Chapter 63 This old man has never heard of Your Highness being there…

As a royal physician and a man, Xiao Ming naturally understood the seriousness of the matter.

"Could you describe it in more detail, young lady?" His expression turned slightly serious. "There are many causes of hidden illnesses, and the right medicine is needed for the right ailment. If it is too vague, it is easy to be misdiagnosed."

“He’s not very old.” Biezhi lifted her eyelids and glanced at the imperial physician who was taking notes. She paused for a moment. “Around twenty-six years old. He’s still unmarried. He doesn’t even have a woman close to him, let alone a concubine. I can’t tell that he has any desire for this.”

As Xiao Ming wrote the consultation record in great detail, he felt increasingly uneasy. Why did the other person's condition seem somewhat familiar?

He raised his head slightly, his gaze falling on the girl whose face was showing increasing worry. A figure flashed through his mind, and suddenly, Xiao Ming's pen froze for a moment. Following the ink droplet that fell from the brush onto the book, he hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Do I know the girl's friend?"

“I don’t know him,” Biezhi answered crisply, then nodded heavily, saying with absolute certainty, “Sir, you absolutely do not know him.”

She still had to protect Fu Huaiqing's self-esteem regarding such a secretive matter.

Seeing this, Xiao Ming fell silent.

He picked up his pen again. "Go on, young lady."

“It’s not just me who has doubts; everyone around us has concerns about it. If one person has doubts, it might mean that person has misjudged the situation. But if everyone has doubts, then my friend must have some hidden ailment.” Biezhi added, fearing that he might think his own thoughts were insufficient to prove this conclusion.

"How could such a beautiful face end up like this?" Fu Huaiqing's handsome face flashed before her eyes, and she sighed with particular regret. "Moreover, this matter is not easy to publicize, and my friend is unwilling to seek medical treatment, so it has been delayed until now."

“What the young lady says is true.” Xiao Ming noted it down and then asked, “Approximately how many people have suspicions?”

This question is a bit off-topic.

Many people had heard this rumor, and it was difficult to pinpoint exactly how many. After thinking for a while, she said, "At least a hundred people."

"..." Xiao Ming paused again, his eyes widening in astonishment. "So many?"

Biezhi felt that he had underestimated the number of people. After all, Xianyun Tower only had about a hundred people, and everyone had heard of it. Not to mention the martial arts practitioners, whose numbers were countless.

Moreover, she didn't even include those who suspected Prince Su of having a hidden illness.

After a brief exchange of glances, the girl's regret became even more apparent, and Xiao Ming couldn't help but say, "With so many people knowing about it, it doesn't seem like it can be considered secret?"

Upon hearing this, Biezhi fell silent.

It's not exactly hidden, but the person involved won't admit it!

Fu Huaiqing refused to admit it no matter what, and it was not appropriate to drag him to the clinic for a consultation.

"I still need to protect my friend's self-esteem," she said earnestly.

Xiao Ming understood, and it was indeed true.

Most men in the world would not admit that they are incapable.

Before prescribing a prescription, he asked, "There are gentle methods and methods that work immediately. Which one would you like, young lady?"

"It works immediately?" Bie Zhi exclaimed in astonishment. "Such a miraculous medicine exists?"

"It's not exactly a miracle drug either." Xiao Ming picked up his pen and wrote three large characters, saying, "It's only a one-time effect. If used too frequently, it will lose its effectiveness later."

In an instant, the other branch understood.

She pursed her lips, still hoping that Fu Huaiqing could be cured completely, "Let's take it slowly."

Xiao Ming also felt that this was the case. "After all, it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. If you want to cure it completely, it will take quite a while." As he spoke, he wrote down the prescription and also wrote down a tonic. He instructed, "You must take it for ten courses of treatment. If necessary, you should take tonics as a supplement. If you still cannot be cured after ten courses of treatment, you must find a way to bring him to see me."

Bie Zhi nodded, took the prescription and handed it to Hua Chao, who looked slightly hesitant. He thanked Xiao Ming again and got up to see him off from Qinghe Courtyard.

Upon reaching the entrance of Qinghe Courtyard, Xiao Ming thanked her for seeing him off. Before leaving, he hesitated for a moment, then turned back to confirm again: "The friend you're referring to, I really don't know her, do I?"

Biezhi hadn't expected him to be so perceptive; he almost asked if the friend she was referring to was Fu Huaiqing.

However, this only serves to prove it further.

Fu Huaiqing does indeed have a hidden illness!

Otherwise, why would Xiao Ming have occasional moments of doubt?

Although facts speak louder than words, Betsuchi decided to protect his pride and nodded: "You really don't know him."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ming looked at her for a while and nodded.

He had been working in the Imperial Physician's Office for nearly twenty years and had never heard of any hidden illness in His Highness Prince Su, nor had he seen anything unusual in his past diagnoses.

Xiao Ming took a few steps outside, but couldn't help turning back and calling out to the girl who was about to leave. He quickly approached her, lowered his voice as much as possible, and said, "Miss, I have never heard of His Highness having any hidden ailments in that area."

Biezhi: "..."

She blinked, feeling guilty inside, but said righteously, "It's a friend of mine, definitely not him!"

The voice, desperately trying to distance itself, slowly echoed above Qinghe Courtyard. Xiao Ming, carrying a medicine box, remained silent for a moment, then said, "That's good."

After seeing Xiao Ming off, Bie Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.

