68: You are not the emperor!

Chapter 68 You are not the Emperor!

"Oh? Immortal Master's Spell?"

Zheng Yi's expression stirred as he looked up and down at the person before him.

However, the doubt in his expression grew heavier and heavier.

An Immortal Master's Spell, is it supposed to look like this?

Or perhaps, witchcraft?

Also, why is this person's name so familiar?

Witchcraft and Gu?

Zheng Yi immediately said, "We are indeed quite interested in your Immortal Master Spell, Great Master. If that is truly the case, then We will spare you from the crime of lese-majesty."

"Furthermore, We can grant you a lifetime of glory and wealth!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhai Fang stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this commoner is skilled in the arts of self-cultivation and commanding spiritual insects. Behold!"

As soon as his voice fell, Zhai Fang patted the gourd at his waist, and a small white-cyan bug crawled out, secreting a trace of mucus on its body, and a strange fragrance instantly appeared in the air.

"This is the Fragrant Gu, which can emit a faint fragrance and has medicinal effects. Placing it on one's body can fill a radius of three zhang around oneself with fragrance, and it can also strengthen the body."

With another shake from him, another bug that was entirely black and red crawled out, looking like it had a hard shell.

"Your Majesty, please look, this is the Berserk Gu."

"Swallowing it can allow a Martial Artist to burst forth with triple the power in a short period of time. It is effective for all Martial Artists below the First Grade Realm."

Zhai Fang said, "After swallowing this Berserk Gu, even a First Grade Realm Martial Artist can deal with a Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist in a short time!"

As the words fell, Zheng Yi's gaze finally shifted.

Berserk Gu?

Enhancing a First Grade Realm Martial Artist's power by three times?

If this Gu could spread within the Great Yu army...

Another bug crawled out, shaped like a small snake, moving extremely fast.

"This is the Longevity Gu. The so-called Longevity Gu is something that can enhance a person's lifespan."

Zhai Fang's tone suddenly turned seductive as he said, "Swallowing one Longevity Gu can add one year to one's lifespan. Ten Longevity Gu mean ten years of lifespan!"

"Enhance lifespan?!"

At this, Zheng Yi's eyes shone even brighter. It can increase lifespan?

True or false?

"Can this bug truly increase lifespan?"

The Empress Dowager on the side asked in a low voice, her eyes full of yearning.

"Absolutely true!"

Zhai Fang continued, "This Immortal Master accidentally obtained an Immortal Master secret technique and refined Longevity Gu using special methods, totaling thirteen of them."

"Gu are the essence of heaven and earth, and only those with the most precious status in this world have the fortune to enjoy them."

"This bug was specially prepared by this Immortal Master for Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager!"

"Longevity Gu?"

Zheng Yi asked, "How can We know whether your Longevity Gu is true or false? If it is a harmful Gu bug..."

"How can Your Majesty doubt this Immortal Master?"

Zhai Fang instead said angrily, "This Immortal Master is endowed with immortal Spells, and this is destined by heaven. Your Majesty, please..."

Zheng Yi couldn't be bothered to entangle with him anymore and immediately said, "Men!"

"Present!"

Four Imperial Guards rushed in. These four were colleagues specially selected by Chen Hongxiu and Zhao Tieshan to guard His Majesty when they were not around.

All of them were at the Second Grade Martial Artist realm.

"If the Immortal Master still does not want to display immortal Spells, then don't blame Us for being impolite. Take him down!"

As the words fell, the four Imperial Guards drew their long sabers and surrounded Zhai Fang.

"Hehehe... Your Majesty, mere Mortals, yet you dare to draw swords against this Immortal Master?"

"Behold this Immortal Master's Heavenly Fire Spell!"

However, his figure quickly retreated, his mouth opened wide, and a small bug flew into his mouth.

Then he took a deep breath and spat fiercely towards the direction where the four Jinyi Guards were lunging.

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, a scorching flame was actually spat out from his mouth, and the leading Imperial Guard instinctively dodged to the side.

With a 'bang', the flame landed on the Eight Immortals table in the exact center of the bedchamber, instantly sending the table flying from the impact.

"Your Majesty, how is this? This is my..."

"What Heavenly Fire Spell, it is merely the Blazing Fire Gu of South Yue!"

The leading Imperial Guard let out an angry shout and twisted his body to lunge forward again.

