The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me-Chapter 334 - 331 Horror

The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt, so she didn’t pursue it any further.

"Enough, I was just trying to scare you. Now that you know your mistake, make sure not to repeat it."

She pretended to be magnanimous and dropped the matter.

Then she turned to the two who were kneeling, "What mistake have they made?"

Qing Wu was genuinely curious about what kind of error these two, usually so cautious in their actions, could have made.

He Ying didn’t want her to know, so he made up a lie, "There’s no serious error; Qiuzhi is just asking to leave the palace, seeking a favor from me."

Qing Wu was half-convinced, "Shouldn’t this matter of leaving the palace be discussed with me?"

Qiuzhi was a maid of Sang Yan, if she wanted to leave the palace, why would she petition him?

There must be a problem!

"Emperor, this servant no longer wishes to leave the palace."

Seeing that the Empress had arrived and feeling supported, Qiuzhi cried, "Your Majesty, this servant just had an errant thought earlier, and now does not wish to leave the palace anymore. I beg the Emperor to grant this."

Her crying made it obvious that there was something fishy going on.

Qing Wu could tell that Qiuzhi did not want to leave the palace; it was the Emperor who wanted her to leave. So, what had Qiuzhi done to make him want to drive her out of the palace? Had she learned some information she shouldn’t have? What could that information be?

Thinking this, she smiled faintly, "If you don’t want to go, don’t go. I wouldn’t get used to your absence either. Get up. My shoulders are sore; come give them a rub."

She planned to take Qiuzhi away with her.

Qiuzhi, too, wanted to go with her, but before leaving, she looked tearfully at the Emperor, waiting for his consent.

He Ying, unwilling to slight "Sang Yan," nodded his head, "Take good care of her. You should know what to do and what not to do, otherwise, no one can protect you."

He was warning her.

Qiuzhi understood clearly, "This servant understands."

She got up shakily and followed "Sang Yan" back to the side hall.

Luo Shan was still kneeling, feeling the pain in her legs and not wanting to kneel anymore, so she said, "Your Majesty, it is time to change your dressings. Allow me to attend to it."

He Ying hadn’t punished Qiuzhi, and naturally, he wasn’t thinking of punishing her.

"Get up."

He silently allowed her to come forward to change the dressings.

Now Chu Jun was the only one left kneeling.

"Your Majesty, this minister—"

He did not wish to kneel either.

How cold and hard the ground was!

He Ying, hearing his voice, also remembered the important matters at hand. Considering that Luo Shan knew, he didn’t avoid her and asked directly, "What is the result of your most recent face reading?"

Chu Jun didn’t speak right away but glanced at Luo Shan: Could he talk about it with this outsider present?

He Ying understood the meaning in his eyes and nodded at him, "Go ahead, speak."

Chu Jun then spoke, "Emperor, upon examining the Empress’s countenance, I observed she is lowly and short-lived, hypocritical and deceitful, not at all the visage of a virtuous Empress."

His voice was solemn and dignified.

It was clear that he took the words he spoke very seriously.

He Ying listened quietly, his heart clenching with each word Chu Jun uttered: How could this be? Why?

His hand formed a fist, the force so great that his nails dug into the flesh.

"Emperor, relax."

Luo Shan gently patted his shoulder—his whole body was tensed, somewhat hindering her in dressing the wound.

He Ying could not relax.

His expression was rigid, his eyes wide and empty, but his tone remained firm, "You must have seen it wrong!"

He was deceiving himself.

Chu Jun mercilessly exposed the truth, "Emperor, this minister would never make a mistake. The Empress’s facial features have greatly changed."

When He Ying heard these last four words, his heart inexplicably began to pound wildly, as if something flickered through his mind, "Why?"

"I do not know."

Chu Jun shook his head, his face expressing sincerity, "This minister truly does not know."

A person’s facial features are determined from birth and do not easily change.

Unless—

"The Empress is very peculiar."

He pondered for a moment, then hinted, "Emperor, this minister feels... it’s as if the Empress has been replaced by someone else."

