Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

At this moment, Old Duan could only pray that Emperor Cangxuan and the Crown Prince wouldn't think of anything more.

However, her prayers were destined to be in vain.

Emperor Cangxuan and the Crown Prince stared at the person in the coffin, their expressions turning extremely grim.

Emperor Cangxuan looked at Liaokong and said, "Liaokong, come here."

Liao Kong looked at Emperor Cang Xuan and walked over without hesitation.

Emperor Cangxuan looked down at him and asked, "Liaokong, do you know anything else about the Chihuo Gu?"

For example, what symptoms might someone who has been afflicted by the Chi Huo Gu experience immediately upon death?

Upon hearing this, Old Duan's eyes widened in utter horror.

What does Emperor Cangxuan mean by this? Does he suspect something?

Liao Kong said, "Those afflicted by the Chi Fire Gu will have a bluish complexion and purple lips immediately after death. Their fingers and toes will curl up, and their eyes will be bloodshot, causing them great pain."

After listening quietly, the expression on Emperor Cangxuan's face softened slightly.

The crown prince, who had been staring intently at Emperor Cangxuan, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

My maternal grandmother died in such agony, and my maternal grandfather almost suffered the same persecution. The insidious poison of the Chi Huo Gu is extremely cruel. I can hardly imagine what would have happened if my mother had also been harmed by it.

However, Liao Kong added, "If the one afflicted by the Chi Fire Gu is a woman, and it happens to be during her pregnancy, the Chi Fire Gu and the fetus in the woman's womb will compete for life. Either one will grow stronger or weaker, and one of them will eventually be injured."

If the Chi Huo Gu wins, the fetus will be injured and unable to be born.

If the fetus wins, the Chi Huo Gu will suffer a severe loss of vital energy, weakening and causing the mother to die.

The woman who died in this way had a body that appeared normal.

Upon hearing Liao Kong's words, Emperor Cang Xuan, whose expression had just relaxed slightly, suddenly turned ferocious and staggered backward.

"His Majesty!"

Hai Qiongying, who was keeping a close eye on Emperor Cangxuan, caught him and helped him up. Emperor Cangxuan swayed slightly before he could barely stand.

Emperor Cangxuan took a deep breath and slowly looked up at the sky: "Are there any exceptions?"

Liao Kong shook his head.

The truth is too unbearable.

The crown prince froze on the spot, his face deathly pale.

Outside the crowd, a woman with a silver-white mask also swayed and stumbled.

Old Duan fainted from fright.

Before she fainted, she looked in the direction of the empty space, as if she had seen something terrifying. This child, this child... knows so much about the Chi Huo Gu.

Before she fainted, her face was filled with terror and despair.

"Father..." The Crown Prince looked in the direction of Emperor Cangxuan, his eyes gradually reddening.

He remembered that he was the crown prince, and he did not shed a tear.

Emperor Cangxuan also looked at him, both father and son with unspeakable sorrow in their eyes.

Liao Kong glanced at them with his dark eyes and continued, "If the fetus wins, some are extremely weak and some are extremely strong."

The weak do not live long, while the strong are extraordinary, endowed with exceptional talents.

Emperor Cangxuan looked up into the sky, a thought flashing in his eyes: "What if it's twins?"

"Perhaps both are strong, perhaps both are weak, perhaps one is strong and the other is weak."

Emperor Cangxuan closed his eyes.

"Father, calm down and don't hurt yourself." The Crown Prince stepped forward and supported Emperor Cangxuan.

Emperor Cangxuan glanced at him, then turned his face away and fell silent.

After a moment, he spoke calmly: "Everyone present must keep their mouths shut about what happened today. If even a whisper of it gets out, you will be killed without mercy, and your entire family will be exterminated."

The crowd knelt down.

Liao Kong bowed and returned to Ying Yufu's side, whose expression was also very solemn.

She asked Xiao Dian, "Is the Crown Prince's naturally weak constitution due to the Chi Huo Gu?"

[The Chi Huo Gu is inherently a poisonous Gu, and the prince's naturally weak constitution is also related to poisoning.]

[Is there any way to cure epilepsy?]

Xiao Dian didn't answer her immediately. After a moment, she simply said leisurely, "Host, focus on accumulating points."

Ying Yufu's eyes lit up: [Little Dian, as long as I have enough points, the Crown Prince can be saved, right?]

She wanted a definite answer.

Little Madman said: [Yes, host, you have to do your best!]

Ying Yufu felt a renewed surge of motivation.

The Hai family knelt before Madam Hai's coffin, kowtowed several times, and then resealed the coffin.

Hai Qiongyan and Hai Qiongying's expressions were shrouded in endless grief.

Hai Taifu seemed to have aged even more, his eyes filled with guilt and self-reproach.

"Back then, if I hadn't been so careless and let the Duan family scheme against me, I wouldn't have let the wolf into the house and caused Xiang'er's death..."

Hai Taifu muttered to himself, his face full of regret.

Emperor Cangxuan glanced at him, his expression revealing a hint of weariness.

"Hai Qiongyan, doesn't the Hai family have a private prison?"