Zhai Fang's expression changed slightly; there was actually someone who knew their stuff. His gaze immediately turned cold.

"Obstinate and unyielding, then don't blame this Immortal Master for being ruthless!"

As the words fell, a small black snake suddenly poked its head out from his collar, opened its mouth fiercely towards the direction of the Imperial Guards, and emitted a hissing sound.

"Hiss~!"

The next moment, the figures of the four Imperial Guards suddenly paused, instinctively covering their heads with their hands, gritting their teeth against the dizziness to avoid falling down.

"Startling Snake!"

The leading Imperial Guard fiercely bit the tip of his tongue, using the sharp pain to snap himself out of the dizziness. He took a large step forward, let out a muffled shout, and slashed his saber toward Zhai Fang.

"Puff!"

Zhai Fang's figure retreated explosively, but his wide garments were also slashed open by this person with a single stroke, revealing his emaciated body, looking extremely wretched.

The small snake on his chest was also slashed into two halves by the saber.

The few people who were originally panicked and dizzy immediately regained consciousness.

The Empress Dowager panicked: "Emperor, quickly make them stop. Great Master Zhai Fang came to treat this Empress Dowager's illness."

"We see that the Empress Dowager is in robust health, where does any illness come from."

Zheng Yi said coldly: "Besides, this person is merely a swindler playing tricks with South Yue Gu bugs, why keep him."

"Execute this person on the spot!"

"Understood!"

"You all are courting death!"

Zhai Fang was instantly enraged, patted his hands, and a black Gu bug resembling a woodlouse flew out from his embrace, landing in his hand.

"Originally I didn't want to use this Gu, but since you all are so impolite, don't blame this Immortal Master!"

"Dragon-Snake Gu, come forth for this Immortal Master!"

"Squeak~!"

The Gu bug in his hand emitted a series of startled cries, and the few people quickly stopped to observe carefully, also afraid of any accidents.

But bizarrely, the few people experienced no changes at all, nor did Zhai Fang undergo any changes.

It was just that the so-called 'Dragon-Snake Gu' in his hand suddenly started spinning around in his palm, crying out strangely with 'squeak, squeak, squeak'.

"What?!"

"There is no child-snake Gu here?"

"Impossible!"

"Prime Minister Yang said before that Emperor Zhengyong had long ago consumed the special Dragon-Snake Gu concocted by this old man. As long as this old man urges the mother-dragon Gu, Emperor Zhengyong will be under this old man's control!"

"Unless, you are not Emperor Zhengyong!"

As the words fell, the several guards didn't react much, but Zheng Yi's gaze changed slightly.

Zheng Yi sneered even more: "A Jianghu swindler stopping at nothing! We remember now, you are the remnants of Yang Reverse!"

"How dare you slander Us, execute you on the spot!"

"Understood!"

The leading Imperial Guard gave a loud shout, waking up his three colleagues, and immediately charged at Zhai Fang one after another with their sabers.

"Woe is me!"

Zhai Fang cursed inwardly, his hands suddenly pointing to both sides.

"Block them for this Immortal Master!"

"Puff!"

"Puff puff!"

Suddenly, the two little boy servants who had originally fled to the edge of the room and hid started crying out strangely. They both turned pitch black, and black scales grew out from their skin, actually transforming into half-man, half-bug Gu-men, lunging towards the Imperial Guards.

As for himself, he shook the gourds, leather bags, and vine cages worn on his body even harder.

In a split second, dozens of Gu bugs of various shapes fell all over the ground, rushing towards Zheng Yi with a 'rustling' sound.

Zheng Yi's mind was cautious as he took a step back.

Four little eunuchs' figures also appeared from the outside, guarding in front of Zheng Yi.

Just as this group of Gu bugs was about to approach Zheng Yi, the garments in front of his chest surged, and a blood-red bug suddenly drilled out.

Blood Moon Gu!

"Squeak!"

The Blood Moon Gu suddenly emitted a series of sharp chirps, and the bodies of the Gu bugs that were originally spreading all suddenly shook violently and stopped.

Some weak Gu bugs actually flipped over, strange cries came from their mouths, liquid flowed from their heads, and they were scared to death all of a sudden!

"Gu King?!"

Zhai Fang's expression changed drastically, exclaiming: "How could you have a Gu King?"

"No! It's a Spiritual Gu!"

"You actually have a Spiritual Gu...!"

