FID – Chapter 928

Chapter 928: Making Him Suffer

The Empress Dowager hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

After the two little ones were brought over, they had been fed once, then soothed to sleep, and their diapers changed twice.

This kind of care was even more meticulous and attentive than the maids at the prince’s residence who were assigned to look after the kids, so naturally it was more tiring.

Seeing both of them arrive together and stand outside the beaded curtain peeking inside, the Empress Dowager glanced at them with a slight snort before turning her face away.

She didn’t get up to greet them, instead lying beside the children with her eyes closed to rest, still gently fanning them with a folded fan in her hand, worried they might get too hot.

Though she was old and less sensitive to heat, the little ones naturally had a lot of internal heat. If their backs got a little warm, they’d easily get prickly heat rashes. Since their fragile bodies couldn’t stay on ice for long, using a fan to cool them was necessary.

“Mother Empress, dawn is breaking. You should rest a bit. If you don’t sleep well, you won’t have energy during the day. Let a palace maid come in to fan you.”

“No need. Those who’ve never given birth don’t understand. I’m not tired. You all don’t just stand there, leave quickly and don’t come back unless it’s necessary.”

Hearing the old lady shooing them away again, Feng Mohan smiled brightly. “Imperial Grandmother, Imperial Uncle and I will go attend the morning court first. We’ll come see you after it ends and have lunch together at Yangxin Hall.”

Without giving the old lady a chance to refuse, he boldly grabbed the Imperial Uncle’s arm and left.

The old maid hurried behind them, politely seeing them out of the hall.

“Granny, you’ve been the Empress Dowager’s personal attendant for a long time. Please help out more these days and don’t let her push herself too hard. She’s getting old and can’t take too much strain,” Feng Qingbai reminded before leaving.

“Rest assured, Your Highness, this old servant knows. It’s just that Her Majesty always thinks the servants aren’t attentive enough to the little masters and insists on doing things herself. There’s really nothing I can do,” she replied.

“If that’s the case, find a way to persuade her. She needs to get enough rest so she can better take care of the little ones.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

The maid didn’t dare argue. Although the prince’s tone was gentle, his meaning was serious.

After seeing off the two little ones, she returned to the inner chamber. The elderly woman, eyes closed, casually asked, “Have they left?”

“They’ve already left. It’s time for the morning court session. The Emperor and the Prince can’t be late. It’s still quite a way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony,” the maid replied with a smile as she approached the bed. “Your Majesty, while the two little masters are still asleep, you should rest a bit. Let this old servant fan you. I’ve been watching over them half the night and know just how to fan properly.”

“No need.”

The old maid mustered courage and said, “Before the prince left, he said you mustn’t push yourself too hard. If you’re tired during the day, you won’t have the energy to play with the little masters when they want to. If I don’t take good care of you, the prince might punish me later. He was very stern when he reminded me just now.”

The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, then handed over the fan. “You are one of my people. How dare he interfere and discipline you? Just keep fanning. I’ll rest for a while. Wake me up in half an hour. I’ll need to make rice porridge again by then.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant will keep it in mind. The little masters need to eat once every hour and a half,” the old maid said as she took the fan, a smile flickering in her eyes.

The Prince and the Empress Dowager—one showed concern without a word, the other awkwardly accepted it. It was quite amusing.

The news that Plum Concubine of Changle Palace had been thrown into prison was already known throughout the court before the morning session, so naturally it became a topic of discussion.

Normally, a morning court session would end within half an hour if there were no issues, but today it was delayed by a whole hour because of this.

At the King’s Manor, Liu Yusheng also hadn’t rested all night.

This was the first time she’d encountered such a tricky poison. Even with the spiritual spring, detoxifying it completely required tremendous effort.

This was only the simplest first step in treating Xue Qinglian.

The real challenge would come later, when she had to operate and stitch together all his meridians.

The body’s network of meridians was extremely complex and spread throughout the entire body, especially those near the heart. Suturing them was the hardest part—one wrong move could ruin everything.

Yet she was all alone. In this time and place, without instruments or assistants, relying solely on herself… Liu Yusheng pinched her brow, causing sharp pains to shoot through her brow bone and temples. She was not fully confident.

“If it’s… not possible, don’t force it,” Xue Qinglian, awake for a moment on the bed, repeated the phrase.

“You’re the patient. Just lie still. You don’t need to worry about anything else.” Taking out the golden needle used to draw out the poison, Liu Yusheng said, “Just trust me.”

Looking at her, Xue Qinglian wanted to say something else, but a sudden sharp pain hit him so fiercely he almost screamed out loud. A wave of urine urgency surged, but at the critical moment, he gritted his teeth and held it in.

Oh shit, I almost embarrassed myself!

“From now on, I’m going to take disciples!” I can’t afford to embarrass myself in front of Lucky Nannan. I’ll take a few apprentices and let them serve me!

“You’ll have to get better first,” Liu Yusheng said with a smile, wondering why the man’s expression kept changing.

Then she paused and lightly tapped her own head.

She had never thought about taking disciples before.

But now that she truly faced a difficult problem, she realized how frustrating it was to be completely unsupported.

If only she had one or two capable assistants by her side, she wouldn’t be so troubled. Liu Yusheng propped her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

“Damn it, Xue Qinglian, you bastard, now look at you!” Footsteps came from outside; the voice arrived before the person.

Qian Wanjin and Shi Xianrou had arrived.

They rushed straight to the bedside. Seeing the bedraggled man lying there, Qian Wanjin wanted to laugh three times but couldn’t; instead, a wave of bittersweetness welled up, and his eyes reddened.

“How did you get yourself into this state? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

“I’m like this and still haven’t cried. You—what are you crying for? Who’s more shameful?” The man on the bed gasped out each word with great effort, his pale face flushed from the strain.

“Who’s crying? My eyes just got some sand in them!” Qian Wanjin shouted stubbornly, then turned around and started rummaging through the bottles and jars scattered around Xue Qinglian’s room.

Xue Qinglian’s face flushed even redder. 

This bastard, those were his treasures! Raiding them while he was half-dead? 

“Put it—put that down! Damn it, you—”

“Put down my ass! Do you think I want your stuff? I’m helping you get revenge! Find me the most poisonous medicines. If I can’t poison that old bastard Xue Zhong, I’ll make him suffer to death and back!”

“……”

Liu Yusheng sat nearby, watching Qian Wanjin’s antics and asked the woman rubbing her forehead, “Has the news already gotten out?”

“People outside still don’t know,” Shi Xianrou said helplessly, “I took part in guarding the city gates this time, so I learned what’s going on. I knew his temper, so I waited till dawn to tell him.”

Because of that, she had been scolded all the way.

“Lucky Nannan, can you cure this guy?” Holding a few jars of what he considered the deadliest medicines, Qian Wanjin asked hoarsely.

But he didn’t get the calm, confident answer he was used to.

Both Qian Wanjin and Shi Xianrou felt their spirits sink.

After a moment, Liu Yusheng looked at them and said, “I can, but I need your help.”