Blossom in Adversity

C162. Yan Xi, You are to be the Crown Prince!

Chapter 162: Yan Xi, You are to be the Crown Prince!

Gu Yanxi cleared his throat, bringing the Emperor back to attention. "You may rise," the Emperor said.

Shao Yao stood up and looked towards Yan Ge, giving a slight nod in return. She approached with a medicine box, placing a small medicine pillow on the broad armrest and patting it gently.

The Emperor chuckled as he placed his hand on the pillow. Shao Yao's methods were unconventional; she first checked his pulse before observing, smelling, and questioning. She concluded, "Let the Emperor know that there is no miraculous medicine in this world that will show immediate effects. Any medicine claiming such benefits comes at the cost of harming the body."

Shao Yao returned the pillow to the box and continued, "If this Golden Elixir truly lives up to its reputation, why do so-called celestial masters wander around acting superior, when they could simply live as immortals with their daily meals? Why tangle with worldly affairs?"

The worldly Emperor...

"You have not been taking this medicine for long, and despite the damage, I am confident in being able to help," Shao Yao suddenly changed the subject. "Do you have any difficulty remembering things lately?"

“Oh…” Caught off guard, the Emperor glanced at Gu Yanxi, who was already looking at him, his expression darkening.

The Emperor nodded at Shao Yao, who showed no fear. "This elixir is more potent than any I have seen before. Based on my previous experiences, it should not be harming your body so quickly. Yan Ge, do you have the elixir? Show it to me."

Gu Yanxi glanced at his uncle and said, "Ren Ba."

Ren Ba entered and handed over several embroidered boxes. The Emperor looked away, knowing these were the ones he had hidden.

Shao Yao picked up one, sniffed it, and immediately frowned. She took two boxes and stood up. "Give me a room, I need to study these."

Gu Yanxi knew things were not looking good from Shao Yao's expression. He quickly instructed Lai Fu to take her to the adjoining room, and told the physician who had been waiting outside with a stack of medical records to follow her, in case she had any questions.

The uncle and nephew exchanged a glance, their hearts sinking.

Nearly two hours later, Shao Yao emerged from the room. "The proportions in this elixir are four times stronger than any I have seen before."

In the study, the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.

After a while, the Emperor asked, "If I have been taking it for a while..."

"How many pills do you take in a day now?" Before the Emperor could answer, Shao Yao continued, "Initially two a day, then increasing to three, four, possibly even five. If I'm correct, you should be taking six a day now."

The Emperor silently acknowledged.

"The dosage will continue to increase. If you miss a dose, you will experience fatigue, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, and even memory loss. I suspect you are already experiencing these symptoms."

The Emperor's clenched his hands tightly, unable to control the tremor. He whispered, "Can these symptoms be alleviated?"

"They can," Shao Yao replied.

But the damage done was irreversible. Upon understanding the ingredients and proportions of the Golden Elixir, she knew it was a death sentence.

Gu Yanxi asked solemnly, "Why did the court physician not notice anything unusual?"

"I have already detained him. No need for further torture. Leave him to me for experimentation. Additionally, I need to review the Emperor's recent diet."

Lai Fu understood and quickly left, bowing as he departed.

The palace was about to undergo a drastic change!

During the wait, Shao Yao was also busy. She carefully checked the Emperor's pulse once more, daringly drawing a bit of his blood for analysis before pondering to herself.

Gu Yanxi had already gone through the entire situation in his mind and got up to head to the adjacent room.

"Summon Qu Qi to see me."

Qu Qi arrived dressed in court attire, bowing respectfully before Gu Yanxi like any other attendant in the palace.

"Have there been any abnormalities with Second Prince recently?" Gu Yanxi inquired.

Qu Qi pondered briefly and shook his head. "I have not observed anything unusual."

Gu Yanxi also considered Second Prince to be the least suspicious, as First Prince and Third Prince were more powerful. Fourth Prince, being newly in the spotlight, was not far behind due to his strong external family support. Moreover, his mother, Noble Consort Hui, was not favored and held no influence in the court.

"Go investigate First Prince, no, wait." Gu Yanxi's brows furrowed in a cold expression. "Utilize palace resources to investigate Consort Rong, Consort Liang, and Imperial Concubine Xu. I want to know who they have met recently and if there have been any unusual interactions with their families. Also, spread the word that the Seventh Stars Bureau has captured a celestial master."

"Yes."

The eldest prince's mother Consort Rong, the third prince's mother Consort Liang, and the fourth prince's mother Imperial Concubine Xu, one of them was definitely involved, with Consort Rong and Consort Liang being more likely suspects. Gu Yanxi tapped his jade finger, his thoughts sharp. Their ambitions are vast enough to swallow this entire realm!

With a loud thud, Gu Yanxi was already outside the door, quickly instructing Xiao Wu, who was guarding the study, "Stay vigilant."

"Yes."

Inside the imperial study, chaos reigned. The Emperor stood panting in front of a wide chair, while Lai Fu knelt, too afraid to lift his head. Shao Yao, unaffected, focused on studying the diet plan.

Gu Yanxi approached his uncle, feeling the heat radiating from him even through his clothing. "Shao Yao, come and see what's going on."

"It's nothing. If the Emperor misses his Golden Elixir dosage time, he becomes agitated, and any provocation can lead to this," Shao Yao explained. "Yan Ge, someone tampered with the diet plan. The flavors are excessive, doubling the usual amount compared to normal times. Without the Golden Elixir, it would have been just a case of overindulgence, but with the Elixir, it amplifies its effects."

"Good, very good, eager to proceed, aren't they?!" The Emperor sneered. "I will issue a decree. Yanxi, you shall be the Crown Prince."

"One with a flawed appearance is not allowed to hold office in the court."

"I didn't ask you to hold an office, I asked you to be the Emperor!"

"The rules must not be broken." Gu Yanxi didn't bat an eye. "If you feel that my face is not damaged enough, I'll take another blow."

"Slap!" The Emperor's hand landed on his face, his chest heaving, but the words to appoint a Crown Prince remained unspoken.

At the moment Gu Yanxi had been injured, he knew it was not from an enemy, as he claimed. It was most likely self-inflicted, for reassurance and to put others at ease.

Gu Yanxi was well aware of how little he esteemed this position. He even believed that if not for his uncle, he wouldn't have become the leader of the Seventh Stars Bureau. He would have left the capital long ago, far from the court. Once the Empress Dowager passed away, he would return for his mother's sake, for Shao Yao's sake, for vengeance.

He always knew he didn't cherish this child in vain.