The Emperor managed to hold on for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn. The Empress Dowager also anxiously went to hug and comfort him. But in the end, the Emperor was controlled by the่่ซ (gu worm).
When the flute music stopped, the Emperor suddenly sat up, his face devoid of emotion, his gaze vacant. He lowered his head, like a walking corpse, his mind gone.
But as soon as Prince Ning blew the bamboo flute, the Emperor would abruptly raise his head, his sharp eyes fixed on the front, his gaze filled with ferocity, brimming with immense anger and hatred, appearing incredibly sinister and terrifying, sending chills down one's spine.
Even the Empress Dowager was frightened by the Emperor's expression.
"Your Majesty, what is wrong with you?"
The Empress Dowager gently caressed the Emperor's cheek out of concern. Unexpectedly, the Emperor pushed her away.
This caused the Empress Dowager to be flung directly to the ground. Prince Ning, however, let out a sinister laugh.
"Haha..."
"This puppet gu is indeed more effective than the beauty gu."
"Prince Ning, do not harm your father!" The Empress Dowager, enduring the pain, slowly sat up from the ground and loudly rebuked Prince Ning.
"Imperial Grandmother, please rest assured, this prince will not harm him. I merely wish to use my father's hand to eliminate my other brothers, such as the eldest, second, fifth, and sixth..."
Prince Ning wickedly hooked the corner of his lips and then smiled sinisterly.
"You are truly a madman. Those are your own brothers! How can you lay such a wicked hand upon them?"
At this moment, the Empress Dowager was utterly terrified by Prince Ning's words.
Prince Ning had now completely gained control of the Emperor. If he truly used the Emperor's hand to extend the sharp blade towards her grandsons, the consequences would be unimaginable.
This reminded her of the scene where she had assisted her son in the struggle for succession. What she hadn't expected was that the events of that year would repeat themselves among her descendants.
Oh heavens!
What is to be done?
Back then, although they as mother and son had won the world, they had not laid a wicked hand upon the previous Emperor's children who had not rebelled.
If this Prince Ning were to win the throne, it would be a catastrophe for the imperial family.
Han'er, Li'er!
Do you two know what has happened in the palace right now?
Quickly come and save your father!
Afterward, Prince Ning paid no attention to the Empress Dowager's scolding.
He then blew the bamboo flute again. The Emperor, who had been sitting on the couch, suddenly stood up from the recliner. His gaze was terrifying, his demeanor fierce. He walked to the Empress Dowager and kicked her several times, causing her to cry out in agony, screaming repeatedly.
"My son, I am your mother!"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor paused slightly, his gaze momentarily returning to normal.
Seeing this, Prince Ning blew the bamboo flute again. Then, the Emperor's fierce gaze returned, but this time, instead of kicking the Empress Dowager, he directly extended his arm and threw a punch at her. The Empress Dowager spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, nearly losing consciousness, her face turning pale.
Finally, the Emperor walked to Prince Ning and cupped his hands respectfully, saying, "Master, this puppet slave is willing to follow your lead!"
The Empress Dowager, overhearing the Emperor's words, was so enraged that she coughed up more blood, her face as pale as a sheet of white paper.
"Haha..."
"Puppet slave, you have done well. Tomorrow, this prince will see your performance."
"Alright, now return to the recliner and rest. I shall be going out as well."
With that said, the Emperor, now a puppet slave, turned back and lay down on the recliner, his eyes closing tightly as if he were truly asleep, not even glancing at the Empress Dowager whom he had injured.
Immediately after, Prince Ning glanced at the severely injured Empress Dowager lying on the ground, let out a cold snort, and left the secret chamber.
It was only then that the Empress Dowager slowly sat up from the ground, activated the switch on the white jade bracelet she wore on her left wrist, and took out a detox pill and a pill to treat her injuries from the bracelet. She then resolutely swallowed the pill for her injuries and restored the white jade bracelet to its original state.
The medicinal pills within her white jade bracelet were all life-saving medications developed by that girl Li'er. Even this white jade bracelet was specially designed for her by Li'er. She hadn't expected it to be of use so soon.
Originally, she and the Emperor had each carried two bottles of such medication in their sleeves. However, when the mother and son were locked in the secret chamber, all their belongings were confiscated by that beast, Prince Ning.
She was fortunate that she was still able to wear this white jade bracelet. Otherwise, with her current injuries, if she hadn't received any treatment, she wouldn't have survived for many days.
After the Empress Dowager consumed the life-saving pills given to her by Leng Ruo Li, her complexion improved significantly after a short while, and her injuries no longer pained her as much.
Thus, the Empress Dowager crawled to the Emperor and placed the detox pill in his mouth. It melted upon contact. She didn't know if this detox pill would have any effect on the Emperor's gu poison, but after giving it to him, she felt a bit of comfort in her heart.
After a moment, the Empress Dowager, exhausted, collapsed onto the ground and fell asleep.
Meanwhile, the Cold King and his wife were frantically searching the imperial palace. They were almost driven mad trying to find the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
As dawn approached, they still hadn't found any clues.
"Li'er, dawn is breaking. We can't keep wandering aimlessly in the imperial palace like this. Let's find a place to hide and think of a plan."
"Alright, then let's go hide in Mother Consort's palace."
Jun Mohan nodded at her words.
"Good! Let's head there now."
Subsequently, the two slipped into the palace where the Imperial Noble Consort had resided during her lifetime.
"Jun Mohan, where do you think Prince Ning has locked the Emperor and the Empress Dowager? We've searched the entire imperial palace, and I've even deployed Little Xue Gu, but we still haven't found any trace of them."
"I suspect Prince Ning has locked Father Emperor and Imperial Grandmother in some secret chamber within the palace."
"Mm, that's highly probable," Leng Ruo Li agreed.
"Then what do we do now? I wonder how the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are faring."
As Leng Ruo Li spoke, she suddenly let out a sigh.
"Let's think of a way together!"
Jun Mohan's slightly furrowed brow tightened even more.
On the other side, in the Chaoyang Palace.
Except for Prime Minister Qin and Prince Ning, who knew of the major upheaval in the palace last night and were now beaming with joy, the other court officials entered the Chaoyang Palace as usual, standing neatly in two long lines.
After all the princes and ministers had taken their positions, Eunuch Li, holding a horsetail whisk, walked in from the rear hall. With a sharp, reedy voice, he declared expressionlessly, "The Emperor has arrived!"
Following this, the Emperor slowly emerged from beside Eunuch Li.