Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity

"Eunuch Quan, may I ask for what matter the Emperor has summoned me? Did the Emperor give any instructions?" Gu Chengyu saw Xiao Quanzi hurrying along, his shorter legs moving extremely fast, and could not help asking.

"The Emperor’s poison suddenly flared up again. Director Zhang is at his wits’ end and asks Mr. Gu to come and take a look." Xiao Quanzi wiped the sweat at the corner of his forehead. The weather was cold, yet his forehead was beaded with sweat.

"How could that be? Yesterday the Emperor still looked fine—how could the poison suddenly flare up today? These days the Emperor has not been toiling, he should have been recuperating quite well!" Gu Chengyu was a bit surprised; the Emperor’s relapse was far too sudden.

"We don’t know either! He was still fine this morning! It was far too abrupt—when the Emperor was taking his morning meal, he even had a rare good appetite and ate much more than usual."

Xiao Quanzi was also very puzzled. The Emperor’s poisoning had shown no sign at all. But the pills Mr. Gu had given earlier had already been half taken by the Eldest Prince; now there were no pills left.

Director Zhang was so anxious he was pacing in circles, and Doctor Li had not yet returned to the palace. Moreover, after the Emperor had taken the pills Doctor Li had left before, Director Zhang said they were of no use at all. With no other way, he could only come to seek out Mr. Gu.

The Emperor was unconscious; this practically counted as forging a Holy Decree. If he did not have the Empress Dowager behind him, he would never have dared.

Gu Chengyu frowned; no wonder Xiao Quanzi had refused to speak plainly back in Wenhua Hall. Because the Emperor’s poison had flared again—if other officials learned of it, the court would likely be thrown into chaos once more.

Over these past days, he had spent considerable effort rectifying the court, and in doing so had offended more than a few officials. Many courtiers even cursed him behind his back as monopolizing all speech, about to become another Xia Qing, even more overbearing than Xia Qing; he was not unaware of it.

Yet without thunderous methods, how could he cow these old foxes of officialdom?

"I only have a smattering of the Qihuang Skill. Even Director Zhang is helpless—if I go, I fear I may not be able to resolve the problem either." Gu Chengyu let out a sigh; he did not know what had triggered the Emperor’s poison again.

"The Empress Dowager has already sent people out of the palace to seek famed physicians. Asking you to come as well is just to have one more person and one more shred of hope, Mr. Gu, so please do not feel burdened!" Xiao Quanzi could not help confiding a little to Gu Chengyu; the Empress Dowager was merely trying anything in desperation.

After thanking him, Gu Chengyu quickened his pace even more. Just as he stepped into the Emperor’s bedchamber, he saw the Empress Dowager sitting by the Emperor’s couch, with Director Zhang standing to the side.

Perhaps she had worried too much these days; the Empress Dowager looked much more aged than before—like a balloon once fully inflated that had suddenly been punctured and rapidly collapsed.

Seeing this, Gu Chengyu could not help feeling somewhat moved. Though the Empress Dowager looked askance at him, the motherly love she bore her children could not be feigned.

The Eldest Princess was still confined in the Princess’s Mansion, her grandson had rebelled and stood against the Imperial Family. The Emperor was poisoned, the Eldest Prince blinded—one blow after another. The fact that these had not crushed this woman was already remarkable.

"This humble official pays respects to the Empress Dowager!" Gu Chengyu had just begun to bow when the Empress Dowager stopped him.

"No need for formalities; come quickly and look at the Emperor." The Empress Dowager waved her hand weakly, rose with effort, and stepped aside.

Gu Chengyu said no more. He stepped forward and took one look at the Emperor’s complexion, and that single glance startled him.

Originally, the Emperor’s face had been extremely pale, with a tinge of green beneath the white. But now his complexion was green tinged with purple, which looked exceedingly ominous.

He did not dare delay. Placing his hand on the Emperor’s wrist, Gu Chengyu had just taken the pulse when his earlier suspicion was confirmed.

"He has been poisoned again—this is simply adding disaster upon disaster!" Gu Chengyu withdrew his hand; the Emperor’s fate truly was ill-starred.

"Mr. Gu speaks true; the Emperor has indeed been poisoned again. Yet this subordinate has just examined the Emperor’s morning meal once more and found nothing amiss. The incense burning in the hall and all those who entered the inner chamber—I have also investigated them carefully, and truly cannot find the source of the poison. If the Emperor had not already been afflicted by Ruo Yin, this poison I could still resolve. But this new toxin has stirred up the virulence of Ruo Yin; this subordinate is truly powerless!"

Director Zhang shook his head; the Emperor’s body could really be said to be riddled with holes. Previously he might still have extended his life by a year or two; now that span would likely be shortened yet again.

"Might I borrow Director Zhang’s silver needles?" Gu Chengyu looked toward Director Zhang’s medicine chest and asked.

"Does Mr. Gu know how to administer acupuncture?" Director Zhang’s gaze toward Gu Chengyu carried some doubt. If he knew acupuncture, his medical skill could not be low.

Yet there were too many points on the human body—if Gu Chengyu’s training was incomplete and he missed his mark, would that not be adding insult to injury?

"I do. If Director Zhang is uneasy, you may stand to the side and give guidance!" Gu Chengyu could not afford modesty now. If he said he only knew a little, Director Zhang would likely not let him lay a hand on the Emperor.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this humble official once saw a method of emergency treatment in a medical text and learned a bit of it. Might Your Majesty permit this official to give it a try? Even if it fails, it will not have any adverse effect on the Emperor’s sacred body!"

Gu Chengyu turned to look at the Empress Dowager; he had nearly forgotten that this still required her consent.

The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. In truth, Director Zhang’s medical skill was already extremely advanced; otherwise he would not have become Hospital Director of the Imperial Hospital. Even if there truly were physicians in the common world whose art surpassed his, they would be hard to find in a short time. It would be better to let Gu Chengyu try.

"Then perhaps Mr. Gu could dictate the method, and this subordinate will perform the needling—would that be acceptable?" Director Zhang was still not entirely at ease; the Emperor could not withstand further torment.

"This needle technique must be used together with my Inner Strength. Director Zhang, you have no Inner Strength, so it is better that I perform it myself!" Gu Chengyu had other plans in mind and naturally could not let Director Zhang take action.

In fact, there was no emergency method at all; he had fabricated it entirely. His Inner Strength might be able to force out part of the new poison in the Emperor’s body, but it could do nothing against Ruo Yin, which had already seeped into his five viscera and six bowels.

"So that is the case. Then I must ask Mr. Gu to proceed; this subordinate will simply observe from the side!" Upon hearing that it required Inner Strength, Director Zhang felt considerably reassured.

Director Zhang handed over a needle pouch, and Gu Chengyu ordered someone to loosen the Emperor’s inner robes before beginning.

The very first needle Gu Chengyu placed made Director Zhang look at him with new respect. Though his movements seemed a bit unfamiliar, the placement was not off by even a hair, striking the acupoint dead-on.

It seemed this Mr. Gu had been modest; previously, he had simply not wished to draw the fire onto himself.

"I must ask Director Zhang to stand a bit farther away. The silver needles used together with Inner Strength might injure you!" Gu Chengyu spun a serious lie; after all, Director Zhang did not understand such things.

"Yes!" Director Zhang suddenly understood and hurriedly retreated a few steps.

Seeing his chance, Gu Chengyu used his body to block their line of sight and guided the Spiritual Spring into the Emperor’s mouth. After a short while, he turned aside again.

He himself did not know whether the Spiritual Spring would work. This low-grade Spiritual Spring could only strengthen the body, but it should have some effect on detoxifying as well.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!