The emperor lowered his eyes and swept his gaze over the crowd below, slowly opening his mouth: “Spreading rumors to stir trouble, deceiving the sovereign and deluding those above—multiple crimes to be punished together.”
“The ringleaders shall be beheaded and their heads displayed to the public; those who colluded for private gain shall be stripped of office and exiled along with three clans.”
The words of the emperor brook no dissent.
Cui Yiyu lifted his eyes faintly, just in time to meet the Prime Minister Pei’s suspicious gaze, and spoke, calling out: “Summon the imperial physicians.”
He agreed with ease, as if the earlier refusals and obstruction had merely been a disguise.
The Second Prince saw his calm composure and sneered inwardly.
Others might not know, but would he not know, the one who had gone through twists and turns to send that folk physician into the Crown Prince’s residence?
These past few days, the Crown Prince had been drinking that bitter medicine repeatedly. It seemed as if the medicine had taken effect, curing the illness and restoring his vigor, but in truth, it was merely a fierce medicine harming the body—a final flash of vitality before decay.
Since that physician entered the residence, the Crown Prince had not summoned other imperial physicians. The medicinal properties were too forceful; it was destined that it would not escape the discerning eyes of the imperial physicians within the palace.
The hall was heavy and stifling, everyone waiting for the imperial physicians to arrive.
Lin Yuanjin felt discomfort in her lower abdomen, leaning against the back of her chair, holding a warm teacup, her face somewhat pale, remaining silent.
What she should say, what she could say, she had already said. No matter what happened afterward, it would have nothing to do with her.
“I can handle this matter. The Crown Princess is unwell; there is no need to exert yourself like this.” Cui Yiyu sat at her side, lowering his gaze, speaking in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.
Lin Yuanjin covered the lower half of her face with her sleeve, smiling intimately, her cheeks slightly flushed, leaning a little closer, as if speaking private words between husband and wife: “You and the Empress are meticulous in your thoughts and have long had plans. If I say more, it will inevitably seem deliberate.”
“These past few days, with medicine taken without interruption and proper nourishment, I am not so fragile as to faint after speaking a few words.” Lin Yuanjin’s snow-white fingertips rubbed against the porcelain cup, then she raised her eyes to meet Cui Yiyu’s gaze, slowly lifting a smile, her eyes bright like dawn. “Why does Your Highness think I am exerting myself?”
All under heaven bustle and strive for profit.
Someone like Lin Yuanjin, who did not even care how many spies were placed around her, today willing to spend her energy to publicly argue with court officials—could it merely be to display a harmonious marital relationship, to show the Crown Princess’s deep affection for the Crown Prince?
Cui Yiyu quietly met Lin Yuanjin’s gaze. At such a distance, he could even see her slightly trembling dark eyelashes, her pupils like carved gold, intently reflecting his figure.
Or rather, the Crown Prince’s figure.
The bright lamplight draped over Lin Yuanjin like golden gauze, plating her jet-black hair with a layer of pale gold. The embroidered garments and gold ornaments around her did not steal a fraction of her splendor, but instead made her appear even more noble, and unattainable.
Cui Yiyu’s gaze paused, and he slowly lowered his eyes, awkwardly avoiding the line of sight that had met in the air, his faint smile calm and without ripples: “Zither and se harmonizing, raising trays together in respect—such things naturally become a fine tale. The Crown Princess is intelligent; I am greatly comforted.”
Lin Yuanjin blinked once, staring fixedly at the young man’s side profile.
The more she spoke with Cui Yiyu, the more she could feel the chill beneath his orderly and distant words, like ice in midwinter—clear yet sharp.
Cui Yiyu claimed himself to be a tool stained with filth in the hands of the powerful, yet Lin Yuanjin felt that he was cleaner than everyone present.
“Oh.” Lin Yuanjin turned her head back as if nothing had happened, lowering her head to take a sip of tea.
The tea had grown slightly cool, revealing a hint of bitterness.
From outside Xuanyang Palace came the sharp announcement of a eunuch.
A group of imperial physicians had just arrived and were immediately summoned into the hall.
