As soon as Qin Ye entered the palace, he was rushed to the Zichen Hall to check the pulse of Ji Junye.
Everyone looked at him with hope in their eyes.
Qin Ye wiped his face. After not seeing each other for a few years, he looked much more mature than before, with a touch of vicissitude from his ups and downs in the world.
"Hey, stop looking at me like this. I'm feeling a lot of pressure here."
His words were as light - hearted as ever, but they immediately relieved the suffocating atmosphere.
"I've brought back what's needed. But it'll take a few days to make the medicine. Whether it'll work or not, we'll have to wait and see this time."
Shen Qing looked at him eagerly. "What's the chance of success?"
Qin Ye rolled his eyes upwards. "Fifty percent."
Fifty percent.
The hope on everyone's faces faded a bit.
It wasn't a very high chance.
Qin Ye sighed. "The poison has penetrated deep into his bones. The fifty - percent chance is thanks to that life - saving pill. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lasted this long."
His junior brother's life - saving pill had used up half of the rare treasures on the mountain and taken several years to refine. Since it was made, it had rarely been used. According to the time, it seemed that all the remaining pills had been given to her.
Alas!
"Right now, we have no choice but to take this gamble."
Shen Qing's eyelashes fluttered slightly. "Doctor Qin, a pharmacy has been set up for you in the palace. Just tell us whatever you need."
Qin Ye nodded. "Don't worry. I won't be polite."
A medicine boy came forward to tidy up the things. Shen Qing, with her sharp eyes, noticed that it was an acquaintance. "A Zhuo?"
Qin Ye gave a mysterious smile. "The Empress still remembers him. He's my medicine boy now. We managed to find the key to the antidote thanks to him."
Only a few of them knew A Zhuo's identity. Others didn't understand what Qin Ye meant, but Shen Qing guessed.
The things they found were probably related to the medicine people.
No wonder Qin Ye didn't say what kind of medicine he had found.
A Zhuo could talk now, but his habit made him not talk much with others on normal days. After bowing to Shen Qing, he followed Qin Ye away.
With Qin Ye here, Shen Qing could finally relax a bit. In the evening, she suddenly remembered something.
She sent someone to call Zhui Yun.
"In the letter from the Miao territory, Sheng Mei said that she has lost all her skills. She must have encountered some difficulties. You two once... Won't you go and see her?"
Although it wasn't really Shen Qing's business to interfere in Zhui Yun's affairs, since he had been loyal to Ji Junye for so many years, she felt it was only right for her to ask.
When Zhui Yun heard Sheng Mei's name, his usually expressionless face showed a bit of emotion, and his tone carried a stiffness he didn't even notice.
"She has no shortage of people to take care of her."
Shen Qing rubbed her forehead. "I don't know much about your relationship, so I don't want to say too much. I just want to remind you that if you have no feelings for her, that's fine. But if you do, you should try your best to fight for it. Don't wait until it's too late to regret."
Zhui Yun's face turned even uglier. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern."
Zhui Yun was no longer just a simple commander of the Jinwu Guards. He held important positions now. Shen Qing didn't keep him for too long and let him go.
In the following days, there was no sign of him taking any action. Shen Qing was waiting for the result from Qin Ye, so she just let it be.
As soon as Qin Ye came back, he secluded himself in the pharmacy. Apart from the constant clanging sounds coming from the pharmacy, it was as if he hadn't come back at all.
As days passed by, Shen Qing wished the water clock would drip more slowly, even slower.
Ji Qingshu and the Grand Princess couldn't do much to help, so they prayed in the Buddhist hall every day.
Finally, at dawn on the seventh day, Qin Ye's weak but extremely excited voice came from the pharmacy.
"It's done!"
Shen Qing had been sleeping very lightly for the past month. Any little noise could wake her up. Hearing the commotion outside, she woke up immediately.
"What's going on?"
Li Yue's voice was full of joy. "Your Majesty, there's good news from the pharmacy. The medicine is ready. Young Master Qin is treating His Majesty now."
