Chapter 237: Emperor, Save Me

Tangtang, quickly put down Ping'er; the Empress Dowager was already after you, this is like stepping onto the muzzle.

After being so cautious for so long, be sure not to let all that work be undone by a single slip!

The Empress Dowager, that old witch, will truly take your life.

Wan Tang does not let go.

Ping'er is definitely not a prostitute; she knows it clearly, she isn't.

Do any of you still have any humanity? Ping'er is pregnant! She just never knew it herself.

If you just say Ping'er can be left to her own devices, she'll die.

Yī rén gōng chéng wàn gǔ kū, those who seek to be above all have already caused countless deaths. Moreover, Ping'er has always been torn between two masters!

A person who achieves great deeds indeed must have a ruthless heart. In fact, Li Ping'er is still young; even without this child, there will be more in the future.

Indeed!

Wan Tang has far too many things she wants to do, and still wants to stand at a higher place.

Yet Wan Tang is also a mother.

She knows all too well the importance of a child to a mother, let alone that Wan Tang, like her, truly longs for the warmth that family brings.

Wan Tang is also a living, breathing person!

"I won't let go!" Wan Tang seemed to say to herself, and also to the Empress Dowager.

Wan Tang, carrying the unconscious Li Ping'er on her back, staggered toward the Fotang entrance, each step feeling like stepping on a knife edge.

Li Ping'er's faint moan sounded in her ear: "Sister… put me down… I'm fine."

"I'm just a prostitute, it hurts a little."

"Just endure it a little longer."

"Shut up!" Wan Tang scolded low, her voice choked, "Hold on to me!"

"Virtuous Consort!" the Empress Dowager's voice was as if chilled with ice, "Defying the decree, brazenly storming the Fotang, yet you still dare to disrespect me!"

"Beat her for me! Beat her until she is willing to kneel!"

Two stout aunties immediately stepped forward, the ruler in their hands whistling as it came down hard.

The first strike hit Wan Tang's lower abdomen, and she let out a muffled groan.

Her knee gave way, nearly toppling her, but she forced herself to brace with the other leg, lifting Li Ping'er on her back a bit.

"Emperor!" she thrust her head up, shouting with all her strength, her voice piercing the Fotang, "Help! Someone… please, Emperor!"

The ruler fell again, once, then again.

The heavy thuds echoed through the silent Fotang, making one's scalp tingle.

Wan Tang's back quickly seeped crimson, her palace attire torn, bloodstains mottled.

She trembled with pain, cold sweat pouring down her forehead, her lips bitten and bleeding, yet she never let go of the hand holding Li Ping'er on her back.

"Sister… let go of me… I beg you…"

Li Ping'er was jolted awake by the shaking and noise, seeing Wan Tang being punished for her.

Tears fell like rain, she weakly patted her shoulder, "Don't worry about me… you'll be beaten to death…"

"No… let go!" Wan Tang forced the two words out between her teeth; each time the ruler struck, her body jolted violently.

But she was like rooted to the ground, stubbornly bearing the person on her back, inch by inch moving forward.

Blood ran down her leg, leaving a winding trail on the blue stone floor.

"Emperor! Chu Yunzheng!" her voice already hoarse, with a desperate sob, yet she kept calling the only name that could save them, "Save Ping'er! Save us!"

The Empress Dowager's face was as still as water, watching her bloodied yet stubborn silhouette, her murderous intent deepening: "Beat her to death for me!"

More aunties gathered around.

Wan Tang's vision flickered black, nearly giving way, held up only by sheer will.

She felt Li Ping'er's cries on her back growing weaker, fear and anger in her heart spreading like wildfire.

"Ping'er… don't fall asleep…" she gasped, voice shattered, "We… together… get out…"

It was the first time Wan Tang felt such fear.

Even when Minghui was poisoned before, she wasn't scared.

Because they were together, it had all been planned in advance.

Only this time with Ping'er was so sudden, making her lose control of the situation, making her so afraid.

Just as her consciousness began to fade, about to collapse to the ground, a sudden rush of frantic, chaotic footsteps came from outside the Fotang.

A voice she most wanted to hear now, yet feared to hope for, cracked like thunder: "Everyone, cease at my command!"

Chu Yunzheng's figure appeared at the Fotang doorway, surrounded by a chilling aura.

When he saw the scene inside the Fotang, he was struck as if by lightning, his pupils snapping shut.

Wan Tang's back was a bloodied mess, her palace attire shattered, blood winding down her leg, nearly turning her into a walking corpse of blood.

Yet she still clung tightly to the unconscious Li Ping'er on her back, on the verge of collapsing.

The sound of the ruler falling hit his heart like a blow.

"Stop!" he roared, his voice laced with unprecedented fury and a barely perceptible tremor.

He shoved the executing aunties aside, sprinted a few steps to Wan Tang's side.

Wan Tang saw him, and the last ounce of strength she was forcing vanished instantly.

Her leg gave way, and she fell down with Li Ping'er on her back.

Chu Yunzheng's eyes sharp, hands swift, he grabbed both of them at once.

Carefully taking the unconscious Li Ping'er and handing her to the trailing Ouyang Qing, then he hoisted the nearly exhausted Wan Tang sideways.

Wan Tang was covered in wounds; being held in his arms, a touched wound made her wince briefly,

She clutched tightly at the front of his dragon robe, and the fear and grievance she had been suppressing finally erupted at this moment.

Her tears fell like beads whose strings had snapped, mixing with the bloodstains on her face as they rolled down.

"Em—Emperor…" her voice shattered, choked with sobs.

