The three walked into the imperial study and immediately bowed to the Emperor.
Jun Mohan and Leng Ruoli: "Your unworthy son (daughter-in-law) pays respects to Father Emperor!"
Jian Feng: "Your unworthy servant pays respects to Your Majesty!"
The Emperor scrutinized the three of them and, seeing they were all well, breathed a sigh of relief.
He then spoke calmly, "What about that scoundrel?"
"Reporting to Father Emperor, that scoundrel has also been killed by your unworthy son," Jun Mohan said truthfully.
"Good, well done!" The Emperor nodded slightly.
Afterward, the Emperor's gaze shifted to Jian Feng, saying, "Jian Feng, I have a task for you. Tomorrow morning, you will convey my decree to the Ministry of Works and have the Vice Minister arrange for people to seal off the dungeon in the Cold Palace. Do this secretly and without attracting attention."
"Yes, your unworthy servant understands!" Jian Feng replied respectfully.
"If you understand, you may withdraw," the Emperor waved his hand, indicating he could leave.
"Yes, your unworthy servant takes his leave first!" Jian Feng bowed to the Emperor and turned to exit the imperial study.
After Jian Feng left, the Emperor looked at the Cold King and his consort with concern and slowly asked, "Rili, has the wolf poison in Han'er's body been worsening?"
"Reporting to Father Emperor, the Cold King's wolf poison has indeed become very serious," Leng Ruoli answered truthfully.
"Rili, do you have a way to cure the wolf poison in the Cold King's body?" the Emperor asked again.
"Yes!" Leng Ruoli replied with confidence.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's tiger eyes widened, and he looked at her with disbelief.
"Rili, are you telling the truth?" the Emperor confirmed again.
"Reporting to Father Emperor, your daughter-in-law speaks the truth, but to cure the Cold King's wolf poison, we must find two extremely rare medicinal herbs," Leng Ruoli answered seriously.
Hearing this, a flicker of hope ignited in the Emperor's heart, which had previously lost all hope. If Han'er were to perish at such a young age, he would have no face to meet Han'er's mother in the afterlife.
"Rili, tell your Father Emperor what herbs are needed. I will dispatch people to search for them," the Emperor asked anxiously.
"Father Emperor, these two herbs are not easy to find. One grows near an active volcano, and the other grows on a thousand-year-old frozen snow mountain. Even if you send people to these places, it will not be easy to find them unless they are destined to do so," Leng Ruoli explained calmly to the Emperor.
"What exactly are the herbs?" The Emperor frowned, looking suspicious after hearing this. He had lived for over forty years and had seen many rare medicinal herbs, but he had never heard of finding herbs based on destiny.
"One is the Fire Ganoderma, and the other is the Snow Root Orchid," Leng Ruoli replied.
"Fire Ganoderma, Snow Root Orchid. I've never even heard of these two herbs. Do such herbs truly exist in this world?" The Emperor looked bewildered, and the faint hope that had just arisen was instantly extinguished by a bucket of ice water.
"They do. Your daughter-in-law once saw them in an ancient medical book," Leng Ruoli mused.
"Then, do you two plan to embark on a long journey yourselves to find these herbs?" the Emperor asked again.
"Yes, Father Emperor. After we settle our affairs in the coming days, we plan to depart," the couple nodded, and Jun Mohan slowly spoke, informing the Emperor of their plan.
"Very well, I understand. Take more people with you and be careful on your journey!"
"Thank you, Father Emperor. We will be cautious!" Jun Mohan and Leng Ruoli bowed to the Emperor.
"Alright, you may both return," the Emperor immediately dismissed them. Jun Mohan and Leng Ruoli left the imperial study at once.
After they had gone for a while, the Emperor slowly walked out of the imperial study, his hands clasped behind his back. He stood straight in the corridor, gazing intently in the direction the two had disappeared, his eyes instantly reddening. Yi Yun, if you are watching from the heavens, please bless their journey and ensure they return safely.
—
In the Prince of Qing's mansion, Jun Moyao was flirting with his concubine in the room. Although he had lost the ability to procreate, he was still lost in the pleasures of romance. Just then, a sound of hurried footsteps arrived outside Jun Moyao's room.
"Your Highness, something's wrong. The Empress is in trouble," his personal guard Zuo Qing knocked on the door and said.
Hearing this, Jun Moyao immediately stopped what he was doing. "Zuo Qing, what did you just say?" Jun Moyao thought he had misheard.
"Your subordinate just received news from the palace. I heard that the Emperor has stripped the Empress of her Imperial Seal and imprisoned her in the Phoenix Residing Palace under the guard of the Imperial Guards." Zuo Qing recounted the news he had heard without omitting a single detail to Jun Moyao.
Upon hearing this, Jun Moyao pushed the alluring concubine he was holding into the bed, and she let out a scream, which only made Jun Moyao more agitated. Jun Moyao quickly put on his clothes, turned and walked out of the room, leaving a sentence for the guards outside the door: "I find that little slut in the room displeasing. I'll give her to you few to play with. Make her scream for a few days if possible."
"Yes, Your Highness, your subordinate obeys!" The guards standing outside the room replied excitedly. The concubine in the room immediately ran out to beg the Prince of Qing for mercy, but as soon as she stepped out of the room, the guards outside blocked her path. Seeing the lecherous glares on their faces, she instantly felt her heart turn to ash. If the Prince of Qing had given her to these guards to toy with, would she even survive? Jun Moyao, along with Zuo Qing and a few other guards, quickly exited the gates of the Prince of Qing's mansion and rode towards the imperial palace.
—
An hour later, Jun Moyao arrived hastily outside the Emperor's sleeping quarters.
"Eunuch Li, this prince wishes to see Father Emperor. Please help me inform him," Jun Moyao said politely to Eunuch Li.
"Prince Qing, it is not that this old servant is unwilling to inform you, but the Emperor has issued a strict order that no one is to disturb his rest unless it is a matter of utmost urgency," Eunuch Li said with a troubled expression.
"But this prince truly has something to request of Father Emperor!" Jun Moyao said anxiously.
"Prince Qing, this old servant is truly powerless! The Emperor has issued a death order to everyone that anyone who trespasses into the Emperor's sleeping quarters, regardless of who they are or their status, will be dragged out and beheaded." Eunuch Li conveyed the Emperor's exact words to Jun Moyao.
Hearing this, Jun Moyao's spirit immediately sagged. Although he desperately wanted to rescue his mother, he prioritized his own life. As Jun Moyao was at a loss, he immediately knelt at the entrance to the Emperor's sleeping quarters. No matter how Eunuch Li tried to persuade him, he persisted in kneeling outside the door, pleading for his mother. However, the Emperor remained deaf to the voices outside his sleeping quarters. At this moment, the Emperor was lost in thought, gazing at a portrait in his hand. The purple-eyed woman in the portrait was Jun Mohan's mother, the woman he loved most in his life. Alas, she had met an untimely end, sacrificing her life to save him years ago.