That monk was Shikong of Guanghua Temple.
Trying in vain to escape, he found himself trapped under the beast’s powerful claws, with no chance of survival.
“What… what kind of creature are you?!”
Shikong had never seen a beast like this. Instinctively, he knew this wasn’t an ordinary animal—it felt as if it had human emotions.
The look in its eyes seemed as though it wanted to devour him alive.
His shoulder was already bleeding profusely, staining his monk’s robes red. The intense pain had drained the color from his face.
It wasn’t clear how long it had been, but just when he thought death was inevitable, the beast slashed his face with its claws.
It left him gravely injured, but didn’t take his life.
He laid in a pool of blood, watching the beast leave. Only after the beast had gone far did he, pale-faced, cry out for help.
The first to hear his cries was Goudan.
When Goudan heard Shikong’s pained cries for help, he paused, scratched his ear, and then turned to leave in the opposite direction.
Little Seven had told him not to get involved in Shikong’s affairs and to stay away from him.
Goudan had promised Little Seven that he would listen to him.
Without looking back, Goudan walked away, thinking about Little Seven as he went, rubbing his ear. Little Seven had said he would come to see him, but who knew when that would be.
As Goudan drifted farther away, Shikong’s cries for help went unnoticed for a while. When someone finally found him, it was clear that his injuries were horrifying. After some hurried bandaging by the people at the temple, they rushed down the mountain to get a doctor.
Meanwhile, Ah Wu, who had already fled far away, didn’t bother with Shikong’s condition.
Earlier, Ah Wu could have devoured Shikong alive.
But Shikong hadn’t yet been utterly disgraced. Ah Wu wanted Shikong to first experience the fall from grace, then die a pitiful death, hated by everyone.
Killing him quickly would have been too merciful.
Ah Wu could have stormed into the palace, but instead, he turned toward the Murong residence before going there.
In the Murong residence, emotions had been tense lately.
Everyone was aware of Little Seven’s condition in the palace, but knowing didn’t ease their frustration.
Murong Xu, in particular, had been tossing and turning in bed all night out of worry. He had just managed to close his eyes when someone abruptly opened his window and rudely woke him up.
Murong Xu: “…”
Sitting up, Murong Xu rubbed his eyes, still feeling groggy.
After jumping into the room, Ah Wu had already returned to his human form; otherwise, Murong Xu wouldn’t have understood a word he said.
“Ah Wu?” Murong Xu asked, surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to find Zai Zai,” Ah Wu replied bluntly.
Murong Xu was now fully awake. Under the dim moonlight streaming through the window, the two locked eyes.
After a few glances, Murong Xu patted the spot next to him on the bed and invited, “Why don’t you sit down and talk? It’s uncomfortable to just stand there.”
He was starting to feel awkward.
But Ah Wu had no interest in sitting on Murong Xu’s bed.
Standing at the bedside, he said, “I’ve collected evidence of Shikong’s early misconduct, including how he sullied female pilgrims and amassed wealth over the years. I’ve also dug up all the other misdeeds he’s committed.”
“I want to make all of it public.”
Ah Wu worked with remarkable efficiency, especially when it came to matters related to the little one. He never delayed.
Murong Xu had also gathered some evidence, but nothing as comprehensive as what Ah Wu had.
“Ah Wu, you’re truly incredible,” Murong Xu admitted with genuine admiration for Ah Wu’s abilities. “Why don’t you stay here in Qi Dynasty and help us—”
Before he could finish, a sharp glare from Ah Wu made him close his mouth.
Murong Xu sulked, thinking Ah Wu’s skills were impressive, but his attitude was unbearable.
After all, he was Little Seven’s uncle, which made him, by extension, an elder to Ah Wu.
But Ah Wu showed him no respect!
Even though Murong Xu often ground his teeth in frustration because of Ah Wu, he knew he couldn’t do much to resist him.
After the two discussed their plans, Ah Wu didn’t stay a moment longer and left through the window.
Later that night, he did go to the palace, though he didn’t get close to Little Seven.
The Fenghua Palace, where Little Seven lived, was brightly lit, with people moving about everywhere.
Most importantly, the Emperor and Noble Consort Yi were constantly by Little Seven’s side, not leaving him for a moment.
Ah Wu concealed himself in the shadows. Though he had been on the move for a long time, he felt neither tired nor in need of rest.
