Along with a shout, a string of hurried footsteps sounded within the palace.
“Heng’er?” Consort Pei set down the embroidery in her hands. Just as a smile rose to her face, she saw the Second Prince enter in large, hurried strides, his expression displeased. She hesitated, unable to help but ask worriedly, “What is it? Was it not smooth?”
The Second Prince sat opposite Consort Pei, saying nothing, only raising a hand to summon Physician Liu closer.
Physician Liu gave a bow and, word by word, without the slightest error, repeated once more his diagnosis from Yihe Palace, even speaking in greater detail.
This time, confusion appeared on Consort Pei’s face, and she could not help but fall into deep thought. “So it truly is that the Crown Princess is ill, and the Crown Prince shows no symptoms?”
“Mother Consort, you are hiding something important from me.” The Second Prince fixed his gaze on Consort Pei, his expression solemn, without the usual polite smile. “No matter what it is, I advise you to stop.”
“Impossible!” Consort Pei suddenly raised her voice, her eyes sharp. Turning her gaze and noticing others present, she immediately ordered the nanny to clear out everyone in the hall and at the door—no one was to remain within earshot.
“What matter has made you so persistent?” The Second Prince truly could not understand. His hand pressed on the table as he leaned forward, questioning, “Now you had me go and probe, yet there was no result. Even if they had flaws, now they are flawless.”
“You insist like this—are you not afraid of falling into the Empress’s trap?!”
“A trap?” Consort Pei paused, her gaze shifting left and right as if considering, but soon she dismissed the possibility and said firmly, “Impossible.”
“Why?” The Second Prince spoke abruptly, staring at Consort Pei’s face. “Mother Consort, you and I are of one heart. If you intend to take a risk, you must at least inform your son.”
After the matter occurs, it will be too late to remedy!
“This palace will not personally take risks.” Consort Pei rested her hand on the table, steadying herself—she had almost lost composure from the Second Prince’s words just now. She then turned to Physician Liu. “You have not taken the Crown Prince’s pulse. With him hidden beneath layers of robes, it may not be possible to see anything with the naked eye alone.”
The more she spoke, the more confused the Second Prince became.
What illness has anything to do with whether one is clothed or not?
“But the Crown Princess?” Consort Pei narrowed her almond eyes slightly, staring at Physician Liu. “Can you tell whether she has recently engaged in human affairs?”
The Second Prince suddenly stood up, looking at Consort Pei in disbelief.
He was not a fool—upon hearing the words “engaged in human affairs,” how could he not understand? His mother consort was clearly questioning whether the Crown Prince was incapable!
“This…” Physician Liu thought for a moment and shook his head uncertainly. “This commoner cannot tell, but her pulse is not weak or floating. Presumably, even if there is, it is not much.”
“The Crown Prince has only just married for a few days, and the Crown Princess has already fallen ill. What certainty do you have regarding this matter?” The Second Prince clearly did not agree with Consort Pei’s idea of making trouble based on this.
“You may withdraw.” Consort Pei raised her finger calmly, signaling Physician Liu to leave as well.
Within the hall, only mother and son remained.
“The Crown Prince, since several months ago, has summoned imperial physicians to his residence for treatment.” Consort Pei spoke unhurriedly, the corners of her lips curving upward as she looked at the Second Prince meaningfully. “After one month, the Pei family bribed one of them—Imperial Physician Sun—and learned that the Crown Prince suffers from an incurable illness, perhaps from which he will have no descendants.”
“An incurable illness?” The Second Prince frowned tightly, his expression uncertain.
One must know that the physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau always speak conservatively—so long as there is even the slightest hope, they will say it can be treated. How could they speak so decisively?
Recalling how composed the Crown Prince had been just now, and how the Empress seemed even more unfathomable in comparison, the Second Prince increasingly felt something was amiss. “Mother Consort, have you not considered that this matter might be a rumor deliberately released by the Crown Prince?”
“Heng’er, you are still young—you do not yet understand men well enough.” Consort Pei propped her chin on her hand, lifting her brow as she laughed teasingly, her words carrying deeper meaning. “There are countless ways to fabricate rumors.”
“When a man spreads rumors, it can be about injury or serious illness—but absolutely, absolutely not in the direction of being incapable.”
The Second Prince’s gaze tightened slightly. He slowly straightened his back. Though doubt still lingered in his heart, he nevertheless felt that these words made great sense.
“The Crown Prince, when ill, would summon physicians who are his trusted confidants. Even with a high price, they would not be easy to bribe. This time, risking death to reveal such a matter, they must have known the Crown Prince is useless and wished to seize the opportunity to abandon the darkness and turn toward the light.” Consort Pei let out a cold laugh, speaking with certainty.
The Second Prince fell silent. He had originally intended to take out the broken arrow to question further, but now he slowed that thought as well.
