The Romantic Adventures of Huanzhu (2019) - Part 9

Chapter 48 A Twist of Fate (Part 3)

Qiu Lan rubbed her ears, feeling the tingling sensation of Ertai's hot breath on her earlobes, and only then did she realize that she really hadn't misheard.

"Ertai, he actually..."

Qiu Lan dared not think any further.

She raised her head, hesitantly looking at Ertai, her heart pounding as she gazed at his face, which was both wicked and resolute.

"Husband... this..."

Qiu Lan asked weakly.

"Believe me, you call me husband, how could I harm you? If you want to be with me forever, just listen to me."

Ertai moved Qiu Lan's fragrant shoulders, facing her face directly, and said affectionately.

"But... she's the Empress... if people find out, we..."

Qiu Lan was still somewhat worried. After all, the Empress had always held power and was used to being dignified, which had left a deep imprint on Qiu Lan's heart. The thought of harming the Empress made Qiu Lan lack confidence.

Especially since Ertai actually intended to use hallucinogenic drugs on the Empress. This was too shocking! She couldn't believe it. If the Empress went mad, it would be an unprecedented and earth-shattering event.

"Qiulan, believe me, you can do this. I guarantee this won't implicate us..."

Ertai whispered in Qiulan's ear again.

"Can...can...do it?"

Qiulan asked, her face flushed and her breathing uneven.

"Yes."

Ertai nodded heavily, then took Qiulan's hand and tenderly promised, "If anything goes wrong, I'll elope with you. We'll escape to the ends of the earth and live a life of blissful happiness, the envy of everyone."

"Really?"

Qiulan looked at Ertai with eyes full of tenderness and affection, seemingly longing for such a life.

"Yes, definitely."

Ertai said seriously. ...

"Huazhi, come here?"

The next day, Qiulan stepped out of her room, stretched alluringly, and called to the palace maid who had slapped Caixia a few times last time.

Hearing Qiulan call her name, the maidservant hurried over, curtsied, and said, "Sister Qiulan, what can I do for you?"

"Hehe, we're sisters, no need for instructions. I just came to chat with you,"

Qiulan said with a friendly smile. The two were quite familiar with each other, often chatting together in their free time.

The maidservant followed Qiulan into the room, smiling as she asked, "Sister Qiulan, what interesting things have you told me today?"

Qiulan pointed to a stool, gesturing for Huazhi to sit down. Then, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair wrist, and pointed to a jadeite bracelet, asking with a smile, "Huazhi, do you think my bracelet is pretty?"

"Oh, it's an emerald bracelet! It's very precious, isn't it? It's so beautiful! Can I take a look?"

No woman doesn't love beauty, and such precious bracelets that enhance one's appearance were exactly what these poor maidservants longed for, though they could only dream of owning one.

This bracelet was a gift from Ertai to Qiulan.

Qiulan took off the bracelet and handed it to Huazhi. Huazhi happily took it, stroking it in her hands. She felt the bracelet's smooth, warm texture and pleasant fragrance; it was truly a fine piece. Curious, she asked, "Sister Qiulan, where did you get such a beautiful bracelet?"

"Hehe, it's nothing, just a gift from Her Majesty the Empress,"

Qiulan said casually.

"A gift from Her Majesty the Empress?"

Huazhi's face showed a mixture of disappointment and longing.

Qiulan took back the bracelet, put it on her wrist, and proudly stretched out her hand, clicking her tongue in admiration, "Ah, the bracelet bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress is truly beautiful."

"Yes, yes,"

Huazhi, a shrewd character, immediately flattered, "Things bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress are no ordinary objects. But it's only because Sister Qiulan has such beautiful hands that this bracelet would be a waste if anyone else wore it."

"Hehe, little sister, you're so good with words. I'm nowhere near as good as you say,"

Qiulan said with a smile.

"Little sister is speaking from the heart. We all secretly envy you, sister, for being able to gain the Twelfth Prince's respect and also be favored by Her Majesty the Empress. You're truly capable."

Huazhi's flattery became increasingly blatant. Flattery between men is mostly subtle and refined, but between women, the more direct it is, the more it satisfies a woman's vanity.

"Oh, Huazhi, do you know why Her Majesty the Empress bestowed this bracelet upon me?"

Qiulan's smile faded, and she asked mysteriously.

"Why?"

Huazhi asked anxiously, eager to know Qiulan's secret to being favored.

"It's actually quite simple, it's because of the persimmon cakes."

Qiulan offered the bait.

"Persimmon cakes? You mean you gave Her Majesty the Empress persimmon cakes?"

Huazhi's mouth dropped open dramatically, and she stammered, "Those aren't things ordinary people eat, would Her Majesty the Empress like them?"

"Hehe, sister, you don't understand. Think about it, Her Majesty the Empress, as the mother of the nation, eats lavish meals of fish and meat every day, she's probably tired of them by now. Ordinary people's food, though simple, is something Her Majesty has never eaten before, so it's so novel! Haven't you heard? Emperor Kangxi made many private visits just to eat a Shandong pancake."

Qiulan coaxed her gently.

"Oh, now that you mention it, sister, it really makes a lot of sense!"

Huazhi's eyes lit up. Around five

or six o'clock in the evening, after the Empress Dowager and the other ladies finished chanting scriptures, she would go to the hot spring pool at Xishan Temple to bathe.

This hot spring at Xishan Temple gushed from underground; the temperature was just right, and the water was crystal clear. In modern terms, the water was rich in minerals and vitamins A, B, C, D, E, F, G, which had a good therapeutic effect on cold constitution.

During her postpartum period, the Empress suffered from qi deficiency and imbalance, and for the past twenty years, she had developed a cold constitution. It was alright in the summer, but in the cold winter, the cold qi in her body would surge up, leaving her feeling icy cold and in pain, causing her to suffer from sleepless nights.