Zheng Yi frowned and immediately flicked his hand: "Go!"

"Squeak...~!"

The Blood Moon Gu immediately shot out like a bolt of blood-colored lightning, instantly rushing in front of Zhai Fang.

"Damn it!"

Zhai Fang's figure retreated once more, his figure swayed, and several obviously stronger Gu bugs appeared on his body again.

Unfortunately, they were all bitten to death one by one by the Blood Moon Gu.

"Squeak~!"

"Puff!"

Suddenly, the Blood Moon Gu in mid-air opened its mouth and spat, and a blood-colored crescent moon light flickered out, shooting instantly into the center of Zhai Fang's brow.

The moonlight pierced through the center of Zhai Fang's brow, and hitting the wall behind him, it actually shot out a distinct crescent-shaped hole.

Suffering this heavy blow, Zhai Fang's body swayed, and ultimately he smashed heavily onto the ground, losing all breath.

Instant kill!

Upon its first strike, the Blood Moon Gu instantly killed Zhai Fang, who carried the Legacy of bizarre Gu bugs!

Without Zhai Fang's control, those two Gu-men also let out miserable screams and were successively slain by the Imperial Guards.

"Carry the corpse out! Collect everything on his body for Us."

"Understood!"

The few people quickly carried Zhai Fang's corpse out and cleaned the ground.

"Squeak~!"

The Blood Moon Gu also flew over and began to feast heartily on the Gu bugs on the ground.

After all, it was a Gu bug and loved devouring its own kind most of all.

"Bugs, bugs...!"

"So many bugs!"

"So many bugs out...!"

The Empress Dowager suddenly screamed, raised her hand tremblingly to point at the Blood Moon Gu devouring its own kind, and her body swayed as she fainted directly.

"Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager?"

Zheng Yi hurriedly hugged the Empress Dowager, called someone in, and placed her on the bed.

"Summon the imperial physician!"

"Understood!"

The imperial physician arrived quickly to diagnose and treat the Empress Dowager.

Yet Zheng Yi knitted his brows tightly and came to the main hall of Cining Palace.

"Call everyone in Cining Palace here!"

"Understood!"

Soon, eunuchs, palace maids, and matrons of all sizes in Cining Palace knelt all over the ground.

Zheng Yi asked coldly: "That Zhai Fang is a remnant of Yang Reverse. Exactly who brought him into the palace?"

"Y-Your Majesty, this servant, this servant doesn't know."

"this servant doesn't know either!"

"I-It seems to be Head Nurse Huazhi, s-someone saw her sneaking out of the palace and bringing back a man in black."

"Y-Yes, it's Head Nurse Huazhi, I saw her too!"

"Head Nurse Huazhi?" Zheng Yi frowned and asked, "Where is she?"

"I-I don't know."

"She was right here just now!"

"Search!"

"Understood!"

The Imperial Guards and eunuchs began searching the vast Cining Palace, and after a long while, they made a discovery.

"Y-Your Majesty, we found her!"

Before long, a guard walked in quickly, "Reporting to Your Majesty, we subordinates found the corpse of Head Nurse Huazhi in the lake in the back courtyard of Cining Palace."

"Judging from her corpse, the time of death was roughly an hour ago, which coincides precisely with the time we killed the rebel Zhai Fang!"

"The clues end right here?"

Zheng Yi's expression turned extremely unsightly, and he immediately asked, "Are there any other messages?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, none."

Zheng Yi took a deep breath, looked at the guard before him, and asked, "What is your name?"

This person was the Imperial Guard who was the first to recognize the Gu worm belonging to Zhai Fang's subordinate and personally killed Zhai Fang.

Suppressing his inner excitement, the guard hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate is Tang Cheng!"

"Tang Cheng?"

"How did you recognize the Gu worm?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate hails from Sichuan, and once traveled to Nanyue County for three years, which is why I am very familiar with some common Gu worms."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "Very well, from now on you shall be a First Grade Imperial Guard, commanding all Imperial Guards!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Tang Cheng immediately said, "This subordinate will certainly do my utmost to protect Your Majesty!"

Just at this moment, the imperial physician cautiously walked out, knelt on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has already woken up."

"Oh? How is Her Elder Majesty's health?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Her Ladyship the Empress Dowager has suffered from excessive worry, frequent dreams, palpitations, and shortness of breath, leading to irritability and a burning sensation in her five viscera. Now that she has suffered another heavy blow, I fear..."

