Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 35 My first words upon waking: Where's the child? Tyrant, stay away from me!

Tangli Palace.

For the first time in three years, this palace, which is only separated from the Hall of Mental Cultivation by a wall, was lit up all night.

Inside the main hall, more than a dozen imperial physicians knelt on the ground, all of them ashen-faced.

Imperial Physician Liu, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy and a distant uncle of Consort Rou, was currently administering acupuncture to the woman on the bed with trembling hands, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Nangong Ye stood by the window, his back to everyone.

He had been standing there for almost two hours.

He hadn't changed out of the dragon robe he was wearing, which was tattered by fire and soaked with blood; his hair ornament was askew, and his face was still covered in cigarette ash. But no one dared to remind him that he should change his clothes and wash up.

The entire Tangli Palace was deathly silent.

Only the occasional faint cries of a baby and the soft footsteps of wet nurses could be heard from the inner room.

"Your Majesty..." Physician Liu finally finished administering the last acupuncture and knelt to report, "Her Majesty lost too much blood and inhaled a large amount of smoke, damaging her lungs and internal organs... We have used ginseng soup to revive her, but whether she can wake up... depends on fate."

"Fate?" Nangong Ye slowly turned around.

His voice was calm, eerily calm.

But in those bloodshot eyes, there was a deathly stillness before the storm.

"I refuse to listen to fate," he said, emphasizing each word. "I want her to live."

Imperial Physician Liu lowered his head even further: "Your Majesty...we will do our best..."

"It's not about trying your best." Nangong Ye walked to the bedside, looking at the pale, almost transparent face on the bed. "It's about necessity."

His hands were clenched tightly in his sleeves, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Three days ago, this face was still vivid in his memory—the shyness under the red candlelight on their wedding night, the dignity under the phoenix crown when she was crowned empress, and even the tearful yet stubborn eyes when he finally deposed her.

But now, she lies here, her breathing so faint it seems like a thread might break at any moment.

The white cloth beneath her was still slowly seeping blood.

That was postpartum hemorrhage, and it hasn't completely stopped yet.

"Where are the children?" he suddenly asked.

A nanny quickly stepped forward with the swaddled baby in her arms: "Your Majesty, the little prince is here. He was just fed some warm water and is now asleep."

Nangong Ye looked down.

Bao'er was wrapped in a bright yellow swaddling cloth—the kind taken from the storeroom overnight, meant for the legitimate prince. Her little face was clean, no longer wrinkled, but instead radiant with a jade-like smoothness. Her eyes were closed, her long eyelashes like two small fans, casting faint shadows on her eyelids.

He was sleeping soundly, his little mouth slightly open, occasionally smacking his lips.

"Has the imperial physician examined you?" Nangong Ye asked.

Another imperial physician quickly replied, "I have seen him. Although the little prince is premature, he is... but remarkably healthy. His heart and lungs are strong, his cry is loud, and he weighs five pounds and three ounces, which is no worse than many full-term babies."

As he spoke, an incredulous look appeared on his face: "Moreover, the Empress gave birth in the sea of ​​fire, yet the little prince didn't inhale much smoke or dust. It's truly... a miracle."

It was truly a miracle.

The imperial physicians present all knew that in such circumstances, the death of both mother and child was the norm. It was already a miracle that one of them survived, but this little prince not only survived, but was also healthy beyond belief for a premature baby.

Someone secretly glanced at Shen Qingci, who was unconscious on the bed, and then at the little prince in Nangong Ye's arms. They were already calculating in their minds—if this empress could survive, and if the little prince was truly His Majesty's bloodline, then the world of the harem would probably change.

Just then, a report came from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, Consort Rou requests an audience."

Nangong Ye's eyes turned cold.

He gently handed Bao'er back to the nanny and turned to walk towards the outer hall.

Consort Rou, Liu Ruyan, was already waiting outside the palace. She was dressed in an elegant moon-white palace gown, without any makeup. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked frightened and pitiful.

Upon seeing Nangong Ye emerge, she immediately knelt down, tears streaming down her face: "Your Majesty! I am guilty! I failed in my duty of supervision, allowing this accident to occur in the Cold Palace. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

She cried with genuine emotion, her body trembling slightly, like a small white flower in the wind.

If it were before, Nangong Ye would have softened and helped him up long ago.

But at this moment, he looked at her with eyes as cold as ice.

"An accident?" he asked slowly. "Does Consort Rou think this was an accident?"

Consort Rou's heart skipped a beat, but her face grew even more sorrowful: "Last night there was a thunderstorm, and the Cold Palace has been in disrepair for years. I'm afraid... I'm afraid the lightning ignited the thatched roof. I've already sent people to investigate, and it must be that the servants were lazy and didn't repair it in time..."

"That's enough," Nangong Ye interrupted her.

He walked up to her, looking down at her: "There are traces of kerosene spilled on three of the outer walls of the Cold Palace. Sulfur and saltpeter were found in the fire scene. The palace doors were jammed shut from the outside with wooden sticks."

With each word she spoke, Consort Rou's face paled a little more.

"Consort Rou," Nangong Ye leaned down, his voice low, so low that only the two of them could hear, "tell me, what kind of 'accident' would require dousing incandescent oil, sprinkling sulfur, and baffled palace doors?"

Consort Rou trembled and abruptly looked up: "Your Majesty suspects me?! How could I do such a thing! Although Sister Shen has been deposed, she was once the Empress. I respect her greatly, how could I harm her!"

