Xuan Qing didn’t mean to neglect catching up with his father, but his injuries truly wouldn’t allow it.
Both he himself and the “shell” he currently inhabited were genuinely on the verge of death.
He tried hard to manage a smile, then blinked his eyes a few times before finally letting himself collapse in his father’s arms, passing out altogether.
Qin Jingzhou shot a look to stop the Inner Attendant who was about to step up and handle the bloodstains on Xuan Qing’s clothes. Then, he carefully checked over his son’s body.
After some time apart, his son had made remarkable progress. He had actually cultivated all the way to the late Divine Transformation Stage, fully capable of ascending to the Spiritual Realm. In fact, judging by the cracks spreading across his Nascent Soul, it was clear his son had been ambushed while in the very midst of transcending—the fractures on the Nascent Soul resulted from a barrage of techniques and magic tools. After being badly wounded, in order to escape his pursuers, his son had transmigrated into this world, becoming the original host, Jiang Jingzhou’s, only noble offspring.
It must have been a transmigration before birth.
Qin Jingzhou channeled a surge of pure spiritual power, firmly protecting the shattered Nascent Soul, at least stabilizing his son’s condition so he could recover slowly.
He laid his son flat on the bed, then turned around and addressed the Inner Attendants. “Go fetch the medicine recipe.”
The chief eunuch serving the Crown Prince went to handle this errand personally.
Not long after, the recipe and records of his pulse were laid out before him. Qin Jingzhou glanced over them carelessly, then ordered, “All those who have been treating the Crown Prince lately, drag them to the imperial prison without exception.” He looked straight at the original host’s trusted chief eunuch. “You’ll go in person. If anyone tries to stop you, have them cool their heels in the imperial prison as well.”
The chief eunuch bowed in acknowledgment, only allowing a subtle smile to appear once outside the room.
The Inner Attendants and palace maids serving in the Crown Prince’s Residence huddled in corners, exchanging glances and nervously making gestures beneath their sleeves.
“Master Qin’s Family is right. Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its cubs.”
“Watch your mouth. That kind of talk will get us all beheaded!”
Qin Jingzhou observed their little quarrel out of the corner of his eye, watching with amusement before finally standing up unhurriedly to change his clothes.
He intended to stay with his son until the boy awoke.
It was worth noting that the former Emperor was recognized as a wise sovereign who revived the dynasty, and the original host, back when he was a prince, had been acknowledged as remarkably talented in both civil and martial pursuits.
Because he outshone his brothers in both ability and character, not only did the former Emperor favor him deeply, but the officials and nobles had long since accepted him.
In the first few years after ascending the throne, the original host had ruled with vigor and care, and Qin Jingzhou transmigrated into his life during his sixth year of self-indulgence. Although the Emperor had lost some measure of respect among the officials and commoners, he had not completely disappointed them.
Which meant that although the palace was filled with “demons and monsters,” the majority of Inner Attendants, palace maids, guards, and Imperial Guards still willingly took their orders from the Emperor—especially because Qin Jingzhou, as soon as he arrived, had the inner attendants free the children, handled a treacherous Imperial Physician in the Crown Prince’s Residence, and personally supervised the Crown Prince’s handling of memorials...
Those truly loyal to Great Zhou and the Emperor could barely contain their joy. They almost wanted to shout the news: His Majesty has come to his senses!
Qin Jingzhou was not one to be idle either. In just half an hour, he had reviewed all the memorials that needed attention for that day, while a second chief eunuch and his attendants took those memorials back to the Imperial Cabinet and brought back the new batch that had piled up.
Whether it was dragging people to the imperial prison or delivering memorials to the Cabinet, the chief eunuchs accomplished their tasks with ease.
Because the Crown Prince’s condition was poor, no one dared display their happiness too openly, but they moved with light, brisk steps that revealed their mood.
When his confidant returned with another pile of memorials, Qin Jingzhou managed to get through half before little Qing woke up, stretched out his hand to grasp his father’s, squeezed out a smile, and drifted off again—this time asleep, not unconscious.
