FID – Chapter 1068

Chapter 1068: She Is the Princess of Nanling

The voice of the old emperor above her head betrayed no emotion.

It was slow and measured, as if speaking of some trivial matter.

Yet the weight of authority he imposed on a person left no room for ignorance, much less refusal.

If she were standing on equal footing, facing it head-on, Liu Yusheng would not have feared this aura at all. But now she was Qian Mei, a mere young maid of the Saintess Tribe.

She had never seen the world.

She had to act flustered and, on top of that, offer a drop of her own blood.

“Your Majesty, this maid dares to speak. I have grown up within the tribe and know the depth of my people’s loyalty to Your Majesty. If there is any doubt, the Saintess Tribe would gladly give our lives for you, but I cannot tolerate the slander of those petty people who speak ill of the tribe behind our backs. To falsely accuse the Saintess Tribe, what could their intentions possibly be? If the tribe’s innocence is proven, will these people be punished? Otherwise, will anyone be free to slander others without evidence?”

The mischief-makers were in power. Their schemes were not aimed merely at the Saintess Tribe, but were targeting her personally.

Otherwise, why would the old emperor summon only her and ask her to verify the blood?

She had no idea how the golden silkworm would verify the bloodline, and she was not a member of the Saintess Tribe; there was a real risk of being exposed.

She would never let the hidden schemers have an easy time.

“If it is found to be a false accusation, I will personally give the Saintess Tribe an explanation.” The old emperor’s aged fingers tapped lightly on the table, signaling for the blood test to begin.

Along with that, he also pushed a golden needle toward her.

Liu Yusheng slowly lifted her head and met the emperor’s unfathomable gaze.

Without using the needle, she bit her index finger and squeezed a drop of blood into the jade box. The golden silkworm, seeing its nourishment, immediately wriggled and consumed the drop.

Its transparent body turned red with the blood, then gradually faded back to clear, restoring its original form.

There was nothing unusual.

The emperor had been watching the golden silkworm intently while she tested the blood.

His eyes were deep and unreadable, a faint glint flickering within them. When the silkworm returned to transparency, the light in his gaze dimmed, and the hand he had placed on the low table slowly withdrew.

Liu Yusheng lowered her eyes and sat quietly, speaking softly, “Among the accompanying party of the Saintess Tribe are two more maidservants. If Your Majesty still has doubts, you may have them come forward for verification as well.”

“This matter has been settled in my mind. You may step down now.”

“Qian Mei takes her leave.”

After leaving the Eternal Longevity Palace and walking quite a distance, Liu Yusheng finally glanced back, her eyes cold and mocking.

Shan Lai, you really do know quite a lot.

She was certain now: the one who had fed lies before the old emperor was Shan Lai.

That day at Yun Palace, Shan Lai had already been suspicious of her. Later, when sending her out of the hall, she must have done something to her.

Perhaps that was why he noticed her blood was unlike that of ordinary people.

Her blood contained spiritual energy, enough to drive a silkworm into frenzy.

Today, using the emperor as an excuse, she staged this whole affair just to verify the rarity of her blood.

Unfortunately for her, she couldn’t have known she had a space within her, where things could be used at will.

When she had let the drop of blood fall just now, she had used medicinal powder to alter its texture, making it indistinguishable from ordinary blood.

And she had deliberately avoided using the golden needle, ensuring no trace remained on it for them to detect.

Whether the old emperor believed it or not, the result of the verification was clear. At least for the time being, he wouldn’t summon her again.

As Liu Yusheng left the Eternal Longevity Palace, a figure stepped out from behind the screen.

“Your Majesty,” came a soft, feminine voice. As she circled around the screen, her cold, clear features became visible.

It was Shan Lai.

“How is it?” the old emperor asked casually, pushing the jade box in front of him aside like a piece of trash and snapping the lid shut.

“Your Majesty, please take a look,” Shan Lai said, presenting another jade box she held. Inside was another golden silkworm, but unlike the fully transparent one, this one was a faint gold color and at least twice the size of the one Liu Yusheng had seen.

“This is the Sacred Blood Mother Silkworm. It is extremely sensitive to blood; there’s no need to feed on it to verify as it can discern the quality of blood simply by scent. From the moment she entered, the mother silkworm became agitated, constantly lunging toward the direction she was in.”

“But her blood test just now showed nothing unusual compared to an ordinary person. How do you explain that?” the emperor asked, his expression calm and unreadable.

“The King of Nanling’s Consort is renowned as a divine healer, skilled in curing the sick and adept in medicine. With such abilities, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to manipulate the blood test.”

“I saw it with my own eyes. How could she have manipulated it?”

“Your Majesty, isn’t that precisely what makes her extraordinary? She can perform cranial surgery to remove a tumor, keeping the patient alive even after opening their skull. She cured Feng Mohan of a poisonous Gu worm without knowing anything about them. She has repeatedly pulled people back from the brink of death. Even the nourishing teas and medicinal wines she personally prepared have longevity-enhancing effects. How many ordinary people could achieve any of this?”

Shan Lai carefully put away the still-agitated mother silkworm and sat opposite the old emperor.

“No one else could exactly replicate the medicines and teas prepared by the Princess of Nanling, even with the same ingredients. I suspect she possesses a crucial secret that enhances their efficacy, something no one else has.”

The old emperor leaned back slightly, eyes half-closed, silent, indicating for Shan Lai to continue.

“I suspect it might be related to her blood.”

“You suspect that she uses her own blood as a conduit, which is why what she produces has such extraordinary effects?”

“Other than that, I can’t think of any explanation,” Shan Lai paused, then smiled. “Now the Princess of Nanling is here, in Your Majesty’s hands. If you wish to know the truth, it’s easy. The Saintess Tribe has always prided itself on loyalty to the emperor. If you request a single young woman from them, could they possibly refuse? Since she can produce teas and wines that prolong life and assist Your Majesty’s longevity, it will be effortless. A person like her appears only once in ten thousand years.”

As she spoke, Shan Lai did not look directly at the emperor.

The emperor disliked direct gazes; everyone in his presence had to lower their eyes. 

One must never offend the imperial might.

Liu Yusheng left the Eternal Longevity Palace close to noon, while Shan Lai departed an hour after her.

During that hour, no one knew what she had discussed with the emperor.

That night, Prince Shunyang went to Yun Palace.

He stormed straight into the main hall.

The woman inside, seeing him arrive, had just begun to show delight on her face when his large hand clamped around a slender neck, forcing her head back.

“Your Highness…” she managed to squeeze out the words painfully, her jade-white face flushed purple, yet she did not beg.

The man’s face retained its calm, breezy smile, but his eyes were dark and fierce, like a sky thick with storm clouds, carrying the weight of an impending tempest.

“Was it you who spoke to His Majesty?”

She gripped his wrists with both hands—not in resistance, but in a possessive hold. Nearly unable to breathe, she still forced a smile toward him. “She is the King of Nanling’s Consort, not someone the prince can claim.”