At this moment, an extraordinary event was taking place in the neighboring southern country.
It was rumored that the emperor of the southern neighboring country was seriously ill. He was even unable to attend the morning court. Moreover, the imperial physicians couldn't diagnose what illness he had.
Inside the emperor's bedroom.
"Can't you tell what's wrong with me? Didn't you say it was excessive liver fire? Then why can't I even get out of bed... cough... " The emperor of the southern neighboring country roared angrily from his couch, but his voice was interrupted by a fit of coughing.
"Your Majesty! I, your humble subject, also don't know what this illness is. Your Majesty, perhaps you should..." The imperial physician stammered in reply, but was kicked to the ground by a foot.
"Shut up! What use are you to me then? Guards, drag this imperial physician out and behead him!" He waved his hand and gave the order. But due to his excessive agitation, he spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Spare me, Your Majesty!"
The imperial physician shouted loudly and was dragged out of the bedroom by the attendants beside him.
Just then, a voice came from outside the palace: "His Highness, the Second Prince, has arrived!"
Immediately afterwards, Ye, dressed in a purple robe, walked in. With a calm and composed demeanor, he walked up to the couch, bowed, and said, "Your son pays respects to Father."
The emperor of the southern neighboring country waved his hand at him. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "Ye, haven't you studied medicine? Come and take a look at what strange illness I have now!"
But Ye replied with a helpless look on his face, "Father, what your son has studied is the art of poisons. I have only a superficial knowledge of medicine. However, I can feel your pulse for you."
As he spoke, he placed his hand on the man's pulse.
After a while, he frowned and said, "Father, it seems to your son that your symptoms indicate poisoning!"
"What?!" The emperor of the southern neighboring country immediately widened his eyes and exclaimed in disbelief.
Ye nodded heavily, pretending to have just learned this news. Then he said, "Father, it seems you've been poisoned for a long time. It appears that there's someone with evil intentions trying to harm you!"
The man opposite him lowered his eyes and seemed to be deep in thought. Then he let out a cold laugh and said, "I didn't expect someone to dare to act against me beside me. How bold!"
After saying that, he raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot. Then he said coldly, "Ye, go and investigate. Find out who dares to do such a thing to me!"
Ye curled his lips into a cold smile where no one could see. Then he bowed and replied, "Yes." Then he said, "Father, don't worry. Your son will prepare some antidote decoction for you and will surely find a way to cure your illness."
After saying that, he turned around and left the emperor's bedroom.
When he got outside the palace, he saw Zhu Qing waiting for him. Zhu Qing respectfully lowered his head and asked, "How did Your Highness's matter go?"
"Everything is surely in order!" Ye replied and strode out of the palace.
The young man following behind him looked at the confident figure in front of him. Admiration and reverence showed in his eyes.
In Ye's heart, he had no intention of really detoxifying his father. He had known that the emperor was poisoned half a month ago and also knew that the toxicity would eventually spread to this extent.
The reason he reported it now was that he wanted to take control of the overall situation in the southern neighboring country when the emperor was critically ill. With the emperor's backing, no one would dare to question him. He could use the pretext of finding the murderer for the emperor to eliminate his political opponents.
Thinking of this, he let out a few triumphant laughs. Then he said, "Let's go. We'll go find Yaoji. It's time to use her now."
On the other hand, in the Shuntian Prefecture.
Yaoji was sitting in front of the dressing mirror. The veil she had taken off was beside her. She gently stroked the wound on her face in the mirror.
The woman in the mirror no longer had her former beauty. Instead, she was so ugly that it was hard to look at.
Seeing this, her mood suddenly turned irritable. She swept all the things on the table to the ground with a wave of her hand.
Just then, there came the sound of footsteps outside the room. She picked up the veil beside her warily and put it on. Then she pushed open the door.
Immediately afterwards, she saw the Second Prince Ye walking slowly towards her, followed by his little attendant.
"So it's Your Highness, the elder brother." She said and stepped aside, indicating that they could come in and talk.
Although she showed no change in expression, she was actually backing out in her heart. She couldn't guess his purpose for coming here. After all, he had never set foot here in the three months since she had lived here, and she had heard that he had just been to the palace.
Thinking of this, she felt even more uneasy. Then she asked, "Your Highness, the elder brother, may I ask what brings you here?"
"I've already told Father about the poisoning." Ye replied like this. He picked up a cup of tea and sipped it carefully, with a faint smile on his lips.
"What?!"
Yaoji almost crushed the teacup in her hand after hearing this. Then she couldn't help asking in agitation, "Didn't you promise never to tell Father?"
After all, it was she who had poisoned the emperor. Now, didn't Father already know that she was the murderer? Thinking of this, she subconsciously looked out of the window. Only after seeing no movement did she let out a sigh of relief.
Ye naturally saw what was on her mind. Then he let out a soft laugh, put down the teacup in his hand, and replied, "Don't worry. I won't hand you over. But you have to help me do a good job."
Yaoji frowned when she heard this. But since saving her life was the most important thing at the moment, she asked, "As long as Yaoji can do it, I will surely do my best!"
Hearing this, the smile on Ye's lips grew even wider. Then he waved his hand, indicating for Zhu Qing beside him to take out a letter and hand it to the woman opposite. Then he said, "You just need to do as it says in this letter. It's a fifteen - day task. If you can't do it..."
He stopped speaking at this point, but his eyes were threatening the woman opposite, as if saying that if she failed to complete it, she would surely die.
Yaoji immediately took the letter when she heard this. Then she nodded heavily.
Ye then turned around and left the room.
After Yaoji, who was still standing there, watched the figure of the man in front of her gradually disappear from her sight, she opened the letter in her hand.
After seeing the content of the letter, she couldn't help letting out a cold laugh. She thought to herself, so this was the real reason he had spared her life.
There was no such thing as deep brother - sister affection between them. The only thing that connected them was mutual exploitation. He probably didn't kill her back then because he had thought that there would come a time when he would need her like this.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help lowering her head and letting out a cold laugh.