Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

"Cao, this is Wang, the regicide strategist, personally testifying against you!"

Empress Fang stepped forward personally and slapped Consort Cao hard across the face, then turned to look at Mai Fu.

"Eunuch Mai, now that the evidence is irrefutable, do you still intend to obstruct my handling of Lady Cao?"

"This servant wouldn't dare."

Mai Fu bowed deeply to Empress Fang, then retreated to the side of the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial who had just arrived upon hearing the news.

Cao is doomed; no one can save her!

Having made his position clear, he was confident that he could protect himself in this palace upheaval, regardless of whether the emperor could be saved.

"So that's why the Empress arrived so quickly! It's you, you traitor!"

Just as Consort Cao continued to cry out her innocence, Consort Wang suddenly turned to look at Zhang Jinlian, who was standing next to Empress Fang.

"You were the most enthusiastic when they were strangling the emperor with a rope!"

When it comes to pricking the emperor with hairpins, you were the one who used the most force and pricked him the most!

When the Imperial Horse Administration came to arrest us, I discovered you were missing. I thought you had secretly hidden somewhere and escaped the search!

I was even congratulating you! I never imagined you'd already planned to betray us to the Empress to save yourself!

"Your Majesty, don't listen to her wild accusations! This...this servant absolutely did not lay a hand on her!"

Upon hearing Consort Wang's words, Zhang Jinlian was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

"This servant went to Yikun Palace, but..."

Before she could finish speaking, Granny Wei strode forward and slapped Zhang Jinlian hard across the face, forcefully interrupting her.

"Why aren't you gagging this wretched servant girl? Stop her spouting nonsense!"

Several eunuchs immediately stepped forward, gagged Zhang Jinlian and Consort Cao, and bound them tightly.

Only then did Empress Fang's expression finally relax.

. . .

A moment later, in the rear hall of Renshou Palace.

"Didn't Dean Xu come?"

Seeing that among the imperial physicians who rushed over was not Xu Kun, the emperor's most trusted head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Mai Fu quickly stepped forward and asked...

"Is Chief Physician Xu not on duty at the Imperial Hospital tonight?"

As the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the head of all eunuchs in the land, Mai Fu had risen through the ranks from a lowly eunuch, so he naturally knew all too well what kind of people the imperial physicians were.

The emperor is now unconscious due to prolonged suffocation, his breath has stopped and his pulse is weak; conventional treatments are likely ineffective.

Ironically, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy always used conventional treatments, seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes.

As long as everything is compliant, even if it has no therapeutic effect, no one will hold them accountable.

When Emperor Xianzong fell seriously ill, he died despite the treatment of the legendary imperial physician Liu Wentai. Emperor Xiaozong merely demoted Liu Wentai from the head of the Imperial Medical Academy to a junior official, but kept him in service!

Eighteen years later, Emperor Xiaozong himself fell seriously ill and was treated by Liu Wentai. He also passed away soon after.

It is truly an extraordinary event throughout history that two emperors could die eighteen years apart from each other, both succumbing to the illness of the same imperial physician!

Even so, Liu Wentai managed to save his life!

After Emperor Wuzong ascended the throne, he originally wanted to execute Liu Wentai, but Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and others stepped forward to protect him, and in the end Liu Wentai was demoted to Guangxi.

After Emperor Wuzong was rescued from the water, he was also treated by the imperial physicians.

This emperor, who was only thirty-one years old, had practiced martial arts since childhood, was strong and healthy, could lead troops into battle, and had even personally killed a Mongol cavalryman, was becoming increasingly weak and died in the Leopard House a few months later.

The emperor's condition is so critical that drastic measures might offer a glimmer of hope, but the imperial physicians dare not do so!

The emperor was assassinated, and they only used legal means to treat him. It was not their responsibility if he could not be saved.

If you dare to use drastic measures, you're gambling with your life!

If you save the emperor, you'll naturally receive a rich reward; if you fail, you'll be buried alive with him!

These imperial physicians are completely unreliable!

The Imperial Physician Xu Kun was promoted by the Emperor and enjoyed his deep trust. He was also the physician who most hoped that the Emperor could survive.

Moreover, the emperor promoted him because he was responsible and dared to use medicine.

Only Xu Kun would dare to risk his life to administer strong medicine to the emperor!

"Returning to Grandpa Mai."

A royal physician quickly replied,

"Academician Xu was originally in the Imperial Hospital, but an hour ago, the third young master of the Marquis of Wuding came to the Imperial Hospital, saying that an assassin had infiltrated the Marquis of Wuding's residence to assassinate His Highness Prince Ying."

His Highness Prince Ying was seriously injured when an assassin's sword pierced his lower abdomen.

Imperial Physician Xu dared not delay and immediately went with Young Master Guo to the Marquis of Wuding's residence to treat His Highness Prince Ying!

"Hiss~"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present gasped.

It turns out that while Consort Wang Ning and sixteen palace maids were assassinating the emperor at Renshou Palace in the West Garden, another group of assassins infiltrated the Marquis of Wuding's residence to assassinate His Highness Prince Ying, who was on his way to a banquet!

Judging from the timing, the assassinations of the emperor and his brother were carried out almost simultaneously, with a difference of no more than half an hour!

Who would believe there's no connection between the two?

Everyone who heard this news changed their expressions drastically, including Empress Fang!

It was as if McFee had been struck by lightning!

His abdomen was pierced by a long sword, a very dangerous injury.

If the Emperor and the Prince of Ying were to die tonight, Empress Fang would be able to completely control the situation!

My attitude just now has offended Empress Fang. If I try to be nice to her now, she will only try to keep me in check. Once things settle down and she becomes Empress Dowager, she will definitely settle scores with me.

Well, the fact that Guo Xun's third son was able to go to the Imperial Hospital for help means that at least at that time, the Prince of Ying was still alive.

"When Young Master Guo came to the Imperial Hospital, did you hear him mention the extent of His Highness Prince Ying's injuries?"

Mai Fu grabbed a royal physician by the collar.

"What did Governor Xu say?"

"Guo... Third Young Master Guo said that the assassin's sword pierced through His Highness Prince Ying's lower abdomen and exited through his back, but there was not much blood loss, and His Highness was still conscious."

The imperial physician quickly replied,

"According to the assessment of the Imperial Physician, there is a high probability that the longsword did not strike a vital organ."

If that's the case, His Highness Prince Ying should be able to escape danger.

"Our family trusts Dr. Xu's medical skills."

Hearing the imperial physician's words, Mai Fu finally felt half relieved and turned to give the order.

"Huang Jin, go to the Marquis of Wuding's residence immediately to visit His Highness Prince Ying. You must go in person!"

If His Highness Prince Ying's condition has stabilized, inform him of the assassination attempt on His Majesty and immediately bring Imperial Physician Xu to the West Garden!

After Huang Jin, who had just been promoted to Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, turned and left quickly, Mai Fu walked to the emperor's bedside and knelt down silently.

Your Majesty, this old servant has done all that can. As for the rest, let fate decide!

. . .

The front hall of Renshou Palace.

"Where is Eunuch Huang going in such a hurry?"

Chen Furong pulled a young eunuch aside and asked softly.

"Reporting to Aunt Chen."

The young eunuch had witnessed Chen Furong's performance. After today, this head maid of Yikun Palace would likely rise to great heights and become the Empress's confidante.

"Eunuch Huang went to the Marquis of Wuding's residence to ask Imperial Physician Xu to come to the West Garden to treat His Majesty."

Tonight, His Highness Prince Ying was also assassinated at the Marquis of Wuding's residence. Imperial Physician Xu has already gone to treat His Highness's wounds.