Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha Playboy in Ancient Times - Chapter 109

Shen Xingyue felt completely drained. Now that she had entered the palace, it was as if she could finally breathe again. Her thoughts slowly began to return to her. She recalled everything that had just happened at the southern gate—the look on her younger cousin Qingzi’s face, the chaos among the rioting civilians struck with cholera. Suddenly, a thought seized her.

She dropped to her knees, her heartbeat accelerating with every passing moment. Shen Xingyue hurriedly reconnected with the system she hadn’t contacted in ages, asking in a flustered voice, “Can my little cousin still be saved?”

“There is a chance,” the system’s shrill mechanical voice replied. “Because of your recent actions, many people’s opinions of you have changed. Just like last time, you’ve earned three blind box draws. But if you choose to save the young imperial princess, these three chances will be used up. Moreover, as some time has already passed since the young princess was struck and poisoned by the arrow, we only have a fifty percent chance of saving her. It all depends on her luck now. Do you wish to proceed and use all three blind box opportunities?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’m sure!” Shen Xingyue responded urgently in her mind. At this moment, not to mention just three blind box draws—even if it were something far more precious, she would willingly exchange it to save her cousin’s life.

“Understood. The system is now scanning Shen Yining’s physical condition. Activating her body functions. Initiating automatic detoxification. Countdown: five minutes,” the system’s mechanical voice announced again.

At that moment, Shen Yining—who was being carried into the palace on a stretcher by the guards—slightly twitched her fingertips. Thick black poisonous blood began to seep out from several points on her fingers. In a haze of semi-consciousness, she felt pain shoot through her shoulders and neck. She wanted to groan, but had no strength to make a sound.

“Ding. Physical repair for Shen Yining complete. From this point on, it depends on whether she can pull through,” the system said once more.

Shen Xingyue immediately stood up and looked outside. This meant that Shen Yining still had a chance to survive.

Shen Kaiyuan stared at the stretcher being carried in, covered with a white cloth. His arms trembled, unable to lift the cloak that covered the body. But Shen Xingyue rushed forward and threw off the cloak, reaching out to feel Shen Yining’s carotid artery. To her immense relief, the pulse under Shen Yining’s skin began to beat again.

Shen Xingyue completely forgot the Empress standing nearby and shouted toward the physicians waiting at the side, “There’s a pulse! Imperial physicians, quickly—save Her Highness! Hurry!”

The physicians, startled by her outburst, rushed forward to examine Shen Yining’s pulse.

Hearing Shen Xingyue’s words, Shen Kaiyuan finally dared to lay her eyes on her daughter. Trembling, she reached out under Shen Yining’s nose and felt a faint breath.

Tears streamed down Shen Kaiyuan’s face. “Save Ning’er! Save my Ning’er!”

Looking at the gruesome arrow wound on Shen Yining’s body, and the black blood around it, Shen Kaiyuan wished she could bear the pain in her daughter’s place.

The head physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the arrow must be removed immediately or Her Highness’s life will be in danger. Please have someone carry her to the inner hall at once. We need absolute quiet to proceed.”

“Go! What are you waiting for? Be extremely careful!” Shen Kaiyuan, realizing her daughter could still be saved, seemed to come back to life, pacing anxiously.

Shen Xingyue also let out a long breath upon hearing the physician’s words. Her eyes reddened, but a faint smile finally appeared on her face. If her younger sister could be saved, it meant more to her than any blind box reward ever could.

She didn’t want Shen Yining’s revival to appear too miraculous. After all, at the southern gate, both she, the military doctor, and Han Shu had all checked Shen Yining’s breath and pulse.

So, Shen Xingyue knelt down just outside the Hall of Governance and called out loudly, “Thank heaven for protecting Her Highness! The gods will surely bless her with fortune in this crisis!”

As soon as she knelt, the ministers and palace attendants inside the Hall of Governance followed suit, all kneeling to pray for divine protection. Even Shen Kaiyuan knelt down beside Shen Xingyue, brushing aside the cushion Wenjing offered her. She feared the heavens might think her insincere and refuse to save her youngest daughter.

Only now did Shen Xingyue feel slightly relieved. In ancient times, people revered the divine and feared the supernatural—attributing the young imperial princess suddenly regaining breath to the heavens’ protection was not only plausible but also added a divine aura around her recovery.

While Shen Xingyue led the crowd in praying to the heavens, the imperial guards had already brought Shen Yiqian and Shen Yijia to the scene.

Shen Yiqian was still shouting, “I’m a prince! How dare you treat me this way! I will report this to the Empress! None of you will escape punishment! Let me go! Release me!”

“Who gave you the courage to lay hands on me? I’m the Third Prince! I’m your Highness the Third Prince!”

Compared to Shen Yiqian’s loud commotion, Shen Yijia stood silent and pale, unable to utter a word.

Emperor Shen Kaiyuan was focused on praying for Shen Yining when she heard the disturbance. She shouted sharply at the imperial guards, “Gag the both of them! Tie them up and throw them aside. Can’t you see I’m praying for the Crown Princess?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the guards responded, promptly gagging Shen Yiqian and Shen Yijia and tossing them to the side.

