The Empress Dowager was on the verge of collapse.
It’s one thing that the Emperor didn’t die.
Wasn’t the Empress captured? Why is she perfectly fine as well?
This woman, born of humble origins, appeared calm and collected, yet in just a few short years, she climbed to the position of Empress.
Now she even has the Emperor wrapped around her finger, and even Wanxin was defeated by her.
Simply infuriating!
She had hoped to seize this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and put her to death.
But unexpectedly... she’s still alive.
The Empress Dowager was so angry she almost coughed up blood, and started coughing violently.
Xia Ruqing was a bit flustered and hurriedly stepped forward to ’serve’.
"Empress Dowager, what’s wrong? Someone, call the Imperial Physician!"
The Empress Dowager quickly struggled to refuse.
Now her whole body was still aching from acupuncture, and this woman seemed to want to call the Imperial Physician to prick her again, truly vicious.
"No... cough cough! There’s no need!"
Xia Ruqing pressed her down without saying a word.
"Empress Dowager, your health isn’t good, naturally the Imperial Physician should look after you!"
"It’s better to cure it once and for all, otherwise, if there’s a lingering illness, it won’t be good!!"
As she spoke, the Imperial Physician had already come in and was kneeling in front of her.
Xia Ruqing quickly got up to make room.
"Quick! The Empress Dowager is still coughing, what’s wrong with you bunch of quacks!"
"If you can’t cure her, be careful the Emperor punishes you!"
The Imperial Physician nervously kowtowed repeatedly.
"Reporting to the Empress!"
"The Empress Dowager has a condition of internal blockage, the best treatment is acupuncture."
"But..."
The Imperial Physician hesitated.
Xia Ruqing scolded.
"What are you hesitating for, just treat it as you should!"
"The Empress Dowager’s noble body cannot afford any delay, can it?"
"Hurry up and start the acupuncture!"
The unfinished words of the Imperial Physician were completely silenced, leaving only one word.
"Yes!"
Afterward...
Ningshou Palace was filled with the Empress Dowager’s cries of pain, whether loud or soft, from time to time.
It wasn’t clear how long it took before these sounds gradually ceased.
The Empress Dowager had long lost consciousness.
Xia Ruqing ’worriedly’ asked the Imperial Physician.
"Is the Empress Dowager alright!"
The Imperial Physician hurriedly lowered his head.
"Reporting to the Empress, the Empress Dowager’s meridians are already cleared, after waking up she will feel refreshed, and with some recuperation, she will recover!"
Xia Ruqing nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good!"
"If the Empress Dowager recovers, the Emperor will surely reward you handsomely!"
The Imperial Physician breathed a sigh of relief.
Thinking, oh, as long as I can keep my head, that’s good enough.
Xia Ruqing waved her hand to make him get up.
She also instructed the palace maids, eunuchs, and Sisters serving the Empress Dowager.
’Serve well’
’Do not upset the Empress Dowager’
’Or this palace will not spare you lightly’ and with those words, she left.
Since then.
Xia Ruqing went to Ningshou Palace every day under the pretext of serving the Empress Dowager to attend to her illness.
Hmm... let’s say it was attending to her illness.
In reality, it was just to add to her misery.
Today, it was a round of acupuncture, tomorrow a session of massage, under the guise of unblocking meridians and promoting blood circulation to dissipate stagnation, but essentially a form of disguised torture.
It’s just that these methods were actually effective.
The Empress Dowager’s days were miserable, unable to express her suffering.
...
During this period, Zhao Junyao was also very busy.
He had to interrogate and deal with these remaining followers, and also handle Zhao Junqi.
One might say these matters weren’t really difficult.
But Zhao Junyao didn’t want to blow things out of proportion.
So everything was conducted secretly, which required more thought than dealing with it publicly.
As for the remaining followers.
After clarifying the cases through interrogation, they were all executed immediately.
As for Zhao Junqi.
Even though he was his legitimate cousin, Zhao Junyao had no intention of showing mercy.
On this evening.
The north wind howled, and the Capital City’s twelfth lunar month was still bitterly cold.
Tomorrow would be the day of Zhao Junqi’s execution.
Zhao Junyao planned to see off this cousin who had grown up with him.
The prison was very dark.
Zhao Junyao only brought Li Shengan with him.
He was wearing a black fox fur cloak, the high-quality fur glowing with an oily sheen in the dim candlelight.
On his feet were purple gold-soled boots, and around his waist was a ruby belt with a jade pendant inlaid with ruby.
This outfit seemed understated.
But every piece was invaluable, recognizable to those who knew.
With a ’clank’ sound.
The chains of the cell were opened.
With that ear-piercing, yet suspenseful sound of chains, Zhao Junqi, covered in blood, slowly opened his eyes.
Lifting his head towards the light source, he saw Zhao Junyao standing in front of him.
His attire, worth a fortune, shone even brighter in the darkness, perfectly complementing his innate majestic aura.
He was so noble, so luxurious, like a god from the heavens.
And himself? Like a rat scurrying through the street, like a pathetic vulture, like a useless wandering vagabond!
They were both legitimate descendants, why was there such a huge difference?
Why?
Everything he had, should have been his! Why?!
The unwilling fire of anger flickered continuously in Zhao Junqi’s eyes.
He gave a cold smile.
"Are you here to show off? To flaunt your status, your superiority?"
You’re just stepping over conscience and morality to reach your position, what’s there to brag about!