After hearing about the miraculous effects of the hot spring at Xishan Temple, the Empress began to soak there every day, from sunset until the moon was high in the sky. Surprisingly, after a while, the cold qi in her body dissipated considerably, and gradually, the Empress also came to love this feeling.

Normally, the Empress is of noble birth, and once she occupies this hot spring pool, the other empresses cannot bathe with her. Moreover, whenever the Empress bathes, only Rong Momo serves her; for some reason, the Empress never allows other maids to serve her.

Today is no different, but behind the artificial hill at the back of the hot spring pool, there is an extra pair of eyes. The owner of those eyes is none other than Ertai. Just a short while ago, that little girl Huazhi actually brought the Empress a plate of persimmon cakes, bought from the street, but Ertai sprinkled a small amount of hallucinogenic drug on them.

When Ertai spoke to Qiulan, he naturally said he wanted to drive the Empress mad. However, deep down, he couldn't bear to see such a beautiful woman like the Empress driven insane. But the Empress had always been at odds with him, and if she found out about his relationship with her maid Qiulan, she wouldn't just punish Qiulan, but would also use it to attack Ertai. After all, a subject having a relationship with a maid in the palace was a major taboo in the court, and if the Emperor found out, things would be very bad.

Therefore, Ertai consulted Physician Hu in detail. He learned that by adding a small amount of hallucinogenic drug, the user would experience hallucinations after four hours (eight hours), which would automatically disappear after two hours (four hours).

This meant Ertai had four hours to carry out his plan.

"What's the best way to make a woman stop being your enemy and instead obey you obediently?"

Ertai asked himself wickedly, then answered, "Of course, it's to make her your woman, hehe."

After waiting for a while behind the artificial hill, the Empress and Rong Momo entered. The Empress was dressed neatly and conservatively, but her figure was still quite good, with prominent curves in all the right places.

Once inside the hot spring, Rong Momo began to remove the Empress's headdress, which was quickly undone, revealing the Empress's beautiful hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. Next, Rong Momo began to unbutton the Empress's outer garment, one button at a time, one, two, three... With each button undone, Ertai, hiding behind the artificial hill, couldn't help but feel his heart pounding and his mouth watering.

A minute later, Rong Momo had removed the Empress's outer garment and inner garment, revealing the Empress in a flesh-colored tube top and light pink underwear.

"My goodness!"

Ertai swallowed hard, thinking that the Empress was truly a beauty. In her youth, she must have been a woman who could charm countless young men. Now, her charm remained undiminished, but she possessed a mature elegance that added to her beauty. Such a woman was a heartbreaker for any man.

Since the Empress didn't notice Ertai, he could freely scrutinize her body: her beautiful face, her luscious red lips, her fair neck, her sexy shoulders, her high, soft breasts, her lotus-root-like arms, her elegant and fragrant wrists, her slender waist, her long, shapely legs, her full, pert buttocks, her delicate ankles, her soft, jade-like feet, her sparkling toes, and her alluring pale pink nail polish—everything about her was exquisite.

At this moment, the Empress was breathtakingly beautiful.

Ertai's heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of his throat. He stared intently as the Empress, dressed only in her undergarments, approached the water's edge. With her nimble toes, she gently stirred the surface, creating ripples that spread gracefully, one after another…

After a few moments of play, the Empress gently knelt down, using her jade-like hands to splash the hot spring water onto her body—her cheeks, neck, shoulders, arms, waist, lower abdomen, legs, and feet. Soon, her smooth body was wet with the warm water.

Her chest was soaked, and her flesh-colored bodice was almost transparent, clinging tightly to her body, revealing glimpses of her alluring white skin and two tempting nipples. With each breath, her breasts rose and fell rapidly, her nipples flushed slightly.

"Your Majesty, have you adjusted to the water temperature? Let me help you remove this,"

asked Rong Momo beside the Empress.

"Hmm,"

the Empress responded faintly.

She then slightly turned to the side, allowing Rong Momo to help her remove her bodice. Because of this turn, the Empress was now facing Ertai directly, and the half-concealed view of her chest drove Ertai wild.

"Your Majesty, your figure is truly beautiful,"

Rong Momo exclaimed.

The Empress smiled and said, "Ah, I'm getting old."

Rong Momo then helped her remove the bodice, and her two alluring breasts bounced joyfully with the movement, swaying repeatedly. The soft, white nipples breathed gracefully, slightly flushed.

"So beautiful,"

Ertai exclaimed in admiration. He truly hadn't expected the Empress's breasts to be even more captivating than Consort Ling's—white and tender, with pink nipples and a peach-red halo, truly intoxicating.

"Take it off, keep taking it off, just one more layer!"

Ertai screamed frantically in his heart. At this moment, the Empress was only one layer of underwear away from being fully exposed before Ertai's eyes. Hurry up and take it off! Even the author was getting impatient and was shouting along with her.

However, it was at this moment that the maid Huazhi greeted her from outside, "Your Majesty, it's me, Huazhi. I heard you came to soak in the hot spring without having dinner. I was afraid you would feel dizzy, so I brought you your favorite persimmon cakes."

Upon hearing Huazhi's voice, the Empress said somewhat impatiently, "Persimmon cakes? What persimmon cakes?"

Rong Mama explained the meaning of persimmon cakes to the Empress, and the Empress frowned and said, "What's so good about persimmon cakes? Aren't those what ordinary people eat? If you don't want them, throw them away." "

Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager likes to eat these,"

Rong Mama reminded her.

The Empress nodded, softening her tone, and said to Huazhi outside, "Huazhi, go and give this persimmon cake to the Empress Dowager."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Huazhi's tone was somewhat disappointed, but she still obeyed and left.