Chu Yunzheng looked at her state, his heart as if seized by an invisible hand, the pain nearly taking his breath away.

He tightened his arms, pulling her even closer, his voice hoarse and gentle after great restraint: "Tangtang, don't be afraid, I am here, it's all right."

"With me here, nothing further will happen."

His gaze swept over Wan Tang's wound on her back, his eyes roiling with both heartache and a flood of anger.

"Emperor!" the Empress Dowager's voice rang with undeniable authority, "You have become ill!"

"To lose composure over an Imperial Concubine, what dignity is that!"

"I, the Empress Dowager, have repeatedly instructed you, Emperor, that a ruler should not have such overt emotions!"

Chu Yunzheng snapped his head up to look at the Empress Dowager, his deep eyes now burning with a clear flame.

He was almost grinding his teeth as he said word by word: "Mother Empress's teachings, I, your son, dare not forget!"

"But I… never wish to repeat the same mistake, watching helplessly, yet unable to protect the one I love!"

Those words landed like a thunderclap, bearing a declaration of resolve.

The Empress Dowager's complexion instantly turned extremely displeased.

Wan Tang trembled in his arms, using her last strength to clutch his sleeve.

With tear‑filled eyes she pleaded: "Emperor… save Ping'er… I beg you… quickly save her… her."

"She may be carrying your Imperial Heir in her womb…"

He heard this, his complexion shifting sharply, and immediately shouted at Ouyang Qing: "Quick!"

"Send all the imperial physicians to Palace of Eternal Joy, and be sure to protect Noble Lady Li and her child."

"If any mishap occurs, I will hold only you accountable!"

He lowered his head, looking at Wan Tang, who was crying in his arms to the point of fainting, his tone unprecedentedly firm and gentle: "Don't be afraid, Tangtang, I will not let anything happen to you, never."

He held her, ignoring the Empress Dowager's cold gaze behind him, and strode away from this suffocating place of controversy.

The heavy doors of the Fotang sealed off the last trace of sound from the outside world.

Inside the hall, deathly silence reigned, only the designated punishment incense pillar burned quietly, reflecting the Empress Dowager's gloomy, water‑like face.

She still sat upright on the mat, spine straight, maintaining the Empress Dowager's absolute dignity, yet the fury roiled in her phoenix eyes.

"Well… what a Virtuous Consort! What an Emperor!"

Her voice was low and deep, each word carrying a chill that seeped into the bone, echoing especially clearly in the empty hall.

The low pressure emanating from her made the Guanren standing at a distance fall silent as cold cicadas, even their breathing became barely audible.

She rose slowly, her movements still graceful, yet bearing the oppressive sense of a mountain rain about to fall.

"For a Mo family remnant, how dare they defy the Empress Dowager like this…"

She curled the corner of her mouth into an extremely cold and sharp curve, "Unable to protect the one you love? Is he resenting the Empress Dowager?"

"Don't you think, how he once begged to be the Empress Dowager's son!"

She stood in silence for a moment, all her fury forcibly suppressed, settling into deeper coldness and calculation.

"Rong Mama." she said, her voice having returned to its usual detached dignity.

"Old servant is here." Rong Mama immediately bowed and stepped forward.

"Go," the Empress Dowager said calmly, yet with unquestionable resolve, "send a message to the Xiao Family. Tell them to thoroughly investigate Wan Tang for the Empress Dowager."

"From before she entered the palace until now, every person she has met, every event she has undergone, each and every one must be investigated thoroughly for the Empress Dowager."

"Yes, the old servant understands."

Rong Mama took the order, slipped away silently to make the arrangements.

The Empress Dowager stood alone in the center of the Fotang, the flickering light of incense candles dancing on her face.

She slowly twisted the newly strung prayer beads on her wrist, her gaze as deep as an ancient well.

"Mo Family girl, the Emperor…" she murmured to herself, her voice revealing no emotion, yet bearing a cold ruthlessness that commanded everything, "Dare to challenge the Empress Dowager?"

"You are still naive."

The lights in Palace of Eternal Joy burned brightly, the scent of medicine permeating the air.

Chu Yunzheng sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Wan Tang's furrowed brows even in her drowsy sleep.

She had thick white gauze wrapped around her arm, her face devoid of color, and tears still lingering at the corners of her eyes.

He reached out, his fingertips barely brushing her cracked lips, his eyes swirling with an indescribable ache.

And a strand of suppressed, fierce hatred directed at the Empress Dowager.

Xiao Dongzi hurried in with light steps, whispering: "Emperor, Northern Border li Urgent Dispatch."

"General Xu Chengyuan's death from illness has been reported to the frontier; the army is in turmoil, several tribes have also begun to shift, the Northern Border is in chaos."

Such earth‑shaking news, yet Chu Yunzheng did not even twitch an eyebrow.

His gaze remained fixed on Wan Tang's face, as if the external chaos of war was far less important than the slightest pain of the person before him.

He leaned down, placing an exceedingly gentle kiss on her bloodless lips, the gesture filled with endless compassion.

He sighed softly, his voice full of tangled emotions, as if asking her, and also asking himself:

"Tangtang, why every time I harden my heart, intending to leave you cold and abandoned, you always manage to make yourself this miserable."

"Making me… ache to the point of not knowing what to do?"

He lifted his hand, gently wiping the moisture from the corner of her eye with his fingertip, his tone a resigned, indulgent helplessness: "You… "

Having said that, he slowly straightened up, the tenderness on his face instantly withdrawn, replaced by the emperor's stern resolve.

He didn't even glance at Xiao Dongzi again, but issued a deep command, each word clear and forceful:

Transmit, Xu Yanchuan.