With no threat of his Nascent Soul shattering, his condition immediately improved.
His left hand was firmly gripped by his son, so Qin Jingzhou could only follow along. Thankfully, his right hand was free and his reviewing of the memorials continued without delay.
For those in the Crown Prince’s Residence, watching this scene was as refreshing as drinking ice water on a summer day.
Very soon, astonishment and joy swept through them—His Majesty had just ordered the Crown Prince to move into a side hall of Qianqing Palace! His Majesty would personally care for him!
This news spread quickly; given all the activity around moving from the Crown Prince’s Residence, there was no keeping it quiet. In Xikun Palace, Consort Han, Han Xue’ning, could no longer hold back and demanded of her chief palace maid, “Didn’t I always say so? That dog of an Emperor dotes on the Crown Prince! You all insisted on stirring up conflict between father and son, wanting them at odds so that dog of a Prince would abolish the Crown Prince. Now what?”
The chief palace maid smiled softly. “What if His Majesty loves the Crown Prince? The Crown Prince’s health is beyond recovery now. You, my lady, really ought to bear another imperial heir as soon as possible!”
Hearing this, Han Xue’ning nearly exploded with rage. “That dog Emperor is always careful—whenever he refines pills, he insists the Grand Preceptor and I watch him take them, and even when I take the antidote ahead of time, I still get headaches and pains! You make it sound so easy!” The more she spoke, the angrier she got, her tongue running away with her. “Why don’t you just have my elder sister—”
Before she could finish, the chief palace maid clamped a hand firmly over her mouth. “Think of your brother, your concubine mother, and that cousin at home who awaits your triumphant return...”
Han Xue’ning, eyes reddening, glared at her threatening maid but, in the end, fell silent.
The chief palace maid slowly withdrew her hand. “My lady, perhaps you should ask His Majesty yourself... How will the court react to the Crown Prince moving into Qianqing Palace? The realm cannot be without a sovereign for a day, nor can there be two rulers. And unless His Majesty is leaving the Star Observing Terrace for good, all his efforts in cultivating with those elixirs will have been wasted.”
Han Xue’ning suddenly laughed. “I’m a fake consort anyway. The family really ought to have sent you in my place.”
The chief palace maid only bowed her head in silence: To end up keeping an eye on you in the palace is grievance enough. If not for Wei Lang...
Han Xue’ning stood up. “Let’s go.” She pointed ahead. “This time, you lead the way.”
The chief palace maid understood that Han Xue’ning had already been aggravated once. If she pushed back now and Han Xue’ning, out of resentment, ruined Wei Lang’s plans—what then?
She could only yield as gently as she could. “Yes, my lady.”
Han Xue’ning made no move to change her clothes, threw on a fleecy cloak, refused a palanquin, and simply let the chief palace maid walk in front.
Yesterday, snow had fallen on the Capital City.
Han Xue’ning’s intentions were perfectly clear: If I can’t be happy, neither can you!
What could the chief palace maid do? After walking for so long, her feet and legs were nearly frozen stiff. Even so, she still had the presence of mind to consider her tactics. Just now, driven by urgency and seeing Han Xue’ning’s helplessness, she had been firm. But because this was Wei Lang’s sister, Wei Lang was always gentle with her, rarely even smiling for her own sake... Never mind. For now, she ought to focus on soothing Han Xue’ning into a better mood.
When they reached the gates of the Crown Prince’s Residence and waited for the Inner Attendant to send a message, Han Xue’ning’s tone was icier than the day’s chill. “In a moment, I’ll cry. Everything else, you explain to the Emperor yourself.”
The chief palace maid bowed in affirmation.
Han Xue’ning looked at the armored bodyguards beside her and let out a cold laugh.
Just then, the Inner Attendant came out with the decree: the Emperor would see them.
Once inside, a wave of warm air washed over them, softening Han Xue’ning’s expression slightly.
She bent her knees, waiting for the Emperor to say “rise.” Yet she waited until her legs were turning numb, but still didn’t hear those words... A sense of foreboding flooded her heart.
When she finally forced herself to finish her bow, she no longer even hoped for “take a seat.”
