The room that had been peaceful yesterday was now crowded with quite a number of people.
“Second Imperial Brother has gone to trouble himself,” Lin Yuanjin smiled slightly, not taking his next line, calling for palace maids to bring tea and pastries, then turning to look at the other princes and princesses, “Today was rushed, truly discourteous, and there is nothing much to entertain you with, please all sit.”
Since she knew the Second Prince had come, she understood that today was not something that could be settled with a small fuss.
And the one most worried about this matter was not her.
Another prince and two princesses looked no more than five or six years old, their faces still childish. Though they had already sensed that the Second Prince’s visit was not simple, they only lowered their heads silently, not daring to make a sound.
They were all not much favored, their maternal families also ordinary, only slightly better than concubines without children, naturally not daring to be drawn into the struggle between the Cui and Pei clans.
What was interesting was that Lin Yuanjin discovered that the Second Prince and the Crown Prince were close in age, yet there was nearly a ten-year gap between them and the other princes and princesses, as if in those ten years the emperor had not had a single child.
To put it bluntly, according to Lin Yuanjin’s experience, when external clans were this rampant, they usually did not end well.
With the Pei and Cui contending, who would benefit?
Lin Yuanjin thoughtfully looked at the two people before her.
“The physician Second Prince specially found from outside the palace, could it be that you do not trust the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau?” As expected, the empress raised her beautiful eyes and said with a faint smile.
“Of course not, it is only that your son has heard that the Director is advanced in years, and that he alone has been diagnosing and recording for Imperial Sister-in-law, I fear there may be omissions,” the Second Prince showed no intention of retreating, his expression calm as he smiled, “It would be better to let Physician Liu take a look; it would neither trouble anyone, and would also be thorough and proper.”
As he spoke, he looked toward Lin Yuanjin and asked with a smile, “What does Imperial Sister-in-law think?”
If the empress was hard to get past, then change the target.
The Second Prince had long heard that the Lin family’s second legitimate daughter was inferior in many ways to the eldest daughter, said to be gentle and quiet, yet in truth meek and dull, possessing only a celestial beauty in vain.
Now that he saw her, the beauty was true, but regardless of her actual temperament, before the empress and the Crown Prince, even a Cui family daughter would not be able to hold her head high, let alone a Lin family daughter.
Lin Yuanjin met the probing gaze of the Second Prince, as if also sensing the empress’s glance sweeping over, and smiled harmlessly, “Second Imperial Brother’s intention, this concubine has received with thanks.”
“It is only that this concubine is useless; when illness comes it is like a mountain collapsing. Now, with Father Emperor’s bestowed precious medicine, I have more or less recovered, so there is no need to make such a fuss.”
The young girl spoke softly, her eyes glistening, leaning at the Crown Prince’s side, looking entirely like one who let her husband and mother-in-law arrange everything, completely matching the impression the Second Prince had heard from his mother, Noble Consort Pei.
Harmless and obedient; though not capable, she was at least compliant.
“Imperial Sister-in-law may not understand the weight of the body; as the saying goes, a thousand-li embankment is destroyed by an ant hole. If the root of the illness can be diagnosed today and removed early, it would avoid calamity and bring fortune, not wasting this younger brother’s good intentions,” the Second Prince narrowed his eyes, smiling as if sincerely concerned.
Lin Yuanjin pondered, the hand resting on Cui Yiyu’s arm tightening slightly, pulling out a few faint creases.
She had always not feared to speculate about these nobles with the worst assumptions.
For many things, the truth was not important; as long as they wished, the false could be turned into ironclad fact. Even if this physician were to assign her some serious illness, the Pei clan would find a way to make it real.
But in her previous life, Lin Yuanjin had only been a student, never having stepped even half a foot into society. Now stepping into the palace, this muddy mire, even with a guarded heart, her imagination could not guess in what direction they intended to fabricate things.
