Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Upon seeing this, Emperor Jingzhao frowned deeply, his eyes filled with worry and urgency.

This was the first time he had ever seen Lao Liu like this, which made him even more surprised and frightened.

He stood up, took a small step forward, as if wanting to get closer to Xiao Muyao, but then stopped.

Then he stared intently at Xiao Muyao's wandering eyes, trying to glean more information from them.

Then, with a slightly trembling voice, he said, "Sixth Brother, what's wrong with you? Why can't you just say it out loud?"

Emperor Jingzhao unconsciously put his hands behind his back and clasped them tightly, revealing his inner unease.

The Empress stood up from her seat and walked quickly to Xiao Muyao's side.

She reached out and grasped his slightly trembling hands, her eyes filled with concern and anxiety: "My son, don't frighten your mother, what's wrong with you?"

The Empress's voice trembled with a sob as she looked at Xiao Muyao's conflicted and troubled face, feeling deeply distressed.

Their eyes kept scanning Xiao Muyao's face.

He wanted to find a clue in his expression and guess what was causing him such pain and struggle.

The air around them seemed to freeze, as Xiao Muyao remained immersed in his internal struggle.

Time passed second by second, and every moment felt like an endless torment to the three of them.

Xiao Muyao's brows were furrowed, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead, an outward manifestation of the intense inner turmoil he was experiencing.

Emperor Jingzhao and the Empress kept their eyes fixed on him.

Their expressions grew increasingly solemn, and their unease intensified.

The Empress unconsciously twisted the handkerchief in her hands, her eyes filled with worry and anxiety.

She would occasionally open her mouth slightly, as if urging Xiao Muyao to speak quickly, but she was afraid of putting more pressure on her son, so she could only hold back.

Emperor Jingzhao, on the other hand, kept pacing back and forth in the same spot.

With his hands behind his back, he would occasionally stop and let out a long sigh before continuing to pace, his brow furrowed so deeply it looked as if he could trap a fly.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of internal struggle, Xiao Muyao took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly on Emperor Jingzhao and the Empress, though a hint of barely perceptible unease lingered in his eyes.

He first bowed slightly and paid his respects, then spoke with difficulty, his voice slightly hoarse: "Empress Dowager, Father Emperor, there is something I find very difficult to say, but since things have come to this point, I have no choice but to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingzhao and the Empress both stiffened. They seemed to sense something bad was about to happen, and their eyes revealed tension and fear.

Xiao Muyao paused, his throat felt like it was choked by something, and he swallowed hard before continuing, "To be honest, I have a disease... This disease... prevents me from having any children in this lifetime. I have kept this a secret for many years, but I can no longer hide it. Please forgive me, Father and Mother."

As he said these words, a hint of pain and helplessness flashed across his face.

It was as if this was a cruel reality he had always wanted to escape, but had to face.

His eyes were filled with guilt and self-reproach, as if he had committed some unforgivable sin.

When Emperor Jingzhao heard this, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

His eyes widened, and he swayed, almost losing his balance: "You... what did you say?"

His voice trembled violently, and his face was filled with shock and disbelief.

His eyes widened suddenly, filled with shock and astonishment, as if he wanted to see through Xiao Muyao to confirm whether what he had heard was true.

Seeing this, Xiao Muyao mustered his courage, raised his head, met Emperor Jingzhao's gaze for a moment, then quickly looked away, and whispered, "Father, it's true..."

Upon receiving confirmation, Emperor Jingzhao staggered and muttered to himself, "What am I to do... my royal bloodline..."

He knew the importance of offspring to the royal family, and Xiao Muyao's current situation made him feel unprecedented pressure and crisis.

Given the current situation of the sixth prince, should he still be allowed to become the crown prince?

His brows were furrowed, and veins bulged on his forehead; he was deep in thought and struggling painfully.

The entire palace was shrouded in his heavy and oppressive aura, creating a tense atmosphere as if a storm was brewing.

Upon hearing Xiao Muyao's words, the Empress felt a wave of dizziness.

My body swayed involuntarily a few times, as if the whole world was collapsing in an instant.

Her face instantly turned deathly pale, devoid of any color, and her lips lost their original rosy hue.

Tears welled up in her eyes like a burst dam, instantly blurring her vision.

She raised her trembling hands, trying to wipe away her tears, but the tears seemed impossible to wipe away.

Her eyes were filled with despair, heartache, and disbelief.

She stared intently at Xiao Muyao, as if trying to find a trace of truth in his face that this was just a joke.

"My son... how could this be... is this real?"

The Empress finally managed to squeeze out a few words, her voice filled with endless sorrow and trembling.

She leaned forward slightly, as if wanting to get closer to Xiao Muyao and offer him some comfort.

Or perhaps they could draw strength from him to keep themselves from collapsing.

The handkerchief she had been clutching tightly in her hand was now crumpled into a ball, unconsciously clenched in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Muyao's eyes reddened, and he replied with a slightly choked voice, "Mother, I didn't want it to be like this either... Yan'er is a divine physician of this world, and even she can't cure me. For the past few years, she has been searching for a cure for me, but after several years, she still has no clue. Therefore, I will never have any children in this life."

Upon hearing this, the Empress's mind went blank. She felt as if her heart was being stabbed by countless sharp knives, and the pain was so intense that she could hardly breathe.

It was a complex emotion, a mother's deep worry for her son intertwined with unspeakable pain.

Under this enormous blow, the Queen seemed to have lost her soul.

He just stood there, lost in endless grief and despair.

Everything around her became blurry; her world seemed to consist only of Xiao Muyao's heartbreaking words and his face filled with pain and helplessness.

The Emperor and Empress stared blankly at Xiao Muyao, unable to accept this cruel reality.

The entire palace fell into a deathly silence, with only the Queen's suppressed sobs echoing in the air.

Xiao Muyao stood there motionless, head bowed, like a statue.

Only his slightly trembling body revealed the immense turmoil within him.

Father and Mother, I'm sorry.

This is the only way I can deceive you.

Although they will be in great pain and on the verge of collapse at this time, it is better to suffer a short pain than a long one.

It will pass after the pain.

Besides, they will find out sooner or later that he will never have any children.

He was just lying about the reasons behind it.

They are still young, and it's always better for them to accept this reality than to find out later and have it negatively impact their health.

That's why he chose to say it now.

As for the issue of the crown prince, he is naturally confident that he can continue to hold onto his position.

He had planned everything out, but seeing his father and mother so sad still made him feel very uneasy.

But he can only go down this one path to the end.

Once a move is made, there's no going back; there's no turning back.