Chapter 1611: Chapter 61: The Awakening of the Changning Emperor! (Part 2)

This is also proof of deep favor.

"Seventeenth Princess, please forgive me, but I need to inspect the carriage." said the Forbidden Army Captain.

After receiving Ji Mingyue’s permission, he stepped forward, pulled aside the curtain, and took a look.

Then quickly lowered his head.

"Marquis, State Preceptor, I apologize for any offense caused, please forgive me!"

After finishing his apology, he hurriedly waved to the Forbidden Army guarding the city gate behind him.

"Let them pass!"

Then, the carriage carrying Jiang Ning and the other two slowly entered the Imperial City.

The carriage passed through numerous palace gates, traversing the long imperial road.

Along the way, Jiang Ning felt the atmosphere outside was extremely oppressive, and inside the carriage, the oppressive aura within the Imperial Palace was palpable.

Moments later, the carriage arrived outside Yangxin Hall.

The three got off the carriage.

The hall doors were tightly closed, with several guards, whose aura was somber and gaze sharp as lightning, standing like sculptures, and an elderly steward dressed in a purple robe guarding before the steps.

The elderly steward saw Ji Mingyue, lifted his eyelids and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Seventeenth Princess."

Then, his gaze fell on the two behind Ji Mingyue.

The gaze rested on Jiang Ning and Su Qingying.

"Chief Fu, I want to see my father!" Ji Mingyue said.

Chief Fu responded, "The Holy Emperor is currently recuperating, the imperial doctors have advised against too much disturbance."

Hearing this, Ji Mingyue’s gaze sharpened.

"I said, I want to see my father!" Her tone became more severe.

Chief Fu glanced at Ji Mingyue, then looked at Jiang Ning and Su Qingying behind her, hesitating.

"Move!" Su Qingying suddenly spoke.

With her words, the air turned as cold as a blade.

Under the warm sunlight, Chief Fu trembled involuntarily.

He sensed Su Qingying’s murderous intent.

He had no doubt that if he continued to obstruct Ji Mingyue, this mysterious Great Xia State Preceptor would act on the spot.

Recalling past understandings, he lowered his head immediately.

"Please, Princess, go ahead, the Fifth Prince is inside."

Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyue’s gaze sharpened, understanding the implication in Chief Fu’s words.

At this moment, Chief Fu no longer obstructed and certainly didn’t dare to, he stepped aside and gently pushed open the heavy hall doors.

A thick scent of medicine mixed with sandalwood rushed towards them.

The interior of the hall was dimly lit, the sandalwood scent in the air was potent.

Then the group passed through the hall, entering the room behind.

Inside, yellow curtains hung low, and a thin silhouette lay on the dragon bed, it was the Great Xia Heavenly Son, Changning Emperor.

"Shiqi, when did you return?" the Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan was somewhat surprised to see Ji Mingyue.

Then he saw Jiang Ning and Su Qingying, showing even more surprise.

"Why did Fifth Brother have Chief Fu stop me from visiting Father?" Ji Mingyue asked bluntly.

Facing Ji Mingyue’s question, the Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan’s expression stiffened briefly, then returned to calm, saying softly, "Shiqi, Father’s health is extremely weak now, the imperial doctors have emphasized he needs peace and shouldn’t be frequently disturbed, so Chief Fu was told to block visitors. Moreover, the severity of Father’s health issues is such that if word gets out, it will disrupt the court."

"Fifth Brother certainly has graceful words!" Ji Mingyue’s eyes were cold, "Where are the other brothers?"

The room’s atmosphere became heavy, the waiting maid had her eyes lowered, like a wooden figure, ignoring the conversation.

At that moment, Jiang Ning’s gaze passed the two, landing on the dragon bed.

Even at a few steps away, his senses were keen, detecting the intense aura of death from the Changning Emperor’s body on the bed.

Seeing the purple-black hue of the Changning Emperor’s face, Jiang Ning felt a heaviness in his heart.

A cursory inspection revealed the state of the Changning Emperor was worse than he imagined.

The next moment.

He stepped forward.

"Marquis, please refrain from approaching!" Ji Mingyuan immediately stepped forward to stop Jiang Ning’s advance.

As he took the first step, his pace suddenly halted.

Then he stared in shock at the silent Su Qingying.

"What is the meaning of this, State Preceptor?"

At this time.

