CHAPTER 234: CHAPTER 234: PLAINCLOTHES

The Emperor lay on the bed, his face pale, with anger flickering in his eyes.

"You’ve said everything that needs to be said!"

"What did I say?!" the Emperor gritted his teeth.

Marquis Dongxiang smiled, "I understand the Emperor’s frailty, so I spoke on your behalf. But since you still have plenty of energy, just pretend I said nothing."

The Emperor was so furious he wished he could eliminate him.

He had never seen such an insolent minister!

Eunuch Fu felt sorry for the Emperor.

With such a serious injury, Marquis Dongxiang was still deliberately provoking the Emperor.

What kind of grudge could this possibly be?

Ah, the Emperor had not made Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion a princess, as Marquis Dongxiang wished...

Eunuch Fu’s face turned pale, "Your Majesty, we should return to the palace."

Anywhere near Marquis Dongxiang certainly wouldn’t be conducive to healing.

One might even sustain additional internal injuries.

Better to stay far away.

"I will escort His Majesty back to the palace," Marquis Dongxiang said.

Eunuch Fu, "..."

The Emperor was attacked, and once the news spread, those ministers would surely flock to the Great Buddha Temple, causing trouble.

Besides, the Great Buddha Temple couldn’t be compared to the safety of the Imperial Palace.

It would be more reassuring to return early.

The Shadow Guard assisted the Emperor out of bed; as they left the meditation room, a little monk brought the vegetarian meal.

The aroma of the food was enticing.

Xingxing swallowed her saliva, looking at Su Jin, "Miss, I just ordered over a dozen vegetarian dishes."

Su Jin was also a bit hungry and said, "Then let’s eat before we leave."

Whatever Su Jin wanted to do, Marquis Dongxiang usually wouldn’t oppose it.

The assassins were targeting the Emperor. Having failed, they wouldn’t send anyone again, so there was no danger.

But Marquis Dongxiang was still worried and left two servants to escort the Emperor back to the palace.

Su Jin went back with Xie Jingchen and the others to eat the vegetarian meal.

Such a carefree young lady, Xie Jingchen had no words to say.

Thinking about the sword the assassin had swung at Su Jin made Xie Jingchen’s back shiver with fear even now.

Su Jin, chewing on some food, looked at him and asked, "How did you know we were attacked?"

They returned by the main road.

The Bodhi Tree was quite far from the path up the mountain, and with people coming and going, the sound of the fight was basically inaudible.

She didn’t believe they had some kind of telepathic connection.

Xie Jingchen picked some vegetables for her and said, "In your first solo visit to pay respects, the maid showed me the bamboo tube."

As soon as the green smoke appeared, it was certainly a matter of life and death, a ten-thousand urgency, and it demanded him, this son-in-law, to rush to the rescue.

So upon seeing the green smoke, he had no hesitation in rushing over.

One must say, Marquis Dongxiang was truly concerned about his daughter. Judging by how fast he arrived at the Great Buddha Temple, Xie Jingchen had no doubts he came at a breakneck pace.

Xie Jingchen had another doubt—

That was the Bodhi Tree.

Why did the Emperor repeatedly come to the Great Buddha Temple to see the Bodhi Tree?

It provided Marquis Dongxiang with the chance to deceive him and the assassins the opportunity to strike.

As Xie Jingchen was lost in thought, Su Jin was thoroughly enjoying her meal.

The vegetarian dishes at the Great Buddha Temple were exceedingly tasty; Su Jin had been frightened today and used delicious food to calm her nerves.

After eating her fill, she took a stroll around the Great Buddha Temple before heading home.

In the Imperial Palace.

The news that the Emperor was attacked outside the palace and seriously injured spread like wildfire.

As soon as the Emperor returned to Taihe Palace, the concubines came to visit.

They were stopped by the little eunuch at the door, who said, "Please return, esteemed ladies."

"We want to see the Emperor," the concubines cried.

"The Emperor needs peace to recuperate. Once he recovers, he will naturally see you. The Emperor is in a foul mood and might even send someone to clear their mind in the Cold Palace," the little eunuch urged sincerely.