Hadn’t He Ying felt the same?

But how could Sang Yan have... been replaced by someone else?

Replaced?

A terrifying fact drilled into his mind.

He was struck with horror, screaming, "Summon Sang Ruoshui! Quick! I must see her!"

Pei Muyang, standing by and watching in confusion, quickly gave the order, "You lot, hurry to the Prison Department! The Emperor wishes to interrogate Princess Consort Sang!"

"Yes."

Two little eunuchs immediately rushed to the Shenxing Department to convey the order.

Within the Prison Department

Sang Ruoshui lay half-dead on a filthy straw mat, as several rats scurried and squeaked around her.

Her situation was dire.

Because she had not received timely medical help after her self-harm, her once fine tongue was now completely useless.

And because of an infected wound, she had developed a high fever, which ultimately destroyed her eyesight.

She was now blind.

This only strengthened her resolve to die.

In the previous days, she had clamored to see her parents and siblings, but later, as no one came, she lost all hope.

Lying on the straw mat, she was like an insect that never saw the light of day, on the brink of death, awaiting the Grim Reaper’s arrival.

"Princess Consort Sang?"

Chief Wang Lishuo of the Prison Department entered the cell, lowered his voice, and tentatively called out to her.

Sang Ruoshui, senses dulled, barely heard and gave no reaction.

Chief Wang thought she might be dead and his face paled. He hurriedly checked her breath and felt relieved to find her still breathing. He turned to the two little eunuchs who had come with the message and laughed, "Ha ha. She’s still alive. Still alive."

The two little eunuchs could not muster a smile.

Seeing an Imperial Concubine of a nation reduced to such a state filled them with a mix of shock and fear, "Chief Wang, she’s like this now. How can the Emperor even question her?"

Not only would her condition affect the Emperor questioning her, but wouldn’t such a sight frighten the Emperor?

Chief Wang did not see it that way.

Princess Consort Sang was indeed in a pitiful state, but it was precisely this wretchedness that could procure her a sliver of hope for survival.

Otherwise, having attempted to assassinate the Emperor, she was sure to die.

"How do you know the Emperor wishes to speak with her? Perhaps the Emperor simply wants to see if she’s dead yet."

Remember, the Emperor had just woken up with a wish to have Sang Ruoshui executed.

Though the execution hadn’t happened yet, it’s likely he didn’t wish for her to live comfortably.

Her current appalling condition might just align with the Emperor’s sentiments.

Chief Wang had this thought, but he was also apprehensive: What if the Emperor felt she was too pitiable and softened for a moment? Would he be blamed for being too harsh and inefficient? If it came down to it, should he say it was the Sang Family’s intention?

The Sang Family wanted to save their youngest daughter, yet they dare not offend the Empress, their eldest. After all, it was the Empress who sternly declared to let her fend for herself.

This situation also made his position difficult.

Truly a hot potato!

No wonder no one wanted to get involved at the time.

"In any case, since it has come to this, just take her to Qingning Palace."

Chief Wang, having given up hope, instructed his subordinates to carry the beggar-like, corpse-like Sang Ruoshui away.

The procession headed for Qingning Palace.

Sang Ruoshui, nearly unconscious, was suddenly hoisted into arms and startled.

She couldn’t see who it was nor understand what was happening. She let out a slight "ahh" in protest before becoming quiet again: What was there to fear? Death was all that awaited her, and death would be her release.

Having come to terms with her fate, she allowed them to do as they wished.

Seeing her slight resistance, Chief Wang explained, "Princess Consort Sang, do not be alarmed. The Emperor wishes to see you."

Sang Ruoshui had not heard the term "the Emperor" in a long time.

The guards responsible for her did not speak to her.

Initially, when she entered the Prison Department, she desperately wanted to learn of the Emperor’s condition.

But no one would tell her.

Gradually, she no longer wished to know.

Someone like her was as good as dead.

And the dead need not know too much.

She had not expected the Emperor to want to see her.

An utterly still heart suddenly stirred: What would the Emperor say to her, at seeing her?

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