Reincarnated as the daughter of my mortal enemy, all I want is to ascend the throne.

Li Qingyan's words were truly infuriating.

She used every trick in the book: crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide.

But Li Yan knew that she wasn't just making trouble in an ordinary way. This little brat had used countless tricks to fight him since she was a child, but she never threatened others with her life. She was very afraid of her own life.

Now that I'm saying this, I'm serious.

Li Yan was truly intimidated and took a step back to close the door.

"Little brat, how are you doing now?"

He hasn't seen his little cub yet, and doesn't know how he's doing now.

Li Qingyan lay down only after hearing the door close. "I'm fine as long as you don't make a fuss. Li Yan, don't worry, someone will take care of me. Physician Zhao, Doctor Liu, and Mr. Tao have all had smallpox before, so they can take care of me."

These words were spoken with such maturity that Li Yan seemed like an unreasonable child.

Although her words sounded forceful, Li Yan was still worried. He only said "okay" before standing outside the door.

No one dared to tell him to leave.

Li Yan has already made concessions; if he were to obstruct further, the man would truly become enraged. He only indulges Li Qingyan.

No one else can expect that treatment.

Even Yan Xu dared not continue to persuade him.

Li Qingyan, inside, assumed he had already left, which was why she dared to cough aloud. The long string of words she had just spoken had left her utterly exhausted.

"Flying Fork, I'm so tired. Tao Jiannan is so slow to arrive; I haven't even told him about his situation yet..."

As she was talking, Li Qingyan suddenly fainted.

[Host! Host!]

Doctor Liu entered the room first with his medicine box. When he saw that Li Qingyan had fainted, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He touched her forehead and found it was burning hot.

"Someone go and get the medicine, and prepare some strong liquor."

Doctor Liu handed over the prescription.

Li Yan glanced at the medicine. "How is the person?"

Doctor Liu spoke to him through the door, "Your Majesty, the young prince has fainted. He has a high fever, and tonight will be the first critical moment."

Li Yan took a deep breath. "Okay."

The prescription was handed to Hongyu, which would allow him to get the medicine more quickly.

Li Yan stood at the door without leaving.

Listening to the footsteps coming and going in the room, he closed his eyes and opened them again, feeling uneasy.

Yan Xu originally intended to seal the courtyard after Doctor Liu and the other two returned, as ordered by Li Qingyan. However, seeing Li Yan's behavior, he had no choice but to put his cloak over Li Yan's shoulders and step back to stand still.

They always have to be there for the most dangerous night.

Spend time with their children.

But the high fever persisted until midnight. Doctor Zhao held Li Qingyan's hand and kept inserting acupuncture needles. "Your Highness, wake up quickly. Once you wake up, this ordeal will be over."

There was no response, and no one knew anything about it.

Doctor Liu also knelt on the other side, and the two of them worked together to administer medicine and give acupuncture.

But it had no effect at all.

People outside stood from dusk until late at night and into the early morning.

None of the women in the harem dared to sleep.

Liu Yao sent several groups of people to check on things. "How is it?"

The returning palace maid shook her head. "The lights are still on in the Misty Courtyard. His Majesty is still in the courtyard."

Hearing this report, Liu Yao felt cold. The child was so young; having contracted smallpox, there was almost no chance of survival.

Besides, she had been in contact with Li Qingyan yesterday. What if the emperor blamed her for this?

Liu Yao held her head. Natural disasters and man-made calamities are unavoidable. Why is it so difficult for her to live a peaceful life?

Meanwhile, Consort Jing and Consort Han had been playing chess all night, also waiting for news from the Misty Courtyard. They learned that the Emperor had been standing there all night. Their expressions changed repeatedly.

"It is indeed different. Last year, several of our children fell ill one after another, and His Majesty only glanced at them."

Consort Jing was quite moved, but her face remained expressionless.

Han Fei, the woman opposite, won with a single move. A smile played on her lips. "Sister, you were distracted. Now you've lost, haven't you?"

Seeing her once-living pieces turn into dead ones, Consort Jing put down what she was holding. "Fine, fine, I am no match for you after all."

Looking at the sky just beginning to brighten, the two of them also needed to get ready so they could go pay their respects to the Empress immediately.

The entire palace was in a state of panic. The quietest place was Jianjia Palace, where Consort Jian had just opened her eyes and taken a sip of water. The nanny behind her was doing her hair and makeup.

"Your Majesty has heard that the little princess still has a fever."

Upon hearing the old woman's words, Consort Jian sighed, "What a pitiful child. His mother is gone, and now he has suffered this life-or-death calamity."

He muttered "Amitabha" and then had someone light some incense to pray for the little princess.

"Things are probably in disarray at the Misty Courtyard. Don't let the Second Prince wander around. The Emperor Emeritus will likely find out about this soon. Don't go to pay your respects today, lest you upset the Emperor Emeritus."

She twirled the eighteen-bead Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist. "I'll ask the Empress for leave, saying I have a headache and can't go. I'll apologize to her again after I'm better."

The old woman stopped what she was doing. "It's Your Highness."

Smallpox was no small matter; those who contracted it were confined to a courtyard. After all, there were quite a few children in the harem.

But now the emperor himself is still in the Misty Courtyard, and no one dares to seal it off.

"Nonsense!!! This is utter nonsense!" The Emperor Emeritus heard this news as soon as he woke up.

Not only did the events of yesterday reach his ears today, but his good son actually did such a heroic thing, skipping court for the sake of a child and not even sealing off the courtyard.

This is making a joke at the very foundation of Daewoo.

"Help me change my clothes."

The people serving the retired emperor were also terrified, after all, they hadn't seen him so angry in many years. He and the emperor generally adhered to the principle of avoiding each other if possible.

He led his men strutting towards the Misty Courtyard without even taking a sedan chair; his men couldn't catch up with him on foot.

They finally understood why the retired emperor was able to lead troops to conquer the world back then; his stamina was only even greater when he was younger.

The Emperor Emeritus stopped walking only after entering the Misty Courtyard. He hadn't set foot in this Eastern Palace for many years, and now it was unrecognizable to him.

The figure in the bright yellow dragon robe in the distance bears a striking resemblance to his younger self.

He once thought that the person who looked most like him was the former crown prince, but now it seems that it is Li Yan.

"Li Yan, what nonsense are you spouting?"

The retired emperor rushed forward and, disregarding any semblance of imperial dignity, grabbed Li Yan by the collar.

"You are the emperor now, but is this your only child in the harem? What will happen to the other children if this disease spreads?"

The retired emperor punched Li Yan directly.

Just as he was about to deliver his second punch, Li Yan suddenly grabbed his hand and coldly questioned, "I don't have the same composure as the retired emperor. Back then, you could watch your own flesh and blood scheme against and kill each other, and coldly watch your own child die."

"But I cannot bear to see my own child die of illness."

Every word was filled with resentment.

Li Yan pulled away the Emperor Emeritus's hand, "I will seal off the courtyard and guard this place. My child will not die so easily."

"Your Majesty, please return."

The retired emperor closed his eyes. Li Yan harbored deep resentment towards him, so much so that he didn't even know when it started.

Before establishing Dayu, their family was quite harmonious, and the children were friendly and respectful to each other.

He had no idea when they started plotting against each other.

They were drinking together the night before, and the Suzaku Gate Incident occurred the next day.

Seeing that Li Yan had finished tidying his clothes and was about to stand outside the door again, the retired emperor walked behind him, raised his hand, and chopped at the back of his neck.