Physician Zhang immediately and deftly took out a medical pillow from his medical kit and placed it on the small table on the main bed. He then walked to the other side and sat down on a round embroidered stool that Huanyi had moved over.

Zheng Chunhua obediently sat down on the main couch, extending her fair wrist and resting it on the examination pillow.

Physician Zhang frowned slightly, raised his hand to stroke his goatee, and then switched hands to rest on Zheng Chunhua's jade wrist.

"Imperial Physician, how is our esteemed lady? She's been coughing for almost four months," Mo Yun said. She was surprised to see Imperial Physician Zhang when she returned, but she wasn't too surprised. She walked up behind Imperial Physician Zhang and asked.

"Your Excellency's condition has not fully recovered and has been repeatedly exposed to cold. I can only prescribe some remedies to dispel the cold and nourish the body, allowing you to slowly recover from the cold. Your Excellency must be very careful with your diet and clothing in the future, otherwise, prolonged exposure to cold can lead to serious illness." Physician Zhang put down his hand and put away the examination pillow.

"Thank you, Physician Zhang. Huanyi, go with Physician Zhang to get the medicine," Zheng Chunhua said calmly.

After Physician Zhang left, Mo Yun stood beside Zheng Chunhua, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Yun'er, you seem to have something to say?" Zheng Chunhua asked, looking at Mo Yun. Since she entered the palace five years ago, this palace maid had been with her the longest and was considered one of her most trusted confidantes.

"My lord, when I went to fetch the meal, I encountered the Crown Prince on the way!" Mo Yun said truthfully.

Zheng Chunhua's brow twitched. She vaguely realized that the Imperial Physician Zhang from earlier was probably sent by the Crown Prince.

"What did the Crown Prince say?" She tried her best to avoid sounding surprised.

"The Crown Prince inquired about the Consort's health, saying he met her in the Imperial Garden that day," Mo Yun said, glancing cautiously at Zheng Chunhua. She vaguely felt that the Crown Prince might have feelings for Zheng Chunhua. The Imperial Physician Zhang was so difficult to summon, yet he arrived just like that; it must have been the Crown Prince's doing.

Zheng Chunhua suddenly stood up, grabbed Mo Yun's arm, and said sternly, "Keep all of this to yourself and don't tell anyone. Forget about it all."

Mo Yun felt a sharp pain in her arm; it was from Zheng Chunhua's grip, which showed how much force she had used.

"Your Excellency, this servant will naturally say nothing. But what should we do about the Crown Prince's sudden affection for you?" Mo Yun said, enduring the pain.

A hint of panic flashed across Zheng Chunhua's face as she whispered, "Get out of here. Try not to go out again."

Mo Yun nodded with mixed feelings, then helped Zheng Chunhua to have her meal.

Meanwhile, Physician Zhang had just returned to the Imperial Hospital when he wrote a prescription for Huanyi and gave her instructions on how to prepare and administer the medicine to Consort Zheng every day.

"Physician Zhang, why did you suddenly go to that person at Shufangzhai? Did Consort Yi give instructions?" After Huanyi left, Physician Lin, who was on duty with Physician Zhang that day, asked.

Physician Zhang glanced at him, shook his head, and said, "Just pretend you didn't see it."

Inside Chonghua Palace, the Crown Prince raised the wine cup on the table and asked, "Has Physician Zhang returned?"

The young eunuch standing to the side was Xiao Bao, the crown prince's trusted servant. He respectfully replied, "Yes, they've already returned. Huan Yi went to the medicinal cuisine department to get the medicine. Your Highness?"

The crown prince took a sip of the amber liquid in his cup, raised an eyebrow, and said coldly, "What, even you want to control me?"

Xiao Bao glanced at the Crown Prince and immediately lowered his head, saying, "This servant wouldn't dare. This servant is just worried that Your Highness's concern for a noble person like this will attract attention. What if these people spread the word to the Emperor?"

A shadow crossed the prince's eyes. He tilted his head back and drank the entire cup of wine.

"I...I just couldn't help it. Xiao Bao, do you know, ever since I saw her at Father's, I've fallen for this woman. I even like her more than Li Shi. But she can never belong to me; she's Father's woman." The Crown Prince became more and more agitated as he spoke, and he even coughed violently a few times after finishing his last sentence.

Xiao Bao immediately knelt down and crawled to the prince's side to pat his back.

“Your Highness, what kind of woman can’t you have? This time, didn’t the Emperor betroth three more princesses to you?” Xiao Bao said.

“But I just love her. Xiao Bao, Xiao Bao, I can’t sleep at night, my heart is filled with her image. What do you suggest I do?” The Crown Prince suddenly grabbed Xiao Bao’s hand and said, his face flushed.

"Your Highness, Your Highness can only forget her. As long as Your Highness doesn't see her and favors other princesses, you will forget her," Xiao Bao hurriedly said.

"No, no, I can't forget her. I want to forget her, but every time I see her, I can't control myself and I want to see her again," the Crown Prince said with a pained expression.

Xiao Bao knew he couldn't persuade the prince, so he could only sigh along with him. But then he remembered something and said, "Your Highness, Consort Li has sent people over several times, saying that the Second Prince is ill."

The crown prince frowned almost imperceptibly, but remained silent.

"This woman nowadays also likes to use such tricks to get me to leave," the Crown Prince suddenly said, continuing to drink the wine on the table.

Xiao Bao knew he couldn't dissuade the prince, but seeing how the prince was ruining his own body, he pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, I only know that there was a Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty. Wasn't she also a concubine of Emperor Taizong of Tang? But after Emperor Gaozong of Tang ascended the throne, he still took her as a concubine. Once Your Highness ascends the throne, you can have any woman you want."

The prince glanced sideways and stared intently at Xiao Bao, making Xiao Bao's back feel cold.

"How dare you say such things! If someone hears you, it's a capital offense," the Crown Prince said in a deep voice.

Xiao Bao was so frightened that he immediately staggered back, then prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die. This servant only saw Your Highness in such pain, but Consort Zheng is someone Your Highness cannot touch. This servant said this only to comfort Your Highness."

The crown prince stared coldly at the servant who kept kowtowing, the coldness in his eyes gradually fading. This servant had been with him for several years. He had kept him by his side because he was handsome and clever.

But was he really the one who sent him to spy on him? The Crown Prince pondered, remaining silent. The more he thought about it, the more a chill crept up his spine. If Xiao Bao was someone he had sent to spy on him, then his secret of liking Zheng Chunhua would have immediately fallen into Xiao Bao's ears. How could things have remained peaceful?

Thinking of this, the Crown Prince said softly, "I know, you may get up."