he didn't sleep a wink again.
The next day, Consort Li arrived.
Although Consort Li was always using him, she was more sincere than the other consorts.
Knowing that the emperor was seriously ill, she specially cooked some medicinal food for him.
The emperor had three thousand concubines in his harem, but Consort Li was the one he was most comfortable with.
Since Consort Li's miscarriage, the two have become quite estranged.
The emperor's displeasure from the previous night vanished the moment he saw her enter.
He sat up, smiled at her, and asked, "What kind of soup did you make today?"
Consort Li brought out the soup bowl, blew on it, and said, "It's pork tripe soup. Your Majesty, please try it."
The emperor took a bite, and perhaps because his mood had improved, his complexion also improved considerably.
Consort Li's visit this time was not just to deliver soup, but to extract information: "Your Majesty, we have not yet found the Empress's whereabouts."
This time, the Emperor did not hide it from Consort Li. Perhaps he was tired and genuinely wanted someone to talk to.
"We found it," he said truthfully.
Consort Li visibly froze for a moment. She tried to calm her surprise and excitement and smiled at him, saying, "You found her? That's good news. When we bring the Empress into the palace, everything will be perfect."
The emperor laughed along with him, but his laughter was somewhat eerie.
He held Consort Li's hand and said slowly, "How about you come with me this time to bring her back?"
Seeing that he was unusually gentle, Consort Li immediately replied, "Your Majesty values me so much, of course I am willing."
The emperor smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. "Very well, you will accompany me to Xuzhou tomorrow."
“Xuzhou?” Consort Li sighed.
The emperor nodded. "That's right, the empress is in Xuzhou. However, you must not tell anyone about this, not even the crown prince."
Consort Li paused, and then the Emperor continued, "I know you are on good terms with the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. I will not pursue the past, but this time, don't even think about tipping them off, or your father and your entire maternal family will be buried with me."
This was the first time Consort Li had ever heard the Emperor speak in such a tone, and her body trembled involuntarily.
The emperor embraced her and comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid. I love you. Otherwise, why would I have taken you alone to Xuzhou? As long as you don't reveal the Empress's whereabouts, I will treat your family well."
Consort Li didn't care about her maternal family's comfort; such threats were useless to her. However, she knew clearly that the Emperor would never give her any opportunity to tip off the Emperor.
She gritted her teeth and obediently replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The emperor slowly released her, stood up, and turned his back to her, saying, "I will prepare to set off tomorrow. Don't be afraid; just think of it as a real trip to see the sights and rivers."
Consort Li came up behind him and asked, "Your Majesty, your condition has worsened. Are you able to travel such a long distance to Xuzhou?"
The emperor coughed lightly twice, "This distance is still manageable."
Consort Li lowered her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then picked up the soup again. "Your Majesty, you should drink the soup first, otherwise it will be cold and not palatable."
The emperor came over and obediently drank it.
After leaving the emperor's palace, Consort Li frantically tried to figure out how to send a message to Zhou Ruiyuan.
However, as soon as she returned to the palace, all the people around her were replaced.
She was placed under house arrest.
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