Chapter 72 Finale - Part 1: Zhou Tiao and Fang Buyu were imprisoned for a whole...

Zhou Tiao and Fang Buyu were imprisoned for three full days.

Aside from the three meals delivered daily, no one had spoken to them. This deliberate isolation made the passage of time seem unusually long, and the uncertainty of the future silently increased the pressure on the two.

On the fourth day, before dawn, Zheng Guang finally appeared outside the door.

As soon as the door opened, he said, "Doctor Tang, please pack up. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is leaving for the capital today, and he has ordered you to accompany him."

Zhou Tiao's heart was excited.

The capital city... finally arrived.

She suppressed her thoughts and pretended to be confused when she asked, "Your Highness is returning to the capital, why does he want me to go with him? I'm just an ordinary doctor..."

"That's not your place to ask," Zheng Guang interrupted her, his tone harsh. "Your Highness's intentions are not something you or I can fathom. Hurry and prepare. Don't waste time."

As soon as the door closed, Fang Buyu stepped forward and held Zhou Tiao's hand: "Tiao Tiao, once we enter Beijing, the variables will be too great. Do you really have to take this path? There may be other ways. Leave it to me, okay? You trust me..."

Zhou Tiao pulled his hand away and instead clasped his palm in his own: "Ayu, of course I trust you. But I have to do this myself."

The corners of her lips curved gently, but her eyes were filled with determination: "I already... there's no turning back."

＊

I don't know how long the bumpy carriage took.

On the way, Zhou Tiao leaned on Fang Buyu's shoulder and fell asleep. He was not awakened until he lifted the curtain and got out of the car in a daze. Only then did he realize that the sun was already high in the sky.

As soon as I got off the car, a towering palace came into view.

Vermilion pillars supported the magnificent hall, surrounded by high walls. She looked up and saw a vertical plaque hanging directly above, with the words "Mingde Hall" written in vigorous calligraphy.

Is this the East Palace?

She turned her head and Fang Buyu gave her an inquiring look.

Fang Buyu nodded, confirming her guess.

We arrived at the East Palace so quickly.

While he was thinking about it, the eunuch he had seen before beside the prince walked up to him.

After he stood still, he bowed slightly and said, "Doctor Tang, His Highness summons you."

Fang Buyu still maintained a cowering attitude, with his masked face lowered and his fingers tightly grasping Zhou Tiao's sleeves.

The eunuch glanced at him and reminded him, "Your Highness has only summoned Doctor Tang. As for your brother, our family will send someone to take good care of him."

Zhou Tiao turned around and looked. Fang Buyu shook his head, and the knuckles that gripped her sleeve tightened a little.

She looked at the father-in-law again, and his face still had that uncompromising look.

She had no choice but to turn to Fang Buyu again. He was hunched over, his head bowed deeply, and he was about the same height as her. Zhou Tiao raised her hand and gently stroked the top of his head, her voice soft and gentle: "Be obedient, I'll be back soon."

After she finished speaking, she no longer hesitated, forcefully pulled her sleeve out from between his fingers, and turned to walk towards the prince's sedan chair.

Wei Yuanzheng was leaning against the sedan chair. He hadn't seen him for a few days, but his face was sallow, and there were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept for days.

As soon as Zhou Tiao stood still, a maid came forward and led her to the back of the team: "His Highness is going to pay his respects to His Majesty now, and he asked you to accompany him."

Zhou Tiao hadn't expected Wei Yuanxiu to be so eager. Having just arrived in the capital after a long journey, he was ready to take her to the emperor without even stopping. But seeing how haggard he looked, he must have been impatient for a result.

As the team was about to depart, she looked in the distance in the direction of Fang Buyu. Through the gates and attendants, she could vaguely make out his figure trying to break free from the obstructions.

He was also looking at her. When their eyes met, Zhou Yao shook his head slightly and imperceptibly.

He froze in his tracks, standing still.

After the eunuch came forward again and stopped him behind him, Zhou Tiao withdrew his gaze, lowered his head and followed the gradually moving team.

＊

On the other side, the capital market.

A group of horsemen were galloping towards the palace.

Just as he was passing through a street market, a rider on a fast horse came towards him.

