Chapter 69: Joining the Game I heard from Lin Xiangli that the orphanage was located in a remote city...
Lin Xiangli said that the orphanage was located in a remote suburb of the city. It would take about half an hour to walk there from the market.
Lin Xiangli hired a carriage on the street, and the three of them went together.
The carriage swayed slightly, and Tang Zhao's gaze casually fell on Lin Xiangli who was sitting quietly opposite him.
When she got in the car just now, she noticed that the hem of Lin Xiangli's plain skirt was covered with a lot of dust, and the uppers of her shoes were even stained with mud.
Tang Zhao suddenly remembered what she had said before, "half an hour's journey", and his heart moved - could it be that she walked to the market this morning?
But after just two months of not seeing each other, what had happened to Lin Xiangli? Why did she live in such a tight financial situation that she couldn't even afford to hire a carriage?
She was really confused, so she asked, "Miss Lin, did you walk here this morning?"
"Ah..." Lin Xiangli suddenly met her gaze and subconsciously hid her feet deeper under her skirt. A trace of embarrassment crossed her face. "Yes. There was a muddy path on the way here. It hasn't dried up after the rain. I accidentally got some mud on it. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Miss Tang."
"Judging from the girl's speech and behavior, she doesn't seem to come from a poor family. Why doesn't she come here in a carriage?"
Lin Xiangli smiled faintly, a smile that was pure and light, without a trace of bitterness. Instead, it revealed a clear and calmness that was washed away from all worldly desires. "If it were just me, my family's savings would indeed be enough for me to live comfortably. However... I owed too much debt in the past, and now I want to pay it back bit by bit."
She gazed at the shadows of the trees passing by outside the window, her eyes gradually softening. "Since we opened the orphanage, we've taken in more and more people. Although we've received some support from the government, daily expenses, rice, flour, and medicine all require money. If we can save a little, we can help one more person."
These words caused Fang Buyu, who had been sitting next to Tang Zhao in silence, to turn around. His gaze lingered on her for a moment through the mask, as if he was also quite surprised by Lin Xiangli's transformation.
"Are you the only one managing the three orphanages?"
"At first, it was just me and my maid, but now we have some helpers. Previously..."
Lin Xiangli paused for a moment, his eyes dropping to the carriage floor. "Previously... the city's largest brothel, Ningxiangju, had an incident and was shut down, and the girls inside lost their livelihoods..."
There was silence in the carriage for a moment, and only the sound of the wheels could be heard.
When she spoke again, her voice had returned to calm and clarity, but each word seemed to rise from a deep place. "Later, when we opened our second orphanage, I went to see the prefect and asked him to help settle them in. Now they help with chores in the orphanage, earning a living and taking care of each other...
Tang Zhao was silent for a moment. She hadn't expected the Ningxiangju case to have such a sequel. If Weiyu knew her sisters had found a safe home, her spirit in heaven would surely be relieved...
The carriage slowly stopped, and the wooden plaque of the orphanage was in sight.
Before the axle noise had completely died down, there was a burst of hurried footsteps and several expectant shouts outside: "Here she comes! It must be the female healer Miss Lin invited!"
Lin Xiangli was the first to lift the curtain and get out of the car. Tang Zhao leaned over and followed, but when she looked up and saw the face of the woman coming towards her, her steps paused almost imperceptibly.
The woman naturally reached out and held her arm firmly: "Doctor Tang, be careful where you step."
This familiar voice reached Fang Buyu's ears while he was still in the carriage, causing him to pause slightly.
Mother? Why is she here?
After Zhao Hui helped Tang Zhao to his feet, she naturally turned her gaze to the masked man who got off the car next. A hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, but she considerately didn't ask any more questions.
At this moment, the dozen or so people who were waiting at the door of the orphanage rushed forward and surrounded the three people.
A boy, about seven or eight years old, squeezed through the crowd and came to the front. His dirty little hands tightly grasped the corner of Lin Xiangli's clothes, and he cried out in a sobbing voice: "Sister Lin, please save my grandfather! He's shaking all over, he can't breathe, and his face is purple..."
As he spoke, he pulled Lin Xiangli towards the yard. One of his cloth shoes had fallen off, but he didn't even notice.
Upon hearing this, Tang Zhao's heart tightened, and he immediately followed the child across the yard and walked into the house.
The crowd surrounded her and entered the house. In the dim corner, she saw a skinny old man lying on a straw mat, twitching violently. He made difficult "ho ho" sounds in his throat, and his face was slightly purple.
Tang Zhao didn't dare delay. She quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and placed three fingers precisely on the old man's skinny wrist. Her pulse was rapid and disordered. She frowned and said in a deep voice, "Someone, help me help him sit up!"
The people watching in the house were all women, children, the elderly and the weak. They looked at each other and no one stepped forward for a while.