'Pfft!' Ertai almost choked on his saliva. Persimmon cake? For the Empress Dowager? Those persimmon cakes were laced with hallucinogenic drugs! He finally understood what a twist of fate meant!

At the same time, standing by the pool, the Empress, her body soaking wet, elegantly raised one beautiful leg, pointed her toes, and placed her other hand on her waist, pulling down her pink underwear...

Chapter 049 Too Subversive!

Hearing Huazhi quickly leave from outside the hot spring to give the plate of persimmon cakes laced with hallucinogenic drugs to the Empress Dowager, Ertai was immediately shocked. However, at this moment, the Empress and Rong Mama were in front of the rockery, so Ertai naturally could not rush out to stop the maid.

Fortunately, Ertai had a typical ostrich mentality. Since he couldn't reverse things, he let fate play its tricks. He quietly hid behind the artificial hill, secretly watching the Empress's amorous desires.

He saw the Empress gracefully raise one beautiful leg, pointing her toes, supported by Rong Momo, while her other leg stood firmly on the ground. She slowly took off her exquisite little panties, revealing her entire mysterious honeyed orifice to Ertai's eyes.

The scenery there was delightful, fragrant and beautiful. The two petals bloomed gracefully, tinged with a hint of peach pink, tempting to be plucked. Ertai stared intently, and soon he discovered the Empress's secret. He couldn't help but widen his eyes and open his mouth in astonishment.

'Hiss!' He gasped. Good heavens, the Empress's vulva wasn't covered in pubic hair; it was white and smooth…

"She's a 'white tiger'?"

Ertai raised an eyebrow in surprise. Back in modern times, he'd often heard online that women with white vulvas were the most promiscuous. He'd seen some women with white vulvas in Japanese adult films, but those were all intentional. Judging from the Empress's appearance, it seemed to be natural.

"My God!"

Ertai gasped, his eyes fixed on the Empress's vulva. It was truly beautiful. Natural beauty was far superior to artificial enhancements, like the difference between a natural beauty and an artificially enhanced one.

What was especially remarkable was that the Empress's vulva was a delicate pink, like a baby's, tinged with a rosy hue. No wonder the Empress didn't allow anyone to serve her when she bathed. In traditional feudal times, if people knew the Empress was a 'white tiger' and it spread, what would become of them?

But Ertai didn't care about any of that. He was a modern man with open-minded views, and modern men generally preferred women who were chaste and virtuous in public but wanton in bed. He suddenly had a strong urge to pin the Empress down and experience the difference between a woman with a "white tiger" (a woman with a white tiger-like body) and an ordinary woman.

The Empress, unaware of being watched, leisurely entered the water, facing Ertai directly. She sat on the edge of the hot spring, her arms resting on the edge, letting the rippling water lift her fair and alluring breasts, which floated beautifully.

Rong Momo stood by the pool, squatting down to scoop up warm water and wipe the Empress's body. She was the Empress's wet nurse, having cared for her since she was very young. Although Rong Momo was fierce, she was the closest person to the Empress.

Rong Momo helped the Empress wash her arms and breasts, while the Empress bent down, cupping a handful of warm water in her hands. She raised one of her silky smooth legs and slowly washed it. With each movement, her smooth, pink vulva was half-hidden, half-revealed by the rippling water, breathing softly.

The Empress's small hands washed her ankles, calves, thighs, and inner thighs, finally reaching her vulva. She gently placed her hand there, tenderly caressing it. The pale pink deepened with throbbing, and finally, as the petals greedily absorbed the water, it turned a peach-red.

It was clear the Empress was aroused; her jade-like body trembled slightly, and a dazzling blush rose on her fair skin, like the intoxicating red of the sunset.

*Glug glug!* Ertai, his eyes burning with desire, swallowed hard. He was beyond words; his mind was clouded. He only knew the Empress was incredibly beautiful, and his own penis was rock hard. He couldn't help but reach down and, through his trousers, began to masturbate. He

didn't know how much time had passed—it seemed like an eternity to Ertai—when the Empress waved to Rong Mama, signaling her to stop serving her. Rong Mama nodded in understanding, turned away, and walked to the entrance of the hot spring, her eyes and ears alertly scanning the outside and listening for any sounds. After

Rong Mama left, the Empress suddenly sighed wistfully. It was unclear what she was thinking, but her face showed the melancholy and resentment of a young woman longing for her lover. After a while, the Empress's heart pounded. Ertai, of course, didn't know the Empress's anxiety, but he could tell from the rise and fall of her breasts that her heart was racing.

Suddenly, the Empress withdrew her arms from the pool, a longing expression appearing on her face. She slowly raised her head, fully exposing her fair and elegant neck. Ertai had seen this pose on three women before: first, Consort Ling; second, Nalan Zhu; and third, the Empress.

She raised her right hand, splashed some warm water on her neck, then gently traced her neck with her fingertips, followed by light massage with her fingertips.

The Empress's face flushed slightly. Her hair was damp, with a few glistening droplets clinging to it, cascading gracefully over her shoulders. She gently brushed her hair aside, circling her neck, shoulders, and cheeks with her right hand.

Simultaneously, her other hand lightly pressed against her large breasts. Under her touch, her two large, fair breasts danced joyfully, trembling and swaying, making Ertai dizzy.

Gradually, the Empress increased the pressure of her massage. Ertai saw the faint halo around her breasts become more vibrant, and with the movement of her fingers, her nipples became bright and alluring, hard and swollen, exuding a captivating charm.

"Ahhhhhh..."

A series of soft moans escaped from the Empress's slightly parted lips, the beautiful melody echoing above the hot spring. Ertai noticed that the Empress's body was becoming increasingly flushed, as if her entire skin was trembling and shaking rapidly.

