After leaving Taihe Hall, Zhao Shu and the others immediately headed towards Cining Palace, where they were temporarily safe due to the presence of the royal guards.
Zhao Bi blocked all the roads out of the palace, so they couldn't get out for the time being.
Having witnessed the power of the matchlock gun, no one dared to charge out.
He wasn't afraid of Yang Zhong betraying him again; he hadn't avenged his eldest grandson yet.
Zhao Shu looked around but couldn't find the leader of the Royal Guard. It seemed that Yang Zhong had considerable influence in the Royal Guard. Even without the leader's approval, the Royal Guard could still mobilize most of its personnel.
An army composed of noblemen's sons is just that unreliable.
Upon entering Cining Palace, everyone consciously avoided barging into the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters, instead resting in the front hall and side halls. Zhao Shu and Sun Yun stayed in the side hall next to the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters. Around midnight, Qin Ji and Liang Yunsi arrived.
No one was asleep. The two appeared at Cining Palace, and Xie Yun and Yang Zhong also came over.
"Eunuch Liang, how is the Emperor?" Xie Yun asked.
Qin Ji rarely appeared in public, so they were unfamiliar with him and could only ask Liang Yunsi.
Upon being asked this question, Liang Yunsi burst into tears, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty needs an imperial physician."
"I'll go. Physician Peng definitely won't be able to get in," Zhao Shu said.
Emperor Mingde was coughing badly and was also severely agitated; if he did not receive treatment, he would likely not last more than a few days.
"Alright, Princess, you must be careful." Xie Yun made a quick decision and instructed Zhao Shu to be careful, as she had high hopes for this future mother-in-law.
There was no time to discuss it, and no perfect solution could be devised. Once Xie Yun spoke, no one objected. Zhao Shu then found a few bottles of medicine in the Cining Palace storeroom, and, with Xiao Zhuzi in tow, left the Cining Palace under the guidance of Qin Ji.
Qin Ji wielded considerable power in the palace, and with the help of many people arranged by Xiao Zhu Zi, he returned to Taihe Hall with almost no effort.
Zhao Bi is no longer in the palace, but Yi De is still there, and Emperor Ming De is also awake.
Several people hid in the shadows, quietly listening to the conversation between Yide and Emperor Mingde.
Yide hated Emperor Mingde to the core, feeling that he had betrayed their relationship and that he had wronged her.
Emperor Mingde asked sadly, "Are you extremely satisfied with my current state?"
"What is there for me to be satisfied or dissatisfied with? No matter what state you fall into, it can never make up for all the mistakes I've made over the years. You enjoy wealth and honor in the palace, with all nations paying tribute. How could you know how I've spent these years?" she said calmly, as if she had already seen through the illusions of the world. But how could someone who has seen through the illusions of the world say such biased words?
Emperor Mingde wanted to move his body to lie down more comfortably, but he had no strength and was out of breath with every movement. However, he insisted on continuing. Seeing him struggle, Yide helped him and said gently, "But I still want to thank you for your trust. In fact, the rumors circulating in the streets are all true."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Mingde's face flushed with anger, and he began to cough violently. After coughing for a while, he gradually stopped and angrily asked Yide, "Which ones are true! You poisonous woman!"
"It's all true, except for one thing: Zhao Bi is not my son. Your Majesty didn't expect that, did you? I've always wanted to tell you this in person. You see, I still have feelings for you." Her tone was cheerful and undisguised.
She finally told Emperor Mingde about this herself, finally letting this man know that she had manipulated him. She felt so happy, so very happy!
Emperor Mingde's eyes were bloodshot. Whether Zhao Bi was his son with Yide was no longer important. What was important was the rumor that Yide had served other men.
He truly became a laughing stock of history; this woman really dared to cheat on him! All along, he dared not admit it, refused to admit it, thinking that as long as he doted on her even more, the rumor would be suppressed.
Unfortunately, this wicked woman ultimately succeeded in making herself a laughingstock of history.
He was speechless, his breath caught in his throat, and he glared at Yide with resentment. Yide, however, smiled, a charming and alluring smile. "Your Majesty, apart from your noble birth, you have no other merits. You are far inferior to others. I never find happiness when I am with you."
No man likes his woman to be unfaithful and then brazenly say that she doesn't have an orgasm when she's with him.
This is an utter disgrace!
Zhao Shu found this extremely outrageous, and her thoughts on the matter were like a surging river, unstoppable. Unfortunately, Sun Yun was not there, so she couldn't discuss Yi De's unchaste behavior with Qin Ji.
However, when she glanced at Qin Ji and Liang Yunsi out of the corner of her eye, she found that the two had left sometime earlier, and even Xiao Zhuzi was nowhere to be seen. She was startled.
However, startled, she took two steps back and stepped on a foot, only to find a thick, soft, and warm wall blocking her way behind her.
Looking back, she saw a pair of hands wrapped around her waist, and a familiar breath brushed against her ears and neck, making her face flush.
"How could you..."
Before she could finish speaking, Wei Tingsi gestured for silence and said softly, "The Empress Dowager has returned to the capital."
"You went to fetch the Empress Dowager?" Zhao Shu asked in surprise, as she had not received any news about it.
Wei Tingsi nodded. "Yes."
After a moment, he asked again, "Did you understand what she meant just now?"
How was she supposed to answer that? Zhao Shu rolled her eyes at him and stomped on his foot again, which only made him hug her even tighter.
Wei Tingsi rested his head on Zhao Shu's shoulder and didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he said, "She's gone. Go and treat the Emperor quickly."
When Zhao Shu came to her senses, she found that Yi De was indeed gone from the hall, and Emperor Ming De had fainted on the dragon throne.
"She's truly heartless. Her royal uncle treated her so well, yet she still mistreats him like this. Don't you think so? Her royal uncle has always been indifferent to everyone else, but he was the only one who treated her exceptionally well. Unfortunately, she has a heart of stone that can't be warmed."
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