The Evil Emperor's Favorite: The Sickly and Poisonous Concubine Goes Crazy

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Concubine Xian was tied up by His Majesty's Shadow Guard Chi and collapsed in the hall. The corpses of the Crown Prince's personal guards were scattered everywhere in the hall. Several masked men in black clothes stood guard in front of the hall, with blood dripping from their scimitars. They looked cold and gloomy, and no one dared to approach them.

"Su Jingning! How dare you bring people to break into the inner palace and commit murder! Are you planning a rebellion in the Beiyang Palace?" Concubine Xian's face was full of anger and fear. She shouted at the frail woman standing in the hall, wearing a dark purple flowing cloud skirt with her hands tied.

Su Jingning looked indifferent. He glanced at the unconscious Emperor Zhou on the bed in the inner hall and Sheng Fu who was trembling beside him. He ignored the man who was cursing hysterically and asked in a low voice with the person next to him:

"Is there any movement at the city gate?"

"My princess, it is already noon, and the prince should have entered the city as planned."

Su Jingning nodded slightly, then glanced at Sheng Fu again. Seeing that he was really frightened, he comforted him softly:

"Eunuch Sheng, don't be nervous. The prince's guards outside the palace are all dead."

Sheng Fu wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile at Su Jingning:

"Yes, the princess is right!"

He was not frightened by the prince's personal guards, but by the methods used by Princess Beiyang. He had never realized before that Princess Beiyang had such a fragile body, yet she could kill people with every blow without blinking an eye.

"Princess Xuyang is here." The subordinate beside her reminded her in a low voice.

Su Jingning turned her head to look at the palace gate. Xuyang, holding a sword and wearing a scarlet dress, hurried into the palace gate and walked towards them.

"Jingning, how is it? How is my father?" Mu Xi asked hurriedly, with worry and anxiety on his face.

Su Jingning replied softly: "He is still in a coma, but otherwise he is fine."

Emperor Zhou was also very cruel to himself. Although he no longer had the Soul-Falling Drug in his body, he still had a kind of drug that, judging from the pulse, was extremely similar to the Soul-Falling Drug. It could cause people to fall into a coma and could deceive the virtuous concubine and the crown prince.

"Thank you!" Mu Xi's eyes were red as she looked at Su Jingning with gratitude. If she hadn't sneaked into the Hall of Supreme Harmony for her, she wouldn't have been so calm in the Fengzheng Hall today.

Su Jingning shook his head and said nothing.

Mu Xi stepped into the inner hall and looked at the unconscious Emperor Zhou on the bed. His face was even paler than the previous two days. He lowered his eyes and tears fell. He choked up as he spoke:

"Father?"

"Father, can you hear Xi'er talking?"

The imperial physician who was accompanying him went up to check Emperor Zhou's pulse. After a long moment, he looked terrified and shook his head at Mu Xi.

The remaining rationality in Mu Xi's eyes was shattered. She stood up suddenly and kicked the kneeling Concubine fiercely, using almost all her strength:

Before the people in the hall could react, Concubine Xian was smashed hard against the carved column in the hall. She vomited a mouthful of black blood and almost fainted.

"Where's the antidote? I'm asking you, where is the antidote?"

The corners of her eyes were red, and with a strong murderous intent, she placed the tip of the sword against Concubine Xian's forehead.

The virtuous concubine lost her voice in pain, her eyes were filled with fear, and she couldn't help but shrink back.

"Axi!"

Su Jingning wanted to step forward to stop them, but was stopped by someone who suddenly entered the hall.

"Mu Xi! Calm down!"

Gu Yan'an, dressed in black and with a tall stature, blocked Mu Xi's sword.

When Mu Xi saw that it was her, the hatred in his eyes became clearer and a little panicked.

"Cough——" Emperor Zhou on the bed suddenly moved and coughed twice.

Mu Xi's eyes lit up with joy and he walked towards him quickly.

"Father!"

Emperor Zhou slowly opened his eyes, his eyes were blank for a moment, and then he regained clarity.

"Xi'er!" he called out in a hoarse voice.

"Father, you recognized me?!" Mu Xi's eyes were full of surprise.

Emperor Zhou nodded, slowly sat up, and stroked Mu Xi's head.

"Xi'er has done a good job these days! She didn't disappoint father."

The virtuous concubine who collapsed on the ground looked at Emperor Zhou and instantly understood something, with surprise and disbelief in her eyes.

"You are not poisoned!"

Emperor Zhou looked at her with cold and gloomy eyes:

"Chi, drag Concubine Xian away and put her in prison."

His voice was decisive and heartless, not giving Concubine Xian any chance, and he didn't even look at her.

Mu Xi looked a little confused. What did Concubine Xian mean by that?

"Father, what does Concubine Xian mean?"

Emperor Zhou glanced at Sheng Fu who was standing aside. Sheng Fu understood and took his men downstairs.

Gu Yan'an glanced at Emperor Zhou and was about to leave with Su Jingning, but was stopped by Emperor Zhou.

"Since you are here, please stay for a while. Jingning should also stay. I have something to tell you."

Gu Yan'an paused, Su Jingning looked at him and nodded at him.

He stopped and looked at Emperor Zhou, but just stood far away without approaching.

Emperor Zhou looked at Mu Xi and smiled slightly:

"For today's incident, I owe you another favor."

Su Jingning bowed his head and said calmly, "Your Majesty, you are too kind!"

Mu Xi's eyes moved between the several people, the confusion in her eyes growing more and more intense, she seemed to be blinded by something, and could see the people less and less clearly.

