Chapter 525: with translation of chapter title

Because of a ridiculous incident involving the Sixth Prince Xiao Zheng, Emperor Longqing was so angered that he fell ill.

This illness came on unusually fierce; Emperor Longqing lay paralyzed on the dragon bed, unable even to get out of bed.

Whether royal kin or common folk, facing death always brings great fear, and when people are fearful their tempers flare.

Every night, countless wronged spirits are dragged out of Emperor Longqing's sleeping quarters; the entire Imperial Hospital is practically facing its darkest hour.

With Emperor Longqing's illness beyond remedy, he had no choice but to order a nationwide summoning of renowned physicians.

Gu Jiu Ling was also within the scope of those summoned.

Eunuch Wang came to Rui Wang Fu to invite Gu Jiu Ling into the palace, but just as he reached the gate, Xiao Yin blocked his way.

Eunuch Wang smiled and returned Xiao Yin's salute.

"Your Lordship, the Princess Consort's medical skill is superb; the Emperor has summoned her to the palace. Please grant us passage."

Xiao Yin's eyes turned cold; one after another, they treat his Princess Consort as a raft, really thinking he can't protect anyone.

Just earlier, the Crown Prince had driven him and Gu Jiu Ling out to the countryside, not expecting that he and Gu Jiu Ling would finish packing and prepare to go.

Emperor Longqing's second imperial edict arrived, again ordering them to remain in Shang Jing.

Following the third imperial edict, this is essentially a demand for his Princess Consort's life.

Everyone knows that going into the palace to treat the Emperor's illness is either best avoided or a sure misfortune.

If the treatment succeeds, it brings neither merit nor fault.

If it fails, they will be dragged out and beheaded outright.

He stood straight in the doorway, yet showed no intention of letting them pass.

Eunuch Wang outside grew anxious, composed himself, stepped forward, and whispered a smile to Xiao Yin.

"Your Lordship, the Princess Consort's medical skill is superb; it has spread throughout Shang Jing."

"Even the divine physician Zuo Feichen has become our Princess Consort's disciple; now that Physician Zuo is not in Shang Jing and the Emperor's illness has worsened, we beg the Princess Consort to enter the palace for a visit—perhaps she might truly effect a cure."

"Heh, what if he dies?" Xiao Yin laughed coldly.

Eunuch Wang sucked in a breath of cold air, unable to utter a word.

This Xiao Yin is simply reckless; he is clearly cursing the Emperor's death.

Speaking such words before so many people, he broke out in a cold sweat for Xiao Yin.

Yet at this moment Xiao Yin felt like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, certain that neither the Emperor nor the Crown Prince could touch him.

These days, after the Crown Prince stripped Xiao Yin of his military authority, who would have thought the Imperial Guard would erupt like a boiling pot, with its newly appointed commander fleeing after less than three days?

The Imperial Guard, leaderless without Xiao Yin's restraint, naturally deteriorated to a disgraceful state.

Shang Jing fell into utter chaos; even the mansions of civil officials who had previously supported the Crown Prince had their gates smeared with pig's blood.

Now that the Emperor has become this way, one naturally thinks of Gu Jiu Ling, but the Prince simply had no intention of letting her enter.

Even Shang Jing's Five City Military Command is in disarray; the only one who could still control the situation there, Gu Kang, now claims to be ill and needs to return home to rest—a young cultivator feigning sickness.

The Ministry of War is also in chaos; those old-timers are each exceedingly difficult to deal with.

The entire capital instantly fell into a miasma of corruption; although Crown Prince Xiao Ting, he had not the slightest means to truly suppress these troublemakers.

Only then did Eunuch Wang suddenly realize that Emperor Longqing and the Crown Prince wanting to truly kill Xiao Yin was already too late; this man had grown ever more robust, no longer a bird in a cage or a fish in a pond.

Eunuch Wang smiled: "Your Lordship, we are merely messengers; please…"

Xiao Yin interrupted him: "Fine, then go tell the Emperor. My consort is unwell and cannot enter the palace; she fears her illness might spread to the Emperor—nothing more."

"This..." Eunuch Wang had not expected Xiao Yin to be intent on a deathmatch with the Emperor; he resignedly retreated.

Just as Eunuch Wang departed, Gu Jiu Ling behind him had already taken her medicine box and headed toward the school gate, only to be seized by Xiao Yin and dragged back.

"Where are you going?" Xiao Yin pinched Gu Jiu Ling's waist, rendering her immobile.

"Aren't you supposed to see the Emperor?" Gu Jiu Ling asked with a smile.

"What illness? The palace is a pool of filth you can't guard against; otherwise you'd have to go rescue yourself."

"Are you worried about me? Actually I truly want to go see what illness the Emperor has."

"Nonsense! This is no laughing matter."

Xiao Yin's face grew slightly stern.

Gu Jiu Ling, however, felt no fear, still lifting her head to look at him and smile: "Your Lordship, how will you settle the matter of Bai Xiaosheng? Since you made a pact with him, his true identity must be revealed."

Xiao Yin raised his brows at Gu Jiu Ling's clear, lovely eyes: "What? Do you have a good idea?"

Xiao Yin indeed could not think of a good solution; although he had persuaded Bai Xiaosheng, over twenty years have passed, and having Emperor Longqing acknowledge his own son again—especially a jianghu person—is no easy task.

The difficulty remains great; consider that back then in Mang Village he gave the chieftain such a seed—a process absolutely unfit for public display.

Emperor Longqing would love to bury this matter; now where could he possibly meet Bai Xiaosheng again? That would be a direct slap to his face.

The ever-resourceful Xiao Yin had pondered this for days, yet could not devise a utterly reliable plan.

Gu Jiu Ling tiptoed up to Xiao Yin, leaned to Xiao Yi's ear, and whispered: "Right now there is an opportunity; what I fear most in my life is the life-and-death crisis. Precisely at this juncture, it might not be a bad chance."

Xiao Yin's brows knit as Gu Jiu Ling leaned to his ear and said all that.

Xiao Yin's face fluctuated between gloom and clarity, still undecided, when Gu Jiu Ling turned and walked toward the door.

He ordered two servants to take a shortcut, block Eunuch Wang halfway, and call him back—still in time.

Gu Jiu Ling turned to look at Xiao Yin; Xiao Yan had always felt that letting Gu Jiu Ling enter the palace was an adventure, but Gu Jiu Ling did not see it that way.

"Listen to me, Your Lordship; I guarantee I'll handle this matter splendidly."

Not long after, Bai Xiaosheng emerged wearing a plain gauze robe.

Although it was his first time wearing such simple and dignified attire, the frivolous look on his face still provoked the urge to beat him.

Especially with Yun Duo beside him, her expression at that moment was downright icy.

Her hand was already pressed tightly against the sword at her waist, while Bai Xiaosheng, lacking self-awareness, continued to sigh and smile: "It's been a few days, Miss Yun Duo has become even more lovely, beautiful as a flower."

With a swish, Yun Duo's sword at her waist was finally drawn, but Gu Jiu Ling shouted to stop her.

"Yun Duo! Don't be rude!"

Gu Jiu Ling walked over, smiling, and greeted Bai Xiaosheng: "I'll trouble you, Young Master Bai, to accompany me to the palace for a while."