Slowly, the Empress grew unsatisfied. Her left hand continued to press her breasts, while her right hand traced a path across her soft flesh, extending to that alluring place—her honeyed orifice.

Sensing the intrusion of external force, the two petals shyly closed slightly, then, with the pleasure brought by the external force, shyly opened again, even more beautifully than before.

Ertai had already released his penis, which was now swollen and throbbing. With the Empress's intoxicated breathing, Ertai stroked it, the crimson head pointing straight at her vulva. If it weren't for the artificial rock, it would have loved to plunge in and thrust beautifully.

The Empress, unaware of being watched, grew increasingly aroused, her movements becoming more and more uncontrollable. Her left arm was pressed tightly against her breast, her left hand frantically kneading her breast, shoulder, and neck, while her right hand, with two fingers extended, tilted and inserted into her honeyed orifice.

"Ah...so good...so comfortable...so beautiful...ahhh..."

The Empress's soft moans turned into uncontrollable groans. Ertai saw her legs opening and closing, her body swaying back and forth, her legs sometimes tightening, sometimes loosening, as her fingers extended, creating waves of pleasure.

"Mmm...I want...I want...ah...harder..."

The Empress breathed heavily, both passionate and intoxicated. This was the second time Ertai had seen a woman masturbate in front of him. As mentioned before, the women in the harem were too lonely, and such masturbation was hardly considered reckless.

Everyone needs release, and the Empress, the mother of the nation, was no exception...

Ertai knew the Empress needed it, and he felt the same way. His hands moved in rhythm with the Empress's, his eyes fixed on her beautiful body.

He noticed that the Empress's eyes were half-closed, her pupils hazy, her hair disheveled, her cheeks flushed, and her breathing rapid. As her fingers increased pressure, the Empress's body trembled violently, heaving like raging waves, one after another...

Finally, the Empress tightly closed her eyes, her arms tightening around her body, her whole body curling up and extending towards the surface of the water, her hand movements becoming increasingly rapid.

Ertai, who was eavesdropping, knew that the Empress's self-inflicted release was imminent. However, seeing the occasional hint of resentment in her blissful expression, Ertai knew that this method could not satisfy her desires and needs.

"Ah...I want...ah...Ertai...ah...I want...I want you...I want you to give me...ah...Ertai...I love you...I want you to want me...fuck me hard...ahhh..."

The Empress cried out in a daze, and before reaching her climax, she uttered only the name Ertai. Ertai, who was moving wildly with the Empress, suddenly stopped, as if struck by lightning. He stared blankly at the Empress, his body tensing up, his toes kicking the water. Then, amidst her series of satisfied yet resentful, excited yet depressed cries, she was swept high into the air by the waves and fell heavily back onto the beach.

"Ugh..."

The Empress breathed wearily, her body completely limp, her breath hazy and weak...

After a while, the Empress stood up from the water, her body covered in glistening water droplets, a gentle steam rising from her. Rong Momo sat down beside her, draped a gauze robe over the Empress, and softly asked, "Your Majesty, why did you stop bathing so soon today?"

"Let's go back."

The Empress sighed softly, her expression somewhat sorrowful and resentful.

Ertai was completely stunned. He stared blankly as the Empress dried herself, put on her qipao, and walked out of the hot spring.

"...Ah...Ertai..."

The two words the Empress uttered lingered in Ertai's mind for a long time, refusing to leave.

It was quite some time after the Empress left that Ertai seemed to recover from his extreme shock, and then he secretly slipped out.

In his bedroom, Ertai lay on his back on the bed, fully clothed, one leg bent and the other draped over it. He chewed on a blade of grass, twirling it as he pondered why the Empress had suddenly uttered his name at the height of her self-pleasure.

This was too unbelievable…

From the time Ertai could remember, the Empress had never given him a kind look. Later, when he became a guard in Consort Ling's palace, the Empress intensified her torment of him. Whenever she had the chance, she would immediately step forward and speak ill of Ertai to the Empress Dowager, hoping the Empress Dowager would punish him.

But… today… in the hot spring… at that moment when women yearn most… Her Majesty the Empress… the mother of the Twelfth Prince… and the woman who is the Empress Dowager herself… actually called out Ertai's name.

Ertai didn't hear what the Empress said afterward. When he first heard the Empress utter his name, he was completely stunned, dumbfounded.

This was almost impossible. If Ertai hadn't heard it with his own ears, he would never have believed it. Consort Ling and the Empress were enemies. Ertai was Consort Ling's cousin, her relative. He and the Empress should have been enemies, so why…

Ertai truly couldn't understand. Perhaps some things are only clear on the surface. Like Ertai himself, because of Caixia's affair, he had a fierce conflict with the Empress, but turning around, didn't he still want the Empress's body?

What is an enemy? What is a lover?

Ertai was confused…

Just like him and Qiulan, they were enemies at first, but after possessing Qiulan's body, they became lovers. Love is truly mysterious. Some people, some things, one may never fully understand even in a lifetime.

The Empress was causing trouble for Ertai, and Ertai, also wanting revenge, devised the wicked plan of using hallucinogenic drugs. He intended to take advantage of the Empress's incoherent state, vent his anger, and then possess and train her…

However, fate played a cruel trick on him. The persimmons he had carefully prepared were mistakenly delivered to the Empress Dowager…

“Oh no! Empress Dowager…”

Ertai suddenly snapped back to reality, cried out, and sat up in bed. He quickly got out of bed, opened the door, and ran towards the Empress Dowager's palace…

Chapter 050 The Empress Dowager (Part 1)

Ertai ran towards the Empress Dowager's residence. He ran very fast, and although the distance was not far, by the time he reached the Empress Dowager's palace, he was panting heavily and sweating profusely.

Seeing Ertai's anxious appearance, the maids all assumed that something important had happened, and their expressions became serious.