However, now that she, as the Lin family’s second legitimate daughter, had just married the Crown Prince, her status and temperament posed no threat to the Pei family, and the emperor still temporarily favored her. They likely only wished to probe her condition, and had not yet reached the point of framing her within Yihe Palace.
“Second Prince’s words are watertight; coming today, you are indeed well-intentioned,” the empress slowly stepped forward, turning to stand before Lin Yuanjin, a trace of doubt on her face, “However, this palace still has one doubt in mind.”
“Please speak, Mother Empress.” The Second Prince bowed.
“The Director is highly virtuous and respected, with many disciples, having served the country for years, none who do not trust him. Now he has reached the time of requesting retirement,” the empress said leisurely, then turned to look at Physician Liu standing quietly behind the Second Prince, “This palace is ignorant and has never heard of Physician Liu, yet still treats him with due courtesy.”
The empress’s voice paused slightly, as if an invisible pressure spread over the shoulders of those present.
“My daughter-in-law was personally chosen by His Majesty. Now that she has unfortunately caught a chill and is frail and weak, this palace is also greatly worried, fearing any mistake or oversight.” The empress looked toward Lin Yuanjin, who sat quietly on the soft couch, “If Physician Liu were to make even the slightest oversight and arrive at an incorrect diagnosis, what then?”
“If there is disagreement in diagnosis, who is right and who is wrong can only be left to a just person to adjudicate,” the Second Prince replied crisply, casting a meaningful glance at Physician Liu, “Imperial Sister-in-law’s body is of utmost value; now that she is within the palace, it would be easy for petty people to take advantage, and not the slightest error can be tolerated.”
The more they repeatedly refused, the more the Second Prince felt they were concealing something.
His mother had sent him to visit, yet did not say what exactly it was, only vaguely mentioning that the banquet had been postponed, and that the Crown Princess’s sudden illness might be suspicious, telling him to pay more attention to the Crown Prince.
The Second Prince was skilled in archery but not versed in medicine; how could he tell if there was anything wrong with the Crown Prince? Thus he had brought a physician from the Pei family to help him take a look.
Physician Liu looked at Lin Yuanjin, then at Cui Yiyu, and finally met the Second Prince’s gaze, his brows tightly furrowed as he shook his head slightly.
“This younger brother has come uninvited to pay a visit, but it is also with sincere good intentions; this elder brother will not decline it out of politeness,” Cui Yiyu noticed the silent exchange of glances between them, vaguely guessing that they were not actually here for Lin Yuanjin, and smiled, “It is only that the Crown Princess is reserved and shy; fearing to implicate me, she tends to keep things bottled up. She is nervous at present—may Physician Liu not frighten her.”
His words were thorough, his voice elegant and gentle, and in an instant he eased the tense atmosphere of back-and-forth confrontation.
But this was only for some people.
The moment Physician Liu met the faint smile that did not reach the eyes of the young Crown Prince before him, he felt cold sweat break out across his back. He could not help but clutch at his life, which stood at the edge of a storm, and bowed his head with cupped hands, “The Crown Princess is of noble and precious status; how would this old man dare be negligent.”
Previously within the Pei clan, he had only heard about the Crown Prince by hearsay. Now that he saw him, he felt he was far from what people described—only a chilling sense of being appraised by something fierce, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
“Crown Princess, please.” Physician Liu walked to the table, watching as Lin Yuanjin raised her hand. He carefully covered her wrist with a thin cloth, placing his fingers over it to begin feeling her pulse.
The room fell silent, everyone concentrating on the two of them.
After a long while, Physician Liu opened his eyes and looked at Lin Yuanjin in astonishment, “Have you recently suffered a calamity? Your body has been damaged, cold has entered your system, and you find it difficult to sleep at night…”
Just now he had been troubled over how to respond if his diagnosis did not match what the empress had said. Now that he saw, what they said was actually true?!
“In life, accidents are unavoidable; it is enough that I am safe now,” Lin Yuanjin said with a smile, as if unconcerned.
