CHAPTER 571: CHAPTER 550 SECOND UPDATE

Ju Nanyi had no time to respond before Nanny Yun had already entered with the Imperial Physician. The physician, arriving hurriedly at the bedside, was startled by the bloodstain on the sheets and quickly proceeded to check the pulse.

Zheng Congyuan barely opened his eyes, and it was then that Nanny Yun finished putting shoes on Zheng Nianru; meanwhile, Fu Dong had added a fur coat to her attire, the shiny black mink fur contrasting starkly against the woman’s pallor.

Seeing Zheng Congyuan looking over, Zheng Nianru was about to approach him when Ju Nanyi quickly stepped forward, directly approaching the bedside.

"Have you discovered anything?"

The Imperial Physician showed a troubled expression and shook his head, which further confirmed the suspicions in Ju Nanyi’s mind. Looking outside, Xia Wei had already arrived with someone, a person dressed in a long black robe devoid of any ornaments—clearly one of the Ghoul Ravine.

"Let him in—" Ju Nanyi, seeing the person, finally let out a sigh of relief. It was good that they were willing to save him, which indicated that the people of Ghoul Ravine did not wish to kill Zheng Congyuan, at least for the moment.

Zheng Nianru, hearing the noise, looked over to see the man in black approaching. The Imperial Physician stepped aside at Ju Nanyi’s gesture, and the black-clothed man, without a glance, was already shrouded by a dark shadow from behind. In the next moment, he directly grasped Zheng Congyuan’s arms, and a faint black smoke immediately began to wriggle and struggle behind the man in black.

After a moment, Zheng Congyuan closed his eyes, and his expression smoothed out. His complexion visibly regained its healthy hue. Zheng Nianru watched, filled with more questions, although she did not understand how the Ghoul Ravine managed it.

The black-clothed person stood up and, without a look at anyone present, headed straight for the exit.

"Thank you, Mage—" Ju Nanyi snapped back to reality and finally spoke, following the black-clothed person out. "Our Emperor..."

"As long as he refrains from indulging in sensual pleasures, all will be well—" the man in black coldly interrupted, leaving behind these words as he stepped out the door without looking back.

"Fu Xun, brother—" Zheng Nianru immediately stepped forward, gripping Zheng Congyuan’s hand. This won’t do; that Yin He deserves to die...

"Fu Dong, Nian Xia, escort the Empress back to the Harem first—" Ju Nanyi’s voice rose from behind Zheng Nianru. Nanny Yun hesitated, having heard the black-clothed man’s words. Indeed, considering the Emperor’s health...

Zheng Nianru turned, her expression one of astonished anger, looking at Ju Nanyi. What did he just say? Who did he think he was?

"Imperial Doctor Yu, repeat what the Ghoul Ravine Mage said verbatim—"

The unfairly targeted Imperial Doctor Yu was taken aback, thinking to himself that Lord Ju had heard it most clearly himself, so why drag him into it? Was he trying to needlessly incur the Empress’s spite? Yet caught in the crossfire, Imperial Doctor Yu had no choice but to speak.

"Empress, the Emperor’s attack of vital energy to the heart is really, in reality not suitable for intimacy with women—"

Zheng Nianru inhaled sharply, looking at Imperial Doctor Yu, but the next moment, she instantly realized that Ju Nanyi was using the doctor as a pawn and turned her gaze back to Ju Nanyi.

"Would the Empress permit a word in private—?" Ju Nanyi spoke without the slightest concession.

Zheng Nianru glanced at Ju Nanyi, reminding herself once again that in this life, she harbored no grudge or enmity against the man before her. Even if there had been some involvement, it was never a matter of deep-seated hate, and she hadn’t reached the point of looking down on him.

Just like now, his entire focus was on Nanzheng State, no different from the past when he wholeheartedly assisted his own son. What was the difference?