At the Empress Dowager's door, a maidservant blocked Ertai's path, curtsied, and said, "Second Master Fu, the Empress Dowager has already gone to sleep. Please come to see her again tomorrow."

"The Empress Dowager is asleep?"

Ertai asked breathlessly.

"Yes, she just fell asleep not long ago. The Empress Dowager has been less active lately, and it's only just fallen asleep. Second Master Fu, please don't disturb her."

The maidservant continued.

"Hmm, since the Empress Dowager is asleep, I naturally won't disturb her. But, alas—"

Ertai turned around, sighed, shook his head, and was about to leave when he heard a creaking sound from a room next to the Empress Dowager's room, followed by the door opening.

"Ertai, is that you?"

In the moonlight, Qinggege, dressed in a purple qipao, opened her door and stood at the entrance, asking. She was just thinking of falling asleep when she suddenly heard Ertai's voice faintly coming from the courtyard, so she opened the door to see, and sure enough, it was Ertai.

Upon seeing Qing'er, Ertai's face lit up with a joyful smile. He quickly walked to Qing'er's side, cupped his hands, and said, "Ertai greets Princess Qing."

According to royal etiquette, Ertai naturally had to pay his respects to Qing'er.

"Alright, alright, we're all family here, there are no outsiders. Let's put away these formalities,"

Qing'er smiled radiantly, gently touching Ertai's hand to indicate that he didn't need to bow.

Ertai felt the fleeting softness and fragrance on the back of his hand and laughed, "If all the princesses in this palace were like you, constantly paying their respects every day, it's really quite vulgar, hehe."

"Alright, it's getting chilly, don't stand outside anymore, come in with me. Don't tell outsiders about this, after all, this etiquette of paying respects is a rule passed down from our ancestors,"

Qing'er said with a grin, then elegantly gestured for him to enter.

"How could I? I only dare say that to you. To say it to anyone else would be asking for trouble,"

Ertai said with a smile, without excessive formality, and followed Qing'er into his room.

After inviting Ertai inside, Qing'er left the room and instructed a maid, "No one is to enter without my permission."

"Yes, Princess Qing,"

the maid replied crisply.

Don't misunderstand, Princess Qing's order wasn't meant to seduce Ertai, but rather it was out of necessity. In ancient times, feudal ideas were deeply ingrained. Before a woman's marriage, no man other than her father was allowed to enter her room; otherwise, she would be considered to have lost her virginity.

Princess Qing was obedient and sensible, but her thinking was rather progressive. Being a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, she naturally disliked being bound by etiquette. Spending every day chatting with an elderly empress dowager was incredibly boring. Finally meeting Ertai, who was about her age, she naturally wanted to chat and relieve her boredom.

Closing the door, Qing'er gracefully walked to Ertai's side, smiling as she said, "Ertai, please sit down, I'll make you some tea."

She turned to serve him tea.

Looking at Qing'er's charming face and elegant figure, and smelling the fragrance she carried with her movements, Ertai's expression fluttered. Instinctively, he reached out and grasped Qing'er's small, delicate hand, smiling as he said, "No need for that, let's just chat."

"Oh."

Feeling Ertai's warm hand holding hers, Qing'er blushed, shyly biting her lip. She turned and quietly sat down opposite Ertai.

The two sat at a round table, their eyes meeting. Ertai still held Qing'er's hand until he saw the shyness and awkwardness on her face, realizing his rudeness, and hurriedly released her hand.

Ertai coughed, about to say something, when Qing'er spoke first, breaking the awkward silence between them, "Ertai, why aren't you on guard duty this late at night? What are you doing in the Empress Dowager's palace? Has something important happened?"

Knowing Qing'er would ask this, Ertai had already prepared his response, replying, "Nothing important, I just suddenly realized it's been a long time since I chatted with the Empress Dowager. I happened to be passing by on my inspection today, so I thought I'd come in to pay my respects, hear her teachings, and find some spiritual support, hehe."

"Hehe, you certainly know how to talk."

Qing'er looked at Ertai with a grin, then suddenly asked curiously, "Ertai, I remember you used to be rather introverted, how come you've become so lively and talkative now, and even..."

Qing'er was a very clever and charming girl; otherwise, the Empress Dowager wouldn't like her so much and dote on her. She had originally wanted to ask why Ertai had suddenly become so troublesome, but after thinking about it, she swallowed her words.

However, since she didn't mention it, Ertai picked up the conversation, saying nonchalantly, "Qing'er, I know you've been intelligent and understanding since childhood. You should know what it means to be caught up in the world of martial arts, right?"

"Hehe, I haven't even said anything to you yet, and you're already complaining. We're all members of the royal family, not some chivalrous heroes, haha."

Qing'er said with a grin. At this moment, she was like a little sister next door. If others saw her, they would never mistake her for the high and mighty Princess Qing'er.

Ertai liked Qing'er's current appearance very much—sweet, lovely, and without any guile. In Ertai's eyes, beautiful girls should be protected by men and shouldn't be involved in life-or-death struggles. However, he wasn't a savior and couldn't influence the entire situation on his own.

"Qing'er, don't you think the palace is actually more terrifying and dangerous than the martial arts world?"

Ertai sighed and suddenly said quietly.

"Ertai, what's wrong with you today? How can you just say things like that so casually? It's a good thing you told me, otherwise others might think you're slandering the emperor."

Qing'er looked at Ertai with a serious expression and said earnestly.

Ertai waved his hand, not caring much, but seeing that Qing'er didn't seem interested in the question, he changed the subject, saying, "Qing'er, I can tell fortunes, do you believe me?"

"Oh, fortune telling?"

Upon hearing this question, Qing'er immediately smiled happily, shaking her head with a grin, and said sweetly, "No, I don't believe it. Fortune telling is too profound. Usually only enlightened monks can do it. You're not a monk, so who would believe you can tell fortunes?"