Shen Qing had been living in the warm pavilion behind the main hall these days. Her room was only separated from Ji Junye's by a wall.
She quickly threw off the quilt, got up, put on her clothes, washed her face in a hurry, and rushed over.
When Shen Qing arrived, Ji Junye had probably already taken the medicine. He was sitting cross - legged on the bed, his bare upper body covered with silver needles like a hedgehog. Zhui Yun was behind him, channeling his true qi to activate the medicine's effect.
She didn't dare to get too close for fear of disturbing them.
After about half an hour, Zhui Yun's face turned pale, and his hands trembled slightly. It seemed that his true qi was about to run out. Just as Shen Qing was about to step forward to replace Zhui Yun, Ji Junye suddenly spat out a mouthful of thick black blood.
It emitted a foul smell, and the fine green stone floor was corroded with a "hissing" sound, which made one's hair stand on end.
Qin Ye's skin crawled. Fortunately, he had dodged quickly.
After heaving a sigh of relief, he signaled Zhui Yun to stop. He quickly removed the needles and exhaled a turbid breath.
"How is it?" Shen Qing rushed forward.
There were dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, and the red blood streaks in her eyes made her want to cry as soon as she was exposed to light.
Qin Ye showed a long - lost smile. "So far, the medicine seems to be effective. But we can't let our guard down. If the poison isn't completely removed, there's a possibility of a relapse."
"However, you don't need to worry too much. There should be enough medicine."
Shen Qing let out a sigh of relief and said helplessly, "Doctor Qin is still the same as before. He always talks in such a drawn - out way."
It made her heart flutter.
Shen Qing felt that the sun today looked much more pleasant than in the previous few days. It wasn't scorching at all but rather warm on the body.
After the joke, Shen Qing looked at everyone present. "I hope you won't spread the news that the medicine is effective for now."
"Understood." Qin Ye was the first to express his agreement.
The others also understood what Shen Qing meant and said they wouldn't tell anyone.
Yelv Wujin was able to appear in the Taiji Hall. There must be someone helping him. Although she had cleaned up some people at that time, there must still be some fish that slipped through the net in the court. They had hidden deeply before. Once the news of His Majesty's death spread, they would surely show their true colors.
She wanted to take this opportunity to thoroughly clean up the court!
The Prince of Rong entered the palace that night and didn't leave for the next few days.
The palace was on high alert, and there were rumors that the Ministry of Rites was secretly preparing for the state funeral. Some people speculated secretly that His Majesty's condition might be critical.
As night fell, many places in the capital were restless.
But before they could act, their doors were kicked open from the outside.
"The Jinwu Guards are on a mission. Those who resist will be killed on the spot!"
Similar scenes were happening in many places in the capital. That night, the capital was once again filled with bloodshed!
The next day was the day of the court session. Shen Qing planned to take Si Bao to the court with her.
Ji Junye had been taking the medicine for a few days. Qin Ye said the medicine was working well. Most of the poison in his body had been removed, and only some residual poison needed to be completely eradicated. But he still hadn't woken up.
Since the imperial edict was issued that day, whether Ji Junye woke up or not, Si Bao was the definite crown prince.
Unless Ji Junye woke up and then changed his mind.
But this possibility could be directly ignored.
Since she was the crown prince, she naturally had to get involved in the court affairs.
Going to the court was the first step.
The night before, Shen Qing watched Si Bao try on the crown prince's ceremonial robe.
The black robe was embroidered with phoenixes in gold and silver threads. She really looked like a crown prince in it.
Si Bao nervously pinched the corner of her clothes, looking a bit flustered.
Shen Qing picked up her daughter and sat her on her lap. She sent the others away and gently patted her back like she did when lulling her to sleep. She asked softly, "What's wrong? Are you scared because you're going to the court tomorrow?"
Si Bao shook her head and looked up, her eyes full of confusion and uneasiness.
"Then what is it? Can you tell mother?"
Maybe Shen Qing's gentle voice dispelled her uneasiness. "A lot of people are saying that only men can be the crown prince and women can't be in the court. Mother, why can't a woman be the crown prince?"