FID – Chapter 1069

Chapter 1069: The People of Xiliang Are Skilled in Gu—But Are They Skilled in Antidotes?

“How do you know what I want?” The man narrowed his eyes and sneered coldly.

Shan Lai did not answer, only stared at him intently, her eyes carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible sadness.

How could she not know?

In this world, the person she knew best was him.

“Shan Lai, don’t always try to guess my thoughts. Otherwise, don’t blame me for no longer caring about our past affections!”

With that, Prince Shunyang violently flung her aside and strode away, sleeves brushing as he went.

Falling awkwardly to the ground, Shan Lai propped herself up just enough to watch his departing figure—his very back radiating icy wrath.

She had truly angered him.

All because of Liu Yusheng?

She couldn’t even compare to someone whose face was hidden?

What had all she done for him meant, then?

“Saintess, the young master is crying again. His face looks very unusual; please take a look…” At the palace door, a maid appeared carrying a swaddled infant. Seeing the woman sprawled on the floor, she froze, swallowing the rest of her words.

“Waa—waa—” The baby’s cries tore through the silence of the hall, mingled with gagging sounds, casting an even darker shadow over the empty space.

“Bring him here.” The woman’s words stopped the maid from retreating. She stepped forward and carefully handed the baby wrapped in a swaddle into her arms.

Beneath the swaddle, the maid’s hands trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with fear.

Shan Lai looked at the wailing baby, her gaze cold. She raised her hand, lifted the swaddled infant, and slammed it onto the floor with a heavy thud. The baby’s cries momentarily stifled, only to become even more piercing.

If not for the swaddle, the little infant… The maid’s lips quivered, and she dared not speak, only her eyes widening in terror.

“Don’t let me hear him cry again.” Shan Lai rose from the floor and walked away without even glancing at the heart-wrenching cries of the baby, “His name is Qi.”

Qi—the abandoned, unwanted child.

Liu Yusheng had thought she would no longer be summoned. So when she saw that eunuch again the next day at the Palace of Longevity, her heart sank to the depths.

She couldn’t understand why Feng Qingbai hadn’t come last night; she suspected that hidden guards had been stationed around the Palace of Longevity again.

She hadn’t yet had the chance to tell Feng Qingbai what happened yesterday, and now, today, she was summoned again.

Even Qian Fang felt uneasy this time.

But the eunuch didn’t wait at the palace gate this time. He entered the palace, and Liuyusheng, wanting to ask something, couldn’t utter a word. She could only observe as she followed the eunuch out of the Palace of Longevity.

“Elder, why has His Majesty—again today… Yesterday, Sister Qian Mei came back and clearly said everything was fine!” Qian Lan’s face paled.

Qian Xue bit her lip. “Could it be that Sister Qian Mei didn’t tell us the truth yesterday? Did she do something to anger the Emperor?”

“Sister Qian Mei wouldn’t lie.” Qian Fang’s eyes darkened with concern, and she waved her hand. “You two, go on ahead.”

If they stayed here chattering, they would only make things more complicated without offering any useful advice.

Once they left, Qian Fang sat in the hall, pressing her throbbing forehead. This visit to the palace had gone poorly at every turn. What was going wrong?

Could it be that something was truly wrong with Qian Mei?

No, that’s impossible…

At the Eternal Longevity Palace, Liu Yusheng’s mood was even heavier than yesterday. Every pore on her skin seemed alert, while her face still wore the appearance of trembling unease.

She expected to meet the old Emperor.

But there was no one—the Eternal Longevity Palace was empty.

Instead, the eunuch directly led her into the inner chamber!

Then, several palace maids entered and began removing her clothes.

Liu Yusheng’s eyes darkened. She forcefully pushed away the maids who were tugging at her garments, and coldly glared at the eunuch standing silently by, “Eunuch, what is the meaning of this? His Majesty summoned me here, yet I haven’t even seen him, and you’re putting on such a display? Does His Majesty know about this?”

“Miss, rest assured. The palace maids are only here to help you bathe and change clothes. They will not harm you; this is by His Majesty’s orders.”

Liu Yusheng slowly withdrew the façade she had been putting on, straightened her back, and brushed aside the hands of the maids reaching out again, striding directly toward the exit.

She didn’t know exactly what had gone wrong, but clearly some flaw in her had been detected.

Bathing and changing clothes in the Emperor’s private inner chamber without harm?

Laughable!

That old, damn dog actually wanted to lay a hand on her?

As if he had that kind of fate!

The eunuch and palace maids didn’t stop her; they let her storm forward.

The Eternal Longevity Palace wasn’t a place anyone could come and go at will. A weak woman, without the Emperor’s permission, could not leave.

Liu Yusheng stopped in the main hall. Opposite her, the old Emperor was slowly approaching from the outer chamber.

His bright yellow dragon robe swayed gently with his steps. His otherwise unreadable face showed faint grooves that only added to his authority.

White hair, yet a youthful face.

Liu Yusheng, however, felt nothing but nausea.

She looked at him coldly, remaining still and silent.

“Are you throwing a tantrum?” The old Emperor stepped in front of her, hands clasped behind his back, looking down at her from above. He showed no anger, only a faint trace of indulgence in his eyes.

This bastard!

“Your Majesty, this is bold of me to say, but I do not know the purpose of Your Majesty’s summons. However, I am already a married woman, and even in Your Majesty’s private chambers, I cannot bathe or change clothes at will. It would tarnish my honor.”

“If not in my private chambers, where do you wish to go? Shall I assign you the nearby Changshou Palace?”

“Soon I must return to the Saintess Village with the Elder. Your Majesty’s favor is too great; I, Qian Mei, dare not accept it.”

“You don’t want Changshou Palace? Then stay here, in my private chambers.” The old emperor walked past her and sat at the low table. “No other woman has ever been here before.”

Hah, should she feel honored?

A man older than her long dead great-grandfather was shamelessly making advances toward her?

“Without service, no reward. If Your Majesty has no other matters, Qian Mei will take her leave.” She was certain he already knew her true identity.

Almost like tearing off the mask—there was no point in pretending anymore.

With that, Liu Yusheng turned and started toward the hall exit.

“Seize her.”

From behind, the emperor’s voice rang out, emotionless.

Liu Yusheng didn’t stop walking, ignoring the guards surging in through the hall doors.

“Your Majesty, the people of Xiliang are skilled with Gu, but I wonder, are they also skilled at antidotes?”

She stopped for a moment. A few steps ahead of her, the guards had drawn their swords and raised them; if she took one more step, her neck would meet the blade.

Liu Yusheng’s expression remained unchanged, her pace unbroken.

One step, two steps, three steps.

As she crossed the third step, the guard swiftly moved the sword aside.

She never once looked back, but she knew someone’s eyes had been on her the entire time.

The feeling was like a venomous snake fixed on her, cold and viscous against her skin.

She had been exposed.

For now, leaving the Palace of Longevity didn’t necessarily mean she could escape the imperial palace.

Since Shan Lai had already guessed she was here, Feng Qingbai and Xue Qinglian were likely discovered too.

No wonder Feng Qingbai hadn’t appeared last night.

She gazed toward the Imperial Household Department. Had he and Xue Qinglian also been found out?