"Uh..."

Ertai was speechless. Even if you don't believe it, you don't have to be so blunt. It's so hurtful to his pride. But it was only because of a beauty like Qing'er that he spoke so bluntly that Ertai didn't care. If anyone else dared to offend him, Master Fu, he would have slapped them away long ago!

"Really, I'm not lying to you, I really can tell fortunes,"

Ertai said earnestly.

"Oh?"

Seeing his seriousness, Qing'er raised her beautiful eyebrows and asked sweetly, "How do you know how?"

"Well..."

Ertai naturally wouldn't say that he had looked it up online before he transmigrated, so he made up a lie, "When I was little, my family hired a tutor. That tutor was a know-it-all, knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, divination, and feng shui. I thought it was fun, so I learned some from him. Later, he told me about constellations. Would you like to hear about them?"

"Constellations?"

Qing'er's eyes lit up immediately, her beautiful eyes blinking as she looked at Ertai curiously, anticipating his next words.

Seeing Qing'er's earnest expression, Ertai was overjoyed. He had initially been worried about the hallucinogenic drug incident, but now that thought was completely forgotten. Besides, the Empress Dowager was asleep, and the room was packed with maids and eunuchs. Entering now would be tantamount to suicide; it was better to wait until later, when fewer maids and eunuchs were on night duty, before checking the situation.

So, Ertai pretended to be mysterious and talked to Qing'er about astrology. However, astrology is based on the Gregorian calendar, and ancient people didn't understand it, so Ertai made up stories, saying Qing'er was a Virgo, which made Qing'er blush and roll her eyes.

"Ertai, what's your zodiac sign?"

Qing'er asked shyly.

"I'm a Sagittarius,"

Ertai replied with a smile.

"Oh? Sagittarius?"

Qing'er, being from ancient times, lacked modern knowledge and naturally didn't understand the meaning behind Ertai's words. She eagerly asked, "You just said that Sagittarius and Virgo... something else are the most compatible, right?"

"Yes, that's what I said,"

Ertai replied with a smile.

"Why?"

Qing'er asked innocently.

This stumped Ertai. He couldn't very well tell Qing'er that Sagittarius and Virgo... well, you know!

He rolled his eyes, thought for a moment, and then made up a story, "Qing'er, I haven't told your fortune yet. After I do, you'll understand why those two signs are the most compatible."

"Then you can't lie to me,"

Qing'er pouted, her pretty face flushed, looking incredibly charming.

"Okay, give me your hand,"

Ertai held out his hand.

"Hand? Why should I give you my hand?"

Qing'er blushed and asked back.

"Because fortune telling involves looking at palm lines,"

Ertai explained.

"Oh."

Qing'er, half-believing and half-doubting, shyly offered her hand to Ertai, who eagerly grasped it, taking the opportunity to caress her soft, smooth hand.

Qing'er's hands were beautiful, like a piece of jade, pure white and flawless. Some say that to judge a woman's beauty, one should look at her face, but to judge a person's inner beauty, one should look at their hands.

Ertai didn't know if this was true, but he knew that Qing'er's hands were more beautiful than those of several women he had seen. They were as white as snow, as smooth as touching the most luxurious silk in the world, and as soft as a sponge.

"Ertai, didn't you want to have your palm read?"

Seeing that Ertai was only playing with her hand and had forgotten the important matter, Qing'er reminded him, blushing.

"Ahem."

Reminded by her, Ertai's face immediately showed embarrassment. He coughed twice to cover his flustered state, then turned Qing'er's small hand over and used his index finger to trace the lines on her fair palm, pointing out which was the love line, which was the career line, and which was the life line.

Qing'er listened intently. She was very close to Ertai, his masculine aura emanating from him, and with his hand in hers, her palm felt a tingling, ticklish sensation from his fingers. Qing'er's heart fluttered.

"Hey, Qing'er, your love line seems to have a problem,"

Ertai suddenly said, pointing to a small white dot on the love line in Qing'er's palm.

"Huh?"

Qing'er was lost in thought when Ertai suddenly looked up at her. She was momentarily stunned, like a girl in the throes of first love whose secrets had been exposed. Her heart pounded wildly, and a blush quickly rose to her cheeks.

"Qing'er, what's wrong?"

Seeing Qing'er's flushed face, Ertai asked curiously.

"N-nothing...nothing. What did you just say?"

Qing'er lowered her head shyly and asked.

Ertai was speechless and slapped his forehead, feeling an urge to bang his head against the wall. Qing'er hadn't even listened to him! However, it seemed that not paying attention to beautiful women was their prerogative, and men were usually accommodating. Ertai could only patiently repeat the question he had just asked.

"My love life...what's wrong with my love line?"

Qing'er snapped out of her reverie, her face still flushed, and asked curiously.

Just as Ertai was about to answer, a maid rushed in, banging on Qing'er's door. She cried out in panic, "Princess Qing, something terrible has happened! The Empress Dowager…"

Chapter 51 The Empress Dowager (Part Two)

"What happened to the Empress Dowager?"

Qing'er had lived with the Empress Dowager since childhood, and they had a very close relationship; the Empress Dowager was like a grandmother to her.

Hearing the maid's panicked report that something had happened to the Empress Dowager, Qing'er quickly pulled her small hand away from Ertai's large hand, rushed to the door, opened it, and listened to the maid's report. Her face immediately turned ashen.

"What? You said the Empress Dowager suddenly fell ill with a strange disease?"

Qing'er's face paled, and her body went limp, staggering backward. Just as she was about to fall to the ground, Ertai reacted quickly, rushing forward and catching her in his arms.

