Has Xiao Mingzhao Become a Vegetable

Outside the outer courtyard of the Yuchen Mansion, the clash of weapons had ceased.

Twenty thousand frontier soldiers were cleaning up the battlefield. The barbarians had been almost entirely wiped out; those who had not perished under the blades were taken captive and thrown into the great prison.

The disaster brought by Tuoba Xiangtai, which had plagued the ministers, was completely quelled tonight.

Even the thirty thousand barbarian troops north of the capital city had been utterly routed under the personal charge of Wei Shuo and his men, leaving them practically incapable of fighting again.

It could be said that this single battle had driven the barbarians to the point of total collapse. Furthermore, Zhang Shi had led five thousand frontier troops to sweep across the steppes, burning, killing, and looting, inflicting upon the barbarian grasslands a great catastrophe unseen in centuries.

It was almost certain that for the next century, the realm of the Yu people would no longer face the possibility of large-scale barbarian atrocities.

Most importantly, just as the overall situation was being settled, Ren Tianye had this news broadcasted to all divisions of the Imperial Guards. Many guards either witnessed the battle or discussed it. In a flash, the deeds of slaughtering the barbarians spread like wildfire among the two hundred thousand troops inside and outside the capital.

This caused countless Imperial Guards to pale in shock, increasing their awe and reverence for Ren Tianye by several degrees.

If Ren Tianye's control over the Imperial Guards had previously been only twenty or thirty percent, it had now reached sixty or seventy percent. In the future, even if powerful ministers or imperial relatives tried to collude with the guards, it would be difficult for them to make any waves.

Lu Qing's usefulness to Ren Tianye was becoming lower and lower, while Ren Tianye increasingly possessed the bearing of the Grand Marshal of the world's military forces!

All of this had been anticipated by Ren Tianye. He was not surprised.

The only thing that surprised him was that the Empress, Xiao Mingzhao, was actually not completely dead yet!

Damn it, this is absolutely ridiculous!

Stabbed twice and bleeding profusely, yet she still hasn't died and is hanging on by a thread. It seems this world really bestows immense destiny upon certain people!

This Empress Xiao Mingzhao is definitely one of those imbued with immense destiny, absolutely the same kind of person as Ye Fan.

Ren Tianye thought this as he looked at Xiao Mingzhao, who had been moved to the bed by the crowd. Her face was pale, yet she still retained her nation-toppling beauty.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her long eyelashes drooped like cicada wings, and her skin was as luminous and white as porcelain, with delicately lined lips. The world-crushing majesty of an emperor had entirely dissipated, leaving behind only a cold, peerless beauty with a distinct sense of fragility.

To be honest, discounting the hazy, bewildered memories inherited from his predecessor, this was Ren Tianye's first time seeing Xiao Mingzhao, and he couldn't help but sigh in genuine admiration.

No wonder Tuoba Xiangtai couldn't tear himself away. She is truly a rare beauty, surpassing even Su Xiu.

It's just...

When is she going to die for good?

Xiao Mingzhao had fallen into a deep coma, constantly hovering between life and death, but her prolonged refusal to breathe her last left Ren Tianye feeling incredibly anxious.

He knew that only with Xiao Mingzhao dead could he legitimately support a new emperor, serve as an illustrious, powerful minister for a couple of years to win over the hearts of the people and consolidate his authority, and then force the new emperor to abdicate.

But if Xiao Mingzhao didn't die, his plan could not proceed.

In stark contrast to his thoughts, the Minister of the Household, Pei Jingzhi, was jumping with anxiety.

Why haven't the imperial physicians arrived yet?

Why aren't they here?

Even if they had to learn medicine from scratch, they should have mastered it by now. Why aren't they here yet?

Mindful of Xiao Mingzhao being critically ill in bed, Pei Jingzhi did not dare to shout. After all, they hadn't even moved her; she was being treated right here in a room within the inner courtyard of the Yuchen Mansion. Yet even so, his anger could not be concealed, and his voice revealed a helpless panic.

Half the night had passed, the barbarians had been slaughtered, and even the great ministers of Great Yu had rushed over one after another. After so much time, the people who should have come had arrived, and even those who shouldn't have come were here—yet there was no sign of the imperial physicians.

