A five-year-old goddess, raised to become an emperor for all time through a bronze mirror.

Chapter 226 How strange!

He fed his mother the pill without hesitation, his movements gentle yet firm.

The pill slid down Consort Shu's throat, and he watched her reaction with bated breath.

After a short while, Consort Shu's breathing gradually stabilized, and her originally pale complexion regained some color.

Pei Hechuan breathed a sigh of relief, the weight on his heart finally lifted, and his clenched fists gradually relaxed.

He secretly rejoiced, realizing that Pei Ancheng hadn't lied to him about the antidote; it truly was a good medicine to save his mother.

However, the troublesome worm inside his mother's body was so powerful that it almost made him lose all his courage just now.

At this moment, his gaze slowly fell on the maid Fu Chun beside him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "Fu Chun, how are you taking care of Her Highness?"

Upon being reprimanded, Fu Chun's face turned pale instantly, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

She immediately knelt down, head bowed, her voice trembling with tears: "This servant deserves to die. This servant failed to notice the abnormality in Your Highness's body in time. Please punish me, Your Highness."

Pei Hechuan's eyes flashed with a cold light, his tone hard and unyielding:

"As my mother's personal maid, you can't even provide the most basic care. If anything were to happen to my mother, could you bear the responsibility?"

As he spoke, his sharp, hawk-like gaze quickly swept over Nianqiu, another personal maid standing beside him.

That look seemed to carry a thousand pounds of pressure, causing Nianqiu to tremble involuntarily.

What Pei Ancheng said was not entirely convincing.

The only thing that can be confirmed at present is that the mother does have Gu worms on her body, but whether it is the Gu poison that Fu Chun administered is still unknown.

At that moment, everyone's attention was focused on Nianqiu.

Without hesitation, she knelt down, her clear yet resolute eyes filled with earnestness, and said to Pei Hechuan:

"Your Highness, this matter is indeed not Fuchun's fault. It was all due to my negligence in taking care of her. Please punish me alone."

Last night, it was due to my negligence that I forgot to put that warm coat on Your Highness, which caused you to catch a cold and fall ill.

Upon hearing this, Fu Chun, who was kneeling to the side, trembled even more violently, like a leaf in a storm, about to be blown away at any moment.

Crystalline tears, like a burst dam, streamed down her pale cheeks, dripping onto the cold ground and splashing up tiny teardrops.

Her voice had long since become hoarse and choked with emotion:

"This servant knows her crime. This servant truly knows she was wrong. No matter how Your Highness wishes to punish this servant, this servant is willing to accept it. I only beg Your Highness to show mercy and spare this servant this time."

However, Pei Hechuan merely snorted coldly and said nothing more.

He turned away, continuing to focus all his attention on his mother's illness, as if everything happening around him was irrelevant.

At this extremely tense moment, Consort Shu, who had been lying silently in bed, finally spoke slowly:

"Don't blame the two of them; it was my own fault."

I haven't been feeling well these past few days, but last night I insisted on going to admire the moon, which is why I'm in this state now...

Cough cough cough…"

As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Shu coughed violently again, causing everyone present to feel distressed.

Before he could speak, a violent coughing fit broke out.

Seeing this, Pei Hechuan anxiously reached out and gently stroked her back, his eyes filled with tenderness, and said softly:

"Mother, don't worry. Please rest assured, I will never blame them."

He knew that the two maids, Fuchun and Nianqiu, had been by his mother's side since before she entered the palace, and that his mother loved them dearly.

"Alright, alright! Since that's the case, you may all leave for now. I have some private words I'd like to discuss with my mother alone!"

Pei Hechuan slightly raised his arm, casually waved his hand, and loudly gave the order.

"Yes, Your Highness..." Upon hearing the order, Fu Chun and Nian Qiu quickly nodded and lowered their heads in response.

Then, he carefully turned around and slowly left the palace.

After the two left, Pei Hechuan looked around to make sure there was no one else in the bedchamber before he breathed a sigh of relief.

He bent down, lowered his body, and brought his lips close to Consort Shu's ear, speaking softly in a voice only the mother and son could hear.

------

Fast forward to the present day...

Since it was the weekend, sunlight streamed through the windows into the room, bringing a touch of laziness and leisure to the entire space.

However, for Nian Nian, this weekend was rather boring.

She strolled aimlessly into Old Master Fu's study, her gaze casually sweeping over the dazzling array of books on the bookshelves.

Finally, a thick book titled "The History of Guangling" caught her attention. Gently taking the book down, Nian Nian sat down at her desk and began to read it.

Since returning here, Niannian has learned that Fu Tong has gone abroad for further studies.

In fact, Grandpa Fu had intended to arrange for Niannian to study abroad with him, but she resolutely refused.

At this moment, many unsolved mysteries still lingered in Niannian's heart, and she was still unable to let go of them.

The most crucial question is: where did the mother go?

Furthermore, will the long and turbulent history of the Guangling Kingdom continue to undergo unexpected changes?

These questions, like a fog, shrouded her mind, making it difficult for her to feel at ease.

Niannian intently flipped through the history book of Guangling in her hands. With each gentle turn of the pages, an astonishing change gradually unfolded before her eyes.

The book originally recorded an event in which the capital city experienced rare freezing rain, resulting in the tragic deaths of tens of thousands of people due to the severe cold.

It gradually evolved into a story where Pei Yunjing promptly transported a large amount of supplies to provide relief and successfully saved the lives of many people.

Moreover, the description of Pei Yunjing in the book has also undergone significant changes.

He, who was once neglected and underestimated, has now transformed into someone highly valued by Pei Chuan.

Time slipped by quietly, and before we knew it, the year was coming to an end.

Just then, shocking news spread throughout the court and the public—Pei Chuan suddenly fell seriously ill and was bedridden.

Not long after, an imperial edict was issued to the world, suddenly declaring that the third prince, Pei Ancheng, would inherit the throne.

Historical records explain this by saying that Pei Ancheng possessed superior talent and wisdom, making him capable of undertaking the important task of governing the country and leading the people.

Upon reading this, Niannian couldn't help but raise her delicate eyebrows slightly and mutter softly, "How strange! Why did Pei Ancheng ultimately ascend the throne?"