Unable to rest easy, Shen Kaiyuan stood and walked toward the inner chamber to check on her youngest daughter’s condition. She dared not enter for fear of disturbing the physicians at work, so she stood just outside the doorway, eyes red with worry, peering in.

She saw the poisoned arrow had been removed from Shen Yining’s body, and the thick gauze was already soaked with blood. Shen Kaiyuan’s heart clenched at the sight.

Finally, one of the imperial physicians emerged. Just as he was about to bow, Shen Kaiyuan grabbed him anxiously.

“How is Ning’er? How is she?” she asked urgently.

“Your Majesty,” the physician replied quickly, “most of the residual poison in the Crown Princess’s body has been cleared. However, due to severe blood loss from both shoulders, her condition remains critical. If she can survive the next two days, she should make a full recovery—she is young, after all.”

“Yes! Ning’er is young—she will get through this, she must!” Shen Kaiyuan said, finally able to exhale. “For the next few days, I want the entire Imperial Medical Bureau to take turns staying here and watching over Ning’er.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I have already discussed this with the other physicians. We will rotate in three shifts, with three physicians per shift. We will not allow anything to happen to Her Highness,” the physician assured her.

“Good, good. I’m going in to see Ning’er.” Shen Kaiyuan quickly made her way into a small resting chamber within the Hall of Governance where Shen Yining was being cared for.

The physicians had already applied medicine to Shen Yining’s wounds and covered her with a blanket. Thanks to the system’s detoxification, the bruised purple color had faded from her face. Now, her complexion was pale due to blood loss.

Shen Xingyue, hearing movement inside, quickly stood. Her entire prayer performance had been meant to make Shen Yining’s survival seem more believable—not for actual divine intervention.

She stepped quickly into the inner chamber. On the bed lay the usually stiff and proper little cousin. Perhaps the palace attendants had just cleaned her up, for her face was now free of blood and grime.

Looking at her cousin’s faintly rising chest, Shen Xingyue’s eyes involuntarily reddened again.

Among Shen Yining’s belongings, she found the little white pig-shaped sachet and held it tightly in her hand.

It was only then that Shen Kaiyuan had the chance to look at Shen Xingyue closely. She saw her niece clad in battle armor, streaked with dried blood of unknown origin. Her face was stained with tears and dirt—where was the pampered young noblewoman who once lived only for pleasure?

Shen Kaiyuan knew all too well: had Shen Xingyue not arrived in time to save her daughter and brought her back to the palace for urgent treatment, Ning’er would likely be beyond saving.

Pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve, Shen Kaiyuan stepped forward and began wiping the dirt from Shen Xingyue’s face. She spoke with a smile, though her eyes were brimming with tears: “Just look at you. What a mess. Let me clean you up.”

Shen Xingyue paused for a few seconds, then stood still, allowing the Empress to wipe her face. At least in this moment, Shen Kaiyuan wasn’t treating her as a subject—but as family.

Shen Xingyue glanced at the quietly resting Shen Yining, then recalled that the matter at the southern gate still required the Empress’s judgment. She had also taken it upon herself to execute some rioters—something she needed to take responsibility for.

With that in mind, Shen Xingyue reached out and somewhat boldly tugged on Shen Kaiyuan’s sleeve. “Aunt, this subject has something to report.”

Shen Kaiyuan felt her niece tug her sleeve and didn’t find it rude or inappropriate—only a sign of trust from a younger family member. Her heart softened, and her eyes reddened again. One son and one daughter had committed such wicked deeds, yet her niece had been the first to rush to her younger cousin’s aid upon hearing she was in danger.

She couldn’t help but feel that she had raised two ungrateful wolves.

Shen Kaiyuan nodded and took Shen Xingyue’s wrist, leading her out of the resting chamber.

Once they returned to the Hall of Governance, Shen Kaiyuan released her grip and looked at Shen Xingyue with concern. “What is it, Yue’er? Is there something else you want to tell me?”

Shen Xingyue nodded and knelt again, raising her head as she spoke:
“This subject, Shen Xingyue, in response to the chaos at the southern gate, ordered the Yuning Guards to open fire on rioters. To suppress the unrest, I had the corpses of more than a dozen rioters hung from the city wall as a warning. I made these decisions without Your Majesty’s approval and took charge of the southern gate’s situation on my own. I beg Your Majesty to punish me for my overreach.”

Shen Kaiyuan, startled by the formality, quickly walked over and pulled Shen Xingyue back up. “What crime? If it weren’t for you, Ning’er wouldn’t have stood a chance. This isn’t a crime—it’s a great merit! Who’s managing the southern gate now?”

“When I left, I had General Han take command. As for the rioters, I await Your Majesty’s decision on how to handle them,” Shen Xingyue replied.

Shen Kaiyuan nodded and ordered Wenjing at her side:
“Send word to Han Shu. Have all the instigators among the rioters executed. The rest are to wait for the shelters the court is preparing. They are to be resettled there and are not allowed to enter the capital again. As for the refugees already in the capital, drive them out and have them relocated with the new arrivals.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Wenjing responded, immediately sending someone to deliver the imperial edict.

Shen Kaiyuan then instructed the palace attendants to close the door to the resting chamber, so the physicians wouldn’t be disturbed as they monitored Shen Yining. Her gaze, however, turned to Shen Yiqian and Shen Yijia, still gagged and tied up inside the hall.

Support