Blossom in Adversity

C161. Kinship Between Uncle and Nephew.

Chapter 161: Kinship Between Uncle and Nephew

Lai Fu tiptoed in and reported directly to Gu Yanxi, "Your Highness, the Taoist master has been brought into the palace. Where shall we take him?"

"Bring him here," Gu Yanxi replied.

The Emperor chuckled wryly. Was he being treated like a mere ornament?

"Have you found anything?"

*Gu Yanxi donned his mask, his voice altering slightly, "There's something I suspect, but I need confirmation."

Just then, a figure completely swaddled in a bedsheet was carried in. The door closed, and the bedsheet was pulled away, revealing the bound and gagged Taoist master. His overly expressive eyes widened in shock upon seeing where he was and who he was facing.

"Xiao Wu, give him a proper welcome," Gu Yanxi ordered.

Xiao Wu grinned and cracked his knuckles, walking forward. With a brutality that spoke of practiced skill, he rained down blows on the Taoist master's abdomen. Muffled whimpers escaped from behind the gag as the Taoist pleaded for mercy with his eyes.

The Emperor watched this scene impassively, as if it were no more than a passing spectacle. He returned to Gu Yanxi's memorial and resumed reading, seemingly unaffected by the commotion.

Xiao Wu finally stopped when the Taoist master's eyes rolled back and he appeared to be on the verge of unconsciousness. His blows were calculated to inflict excruciating pain without causing permanent injury. The Taoist would remember this.

Gu Yanxi set down his teacup, "Have you brought the pills?"

"Yes," Lai Fu replied, handing over a pouch.

Gu Yanxi opened it and counted the pills. "A hundred."

"Naturally, any pill daring enough to be presented to His Majesty must be a panacea. Here, feed them to the Taoist master," Gu Yanxi said with a chilling smile. "All of them."

The Emperor glanced at his nephew but said nothing. He simply lowered the memorial and watched, allowing Gu Yanxi to orchestrate the scene.

"Have mercy..." The celestial master's throat was skillfully held by Xiao Wu, allowing him to breathe but unable to utter a word.

The pills fed to him didn't need water to be taken, as Xiao Wu easily pushed them down. When a third of the pills were swallowed, the celestial master began to retch and struggled with all his might, desperately trying to break free and bow before the emperor, shaking his head vigorously.

No one paid him any mind as the pills continued to be fed into his mouth, until the bag was empty and only then were the people holding him released.

He didn't care anymore, his fingers reaching into his throat to forcefully vomit, spewing all over the imperial study. Some of the pills were intact, while others showed signs of dissolution, but compared to what he had ingested, they were too few. He was about to continue, but his hand was grabbed, and looking up, he saw the person who had struck him earlier. He was so scared that he scrambled away, unable to see even a trace of the dignified man he once was.

The emperor looked disdainfully at the celestial master who was once dignified and revered. He had avoided meeting him before, but his extraordinary appearance had deceived him.

"Feed him back the vomited pills, gag him, and tie him up."

"I won't eat anymore, I won't eat anymore! Eating more will kill me. Ask me anything, I'll tell you everything!"

Gu Yanxi adjusted his clothes, a smile playing on his lips. "I don't need to know anything from you. I just want to see if this elixir can really bring the dead back to life and turn flesh into bone. I'm looking forward to seeing you, celestial master... ascend to immortality."

"I won't..." Before he could finish his sentence, his mouth was tightly gagged. Xiao Wu tied him to a pillar in the study, no matter how he struggled, it was futile.

No one spoke, cold eyes staring at the celestial master as he writhed in pain, his features contorted, his throat convulsing in agony, his whole body spasming, his face golden. They watched as he lost control of his bodily functions, filling the room with a foul odor, his eyes dilated, losing focus, his head tilting back, not knowing if he was alive or dead...

"Enough!" The emperor closed his eyes. "Take him away."

Xiao Wu glanced at the Shizi, then picked up the man with a look of disgust and left. Lai Fu quickly cleaned up the room and then brought in a plate of incense before standing guard at the door.

Gu Yanxi was satisfied with the outcome, removing his mask and kneeling silently towards his uncle, who was both his emperor and the one who had cared for him for so many years.

The emperor opened his eyes to look at the top of his nephew's head, feeling a myriad of emotions as he got up from behind the desk, gently helping him up and patting his shoulder. He promised, "I understand now, I will never touch it again in the future."

Gu Yanxi nodded and thanked him, but in his heart, he had already decided that there would never be another celestial master in the capital. If anyone dared to set foot in the capital again, he would chop off their feet, left foot for left foot, right foot for right foot!

The emperor let out a long sigh. If it weren't for his declining health, he would never have taken this step. Most of the members of the Gu family lived long lives, but once they ascended to high positions, their lifespan would inevitably shorten. The emperor was no exception, and the same held true for the leaders of the Seven Stars Bureau.

When his time came, he would leave a testament for Yanxi, grooming someone to take his place and handle his responsibilities, allowing him to live out his days in peace.

"If Little Liu takes a liking to you, let him follow you. He doesn't need to return to the palace," the emperor said, implying...

"Concubine Zhen is clever, so there's no reason her son should be foolish. He simply takes after his mother in avoiding conflicts. Teach him well, and if he can take over your responsibilities in the future, I will be at ease."

"Little Liu isn't ruthless enough. He won't be able to handle it."

"Were you ruthless in the beginning? Born into the imperial family, even if you're just a cat, you're still a cat that eats raw meat. You sharpened his claws, and he can still harm others."

Gu Yanxi’s mind raced, understanding his uncle's implied message that if he accepted, he would no longer have to oversee Little Liu's actions in the future. It would be more convenient. So, he nodded in agreement, "I understand."

The emperor looked slightly pleased, but as he opened his mouth to speak, he forgot what he wanted to say. His expression changed slightly, wondering if this was the effect of the elixir?

If so, then those who lured him into taking it...

Ah, they knew him so well. They anticipated he would keep it from Yanxi, they knew he couldn't resist temptation. The only thing they miscalculated was that just by smelling it, Yanxi could tell that something was wrong.

"Uncle Emperor?"

"It's nothing." The emperor walked back to the long table. "Investigate this matter thoroughly, regardless of who is involved, show no mercy."

"As you command."

The shrill voice of Eunuch Lai Fu sounded from outside the door, "Your Majesty, Shao Yao has arrived."

"Let her in."

Shao Yao, wearing a veil and carrying her medicine box, stood at the door, wrinkling her nose at a foul smell.

Upon entering the room, her eyes shifted from Yan Ge to the emperor. She removed her veil and knelt on one knee, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

It was a gesture of a warrior!

The emperor looked at this child, whose appearance was truly pitiful, and remembered the time when she proudly brandished her spear and declared with determination, "I will become the first female general of the Great Daqing Dynasty, protecting the Gu family's territory, and the people of the dynasty!"

Since then, she never knelt down, even if she chose to forget, her body still remembered some habits.