Chen Zhaocheng went to great lengths to obtain the antidote with the help of the herbal medicine shop owner. However, because the city gates were guarded, allowing entry but not exit, Chen Zhaocheng and his group were trapped inside the city.
Chen Zhaocheng was extremely anxious. He stayed in the medicine shop for several days, thinking that he might as well take the medicine back to the capital. However, in the morning, the shopkeeper said that the city gates had been opened. Chen Zhaocheng quickly disguised himself and went to the Taoist temple outside the city. There were Taoist priests who practiced alchemy in the temple, and the medicine-making tools and herbs were readily available. After Chen Zhaocheng arrived at the Taoist temple, before he could make the medicine, Xu Di came chasing after him.
Xu Di arranged for Chen Zhaocheng to prepare the antidote and return to the capital as soon as possible. Xu Di himself went back to the General's Mansion. Wang Junzhuo had found every member of the Wang family's direct line this time. Time was tight, and Xu Di saw that he was going to interrogate them one by one, so he quickly stopped him. The situation in the capital was very tense and there was no room for further delay.
Xu Di said to Wang Junzhuo, "General, please quickly muster the troops and head towards the capital. Time is of the essence, and we cannot delay any longer."
Wang Junzhuo pondered for a long time before finally asking Xu Di, "Lord Xu, what do you think His Majesty will do to me?"
Xu Di knew that what Wang Junzhuo wanted to know most right now was Emperor Liang Cheng's attitude towards him.
Xu Di said seriously, "General, how the Emperor will deal with you depends on your own attitude. You will get what you ask for."
Wang Junzhuo sat in his chair and thought for a long time before letting out a long sigh. Following Xu Di's plan, he selected a group of men, led by his trusted confidants, and went to the capital with Xu Di.
In the capital, in the Imperial Study, Chen Zhaoci's job was actually quite easy. He would take Emperor Liang Cheng's pulse three times a day, then adjust the prescription. After the prescription was made, someone would go to the Xu family to get the medicine. Once the medicine was brought back, Chen Zhaoci would check each ingredient one by one before decocting it.
The head of the Imperial Medical Academy announced that Emperor Liang Cheng had caught a cold and needed to rest in bed for a few days. He also prescribed several doses of medicine for treating the cold. The Imperial Medical Academy specially sent over packets of medicine. Fortunately, with this pretext, Chen Zhaoci dared to confidently decoct the medicine in the west side room using a small red clay stove.
Emperor Liang Cheng read memorials every day, and Chen Zhaoci reminded him to control his emotions. To ease Emperor Liang Cheng's emotions, Chen Zhaoci would talk about his own affairs outside whenever he took his pulse.
That afternoon, after taking her pulse, Emperor Liang Cheng asked Chen Zhaoci, "Madam Xu, was your youngest child born on a mountain in Hexi Chengchuan?"
Chen Zhaoci said with a smile, "Yes, my son Bai has always been impatient since he was a child. Before I even got to my destination, he was eager to meet the world. At that time, we were really fortunate to have Granny Lu, otherwise, there would be no mother and son between us."
After Liang Chengdi met Chen Zhaoci many times, he learned that Xu's daughter-in-law was an upright and straightforward person who loved children. She loved not only her own children but also her own children, who were sent to their home and were fortunate to be cared for by her.
Emperor Liang Cheng said with a sigh, "You and Lord Xu were both excellent parents. Now that I think about it, I've actually failed quite a bit."
If it were anyone else, they might have speculated about the deeper meaning behind Emperor Liang Cheng's words. However, he was speaking to Chen Zhaoci, a doctor who had been practicing medicine for many years and whose expertise lay in treating patients. A doctor's job is not only to treat physical ailments but also to address psychological ones. Therefore, Chen Zhaoci habitually comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty, children and grandchildren have their own destinies. We are all parents ourselves; how can we possibly care for our own children for their entire lives?"
Chen Zhaoci's words struck Emperor Liang Cheng as somewhat novel, while Chen Wufu, standing to the side, turned deathly pale. He truly hadn't expected that this Third Madam would dare to say anything.
Seeing Emperor Liang looking at him with a puzzled expression, Chen Zhaoci smiled and explained, "Parents only occupy a small part of their children's lives. We always hope that our children will live a peaceful and happy life, but how well they live their own lives is not something we can control."
Seeing Emperor Liang Cheng deep in thought, Chen Zhaoci smiled and said, "Like our family, we've never had to worry about Xu Di. He's always been easy to take care of since he was little. Our daughter is also sensible and clever. My husband and I haven't had to worry about either of them. It's just that our Xu Bai, probably because of the twists and turns at birth, my husband and I always take extra care of him. We've thought a lot about his future, but is that what he wants? My Bai-ge'er wrote to me the other day, saying that when he passed through Jinan Prefecture, he saw someone making iron pots. He followed them in the workshop for a long time and finally learned how those woks were made. He also said that when he returns to the capital, he'll make us a few woks to use, and he guarantees they'll be great."
Looking at the genuine smile on Chen Zhaoci's face as she spoke to her child, Emperor Liang Cheng felt a pang of sadness. A child's growth requires the guidance of a father, but the influence of a mother is also very important. How could a child raised by someone as indifferent to fame and fortune as Chen Zhaoci have unrealistic expectations?
Someone came to deliver a message. Chen Wufu waited until Chen Zhaoci finished treating Emperor Liang Cheng before coming over and whispering, "Your Majesty, Wang Junzhuo has been placed under house arrest by the Wang family. Lord Xu Di rushed from Luzhou to rescue Wang Junzhuo. Wang Junzhuo has sent men with the Southwest Army to accompany Lord Xu to the capital."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang Cheng couldn't help but laugh heartily. After he finished laughing, he said to Chen Wufu, "I wonder if the Wang family will be so angry that they'll vomit blood when they finally realize that their scheme has been exposed and they've just let them get away with it and get nothing."
Chen Wufu bowed, and Emperor Liang Cheng asked, "What about Wang Junzhuo?"
Chen Wufu said, "Lord Xu is afraid that the Great Yan might take this opportunity to cause trouble. The villages in the southwest have never been very stable, so he has asked Wang Junzhuo to continue guarding the southwest."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang frowned and pondered for a long time before nodding and saying, "This young Master Xu is truly shrewd and experienced. Alright, I can finally put my mind at ease and continue watching these people put on their act."
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