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

After learning about Lian Zhixin's matter, Xiao Muyao felt that it was time for the matter to be resolved and settled.

The reason he hasn't taken any action during this period is...

Naturally, this was so that they could see the true colors of the officials in the court.

After all, when faced with such huge gains and losses, people will inevitably disregard everything and reveal a side of themselves they've never shown before.

So he used this to his advantage to investigate.

Now that the investigation is complete, he has a clear understanding of the situation.

Then this matter should be concluded.

…………

The following day, morning light streamed through the carved window lattices of the Golden Palace, falling on the drooping shoulders of the courtiers.

The atmosphere was heavy, like a gloomy day before a rainstorm.

Xiao Muyao sat high on the dragon throne, his posture upright and his expression cold and stern.

His eyes swept over the officials below the steps, and his voice, as loud as a bell, broke the deathly silence of the court.

"What I said before, that I am unable to bear children, was not a joke or a fabrication. However, my beloved ministers seem to have turned a deaf ear and are going their own way, all pointing the finger at the Empress. They are constantly making small moves in private, and undercurrents are surging. Has this court become a place for you to speculate and spread rumors at will?"

Having said that, he waved his hand, his sleeves billowing in the wind: "Since you all don't believe me, then I'll summon all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau to the palace immediately. Right here in the main hall, they will take my pulse and diagnose me. I want to see if it takes such a big fuss before you will believe what I say and put away your filthy thoughts."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of a pin dropping could be heard in the hall, and the assembled officials looked at each other in bewilderment.

Some looked alarmed, while others bit their lower lips, as if they had already foreseen that this storm would be completely unleashed and difficult to quell.

A moment later, a group of imperial physicians, dressed in plain official robes, entered in single file, their steps hurried yet cautious.

The head of the academy, with his white hair and a calm demeanor that comes with the passage of time, stood out in his eyes.

Holding the medical box in his hands, he took the lead and walked to the imperial desk, where he knelt down.

The crowd behind them also knelt down in unison, shouting, "May Your Majesty be well!"

After they had risen, the head of the academy stepped forward and took out a silk handkerchief from the box.

He carefully wiped his hands before slowly extending three fingers and placing them on Xiao Muyao's wrist.

He closed his eyes slightly, held his breath, and focused intently.

The wrinkles on his forehead rose and fell with his thoughts, as if trying to capture the subtle clues in the pulse.

The other imperial physicians lined up in order and waited quietly.

His gaze was fixed on the point where the old imperial physician's fingertips met the emperor's pulse, his expression solemn, and he dared not utter a sound.

A moment later, a middle-aged imperial physician took over to take her pulse.

His technique was skillful; his fingertips pressed and moved lightly, occasionally tapping his chin as if confirming his judgment.

The only sounds in the entire hall were the rustling of robes and soft breathing.

The courtiers craned their necks, their eyes fixed intently on the imperial physicians' every move, as if awaiting a verdict.

The tense atmosphere felt like a tangible rope, tightening around everyone's throats and making it hard to breathe.

Next, the imperial physicians stepped forward one by one, their expressions solemn, their fingers resting on Xiao Muyao's wrist as if bearing a thousand pounds on their shoulders.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each pulse diagnosis a questioning of fate, the only sound in the hall being the heavy breathing of the inhabitants.

As the last imperial physician bowed and withdrew, the hearts of the officials below were in their throats.

The head of the academy stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and lowered his head.

The voice, barely audible yet clear to everyone, said: "Your Majesty, after repeated examinations, we have reached a consensus: Your Majesty... indeed has difficulty conceiving."

These words struck the court like a thunderbolt, instantly changing the expressions of the assembled officials.

One minister was stunned, speechless, as if he had been slapped hard in the face by this result, and stood there dumbfounded.

Some looked regretful, reflecting on how reckless they had been in their previous speculations and coercion of the Empress.

He was sweating profusely and secretly wiped his forehead with the corner of his sleeve.

Even more disturbingly, their bodies trembled slightly.

Feeling utterly dejected and filled with anxiety about the unknown future.

A deathly silence, like a layer of ice, briefly enveloped the court.

Some ministers stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with panic, their lips trembling, as if they wanted to refute but were choked by the facts.

Some clutched their heads, their bodies swaying as if struck by a heavy hammer, their carefully constructed "dream of offspring" shattered into dust.