Jiang Ning also arrived before the dragon bed, placing his hand on the Changning Emperor’s emaciated arm that lay outside the blanket.

As the energy flowed, he immediately sensed the Changning Emperor’s weak aura, flickering like a candle in the wind, and a sinister decaying force was continuously eroding his body’s vitality.

It wasn’t a common ailment, but an invasion that had penetrated his organs, entangled with his Divine Soul, similar to the force within Jiang Ning yet deeper and more malicious.

Changning Emperor’s face was purple-black and ashen, enveloped in a sense of death between his brows, despite precious herbal remedies prolonging life, it was already the scenario of a lamp running out of oil.

"Indeed...the days are truly numbered." Jiang Ning thought to himself.

In this state, the Changning Emperor couldn’t govern, even remaining awake for moments would be challenging.

No wonder the Third Prince Ji Mingyu was so eager to garner his support.

The fight for succession had reached a critical juncture, if the Emperor were to pass without a clear will, the Princes would inevitably engage in a bloody struggle.

Though Ji Mingyu had allies backing him, he couldn’t necessarily suppress his brothers.

He urgently needed Jiang Ning’s robust support to bolster his claim to the throne and intimidate opponents.

Jiang Ning knew his deeds in Guangning Prefecture had likely reached the Royal Capital by now.

Thus, the power he exhibited in Guangning Prefecture was surely known to Ji Mingyu.

Meanwhile, the Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan showed a concerned expression seeing Jiang Ning’s investigation.

"Dongling Marquis, based on my father’s current state, do you have any solutions, considering your personal experience and insights in this aspect?"

"The force of the curse has penetrated bone marrow, entered organs, entangled with the Divine Soul, beyond ordinary external power’s remedy." Jiang Ning withdrew his hand, shaking his head.

"From Dongling Marquis’ viewpoint, how many more days can my father hold on?" Ji Mingyuan asked again.

At that moment, Jiang Ning ceased responding.

He held the Changning Emperor’s arm, focusing calmly.

Then, the Life and Death power erupted within the Changning Emperor’s body.

The Changning Emperor had reached this stage, his body decaying, akin to a withered tree, with little vitality.

But at last, there remained a breath, some life within.

Instantly, an aura of rejuvenation and decay spread around the dragon bed, the room’s scent of medicine and sandalwood seemed stirred by this force.

The Changning Emperor’s purple-black face slightly twitched, within the previously inert body, as if a pebble had been dropped into an ancient well, causing faint ripples.

Life and Death power passed, temporarily suppressing the sinister decaying curse force like melting ice under sunlight.

Subsequently, vitality surged, where it seemed the lamp was running out, slowly reigniting a faint flame.

"Cough...cough cough..."

A faint yet clear coughing sound emanated from the dragon bed.

Upon hearing the sound, Ji Mingyuan turned in shock towards the dragon bed.

Ji Mingyue’s eyes too filled with delighted surprise.

The Changning Emperor’s tightly closed eyelids trembled several times, slowly opening his eyes.

Those once dominant over the realm eyes, now cloudy, bloodshot, yet within the depths of the pupils, due to the surge of vitality, flickered a moment of clarity.

His gaze first wandered bewilderedly over the dim canopy top, then struggled to shift, resting on Jiang Ning’s face beside the bed and slowly moving to the tearful, excited Ji Mingyue who covered her mouth, and the statuelike Su Qingying and complexly expressing Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan.

"Ming...yue..." Changning Emperor’s lips moved slightly, voice so hoarse it was barely discernible, yet accurately calling his beloved daughter’s name.

"Father!" Ji Mingyue could hold back no longer, she threw herself beside the bed, clasping her father’s other cold hand, tears overflowing.

The Changning Emperor’s eyes lingered on his daughter’s face, betraying an indescribable tenderness and guilt, then, he gathered all his strength, refocused his gaze on Jiang Ning, those turbid eyes suddenly burst forth with astonishing sharpness and insight.

"Unexpectedly, at this point, Dongling Marquis still possesses such methods to grant me brief clarity, no wonder Dongling Marquis harbors curses yet can accomplish such earth-shattering feats in Guangning Prefecture."

"The Holy Emperor cannot speak much now, his body devoid of life, needs Treasure Medicine to sustain the life." Jiang Ning stated.

"Father, this is Thousand-year-old Shouyang Ginseng!" Ji Mingyuan immediately fetched a palm-sized ginseng from the adjacent table.