Chapter 492: Loophole
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
The Fourth Prince’s situation in the palace wasn’t good. Why would he give his own belongings to a little eunuch? And just to help the eunuch suffer a little less?
Most likely, the little eunuch had stolen it.
"Not long after, I heard he was transferred out of Hanzhang Hall. I never expected that after all these years, he would end up at Chengxin Lake."
Everyone present tacitly turned to look at Consort Ru.
There was no longer any doubt that this Huang Kun was one of their people.
But if this man had previously served the Fourth Prince in Hanzhang Hall... who could guarantee he wasn’t involved in the incident where the Fourth Prince was injured?
Emperor Muwu had clearly thought of this as well, and his expression turned utterly grim.
"Did you arrange for that Huang Kun to be sent to Hanzhang Hall back then!?"
Consort Ru was completely stunned.
She never imagined that by coming to plead for Xiao Chengxuan, she would not only fail but also dredge up such old matters!
Meeting Emperor Muwu’s cold, harsh gaze, she shivered and instinctively shook her head in denial. "N-No... This has nothing to do with me! I didn’t do anything!"
Emperor Muwu’s face was turning pale with fury.
He wanted to turn a blind eye, but with one thing piling up after another, how could he!
Seeing his silence, Consort Ru truly panicked. She shuffled forward a few steps on her knees, crying, "Your Majesty! How could you think of me that way? I—"
"And how is it that I am thinking of you?"
Emperor Muwu’s single question made Consort Ru’s face go white, choking off her words.
A flicker of panic crossed her eyes as she belatedly realized her previous words were a classic case of a guilty person protesting too much.
Emperor Muwu hadn’t said anything definitive, and even Chen Songshi had only mentioned a few things without making a clear accusation. Yet, she had immediately jumped to those conclusions.
It was hardly convincing.
Consort Ru opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but it felt as if her throat was blocked, and no words would come out.
Emperor Muwu’s voice was thick with suppressed rage.
"Summon Prince Jing to the palace at once! And that Huang Kun! I will interrogate them myself!"
’He’s going to make them confront each other!’
The blood rushed to Consort Ru’s head, and her vision began to blur. A bone-deep chill crept up from the floor, leaving her ice-cold.
Finally, her vision went black, and she collapsed backward.
"Your Grace!"
Eunuch Li panicked and instinctively looked toward Emperor Muwu.
Shen Yanchuan said, "The Imperial Concubine is unwell. Aren’t you going to summon an Imperial Physician?"
Emperor Muwu closed his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.
Only then did Eunuch Li respond, "Yes!"
...
「Prince Lie’s Mansion.」
When Ye Chutang arrived, Chu Qiyuan and Zhao Xuanping were taking turns checking Xiao Chengqi’s pulse.
Zhao Xuanping was fraught with worry. "His Highness has been in a coma for three days with no sign of waking. What are we to do?"
Chu Qiyuan removed the pulse pillow, not nearly as concerned as him.
"Although he hasn’t woken up, his pulse has stabilized considerably. With a few more days of recuperation, he might improve. This can’t be rushed."
Zhao Xuanping felt a little calmer upon hearing this, but the furrow in his brow didn’t completely disappear.
After all, he had been in charge of this matter. With things having turned out this way, how could he be at ease?
Ye Chutang walked in with light steps and greeted them both in turn.
Chu Qiyuan was a little surprised to see her. "Why are you here so early again? You were here for most of the day yesterday, which must have been exhausting. You should get some proper rest today."
Ye Chutang glanced toward the bed and said jokingly, "I can’t get any peace at home anyway. It’s quieter here."
Chu Qiyuan frowned. "Are people gossiping about you behind your back again?"
For the past two days, rumors about Ye Chutang had been running rampant.
Many people were whispering that she had provided the wrong medicinal guide, causing Xiao Chengqi’s sudden decline.
And now, it seemed the gossip had reached her directly.
Ye Chutang, however, didn’t seem to mind much. "Their mouths are their own. It’s not like I can control what other people say, can I?"
Chu Qiyuan’s expression turned cold. "You’ve likely been enjoying great favor recently, which must have displeased certain people."
When Emperor Muwu had fallen ill, Ye Chutang had almost single-handedly saved him, which was a great accomplishment.
How could that not make people jealous?
Ye Chutang took out her needle pouch. "The truth will prevail. Why waste time on them?"
Chu Qiyuan saw that her expression was normal, as if she truly hadn’t taken any of the slander to heart. He felt a complex mix of emotions.
Zhao Xuanping, however, immediately noticed Ye Chutang’s actions. Seeing the cold glint of the silver needles, he was slightly stunned. "Second Miss Ye, are you planning to perform acupuncture?"
"Yes." Ye Chutang nodded as she walked to the bedside.
Zhao Xuanping immediately stepped aside.
He had witnessed Ye Chutang treating the Eldest Princess, so he naturally had great faith in her now. He even felt a sense of relief.
’Since Ye Chutang is willing to use her needles, it means she’s finally getting serious!’
Judging from everything that had happened since her return to the capital, it seemed as if any complicated illness could be easily resolved in her hands.
Zhao Xuanping asked again, "Then... should the Third Prince’s medication be adjusted?"
Ye Chutang nodded. "The previous prescription can be stopped for now."
Zhao Xuanping said, "Alright, alright... I had someone prepare several more days’ worth of medicinal herbs. Since they’re not needed, I’ll take them back with me later."
Ye Chutang paused. "Doctor Zhao, did you prepare the herbs yourself?"
"Yes." Zhao Xuanping hesitated for a moment but then spoke frankly. "I was afraid something might go wrong, so from the very beginning, I personally inspected all the herbs myself."
Ye Chutang narrowed her eyes. "You did this before, too?"
Zhao Xuanping nodded. "That’s right. I have a pharmacy at home, and I hand-picked every single ingredient. It’s more reliable than using herbs from outside sources."
He was an Imperial Physician; it was normal for him to have these things at home.
’But...’
Seeing Ye Chutang’s silence, Zhao Xuanping was a bit confused. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
Ye Chutang paused, then asked, "Did those medicinal herbs pass through anyone else’s hands?"
"Of course not! This concerns His Highness. I was extremely cautious. How could I dare—"
Suddenly, Zhao Xuanping stopped, a trace of hesitation crossing his face.
"It’s just that... after I select them each time, I have my apprentice package them..."
’So they *did* pass through someone else’s hands!’
Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow slightly.
She hadn’t even said anything yet, but Zhao Xuanping was already growing flustered and uncertain.
He really hadn’t thought of this before!
Ever since Xiao Chengqi fell into a coma, his mind had been consumed with the idea that the prescription was wrong; he never once considered the medicinal herbs themselves!
He trusted his apprentice implicitly and always brewed the medicine directly after opening the packages.
’Could it be—’
Zhao Xuanping’s face paled.
"It shouldn’t... It shouldn’t be..."
Chu Qiyuan suddenly spoke up. "I remember your apprentice. I heard he’s wanted to enter the Imperial Hospital for a long time, but you never agreed to it?"
With Zhao Xuanping’s seniority, recommending his own person for a position in the Imperial Hospital wouldn’t have been difficult.
But he was particularly strict with his apprentice and had denied him twice, intending for him to train more before he could enter.
’But—’