"I fear what?"

"I fear she will need year-round quiet recuperation and can no longer endure exhaustion and worry."

Zheng Yi said, "Did the Empress Dowager contract Gu poison?"

"Contracted Gu poison?"

The imperial physician said in surprise, "Your Majesty, what happened to the Empress Dowager?"

Upon seeing Zheng Yi's icy gaze, this imperial physician finally reacted and hurriedly changed his words:

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Today, the Empress Dowager was assassinated by an assassin, contracted Gu poison, and fell unconscious."

"Th-This subject will formulate herbal medicine for the Empress Dowager right away."

"Very well."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "The Empress Dowager was harmed by assassins, and all palace servants in Cining Palace cannot escape their blame!"

"Chengen."

"this servant is here!"

Liu Chengen, who had rushed over hurriedly, hastily said, "How does Your Majesty intend to deal with this group of palace servants?"

"The Empress Dowager was assassinated, and all palace servants of Cining Palace cannot absolve themselves of complicity."

"Although the mastermind Head Nurse Huazhi is already dead, I suspect there are still accomplices among the palace servants of Cining Palace."

"Send them to the Inner Penal Department for strict interrogation. Without my command, they are not allowed to be released! No one is allowed to visit!"

"Understood!"

As soon as the words fell, the eunuchs and palace maids present all began to cry.

"Your Majesty, spare our lives! Your Majesty, spare our lives!"

"Your Majesty! this servant wants to report! this servant!"

"Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, save us!"

Waves of screams rang out, and these palace maids and eunuchs all wept and shouted, refusing to go to the Inner Penal Department.

Unfortunately, the guards outside the door had been waiting for a long time and dragged all these eunuchs and palace maids away.

The Inner Penal Department.

It was the institution in charge of punishments for palace maids and eunuchs in the inner palace. The number of punishments and instruments of torture there was horrifying, and not a single palace maid or eunuch could walk out of there intact.

It could be said that the Inner Penal Department was the Heavenly Prison specifically targeting eunuchs and palace maids!

Soon, the eunuchs and palace maids of Cining Palace were swept clean.

Zheng Yi said again, "Chengen, have the Ministry of Internal Affairs dispatch another batch of palace personnel into Cining Palace to properly take care of the Empress Dowager's daily life."

"Understood!"

In the inner palace, only the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace was secured as tightly as a bucket.

Usually, he had no way to insert Shadow Guards into it.

And this time, taking advantage of Zhai Fang's affair, he could purge Cining Palace and replace all its palace personnel with his own people.

By then inserting Shadow Guards as well, the entire inner palace would henceforth be placed under Zheng Yi's control.

Zheng Yi re-entered the bedchamber, where the Empress Dowager was drinking water tended by a nurse.

"Greetings, Mother."

Zheng Yi bowed and said, "How is Mother feeling?"

The Empress Dowager's expression was still somewhat listless, but she still struggled to sit up.

"My son, h-how is that assassin?"

"Mother, please rest assured, the assassin has already been executed. Since Mother's body is unwell, you must rest more."

Zheng Yi said, "The imperial physician just stated that Mother contracted the assassin's Gu poison, which is why you have felt excessive worry and palpitations with frequent dreams these past few days. Mother must pay more attention in the future and must never be harmed by malicious people."

"Sigh..."

The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly and said, "This mourner knows."

"Originally, this mourner had been suffering from insomnia and frequent dreams these past few days. Huazhi said she knew an extraordinary person whose talisman water could cure illnesses and whose medicine brought immediate recovery. Seeing that the medicine prescribed by Taiyuan Hospital was ineffective, this mourner had Huazhi bring this person into the palace."

"Unexpectedly, he turned out to be an assassin!"

Zheng Yi comforted, "Mother is blessed with boundless good fortune. That Gu poison is merely ordinary poison, and the imperial physicians can completely resolve it."

"These few days, Mother should rest in Cining Palace. Consort Duan will handle all matters of the inner palace, so Mother can rest assured."

"Moreover, that Huazhi has already committed suicide out of fear of crime."

"What? Huazhi committed suicide?"

"Sigh."

The Empress Dowager shook her head and suddenly asked, "That's right, Emperor, why did you suddenly come to Cining Palace today?"