Inside Fenghua Palace, the Emperor was still holding Little Seven, not yet ready for bed. Only he, Noble Consort Yi, and the little one in his arms were present.
After Shui Shui finished taking his pulse earlier, he decided to play it safe and brought out an imperial pardon token.
This token wasn’t an official one, but a playful item Little Seven had asked the Emperor to make for Shui Shui. The Emperor had personally carved it for his son, who then gave it to Shui Shui.
The Emperor had said that it could be used once.
After receiving the Emperor’s promise not to get angry with him, Shui Shui took the token and returned to speak with the Emperor.
The Emperor’s arms were sore from holding his little one for so long.
Noble Consort Yi lowered her voice and suggested, “Why don’t you try laying him down again?”
“No, he starts crying the moment he touches the bed,” the Emperor said, helpless. He had been trying to calm Little Seven, but now he couldn’t put him down.
Every time the little one’s body touched the bed, he’d cry, even with his eyes closed.
The Emperor and Noble Consort Yi had struggled for quite some time but still couldn’t lay him down.
“I’ll hold him for a bit. You can go talk to Shui Shui,” Noble Consort Yi offered.
Shui Shui was already waiting nearby, ready to speak with the Emperor.
It was late, and the Emperor initially wanted Shui Shui to return and rest, planning to continue the conversation the next day.
But Shui Shui refused.
Carefully, the Emperor handed the little one over to Noble Consort Yi and walked to the side to speak with Shui Shui.
“Alright, go ahead. What’s the result from when you took my pulse earlier?”
“Your Majesty, you’re poisoned.”
Shui Shui, his little face serious, didn’t beat around the bush. “You and His Highness are poisoned by the same thing, but you have much more poison in your system than he does.”
When Shui Shui pronounced the word “a lot” at the end, he emphasized it seriously.
To him, this kind of not-so-tactful notification was already considered tactful.
If it had been someone else, Shui Shui would have simply said, “You’re running out of time.”
But since he was speaking to the Emperor, Shui Shui felt he had been a bit more flexible in his approach.
After he finished speaking, the Emperor remained silent for a long time.
Seeing the Emperor’s lack of response, Shui Shui deliberately added, “I wasn’t wrong in my diagnosis. I’m very accurate when I take a pulse.”
He was very certain—the Emperor was indeed poisoned.
“The medicinal bath meant for His Highness caused you to react because you are also poisoned.”
Ordinary people who bathed in it wouldn’t experience symptoms like sweating or chest tightness.
After Shui Shui’s explanation, he fell silent again.
The Emperor looked at him for a long moment before finally asking, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Shui Shui answered without hesitation.
Another silence followed between them.
The Emperor sat in his chair, his lips moving slightly. He recalled what Shui Shui had mentioned earlier: if the poison was too deep, it couldn’t be cured.
“Shui Shui, can you cure my poison?” the Emperor asked.
Shui Shui thought for a moment and then replied, “I will do my best.”
“What does ‘do my best’ mean?” The Emperor had yet to appoint a crown prince or relinquish power, as he was unwilling to give up his throne.
If the poison couldn’t be cured, if his life couldn’t be saved…
The Emperor’s hand tightly gripped the armrest of his chair. Although he tried to control himself, the veins on the back of his hand bulged.
“His Highness has less poison in his system. If the poison is expelled in time, he can be cured. Your poison, however, is a lot and has been in your system for a long time.”
Shui Shui didn’t usually speak in long sentences, but when addressing the Emperor, he had no choice but to elaborate.
The Emperor listened patiently to him and, at the end, only asked, “Shui Shui, how much longer do I have to live?”
This time, Shui Shui hesitated.
Without intervention, the Emperor wouldn’t survive more than six months.
With Shui Shui’s treatment, the Emperor could live longer, but long life was no longer a possibility.
“Two years.”
Shui Shui gave a conservative estimate. After stating the two-year timeframe, he provided a more optimistic scenario.
“Your Majesty, within these two years, I will search for other treatment methods.”
Two years was a safe estimate. If within that time Shui Shui could find another antidote, the Emperor might live for up to ten more years.
Shui Shui shared the best possible outcome with the Emperor.
After hearing the worst-case scenario, the possibility of living for ten more years gave the Emperor a glimmer of hope.
“Shui Shui, I will cooperate with your treatment.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Your Majesty.”
For a doctor, a cooperative patient was indeed the most reassuring.
“Shui Shui, you must not tell anyone about my condition—not even Little Seven. Understand?”
