Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

Princess Zhao'an took a half-step forward, the heavy toes of her brocade boots clattering against the floor tiles. Her sharp gaze swept over Wei Rong's face. "Organizing the medicine storehouse? The Crown Prince just returned from Da Jing. You're probably not an outsider he brought from Da Jing, deliberately sneaking into Ankang Palace to gather information, are you?"

Several noblewomen from the imperial family immediately began whispering among themselves, their quiet discussions spreading throughout the hall.

The Imperial Noble Consort slowly stroked the young boy's shoulder with her fingertips, a smile of quiet observation playing on her lips. She did not speak out to stop him—as long as Wei Rong's identity as an outsider was discovered, she could be accused of "harboring a foreign spy in the Eastern Palace," and then join forces with the Empress Dowager's relatives to launch an attack.

Just as Wen Ran was about to speak in rebuttal, a deep, suppressed thud suddenly came from behind the screen in the inner hall. It was short and muffled, barely drowned out by the voices inside the hall, and no one else noticed it. Only Wei Rong and Wen Ran, who were standing right next to the screen, felt their hearts sink.

It is Ling Xianru.

The antidote caused the Gu worms to rampage through his internal organs, and the excruciating pain became unbearable.

"Your Highness is not feeling well," the young prince, who had been kneeling, suddenly stood up and went to the inner palace. "I'll go see him."

The Imperial Noble Consort's expression changed: "Come back!"

Is the Crown Prince unwell?

The muffled cough just now was extremely suppressed; if one were not extremely familiar with the person, one would think it was the muffled cough of the King of Donglin due to a serious illness.

Only Wei Rong and Wen Ran could immediately recognize that it was Ling Xianru's voice.

But this little prince was also able to recognize Ling Xianru's voice.

The cough broke the silence in the outer hall.

Princess Zhao'an had no time to target Wei Rong anymore.

The Emperor cannot bear tonight, but the Crown Prince will not allow them to enter the bedside. What if he changes the Emperor's last words and wants to drive them out of Donglin?

The little prince disappeared in a flash, and his childish voice echoed from the inner palace: "Brother Crown Prince, what's wrong?"

He was only five years old and didn't understand why so many people were kneeling in front of his father's bed.

However, he hadn't seen Ling Xianru for a long time. Just now, his mother had hurriedly brought him to Ankang Palace, and he hadn't even greeted his elder brother, the Crown Prince.

"I'm fine. Go to your mother's place."

Ling Xianning shook her head vigorously, then nestled her little bottom into Ling Xianru's lap, looking curiously at her dying father on the bed: "What happened to Father?"

"Father is tired."

"If you're tired, just go to sleep. What are so many of us doing guarding this place?"

The child's innocent words seemed out of place in the solemn atmosphere of the hall.

The Imperial Noble Consort's expression changed several times.

She couldn't just go in rashly, so she glanced at Wei Rong and gave a wink to her trusted nanny.

The old woman knew what she was thinking, so she moved her body and knelt down a little towards Wei Rong.

"Wen Ran, come in," Ling Xianru suddenly called out.

The Imperial Noble Consort loudly rebuked him: "Your Highness, I feel this is inappropriate. After all, Miss Wen is not from the Imperial Medical Bureau. If anything were to happen to His Majesty's health, neither of us could bear the responsibility."

Wei Rong's heart suddenly raced, but she maintained the timid demeanor of a palace maid.

Ling Xianru invited Wen Ran in, indicating that he was in unbearable pain.

If the Imperial Noble Consort were to see through her disguise, Ling Xianru would be in grave danger.

"Miss Wen has always specialized in ailments that the Imperial Medical Academy is not good at," Wei Rong suddenly spoke up, "Since the King is critically ill, why not let Miss Wen take a look?"

Unfortunately, at that very moment, Ling Xianning exclaimed in surprise, "Crown Prince, what's wrong? Why are you trembling?!"

The expressions of everyone in the outer hall changed.

Especially the Imperial Noble Consort.

The princesses also looked surprised.

Wei Rong felt as if her heart was being clenched tightly.

