Chapter 159: The Crown Prince Seems to Be…

"Hmph!"

The Empress Dowager's face was dark with fury, her teeth clenched as she spat viciously.

"Planting people right under his nose — did you really think your Father Emperor wouldn't notice?"

"Are you saying Father Emperor already knew there were our people in Taihe Hall?"

The Empress Dowager's hand on the table gripped the corner of it tightly.

"This is his warning to me!"

The next instant, she curled her lips in a smug smile.

"But it doesn't matter. That Ning Jiang isn't one of ours anyway — a stubborn block who won't be swayed by threats or bribes. Apart from that, he's actually useful to us."

"Once news of Zhou Shizhao's death reaches the border, that old coot won't hold out much longer either."

At once, a cold smirk curled at the corner of her mouth.

"Just wait and see — who this Military Power finally falls to is still anyone's guess!"

Setting that topic aside for now, the Empress Dowager turned her head toward the Crown Prince, her expression softening.

"I called you here today mainly to ask — you've been married quite a while now, and quite a few women have entered your Backyard one after another, yet there's been not a whisper of movement. Why is that?"

Hearing this, the Crown Prince's expression froze for an instant.

He wanted that too!

But he…

The Empress Dowager only went on talking to herself.

"There's a daughter in the household of a Vice Minister of Revenue. Her Highness finds her quite charming…"

The Crown Prince sprang to his feet in a flash.

"Mother Empress, please don't trouble yourself over this matter!"

With that, he strode out through the hall doors.

Watching his hurried back, the Empress Dowager drifted off for a moment.

What's gotten into Hao'er?

She looked toward Hua Ru, who stood at the side attending her.

"Go ask the Crown Princess — in whose chambers has Hao'er been staying these past days?"

At this, a shadow crossed the Empress Dowager's eyes, faintly laced with killing intent.

Could Hao'er have been entangled by some cheap little hussy again?

"Also, send an Imperial Physician to take the pulses of all those women in Hao'er's Backyard."

At this, Hua Ru first glanced toward the direction the Crown Prince had left, then looked up at her, her face full of difficulty, deeply torn.

Seeing that look, the Empress Dowager felt an inexplicable flutter of panic.

"What is it?"

Hua Ru said in a small voice.

"This servant was just about to report this matter to the Imperial Consort (Gongzhu)."

She opened her mouth, her face creased with worry, looking as though the words were too hard to speak.

The Empress Dowager clenched her fists so tightly her nails nearly pierced her palms.

"Stop hemming and hawing! What on earth has happened?"

Hua Ru gritted her teeth.

"The Crown Princess sent word early this morning — since that incident, His Imperial Prince has only gone to the Backyard three times, and each time he flew into a terrible rage. The concubines who attended him were all granted Poisoned Wine, and after that His Imperial Prince never set foot in the Backyard again."

"And during this period, His Imperial Prince has been privately sending people everywhere to seek out famous physicians."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager's sense of foreboding grew stronger; her heart gave a sudden lurch. She stared fixedly at her and, still unable to let it go, asked one more question.

"What do you mean?"

Hua Ru closed her eyes and blurted it all out in one breath.

"His Imperial Prince seems to be…"

"What?!"

"How could this be?!"

Hearing those two words, the Empress Dowager let out two cries of shock — frantic, furious, and distraught all at once — and fainted dead away.

"Imperial Consort (Gongzhu)?"

"Imperial Consort (Gongzhu)?!"

Hua Ru hurriedly steadied her and shouted toward the door.

"Someone come quickly! The Empress Dowager has fainted!"

After the Imperial Physician pricked her with a few needles, the Empress Dowager slowly came to. She scrambled up and seized Hua Ru's hand in a death grip.

"Hao'er really is…"

Saying this, the Empress Dowager closed her eyes in anguish, her body trembling slightly.

"What did the Imperial Physician say? Has he had the Imperial Physician examine him?"

Seeing her swaying, fragile state, Hua Ru couldn't bear to tell her the truth.

Every Imperial Physician of any standing in the Imperial Medical Bureau, His Imperial Prince has already sought out — otherwise, he wouldn't have had to go searching among the common folk, would he?

Nor would he have pinned his hopes on folk remedies.

