The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 102: Emperor Mu Wu was In Danger

Chapter 102: Emperor Mu Wu was In Danger

Emperor Muwu had two sons, with Ye Chengyan being the eldest and his favorite.

He loved him dearly, but also worried that his son might be deceived by others.

However, Ye Chengyan did not share the same concerns.

As the crown prince, he felt humiliated to be reprimanded in front of Ye Siheng and Chu Nanli.

It was a blow to his dignity.

How could he expect the Ninth Prince to respect him after such an incident?

With his head lowered, he felt a sense of shame and embarrassment. "I will remember the teachings of my father," he said meekly.

Emperor Muwu let out a sigh and rewarded Nanli before dismissing them.

As Ye Chengyan left the Changqiu Hall, he intended to leave immediately.

However, Ye Siheng called out to him, "Crown Prince, is that Taoist Xue still at Yuanqiu Mountain?"

"Uncle, rest assured," Ye Chengyan replied with a stern tone, "I have already sent someone to attend to him under the guise of serving him."

Ye Siheng nodded slightly and didn’t say anything further.

Nanli, on the other hand, asked, "When Taoist Xue was rearranging the layout of Changqiu Hall, did he dig any holes or anything of that sort?"

She couldn’t be sure if Xue Cheng had buried something underground.

Ye Chengyan felt a surge of anger within him, but with Ye Siheng standing beside Nanli, a single glance from him was enough to silence Ye Chengyan’s anger.

He suppressed his emotions and said, "I know that some sorcerers bury evil objects underground to harm others. So, when Xue Cheng was rearranging the layout, I had my men closely monitor him. Xue Cheng only made changes to the furniture inside the hall and did not dig any holes in Changqiu Hall. Please rest assured, Sixth Miss."

Nanli felt reassured by his assurance and relaxed a little.

Ye Siheng turned his head and said, "You may go rest for now. I have a few words to discuss with the Crown Prince."

Nanli nodded and walked away, while the attendants tactfully moved a few meters away.

Ye Siheng, who was half a head taller than Ye Chengyan, stared at him with lowered eyes.

"Crown Prince, when I take A’li to inspect the formation, it is not to find fault with you or seek any credit. It is simply to ensure that nothing unexpected happens during this autumn hunt. Do you understand?"

Ye Chengyan felt a sense of oppression.

Cold sweat broke out on his back, and he dared not look at Ye Siheng any longer.

"Uncle, I..." He had several uncles, but none of them had the same intimidating presence as Ye Siheng.

"Let me make it clear to you, even if it is your father, no one can stop me if I desire the position of the Emperor.

Ye Siheng’s voice was slow and deliberate.

Ye Chengyan was startled.

He hadn’t expected Ye Siheng to say such rebellious words to him.

Could it be that the Ninth Prince wasn’t afraid of him revealing these words to their father?

Ye Siheng seemed to have sensed Ye Chengyan’s thoughts and smiled coldly.

"Crown Prince, feel free to inform our father about these words. I have said similar things in front of him before."

Ye Chengyan stared at him in shock, his face filled with horror.

"Wouldn’t our father...be furious?"

"He is not like you. He knows who to guard against and who to trust and promote," Ye Siheng said.

Ye Chengyan’s hands slowly clenched into fists, and his breath almost stopped.

He understood the meaning behind the Ninth Prince’s words.

If he couldn’t manage the Country of Mu, the Ninth Prince wouldn’t hesitate to replace him.

Trembling, he realized that his current goal wasn’t to eliminate the Ninth Prince, but rather to learn how to be a good crown prince, so that the Ninth Prince would also pledge his loyalty to him.

At this moment, he was certain that the throne of Mu was not something the Ninth Prince couldn’t have, but rather something he didn’t want.

After a day of preparation, the autumn hunt was set to commence on the following day.

As tradition dictated, Emperor Muwu first had to perform the celestial sacrifice.

Once the ceremony concluded, Emperor Muwu ascended the high platform, where a eunuch presented him with a bow and arrows.

In the forefront stood a circle enclosing a majestic elk, the target that the emperor must strike to inaugurate the hunt auspiciously.

Initially, Emperor Muwu was in high spirits, but as he raised the longbow and nocked an arrow, he felt a slight tightness in his chest.

Disregarding the discomfort, he exerted his strength to draw the bowstring.

All the courtiers and family members surrounding him eagerly awaited his successful shot at the elk.

However, at that moment, the sun seemed blinding, and a chilling sensation coursed through his body, as if a powerful hand clenched his heart and mercilessly squeezed it, leaving him breathless.

"Your Majesty?" Empress Xie, standing nearby, couldn’t help but express her bewilderment.

Before anyone could react, Emperor Muwu suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood, losing his grip on the bow and arrow as he collapsed to the ground.

"Your Majesty!" the chief eunuch exclaimed, rushing forward to support him.

"Summon the imperial physician immediately!"

Emperor Muwu, now unconscious and still bleeding, caused panic to erupt among those present.

Ye Siheng, his face cold and stern, promptly ordered the commander of the imperial guards to seal off Yuanqiu Mountain, forbidding anyone from ascending or descending.

Emperor Muwu was swiftly transported back to the hunting palace, where Empress Xie, the crown prince, and other relatives anxiously awaited outside a folding screen.

The imperial physicians, led by the chief physician, conducted a thorough examination. After a long while, the chief physician emerged and hesitantly spoke, "Your Majesty’s pulse is weak, a sign of physical exhaustion. It is feared... it is feared..."

He couldn’t bring himself to utter the rest of his words.

Empress Xie’s complexion turned pale, her voice trembling, "How is this possible? His Majesty was in good spirits this morning, how could he be physically exhausted?"

The other relatives exchanged glances, their faces filled with uncertainty.

Ye Siheng directly inquired, "Could it be poison?"

The chief physician replied, "I, along with others, have examined him, and there are no signs of poisoning. The pulse now resembles that of a frail seventy-year-old, and it is feared that he may not survive the night. It is truly perplexing."

In the entire hall, only Ye Siheng held the authority to take charge, which allowed the chief physician to speak the truth.

Empress Xie nearly fainted, and Ye Siheng hurriedly supported her, saying, "Your Majesty, you must remain strong."

Marquis Zhenbei, observing the situation, thought to himself, "Ninth Prince, you are his most trusted confidant. With His Majesty suddenly falling gravely ill, the crown prince has already been established. It is up to you to make a decisive choice."

Ye Siheng’s palms grew sweaty, while Ye Chengbo stood among the crowd, his expression icy.

The other relatives whispered among themselves, refraining from challenging Marquis Zhenbei’s words.

If Emperor Muwu were to pass away, the country could not be without a ruler for even a day.

It would indeed be best for the crown prince to ascend, and with Ye Siheng’s control over the imperial guards and his Black Armor Guard at his disposal, he would be the perfect guardian for the new ruler.

Empress Xie stared intently at Ye Siheng and pleaded, "Ninth Brother, the Emperor is now critically ill and unconscious. As a mere woman, I implore you to stabilize the situation and prevent chaos from befalling the Mu Nation."

She knew that Emperor Muwu had already discussed these matters with Ye Siheng.

At this moment, it all depended on whether Ye Siheng would oppose or support her son’s ascension.

Everyone awaited Ye Siheng’s decision with bated breath.

However, he calmly stated, "Given the gravity of the Emperor’s illness, I shall restrict the dissemination of information. Let the chief physician do his utmost to treat him, and for the time being, let the crown prince handle the court affairs."

His words revealed his stance.

If Emperor Muwu were to meet an unfortunate fate, Ye Siheng would support Crown Prince Ye Chengyan’s ascension.