Hai Qiongyan immediately understood what was going on. He stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, even if it didn't exist before, it does now."

"Very well, let Duan be critically ill from today onwards."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Hai Qiongyan replied.

While Duan was in a coma, her fate was already sealed.

After a night of commotion, the next morning at court, everything was as before, as if nothing had happened the night before.

Grand Tutor Hai still appeared in the imperial court.

Grand Secretary Zheng Liang glanced at him suspiciously. This old rascal is in such good spirits. Didn't we hear yesterday that he was failing? Even His Majesty was alarmed!

Speaking of this, Zheng Liang felt a pang of sadness. When that old scoundrel Hai Chaoyun had something to do, His Majesty actually went to see him one last time.

I don't know if I'll receive this treatment when I die.

Not long after the morning court session, news spread from the Hai family that the current matriarch of the Hai family, the birth mother of the Empress, had suffered a stroke and was critically ill.

If you have a stroke, you'll be bedridden.

I'm afraid I'll never be able to face anyone again.

Therefore, His Majesty took pity on the Empress and released her from confinement.

In the Empress's palace, the Empress knelt at Emperor Cangxuan's feet, weeping bitterly.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to return to the Hai family. I wish to see my mother..."

"With the New Year approaching, not only will the soldiers on the border be returning to the capital, but envoys from other countries will also be coming to make their way. As the Empress, she should take care of all matters, big and small."

With your two sisters-in-law taking care of the Hai family, your mother doesn't need you to go back at this time.

The Empress's kneeling posture stiffened slightly. What was His Majesty saying? He knew perfectly well that the Hai family disliked her and her daughter.

How could the Jiang and Ye families treat their mother well?

"Your Majesty, may I summon Granny Wang to the palace for a few questions?"

The Empress, settling for second best, looked at the Emperor with tears in her eyes.

Emperor Cangxuan looked at her with cold, unsettling eyes. "As the Empress, you don't need to ask me who you want to summon."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" the Empress kowtowed.

After Emperor Cangxuan left, the Empress collapsed to the ground.

What's going on? His Majesty's gaze towards her is strange. What exactly happened while she was under house arrest?

Why did the mother suddenly suffer a stroke?

"Granny Song..."

The Empress's trusted confidante, Granny Song, quickly approached.

The Empress looked at her and said, "Granny Song, quickly go and invite the Second Prince here."

Granny Song quickly responded and left.

Cang Mingze also had no idea what had happened last night.

He came to the Empress's palace and said, "Mother, something did happen to the Hai family last night, but at first I heard that the person who was going to die was Grand Tutor Hai. I don't know why it turned out to be my maternal grandmother."

Moreover, I heard yesterday that there was also some activity at the Hai family's ancestral graves.

However, with the Thousand Feather Army guarding the area so closely, no one knew what had happened at the Hai family's ancestral graves.

Cang Mingze frowned.

The Empress felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease.

"Is there any movement from the Crown Prince's side?"

Cang Mingze said, "The Crown Prince's situation is as usual."

The Empress frowned and said, "Ze'er, you must go to the Hai family today. No matter what, you must see your maternal grandmother or Granny Wang."

"Yes, Mother." Cang Mingze said solemnly.

Cang Mingze left the palace and went straight to the Hai family.

However, when he arrived at the Hai family's residence, he was immediately stopped outside.

Jiang strode out aggressively, "Oh, who do we have here? It's His Highness the Second Prince!"

Her eyes blazed with fury. "Your Highness the Second Prince has arrived! I have failed to greet you properly. I beg Your Highness not to punish me!"

She said this, but there was no respect in her expression.

"Aunt, I've come to visit my maternal grandmother. Could you please make way for me?"

Cang Mingze frowned, his expression grim.

Jiang sneered, "I dare not accept the title of 'Great Aunt' from the Second Prince. The Old Madam has been up all night and has just fallen asleep. It would be best if Your Highness did not disturb her."

Otherwise, if the old lady doesn't get enough rest and her condition worsens, that would be terrible.

Besides, my Hai family has daughters of marriageable age. As a male member of the family, it is not appropriate for the Second Prince to enter the residence, lest further gossip spread outside.

Cang Mingze's face turned ashen.

Without giving him a chance to speak again, Jiang said, "Close the door and see him out!"

"etc!"

A eunuch's voice rang out, and Jiang paused in her turn.

A eunuch, about thirty years old, approached quickly with several palace servants. He had a thin face and narrow eyes. He stepped forward with a forced smile.

"By order of the Empress, summon Wang, the old lady's maid, to the palace for questioning. Do not delay."

Jiang's smile froze.

Just then, a luxurious procession drove up from the side of the street and stopped in front of the Hai family's house.

Grand Princess Huaxi alighted from the carriage, accompanied by Prince Yuheng.

Grand Princess Huaxi bypassed the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree and went directly to Jiang Shi.

Jiang was immediately overjoyed and stepped forward to bow, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness the Grand Princess..."

"Oh, we're already in-laws, so there's no need for such formalities."