“If you continue to treat me, whatever you want in the future, I will grant it.”
“But if you let word slip, I will not forgive you.”
The Emperor’s words reached Shui Shui’s ears, and he nodded.
The books said that if a patient requested confidentiality, the doctor was obliged to respect that.
“Your Majesty, I’ll go prepare your medicine.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
With that, Shui Shui turned and left to prepare the medicine.
The Emperor watched his departing figure and then glanced at the flickering candles in the hall, swallowing the words he was about to say.
More than an hour later, Shui Shui returned with the medicine.
As per the Emperor’s instructions, he avoided being seen when delivering it.
The Emperor had a habit of drinking calming tea, and now, to avoid suspicion, he had Shui Shui take over the task of preparing it.
The “calming tea” Shui Shui brought him wasn’t tea but medicine.
After drinking the cup of Shui Shui’s “calming tea,” Noble Consort Yi had finally managed to soothe Little Seven as well.
The Emperor went to bed, lying beside Noble Consort Yi with the little one nestled between them. At last, they could close their eyes and rest.
That night, the little one eventually settled down and slept peacefully. The Emperor and Noble Consort Yi were also able to enjoy some peace.
The next morning.
The little one opened his eyes, knowing it was time to eat.
His condition was slowly improving, and after everything the Emperor had gone through with him, it seemed they were finally reaching the end of the ordeal.
“Daddy.”
The little one, awake and unusually clear-headed for once, sat on his father’s lap, his small voice hoarse. “Little one is better now, Daddy, don’t worry.”
The perceptive little one sensed his father’s gloom, assuming it was because of him.
He was very self-aware, knowing he could be troublesome when sick.
“Eat well and listen to Shui Shui. Once you’re fully recovered, I’ll stop worrying.”
“Mhm! Little Seven will.”
For now, the little one was behaving, but the Emperor knew that once the discomfort returned, his tantrums would start again.
Having stayed in Fenghua Palace all this time, the Emperor had intended to remain there, but after Shui Shui’s words the previous night, he found an excuse to leave for a while during the day.
Upon returning to Chengming Hall, the Emperor immediately ordered a thorough investigation of everything there.
Everyone assumed he was looking for the person responsible for poisoning the seventh prince, but no one knew he was searching for the culprit who had poisoned him.
The food in Chengming Hall had already been inspected by Noble Consort Yi, with no issues found.
Aside from the meals, there were occasional snacks and soups sent by some concubines, as well as the tea he drank.
These were quickly inspected too, but nothing suspicious was discovered.
“The calming tea… Little Seven loves to drink it. Lu Guang, do you think there could be a problem with it?”
“Your Majesty, didn’t the Empress send the full list of ingredients for the calming tea? There’s nothing wrong with them.”
Calming tea was the most frequently consumed tea by Emperor Ling.
The Empress would often personally prepare calming tea for him.
During this investigation, the Empress willingly opened the palace for Emperor Ling to inspect freely.
“Forget it. The Empress wouldn’t do such a thing.”
After all, she was his first wife. He knew her feelings for him and believed she couldn’t possibly poison him.
“Check elsewhere. I refuse to believe that no one is behind this. How could Little Seven have been poisoned for no reason?”
If Little Seven’s poison hadn’t been triggered in advance, Emperor Ling feared he wouldn’t have survived long enough for Shui Shui to save him.
After dealing with some state affairs, Emperor Ling intended to check on his child again.
But before he could do so, explosive news reached the palace.
Someone had beaten the drum to accuse Shikong of defilement, and a mysterious person delivered evidence of Shikong’s corruption to the Dali Temple.
Whether it was due to the public’s fervor or someone pushing things from the shadows, the situation escalated rapidly.
Witnesses and physical evidence kept surfacing.
At first, Shikong’s followers refused to believe it, but as more evidence came to light, their disbelief became unsustainable.
Emperor Ling had never liked Shikong.
Recently, he had developed a bit of a double standard superstition: anything that wasn’t favorable to him, he didn’t believe, but if it was, he might entertain it.
For example, he believed that his Little Seven brought him good fortune.
But when Shikong previously claimed there were ghosts in the palace and that Little Seven was a bad omen, he didn’t believe it.
Now, hearing about Shikong’s downfall, Emperor Ling felt a sense of “I knew it.”
To him, Shikong was a hypocritical scoundrel.
