The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 712: Chapter 713: Perfection

Imperial Palace, Qiyuan Hall.

Time slowly trickled by.

Xie Anjun had never felt this kind of agonizing wait, where each day felt like a year.

And yet, he couldn’t leave. All he could do was continue to wait.

After some time, Zhao Xuanping rushed in.

”His Majesty was tired and has gone to the side hall to rest,” Eunuch Li explained in a low voice. ”We’ll have to trouble you to take a look at Mr. Fan’s condition...”

After Zhao Xuanping entered, he discreetly sized up the room and was secretly alarmed.

Although he had heard that His Majesty was personally interrogating Zheng Baosu today and that it wouldn’t be pretty, he had never imagined it would end up like this.

Zheng Baosu was disheveled and haggard, his face sickly. He looked both crazed and timid, simply staring blankly into space as if he’d lost his mind.

Fan Chengzhuo was unconscious on the floor, with bloodstains around his mouth and nose, his face a ghastly white.

Zhao Xuanping had heard before that the two were relatives, so he wasn’t particularly surprised to see Fan Chengzhuo here.

But...

’Why were the two Xie Family brothers here as well!?’

’But this wasn’t the time to be asking questions.’

Zhao Xuanping took a few steps forward. He first used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from around Fan Chengzhuo’s mouth, then turned his body over to take his pulse and examine him carefully.

However, the more he examined him, the more tightly his brow furrowed.

”This...”

A look of hesitation crossed his face.

Seeing his expression, Eunuch Li grew uneasy and asked quietly, ”Doctor Zhao, Mr. Fan’s condition... How is it?”

But Zhao Xuanping didn’t answer right away. He just continued to take the pulse for a while longer, his eyes fixed on Fan Chengzhuo, filled with shock and uncertainty.

”Doctor Zhao?” Eunuch Li spoke again, his voice slightly raised.

Zhao Xuanping came back to his senses. After a long silence, he simply shook his head.

Xie Anjun saw his reaction and felt a surge of delight. ’Could it be that Fan Chengzhuo was beyond saving?’

’It would be best if he just died!’

Eunuch Li also grew worried. ”What is it?”

’His Majesty wanted Fan Chengzhuo kept alive for a thorough interrogation!’

’If this man died, then...’

”Forgive me, Eunuch Li, but with Mr. Fan’s illness... I’m not one hundred percent certain,” said Zhao Xuanping.

Eunuch Li was taken aback. ”Doctor Zhao, what do you mean by that?”

Zhao Xuanping stroked his beard and sighed heavily. ”I suspect Mr. Fan has been poisoned, but I can’t determine what kind of poison it is. In fact... I can’t even be completely sure that he was poisoned at all. His physical condition is too strange. It’s truly difficult to make a judgment at the moment...”

Eunuch Li was completely bewildered.

’Zhao Xuanping is one of the top Imperial Physicians in the Imperial Hospital! If even he isn’t certain, then... then isn’t this a huge problem?’

’How am I going to explain this to His Majesty?’

”Th-then what should we do now?” Eunuch Li grew anxious. ”Doctor Zhao, do you have a way to wake him up first?”

Zhao Xuanping looked troubled.

”I can try to write a prescription, but I can’t guarantee he will wake up. From his pulse, it seems he’s been suffering from emotional distress, anxiety, and shock for some time. His qi and blood are depleted, and his body is already extremely weak... The sudden vomiting of blood today was likely caused by a great shock?”

Eunuch Li opened his mouth, then closed it. In the end, he simply tilted his chin slightly in Zheng Baosu’s direction.

The gesture said it all.

Zhao Xuanping understood and didn’t ask any more questions.

He went off to the side and deliberated for a good while before finally writing out a prescription.

But when he handed it to Eunuch Li, his expression was still hesitant.

”My medical skills are limited. This prescription... might not work...”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Eunuch Li understood.

He took the prescription and was about to turn and leave when he caught sight of Xie Anbai out of the corner of his eye. A sudden thought made him pause.

”How about... we wait a moment? Second Miss Ye should be arriving soon. We can have her look at this prescription then and see if it needs any adjustments. What do you think, Doctor Zhao?”

”Second Miss Ye is coming as well?”

Zhao Xuanping was stunned for a moment, then let out a huge sigh of relief, saying repeatedly, ”Good, good, good! Then let’s wait for Second Miss Ye! Perhaps she’ll have a solution!”

He had come in a hurry and didn’t know that Ye Chutang had also been summoned to the palace.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanping immediately felt much more at ease—even if there was something wrong with his prescription, Ye Chutang would definitely be able to fix it!

His heart eased, and a relieved smile even appeared on Zhao Xuanping’s face.

”When Prince Lie was injured before, it was Second Miss Ye who saved him in the nick of time. Now that she’s coming, there will definitely be no problem!”

Previously, many people had been unconvinced by Ye Chutang, but after several incidents, everyone had come to understand that her medical skills were indeed superior to theirs!

That was why now, even Zhao Xuanping felt a sense of relief just hearing her name.

Seeing his reaction, Eunuch Li also smiled and agreed.

”In that case, let’s... wait for now!”

Xie Anjun overheard their conversation, his heart filled with a mixture of ridicule and resentment.

’Do they really think that Ye Chutang is some kind of goddess!?’

’Look at Fan Chengzhuo’s state. He’s barely breathing. He could be dead any second!’

’Even if Ye Chutang is a miracle worker, she can’t possibly succeed every single time!’

’Never mind anyone else—she treated my own father at the Xie Family estate. And what happened in the end?’

’My father still died, didn’t he?!’

At this thought, Xie Anjun felt a great deal calmer.

’All I have to do is wait...’

”Second Miss Ye has arrived!”

The announcement came from outside, and Xie Anjun’s heart skipped a beat as he instinctively turned to look.

It wasn’t just him; several people in the hall all turned to look at the graceful figure walking in through the doorway.

Eunuch Li’s face immediately lit up with a joyous smile.

”Second Miss Ye! You’re finally here!”

The moment Ye Chutang stepped into the hall, she took in the entire scene at a glance.

Her expression showed not a hint of a ripple as her lips curved slightly upward. ”I apologize for being late.”

”Not at all, not at all!”

Eunuch Li quickly gave her a brief summary of the situation and handed over the prescription Zhao Xuanping had just written.

”This is the prescription Doctor Zhao just wrote. If you would please, Second Miss Ye, first take Mr. Fan’s pulse and examine him, then see if this prescription needs any improvement—”

Only then did Ye Chutang’s gaze fall upon Fan Chengzhuo, her dark brows furrowing slightly.

Seeing her expression, Zhao Xuanping thought she also found the case difficult and couldn’t help but say, ”I just took his pulse, and it felt faint and floating. His breath is as weak as a thread. It seems like poisoning, but also not... I don’t know...”

”It is poisoning,” Ye Chutang said.

”What!?” Zhao Xuanping froze.

’Ye Chutang’s tone was calm and certain, but... but she’d only just walked in! She hadn’t even taken Fan Chengzhuo’s pulse yet!’

’How could she tell?!’

Xie Anjun sneered aloud.

”They all say Second Miss Ye is a divine healer, that her skill with silver needles is nothing short of miraculous. But after just a short time, you’ve become even more incredible! You can diagnose Mr. Fan with a single glance, without even taking his pulse? With skills like that, I doubt anyone in the entire world could hold a candle to you!”