You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

Chu Nianci left the side hall and returned to the main hall, which was filled with the smell of medicine and heavy breathing.

Duanmu Qingyu remained lying silently on the dragon bed, with Li De'an standing beside him, occasionally letting out a suppressed cough.

The old eunuch lowered his gaze, but his eyes flickered slightly with the flickering candlelight... He had heard the conversation in the side hall clearly.

Regardless of how sincere her impassioned statement was, it's clear that she's an extremely intelligent woman.

In the depths of the palace, cleverness often outlasts sincerity.

A barely perceptible hint of approval flashed through his mind. He looked up at Chu Nianci as she entered, his voice slightly gentle: "Is Dean Lin gone?"

Chu Nianci knew that he meant to ask if he agreed to help, not that he was simply leaving.

He then walked to the bedside, his expression calm and composed: "I'm leaving. I'm going to summon Imperial Physician Zhang."

After saying this, she paused, looked at Li De'an, and said with a hint of just the right amount of helplessness, "Li Daban, I... I really didn't expect him to say such a thing."

She already knew this from Aunt Tinglan.

Li De'an is not only a veteran who has served three emperors, but he has also watched His Majesty grow up since childhood. He now holds several positions, including Grand Eunuch in Charge of Imperial Seals, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Director of the Imperial Household Department, which shows that he is of great importance to His Majesty.

This elderly eunuch, who was over sixty years old, could have asked for permission to leave the palace to retire, but he insisted on staying and treated His Majesty like a son.

How could he possibly feel good after hearing those outrageous things Lin Jingrui said?

Li De'an gave her a meaningful look, but didn't reply. He simply said, "At least His Majesty didn't misjudge you."

Chu Nianci seemed oblivious to the other's deep, probing gaze, and smiled faintly, her tone extremely solemn: "Since entering the palace, I have had no relatives or friends, no one to rely on, and I have often been targeted. If it weren't for Your Majesty's kindness and affection, I would probably have been in grave danger long ago. I will never forget this kindness, and even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could not repay even a fraction of it."

Li De'an's brow relaxed; this was someone who knew how to repay kindness.

Chu Nianci changed the subject, her gaze cautiously sweeping over the surroundings, and lowered her voice: "Consort Li, the situation is critical. In my humble opinion, we must immediately dispatch a reliable team of imperial guards to secure this bedchamber. If His Majesty fails to wake up tonight... and the news leaks out even slightly, I fear that some people may harbor inappropriate thoughts."

Li De'an's pupils contracted slightly, and the string in his heart suddenly tightened.

He gave Chu Nianci a deep look, then without further hesitation, turned to his trusted confidant Jingxi beside him and gave him a sharp look.

Jingxi understood, immediately bowed, and walked silently but quickly out of the hall.

The waiting time was blurred by the silence, seemingly both extremely long and extremely short.

Finally, a series of hurried boot sounds came from outside the courtyard.

The palace doors were pushed open again, and Lin Jingrui entered with two imperial physicians.

Chu Nianci's eyes narrowed... He had clearly only instructed Lin Jingrui to invite Physician Zhang, but he brought two others with him.

The one with the square face, three long wisps of beard, and a solemn expression was none other than Physician Zhang.

The other one, with a pointed face, long beard, gaunt features, and sharp, needle-like eyes… Chu Nianci had met him in Empress Lin’s palace in her previous life. He was a royal physician in the central palace, surnamed Liu, and was known for his meanness and stubbornness. It was said that the court had once discussed training female physicians, but he rejected them all with his remarks that a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent and that she should not show her face in public.

Why invite this stubborn old man over?

In a flash, Chu Nianci understood Lin Jingrui's plan.

He was plotting for the sake of the Empress's sister.

If anything were to happen to His Majesty, this Imperial Physician Liu would be his spy, able to deliver the news to the Empress's palace immediately.

Physician Zhang nodded slightly to Li De'an, then went straight to the dragon bed and bent down to begin examining him.

As soon as Physician Liu stepped into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his sharp eyes quickly scanned the area before finally settling on Chu Nianci.

His dark eyebrows immediately furrowed, and he pointed with his hand, his voice filled with displeasure: "All irrelevant people, go wait outside."

Lin Jingrui didn't say a word when he heard him say that. He turned around and left, closing the palace door behind him. But as he walked to the door, he secretly glanced at Chu Nianci.

Chu Nianci didn't look at him, nor did she move.

Physician Liu looked displeased and was about to speak...

"Imperial Physician Liu," Li De'an said calmly, "this Consort Huixuan has some medical knowledge. She has examined the pulses of the palace concubines and His Majesty has praised her personally. Staying here may be of some assistance."

Physician Liu's face darkened, and he felt disdain in his heart.

What kind of medical skills could a concubine possess?

Despite his thoughts, he had to give face to the chief eunuch of the inner court, but he was clearly very displeased with the woman's lingering in the inner court. He snorted softly, which was a reluctant acquiescence.

At this moment, Physician Zhang had finished taking the pulse, and his brows were furrowed into a tight knot.

"What exactly is the situation?" Li De'an quickly walked to the bedside, glanced at His Majesty, and asked in a low voice.

He turned to Physician Liu, his tone grave: "Old Physician Liu, please take a look... His Majesty's condition had improved some time ago, but today it seems to be worsening instead of improving?"

After a slight show of modesty, Physician Liu stepped forward to take the patient's pulse.

After a moment, he withdrew his hand and said in a very low voice, "Your Majesty's health is on the verge of collapse, and the situation is indeed not optimistic."

Physician Zhang frowned deeply: "Although the weather is unfavorable, the pulse had been stable a few days ago. How could it have suddenly deteriorated to this extent?"

Li De'an hurriedly said, "Perhaps you caught a chill while burning offerings today."