Damn it, there were just no imperial physicians.

Lord Pei, do not be so anxious. The imperial physicians are surely on their way.

Having hurried back from outside the city and hastily changed out of his bloodstained clothes, the head of the Su family, Su Pengcheng, dressed in elegant simplicity and still possessing a graceful bearing despite his advanced age, offered patient consolation.

He was instantly met with an eye roll from Pei Jingzhi.

Did he think Pei Jingzhi was a fool?

Didn't he know that Su Pengcheng had already pledged allegiance to Ren Tianye and was a bird of a feather with him? At a time like this, of course you wouldn't be anxious, damn it.

But he was anxious!

Extremely anxious!

So anxious that he couldn't stop looking outward from the courtyard, even wanting to dispatch someone to fetch the imperial physicians. Unfortunately, the outside was completely surrounded by frontier troops; his people couldn't get in, and even if they did, they couldn't get out!

Fortunately, after enduring the whole night, just as the first light of dawn broke, a group of imperial physicians arrived in a hurry. There were quite a few of them. Pei Jingzhi glanced over and saw the Imperial Physician Director, the Assistant Director, attending physicians, and others, totaling more than thirty people.

It could be said that all the imperial physicians kept by the imperial court had arrived.

Hurry up, hurry up, what are you dawdling for?

Can't you run?

Faster, faster!

Pei Jingzhi personally went out the door to usher them in, terrified of wasting time. On the way in, he explained Xiao Mingzhao's condition to the physicians.

However, this scene caused Ren Tianye to frown slightly.

Wang Ming was never this careless in his work!

Everything was centered around his orders, so how... how did the imperial physicians arrive so quickly?

It had only been one night, and the imperial physicians were all in position.

Had some unforeseen change occurred?

Wang Ming, who had followed them in, looked up at him. There was something hidden in his gaze. Ren Tianye and Wang Ming were old partners, and he instantly read the meaning in his eyes.

Simply put, it meant one word: Relax.

Ren Tianye set his mind at ease and continued to play the role of a loyal minister in front of the assembled officials. Hurry, hurry, hurry, what are you dawdling for? Can't you see His Majesty is at death's door? Why are you only arriving now? If the rescue of His Majesty is delayed because of this, the sword in this Grand Commandant's hand is not dull!

The imperial physicians were all frightened pale. They hurriedly went in one by one to take Xiao Mingzhao's pulse and examine her wounds, and then walked out one by one, all wearing expressions of difficulty.

What's wrong? Are you mute?

Speak!

His Majesty, how exactly is she?

Ren Tianye asked urgently.

Only then did the imperial physicians speak up.

Reporting to the Grand Commandant and the lords, His Majesty suffered two stab wounds. One hit beneath the ribs, injuring the liver and spleen; the other was near the heart meridian, causing severe loss of qi and blood. The blade wounds are deep and vicious. At this moment, the pulse is faint and on the verge of fading. The Emperor has fallen into a deep slumber, with only a thread of life remaining unbroken.

His Majesty's wounds are deep and the pain immense, with stagnant blood clotted inside. The vital energy is greatly depleted, and the foundation of the internal organs has been damaged. We subjects can only use medicine to stop the bleeding, solidify the qi, calm the spirit, and protect the core, barely stabilizing the life force.

At this moment, His Majesty is unconscious, hanging on by a mere breath. If the medication remains steady and the care is without error, we can only barely maintain this lingering breath. As for when the Emperor might wake up, it is still unknown.

The imperial physicians spoke one after another. After they finished, Ren Tianye understood.

Not dead!

Xiao Mingzhao simply wasn't dead!

Stabbed twice by Tuoba Xiangtai—even though Pei Jingzhi had interfered—she still wasn't dead!

She's incredibly tough to kill!

However, although she wasn't dead, she couldn't wake up.

A vegetable?

This... actually didn't seem too bad!

However, Ren Tianye did not jump to conclusions immediately. Instead, he looked at Wang Ming. After receiving a confirming nod from Wang Ming, his mind was completely set at ease.

These imperial physicians had most likely been threatened by Wang Ming, but the current situation should be the truth.

Xiao Mingzhao had truly become a vegetable!

...