Chapter 188 A Forceful Yet Touching Kiss
The air in the Ministry of Justice prison was cold and damp, mixed with the stench of blood that no amount of washing could remove.
Emperor Zhaoheng, dressed in black casual clothes, stood outside the torture chamber. His handsome face was half bright and half dark in the dim, flickering firelight, which made the Minister of Justice beside him tremble with fear.
The Emperor's sudden arrival at the prison caught him completely off guard. The Minister of Justice, upon seeing the dried bloodstains in the corner of the prison wall and the rusty iron bars...
The Minister of Justice, fearing he might offend the Emperor, broke out in a cold sweat and stood beside him, watching the punishments being carried out through the bars.
Madam Yi was tied to the rack, her hair disheveled, her clothes tattered, and her body bearing several whip marks.
She gritted her teeth, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, but she remained silent. If it weren't for the violent heaving of her chest due to the pain, one would almost mistake her for a mere shell hanging there.
"Tell me! What are the ingredients of that secret medicine, and how can it be countered?"
The official sent by the Ministry of Justice was a seasoned criminal officer who had handled thousands, if not tens of thousands, of prisoners. In front of him were countless gleaming instruments of torture, a stark contrast to the gloomy and decaying prison environment.
Madam Yi raised her bloodshot eyes and, through her disheveled hair, saw the figure outside the fence who could be described as the most distinguished person in the world today.
A twisted sense of pleasure flashed through her mind. So what if he was as noble as the emperor?
We still have to beg her, beg her to reveal the secret!
Another lash struck her, tearing her skin and flesh, but she seemed to feel no pain at all, laughing sharply. Her hoarse voice echoed through the cell, mingling with the chaotic noise and shouts of other prisoners in the background.
"Your Majesty, haha, you want me to say something? I won't say anything! That wretched maid... that wretched maid will die soon! Hahaha!"
The executioner's gaze sharpened; he was about to resort to even more torturous methods.
Madam Yi's attitude was nothing short of insulting; she wasn't trying to anger the Emperor at all. She was practically kicking his head off the ground like a ball!
Fearing he would be implicated by Madam Yi, the executioner glared and prepared to use the pliers, pressing them into Madam Yi's mouth without a word...
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly raised his hand, stopping the executioner.
The man's gaze was colder than the dampness of a prison cell. He spoke personally, with an indescribable yet submissive imperial majesty.
"Yi Lin, I will only ask once: is there an antidote for that secret medicine?"
From a distance, Lady Yi met Emperor Zhaoheng's icy gaze from outside the fence, his eyes filled with deep hatred and a sense of schadenfreude.
"Hahaha... There's no solution! Your Majesty, just give up on that idea! Once that secret medicine is planted, there's no cure for life!"
"That wretched maid, Shui Xian, she's doomed! She's destined to pay for Chun'er's life... Hahaha... The day she gives birth to the imperial heir will be her death day!"
"Just wait and see her die from postpartum hemorrhage! This is retribution! Retribution!"
Mrs. Yi burst into maniacal laughter, and as she laughed, blood began to seep from the corner of her mouth.
Upon seeing this, the executioner skillfully pried open her mouth with a wooden stick, revealing that her tongue had been bitten and was bleeding profusely.
"Want to commit suicide?" A hint of contempt flashed in the executioner's eyes. How could an ordinary person bite off their own tongue without the determination to die?
At this moment, facing this former noblewoman, the judge felt he possessed supreme power.
At this moment, he represents not himself, but the Emperor!
Lady Yi failed to commit suicide, but seeing Emperor Zhaoheng's silent and angry expression, she burst into maniacal laughter.
The Minister of Justice gestured to the executioner to begin the torture with his eyes, then cautiously spoke, "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Zhaoheng pressed his thin lips together, and gave Lady Yi on the rack one last deep look, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
He turned abruptly, no longer looking at the disgusting scene, leaving behind only a chilling command.
"Get her to talk! By any means necessary, I only want results!"
"yes!"
Emperor Zhaoheng strode out of the prison. Behind him, the voices of the Minister, the judge, the jailer and others echoed, along with Lady Yi's increasingly painful screams.
The stench of blood in the air grew stronger.
——
In the Palace of Rites.
Narcissus did not fall asleep, but waited for Emperor Zhaoheng to arrive.
Pei Jichuan sent someone to report that Emperor Zhaoheng had forced him to reveal the "truth" and then left the palace overnight.
Shui Xian could guess that Emperor Zhao Heng had most likely gone to question the only person who knew about her constitution overnight.
She could guess that Lady Yi's ruthless nature would most likely prevent Emperor Zhaoheng from getting what he wanted.
Everything was under her control.
Narcissus's plan is missing one final step.
As long as this step is completed... even if she ultimately proves beyond medical help...
Shui Xian turned over on the couch, gently stroking the outside of the brocade quilt covering Yong Ning, who was sleeping with her tonight.