"You, come out—" Zheng Nianru finished speaking and walked outside. Nanny Yun and Nian Xia immediately followed her out, whereas Fu Dong also wanted to follow, but with no trusted attendants by the Emperor’s side and only a handful of unfamiliar little eunuchs and Palace Maids, she decided to stay, commanding others to change the bed linens and assist with washing up.

Zheng Nianru went straight back to Chenhe Palace, suddenly remembering that Ju Nanyi was an external official and not allowed into the Harem, yet Ju Nanyi had followed her in anyway.

"Ju Nanyi, you have quite the nerve—" Zheng Nianru said with a frosty voice,

Ju Nanyi knelt down in the next moment, not offering any objection. His calm expression revealed no emotion as Zheng Nianru grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it out.

"Empress, Empress—" Nian Xia immediately stepped forward. That was Lord Ju, how could you...

Ju Nanyi didn’t move; even when the pillow hit him, he seemed not to feel it. Suddenly, however, a nameless anger surged within him.

"I have already warned the Empress for the sake of the Emperor’s safety, please bear this temporary indignity," he had said. Moreover, anyone with a little sense would understand the meaning behind his words. Right, when had she ever used her brain, always acting on impulse? In her last life, he was always cleaning up after her. Now that no one was there to clean up her messes in this life, was she not prepared to change her temperament?

Zheng Nianru paused, vaguely grasping the meaning in Ju Nanyi’s words. She looked at Nanny Yun, who, feeling guilty, hung her head; Commandery Princess, she had heard it too. Lord Ju had indeed said as much.

"So, this is the result of your negotiation? It might as well have been better to directly hand me over to that boy. Why bother with all these machinations?" Zheng Nianru scoffed coldly. Perhaps she could control that boy.

"If the Empress thinks so, I am powerless to change her mind—" When she was unreasonable, she would say anything. If that was the case, why had she bothered pretending to be deeply in love, willing to die for that love? In such a case, he might not stand up for her.

Zheng Nianru was immediately choked up by the man before her, and she reached for the pillow again, but Nian Xia immediately caught it.

"Empress, please calm your anger." Nian Xia quickly looked to Nanny Yun, desperately thinking, Think of something, think of something.

Ju Nanyi’s expression remained austere, his mind filled with the image of her scrambling out of bed barefoot, a frantic look on her face, unable to even put on her shoes. He had never seen her so anxious about someone else, not even when their child fell ill...

"Lord Ju, you should leave first..." Nanny Yun quickly pushed Ju Nanyi toward the door.

Ju Nanyi didn’t want to leave. Why should he? Was there something wrong with what he had said? No matter the situation, she shouldn’t have appeared before Zheng Congyuan, and certainly shouldn’t have...

"Lord Ju, I’m sorry. Our Empress is just frantic with concern, and she has her own difficulties," Nanny Yun said as she pushed him out the door, seeing that Ju Nanyi’s face was still cold. She felt obliged to add a few more words.

"Then I shall take my leave—" Ju Nanyi said coldly. He felt like he was going mad. Even after two lifetimes, her temper hadn’t changed at all. Did she really think she ruled over Nanzheng State?

It was far from that; the current situation was delicate and could collapse at any moment.

Nanny Yun sighed as she watched Ju Nanyi’s retreating figure, thinking to herself how hard the Empress’s life was. If only she had known...

But who could see what the morrow holds? Even the Crown Prince...

It was Yin He, that boy, who in the end, it turned out to be that boy...

Zheng Nianru had slowly cooled down, and clarity returned to her mind, immediately regretting letting Ju Nanyi leave. Moreover, how had Ju Nanyi come so quickly? What else did he know?

...

Ju Nanyi, however, went straight to Chenyuan Hall. As he entered, Zheng Congyuan was waiting for him with his eyes closed.

"My lord..."

"No need, why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?" Zheng Congyuan spoke. He was merely agitated but hadn’t taken any action yet. It appeared that boy had been cautious from the start, which is why he felt safe leaving Zheng Nianru in the palace.