“This palace’s elder brother has already sent someone to submit a memorial on the day of the banquet, accusing the Crown Prince of being unfilial and lacking fraternal respect, unfit to be the heir of a nation.” Consort Pei grasped the Second Prince’s hand, her gaze fervent. “Heng’er, if this plan succeeds, who else but you could take the Crown Prince’s position?!”
She had waited for so long, all for the day her own son could become Crown Prince, and that she herself could ascend to the position of Empress Dowager in the future!
“Mother Consort… has gone to great trouble.” The Second Prince smiled, nodding.
— . ୨ ♡ ୧ . —
Because of the Crown Princess’s illness, the Emperor had made an exception, allowing the Crown Prince to delay the banquet date.
But it was only postponed by three days.
If nothing unexpected happened, the day of the banquet would be the day after tomorrow, with absolutely no possibility of further change.
Now.
Within Yihe Palace, another difficulty had arisen.
“The Crown Prince’s residence has found a physician?”
The Empress sat in her chair, frowning, looking in confusion at the messenger kneeling with head lowered. “Why seek a physician from the common folk? Are the imperial physicians in the residence not sufficient?”
Cui Yiyu lifted his eyes slightly. Though he knew this matter was full of suspicious points, now that things had reached this stage, he remained calm.
The Empress did not know what illness the Crown Prince had—but he did.
“What is that physician’s surname and name? Have his life history and background all been thoroughly investigated?” The Empress grew increasingly anxious. “He did not come early or late—he had to come precisely these past two days.”
Just as the Crown Prince sought a physician, one was found as if catching a turtle in a jar, and one who just so happened to be able to cure his ailment?
Anyone with even a trace of reason would not believe it.
“The physician’s surname is Jia. He came from the Southern Frontier and claims he can cure any illness immediately,” the messenger said.
“The Southern Frontier?!” The moment the Empress heard this place, her gaze turned solemn.
Though she still did not know what illness the Crown Prince had, she had her suspicions, and she truly feared that the Crown Prince might be careless for a moment, deceived by villains, and delay his treatment.
“There is deceit in this matter.” The Empress turned to look at Cui Yiyu, thought for a moment, then ordered, “You are to immediately take the Crown Princess out of the palace under the pretext of returning to her natal home, and investigate who that physician is.”
She murmured, “If the banquet had not been postponed, she should have returned to her natal home by now. Returning now is also acceptable.”
Between the palace gates and the outside world stood high walls—who knew what the Crown Prince was like now.
With a single word from the Empress, Cui Yiyu was immediately sent out of the palace with Lin Yuanjin.
Early in the morning, as soon as they exited the palace gates, they boarded a carriage and hurried toward the Crown Prince’s residence.
“The banquet is tomorrow. Is it alright to leave the palace today?” Lin Yuanjin tugged at Cui Yiyu’s sleeve, asking in confusion.
“It is fine.” Cui Yiyu slowly opened his eyes, as if there were no problem at all.
This physician had come at just the right time, precisely one day before the banquet—most likely the Pei family’s doing.
If they did not return to the Crown Prince’s residence, the Pei family would grow uneasy; but if they did return, then by tomorrow, the Pei family would surely feel everything was foolproof.
This trip—regardless of whether the Empress knew or gave the order—he should have returned once anyway.
Lin Yuanjin nodded as if understanding and yet not understanding, smiling innocently, saying nothing further, though in her heart, her thoughts had already twisted through eighteen turns.
Neither Cui Yiyu nor the Empress had revealed even a trace, but Lin Yuanjin was not a fool. Having Cui Yiyu enter the palace in her stead, having her feign illness, and then the Second Prince coming to probe—one could say the Crown Prince was already acting in panic.
Cui Yiyu said it was fine, but perhaps… the truth harmed the Crown Prince’s fragile pride.
They wanted to save the Crown Prince from peril, but for Lin Yuanjin, this was a tremendous blessing.
Though their positions differed, at this moment Lin Yuanjin truly felt her heart aligned with the Pei family’s, sincerely wishing their plan success.
Cui Yiyu, though unaware of what Lin Yuanjin was thinking, only felt that her gaze was bright and sincere, as if she were very much looking forward to this return visit.
Sensing that the carriage was about to stop, Cui Yiyu turned to prepare to disembark. Looking at Lin Yuanjin, he said softly, “You go back to your room first, find Steward Li. He should already have prepared the return gifts.”
“Later, I will accompany you to return home.”
Lin Yuanjin obediently answered “Okay.” With her hand resting on his, she stepped down from the carriage, smiling as she watched his figure hurry away. Listening to Nanny Zhang’s greetings by her ear, she walked toward the courtyard as if nothing were amiss.
Cui Yiyu, meanwhile, went without pause toward the Crown Prince’s Jingqing Courtyard.