In the darkness, Yongning slept soundly, his small body curled up beside her, his little hands unconsciously clutching the hem of Narcissus's dress.
She brought Yongning into this world, and with the two unborn children in her womb, she has an absolute and inescapable responsibility towards them.
Once this step is completed, after her death, the children will receive Emperor Zhaoheng's favoritism and affection...
Shui Xian held on for a long time. Just when she thought Emperor Zhaoheng wouldn't come to Lihe Palace tonight, she vaguely heard the greetings from the palace maids on night watch outside.
She took out the porcelain bottle she had prepared beforehand and slowly drank the medicine that Pei Jichuan had prepared for her in advance.
After drinking, Shui Xian gently pressed her lips with a handkerchief to make sure there were no flaws before calmly hiding the porcelain bottle in a hidden compartment beside the couch.
After she finished doing all this, Emperor Zhaoheng finally entered through the curtain.
Emperor Zhaoheng initially thought that Shui Xian was already asleep, so he moved gently and entered the inner room. When he met Shui Xian's awake eyes, he subconsciously called out to her.
"Xian'er..."
Upon hearing this, Shui Xian gestured to him that Yong Ning was still asleep beside her and made a "shh" gesture.
As an emperor, no one ever dared to keep him quiet.
But at this moment, looking at the narcissus on the bed and his daughter sleeping peacefully inside, Emperor Zhaoheng naturally fell silent, without feeling offended.
Shui Xian seemed to sense that Emperor Zhaoheng's late-night visit must have something to say, so she cleared her throat and made a soft sound.
Yinzhu, who was guarding outside the door, came in, first greeted Emperor Zhaoheng, and then bowed and carried away the sleeping Yongning.
After Shui Xian and Yong Ning were carried away, they slowly propped themselves up from the couch.
Pregnant with twins, she was inevitably a little slow in her movements. Seeing this, Emperor Zhaoheng quickly stepped forward to help her up, and Shui Xian used his hand to sit up.
"Your Majesty, why are you here so late at night... cough cough."
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly coughed lightly.
During this time, Narcissus often coughed, and even the imperial physicians could not find a good solution. Emperor Zhaoheng patted her back gently and familiarly.
However, this time was different.
Narcissus coughed repeatedly, but the coughing did not subside; in fact, it became more and more severe.
She avoided Emperor Zhaoheng and covered her lips with a brocade handkerchief from beside her pillow.
Emperor Zhaoheng gently stroked her back, and later heard her cough becoming increasingly labored, even her lung sounds becoming hoarse.
He unconsciously stopped moving, but his palm did not leave her body.
He could clearly feel every tremor and cough of the narcissus.
Finally, the cough gradually subsided.
A cough seemed to have exhausted Narcissus's strength; she took a deep breath before removing the handkerchief.
In the dimly lit room, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye and instinctively clenched the handkerchief tighter.
Even though Narcissus tried her best to conceal it, Emperor Zhaoheng still noticed the flaw in her pale face at a glance.
"What's wrong?"
Emperor Zhaoheng frowned, his gaze fixed on her.
Narcissus shook her head. "It's nothing."
She casually reached to put the handkerchief into her sleeve, but Emperor Zhaoheng snatched it away.
Expand.
The bright red bloodstains on it were as beautiful as white snow and red plum blossoms, and instantly pierced Emperor Zhaoheng's heart.
Earlier, Mrs. Yi's hoarse voice echoed in his mind like a curse.
"...Just wait and see her die from postpartum hemorrhage..."
"emperor......"
Narcissus's face grew paler and paler, and she reached out with trembling hands to take the blood-stained handkerchief.
My fingertips trembled a few times, then fell limply to the ground.
"Xian'er...why, why didn't you let Pei Jichuan tell me sooner! Why did you have to bear all this alone!"
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was hoarse, and his robes still carried the blood and cruelty brought from the Ministry of Justice prison, a stain that even ambergris could not suppress.
He reached out and pulled her tightly into his arms, his arms gripping her so tightly that it was as if he wanted to embed her into his body.
Narcissus nestled in his strong embrace, and could clearly feel his frantic heartbeat.
She spoke in a barely audible voice, following her prepared words, her tone as soft as a whisper, carrying a resigned sorrow.
"Your humble body is fortunate enough to bear children for Your Majesty. Death... what is there to regret..."
She raised her teary eyes and looked at him, her eyes filled with utter pleading.
"I only beg Your Majesty, in consideration of my devoted service... that you protect our child and ensure his safe growth in the future..."
Emperor Zhaoheng could not bear to hear the word "death," especially when it came from her mouth.
He pinched her chin and sealed her lips with a kiss, silencing any unlucky words she might say next.
The kiss was tinged with the stench of blood, and carried an almost desperate, domineering force that stole her breath.
After an unknown amount of time, the kiss ended, and both of them were still breathing heavily.
Emperor Zhaoheng stepped back slightly, but his hands still cupped her face, carefully wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Don't say that again!"
"I will not allow you to die!"
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