Chapter 104

"Hurry up, hurry up …"

"Silver needles …"

"Towel, towel …"

There was a lot of noise and messy footsteps.

Four or five influential doctors in Chang 'an were pacing back and forth in a side hall of Taiji Palace. The smell of medicine, blood, and muffled coughs drew everyone's attention.

Even the palace maids who knew nothing about medicine could see that Xu Buling was seriously injured. His frailty could not be faked.

The Empress Dowager knew some medical skills. She stood at the door of the room and held the partition. She could not bear to watch, so she turned her head away. Afraid of making a mistake, she bit her lower lip and stared. After a few tries, her eyes were filled with tears.

"The prestige of the nation is before us. My son, He Xi, is dead …"

That cold voice was still ringing in his ears.

Anyone could shout out lofty ideals, but how many men in this world were there who were truly brave enough to face death without fear of death?

He thought that Xu Buring had been tortured by the Gu and had forgotten that his surname was Xu and that he was a descendant of Xu Lie.

But now it seemed …

The Empress Dowager pursed her lips and looked at the face that was bruised but did not show any sign of pain from beginning to end. Her heart raced, but she was speechless.

Thud, thud, thud …

Messy footsteps filled the room. Some people ran in and left quickly.

Song Ji also came to visit once. When he saw this scene, he was silent for a long time. He only left when the imperial physician said that Song Ji's life was in no danger. However, although Song Ji's life was in no danger, the cold poison had already taken effect and it was difficult to suppress it with strong alcohol. No one knew if Song Ji would be able to stand up again.

Most people who were poisoned by the Dragon Lock Gu went crazy because they could not bear the pain of the poison. They were sent away by their brothers or committed suicide. The Empress Dowager only hoped that the poison had not reached that stage. But Xu Buling's bloodshot eyes could not lie.

No cure, no cure …

How could there be no cure?

The Empress Dowager clenched her dress tightly and paced back and forth in the room. She thought of all the methods she could think of, but they were all rejected by the imperial doctors. Because Xu Buling had been in the capital for a year, he had already tried.

The sun and the moon changed. From the pouring rain to the pouring sunlight from the sea of clouds, then to the sky full of stars.

The Empress Dowager stood outside the bed helplessly and expectantly, hoping that Xu Buling would stand up, just like when she saw him in the corridor in the morning.

He turned around and smiled, his gentleness and elegance radiating with sunshine.

Unfortunately, what he saw was still a haggard face. It was so weak that he didn't even dare to breathe heavily.

The pacing footsteps gradually disappeared and the room became quiet.

Qiao 'e cautiously made her way to his back and called out in a low voice, "Madam Lu is here to pick her up. Go and comfort her, or else …"

The Empress Dowager woke up with deep self-blame in her eyes.

Yes. She was.

She was the one who brought it here, but it ended up like this when she returned …

The Empress Dowager was a little afraid. She did not even dare to see Lady Lu. But at this moment, Lady Lu must be more desperate than she was. If she did not stop her, with Hong Luan's temper, she might do something stupid …

The Empress Dowager gradually calmed down. She bit her lower lip and turned to comfort Hong Luan.

However, as soon as she turned around, she discovered that Xu Buring's finger had moved slightly, beckoning her over …

…

The night was silent. Even the lanterns were gray.

In the large room, Xu Buring took off his shirt and lay flat on the sickbed. His forehead was covered with a wet towel, and his eyes were looking upward. Even his eyelashes didn't move, but his pale hand was really hooking.

The Empress Dowager suddenly froze and only reacted after a while.

He was asking her to go over …

"Not Ling?"

The Empress Dowager looked flustered. She quickly walked to the bed and squatted down. She gently held his cold hand and carefully looked at Xu Buling's face. She said softly,

"What's wrong? Does it hurt? I'll call the imperial physician … "

"Phew …"

Xu Buling exhaled slightly. He opened his mouth but could not hear what he said.

The Empress Dowager was a little anxious. She got up and wanted to call the imperial physician, but she found that her hand was being held.

"…"

The Empress Dowager's body stiffened. She turned to look at the pale hand holding her wrist. She did not know how much strength he had used in such a weak situation.

"Not Ling?"

The Empress Dowager panicked. She quickly squatted down again and held that hand gently. When she saw that Xu Buling wanted to say something, she bent down and put her ear next to Xu Buling's mouth.

"If you have anything to say, just say it to me. Don't worry …"

Xu Buling's eyes became a little clearer. The words that only the two of them could hear came into the Empress Dowager's ears.

"…"

In the vast palace, there seemed to be only the faint sound of the wind blowing against the pavilion.

The Empress Dowager bent down and moved closer to Xu Buling's mouth. She listened nervously, but after a while, her expression suddenly changed. Her long eyelashes fluttered. She wanted to straighten up, but Xu Buling held her hand tightly until she finished speaking.

"This …"

The Empress Dowager's eyes showed some panic. She let go of her hand and straightened up. She took a few steps back and looked at Xu Buling with anger in her eyes.

But when she saw how weak Xu Buling was, for some reason, she could not get angry even though she should have been angry and disgusted.

"Empress Dowager … I didn't want to say it …"

Xu Buling's voice became a little louder. He tried to turn his head and look into the Empress Dowager's eyes.

"But … there's no other way …"

"…"

The Empress Dowager gripped the hem of her dress tightly. A myriad of emotions flashed through her eyes, and it was clear that she was rejecting him. She wanted to shake her head, but she could not move.

Xu Buling turned his head back and continued to look up. His voice was weak and flat.

"Life and death are decreed by fate, and riches and honor are determined by heaven … If Empress Dowager is not willing, I will not force you … If Empress Dowager is willing, I will repay you with the rest of my life …"

Towards the end, his voice gradually faded away. He closed his eyes, and even his breathing seemed to have stopped.

"You don't want to?"

The Empress Dowager panicked. The confusion in her heart just now disappeared. She ran to Xu Buling and squatted down. She held Xu Buling's hand and checked it anxiously. His pulse was so weak that it could be blown away by a gust of wind. There was only a barely noticeable breath left.

The Empress Dowager stood up again and took a few steps back. She had always been calm and steady, but at that moment, it was difficult for her to even think. She could only stare at Xu Buling's face, and her gaze kept changing between determination and conflict.

Thud, thud, thud …

No one knew how much time had passed, but a sorrowful cry rose from outside the hall. "Your son …" The cry was heart-wrenching, and it was filled with despair and helplessness.

"Lady Lu …"

"Little King is fine. Don't disturb Little King …"

"Quick, help Lady Lu …"

The cries stopped abruptly, and the hall became so quiet that it was as if there was no one there. But the depression could be felt even through the thick palace walls.

The Empress Dowager stood in the room in a daze. In her absent-minded state, she could only see the afterimages of palace maids and imperial physicians moving about. She watched as Xu Buling was carried to a stretcher and laid down. She watched as Lady Lu forced herself to calm down and maintain a smile. She held Xu Buling's hand and comforted him with kind words. She watched as the room gradually emptied.

From the beginning to the end, Xu Buling did not open his eyes.

Thud.

The Empress Dowager sat on the floor limply. She stared at the empty bed and could not snap out of her daze for a long time.