He knew that His Majesty was going to Meiwu to privately pay respects to his ancestors, and that this matter must not be leaked, so he made up a reason to cover it up.

Physician Zhang glanced back at the dragon bed, then walked tacitly with Physician Liu to the long window further away. They whispered to each other, "This illness is unusually severe. I'm afraid we have no choice but to use the 'Golden Needle Acupuncture' method. But I'm ashamed to say that I'm only proficient in nine needles. I really can't do anything about the next four."

"Now it is up to you to try your best!" Physician Liu said, stroking his short beard. "Only if His Majesty can wake up can we use ginseng soup to assist him."

Chu Nianci listened intently from the side.

The Golden Needle Acupuncture Point Technique is a secret technique passed down in Medicine King Valley called the "Thirteen Life-Saving Needles," which has miraculous effects on acute heart and pulse conditions... and she happens to know it.

The thought had barely surfaced when she forcefully suppressed it.

She glanced at him; Physician Liu had a rigid and stubborn look on his face. She knew he would never trust a woman, much less allow a mere palace concubine like her to perform acupuncture.

Disturbed and agitated, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the imperial bed...

Duanmu Qingyu's situation is extremely dangerous.

Her weak face was flushed with an unnatural redness, and the dark red bloodstains by the bedside and the alarmingly high temperature on her forehead were unmistakable.

If he really can't get through tonight... a thorough investigation will inevitably uncover the fact that she was alone with him tonight.

At that time, she will probably be doomed.

Should I really risk my life to save him?

If that's the case, it's fine to deal with Physician Zhang and Li De'an, but I have to confront Physician Liu, that stubborn old man. It's bound to be a war of words, and I'll definitely offend him completely.

It wasn't that she was afraid of this person, but rather that she believed it was better to offend a gentleman than a petty person.

Hesitating.

Suddenly, a deeper thought popped into her mind: Could all of this have been a test by His Majesty?

Was his last words before he fainted, "If he does not keep his word in the future, I will not let him off lightly," perhaps intentional?

He then suddenly vomited blood and fell into a coma, just to see how those around him would choose in this life-or-death situation.

Even summoning Lin Jingrui was a test of the Empress's faction.

Her conversation with Lin Jingrui in the side hall was entirely under his, or rather, his people's, control.

If she had even the slightest change of heart, or if she were to hesitate now...

A slight chill ran down her spine...

Duanmu Qingyu, a young emperor who, at only seventeen years old, possessed infallible strategies.

Can I really be confident that I can manipulate people and climb to a high position under their watchful eyes?

The only option now is to throw myself into his arms completely, and once he wakes up, I'll have a chance to climb back up.

That's a story for later; at this moment, there was no time for further hesitation, and she had to make a decision immediately.

Should we save them or not?

As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold.

She actually sought wealth, power, and status, but now she had no choice. Entering the palace was not only to choose a husband, but also to choose a ruler.

Her only way out is to help the emperor get through this ordeal.

Just as she was struggling with her inner turmoil, Physician Zhang had already begun administering acupuncture.

The water clock ticked away, time ticked by, and all nine needles were inserted. Although fine beads of sweat appeared on Duanmu Qingyu's fair forehead, he was not only unconscious, but also began to mutter incoherently.

Just then, seeing that things were not going well, Physician Liu made an excuse to prepare medicine and hurriedly left the bedchamber.

Chu Nianci took a deep breath, knowing that the time had come.

We can't wait any longer.

She quickly led Physician Zhang aside, her voice extremely low: "Physician Zhang, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

Physician Zhang witnessed her displaying her extraordinary skills on several occasions.

Knowing that she was knowledgeable in medicine, and out of gratitude for her previous rescue, he immediately said, "Please speak frankly, Miss Hui."

"To be honest," Chu Nianci raised her eyes, her gaze calm and firm, "I am the last disciple of the Medicine King Sun Zhenren, and I am proficient in the 'Thirteen Life-Saving Needles'."

Physician Zhang, who was stroking his beard, suddenly stopped, pulling down a few short hairs.

He widened his eyes slightly, looking at Chu Nianci in disbelief: "You...you are really a disciple of Master Sun?"

The excitement that suddenly burst forth in his eyes was like that of a Confucian scholar who had just encountered the true teachings of a sage.

Li De'an, who was standing to the side, suddenly began to breathe rapidly.

He had naturally heard of the name of Master Sun. His Majesty had sent people to Medicine King Valley several times to invite him for this old ailment, but they had always missed each other.

If she really is a disciple of Master Sun... then it's like a miraculous escape from a desperate situation.

He quickly looked at Chu Nianci, scrutinizing her intently for a moment. Seeing that her expression was serious and not feigned, he immediately trembled, his throat bobbing, and he said urgently, almost in a trembling voice, "If that's really the case... His Majesty can be saved. Please, Your Highness, administer the acupuncture immediately..."

"It's good that you two know about this," Chu Nianci said, her head slightly lowered. "I didn't want to tell you, which caused a stir in the palace."

She lowered her eyes.

After all, the palace is a place of unpredictable changes. It wouldn't matter if she had a rudimentary understanding of medicine, but if she were an expert, that would be a different story.

If someone with ulterior motives were to use this against her, no one knows what might happen.

Therefore, the fewer people who know about it, the better.

Physician Zhang and Li De'an exchanged a glance and both nodded silently.

Li De'an respectfully presented the wooden box containing the golden needles to Chu Nianci with both hands.

She reached out and took it, slowly pulled out a gold needle, walked to Duanmu Qingyu's side, gently touched the last four acupoints, and slowly removed the needle.

At that moment, a cold shout suddenly rang out:

"What are you doing?"

Physician Liu, his face gaunt and gloomy, strode in from outside the hall, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing directly at Chu Nianci…