As the consort’s chief strategist, the palace maid had always avoided appearing before the Emperor—after all, considering his former wisdom and might, both she and the Noble Families behind her feared that he might sense something amiss about her.
Yet despite their unfamiliarity, getting neither “rise” nor “take a seat” made her realize at once that something was very wrong.
She signaled Han Xue’ning with her eyes.
Sure enough, Han Xue’ning started pulling out her handkerchief and weeping. “Your Majesty, you’ve left the Star Observing Terrace...”
Qin Jingzhou didn’t even need to follow the plot to know this woman was cannon fodder. He interrupted her. “Let’s hear what your palace maid has to say first.”
Hearing this, the palace maid immediately realized her glances had caught the Emperor’s attention. She could only answer, “Replying to Your Majesty, my mistress is concerned for you... If Your Majesty abandons your cultivation at the Star Observing Terrace, all your efforts will be in vain...”
Qin Jingzhou asked with amusement, “I’m here to see the Crown Prince. Since your mistress is so concerned about my cultivation, I’ll allow her to repair in my stead at the Star Observing Terrace. You can both move there, and there’s still time.”
Han Xue’ning—to be honest—was quite happy!
Not only was this payback for all the so-called “attending” palace maids who were really there to monitor and control her, but also because the Star Observing Terrace was in the northwest corner of the Imperial Palace—convenient for passing messages to those outside when the Emperor was away.
She immediately agreed, her glee plain to see. “This concubine obeys.”
The palace maid’s face darkened.
Regret wracked her. If she’d known Han Xue’ning was so vengeful, why had she needled her just now?
But given the current situation, how could she back out? She could only accept the order, return to Xikun Palace to pack, and think of a way to get the news out quickly.
With Han Xue’ning sent off, Ling Jing arrived with her own “convenient daughter.”
This time, Ling Jing happened to transmigrate into Han Xuerou, the most beautiful Bestowed Consort.
Her convenient daughter looked almost identical to the original host: exquisitely cute, with big dark eyes and chubby cheeks that made her impossible not to dote on.
At the moment, the little princess sat snuggled in her mother’s arms, unable to conceal her worry. She was aware that her father and mother had argued over her crown prince brother not long ago and had parted on bad terms...
She was a little afraid of her father and didn’t dare look at him directly, but she could sneak a peek at her brother the Crown Prince.
Qin Jingzhou used a voice transmission to speak to Ling Jing. “All three Fate’s Sons love you. When one cannot have you, he fixes his sights on this little girl as a substitute, subjecting her to torment both emotional and physical? It’s astonishing what they come up with.”
Ling Jing replied, “It’s every old cliché from dog-blood melodramas, all faithfully played out from beginning to end. Whenever one Fate’s Son starts to feel remorse and wants to mend things, he’s about to exit the stage, and the girl gets claimed by the next Fate’s Son, only for the cycle of suffering to repeat. The second Fate’s Son finally discovers a conscience, but before long, she’s snatched up by yet another Fate’s Son... Having the same nightmare twice over, the girl eventually loses her mind. Which, honestly, might be an improvement?”
Qin Jingzhou laughed. “That Mr. Zhang from the last Task World would have something to say about that.” As he spoke, he reached out his right hand to the adorable little princess—his left hand was still being held by the sleeping Xiao Qing.
The little princess knitted her brows, staring seriously at her imperial father’s outstretched hand.
For a moment, she didn’t know what to do, so she turned to her mother for help. But her mother only smiled and gave nothing away... The little princess pondered a moment longer, then cautiously bowed her head and nuzzled her father’s big palm.
Qin Jingzhou: ...
Utterly charmed!
Ling Jing burst into cheerful laughter, kissing her daughter on both cheeks.
The little princess, grave as ever, earnestly asked, “Father, Mother, have you made up now?”
Ling Jing lifted the little princess and placed her directly on Qin Jingzhou’s lap.
Qin Jingzhou rubbed her head. “You tell me.”
Only then did the little princess tilt her face up and reveal a sweet little gap-toothed smile.