Hua Ru could only comfort her.

"Don't be anxious, Imperial Consort (Gongzhu). His Imperial Prince has just been frightened. Given some time, he may very well recover."

"How could Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Her Highness (Bengong))))))))) not be anxious?!"

"Send our people to search for famous physicians at once. If anyone can cure Hao'er, Her Highness will reward them handsomely!"

"Also, this matter absolutely must not be known to anyone else, especially the Xiyue Emperor and the National Preceptor!"

Meanwhile, the Empress's people secretly set out, searching among the common folk for physicians with exceptional medical skills.

It wasn't long before the National Preceptor got the news.

After hearing his subordinate's report, he spat out a mouthful of tea.

"Pfft!"

"What did you say?"

"A birth mother sent people to scare her own son into impotence?"

"Just kill me laughing!"

The subordinate who had just reported this matter was also laughing very loudly.

"Sir, now that the Crown Prince has become a eunuch, the Empress is busy seeking treatment for the Crown Prince, so she probably won't have time to pay attention to our side."

The guards beside the National Preceptor heard these words, frowned slightly, and secretly glared at that man.

Brainless fool!

Just now, his words in and out had been belittling the Empress and the Crown Prince, all to flatter the National Preceptor.

Unfortunately, he had said the wrong thing.

Wasn't this rubbing salt into the wound on the sir's heart?

Sure enough, upon hearing those words just now, the National Preceptor's gaze turned cold, and a terrifying shadow instantly filled the depths of his eyes.

"Is that so?"

Hearing that cold, sinister tone, the subordinate who had spoken earlier trembled all over. Now he finally realized what he'd done, and with a thud he dropped to his knees on the ground.

"This subordinate spoke out of turn, sir, please forgive me!"

"Guards!"

Three guards entered from outside the door.

There was not a ripple of emotion in the National Preceptor's tone.

"Since he doesn't know how to speak, then sew his mouth shut!"

"This subordinate knows his fault, sir, spare me! Sir, please spare me!"

But no matter how that man begged, in the end he was still dragged away.

The guard beside the National Preceptor asked carefully,

"Sir, what shall we do next?"

The National Preceptor revealed a meaningfully deep smile.

"I imagine the Crown Prince is still unaware of this matter. How could I bear to watch the Imperial Prince remain in the dark forever?"

Consider it a return gift for her threatening me earlier!

The guard nodded in acknowledgment.

"This subordinate understands."

The National Preceptor asked again.

"Calculating the time, the news should have already spread throughout Da Yin, right? Has any news come from Nan Jing?"

The guard shook his head.

"No news has come back yet, or perhaps the message is still on the way."

……

After the news reached Nan Jing, Zhou Old General heard that his son had been killed by bandits. Heartbroken beyond endurance, he immediately spat out a large mouthful of blood and fainted.

"Zhou Old General!"

"Quick, go find an Imperial Physician!"

The tent was thrown into complete chaos.

Several middle-aged generals stood guard outside, cursing angrily.

"That blind fool of a tyrant!"

"He's done ruining the Marquis's family, and now he's started going after the Zhou Family!"

"I say he's not far from becoming a king who loses his kingdom!"

Xu Zhongquan frowned and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Enough! All of you, say two words less!"

"The pressing matter is to first find a way to wake Zhou Old General."

Hopefully Zhou Old General can pull through.

The Young General had instructed that before the Cheng Family returned, the Cheng Family Army would follow Zhou Old General's orders.

Moreover, if the Military Power were handed to someone else, the Cheng Family Army's situation would likely become very difficult.

So regardless of which consideration it was, he did not want anything to happen to Zhou Old General.

At this moment, several small soldiers arrived, bringing along a middle-aged man carrying a medicine box on his back.

"He's here, he's here!"

"The Imperial Physician is here!"

Several people hurriedly lifted the tent flap and led him inside.

"Quick, quick, quick!"

The middle-aged Imperial Physician followed behind the several men and came to Zhou Old General's side.

He had just stretched out his hand, about to examine Zhou Old General's condition, when someone suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Xu Zhongquan's gaze was sharp as he stared at the hand that had not a single wrinkle, yet whose finger joints were covered in old calluses.

"You're not Imperial Physician Wu!"