After seeing who was coming, the leader quickly tightened the reins.

"Whoa!"

The horse raised its front hooves, neighed, and then dropped heavily.

The rider on the opposite horse dismounted swiftly, walked quickly to Tuoba Xuan, and knelt on one knee:

"Sir, the Crown Prince has brought Tang Zhao into the palace."

"What? Entering the palace?!"

Tuoba Xuan's heart sank.

In the past, he could have entered the palace directly with his position as prime minister, but now that he had been demoted to the fifth rank, he could no longer easily enter the palace.

His hands gripping the reins tightened unconsciously, the fatigue from the journey intertwined with the anxiety of the moment, and his breathing became heavy.

Just as he was concentrating on a countermeasure, a clear carriage bell rang from behind. The subordinate who had just reported whispered a reminder: "Sir, it's Princess Duanyang's carriage."

Dragon Boat Festival...

Tuoba Xuan turned his head and his eyes fell on the luxuriously decorated carriage.

Then, without a second thought, he dismounted and strode towards the carriage.

"How dare you! Who dares to disturb the princess's carriage..." The guard's scolding stopped abruptly when he saw the person's face clearly. "Master?"

Tuoba Xuan stepped directly onto the carriage and pulled back the curtain. Inside the carriage, Wei Duanyang was startled by the sudden movement and sat up straight.

"Tuoba Xuan? Why are you here?" She looked out of the car in surprise, then turned back to look at his dusty appearance, "What are you doing?"

Tuoba Xuan did not answer, but asked directly: "Duan Yang, are you going to enter the palace?"

"Yes... My mother sent a message saying she missed me, and I was planning to go to the palace to visit her." Wei Duanyang frowned slightly, "Why are you asking this?"

"When you arrive at the palace later, if you see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and a female doctor accompanying him, you must do everything you can to prevent them from meeting His Majesty. If it's too late..." He paused briefly before continuing, "Then, after the female doctor has examined His Majesty's pulse, do everything you can to detain the Crown Prince. Make sure they don't get a chance to be alone together."

He calculated rapidly in his mind: Even if Tang Zhao diagnosed the secret of His Majesty's life span, as long as the news did not reach the ears of the Crown Prince, he could use the secret agents in the palace he had built in the past to make her disappear silently within the palace walls.

Before she could decide, Wei Duanyang's cold voice fell into her ears: "Why should I help you?" Although she did not understand Tuoba Xuan's specific plan this time, his past methods, especially his decisive and cruel treatment of Wang Xin, often surfaced in her mind in recent days, making her shudder.

She raised her chin and repeated the question: "Tell me, why should I help you?"

Tuoba Xuan remained silent, his gaze still fixed on Wei Duanyang's face. His eyes were deep and no emotion could be discerned.

Silence spread inside and outside the car. After a moment, he stepped into the car.

"What are you going to do?" Wei Duanyang shrank back in panic. Before he could finish his words, he saw the figure in front of him suddenly become half a head shorter.

Tuoba Xuan actually knelt straight in front of her.

"Duan Yang, for the sake of our years of marriage, I beg you to help me."

With his head lowered deeply, Tuoba Xuan stared at the carriage floor under his feet. The humiliation was gnawing at his internal organs like a poisonous snake, but he had to endure it.

Wei Yuanxiu's position as crown prince must not be shaken.

Even if the Ninth Prince had illustrious military exploits, what good would that do? The Crown Prince had been building a strong foundation for years. The Ningxiang case and the Broken Bridge case had occurred one after another, with irrefutable evidence. How could Your Majesty not see the true mastermind behind the incidents? Giving him a lighter sentence was simply to protect the Crown Prince.

This precisely illustrates the depth of His Majesty's partiality towards Wei Yuanxiu. As long as he maintains stability and proceeds cautiously, the future throne will surely be within the Crown Prince's grasp.

But now Wei Yuanxiu's wish for immortality has been shattered. If he is bewitched by that enchanting woman again, the consequences will be disastrous. If the crown prince loses power, Tuoba Xuan will never be able to make a comeback.

Thinking of this, the pain in my knees and the humiliation in my heart seemed insignificant.