"Qing'er, calm down,"

Ertai whispered comfortingly in Qing'er's ear. However, he knew that such comfort would not be of much use; as the saying goes, one becomes flustered when it concerns oneself. So he asked the maid, "Has Physician Hu been summoned?"

"Yes, yes, Eunuch Gao has already gone in person and should arrive soon,"

the maid hurriedly replied.

"That's good. Let's go see the Empress Dowager right away,"

Ertai said to Qing'er, then helped the dizzy Qing'er to the Empress Dowager's room.

"Empress Dowager..."

Upon entering the room, they saw the Empress Dowager on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, her face ashen, her lips slightly parted and trembling violently, her body convulsing intensely, her expression one of extreme pain.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's suffering, Qing'er could no longer control herself. She broke free from Ertai's embrace, rushed to the Empress Dowager's bedside, knelt on the ground, grasped the Empress Dowager's hand, and cried loudly, her voice filled with sorrow and moving emotion.

"Empress Dowager, what's wrong? Look at me! It's me, Qing'er... Waaah... Empress Dowager... Ah... Empress Dowager, why are your hands so hot..."

Qing'er cried out in panic, her eyes filled with deep worry.

Qing'er trembled as she touched the Empress Dowager's forehead, suddenly realizing it was burning hot, as if she had a severe fever. Gradually, the Empress Dowager's sallow complexion flushed slightly, first a pale red, then a deep crimson, and finally a purplish-red.

"Waaah... Empress Dowager... say something to me! Don't scare me... I'm your Qing'er... Empress Dowager, say something to me... Waaah..."

Qing'er cried out anxiously.

Ertai, standing nearby, was also puzzled. He thought, "This shouldn't be happening. Didn't Physician Hu say that after a small amount of hallucinogenic drugs, a woman would enter a hallucination without pain? Why is the Empress Dowager in so much pain?"

Just then, Physician Hu arrived, sweating and panting. He put down his medicine chest and said urgently to Princess Qing, "Princess Qing, please step aside. This old minister needs to take the Empress Dowager's pulse."

"No, I don't want to leave the Empress Dowager, I don't want to..."

Qing'er choked out.

Ertai knew the deep affection between her and the Empress Dowager, and in this situation, he was naturally unwilling to leave her side even for a moment. However, the Empress Dowager's condition was critical, and there was no time to waste. Ertai stepped forward and gently said to Qing'er, "Qing'er, be good, let the physician take her pulse..."

"Waaah..."

Ertai hugged Qing'er's shoulders, gently patting them to comfort her. Qing'er turned her head with tearful eyes, looking at Ertai with a pitiful expression, and gently nodded. She sobbed, then suddenly threw herself into Ertai's arms and burst into tears.

"Waaah..."

Her expression was sorrowful, truly pitiful to behold.

When the Empress Dowager was seriously ill, no one present paid much attention to Qing'er's actions, and even those who did wouldn't say anything. However, Ertai was somewhat at a loss. Qing'er's sudden embrace caught him off guard, and he didn't know where to put his large hands.

"Alright, stop crying. Let the imperial physician take her pulse properly. Let's not disturb him, okay?"

Ertai finally found a place for his hands—Qing'er's back. He stroked it, comforting her.

"Mmm..."

Qing'er responded softly. She didn't even realize that Ertai's gentle words of comfort had calmed her heart.

"Qing'er, let's go out first. Don't disturb the imperial physician here,"

Ertai continued.

"No... I want to stay here..."

Qing'er's face was full of determination.

"Listen to me, okay? I want the Empress Dowager to get better quickly, so listen to me, okay?"

Ertai pleaded patiently.

"Well... alright then."

After thinking for a moment, Qing'er glanced reluctantly at the Empress Dowager and followed Ertai to the outer room. A group of maids and eunuchs followed, leaving only one or two shrewd maids inside to serve.

Once in the outer room, Ertai comforted Qing'er and helped her sit down. He then went to Eunuch Gao's side and whispered, "Eunuch Gao, you're a senior eunuch, there are some things I don't need to say, right?"

Eunuch Gao bowed his head and replied, "Don't worry, Master Fu, I know what to do."

Hearing his reply, Ertai nodded in satisfaction.

Then, Eunuch Gao walked to the maids and eunuchs and said sternly, "If any of you dare to leak even a whisper of what happened today, you'll lose your lives!"

"Yes, yes, Eunuch Gao."

These maids and eunuchs, always fearing Eunuch Gao, involuntarily lowered their heads and responded in terror.

Then, Eunuch Gao returned to Ertai's side and asked, "Second Master Fu, I believe they wouldn't dare spread this. What should we do next? Should we send someone to inform the Emperor?"

The eunuchs in the Empress Dowager's palace usually followed the Empress Dowager's orders, and also obeyed Qing Gege's commands. However, seeing that Qing Gege listened to Ertai, Eunuch Gao asked Ertai for advice.

"Don't make a fuss for now. Let's wait for Physician Hu's results,"

Ertai sighed, waved his hand, and Eunuch Gao, half-bowed, waved for the maids and servants to leave.

While pacing anxiously outside, just as they were growing impatient, Physician Hu emerged with a grave expression. Upon seeing him, Qing'er and Eunuch Gao rushed forward.

"Physician Hu, how is the Empress Dowager?"

Qing'er asked anxiously.

"This..."

Physician Hu hesitated, then looked at Ertai. Seeing Ertai's calm gaze, he said, "The Empress Dowager is suffering from two poisons."

"Two poisons?"

Ertai, Qing'er, and Eunuch Gao asked in unison, their foreheads filled with doubt.

"How could there be two poisons?"

Ertai's suspicion was even deeper than Qing'er's; he had only given her a hallucinogenic drug.

"Yes, there are two poisons. One is a hallucinogenic drug, and the other is a 'Bewitching Pill,' produced in Miao territory. It's a kind of Gu poison that can make someone lose their mind. Legend has it that Miao soul-reapers grind this pill into powder to drive away souls,"

Physician Hu explained solemnly.

