FID – Chapter 1067

Chapter 1067 — A Single Drop of Blood Can Prove Everything

When the eunuch arrived with the message that the Emperor wanted to see her, Liu Yusheng was completely dumbfounded.

Then her heart sank sharply.

“Qian Mei, what on earth is going on? Why would His Majesty summon you alone?” Elder Qian Fang frowned deeply, confusion filling her eyes.

“Exactly, did you do something, Sister Qian Mei? Aside from the first day, none of us have been summoned again by His Majesty. Why would he suddenly want to see you?” Qian Lan asked more bluntly.

Qian Xue didn’t say anything, but the look in her eyes was already vaguely wrong.

The six Saintesses who lived with them all had the same expression.

Their suspicion was reasonable. Even the Saintesses hadn’t been summoned, yet he wanted to see a nameless maidservant? No matter how you looked at it, something was off.

“Elder, I truly don’t know why. Aside from that welcome banquet, I’ve never seen His Majesty again. Every day, I’ve only stayed with Qian Lan and Qian Xue.”

Hearing Liu Yusheng’s words, the doubt in everyone’s eyes faded.

During this period, she indeed had never gone anywhere alone. She either stayed in the Palace of Longevity, or she was with the other two maids. There was no possibility she had met the Emperor or anyone else privately.

Then why would the Emperor summon her alone?

At the palace gate, the eunuch who delivered the message was still waiting. Elder Qian Fang glanced outside, lowered her voice, and warned Liu Yusheng, “Go on ahead. When you speak before His Majesty, be very careful. Protect yourself first. We’ll discuss the rest when you return.”

Liu Yusheng nodded and followed the eunuch away.

On the road, she tried to test the eunuch for information, but his mouth was sealed tight. She couldn’t get a single word out of him. Afraid of arousing suspicion, she didn’t dare ask too much.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t understand why the Emperor would summon her.

She was only a maid accompanying the Saintess Tribe, and she had already been acting so low-key she was practically invisible. Even like this, she still couldn’t stay out of trouble?

Had the Emperor taken notice of her, or was someone deliberately targeting her?

The faces of Prince Shunyang and Shan Lai flashed through her mind. Liu Yusheng pressed her lips tightly. She couldn’t be certain yet, but she leaned more toward Shan Lai being involved.

Maybe once she saw the Emperor, all her doubts would be resolved.

Things had already reached this point—random guessing was useless. She’d better watch how the situation unfolded.

Along the way, she encountered several palace maids and eunuchs, all of whom looked at her sideways with different expressions. This tightened her nerves even further.

Finally, they stopped before a palace hall. The guards at the entrance were stern and imposing, and above the door hung a golden nanmu plaque engraved with three powerful, ancient characters.

Eternal Longevity Palace.

The eunuch led her inside, and she stepped over the threshold.

Inside the grand hall, the Emperor of Xiliang was seated beside a low table. On it lay a chessboard, and the old emperor was playing against himself—his left hand competing with his right.

His head of silver hair reflected a harsh gleam under the daylight. His eyes were lowered, half-open and half-closed, concealing whatever light flickered beneath them.

As she slowly approached, the Emperor did not raise his head to look at her. Yet the closer she came, the more suffocating the imperial pressure radiating from him became. It was so strong it almost stole her breath.

“Your Majesty, the Saintess Tribe’s maidservant Qian Mei has been brought,” the old eunuch kneeled before the Emperor and reported respectfully. Then he backed away and left with a deep bow.

“Qian Mei of the Saintess Tribe pays respects to Your Majesty.” Not knowing the Emperor’s intentions, Liu Yusheng offered a proper salute.

“Sit. This is not the audience hall, so no need to be overly restrained.” The Emperor gestured toward the seat opposite him.

Liu Yusheng sat down.

“Do you know how to play chess?”

“No.”

“Right, how muddle-headed of me. The women of the Saintess Tribe are not taught such things.” The old emperor put the chessboard away and set it aside, then slowly lifted his gaze.

Meeting those deep, unfathomable eyes, Liu Yusheng’s lashes trembled and she quickly lowered her head.

“All these years, very few dare to meet my eyes. You are the first who raises her head to look at me.”

“Qian Mei would not dare. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

The emperor let out a hearty laugh and did not linger on the topic. Instead, he began asking about her life in the Saintess Tribe.

Fortunately, although Honglian had only recited Qian Mei’s information to her once, she remembered every detail clearly. There were no gaps or mistakes in her answers, and she spoke so naturally it was as if she truly were Qian Mei, leaving no trace for anyone to find fault with.

The emperor would never summon her just to chat about trivial matters, yet from the moment she sat down until now, she could not discern his true purpose.

Her heart remained tightly strung.

“What do you think of the name of this bedchamber palace?”

Liu Yusheng’s breath hitched for a moment. “Qian Mei is ignorant and dares not judge recklessly. But Your Majesty is the true dragon of Heaven; naturally, you should enjoy eternal longevity. Only Your Majesty is worthy of residing in the Yongshou Palace.”

From the moment she stepped into the hall, she had been tense and on high alert, all her attention focused on how to handle the old emperor. She hadn’t even realized this was his bed quarters.

The inner chamber was completely hidden behind a partition screen; without careful observation, one would never notice there was another entrance behind it.

“I have always pursued longevity. I’ve heard a little of what people outside say or think about it, but I pay those no mind. Whether the path to immortality is real or merely superstition, I’ve already lived to this age. And…” The old emperor smiled. “I will live even longer.”

For some reason, that smile made Liu Yusheng’s skin crawl.

And besides, she could not understand why the emperor was suddenly saying these things to her. What was he implying?

“The Saintess Tribe has played no small role in my pursuit of longevity. Every year, those selected to enter the palace are said to be the women of the purest bloodline in your tribe. I have always believed this wholeheartedly. But recently, I’ve heard certain rumors that the Saintess Tribe has been keeping the truly pure-blooded women back, never presenting them before Wei Xian. Tell me truthfully—is this so?”

Wei Xian must be that perverted old eunuch.

Liu Yusheng lowered her eyes, adopting a frightened and respectful posture. “Your Majesty, such rumors cannot be trusted. The Saintess Tribe has served Your Majesty with utmost loyalty for many years. It must be slander spread by petty villains. May Your Majesty see clearly!”

Although she herself was not a member of the Saintess Tribe, she had interacted with them during this time. They were simple and sincere people, and the reason their tribe offered girls to the palace each year was for the survival of their entire clan. She truly hoped they could continue living peacefully.

But she had no idea which bastard had fed such nonsense to the emperor, causing him to harbor suspicions.

What was that schemer trying to achieve?

She did not raise her head to look at the emperor’s expression, afraid he might grow more doubtful. The person above her also remained silent, and the grand hall suddenly felt heavy and still.

The oppressive atmosphere made her chest tighten with unease.

“Of course, I trust the Saintess Tribe,” the emperor said at last. “But since someone has brought this up, I must look into it. Besides, verifying the truth is simple, just a single drop of blood can prove the clan’s innocence.”

On the low table before her, a small jade box appeared. Even with her head bowed, Liu Yusheng could see it.

An old, withered hand pushed the box toward her and opened it.

Liu Yusheng jolted violently.

Inside the box was a small, transparent silkworm—squirming and alive.

“Your Majesty …”

“This is the Sacred Blood Golden Silkworm. Wei Xian previously lost one, but fortunately, the palace still has another in reserve. Since you are also of the Saintess Tribe, why don’t you be the first to undergo the test? How about it?”