She glanced sideways at Hua Chao, whose expression also seemed a bit off, and asked, "Is it obvious?"

Hua Chao, who finally got a chance to speak, nodded repeatedly, "Very obvious."

Biezhi fell silent again.

Never mind!

I'm helping him, not harming him!

"If you don't tell and I don't tell, no one will know."

Hua Chao hesitated, "Then this medicine..."

"Cook it up and send it over quietly, don't let the word get out." Bie Zhi quickly glanced at the prescription, which was full of top-quality tonics, with words like deer antler and bull penis appearing everywhere. She hadn't expected Xiao Ming to use such strong medicine. She folded the prescription and said, "Just tell them it's a regular tonic."

As soon as she finished speaking, she caught sight of Fu Shuning walking towards Qinghe Courtyard. She deftly stuffed the prescription into Hua Chao's hand, gesturing for her to keep it safe.

Fu Shuning saw the two of them coming and going from afar, her eyes filled with doubt. However, before she could ask, she saw Biezhi bowing and stopped her. "I just happened to see Lord Xiao leaving when I came. Are you feeling unwell, sister?"

"I have an old injury on my hand. Lord Xiao, please come and check on its recovery." Bie Zhi omitted what happened next, his gaze seemingly passing over the girl's figure to look behind her. There was no one else there.

Fu Shuning followed her gaze and looked back, suddenly understanding. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile: "Just as my brother was about to leave the palace, the Minister of Rites came to see me, so I came alone."

Tomorrow is the day when the prince and princess of Xilan Kingdom will come to the palace to pay homage. The Minister of Rites must have important business to discuss with the Minister. Biezhi's eyes narrowed for a moment before she thoughtfully looked away.

It seems we'll have to wait for Fu Huaiqing to return before we can brew this medicine.

Otherwise, by the time he gets back, the medicine will be almost cold, and its effects will have worn off, which wouldn't be good.

Out of the corner of his eye, he met Fu Shuning's thoughtful gaze, who was looking at him with a half-smile, as if she were looking through him.

Their eyes met for a moment, and Fu Shuning slowly realized that her gaze had been too direct. Coming back to her senses, she said, "I've been too busy since I came back some time ago. Today I had the opportunity to come and see you, sister."

The sun was scorching in the courtyard, and the air was stiflingly hot. He asked her if she wanted to go back to her chambers to sit down and chat, and Fu Shuning readily agreed.

Fu Shuning followed the girl back, her gaze occasionally glancing sideways. After returning that day, she thought about it for a long time, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that her idea was right.

Soon, the other branch will surely become a solid support for him.

Given his elder brother's indifferent and detached nature, he devoted all his time to court affairs. During his five years in power, the only people who could catch his attention were either officials who had committed crimes or those who had made meritorious contributions. Anyone who could draw his attention away from politics was certainly not a boring person.

When Fu Shuning saw the illustrated novels spread out on the desk in her bedroom, she felt that she was still a bit too young.

It was the first time she had ever seen so many books, piled up like a mountain.

While Biezhi went to wash her hands, Fu Shuning looked through the titles of the books on the table. Ten out of ten of them were books she had read before. They were all stories about women being rejected by men in their courtyards and how the women tried to escape.

Recalling the events of the day I returned to Beijing, I could roughly guess what Biezhi was thinking when she looked at these books.

Fu Shuning's eyes, hidden beneath her trembling eyelashes, flickered. She glanced at the girl's back as she bent down to wash her hands, hesitating for a long time, unsure of where to begin.

"He won't."

After a long silence, Fu Shuning spoke the moment the girl turned around.

Bie Zhi, who was wiping the water stains with a dry cloth, paused slightly. The doubt in her eyes suddenly cleared up when she followed Fu Shuning's gaze to the open novel.

Seemingly worried that she might not believe it, she added, "My brother is different from the men in the novels."

Before her, Fu Shuning's eyes were sincere and pure, like a clear spring, without a trace of turbidity. Biezhi, who had been standing there in a daze for a long time, finally came back to her senses and subconsciously said, "This commoner does not think that Your Highness is the same as them."

If Fu Huaiqing were truly like them, even if she were chased to the ends of the earth, she would never set foot in the Prince Su's mansion again.

Fu Shuning breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

However, when I heard her address, it felt a little distant.

However, Fu Shuning did not dwell on this. He patted the chair beside him and waited for her with bright and clear eyes.

The girl's mood fluctuated wildly, and even Biezhi couldn't quite keep up with her emotions.

She had just sat down when she heard Fu Shuning ask about the scene when she learned that Ji Ran was actually Fu Huaiqing in disguise, "Were you terrified?"

After a moment's thought, the other branch nodded.

Recalling the scene that night, she still couldn't help but shudder. "I felt like I was going to die on the spot."

At first, Biezhi genuinely believed that Fu Huaiqing brought her back to be questioned and punished.

She was prepared to lose her life, but instead of losing it, things took an unexpected turn for the worse.

Thinking of this, Biezhi raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Your Highness Prince Su,” she looked at Fu Shuning, whose eyes were brimming with excitement, “will he bring up past grievances?”

"Yes." Fu Shuning nodded without hesitation. She was very experienced in this area. After a pause, she added, "He won't give you a full calculation all at once, but he will give you hints from time to time in other ways."

Biezhi: "..."

Men are troublesome, and men who bring up past grievances are even more troublesome.