“Imperial Sister-in-law is clear-minded; you must be a person of great fortune,” the Second Prince said with a full smile, flattering her, his gaze signaling Physician Liu to withdraw, “Since there are no other concerns, then I wish Imperial Sister-in-law a speedy recovery, and that your illness does not linger.”
“This visit has already been a disturbance; lest we further affect Imperial Sister-in-law’s rest, this younger brother will take his leave.”
Seeing the empress nod, the Second Prince smiled and led Physician Liu away.
After leaving Yihe Palace, the Second Prince immediately signaled the palace attendants behind him to send the younger princes and princesses back to their residences.
When the surroundings were quiet and there was no one else, the Second Prince then looked at Physician Liu and asked pointedly, “What you said just now—was it true?”
“Absolutely true.” Seeing no one else around, Physician Liu hurriedly nodded, “The Crown Princess is indeed unwell.”
“And the Crown Prince?” the Second Prince lowered his voice and pressed.
“This commoner has not personally taken his pulse, but judging from the Crown Prince’s complexion, posture, and bearing, he is strong and vigorous, without a single sign of anything amiss,” Physician Liu shook his head.
Earlier, when the Second Prince had been confronting the empress, he had carefully observed the Crown Prince from head to toe, yet could not find any problem at all, even wondering if his old eyes had failed him.
“That is truly strange.” The Second Prince withdrew his gaze suspiciously, unable to understand what his mother was plotting.
“Imperial Brother, are you at leisure?” A calm voice suddenly drifted from behind.
The Second Prince froze, turning sharply, only to see the Crown Prince standing not far away, his steps steady, chin slightly raised, a faint smile on his lips, looking at them with composed ease—yet he had not sensed him at all.
“Imperial Brother? Do you have business with this younger brother?” He quickly turned back to bow in greeting and asked.
Yet he did not know why the Crown Prince had left his delicate and frail Crown Princess to come looking for him—what trouble he intended to stir.
“Imperial Brother need not be nervous. I have some small matter, but I am not here to find fault with you,” Cui Yiyu smiled, stepping a little closer, standing at the Second Prince’s side, “Physician Liu is capable; just now he diagnosed that the Crown Princess had previously suffered a calamity. It is true that she encountered danger while going up the mountain to worship at a temple, and it was I who personally brought her back.”
“Imperial Sister-in-law is fated to have noble assistance; it is also the fortune of a blessed person,” the Second Prince did not know why he brought this up, suspicion suddenly arising in his heart, his gaze faintly startled.
If she encountered danger, then she encountered danger. Since he did not know of the Crown Princess’s peril, it must have been deliberately concealed by them to preserve her reputation.
Then why was the Crown Prince now telling him exactly where she had encountered danger?
It could not possibly have anything to do with him, could it??
“Even so, the matter of someone attempting to harm the Crown Princess is urgent and dangerous; I cannot ignore it,” Cui Yiyu said with a light laugh, taking out a broken arrow tail from his sleeve and handing it to the Second Prince, “This item belongs to the assassin. I hope Imperial Brother will investigate it carefully.”
This arrow tail was precisely the clue left behind when Cui Yiyu was pursued after rescuing Lin Yuanjin.
The Second Prince took the unmarked arrow tail, his gaze freezing, a chill running down his spine. The smile on his face stiffened, a trace of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes.
What he cared about was not the purpose of this arrow or whose it was, but that this matter had already implicated him, yet he had been kept completely in the dark!
“Imperial Brother has always been meticulous and careful; do not, because of others’ negligence, damage the brotherly ties our Zhou family has had for many years,” Cui Yiyu’s lips curved slightly, his eyes lowering silently. After saying this lightly, he brushed past the Second Prince and walked back toward Yihe Palace.
The Second Prince stared at the broken arrow in his hand, listening to the receding footsteps behind him. His fingers suddenly clenched tight. He glanced at Physician Liu not far away, flicked his sleeve, and strode forward, “Let’s go, return to the palace.”
