Chapter 1551: Couldn’t Be the Retired Emperor, Could It?
Chapter 1551: Chapter 1551: Couldn’t Be the Retired Emperor, Could It?
But just then, a major incident occurred.
“My lord, Prince Zhan Yun, something terrible has happened.”
A palace guard rushed over in a hurry, his voice tinged with panic as he knelt before them.
“What could be so alarming?”
Eldest Brother Yan frowned and asked. It wasn’t the old emperor’s bedchamber; what else could be so serious? Were the women in the harem trying to cause trouble?
That was impossible. All palaces were strictly regulated, and anyone who dared to make a fuss would implicate even their maternal families. Even the Empress wouldn’t dare to overstep at such a time.
“There has been an incident in Jingyang Palace; Prince You has been poisoned.”
“What?!”
Upon hearing the guard’s words, Eldest Brother Yan almost leapt up in surprise.
Had the old emperor gone mad? To target Prince You, who was an ancestor, a genuine ancestor; how could he dare to set his sights on Prince You?
“Who is Prince You?”
An Jiuyue had no recollection of Prince You and hadn’t heard of such a person.
A son of the old emperor? Still young, thus living within the palace?
But surely, the old emperor would have to be insane to target his own son. It would be more conceivable if something had happened at King Yaan Residence, as the old emperor surely hated Eldest Brother Yan to death by now.
Could he really attack someone unrelated?
“Let’s go to Jingyang Palace first, Qian Jiyun.”
Now was not the time to inquire who Prince You was; they needed to save lives first.
“I will take An Jiuyue there first; you follow us.”
Qian Jiyun instructed Eldest Brother Yan briefly, then soaring into action, he whisked An Jiuyue off toward the harem.
“What are you standing around for? Hurry and follow us.”
Eldest Brother Yan felt as if he could devour the old emperor with his fury, but he had no time to deal with him now. Leading his men, he hurried toward Jingyang Palace to urgently check on Prince You.
Jingyang Palace.
Qian Jiyun was swift, reaching Jingyang Palace with An Jiuyue in no time.
At that moment, Jingyang Palace was devoid of life; whether master or Palace Maids and eunuchs, they all lay on the ground like the dead.
An Jiuyue knelt down to check on the Palace Maid closest to her.
“There’s still hope.”
“Let’s save Prince You first.”
Knowing that not everyone was dead after all, Qian Jiyun felt relieved and led An Jiuyue into one of the chambers toward a bed to look at the person lying there.
An Jiuyue cast her eyes over and nearly choked on her saliva.
“This is Prince You?”
On the bed lay an old man with snowy white hair, who, by her estimation, must have been at least a hundred years old—living even longer than the Empress Dowager in the palace perhaps?
In her mind, she speculated; could this Prince You actually be the Retired Emperor?
The Retired Emperor was alive?
But all of this was irrelevant now; the most crucial thing was that if they did not act fast, the old man would indeed die.
Her mind raced, and she glanced over at the lit incense, swiftly coming up with a plan. She started pulling out the detoxifying medicine powder, instructing Qian Jiyun as she did.
“Qian Jiyun, bring the incense burner here.”
Hearing her, Qian Jiyun also realized what she intended to do. He reached for the incense burner and opened its lid.
An Jiuyue then opened the lid of the porcelain bottle and poured a bit of the antidote powder onto the incense, causing the medicine to quickly ignite.
“I’ll hold this; you support him up,” she said, taking the incense burner from Qian Jiyun’s hands and giving another instruction.
Qian Jiyun immediately propped the person up, allowing him to lean on his body as An Jiuyue placed the incense burner in front of Prince You, letting the man with faint breaths inhale the smoke arising from it.
After a while, Eldest Brother Yan arrived in a rush with his guards, just in time to see Qian Jiyun helping the person lie down again, and An Jiuyue placing down the incense burner.