Wei Duanyang lowered her eyes and looked at her husband kneeling in front of her, her eyes full of contempt.

Such a shameless and unscrupulous man was actually the prince consort she personally chose back then?

A wave of self-mockery washed over her heart, and she finally opened her mouth:

"Okay, I'll give it a try. But I can't guarantee it will work. Also, after this, we'll divorce."

＊

The midday sun was at its peak in the hall, and the golden brick floor reflected the flowing light all over the room, so that even the dust particles floating in the air were clearly visible.

The copper censer in the corner of the hall was emitting curling incense, and the emperor and empress were sitting side by side on the rosewood throne.

Wei Yuanxiu bowed and walked inside, the flutter of his robe silently dispelling the quiet mist of agarwood in the hall.

"Your son pays his respects to the Emperor, Father, and the Empress, Mother."

When the queen saw it was him, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes relaxed, and she quickly raised her hand to signal, "Xiu'er, get up quickly." When he came closer, she leaned forward slightly, and when she saw his face clearly, her smile froze slightly. "Why do you look so haggard?" As she spoke, she raised her hand to touch his forehead.

Wei Yuanxiu tilted his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips: "Don't worry, mother. I'm just a little tired from getting up early and traveling."

At this moment, the emperor placed the teacup on the table. The porcelain bottom hit the red sandalwood, making a sound neither light nor heavy.

"Xiu'er, since you are tired, you should take a good rest. It's okay to pay your respects later."

Wei Yuanxiu took a step closer to the emperor and said, "When I was in Weizhou, I heard that your father had been having trouble sleeping lately. I am truly uneasy."

He bowed slightly and spoke earnestly, "I happened to meet a doctor named Tang there. Her medical skills are quite exquisite. I have personally benefited from her and know her abilities well. When I returned to the capital, I had the audacity to invite her to wait outside the palace."

Upon hearing this, the Empress looked at the Emperor with a look of satisfaction in her eyes: "I was wondering why Xiu'er came to the palace in such a hurry. It turns out that she was thinking about her father."

Upon hearing this, the emperor lightly tapped the armrest with his fingertips, a hint of warmth appeared in his eyes, but it quickly turned into deeper thoughts.

His eyes swept over Wei Yuanxiu's dusty robes. "Xiu'er is so thoughtful. Since she's already waiting outside the hall, let her in."

Zhou Tiao bowed her head and walked in, kneeling in formality: "This humble lady pays homage to Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

The emperor didn't call her out immediately. He glanced at her briefly and asked, "Did you cure the prince's illness?"

"I have indeed taken the Crown Prince's pulse, and have done my best to help."

Wei Yuanxiu stepped aside at the right moment, motioning her to come closer: "Doctor Tang, please take father's pulse."

After a moment, Tang Zhao withdrew his hand, bowed his head, and reported, "Your Majesty's pulse is strong and firm, and your vital energy is abundant. Although it has a slight pulse due to worry, it is not a problem at all."

As he finished speaking, a mutton-fat jade ring slipped from Wei Yuanxiu's finger, making a clear sound on the polished gold tile floor. He bent down to pick it up, his expression as usual: "My son has misbehaved."

The emperor glanced at him, then turned to look at Zhou Tiao: "Go on."

"Your Majesty, you have trouble sleeping at night, but you tend to wake up around 11:30 PM and have trouble falling asleep again."

The emperor nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

"Overthinking can make one's mind restless. I can prescribe some tranquilizing medicine, but the most important thing is that Your Majesty calms your mind before bed."

Zhou Tiao calmly picked up his pen and prepared to write the prescription. Before the pen even touched the paper, the emperor raised his hand and said, "My insomnia has been examined by the Imperial Physicians. The symptoms you just described are consistent with their diagnosis."

He looked at Wei Yuanxiu and said with a smile, "The doctor Xiu'er found is indeed quite talented and knowledgeable."

Turning his gaze to Zhou Tiao, he raised his hand and pressed softly, "No need to write the prescription. The tranquilizing decoction prescribed by the imperial physician has been quite effective for me. I've been able to sleep peacefully for the past two days."