When they entered the palace, the entire palace was already on high alert.

If the monarch were to pass away today and the imperial power were to change, wouldn't everyone have a chance?

Even if Ling Xianru is the crown prince, does the throne have to fall into the hands of the crown prince?

The one who seizes the imperial seal first is the winner.

The Imperial Noble Consort has a prince under her wing. Over the years, she has been working hard to build up her family's military power, which is now comparable to that of Ling Xianru.

If we take advantage of the moment when Ling Xianru is recovering from the poison, we can use him as a hostage.

That would mean defeat without a fight.

"If the Crown Prince is unwell, then I will take care of His Majesty in his stead."

As the Imperial Noble Consort stood up, Wei Rong and Wen Ran were about to move when someone pressed a knife against their backs.

The old woman, though fierce-looking, actually had a smile playing on her lips: "Please be patient, both of you, and wait in the outer hall."

Wei Rong stared intently at the screen that separated the inner hall from the main hall.

The Imperial Noble Consort stepped inside.

She exchanged a glance with Wen Ran.

The fact that the Imperial Noble Consort dared to enter the palace alone, disregarding the princesses and concubines, indicates that there must be secret guards she had arranged in the shadows of Ankang Palace.

If anything were to happen to Lingxian, she would use the emperor to command the feudal lords.

The figures behind the screen were indistinct and could not be clearly seen.

But the first thing the Imperial Noble Consort said when she entered was, "Ning'er, come here."

Ling Xianning looked at her mother, then at her elder brother, the Crown Prince, and finally, with the Crown Prince's affirming gaze, she got up from his arms and went to her mother's side.

The Imperial Noble Consort took his hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

If Ling Xianru were to use her son as leverage, all her efforts would be in vain.

Ke Lingxian's expression was clearly off.

The old king on the dragon bed was panting heavily, his chest like a broken bellows.

He seemed to be at his last gasp, his eyes barely open.

Ling Xianru knelt on the prayer mat, her face pale, and fine beads of cold sweat constantly seeping from her forehead.

Anyone with eyes can see that he is trying his best to persevere.

The Imperial Noble Consort watched coldly and said to the imperial physicians who were waiting in place, "Take a look at His Highness. I think His Highness is not feeling well."

Just then, the old king suddenly started coughing violently, his withered chest heaving.

"What are you doing in there? What happened to Father?" Princess Zhao'an demanded loudly.

The imperial physician picked up a bowl of ginseng soup and prepared to feed it to the old king.

Everyone knows that ginseng soup is only a temporary fix; it's actually of no use to the old king's health. But unless he dies, he'll have to keep going like this.

"Let me take it." The Imperial Noble Consort took the bowl.

She sat on the edge of the bed, scooped up a small spoonful, and fed it to the king's lips: "Your Majesty, just drink it and you'll feel better."

Meanwhile, the imperial physician could only follow her instructions and take Ling Xianru's pulse.

Ling Xianru's face was so pale that it was hard to look at her directly.

When the imperial physician placed his hand on him, he didn't react at all.

But this pulse—

The imperial physician's brow twitched: "This!"

This pulse is even more alarming than that of an old king lying on his sickbed!

The Imperial Noble Consort had no interest in feeding the ginseng soup; it was spilled everywhere. Hearing this, she put down the bowl and glanced sideways: "How is it?"

However, she felt she had guessed correctly.

Ling Xianru's condition seems to be more critical than she had imagined.

That makes things easier.

A slow smile appeared on her lips.

I originally thought Ling Xianru was the biggest obstacle, but I didn't expect that it would be so easy to dismantle her in the end.

Just as I was thinking this, my wrist tightened.

The old king woke up at some point and opened his eyes, looking at her with clear eyes.

"A-Xian—"

He called out to Ling Xianru.

Since Ling Xianru returned to the palace, he has not yet awakened.

Everyone thought he would fall asleep and never wake up again.

To everyone's surprise, he was actually waiting for Ling Xianru.

In his youth, he may not have cared much for Ling Xianru, and even coldly watched his legitimate son wander around in exile.

At the very end, he couldn't stop eating.