Eunuch Fu was also injured.

Without Eunuch Fu’s imposing presence, he couldn’t keep the concubines in check.

However, having been by Eunuch Fu’s side for years, he’d learned a thing or two.

By speaking a bit harsher, he managed to intimidate some of the concubines.

But only those of lower rank. The Empress Dowager and Empress weren’t so easily intimidated.

Indeed.

They didn’t even regard the little eunuch, walking into the hall without hesitation, leaving the young eunuch too scared to stop them.

Inside the hall, the Imperial Physician was taking the Emperor’s pulse.

The Empress Dowager rushed in eagerly, asking, "How is the Emperor?"

The Imperial Physician withdrew his hand and replied, "The Emperor is blessed. Though poisoned, the toxin has been neutralized, and the wounds treated well. With three to five days of rest, he can get out of bed; in half a month, he will recover completely."

The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief.

Gazing at the Emperor, she frowned, "Weren’t you having a headache? Why did you leave the palace?"

"I was just going out for a walk," the Emperor said indifferently.

"The Emperor, as the Sovereign, bears the responsibility of the people. You shouldn’t risk it all for the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion. If something happens to you, not even ten Dongxiang Marquis Mansions could bear the consequence!" The Empress Dowager’s eyes turned cold.

The Emperor furrowed his brows slightly.

"Who informed the Empress Dowager that I risked my safety for the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion?" the Emperor queried.

"Isn’t it so?" the Empress retorted.

The Emperor fell silent.

Eunuch Fu said, "The Empress has misunderstood."

"If it weren’t for the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, the Emperor could have been in grave danger," Eunuch Fu explained.

The Empress’s face turned darker than ink.

"I’m tired. Everyone, leave," the Emperor said, weary.

The Empress, displeased, bowed in salute.

Then the Emperor added, "Leave the matter of rewarding the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion to the Empress."

The Empress’s face turned as ugly as it could get.

The Emperor lay on the Dragon Couch, lost in thought.

His brows furrowed.

The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion had helped bandage his wound; the Antidote Pills were also hers.

The young master of Duke Zhen had been seriously poisoned and couldn’t exercise martial arts, lest he would cough blood and faint. He was well aware of this.

But today, facing the assassins, he didn’t appear poisoned at all.

Could it be that his poison was cured?

Did the daughter of Marquis Dongxiang help detoxify him?

How did Marquis Dongxiang’s daughter possess such extraordinary medical skills?

The Shadow Guard appeared and said, "Your Majesty, I saw the Taoist who told your fortune on the day."

"Where?" the Emperor asked.

"He was involved in saving you today," the Shadow Guard replied.

"He arrived shortly after the young master of Duke Zhen, dressed in plain clothes, and possesses formidable martial arts skills," the Shadow Guard stated.

There was something the Shadow Guard wasn’t sure whether to report.

The maid of the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen recognized the Taoist and called him "Uncle Li" joyfully.

Although he had changed his clothes, the Shadow Guard was certain he wasn’t mistaken.

The words the Taoist had said to the Emperor then, the Shadow Guard remembered clearly.

If he was not mistaken, the Taoist was someone from Marquis Dongxiang’s pretending.

He spotted the green smoke set off by the maid of the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen and came to assist.

However, the one he saved was the Emperor.

He seemed more loyal to the Emperor than to the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion.

The Shadow Guard couldn’t fathom it.

Eunuch Fu was very excited and looked at the Emperor, "That Taoist is Your Majesty’s lucky star, his fortune-telling is extremely accurate. Why not keep him to tell your fortune again?"

The Shadow Guard, "..."

Being deceived once by a fake Taoist wasn’t enough, and they wanted to be tricked again?

Although the Taoist had no ill intentions, deceiving the monarch is a capital offense.

Weighing it carefully.

The Shadow Guard decided to keep this matter secret for the moment.

"The Taoist’s martial arts were superb; I couldn’t stop him," the Shadow Guard said.

"What a pity," Eunuch Fu said regretfully.

"..."