The Martial Doctor

"Is that Mr. Zhao the Crown Prince?"

"Yes." Lin Miao nodded. Zhao Yuanze himself had admitted it, so there was no reason to deny it.

Besides, this is their own home; even if they find out, the news won’t spread.

The Lin residence is not exactly a fortress, but it’s not somewhere that just anybody can spy on, equipped with two exotic beasts and the peak combat power of the Meridian Passage Realm, even with special abilities.

Helian Wanwan at Great Perfection of the Meridian Passage Realm.

Though Dongguo Sun’s fighting ability is somewhat mediocre, his cultivation is solidly at Great Perfection of the Meridian Passage Realm.

The sisters Lianxin and Liansuo are also at the Initial Grade Meridian Passage Realm.

And, including Lin Miao himself.

This small Lin residence houses at least seven experts of the Meridian Passage Realm, reaching the level of a top-tier sect in the martial world—invincible within Dongshan City except for Shanglin Temple!

Shanglin Temple’s Fahai alone is equivalent to ten Meridian Passage Realm masters.

Therefore, secrets will stay within the Lin residence; Lin Miao is confident of this.

"Junior brother, previously, I addressed his wife, Miss Yua as Sister Yua, and she didn’t get angry at all..." Sun Youwei was quite frightened; this is the Crown Prince, the heir, his wife the Crown Princess Consort, the future Empress, even the Empress Dowager, and she casually called her "sister" as a playful term of endearment. Yet, it’s a tremendous favor when they permit you to call them that.

"No worries, the ignorant are not guilty. Besides, the Crown Princess Consort is gentle and not the kind of person who holds grudges." Lin Miao chuckled.

Don’t even mention the Crown Prince, even the Emperor—in his eyes, what does that matter? Respect the Emperor, or not—who are they to him?

All that stuff about monarch-subject, father-son relationships doesn’t work here.

"Next time, when I see them, how should I address them?"

"Don’t worry, they’ll leave Dongshan for the capital early tomorrow morning. Unless something unexpected happens, it’s unlikely they’ll ever return to Dongshan again in this lifetime." Lin Miao said. Actually, being the Crown Prince is quite pitiable; without reason, one might never leave the capital or even the imperial city for a lifetime.

Suffocated in a cage-like city for an entire life, though everything they eat, drink, and use is the best, with a luxurious living arrangement, it’s akin to being a prisoner. Having seen landscapes outside, Lin Miao honestly feels no envy for such a life.

Hearing this, Sun Youwei also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, you just need to know this and don’t mention it to anyone else." Lin Miao said, almost entirely exhausted of his inner breath; he needed to meditate to recover.

...

Dongshan Prefecture Magistrate’s Office, back courtyard.

"Mr. Dong, the Crown Prince has been in Dongshan for nearly a month now. Rumors are flying in the capital; some say the Crown Prince is critically ill, others that he’s secretly left the capital. News from the Eastern Palace is sealed off, likely at the Emperor’s behest." Zhuo Qingfeng sat opposite Pei Jian.

Late at night, in the freezing cold, two old men sat in the study all night without sleep.

Neither could sleep, both worried about the capital’s situation, but residing in Dongshan, their capabilities are limited.

Furthermore, they know the Crown Prince is currently in Dongshan, right under their noses, yet they must pretend not to know. Any movement could alert those secretly watching.

Hence, for the Crown Prince’s safety, they dare not take any action.

The Crown Prince’s departure from the capital must have the Emperor’s approval. Should anything happen to the Crown Prince, it would surely spell trouble for the Fifth Prince.

Unless the Fifth Prince finds an opportunity for a decisive strike.

Even if the Emperor suspects, there might still be no other choice. Besides, the Third Prince is already considered guilty of rebellion; any attempt at resurgence on his part is highly challenging—it’s unlikely the Emperor would contradict his own word.

But it’s hard to say; sometimes the guilt depends solely on the Emperor’s word—the emperor’s temperament is unpredictable, instilling fear in his subjects.

"What do you think the Emperor’s next move is?" Pei Jian asked.

"The Emperor’s intentions are hard to fathom; I can’t predict them, but the situation with the Emperor’s health seems to have improved, clearly slowing down previous arrangements." Zhuo Qingfeng contemplated briefly and then spoke slowly.

"The Fifth Prince has been granted the title of King Qi and a marriage arranged; a move to his fiefdom will likely follow the wedding."

"The wedding date isn’t set yet; according to royal customs, usually once a prince is of age and granted a royal title, the Emperor decrees a marriage, which typically concludes within a year, no later than three."

"Hmm, it seems the Emperor wants to give the Crown Prince one last chance. If the Crown Princess Consort or any ladies within the Crown Prince’s palace births a male heir, the Fifth Prince will lose his chance, as the Emperor would not risk removing the Crown Prince."

"That’s right, the Crown Prince has been in power for twenty years and overseeing political affairs for fifteen. Though not a formidable ruler, if he ascends the throne, he’d be an enlightened monarch. It’s a pity for the Third Prince, were it not for the implication from his mother, the Consort..."

"Actually, the case of Consort Yi ’supressing’ the Crown Princess Consort contains many discrepancies. It’s just that the Emperor was focused elsewhere back then, coupled with some people crafting airtight evidence, leading to the Emperor’s furious decree to obliterate the Huang Family from the court completely."

"The Huang Family was inherently flawed; should the Third Prince ever get a chance, the Huang Family will eventually be his downfall."

"Mr. Dong, I’ve heard whispers from the cold palace—the situation for Consort Yi is dire. The shallow-eyed eunuchs and palace maids only know to bow to the high and tread on the low, secretly withholding the Consort’s firewood for winter. This winter, the Consort’s life is a tough one..."

Pei Jian’s face turned grim.

Zhuo Qingfeng’s words pierced deeply into his heart, unconsciously causing his hand to clench, nails digging into the flesh of his palm.