She cried even louder: "Someone must have framed me! Your Majesty, please investigate!"

Nangong Ye straightened up and stopped looking at her.

"Eunuch Liu has already confessed," he said calmly.

Consort Rou's crying stopped abruptly.

Did Eunuch Liu... confess?

How could that be?! She clearly sent silver to Eunuch Liu's family, promising to save their lives...

"He said you ordered him to pour oil and set the fire." Nangong Ye turned around, his back to her. "He said you wanted everyone in the Cold Palace to die cleanly."

"He's talking nonsense!" Consort Rou cried out shrilly. "Your Majesty, I didn't! Eunuch Liu must have been bribed! He's framing me!"

"Is that so?" Nangong Ye's voice was devoid of emotion. "Then Consort Rou, tell me, where were you at midnight last night?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I am retiring in the palace..."

"Who can testify?"

"Cuiyu! Cuiyu can testify!" Consort Rou cried out as if grasping at a straw. "Cuiyu stayed by my side all night; I didn't go anywhere!"

Nangong Ye remained silent.

He simply raised his hand and waved.

Two eunuchs escorted in a palace maid—it was Cuiyu.

Cuiyu was barely recognizable; her clothes were tattered, and she was covered in wounds, clearly having suffered severe torture. She collapsed to the ground as soon as she entered, kowtowing repeatedly to Consort Rou: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare me...I can't hold on any longer...Your Majesty, I confess! I confess everything!"

She cried out, "It was Consort Rou who ordered me to prepare the oil and sulfur! It was Consort Rou who sent Eunuch Liu and his men to set the fire! Consort Rou said... said that the deposed empress cannot be allowed to give birth to a child alive, that it would be a calamity..."

"Shut up!" Consort Rou lunged forward like a madwoman, trying to cover her mouth, but was held down firmly by the eunuch.

She struggled, her hair disheveled, all traces of her usual composure gone: "Your Majesty! This vile servant is lying! She's framing me! I'm innocent!"

Nangong Ye looked at her quietly.

Looked for a long time.

Then he said, "Consort Rou, née Liu, is suspected of plotting to harm the imperial heir. Effective immediately, she is confined to Huayang Palace and is not allowed to leave without my decree. All palace staff in Huayang Palace shall be taken to the Censorate for interrogation."

Consort Rou collapsed to the ground.

It’s over.

It's all over.

Looking at Nangong Ye's indifferent back, she suddenly laughed bitterly: "Your Majesty! Are you going to treat me like this because of that criminal woman?! I have served you for three years, don't you have even a shred of old affection for me?!"

Nangong Ye paused for a moment.

But he didn't turn back.

"Take him away," he said.

Consort Rou was dragged away, and the cries gradually faded into the distance.

The hall fell silent again.

Lu Zheng stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the testimonies of Eunuch Liu and Cuiyu..."

"Keep it," Nangong Ye interrupted him, "but don't make it public yet."

"Your Majesty means..."

"I want to see what the Liu family will do next," Nangong Ye said, looking out at the gloomy sky.

---

three days later.

Shen Qingci woke up amidst a violent coughing fit.

It felt like her lungs were on fire, and every breath was a tearing pain. She struggled to open her eyes; her vision was blurry at first, then gradually cleared.

Unfamiliar bed curtains.

An unfamiliar room.

There was a faint scent of medicine in the air, and... ambergris?

She suddenly remembered something, and her hand frantically reached for her lower abdomen—

Flat!

"My child..." she croaked, her voice broken and incoherent, "Where is my child..."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, you're awake!" Jinshu's cries rang out from beside her. "The child is here! The little prince is here! Look!"

A swaddle blanket was gently placed beside her pillow.

Shen Qingci turned his head and saw Bao'er.

The little guy was awake, his big, dark eyes wide open, looking at her curiously. When he saw his mother looking over, he grinned, revealing his toothless little mouth.

He is still alive.

Everything is fine.

Shen Qingci's tears welled up instantly.

She tried to reach out to touch the child, but her arm was too weak to lift. Jinshu quickly helped her by gently placing her fingers on Bao'er's little hand.

Bao'er immediately grabbed her fingers.

Small, soft hands, yet clenched tightly.

"Bao'er..." Shen Qingci cried with tears streaming down her face.

Just then, footsteps came from the doorway.

A tall figure walked in.

Nangong Ye.

He had changed into a clean dragon robe, washed up, and regained the majesty befitting an emperor. However, the bloodshot in his eyes had not yet faded, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

He walked to the bedside and looked at Shen Qingci.

Eyes facing each other.

The tenderness and tears in Shen Qingci's eyes vanished completely the moment she saw him.

Instead, there was a cold, poisoned hatred.

Almost instinctively, she used all her strength to pull Bao'er closer to her, like a mother animal protecting her cub, watching the hunter in front of her warily.

That gaze was too sharp, too direct.

Nangong Ye felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

In the end, he could only utter a hoarse voice: "You're awake."

Shen Qingci did not answer.

She simply hugged Bao'er tightly, closed her eyes, and pressed her face against the child's little face.

Show him through your actions—

Stay away from us.

You do not deserve.

Nangong Ye stood by the bed for a long time.

It took so long that Jinshu was almost in tears before he slowly turned around and walked out.

Stepping outside the palace, he said to the kneeling imperial physicians, "Take good care of the Empress and the young prince. If anything goes wrong again—"

He paused.

"I will exterminate your entire family."

The sound was very soft.

But it sent a chill down everyone's spine.