The emperor's gaze finally fell on Wei Yuanxiu, and his tone turned concerned: "As for you, Xiu'er. I see that you don't look well. You must rest well when you return to the capital." He paused and said meaningfully, "Only when you are well can you share my worries."

Wei Yuanxiu bowed his head and saluted: "Your son will follow your father's instructions."

The moment he lowered his eyes, a dark and incomprehensible look flashed in his eyes.

As Wei Duanyang entered the palace, she heard the emperor say, "Share my worries." She bowed gracefully, her eyes taking in everyone present.

"I pay my respects to my father, the Emperor, and my mother, the Empress." As she stood up, her eyes seemed to casually pass over Zhou Tiao. "Who is this young lady?"

The Queen explained with a smile, "This is the doctor your brother specially invited for your father."

Wei Duanyang immediately turned to the emperor, his face showing concern: "Is your Majesty feeling unwell?"

"It's okay, I just slept a little lightly recently." The emperor waved his hand.

She then walked to Wei Yuanxiu's side and took his arm affectionately: "When did my royal brother come back?"

"I just arrived today." Wei Yuanxiu smiled slightly, "I brought you a gift."

Wei Duanyang's eyes lit up: "Really? What's that good thing?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Tiao and changed the subject, "But there's no rush for the gift. Since the doctor has finished her consultation, why don't you ask her to go back and rest? Let's have a good chat as a family."

Zhou Tiao bowed at the right moment and said, "I'll take my leave."

"I'll see Doctor Tang off."

When Wei Yuanxiu was about to leave together, Wei Duanyang hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Let the eunuchs see you off. The emperor just returned, don't you want to spend more time with your sister?"

Wei Yuanxiu's steps faltered slightly, but he finally nodded: "Alright."

Wei Duanyang watched Zhou Tiao leave the hall, and his heart only slowly settled down when the figure disappeared outside the hall door.

Tuoba Xuan had finally completed what he had been asked to do. Now it was up to him.

*

An hour later, East Palace.

"Reporting to Your Highness, we have sent people to search all over the palace, but we have found no trace of Doctor Tang."

"Did the eunuch who escorted her out of the palace ask about it?"

"I asked carefully. He said that when Doctor Tang was sent to the Imperial Garden, a woman in a light blue palace dress, claiming to be the head maid of the Eastern Palace, took her away."

Wei Yuanxiu's expression gradually darkened. The eunuch was a member of the imperial court, so he naturally didn't want to delve into the matter. But who on earth would go to such great lengths to take a female doctor away?

The eunuch standing beside him caught sight of his gloomy face and spoke cautiously: "Your Highness, the forces in the palace are intertwined... Maybe someone saw you meeting the emperor with a stranger, so..." He swallowed the second half of the sentence.

Wei Yuanxiu raised his hand and rubbed his forehead.

In fact, there is no need to ask any more questions. Tang Zhao’s words in the hall, “the pulse is deep and strong,” have explained everything.

Does he really have to stay in the position of crown prince until he is old and gray, or even... until he dies of old age in the Eastern Palace, without ever having the chance to ascend the throne?

He fell back heavily into his chair.

"Forget it, don't make it public." After a long moment, he lowered his hand from his forehead, his voice filled with weariness. "There's no need to look for her anymore. If she's gone, she's gone."

"I understand."

The eunuch bowed and left the hall. The young eunuch who had been serving inside immediately came forward and said in a low voice, "Chief Steward Huang, Doctor Tang's brother also disappeared..."

The eunuch glared at him fiercely: "Your Highness, if you don't even look for the real wife, how can you care about her brother?"

He lowered his voice and scolded, "Besides, His Highness doesn't even know this person exists. Are you going to report it now because you're afraid His Highness won't remember to hold us accountable for our dereliction of duty? By then, you won't want your head, but I want mine!"

*

Four Seasons Valley.

In a wooden house hidden among ancient trees, Zhou Tiao, his hands and feet bound, huddled in a corner. The wooden door opened, daylight streamed in, and a figure approached.

Tuoba Xuan walked slowly closer, his black boots stepping over the dead branches on the ground, and stopped in front of Zhou Tiao.

Zhou Tiao's pupils shrank slightly for a moment, then he regained his composure, as if he was not too surprised by this.

