After Feihua Zhenren put on a show of confirming it, Prince Zhao’s resurrection was finally settled.

The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and Princess Ningyang were all overjoyed.

Princess Ningyang, in particular, was so moved that her eyes reddened. She used her sleeve as cover to discreetly wipe them.

The Emperor hastily ordered someone to help Prince Zhao out.

But Li Ji pointed at Hua Manman and said,

"Have her do it."

’Prince Zhao definitely has ill intentions.’

She took a step back, hoping Feihua Zhenren would step up in her place.

But the Emperor spoke up.

"Princess Consort Zhao, what are you waiting for?"

Hua Manman had no choice but to brace herself and walk forward.

She reached out to support Prince Zhao.

Li Ji seized the opportunity and gripped her hand.

His grip was immense, as if he intended to crush her small hand into his palm.

Hua Manman sucked in a sharp breath from the pain, but she couldn’t say anything. She could only look at Prince Zhao with pleading eyes.

’I hope this bastard lets me off the hook.’

Li Ji leaned in, using the angle to his advantage, and whispered in her ear.

"What did you call me earlier? Say it again."

He spoke so softly that no one but Hua Manman could hear him.

Yet his tone was laced with danger.

It made Hua Manman’s scalp tingle and her heart pound with fear.

She immediately followed her instincts, calling out in a pitiful voice.

"Husband, you’re finally back! I missed you so much."

Her voice was sweet and gentle, and paired with her pleading gaze, it was utterly adorable.

Li Ji was known for his heart of stone, but he had a soft spot for this particular act of hers.

He relaxed his grip slightly.

Hua Manman instantly felt as though her hand had been saved. The pain finally subsided.

Normally, Li Ji could vault out of a coffin in the blink of an eye, his movements graceful and swift. But now, he moved as if his entire body had rusted, every action painstakingly slow.

It forced Hua Manman to slow down as well, carefully helping him until he was standing firmly on the ground.

The Empress Dowager seemed hesitant. She didn’t approach directly, but stood to one side, watching.

’Let’s see what’s really going on with this ’resurrected’ Prince Zhao.’

The Emperor and Princess Ningyang, however, had no such reservations.

They strode over to Prince Zhao and looked him up and down. Although his spirits seemed low, his complexion was healthy and his eyes were bright.

Princess Ningyang even reached out to feel his forehead, confirming that he was warm.

Only the living are warm; the dead are always ice-cold.

It seemed Prince Zhao had truly come back to life!

Princess Ningyang was ecstatic, shedding tears of joy.

"Jie’er, my dear grandson, you’re not dead! This is wonderful, truly wonderful!"

Then she clasped her hands together and prayed to the heavens.

"Thank you, heavens, thank you!"

Even the Emperor, who rarely showed his emotions, couldn’t hide his excitement. His voice trembled slightly.

"I never thought resurrection was actually possible. Jie’er, do you feel unwell anywhere? Shall I have an Imperial Physician examine you?"

Li Ji put on an act of weakness, leaning half his weight against Hua Manman, his expression feigning confusion.

"What’s wrong with me? Wasn’t I dead? Where am I? What happened?"

’This bastard is heavy.’ Hua Manman struggled to keep her balance.

She complained internally, ’If you’re going to act, then act! Why do you have to lean on me? Doesn’t he have any idea how heavy he is?’

Princess Ningyang briefly recounted the story of Prince Zhao’s resurrection.

When Li Ji finished listening, he wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"To think such a strange thing could happen in this world."

The Emperor sighed with genuine emotion. "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed resurrection was possible. The world is truly full of wonders."

Princess Ningyang wiped away another tear. "Jie’er still looks very weak. We should have him rest at once and summon an Imperial Physician to examine him."

The Emperor agreed and immediately ordered for Prince Zhao to be taken to a side chamber of Hanzhang Hall to rest.

As for the coffin and mourning hall, it was far too unlucky to leave them up, so they were to be dismantled completely.

The Imperial Physicians soon heard the news and rushed over.

It wasn’t just one Imperial Physician who arrived, but over a dozen.

It seemed as though nearly the entire Imperial Hospital had been mobilized.

They had heard that Prince Zhao’s resurrection was nothing short of a medical miracle, and every one of them was unbearably curious. They had to come and see for themselves whether it was true.

As it turned out, the rumors were true.

Prince Zhao was really alive!

A storm of shock crashed through the Imperial Physicians. Their faces were a picture of disbelief, as if they were seeing a ghost.

If the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and Princess Ningyang hadn’t been watching, the physicians would have likely cried out in shock right then and there.

’This is absurd!’

’How could a dead man possibly come back to life?!’

It wasn’t just the Imperial Physicians. The news of Prince Zhao’s resurrection sent a shockwave through the palace and beyond.

This was especially true for those who held a grudge against him.

They had been secretly gloating over his death, feeling a sense of vindication.

Who would have thought that after only a few days, Prince Zhao would be alive again?

The greater their joy had been, the deeper their misery was now.

Everyone was secretly marveling.

’Who knew Prince Zhao’s life was so tough? Not even the King of Hell could claim him. How terrifying!’

「Three days later.」

The Empress finally received the news while she was at the Imperial Mausoleum, transcribing Buddhist sutras.

These sutras were not for the ancestors of the Li family, but for her son.

She hoped that by transcribing more sutras, she could accumulate merit for her son, ensuring he would be reborn into a good family in his next life.

Upon hearing the news of Prince Zhao’s resurrection, the Empress froze. A drop of ink fell from the tip of her brush onto the rice paper, rapidly blooming into a dark blot.

The nearly completed page of scripture was ruined.

But the Empress was in no state to care.

She tossed her brush aside and looked urgently at the messenger.

"Are you joking? How can a dead man come back to life?!"

The one who brought the news was a little eunuch.

His parents were servants of the Yin Family, and he often ran errands for them as well.

The Emperor, likely aware of this, had sent this little eunuch directly to the Imperial Mausoleum to serve the Empress.

The little eunuch said quickly, "It’s true. This servant heard it with my own ears, and the details were so vivid, it didn’t sound like a lie. Besides, something like this can be verified easily. There’s no reason to make up such a story."

The Empress knelt dumbfounded behind her writing desk, staring blankly at the sutra before her. After a long silence, she spoke.

"I knew he wasn’t dead. I knew it..."

’My suspicions were right. It was Prince Zhao pulling strings behind the scenes. He was the one pretending to be a ghost to frighten me.’

’This was all his plan.’

’But no one believed me.’

Seeing the Empress’s strange expression, the little eunuch asked cautiously.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

The Empress’s eyes were red, yet the corners of her mouth curved upward, creating a twisted expression that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh.

"Hahaha! They were all fooled by him! Even the Emperor was fooled!"