Emperor Ling personally ordered an investigation, appointing a well-known, upright official with a strong reputation among the people to handle the matter.
With this official in charge, the public had full confidence in the investigation.
Lord Lu, the official assigned to investigate Shikong’s case, looked at the overwhelming evidence presented to him. In his many years of handling cases, this was the easiest one yet.
He meticulously verified all the evidence related to Shikong and found it genuine without a trace of forgery.
“Unbelievable.”
Lord Lu stroked his beard, surprised by the outcome. He lamented, “The once highly respected Master Shikong has secretly committed so many heinous acts.”
Even Lord Lu’s wife had heard of Shikong’s reputation and had been keen on visiting him with their daughter, hoping he might bless her with a good marriage.
Now, seeing Shikong’s misdeeds, Lord Lu felt a chill down his spine.
If this sanctimonious fraud hadn’t been exposed, who knew how many more people would have suffered?
Fortunately, his daughter had never been interested in seeking marriage advice from Shikong.
Inside the palace, the little one heard the news of Shikong’s imprisonment.
Upon hearing it, he was so delighted that he ate half a bowl more of rice.
Thanks to Shui Shui’s detox treatment, the little one’s face was rosy, and his small body had mostly recovered.
As soon as he regained his strength, he begged Emperor Ling.
“Daddy, little one wants to leave the palace! Little one wants to go out and see!”
He had heard that Shikong would be paraded through the streets to vent public anger. This was a spectacle he simply couldn’t miss.
He pestered Emperor Ling, saying, “Daddy, you promised to take little one out of the palace!”
He was so insistent that, in the end, Emperor Ling didn’t go with him.
“Go with the Noble Consort. Daddy’s been feeling a bit tired lately and wants to rest in the palace.”
Hearing this, the little one immediately pouted. “Did I tire Daddy out?”
He knew how much his parents had been taking care of him over the past few days.
Emperor Ling gently patted his head, comforting him. “You didn’t tire me out. Daddy’s just not feeling well and needs some rest.”
Emperor Ling sent the little one out of the palace with Noble Consort Yi, taking the opportunity to continue his treatment with Shui Shui.
The little one was very clingy, and he often wandered into the palace while playing. If Emperor Ling continued treatment, the little one might notice.
“Okay.”
After being coaxed for a while, the little one sat on Emperor Ling’s lap, nodding his little head.
Before leaving, he wrapped his arms around Emperor Ling’s neck, giving him several kisses before finally letting go. “Daddy, the little one will bring you a gift when I come back.”
“Alright, Daddy will be waiting for your gift.”
Emperor Ling watched him leave and then returned to the imperial study.
Shui Shui hadn’t arrived yet, and as Emperor Ling sat in the study, he began to consider a problem he had been reluctant to face.
If he only had two years left to live, what would happen to Little Seven after he was gone?
Without him, the most likely successor to the throne would be the Eldest Prince.
Would the Eldest Prince be able to protect Little Seven?
If Little Seven were in danger, Noble Consort Yi would never stand by idly, and behind her stood the powerful Murong family.
These were matters Emperor Ling didn’t want to face but now had no choice but to confront.
He pressed his fingers to his temples, closing his eyes in deep thought.
Outside the palace, the little one sat in the sedan chair, peeking through the curtains, eagerly watching the world outside.
He hadn’t been out in a long time, so everything felt fresh to him.
The sedan made its way to the Murong residence, where the little one was warmly welcomed by the Murong matriarch, Madam Murong, and a group of young ladies from the Murong family.
The old madam, doting on her little heart, smothered him with affection.
The little one’s chubby little face was showered with so many kisses that it almost wasn’t enough!
After being doted on for a while, the little one struggled to free himself from Miss Murong’s arms.
“I want to find my little uncle.”
The little one hadn’t seen his uncle yet, so he wanted to go to the back to look for him.
The old madam was reluctant to let him go at first, but since he was staying the night, she nodded and let him go search in the back.
Murong Xu, who had been waiting anxiously and couldn’t compete with his grandmother and mother for the little one, finally got to see him.
Murong Xu’s eyes filled with tears, and he crouched down, opening his arms wide. “Treasure, come, let uncle give you a hug!”
The little one squinted his eyes and, instead of running into his uncle’s arms, he dashed like a little cannonball into the arms of Ah Wu, who was standing behind him.
“Ah Wu!”
The little one hugged Ah Wu tightly, his soft voice sweet as he said, “I missed you so much!”
