Zhang Fengcai is dead.

In the Imperial Palace, Rong Jing slowly opened his eyes and saw the azure canopy above.

"Zhang Fengcai—"

He called out in a hoarse voice.

The sound of a door opening reached his ears as Miao Ci entered with a cup of hot tea, her tone filled with delight: "Your Majesty is finally awake! Princess Ning’an has been waiting outside for a long time, wishing to look after you."

"You didn’t... let her in, did you?"

Rong Jing asked, frowning unintentionally.

Just uttering this simple sentence, he felt extremely weak all over, with a tearing pain in his chest.

"I wouldn’t dare, Your Majesty. While you were unconscious, apart from the Imperial Physician treating you, I didn’t allow anyone to visit." Miao Ci internally relaxed, thinking that following Zhang Fengcai’s advice was correct, as the Emperor disliked visits, even if it was the Princess.

"That’s good."

Rong Jing recalled the events before he fainted. Gu Lan not only attempted to kill him, but she also hid a dagger...

With this thought, he looked at Miao Ci before him.

Previously, after discovering Gu Lan was a woman, the task of searching her was assigned to Miao Ci.

Unexpectedly, he was so ineffective that he didn’t even notice Gu Lan hiding a dagger.

However, after all, it was Miao Ci who risked his life to save him. Otherwise, he would have been thoroughly stabbed by that woman.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"Two and a half two-hour periods, Your Majesty. The Imperial Physician said your coma was due to excessive blood loss. The stab was an inch away from your heart and not very deep—Heaven is on Your Majesty’s side, with the dragon spirit protecting you, no evil dares to infringe!"

Miao Ci, imitating Zhang Fengcai’s old manner, said respectfully.

"Two and a half two-hour periods? Then where is Zhang Fengcai? What about Gu Lan now? I remember saying not to let her die in the dungeons from punishment. Judging by the time, over half of the seventy-two punishments should have passed. Is she still alive? Also, how long has Ning’an been here?"

Rong Jing asked coldly, his gaze scanning the hall, without seeing Zhang Fengcai’s figure.

The Emperor’s lips were pale, his face as white as paper, Miao Ci trembled slightly, his eyes evasive as he looked down, choosing the mildest question to answer: "As soon as Your Majesty fell unconscious, Princess Ning’an arrived and has been waiting outside ever since."

He thought to himself, knowing how much the Emperor favors the Princess, hearing she has been waiting outside for so long would certainly move him greatly.

A sharp gleam flashed across Rong Jing’s eyes, his face expressionless, he murmured to himself:

"I just passed out and she came right away; she must have very quick news. Zhang Fengcai is becoming more useless... Never mind, summon her in."

"Yes."

Miao Ci nervously invited Rong Miaoyan in, thinking that having someone else to share the Emperor’s impending wrath would give him more sense of security.

"The Emperor is finally awake!" Rong Miaoyan, dressed in a light goose-yellow robe embroidered with golden peonies, with an exquisite and incomparable face, hurriedly rushed to Rong Jing’s bedside upon entering.

Seeing his usual stature, though his complexion was particularly pale, Rong Miaoyan breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers brushing her wet eyes, her voice choked: "The Emperor has been unconscious for so long, making Ning’an very worried."

"Really," Rong Jing accepted the tea handed to him by Miao Ci, and said, "I thought you still resented the incident with that little eunuch a few days ago."

Miaoyan’s fingertips trembled, and she lowered her eyes: "Ning’an does not dare, Ning’an knows the Emperor does it for her own good."

Rong Jing took a sip of tea to moisten his throat but frowned: "I always drink tea only seven-tenths hot, this tea... Where is Zhang Fengcai, let him come back to see me."

The Emperor, just having awakened, asked for Zhang Fengcai three times.

Miao Ci fell to his knees with a thud, resignedly speaking:

"Your, Your Majesty... Eunuch Zhang, by your order, escorted the traitor Gu Lan to the dungeon, but unexpectedly, he..." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"What happened to him?"

Rong Jing’s heart trembled, supporting himself up, he looked towards the hall entrance.

When Rong Miaoyan entered, he noticed a thin and familiar figure kneeling there.

"Who’s kneeling outside the door?"

"It’s the Deputy Commander of the Inner Supervision... Lin He." Miao Ci said, trembling.

Lin He, hearing the conversation inside the hall, raised his head, revealing a handsome and pale face, his voice hoarse and weak, yet clearly transmitted into the hall:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the servant and Eunuch Zhang were escorting Gu Lan to the dungeon, not expecting Eunuch Zhang to be bribed by Gu Lan. Halfway through, Eunuch Zhang suddenly assaulted, stabbing the servant twice, then colluded with others to release Gu Lan! The servant fainted from blood loss, waking up only half a two-hour period before Your Majesty, I beg for Your Majesty’s pardon!"

Rong Miaoyan said softly: "Lin He has been kneeling outside for half a two-hour period."