Suddenly, the silence was broken by the rapid sound of horses' hooves.
A guard rushed over in a panic, his face pale: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! His Highness Prince An... His Highness..." He was panting and could not finish his sentence.
Everyone's hearts tightened; had something happened?
The Emperor abruptly stood up, his brow furrowed, his eyes revealing deep worry: "What's wrong with Prince An? Speak quickly!"
The guard took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "His Highness Prince An... he's missing!"
"Disappeared?" The Emperor was shocked and incredulous. "How is that possible? Wasn't he accompanied by someone? Where is he?"
The emperor's face turned ashen, and a sense of foreboding welled up within him.
He turned to his close advisors, his eyes flashing with determination: "Send men to search immediately. Find Prince An's whereabouts at all costs!"
The courtiers received their orders and left, but the emperor remained standing there. His son was truly plagued by misfortune.
The Empress, standing beside him, grasped his hand with worry, her eyes filled with concern: "Your Majesty, don't worry too much. Good people are always protected by Heaven; everything will be alright."
The Empress had mixed feelings about Prince An. Although he was a prince raised under her name, Prince An had been frail and sickly since childhood, which made her unable to be completely at ease with him deep down.
The Emperor's Crown Prince had already been chosen, and the Prince of Liang, born to Consort Shu, was so outstanding that, in comparison, the Prince of An appeared rather mediocre in all aspects.
This contrast stirred up complex emotions in the Empress when she faced Prince An.
Consort Li's maternal clan's power has now far surpassed that of her own maternal clan, making the Empress feel that her position is precarious. She understands that as time goes on, her position as Empress may be threatened.
When Prince An was carried back, he had lost consciousness, his body was freezing cold, and his lips were bluish-purple.
The emperor was so frightened that he turned pale and hurriedly ordered the imperial physicians to do everything they could to save him.
The imperial physicians surrounded Prince An's bedside, their faces grave. They busied themselves preparing medicine and performing acupuncture, but their brows remained furrowed, clearly indicating that the illness was far more complicated than they had anticipated.
The Emperor waited anxiously by the side, inquiring about Prince An's condition from time to time, but the answers he received only made him feel heavier and heavier.
At this moment, a royal physician hesitated before speaking: "Your Majesty, His Highness already had old injuries, and this latest blow has left us helpless. We have heard that Physician Meng's daughter is highly skilled and has been in charge of His Highness's recovery; perhaps she can offer some help."
Meng Zhong's heart tightened. Wasn't this pushing his own daughter out as a shield? But given the current situation, he couldn't very well speak up and stop it.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's heart stirred. Meng Zhelan happened to be with the Empress Dowager, and he immediately ordered her to be summoned.
When Meng Zhelan and the Empress Dowager heard that Prince An was found seriously injured, they were about to go and see him when they received a summons from the Emperor.
The retired emperor also went along.
I hurriedly entered the dormitory and saw Prince An lying on the bed.
His face was pale and his breathing was weak, clearly indicating that his injuries were serious.
Meng Zhelan felt a pang of anxiety, but she knew she couldn't panic and had to treat Prince An as soon as possible.
She went to the bedside, carefully examined Prince An's injuries, and then began to take his pulse.
After a long while, Meng Zhelan finally let go of Prince An's hand.
Her brows were furrowed, and a serious expression appeared on her face.
Prince An's pulse was indeed somewhat strange. She could feel the surging of his blood and qi, and damage to many of his meridians, which should be due to severe injury. However, during the pulse diagnosis, Meng Zhelan discovered some even more peculiar phenomena.
Everyone else was waiting in the main room, while only Meng Zhelan and Prince An were in the bedroom.
Just then, Prince An's fingers suddenly and gently pinched Meng Zhelan's fingers. This subtle movement startled Meng Zhelan slightly, but she quickly leaned down and whispered, "They're all outside. Don't worry, I know what to do."
Meng Zhelan quickly devised a treatment plan and began administering acupuncture and medication to Prince An.
Under Meng Zhelan's meticulous care, Prince An's injuries gradually stabilized. His complexion began to regain its rosy hue, and his breathing became steady and strong.
Meng Zhelan breathed a sigh of relief; now she needed to think about how to report to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, His Highness's condition has stabilized, but he will need to recuperate for some time to fully recover," Meng Zhelan reported respectfully, kneeling before the Emperor.
Upon hearing this news, a hint of relief flashed in Emperor Wenyuan's eyes: "I know, you've worked hard. Take good care of Prince An, and I will reward you handsomely."
"Your Majesty, we dare to ask Physician Meng how she miraculously cured Your Highness?" The imperial physician was astonished by Meng Zhelan.
Meng Zhelan smiled modestly: "Your Majesty, it was actually by chance. When I was traveling among the common people, I was fortunate enough to meet a divine physician. At that time, he was treating a patient who had fallen off a cliff and was on the verge of death, and I happened to be his assistant."
Later, he gave the woman a life-saving pill. Seeing that His Highness was in critical condition, she gave him the pill, then performed acupuncture on him and gave him some herbal medicine.
"Doctor Meng is too modest. Your contribution in saving Prince An is indelible," the Emperor praised. He then said to the Imperial Physician, "In the future, we should communicate more with Doctor Meng."
Meng Zhelan dared not take credit and replied, "Your Majesty flatters me. I was simply fortunate to have met the divine physician who taught me medical skills, which enabled me to achieve what I have today. Prince An's recovery is truly due to Your Majesty's great fortune and the divine physician's protection. I dare not take credit; I have only done my part."
Upon hearing this, a hint of appreciation flashed in the Emperor's eyes. He knew that Meng Zhelan's medical skills were extraordinary, but her humility and modesty were even more rare.
So he turned to the Imperial Physician and said, "Doctor Meng's medical skills are indeed superb. Your Imperial Medical Bureau should communicate and learn from her more to improve our medical skills together."
Although the imperial physician was unwilling, he had no choice but to obey the emperor's orders.
He respectfully replied, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. We will certainly consult with Doctor Meng and work together to do our utmost for the health of the royal family and the people."
The emperor was well aware of the chief physician's ulterior motives; he merely wanted to use this opportunity to reprimand the staff of the Imperial Medical Bureau, to let them know that medical skills have no boundaries and that they should humbly learn from others.
"Father, Mother, why don't you come with me to see why this happened?" Emperor Wenyuan looked at the Crown Prince, clearly displeased.
All those who participated in the hunt today gathered in the main hall, creating a tense atmosphere.
"Why did Prince An fall off the cliff?" Emperor Wenyuan asked.
The guard kneeling at the lower end trembled and replied in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, while hunting in the forest today, a group of men in black suddenly appeared. They were highly skilled in martial arts and attacked Your Highness directly."
His subordinates fought desperately to cover His Highness's retreat and eventually repelled the men in black, but His Highness was nowhere to be found. Later, we found His Highness's horse and some scattered hunting tools at the edge of the cliff, and after going down, we found His Highness unconscious at the bottom of the cliff.
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