On the other hand, those imperial physicians lacked the ability to cure a poison that was nearly impossible to remedy.
Ever since discovering he had been poisoned, Gan Sheng trusted no one except his personal eunuch. The Red Powder was a slow-acting toxin. He knew someone close to him must have been responsible. As for the mastermind behind it, his primary suspect was Gan Tang.
He suspected Gan Tang because the poison was "Red Medicine" — the same method they used to kill the late Crown Prince and the Empress?
Yes. Gan Tang had been secretly investigating that incident for the past two years, and Gan Sheng knew it. Now that he himself had fallen victim to the same poison, his suspicion naturally fell on Gan Tang first.
Master, once Gan Sheng's poison takes full effect, he will die within a month or two at most. This period is Dayan's best opportunity.
The only concern now is whether Wei Shouyi and Xu Shu will believe the message Gan Tang has sent.
I don't know much about Xu Shu, but Wei Shouyi, though he might seem rough around the edges, is actually meticulous. He will find a way to verify the truth of the message.
So let's stop worrying about that and focus on solving the current drought first.
Master, if Dayan really takes over Nanyue, won't you have to go and manage the floodwaters there?
Yue Fuguang was taken aback. That was true. Once the territory was taken, Nanyue would belong to Dayan. The rulers and ministers of Dayan could not ignore it, and she certainly could not either.
The first country to fall would set a precedent for how its people were treated. The others would be watching closely. If handled poorly, even if Dayan forcibly conquered all the nations, the goodwill of the people would be lost, and it would be impossible to piece them together into one unified state. Otherwise, her mission would remain unfulfilled.
Yue Fuguang sighed. In ancient times, there was Yu the Great who controlled the floods; now, there was she, Yue Fuguang, who would have to manage the water. If she ever told anyone about this, it would be something to boast about for a lifetime.
Let's wait until Dayan successfully takes Nanyue. Gan Sheng is not the type to resign himself to death. He must have some tricks up his sleeve. Keep an eye on things and don't let Gan Tang really get killed by his men.
For now, Gan Tang was still useful. Even if Yue Fuguang truly intended to kill Gan Sheng and destroy the Gan dynasty, she might still consider sparing Gan Tang's life after all.
Come to think of it, Gan Sheng's plan to have Yue Fuguang marry into Dayan seemed like a way to harm Gan Tang. But no one expected that this very identity might eventually save her life.
While Yue Fuguang wanted to preserve Gan Tang's life, Gan Sheng had no intention of letting her go.
Gan Sheng lay on his dragon bed, gazing blankly at the golden dragon patterns and the ten-thousand-longevity patterns on the apricot-yellow canopy above.
Ten-thousand-longevity—how ironic. He could not even live to see the age of twenty-eight.
Feeling his body growing weaker by the day, his life force ebbing away with every moment, Gan Sheng looked at the densely woven longevity patterns on the canopy. They pressed down on him now like the entire parched land and cracked riverbeds beyond the court.
He lay flat on his back, his neck sunk deep into the soft pillow, leaving only his head resting on the bright yellow silk like a dried-up, weightless fruit—or a candle flame flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.
His eyelids were heavy, half-closed. The shadow of his lashes fell on his cheekbones, where a patch of grayish pallor had settled, the sallow complexion of someone who had not slept well.
Gan Sheng's gaze lacked focus, floating vaguely, piercing through the threads of the canopy, as if entangled by the intricate patterns, suspended in midair.
"Jixiang... what time is it now?"
His voice was hoarse, and even this brief question brought a faint, rattling sound from deep in his throat—like a wheeze from an old bellows. He then breathed with difficulty.
"Your Majesty, it is just past the hour of Wei (around 1–3 PM)," replied the eunuch named Jixiang respectfully, careful not to show any trace of worry or pity for the emperor's condition in his expression.
He had served this master for over a decade and understood his stubborn character well. Those of us who served at his side had no right to worry about or pity the master.
Jixiang glanced out the window. Another cloudless day. Because of the drought, what used to irritate him about the scorching sun now made him yearn for it, unable to see enough.
Every look at the sunlight felt like it might be his last.
"Already past Wei hour," Gan Sheng said, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible unless one leaned close.
His breathing was shallow, his chest barely moving. Only occasionally, when a breeze seemed to stir outside the hall, would the tassels on the canopy sway lazily, scattering the afternoon light into fragments. Fine motes of dust danced in the narrow beam of light that slipped in, rising and falling without a sound.
This was a sight Gan Sheng had stared at for five or six days in a row.
No one knew how long passed—it could have been a few breaths, or the time it took to drink a few cups of tea—when Jixiang, hunched over and counting the intricate patterns on the carpet, heard His Majesty's voice again.
"Go see if Li Jie and Fei Yongxing have arrived. And Eunuch Zhao..." Zhao Quan'an was his most trusted man, and he had been away all this time seeking a cure for the poison. Gan Sheng still clung to hope.
"Your Majesty, wait here. This servant will step outside and check."
He did not really need to check. If Prime Minister Li and the others had truly arrived, the young eunuchs outside would have announced them.
Since the emperor had ordered him to go, Jixiang was also eager to get some air outside.
To be honest, although Gan Sheng's authority had weakened, staying near a dying, listless emperor was still too oppressive.
When on duty, they had to be even more cautious than usual, lest a minor slip-up be blown out of proportion by the overly sensitive ruler.
Just yesterday, a young eunuch was dragged out and beaten to death for walking a little too loudly. His Majesty had ordered it.
No one dared to step forward and point out that they had always walked this way, including His Majesty himself, who had not left his bed for days.
As Jixiang's figure disappeared beyond the doorway, the great hall fell silent once more. When he was gently awakened by Jixiang's voice again, Gan Sheng felt as though he had slept. His body had regained a little strength.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Li and the other officials are all waiting outside the hall."
"Jixiang, help me up."
Jixiang gently propped Gan Sheng against a soft cushion. After a moment, once he felt his mind was clear enough, Gan Sheng said, "Call them in."
Within moments, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. Gan Sheng turned his head to look through the thin gauze hanging from the bed canopy and saw five officials led by Prime Minister Li file in.
They did not have time to wipe the sweat from their foreheads before they bowed and offered salutations to Gan Sheng.
"Your humble servant Li Jie pays respects to Your Majesty."
"Your humble servant Fei Yongxing pays respects to Your Majesty."
"Your humble servant..."
"Rise, all of you," Gan Sheng said, trying not to let the weakness seep into his voice.
But his efforts were in vain. To everyone in attendance, it was clear that His Majesty's spirit was waning with each passing day.
Although the thin gauze obscured the emperor's complexion, the faint life force they sensed was unmistakable—it was the aura of one near death. Some involuntarily began to let small, private thoughts creep into their minds.
At this point, even Prime Minister Li had no idea that their emperor had been poisoned with "Red Medicine." They only believed it was an illness caused by a cold.
"Dai Ping'an, how goes that matter you were handling?"
The man called Dai Ping'an was of medium build, dressed in a dark close-fitting garment, strikingly different from the officials in their court robes.
He was the head of the Defense Bureau, elevated to his post by Gan Sheng himself. His duties included overseeing the officials, gathering intelligence, and planting spies.