Emperor Zhou's eyes lingered on the man standing in the hall with his arms folded, with a look of delight in his eyes:

"You came anyway."

Gu Yan'an had a blank expression on his face. He bowed his head to Emperor Zhou and saluted. His low and cold voice was filled with a hint of sarcasm:

"Your Majesty has set up a trap, how dare I not come. However, I am afraid that I will disappoint Your Majesty. I am here because of Mu Xi, not for anything else."

Mu Xi frowned, as if he had heard something, and looked at Gu Yan'an:

"What do you mean? Set up? What set up?"

Gu Yan'an looked at Emperor Zhou, and seeing that he was silent, he lowered his eyes and smiled:

"It was your majesty who bought the antidote for the Falling Soul from the Tianji Tower. Everything the prince did was under your majesty's control from beginning to end."

Mu Xi turned to look at Emperor Zhou in disbelief:

"Father, is what he said true?"

Emperor Zhou looked at Mu Xi and sighed:

"Yes."

"Xi'er, your father once told you that you should be the one playing chess. You are wise and capable. But you are hesitant. Being born in a royal family, you can never avoid the struggle for power." Emperor Zhou looked at her with an expression more serious than ever, just like an emperor who is high above and making plans.

"The prince is cold, hypocritical and suspicious. Such a person cannot protect the Great Zhou. But he has been in the court for many years, and the court officials are convinced that he is benevolent and compassionate. Someone must pierce this veil."

Hearing this, Mu Xi's body swayed slightly, as if she was hit by an invisible heavy hammer, and ripples appeared in her heart, which was difficult to calm down. Her eyes were moist again, and her gaze wandered between Zhou Di and Gu Yan'an, trying to find a trace of warmth in this complicated chess game.

She suddenly realized that the two relatives she cared about most took advantage of her when she was terrified and worried about them.

"So father...are you planning to use your son to get rid of the Crown Prince?" Her voice was trembling, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the bottom of her heart, carrying with it unspeakable pain and confusion.

Emperor Zhou's expression softened a little, but he could not hide the imperial majesty hidden deep in his heart. He looked at her and Gu Yan'an.

"Xi'er, this world is my kingdom, Mu Feng is my prince, but I only have you two children. People are biased. I do this not only for the Great Zhou, but also for you to have a place in this world. Power is safest only when it is in your own hands. Only by holding it and keeping it can you protect your loved ones and not follow in the footsteps of your father and queen."

"So, I have set up a trap. Whoever of you two can stabilize the court first and gain everyone's approval and submission will be the one to take over the Great Zhou in the future. Fortunately, the ending is good now, isn't it? After this incident, even without me, you can support each other and gain a firm foothold in the court and balance the officials."

Mu Feng looked towards Emperor Zhou, his eyes filled with doubt, confusion and unconcealed sadness:

"A good ending? So your father ignored your son's wishes and even kept me in the dark, pushing me to such a position? It's a good ending for your father, but it doesn't seem to be for me!"

"My dearest and most beloved ones? The ones I wanted to protect, instead, joined forces with them to use me and drag me into a circle full of restrictions!" She turned to look at Gu Yan'an.

From the beginning to the end, she fought with the crown prince and dealt with the court officials, just because she thought that if her brother wanted to take power in the Zhou Dynasty in the future, she would be his strongest helper, nothing more.

"Brother? Haha, I've known since I was a child that you are my only brother by blood, and I only recognize you as my brother. I've called you brother countless times in my heart, and today, I can finally call you out. Brother, you knew father's purpose from the beginning to the end, but did you remind me, even a word?"

"But it's because my brother doesn't want to step into this place full of restrictions, right?"

The corners of Gu Yan'an's lips twitched slightly, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, but he did not answer.

Mu Xi took a few steps back, his eyes showing more pain. He slowly let out a sigh of relief, then bowed his head and saluted Emperor Zhou:

"Since the emperor is alright, there are still some matters in the Imperial Guards Camp that need your attention. I will take my leave."

After saying this, he no longer paid attention to the people in the hall, turned around and walked out of the hall alone.

Mu Xi's footsteps were heavy and resolute, her scarlet dress dragged in the palace, leaving behind a lonely back, and gradually disappeared from everyone's sight. The atmosphere in the palace became unusually quiet as she left, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window.

Su Jingning listened quietly, her eyes moving between Gu Yan'an and Emperor Zhou, with mixed feelings in her heart. In this palace, no one can easily choose their future, whether it is the emperor or the ministers, or the seemingly glorious princess, they cannot escape the shackles of power.

Gu Yan'an looked in the direction where Mu Xi left, his eyes somewhat complicated.

When Emperor Zhou saw her leave, his expression changed slightly, and a trace of fatigue and helplessness flashed in his eyes. He turned his head to look at Gu Yan'an. He sighed softly, his voice low and powerful:

"Yan'an, I promised your father that I would not force you to return to the Di family if you didn't want to. But now, I want to ask you one last time, are you willing to come back? I have already drafted an order to clear your name. Your mother and I were sorry for what happened to you back then."

Gu Yan'an looked calm as he raised his head to look at Emperor Zhou. His dark eyes were filled with indifference and determination. He then bowed his head and saluted Emperor Zhou:

"My name is Gu, and I will only be my father's child in this life. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

The glimmer in Emperor Zhou's eagle eyes gradually dimmed, and even the aura around him weakened a lot. He looked at the person in the hall who bowed his head to him for a long time before he slowly uttered a word:

"....good."

"Go away. I want to be alone." He waved his hand and ordered the two people still standing in the hall. His voice was low and a little tired.

"I'll take my leave." Gu Yan'an and Su Jingning bowed their heads, then left the hall.