Because there was a Crown Prince’s banquet today, the emperor and empress, as well as officials and noble ladies, were all present. Everyone was on guard; aside from the imperial physicians attending other palaces at this time, there were also quite a number of physicians present here.
At the head was precisely the Chief Imperial Physician who had examined Lin Yuanjin the day before yesterday. His gaze neither shifted nor strayed, treating the kneeling Imperial Physician Sun at the side as if he were invisible, as he led the five physicians behind him to bow in unison.
“Someone has publicly memorialized that my imperial son is unwell. I am deeply concerned, thus I have urgently summoned you to examine the matter thoroughly.” As the emperor spoke, he gave Eunuch Li at his side a look.
Eunuch Li immediately acknowledged, clutching his whisk as he hurried down, stopping before the imperial physicians. Then he guided two physicians each toward Cui Yiyu and the Second Prince: “Esteemed physicians, do not concern yourselves with the setting. You must focus entirely and conduct a proper diagnosis.”
They deliberately did not make the cause and effect clear, only letting the physicians take their pulses.
Cui Yiyu and the Second Prince both calmly lifted a section of their sleeves, exposing their wrists before the physicians, allowing them to close their eyes and slowly listen to the pulse.
After two had finished, they switched with another two, and in the end, the Chief Physician listened personally to each. The few of them exchanged puzzled glances before respectfully reporting to the emperor: “Your Majesty, both Your Highnesses are in good health, vigorous in youth, without any illness.”
Imperial Physician Sun lifted his head in shock, staring at them in disbelief.
He had seemingly never expected his colleagues to produce such an unclear and baseless diagnosis.
The emperor gave a simple “Mm,” looking calmly at Imperial Physician Sun and Physician Deng, his voice low: “Do you still have anything to say?”
Seeing the execution blade about to slowly descend upon their heads, Imperial Physician Sun broke into a sweat and spoke: “The Crown Prince’s yang is deficient; for these past three months, he has taken medicine continuously, and in recent days has even consumed fierce medicinal substances. Have you examined carefully?!”
The Chief Physician first frowned, not having expected to be questioned in public. He merely stroked his beard, realizing what kind of case this was: “The Crown Prince is strong and robust, with no trace of having taken medicine.”
“Indeed, Imperial Physician Sun should not speak recklessly.” Another physician at the side shook his head, looking at him with disappointment. “Even if ten more physicians were summoned, blindfolded, the result would still be the same.”
Even the Second Prince was momentarily stunned, casting a suspicious glance at Cui Yiyu.
He remembered that the medicine was extremely potent; an ordinary person could not withstand it. Even a common doctor would detect it at once. But if the Crown Prince had not taken that medicine, then by now he should be weak with yang deficiency.
“Impossible!” Seeing the emperor raise his hand as if about to issue an edict, and meeting the disappointed gazes of the Second Prince and Prime Minister Pei, Imperial Physician Sun panicked, even crawling forward a few steps on the ground, his head heavily striking the floor, tears and mucus streaming down his face. “Your Majesty, this subject has seen it with his own eyes—the Crown Prince’s body is frail, he is incapable of relations!”
“If there is even half a lie in my words, I am willing to suffer the punishment of being flayed and stuffed with straw, never to be reincarnated!”
His cries were deafening, leaving those present speechless.
Seen with his own eyes! Incapable of relations!
This…
“How presumptuous.” Lin Yuanjin’s brows knitted tightly; she truly had not expected this matter to continue to this point.
“Imperial Physician Sun has been disrespectful.” The Second Prince spoke leisurely, meeting Lin Yuanjin’s gaze and smiling as he shook his head. “You say you saw it with your own eyes; royal sister-in-law also saw it with her own eyes. Now that you press with your words, do you intend to have imperial brother prove his innocence before all the physicians?”
“Not to mention imperial brother—even I could not remain composed before a group of physicians.”
“I may be presumptuous, but every word I speak is true.” Imperial Physician Sun lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Lin Yuanjin. “Crown Princess, do you dare admit that you are still a virgin?”
Lin Yuanjin tightened her grip on Cui Yiyu’s wrist, staring fixedly at Imperial Physician Sun, suppressing the unease rising within her heart.