Tuoba Xuan nodded and Sun Zhiming, who was standing beside him, immediately stepped forward and took out the cloth stuffed in her mouth.

Zhou Tiao moved his stiff jaw, his silent eyes fixed coldly on Tuoba Xuan's face.

The air was filled with a silent contest.

The fallen leaves swirled in through the crack in the door and swirled between the two of them.

Finally, Tuoba Xuan spoke first.

"Tang Zhao, who are you?"

A faint smile appeared on Zhou Tiao's lips. "Master Tuoba, aren't you all-seeing? How come you can't even find out who I am?"

Tuoba Xuan's gaze locked onto her. "It's precisely because I haven't been able to find your whereabouts even after using all my hidden resources that I find you even more terrifying."

He paced slowly around her, his voice growing deeper. "You suddenly appeared in Weizhou overnight, quickly becoming famous as a miracle doctor, leading Zheng Guang to recommend you to the Eastern Palace. Every step you took was so perfect."

He stood before her, his sleeves brushing against the dead branches scattered across the ground. "You used your medical practice as an excuse to spread the art of longevity, but your real target has always been the Crown Prince. Your claim of 'less than ten years of life' ignited his ambition. After yesterday's audience with the Emperor, you will undoubtedly inform the Crown Prince that His Majesty will have a very long life..."

Tuoba Xuan bent down with his hands behind his back, looking her in the eye: "Am I right?"

Zhou Tiao's eyes flickered, and instead of being afraid, he smiled faintly: "So what? My Lord, since you have seen through the whole situation, why don't you expose me to the East Palace?"

"You gained his trust with your miraculous medical skills. The prince had already had you test several people. Why would he doubt you now?"

Tuoba Xuan's voice was filled with suppressed anger, but when he caught a glimpse of her bound hands, his expression eased slightly. "Fortunately, I caught you before you could seduce the Crown Prince. It's not too late."

Zhou Tiao suddenly chuckled, and the slightly raised corners of his eyes were filled with sarcasm, as if saying: Why are you so naive?

Tuoba Xuan was enraged by her laughter: "What are you laughing at?!"

Zhou Tiao didn't answer directly. Two words slowly uttered from his pale lips: "Too late."

"What's late?"

She raised her head, her eyes feigning innocence. "Since the Crown Prince knows how much time he has left to live, even if I hadn't explicitly stated your Majesty's exact lifespan, and simply praised your health after taking your pulse, do you think the Crown Prince would be able to sit still after hearing that?"

Tuoba Xuan's face turned from ashen blue to red, and the muscles on his cheeks began to twitch uncontrollably.

He suddenly squatted down and grabbed Zhou Tiao's neck with both hands: "Tell me! Who are you?"

Zhou Tiao's face turned blood red due to suffocation, and his eyes were bloodshot, but he still stared at Tuoba Xuan's eyes, squeezing out intermittent words from between his teeth:

"I am the soul of those dead people you used to test the medicine!"

"It's the bones buried at the bottom of Broken Bridge River!"

"It was Chen Weiyu who died because of you!"

"I am a ghost that crawled back from hell. I am here to take your life!"

The hand that was pinching Zhou Tiao's neck suddenly loosened, and Tuoba Xuan staggered back in fear and fell to the ground.

He pointed at Zhou Tiao in front of him, his lips trembling: "You...you really are a witch!"

He tumbled out of the house, his hoarse voice echoing through the forest: "Someone! Set fire! Burn this witch and this house together!"

The scorching flames quickly swept over with thick smoke. Zhou Tiao was tied to the spot and felt that breathing became increasingly difficult and his consciousness gradually became blurred.

Unlike the momentary suffocation in her previous life, this time, she clearly felt that life was slipping away from her body bit by bit.

Is it really time to say goodbye this time?

My vision gradually blurred.

As her eyes were about to close, a figure walked towards her in the blazing firelight.

Blood-red sleeves, blood-red hairband, and a pair of blood-red eyes that she had never seen before.

He knelt on one knee before her.

Zhou Tiao used up her last bit of strength to raise her hand, and a drop of scalding water fell right on the back of her hand.

"Ling An? Why are you crying..."