After saying that, she greeted Yuheng with a smile and said, "Yuheng, come and greet Madam Hai."

The Crown Prince Yuheng immediately stepped forward and bowed, "Yuheng greets Madam Hai!"

"Young Master Yuheng, please rise!" Madam Jiang hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. She looked at Young Master Yuheng and her smile grew wider with each glance.

Princess Huaxi smiled broadly upon seeing this.

Jiang said, "Grand Princess, Yuheng, please don't stand at the door, let's go inside and talk."

"Aunt, I will also go in with Aunt Huaxi!" Cang Mingze followed.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree stepped forward and said, "This servant greets Your Highness the Grand Princess."

Grand Princess Huaxi frowned slightly and looked at the eunuch. "Which palace are you from?"

A hint of annoyance flashed in the eunuch's eyes. He was the chief eunuch in the Empress's palace, and everyone in the palace knew him. The Grand Princess was asking a question she already knew the answer to.

He said in a high-pitched voice, "Grand Princess, this servant is Gao Fengyi, from the Empress's palace."

Gao Fengyi.

The Empress's most favored person.

Grand Duke Hua Xi couldn't help but chuckle. "So you're from the Empress's palace. No wonder you're so impolite! Can't you see I have something to discuss with Madam Hai? What are you doing here?"

After saying that, she gave Gao Fengyi a cold, sharp look and said, "Get out before I lose my temper!"

Gao Fengyi: "..."

He stood still, and instead smiled, "Your Highness, we won't disturb you. Her Majesty the Empress simply wishes to summon someone to the palace..."

Grand Princess Huaxi's expression turned cold. "What, are my words not enough?"

Gao Fengyi paused in his speech, and seeing the impatient look on Princess Huaxi's face, he had no choice but to bow and leave.

As the Empress's most favored and trusted confidant, he naturally knew that Grand Princess Huaxi and the Empress were at odds.

He won't get away with this today.

When he gets back, he'll definitely have a good talk with the Empress!

Hua Xi stared at Gao Fengyi's retreating figure and sneered, then looked at Cang Mingze who was walking over, her brows furrowing coldly, "You get out too!"

Cang Mingze's expression changed.

"Aunt Hua Xi..."

Princess Huaxi ignored her and went straight into the Hai Mansion chatting and laughing with Jiang.

Feng Yuheng turned his head and glanced at the Second Prince, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Cang Mingze looked at him, a cold glint in his eyes.

In the Empress's palace, after hearing Gao Fengyi's complaint, the Empress slammed her hand on the table in anger.

"Hua Xi! Is she openly defying me?"

The Empress's eyes flashed with a sinister light.

Mingluan came over, then turned and left. She left the palace and went to Lingyun Inn, the premier inn in the capital city.

Su Jinyu, Wu Lingduo, and Rong Qing were staying at this inn.

Mingluan looked gloomy and, upon seeing the three people, poured out her grievances.

"The Hai family has gone too far. It's one thing for them to treat my mother badly, but they don't even respect my second brother and his family."

And even Hua Xi's aunt showed absolutely no respect for the Empress Dowager and the Second Prince.

Mingluan's cheeks flushed red with anger.

"Mingluan, you mean the Hai family?" Su Jinyu asked.

Mingluan nodded. "Speaking of which, the Hai family is also my maternal family, but they have never treated me as one of their own."

I don't know what happened last night, but today they said my grandmother had a stroke and is in critical condition. How is that possible?

My grandmother has always been in good health, how could she suddenly have a stroke?

The three of them exchanged glances. Su Jinyu said, "What a coincidence! The three of us went out for a stroll last night and only returned in the early morning. We happened to run into two people who had left the city overnight from the Hai family."

The fact that those two were personally escorted by the Thousand Feather Army seemed unusual to us. After the two Thousand Feather Army soldiers left, we detained the two men and brought them back.

Mingluan was taken aback and looked at them in surprise.

The three nodded in unison.

Wu Lingduo said, "The person is locked in the cubicle and is still unconscious."

"Take me there quickly!" Mingluan slammed her hand on the table excitedly. The three of them opened the door to the cubicle and found two people lying unconscious inside.

Zhao Daxing and his son Zhao Chengwang groggily awoke to find their hands and feet bound behind their backs, and that they were not outside the city, but rather...

"Who are you? Why have you kidnapped us?"

Zhao Daxing met Mingluan and the others' gazes, and shouted in alarm, his eyes darting around.

This looks like an inn.

Su Jinyu smiled but didn't say anything. Mingluan stepped forward, drew a soft whip from her waist, and lashed it directly at the two of them.

"Useless trash! You don't even recognize this princess! You deserve a beating!"

Zhao Daxing and Zhao Chengwang were whipped for no reason, and the father and son were both shocked and frightened.

"Princess, princess..."

Zhao Chengwang asked uneasily, "Your Highness, why are we being tied up?"

Princess Mingluan sneered, "Are you servants of the Hai family?"

"It was true before, but it's not true now."

"Why did you leave the city overnight? What exactly happened at the Hai family last night?" Mingluan asked sternly.