All their hopes and expectations vanished, leaving them dejected and heartbroken, like a bird with broken wings that could no longer take flight.

Several elderly ministers leaned against their tablets, their legs trembling and almost kneeling.

A stream of cloudy tears welled up in his eyes, winding down his wrinkles as he murmured, "What can we do? How can the foundation of the nation be so threatened?"

His voice trembled and broke, filled with helplessness and despair.

The young officials were also pale-faced, whispering among themselves in bewilderment.

At this moment, everyone in the Golden Palace felt their spines ripped out by this result, leaving them utterly dejected.

Lingyan was equally surprised.

After all the imperial physicians left, she looked at Xiao Muyao, her eyes full of confusion and bewilderment.

After all, she knew his pulse very well; it was clearly a pulse that indicated he was capable of having children.

But now, why is it that all the imperial physicians have diagnosed her as being unable to conceive?

If he hadn't sought out a master to change his pulse...

So that is...

This was the outcome she least wanted to think about.

At this moment, the Golden Palace was like a boiling oil pot, with exclamations, whispers, and sighs swirling and churning, creating a chaotic and overwhelming atmosphere.

In contrast, Xiao Muyao, the person in question, sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression still calm and composed, as if the storm in the palace was a world away from him.

His eyes were calm as he swept over the distraught officials, showing neither sorrow nor joy, neither anger nor resentment.

After the ministers had vented their anger, Xiao Muyao cleared his throat and spoke in a steady voice, carrying an undeniable authority: "Therefore, my beloved ministers, do not blame the Empress any longer. It is I who am infertile."

These words were like a final hammer blow.

As the clamor subsided, the ministers stood frozen, their eyes filled with complex emotions as they looked up at His Majesty.

Finally, gritting his teeth, he reluctantly lowered his head.

Having held onto this obsession for so long, I can finally give up completely.

Because the Empress is the best doctor in the world.

If even someone of such skill cannot cure His Majesty, then there is probably no one else in the world who can cure His Majesty.

Moreover, they never imagined that His Majesty would collude with the imperial physicians to deceive them.

Because no matter which imperial physician it was, none of them could match the Empress's medical skills.

How could it possibly be fake?

Furthermore, they hadn't considered that the Empress might not care about having children.

What a joke! How could there be a woman in the world who doesn't want children?

It’s simply a fantasy!

Therefore, they never even considered this possibility, so they naturally believed the imperial physician's diagnosis and His Majesty's.

The next emperor will still be of the Xiao family royal bloodline.

With the careful guidance of His Majesty and Empress, he will surely not grow into a foolish ruler.

Now that the dynasty had a successor, they naturally said no more and were finally relieved.

Otherwise, what else can be done?

There were no other options.

...............

After the morning court session, sunlight streamed down the winding palace path.

Xiao Muyao walked with steady steps, but Ling Yan was anxious, her skirt fluttering like butterfly wings.

Upon entering Qian'an Palace, she didn't even have time to catch her breath.

She hurriedly approached Xiao Muyao, took his wrist, and focused on taking his pulse.

Her delicate fingers lightly touched the pulse, her brows furrowed, as she focused intently on tracing the clues in the pulse.

A moment later, the pulse felt like a cold curse, branding the cruel truth into her heart.

She swayed slightly, but managed to steady herself and looked up at the person in front of her.

His eyes were filled with fear and suspicion, and his lips trembled slightly.

After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "You also took sterilization drugs?"

Before she finished speaking, her eyes were already red, and tears welled up in them, threatening to spill over.

She stared intently at Xiao Muyao, as if trying to find a flaw or a denial in that familiar face.

But the other party calmly nodded, like a boulder thrown into a lake, completely shattering any remaining hope in her heart.

"How could...why are you so resolute?"

She murmured softly, her voice choked with emotion, and took a step back.

My heart was filled with an unbearable shock.

His throat felt blocked, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

She just stared at him blankly, her heart filled with shock like a surging tide, washing away her thoughts into pieces.

She knew he was protecting her, but she never imagined that, to silence gossip and gain the trust of others, he would...

Such a sacrifice is of paramount importance.

It struck her heart, leaving her in the quiet of the hall with only a deep sense of emotion for him and a complex mix of feelings she couldn't express.