Over a dozen days passed, yet Duanmu Nan remained missing. Even with the court's resources, it was impossible to locate one person among the sea of people. Meanwhile, Qi Jingyu's condition was worsening.
The Imperial Physicians were powerless in the face of this, as his brain had already been ravaged by the worms. Even if they performed a craniotomy, it would be impossible to remove all the worms.
Eventually, by the end of the month, the Emperor passed away, and the entire nation mourned.
Li Qingmu was also at a loss. He knew Qi Jingyu always wanted to be a good Emperor, but being born in the royal family, many things were beyond his control. Even if you don't intend to harm others, others might want to harm you.
Soon after, the new Emperor ascended the throne. Li Qingmu, following Qi Jingyu's last wishes, assumed the role of Minister of Imperial Council, assisting the Little Emperor in managing daily affairs. However, Empress Xie was quite dissatisfied with this.
