Quick Transmigration Cannon Fodder's Record of Counterattacks

Chapter 3610: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (29)

Ning Shu was not entirely sure if Tan Yuxin was capable of being a ruling empress, but even if she couldn’t be a ruling empress, she could certainly be a regent dowager empress. Even if she was a woman, those men would still have to kowtow and bow to her.

Hahaha…

Ao Tianze was using more and more elixirs. He had to take them whenever his head throbbed or his chest ached. Whenever he grew angry, his internal qi would surge and roil. He was consuming them at such a high rate that the old Daoist would barely finish refining a batch before Ao Tianze had finished them and was back for more.

The old Daoist had originally intended to follow the principle of ‘rare items are precious’ and aim to produce a high-end, exclusive brand. Ao Tianze’s habit of eating them like candy made the priest feel that things were taking a turn for the worse. Although the elixirs were just clay balls rolled together from various substances, if they were too easy to obtain, it would inevitably invite suspicion.

When the old Daoist tried to offer excuses, Ao Tianze immediately flew into a rage. His face turned a deep, suffused red and his eyes grew bloodshot. He threatened to behead the priest if he did not refine enough elixirs.

The old Daoist was left speechless.

During the morning court sessions, Ao Tianze faced constant opposition from his officials. No matter what decree he tried to issue, there was always a voice of dissent. Sometimes the deadlock was unbreakable.

The frustration gave Ao Tianze a splitting headache. In a fit of terminal rage, another mouthful of blood sprayed out. The officials were terrified. If they angered the emperor to the point of vomiting blood, they would be branded with the crime of disloyalty.

They all gathered outside the imperial bedchamber, waiting for the imperial physician to emerge.

It was a long time before the physician finally stepped out. He was immediately swarmed by the officials asking about the emperor’s condition and whether it was serious.

The physician replied, “His Majesty is simply suffering from overwork. His body is somewhat depleted.”

In truth, the man was being hollowed out from within.

One of the more hot-headed officials snapped, “The emperor is vomiting blood! What kind of work could be so exhausting that it leads to that?”

“His Majesty simply has excessive internal heat. I have prescribed a formula to settle it. Once he rests for a while, his imperial health will be restored.”

The officials remained skeptical. What kind of ‘internal heat’ caused a man to vomit blood? Even someone without medical knowledge could see that Ao Tianze’s body was like an overfilled water vat, teeming with boiling water and lava that was ready to explode at the slightest provocation.

Inwardly, the imperial physician was in tears. The emperor was consuming elixirs far too aggressively. His body was now like a water vat riddled with holes, or a bamboo basket. No matter how much water was poured in, it simply leaked out.

Furthermore, the toxicity from the elixirs was settling deep within him, which was why his headaches were so severe. In modern terms, heavy metals were damaging his cranial nerves. The physician felt that Ao Tianze’s body couldn’t hold out much longer. His life force was leaking away.

However, he could only tell the world that the emperor’s health was fine. Otherwise, the emperor would be the first to have him executed.

The officials stayed outside the hall until Ao Tianze woke up and ordered them all to go home.

Ao Tianze clutched his chest. He could feel the state of his own body. Had the side effects of the elixirs really arrived so soon? The more it hurt, the more he ate, and the more he ate, the less his body could take. It was a vicious cycle.

“Call Lady Min here,” Ao Tianze said to the eunuch by his side.

The eunuch did not dare delay. He hurried to Fu Min’s palace. When Fu Min heard something had happened to Ao Tianze, she dropped the small baby clothes she had been sewing and rushed to his bedchamber.

As she entered the hall, she saw Ao Tianze sitting on the edge of the bed looking somewhat defeated. His features were still handsome and clear, but they were filled with melancholy. His imperial aura had softened considerably, making him look like a refined, elegant scholar.

Fu Min’s heart softened, and she felt a pang of grief.

“You’ve come.” Ao Tianze gave her a small smile. Fu Min’s tears immediately began to fall. “Your Majesty.”

“Sit down. Let this emperor get a good look at you,” Ao Tianze said. His face was deathly pale.

Fu Min sat on the edge of the bed. “Your Majesty, what is wrong? Please don’t scare me.”

Ao Tianze wiped away her tears. “This emperor fears I am not going to make it. This emperor cannot rest easy leaving you alone in this inner palace. Take this secret decree. If this emperor truly passes away, you shall be the grand dowager empress. No one will be able to touch you.”

Fu Min was stunned. Ao Tianze was so young and in the prime of his life. How could he be dying?

“Your Majesty.” Her tears dripped onto his hand.

“This emperor’s only regret is not letting you have a child sooner. If I go, you will be so lonely.” Ao Tianze had originally thought there was plenty of time for him to scheme and plan. He didn’t know which link in the chain had gone wrong.

Hearing his words, Fu Min felt as though a knife were being twisted in her heart. “Don’t let anything happen to you, Your Majesty. I am afraid.”

“Don’t be afraid. Even if I truly depart this world, I will not allow the women of the inner palace to harm you.” Ao Tianze squeezed her hand. “You are the woman I have loved most in this life.”

Fu Min’s hot tears fell onto the back of his hand. She could hardly control her emotions and wanted to wail aloud. “No! I am afraid, I am so afraid!”

The mere thought of Ao Tianze leaving her felt like having her spine ripped out. It left her terrified and helpless. She had never imagined he would die so soon. It was said that emperors either died young or were assassinated, but he was still so young.

Seeing him still making plans for her made her heart swell with complex emotions. She loved this man, but she also knew he did not belong to her. She had swallowed all the bitterness and jealousy, knowing her life was not her own to command. Her feelings for him were a mix of deep love and fear.

“I am a bit tired. Keep the decree safe and go,” Ao Tianze said, while closing his eyes slightly.

Fu Min was reluctant to leave. She kept weeping until she looked quite disheveled, but in Ao Tianze’s eyes, she had never looked more beautiful.

“Go on.” Ao Tianze smiled faintly and waved her away.

The moment she was gone, his face darkened. He ordered his eunuch to call for the general of the Imperial Guard. His command was simple, which was to seize every concubine in the inner palace, except for Fu Min.

The general was dumbstruck. Was the emperor insane?

“Even the empress?” he asked.

“Kill them all. Kill the two children as well,” Ao Tianze said. His voice was cold and decisive.

Killing the concubines and the mother of the nation without even assigning them a crime… was that really a good idea? The general wondered if he would be the one ‘cleansed’ next.

The outer court and the inner palace were inextricably linked. If he seized these women, their powerful families would hate him unto death. He would be offending nearly half of the imperial court. The general’s mind was reeling as he knelt, begging Ao Tianze to come to his senses.

Ao Tianze felt his body was failing him. It was a feeling of total exhaustion. These inner palace women were incredibly sinister. Once he was dead, no one would be there to protect Fu Min. She was someone with clean hands. Though she was well-read, she lacked the devious heart she would need to survive.

That decree would give her an elevated status, but it couldn’t guarantee she would live a good life. Only by eradicating all these women could he ensure that no matter who became the next emperor, Fu Min would be the grand dowager empress with an unassailable position.

Ao Tianze knew the favor he had shown Fu Min had made her the target of every woman’s jealousy. Therefore, he had to pull them out by the roots.