AWB Chapter 344 Burn her to death
Chapter 344 Burn her to death
Empress Su stood to the side, her face showing worry.
She had a good impression of Yu Wan and was willing to say a few words for her.
He then spoke softly, “Your Majesty, regardless of the cause of the Empress Dowager’s illness, the most urgent task is to find a cure.”
"Since Daoist Xuanqing can see the unusual celestial phenomena, why not have him take a look at the Empress Dowager?"
"Only if he has a way to save the Empress Dowager can we prove how credible his words are."
Upon hearing this, a thoughtful look flashed in Emperor Wenjing's eyes.
After a moment, he nodded slightly. "What the Empress said makes sense."
He then turned to look at the chief eunuch Liu Haifu beside him and said in a deep voice, "Summon Huo Xuanqing immediately and have him come to Yongshou Palace right away."
Liu Haifu accepted the order and left.
Before long, Huo Xuanqing hurriedly stepped into Yongshou Palace.
He was dressed in a Taoist robe and held a whisk, looking every bit the otherworldly being.
"This humble Taoist greets Your Majesty and Empress," Huo Xuanqing said, bowing. His voice was steady and calm, making him appear to be a genuine and capable Taoist priest.
Emperor Wenjing raised his hand, indicating that he should dispense with the formalities.
With a solemn expression, he said, "Daoist Xuanqing, the Empress Dowager is unconscious, and the imperial physicians are all helpless."
"The Empress suggests that you examine the Empress Dowager."
Emperor Wenjing stared at Huo Xuanqing, his deep eyes carrying a hint of pressure. "Since you can see the harbinger of disaster, you must also have a way to revive the Empress Dowager now that she has fallen ill so strangely, right?"
Huo Xuanqing's heart skipped a beat.
The emperor did indeed have some doubts about what he said.
He was slightly flustered, but he forced himself to remain calm and showed no sign of it.
He bowed slowly, gently stroking his whisk with his right hand and calculating with his left before saying slowly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's illness is caused by the impact of the ominous aura of a calamity star, and it is extremely difficult to treat."
"I had previously set up a protective barrier around the calamity star to suppress its malevolent energy, but..."
"But what?" Emperor Wenjing's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, his eyes full of scrutiny.
Huo Xuanqing's expression was solemn. "However, the evil aura of that calamity star is too powerful. If the root cause is not completely eradicated, I am worried that even if the Empress Dowager awakens this time, there may be relapses in the future, and it may even endanger the fate of the Great Zhao Kingdom."
Emperor Wenjing: "How can we completely eradicate the root cause?"
Huo Xuanqing seemed to have been waiting for Emperor Wenjing to say this. After calculating for a moment, he said, "Only by using ninety-nine pieces of lightning-struck wood as a catalyst can the evil energy of the calamity star be completely burned away."
Empress Su's brow twitched, and she couldn't help but ask, "Master Xuanqing, do you mean to burn Miss Yu alive?"
Huo Xuanqing shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, what I am burning is not a girl, but a jinx that brings disaster to the country and its people. Now, Miss Yu is no longer Miss Yu; she is merely a vessel for the jinx."
"Only by burning this container with lightning-struck wood as a catalyst will those evil energies have nowhere to be contained and will they completely dissipate."
His face showed a look of compassion for all living beings. "I am also unwilling to sacrifice anyone, but if this woman is not sacrificed, many more innocent people will die..."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, only in this way can we completely eradicate the chaos and ensure the peace of our Great Zhao."
"I hope Your Majesty and Empress will make a decision soon and deal with this jinx in time."
"Otherwise, once the evil energy fully erupts, the entire Great Zhao will be plunged into an abyss of no return. At that time, the people will suffer and the consequences will be unimaginable."
Empress Su frowned.
She didn't believe Huo Xuanqing's words.
But if the emperor believes it...
Empress Su glanced at Emperor Wenjing out of the corner of her eye.
Emperor Wenjing showed no emotion whatsoever on his face.
Yongshou Palace fell silent for a moment.
Huo Xuanqing knelt on the ground, and neither did Emperor Wenjing speak.
Just then, Liu Haifu suddenly rushed in.
Empress Su's heart sank upon seeing this.
Liu Haifu had served Emperor Wenjing for many years and was known for his calm and composed personality. He would never have acted so rashly unless something serious had happened.
Liu Haifu quickly walked to Emperor Wenjing's side, bowed slightly, and whispered his report in his ear.
Emperor Wenjing's face instantly turned ashen, and a flash of shock and anger crossed his eyes.
Empress Su and Huo Xuanqing looked at them curiously, but because they were too far away, they couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Your Majesty, what exactly happened?" Empress Su couldn't help but ask.
Emperor Wenjing glanced at Empress Su but did not answer her.
He turned to look at Huo Xuanqing, "Taoist Master, do you have a way to revive the Empress Dowager?"
Empress Su keenly noticed the different attitudes Emperor Wenjing had when he asked the same question twice.
The first time, Emperor Wenjing's words were full of doubt, but this time, it seemed as if he had already believed Huo Xuanqing's words.
Huo Xuanqing also noticed the change.
A hint of smugness flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
He respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I can give it a try for now, but if the root of the problem is not eliminated, the Empress Dowager's illness will surely be unpredictable."
Emperor Wenjing's expression was completely unreadable, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
He said in a deep voice, "First, let the Empress Dowager wake up."
Huo Xuanqing responded respectfully.
Immediately, he took a deep breath, quickly formed hand seals, and chanted incantations.
Then he took out a talisman from his bosom, lit it, and threw it toward the Empress Dowager's bed.
In an instant, a strange fragrance filled the entire Yongshou Palace, and the swirling smoke blurred one's vision.
Empress Su frowned, staring nervously at the Empress Dowager's bed.
Just as everyone was shrouded in smoke and filled with doubt, a slight cough came from the Empress Dowager's bedside.
Ignoring the thick smoke, Emperor Wenjing rushed to the Empress Dowager's bedside and called out, "Mother!"
The Empress Dowager's eyelids twitched slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
His cloudy eyes revealed a hint of confusion.
Upon seeing this, Emperor Wenjing quickly asked, "Mother, what do you think?"
The Empress Dowager's eyes moved slowly, her voice hoarse, "...I am fine."
Emperor Wenjing's expression was not relaxed. He turned to look at Huo Xuanqing and said in a deep voice, "Daoist Master, the Empress Dowager..."
Huo Xuanqing calmly put away the magical artifact in his hand and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, just as I said, the Empress Dowager's awakening was only because I temporarily suppressed the backlash of the ominous star's evil energy."
"If the hidden dangers are not completely eliminated, the Empress Dowager may fall into a coma again without warning..."
His words were a clear urging of Emperor Wenjing to make a decision as soon as possible and deal with Yu Wan.
But the more anxious he became, the more Empress Su felt something was amiss.
She couldn't help but step forward and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, there are many doubts in this matter. We cannot convict Yu Wan of death based solely on Huo Xuanqing's one-sided testimony."
Huo Xuanqing looked at Empress Su and sighed: "Your Majesty, the celestial signs are a warning, and the Empress Dowager's coma is irrefutable proof. I know that as the Empress Dowager you care for the people, but why do you have to make excuses for a jinx?"
"Are you willing to plunge the people of Dazhao into misery for the sake of one person?"
The Empress looked at Emperor Wenjing and explained, "Your Majesty, that's not what I meant..."
Emperor Wenjing frowned, glanced at the Empress, and raised his hand, saying, "Enough."
"I will consider this matter further; you need not say anything more."