Ye Chutang ignored the pain in her chin, calmly facing the emperor’s fury.
"Your Majesty, your hands are burning, and your face is flushed. If you don’t seek treatment soon, you may never regain your virility."
Hah, you womanizing fool—let’s see if this doesn’t scare you!
The emperor’s expression twisted in panic, and he immediately released Ye Chutang.
"Ye Chutang, do you know the consequences of deceiving your sovereign?"
Feigning weakness from the muscle-relaxing drug, Ye Chutang collapsed onto the bed.
"Your Majesty, your body is your own. Whether I’ve deceived you or not, you know better than anyone."
Her words cut like a knife, piercing straight through the emperor’s pride.
It was the shame of being stripped bare, exposed in his most humiliating moment.
He turned his back to her, unable to meet her gaze.
"Guar—"
Before he could call for help, Ye Chutang interrupted.
"Your Majesty, if you summon the imperial physician, within an hour, the entire palace—no, the entire kingdom—will be laughing about your… condition."
The marks from her acupuncture needles hadn’t faded yet. She couldn’t risk the physician seeing them.
The emperor clenched his fists, breathing heavily, wishing he could faint on the spot.
Being impotent was humiliating enough—he couldn’t bear the thought of a woman treating such an ailment.
But calling a physician would risk the news spreading.
While he hesitated, Ye Chutang struck, jabbing an anesthetic needle into the back of his neck.
Before he could react, the emperor crumpled to the floor.
Ye Chutang stood, rubbing her sore chin, then kicked the bastard emperor twice for good measure.
"Acting is exhausting."
She crouched beside him, retrieving a pill from her spatial storage and forcing it into his mouth.
Once the drug took effect, she applied more needles to that area.
With this double assault, even if Hua Tuo himself were resurrected, the emperor would remain a eunuch!
After finishing her work, Ye Chutang pulled out a steaming box of beef stir-fried noodles from her spatial storage and ate with relish.
Later, she visited the ice cellar.
Servants bustled about, mopping up melted water from the thawing ice.
"The water keeps increasing—could the cellar be failing?"
"But the ice blocks look intact. How could they be melting from the inside?"
"We should have someone inspect it. If there’s a real problem, we’ll all be punished."
Ye Chutang knew the melting was caused by the Frost Cicada she was cultivating.
Slipping past the servants, she checked the insect’s growth and decided to let it mature for two more days.
As for the inspection? She wasn’t worried.
The Frost Cicada’s camouflage made it nearly invisible against the ice. Unless every block melted, it wouldn’t be discovered.
Returning to the emperor’s chambers, she loosened his robes.
The needle marks on his lower back had already faded.
She concealed the puncture on his neck with powder, then sprawled across the imperial bed.
"Someone! The emperor has collapsed from rage!"
Her voice was weak, barely audible.
Shadow guards burst in—one securing Ye Chutang, the other checking the emperor.
Finding him feverish and gasping, they summoned the imperial physician.
Before the physician arrived, the emperor woke.
Overdosed on elixirs, his body burned with unbearable heat, yet he couldn’t find release.
The guards helped him to the bed. "Your Majesty, the physician is coming."
The emperor’s gaze snapped to Ye Chutang, suspicion darkening his eyes.
"What happened to me?"
If not for her "muscle-relaxed" state—frail and helpless—he’d have accused her of tampering.
Ye Chutang lied smoothly.
"Your Majesty fainted suddenly. Perhaps from rage… or perhaps—"
The emperor tensed. "Perhaps what?"
"Perhaps a reversal of qi and blood. Extremely harmful."
The head physician arrived in a flurry.
Not wanting his shame publicized, the emperor dismissed everyone but the doctor.
As the guards escorted Ye Chutang to a side chamber, she glimpsed the heavily guarded treasury across the courtyard—now impossible to raid.
After a quarter-hour, she was brought back.
The emperor’s aphrodisiac symptoms had eased, but his expression was thunderous.
The physician trembled at his feet.
Cold eyes locked onto Ye Chutang. "Can you diagnose me now?"
"I can, but the results may not be accurate."
The emperor summoned Eunuch De to neutralize her "poison."
"Let’s see how skilled the famed plague-curer really is."
He extended his wrist like a condescending favor.
Ye Chutang pressed her fingers to his pulse and delivered the verdict.
"Your Majesty’s excessive elixir use has drained your vitality, resulting in impotence."
The physician’s diagnosis matched.
The emperor’s face darkened further. "Can it be treated?"
She avoided a direct "no."
"Your overindulgence has weakened you. First, we must restore your yang energy."
"How long?"
"Uncertain. A month of tonics, then reassess."
She added flattery:
"As the Son of Heaven, blessed by fortune, Your Majesty will regain his prowess!"
The physician mentally applauded.
Brilliant stalling and bootlicking!
His own bluntness had nearly cost him his head.
Pleased, the emperor had her prescribe a treatment, then dismissed the physician.
Once dressed, he took Ye Chutang to the throne room.
Ye Jingchuan and Prince An expected to wait till noon for an audience.
They exchanged knowing glances when the emperor appeared after barely half an hour.
Humiliated but composed, the emperor cut to the chase.
"Ye Chutang, if you value your life, ensure Prince Chen marries you."
This was the moment she’d been waiting for.
"Why?"
"Once you’re his chosen bride, I’ll explain."
"I’m already poisoned. Do you fear betrayal? Or am I just a pawn you plan to discard? If so, why should I obey?"
As her defiance returned, the emperor’s patience snapped.
"You have no choice!"
Ye Chutang yanked a hairpin free and pressed it to her throat.
"I can choose a quicker death."
She pressed harder. Blood bloomed across her collar.
The emperor couldn’t afford to waste his half-played move.
Reluctantly, he had Eunuch De grant her an imperial pardon.
"My word is law. Serve me well, and you’ll be rewarded with a consort’s rank and lifelong luxury."
She sheathed the bloody pin and took the pardon.
Though she hadn’t uncovered his full plot against Qi Yanzhou, this was progress.
With this pardon, even Prince An wasn’t beyond her reach.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. To prevent doubts about its authenticity, please proclaim publicly that Prince An owes me a life—and you’ve repaid his debt."
She wouldn’t risk being accused of theft when she used it later.
"We grant your request," the Emperor declared, then added a reminder, "Prince Chen's fortnight deadline is approaching. You must act swiftly."
"I understand, Your Majesty," Ye Chutang replied before turning to Prince An.
"Your Highness, do not forget the compensation you promised me."
Prince An: "…"
The generous terms he had offered were merely to placate Ye Chutang—how could she take them seriously?
"Your Majesty—"
Ye Chutang cut him off without hesitation.
"Your Highness, though we are now bound together like grasshoppers on a string, it would be unwise for Prince Chen to learn of this connection. The negligence of your household nearly cost me my life. You must honor this debt, lest the people’s scorn drown you."
She would not accept empty promises—what was said must be delivered!
