Chapter 334: Ruthless and Decisive in Action!

Chapter 334: Ruthless and Decisive in Action!

After a chaotic commotion, the Emperor was revived with several acupuncture needles. Turning his head, he saw a stern figure standing beside the bed. In a daze, he thought it was the late Emperor and panicked. He knelt on the bed, tears streaming down his face, "Father, your son didn't mean to kill the Sixth Brother, your son was afraid, so afraid!"

The Emperor wept inconsolably on the bed, "Father, your son regrets it, your son shouldn't have killed the Sixth Brother, your son can't sleep at night!"

"Your Majesty!" The person by the bed suddenly knelt down, trembling all over.

At that moment, the Emperor's mind cleared considerably. Kneeling on the bed and looking down, he saw an Imperial Physician kneeling on the ground. He let out a long sigh, then said, "Jiao Kangsheng."

Hearing his name, Jiao Kangsheng hurried over. He had been dealing with the consorts from various palaces. Upon entering and seeing the Imperial Physician kneeling and shivering, he quickly said, "Your Majesty, you're awake."

The Emperor grunted and then pointed to the kneeling Imperial Physician, "Take him out and execute him."

The Imperial Physician collapsed on the ground, knowing this would be the outcome but still unwilling to accept it, he cried out, "Your Majesty, spare my life, please!"

The Emperor looked at him and said indifferently, "I will compensate your family."

The Imperial Physician dared not cry out any longer and followed Jiao Kangsheng out. The Emperor sat on the bed in a daze, and after a while, looking at Jiao Kangsheng who returned, he said, "Yesterday at the banquet, I mentioned rewarding Duke Dingguo. Send the rewards to him. Award Duke Dingguo a hundred acres of land, a hundred taels of gold, and for the rest, you decide."

Jiao Kangsheng: "………"

What game is being played here? Just passed out from anger because of Duke Dingguo, and now bestowing rewards. Is this a submission?

"Duchess Dingguo said the other day that while people may be disposable, words are not. I must not let them think I am a man who doesn't keep his word."

Jiao Kangsheng: "......"

Things have already escalated to this point; it's almost like tearing off the mask. No matter how much you do, Duke Dingguo won't speak well of you. But as a servant, he has no choice but to obey.

Then the emperor said again, "Bestow rewards upon Xiao Huai, so everyone thinks my favor towards Xiao Huai remains unchanged. Then they won't suspect that the assassination was my doing."

Jiao Kangsheng was speechless again. With you and Duke Dingguo at each other's throats, plus the smashing of Ziyun Mountain's villa, anyone with a brain could figure out what's going on. Whatever you do now would seem like a futile attempt to cover up.

But these were thoughts he could only keep to himself; the emperor was not one to heed advice.

"The imperial consorts are waiting outside. Your Majesty, would you like to meet with them?" Jiao Kangsheng asked again.

The emperor waved his hand, "Tell them I want some solitude, let them all go back."

"Yes."

Jiao Kangsheng complied and walked out, only to see the consorts from various palaces looking anxious and eagerly peering inside. Seeing him, the empress and Consort Yuan hurriedly asked, "How is the emperor?"

"The emperor has awakened but wishes for some solitude. The consorts are asked to return first," Jiao Kangsheng said.

"Can't we see the emperor?" Consort Yu inquired, now the most favored in the harem.

But Jiao Kangsheng still replied calmly, "The emperor said he wishes to see no one."

"Alright, if the emperor wants solitude, we shouldn't disturb him, let's all go back."

The empress said, turning around to leave. Actually, she was very suspicious now; was the emperor so ill that he had to execute the imperial physician? If so, action must be taken!

Seeing the empress leave, Consort Yuan also hurried off. Her thoughts were similar to the empress’s; if the emperor was truly near his end, she must act before the empress and others do.

The two consorts with sons left, and the others turned to leave too, each with their own thoughts. However, there was one person who did not leave, and that was Consort Liang.

She stepped forward, calling out loudly towards the emperor's sleeping quarters, "Your Majesty, your consort is worried about you. Let your consort see you, and once assured you're well, I shall leave."

Jiao Kangsheng couldn't help but give Consort Liang a thumbs-up in his mind, well deserved for being favored for so many years.

The emperor, warmed by the sound of her voice, sighed deeply in his chamber, "Let the noble consort in."

Jiao Kangsheng hurriedly bent over and informed Consort Liang, "Noble Consort, His Majesty invites you in."

Consort Liang dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, lifted her skirts, and entered the sleeping chamber. Seeing the emperor seated on the bed, appearing quite spirited, she hastened towards him, throwing herself at his feet, crying tears of joy, "Your Majesty, you've worried me to death."

A faint smile graced the emperor’s face, "My love, do not fret. I am truly well. It’s just the end-of-year affairs have been somewhat taxing."

The noble consort, dabbing her tears, nodded, "I understand, Your Majesty has always been in robust health."

The emperor raised his hand to pat her shoulder, "You see, I am unharmed. You may leave now."

Consort Liang nodded, "Your Majesty, please rest well and do not overexert yourself."

"Hmm, I understand. You may go," said the emperor.

Consort Liang nodded, performed a courtesy, then turned and left. After walking a distance from the sleeping chamber, her face slowly twisted into a sneer.

Back in her own quarters, she comfortably settled onto the brocaded couch and asked her attendant, "Have you found out anything?"

The maid nodded, "I heard that last night, an assassin was caught at the residence of Duke Dingguo. Today, the corpse and head of the assassin were hung at the city gates. Duke Dingguo also posted a notice at the gates as a warning."

Consort Liang laughed heartily upon hearing this, then said, "Duke Dingguo and his wife, they really are… quite something."

They are truly ruthless and decisive in their actions!

"Also," the maid continued, "I heard that last night, the Ziyun Mountain Villa was ransacked by unidentified people. And Duke Dingguo had left the city last night, ostensibly to pursue the assassin."

Consort Liang laughed again, "Duke Dingguo has won this round."

The maid kept her head bowed and said nothing, while Consort Liang sat in contemplation for a while, then said, "His Majesty is unwell; I shall personally prepare a bowl of soup for him."

Saying so, she rose and entered the small kitchen, ordering the palace maids and eunuchs to leave, and began to prepare the soup for the emperor alone. More than half an hour later, she carried the freshly prepared soup to the emperor’s sleeping chamber.

The emperor, learning that she had brought soup again, was once more touched and said to Jiao Kangsheng, "Let the noble consort in."

Jiao Kangsheng went out and invited Consort Liang into the sleeping chamber. Consort Liang, holding the soup she personally prepared, sat beside the emperor, "I have prepared a calming soup for Your Majesty. Please try it."

Saying so, she took a couple of sips with a spoon, then, using a different spoon, scooped up some soup and held it to the emperor's lips. The emperor smiled and drank, and Consort Liang continued to feed him spoonful by spoonful…

In no time at all, the bowl of soup was emptied.