Time seemed to stand still inside the hall at that moment.
Grand Secretary Qi's raised hand froze in mid-air; Xia Mingde's grip on Xia Yuwei's sleeve stopped in place, his angry expression still lingering; the guards' drawn blades gleamed coldly, yet eerily hovered three feet away from Bai Ying.
"Smack—"
The embroidered handkerchief in Xia Yuwei's hand fluttered to the ground, the subtle sound echoing like a thunderclap in the deathly silent hall. Everyone mechanically turned their heads as if waking from a dream, their gazes all fixed on the bed.
The Third Prince's long eyelashes fluttered gently like butterfly wings as he slowly opened his eyes to the disbelief of the crowd.
Those eyes, which were originally dull and lifeless, now shone like the brightest stars in the night sky, radiating the brilliance of life.
He struggled to sit up, the brocade quilt slipping off his body to reveal his handsome face, which had regained its color.
"This...this is impossible..." Xia Yuwei staggered back two steps, knocking over the gilded candlestick behind her. Hot wax splattered onto her delicate skirt, burning several blackened holes, but she was completely unaware. Her carefully made-up face was now ashen white, and her nails, painted with red nail polish, dug deeply into her palms.
Shouldn't the Third Prince have been killed by that idiot Xia Qingdai? Xia Qingdai should have been executed for it!
But why was the Third Prince actually cured by Xia Qingdai?
Xia Yuwei was completely stunned, and for a moment even breathing felt incredibly difficult.
That Xia Qingdai, whom she always looked down upon, who was as stupid as a pig...
How could that be!
"My son! You're awake! You're really awake!"
The imperial concubine's exclamation broke the eerie silence in the palace.
This usually dignified and elegant lady, completely disregarding her composure, rushed to the bedside, lifting her skirt, and pulled the Third Prince into her arms. Her pearl hairpin swayed violently with her movements, drawing messy streaks of light in the candlelight.
Grand Secretary Qi's cloudy old eyes widened, and his wrinkled hands trembled uncontrollably.
He staggered to the bedside, his voice trembling and choked with sobs: "Yun'er...you're really awake?"
The Third Prince nodded weakly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
This simple gesture instantly brought tears to the eyes of Grand Secretary Qi, who trembled as he repeatedly exclaimed, "Good! Good! Heaven has opened its eyes!"
Standing in the corner, Song Wenyu stared in disbelief, and the folding fan in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
It wasn't that he didn't want his cousin to wake up, but he simply couldn't believe it—that Xia Qingdai, who was the laughingstock of the entire capital, had actually cured his cousin's strange illness!
It's important to understand that over the past three months, the royal family has consulted countless renowned physicians, even mobilizing several elders from secluded cultivation sects who had been in seclusion for years. The helpless expressions of those highly respected healers are still fresh in their minds, yet this infamous Xia Qingdai has actually treated her with just a single silver needle...
This is far beyond his comprehension!
The third prince gently patted his mother's trembling back and smiled reassuringly at his maternal grandfather.
After calming his agitated relatives, his gaze slowly shifted to Bai Ying, who was surrounded by guards. Her ink-black eyes were deep and unfathomable, and her thin lips parted slightly:
"Miss Xia...thank you." Though her voice was weak, every word was clear. "You saved my life."
Although the Third Prince was unconscious, he could still hear the sounds from the outside world!
This means he was fully aware of everything that had just happened...
Grand Secretary Qi's wrinkled face flushed crimson. He turned to Bai Ying with shame and bowed deeply, saying solemnly, "Miss Xia, I was blind and almost wronged my benefactor." His voice choked with emotion. "Please forgive my rudeness... I was just too worried about my grandson."
Bai Ying nodded calmly, her gaze serene, and simply asked, "Can I have the Soul-Nourishing Stone now?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The Imperial Concubine hurriedly took the lustrous, jade-like Soul-Nourishing Stone from under her son's pillow and presented it to Bai Ying with both hands. "I will never forget your great kindness, young lady. Please take this Soul-Nourishing Stone; I will inform His Majesty later so that you may be properly rewarded..."
When the Imperial Concubine spoke, she deliberately avoided any words related to the Xia family. She held Bai Ying's hand affectionately, but didn't even glance at Xia Mingde standing to the side.
Xia Mingde stood there, his face ashen, his fingers unconsciously clenching.
He watched as the Imperial Concubine affectionately held Bai Ying's hand, but deliberately avoided any topic related to the Xia family.
Those words of praise were like knives stabbing into his heart—"Miss Xia's medical skills are divine," "Thanks to Miss Xia's miraculous healing," every sentence reminded him of his foolish decision just now.
"Your Majesty..." Xia Mingde forced himself to step forward, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper were being rubbed together, "Qingdai is, after all, a member of the Xia family..."
"Lord Xia," the Imperial Concubine suddenly interrupted coldly, a sharp glint in her phoenix eyes, "I recall someone saying just now that Miss Xia has no connection with the Xia family anymore?"
She deliberately emphasized the words "Lord Xia," creating a stark contrast to the intimacy she showed when addressing Bai Ying.
Xia Yuwei huddled in a corner. She looked at her father's embarrassed appearance, then stole a glance at Bai Ying, who was being fawned over by everyone. The jealousy in her eyes was almost tangible.
That good-for-nothing she once trampled underfoot is now a guest of honor in the royal family!
However, at this very moment...
"His Majesty has arrived!"
As the eunuch's high-pitched voice announced the names, the heavy, gilded palace doors were slowly pushed open by the guards.
The emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, strode into the hall, followed by Pei Qingfeng, the heir apparent, in a dark blue brocade robe. Everyone in the hall hurriedly knelt and paid their respects, except for the third prince, who had just awakened and leaned weakly against the headboard, nodding slightly to his father. "Father..."
"Yun'er, you're awake!" The emperor's majestic face lit up with undisguised joy as he rushed to the bedside. He had only heard that a highly skilled person had arrived at the Third Prince's residence, but he hadn't expected to find his beloved son already awake upon his arrival.
In the corner, Xia Yuwei gripped her sleeve tightly, her nails almost piercing the brocade.
This situation was completely different from what she had expected—she had deliberately asked Prince Pei to invite the Emperor, falsely claiming that a highly skilled person was going to treat the Third Prince, precisely because she had calculated that the Emperor would be furious on the spot if he saw Xia Qingdai "plotting" against the prince.
Unexpectedly, this twist of fate brought Xia Qingdai to life!
Her gaze was fixed on Bai Ying with venomous hatred. How could this be...?
She screamed wildly in her heart, her chest heaving violently, as if a million poisonous insects were gnawing at her internal organs.
Those once beautiful almond-shaped eyes were now bloodshot, and the resentful gaze was like a poisoned silver needle, fixed on Bai Ying.
She had clearly calculated that the Emperor would be furious when he saw that Xia Qingdai's incompetent nature had been exposed by Grand Secretary Qi. But she never expected... she never expected...
"Bitch!" she cursed hysterically in her heart, her carefully applied makeup becoming grotesque and terrifying due to her contorted expression. That piece of trash she had trampled underfoot for over a decade—how dare he receive the Emperor's favor? How dare he!
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