"Hallucinogenic drug and Bewitching Pill..."

Qing'er murmured, repeating the names of the two drugs, her face blank and bewildered.

Ertai pressed on, "Bewitching Pill from Miao territory—besides soul-reapers, who else would have this Gu poison?"

"I heard...it's...it's..."

Physician Hu stammered.

"Speak quickly, what are you dawdling for?"

Ertai scolded impatiently.

"The Red Lotus Sect,"

Physician Hu said. "I read a medical book before, which was about the Gu poison of Miao territory. The book mentioned that the Bewitching Pill is a sacred medicine of the Red Lotus Sect, a unique secret recipe passed down through generations. Only the sect leader can possess the formula, and it is passed down to daughters, not sons!"

"The Red Lotus Sect?"

Ertai had a big question mark in his mind, but quickly grasped the key point and asked, "You mean, besides Soul Chasers, only members of the Red Lotus Sect possess the Bewitching Pill?"

"That's right. Moreover, the profession of Soul Chasers is too mysterious. It's even unknown whether they exist. So, generally speaking, only people from the Red Lotus Sect have the Bewitching Pill. Even if outsiders offer ten thousand taels of gold, the Red Lotus Sect will not sell it to outsiders,"

Physician Hu replied.

Ertai nodded, then turned to the panicked Qing'er and asked, "Qing'er, has the Empress Dowager eaten anything unusual today?"

Seeing Ertai's serious expression, Qing'er took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and carefully recalled. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she said, "The Empress Dowager has had a poor appetite for the past few days. She only drank a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup all day, and ate a few pieces of persimmon cake." "

White fungus and lotus seed soup? Persimmon cake?"

Ertai was surprised. There really were persimmon cakes. Then he asked, "Who brought them?" "

The white fungus and lotus seed soup was brought by Cuilian, and the persimmon cake was brought by Huazhi. Cuilian is an old palace maid in our palace, and Huazhi is the Empress's maid."

Eunuch Gao quickly explained.

"Huazhi? Cuilian? Arrest them and interrogate them thoroughly."

Ertai said coldly.

"Yes, Master Fu."

Eunuch Gao replied crisply, turning to leave. Suddenly, he heard Ertai speak, "Wait..."

Eunuch Gao turned back, looking at Ertai questioningly.

"First, take Cuilian into custody. I suspect she's connected to the Red Lotus Sect, but remember, be extremely careful. Don't let a word slip by, lest you alert them."

Ertai sternly instructed.

"Yes, Master Fu, this old servant understands."

Eunuch Gao replied, quickly leaving. However, he was quite puzzled. Why did Ertai conclude that Cuilian was connected to the Red Lotus Sect, and not Huazhi?

But when he secretly led a few guards to arrest Cuilian, she hanged herself. Eunuch Gao's doubts were naturally resolved.

Hearing the news from Eunuch Gao, Ertai sighed and said to Qing'er, "Qing'er, Huazhi is the Empress's maid. I'm afraid this matter will implicate the Empress, so I ask you to test the Empress's reaction, and then have Huazhi detained and interrogated rigorously!"

"But, the Empress Dowager's illness..."

Qing'er refused to leave. She was worried about the Empress Dowager. Just now, when Eunuch Gao left, Physician Hu revealed the Empress Dowager's condition.

It turned out that the Empress Dowager was suffering from two kinds of evil poisons: hallucinogenic drugs and mind-altering pills. These two evil poisons happened to be compatible, and they had fused together in the Empress Dowager's body to form a new evil poison called "Lustful Laughter Half-Step Stun."

Qing'er had never heard of this kind of evil poison, but Ertai was shocked. He had read about it in novels from his previous life—"The Half-Step Lustful Laughter," a top-grade aphrodisiac that would drive a person mad with desire for sex. If this desire wasn't satisfied, the poison would be incurable, and the poisoned person would explode and die after ten hours.

Just now, Physician Hu had said that the person who could cure the Empress Dowager's poison was already dead. Qing'er didn't understand what he meant, but Ertai did. The Empress Dowager was the Emperor's mother, of noble status, and her body was naturally of utmost importance. Who else but the deceased Emperor could touch her?

Ertai asked, "Physician Hu, is there no other way?"

"Alas, it's difficult, unless..."

Physician Hu paused.

"Unless what?"

Ertai and Qing'er asked urgently.

"Unless it's a master of internal energy who can force the toxins out of the Empress Dowager's body, perhaps the spread of the poison can be controlled,"

Physician Hu said leisurely, thinking to himself, "Masters of internal energy are hidden deep in the mountains and forests; where could we find one in such a short time?

" "Master of internal energy?"

Qing'er looked at Ertai as if grasping at a straw, and asked, "Physician Hu, isn't Ertai a master of internal energy?"

"This..."

Physician Hu dared not respond. He was a physician, skilled in pulse diagnosis. Although he didn't know martial arts, he could distinguish who was a master of internal energy and who wasn't by examining the body's meridians. Ertai was far from that level.

But if he said it wouldn't work, he would offend Ertai. Having witnessed Ertai's ruthlessness before, it was best for him to keep a low profile.

However, while he remained silent, Ertai said anxiously, "Whether it works or not, there's no other way now. Let me try."

"Yes, Ertai, I believe in you. You must force the toxins out of the Empress Dowager, okay?"

Qing'er looked at Ertai expectantly.

"Yes, I will do my best,"

Ertai solemnly assured him, but in his heart he thought, "Do my best? With my meager internal strength, I can force the poison out of the Empress Dowager's body? That's a pipe dream. However, in order to save the Empress Dowager, I will reluctantly play the role of the late emperor!"

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