"Mother, Consort Duan has perfected the matters of presiding over the selection of imperial concubines, leaving only the final selection stage."

Zheng Yi said, "I came to Cining Palace precisely to invite Mother to step forward, hold the imperial concubine selection ceremony in the Imperial Garden after Shangyuan Festival, and vet them for your child."

Speaking of this matter, the Empress Dowager's eyes lit up slightly.

"In this matter, this mourner is duty-bound and will naturally go when the time comes."

"Thank you, Mother."

Zheng Yi said, "Mother, please rest more. Later when the imperial physician delivers the medicine, I will order someone to feed it to Mother personally."

"Mm."

The Empress Dowager nodded, and Zheng Yi walked out.

Soon, the entire bedchamber grew quiet.

"Help this mourner up."

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the Empress Dowager spoke up, and the nurse beside her hurriedly helped the Empress Dowager up.

"Empress Dowager, your health?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "Help this mourner up!"

"Understood!"

Trembling, the Empress Dowager came to the desk, closed her eyes in deep thought, and said, "Grind the ink."

"Understood!"

The nurse ground the ink, and after meditating for a few breaths, the Empress Dowager picked up her brush and wrote: "Personally opened by Worthy Younger Brother, our Great Yu has been established for three hundred and fifty-eight years. With the ancestors above, the empire and state are all the more important."

"His Majesty is wise and brilliant, a youthful Son of Heaven who slays rebels and shakes the world, truly a lord of restoration."

"However, recently rumors suddenly arose that there is something amiss with the body of the current Son of Heaven."

Writing to the end, the Empress Dowager suddenly paused, but ultimately gritted her teeth and continued writing.

"We still hope that Worthy Younger Brother will investigate extensively outside, so as to protect our Great Yu's rivers and mountains from falling into the hands of malicious people!"

After finishing writing, the Empress Dowager breathed heavily, finally folded it up, and handed it to the nurse with utmost caution.

"Hua Cao, take this mourner's imperial edict, slip out of the palace under the cover of night, and hand it into the hands of Prince Xian, understand?"

Hua Cao paused. She had not clearly seen what the Empress Dowager had written, but she still nodded and said, "Understood!"

"Remember, you must personally hand it to Prince Xian. No one else is allowed to look at the letter!"

"Understood!"

Several hours later, approaching dawn, Hua Cao took the Empress Dowager's imperial edict and quietly sneaked out of the palace.

Just as she walked out of Cining Palace, she was suddenly intercepted by a figure.

Looking closely, it turned out to be a trusted Imperial Guard by the Emperor's side!

Hua Cao's willow eyebrows stood on end as she sternly reprimanded, "Who are you people? How dare you block my path?"

"Do you know who I am?"

Tang Cheng sneered and said, "This subordinate naturally knows who you are, but Your Majesty has given an order that all palace servants in Cining Palace are related to the assassination of the Empress Dowager."

"For the safety of the Empress Dowager, all palace servants of Cining Palace will be dealt with by the Inner Penal Department!"

"What? Audacious!"

"Take her down!"

"Insolent! I am the Empress Dowager's person! Ah! Someone come quickly!"

"Cover her mouth! Take her down! Quickly take her down!"

Two Imperial Guards rushed forward and subdued Hua Cao in two or three moves, pinning her to the ground.

And Tang Cheng even retrieved an envelope from her waist, sealed with red wax.

Daring not to make decisions on his own, he quickly came to Qiankun Hall and handed it over.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, just as Your Majesty anticipated, a palace servant from Cining Palace quietly sneaked out of the palace taking advantage of the early morning. It is precisely Father-in-law Hua Cao, who attends closely to the Empress Dowager."

Tang Cheng respectfully said, "Furthermore, this subordinate searched a secret letter from her body!"

Taking the secret letter and looking at the red wax seal on it, Zheng Yi nodded and opened it.

Reading through the secret letter at a glance, he finished reading it.

"Wanting to find Prince Xian?"

"What a pity, there is no chance anymore."

Saying this, he placed the secret letter in his hand over the candle and ignited it. The flames flickered, and it quickly turned to ashes.

"Tang Cheng, you have done well. I naturally have rewards."

"Watch Cining Palace well!"

"Understood! This subordinate obeys!"

The previous chapter was reviewed, and I don't know if this chapter will survive. Asking for monthly votes for support.