In this moment of hesitation, a dark figure silently passed by the crowd, knelt on one knee on the mat, and steadily supported the old man's back.
The cold and hard outline of the mask flashed in the dimness. Tang Zhao's hand, which was about to take out the needle, paused for a moment, and he looked sideways. The word "Ayu" turned into a very light breath when it reached his lips.
In a moment, everyone saw that the masked man's strong arm had carefully passed through the gap between the straw mat and the back of the old man's neck. With his other hand, he firmly held the shoulder and, with extremely slow and steady force, half-supported and half-carried the twitching old man to sit up.
Tang Zhao quickly collected his thoughts and focused all his attention back on the patient.
She swiftly opened her medical kit and took out the needle bag, then asked loudly, "Do you have any light? A candle or an oil lamp will do!"
"Yes! Wait a minute..." Someone in the crowd responded, and the footsteps hurried away.
A moment later, a woman in plain clothes walked in quickly, holding an oil lamp. She carefully protected the flickering flame and whispered, "The lamp is here."
The dim light in the house lit up, just illuminating the woman's slightly lowered face. The moment the light illuminated her face, Fang Buyu unconsciously loosened his grip on the old woman's fingers.
Liu Yiyi? Why is she here too?
This momentary distraction caused the strength in his hands to slacken slightly, and the old man's body involuntarily leaned back slightly. Fang Buyu immediately gathered his mind, exerted steady force with his arms, and straightened the old man again.
Tang Zhao had no time to think about anything else. She deftly pulled a three-inch-long needle from her silver cloth needle bag and slowly burned it over the flame of the lamp for a circle.
When the needle tip cooled slightly, she gently grasped the old man's withered right hand, located the Hegu acupoint at the base of the thumb, and inserted the first needle with steady, steady movements. She then inserted needles into several other key acupoints, including Neiguan and Dazhui. As the needles penetrated with pinpoint precision, the old man's violent convulsions gradually subsided, and his rapid breathing became regular.
Tang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and took out a white porcelain medicine bottle with a yellow cloth stopper from the medical box, poured out two vermilion pills, and carefully fed them into the old man's mouth.
Seeing the old man's Adam's apple rolling slightly, confirming that he had swallowed the medicine, she signaled Fang Buyu: "You can help him lie down."
"Alright," Tang Zhao wiped the sweat from his forehead with the corner of his sleeve before explaining to everyone, "This medicine can temporarily stabilize his acute condition. But he still needs a decoction to strengthen his body. I'll write a prescription right away. You have to go get the medicine immediately and bring it to him after it's boiled."
As she spoke, she walked to the table, spread out paper, and ground ink. She dipped her brush in ink, thought for a moment, and then began writing quickly. In a matter of moments, a prescription dripping with ink was already written. She handed it to Lin Xiangli beside her, "Prepare three doses according to this recipe. Boil one first."
As soon as Lin Xiangli took the prescription, Yan'er, who was standing beside her, stretched out her hand and said, "Miss, let me go." After that, she took the prescription, folded it carefully, and hurried out of the house.
Tang Zhao looked around the room and saw that everyone was still gathered around the bed, so he gently advised, "Everyone, please go out first and let the old man rest. Too many people in the room will make the air stagnant and hinder his breathing."
After hearing this, everyone left the house one after another.
After entering the courtyard, Lin Xiangli stopped, turned to face Tang Zhao, and said sincerely, "Doctor Tang, today is really thanks to you. Mr. Zhang suddenly fell ill. If you hadn't rescued him in time, the consequences would have been disastrous."
Tang Zhao shook his head gently: "Miss Lin, you are too kind. Practicing medicine and saving lives is my duty."
"So from now on I just need to take the medicine on time?" Lin Xiangli asked with some concern.
"Yes," Tang Zhao nodded, then added, "But there are some very particular things to consider when decocting medicine. The temperature and timing directly affect the efficacy. After I retrieve the herbs, I will personally demonstrate how to decoct the first dose. I will leave only after I confirm that everything is correct."
"I really don't know how to thank you enough..."
As they talked, Fang Buyu, who had been standing quietly behind Tang Zhao, adjusted his sleeves and cast his eyes subtly towards the stove in the corner of the courtyard. He saw Zhao Hui and Liu Yiyi standing side by side, talking in low voices.
Zhao Hui watched Liu Yiyi place a covered iron pot in the stove ring and asked curiously, "Madam Liu, what are you doing?"
"This happened today, and no one in the hospital has eaten yet. I made some porridge for everyone to fill their stomachs."
"That's right," Zhao Hui nodded suddenly, "Then I'll help you light the fire..."
"No need to bother..." Before Liu Yiyi could finish her words, Zhao Hui had already bent down to pick up the firewood, so she had to swallow back the unfinished words.
Looking at this scene, Fang Buyu became even more suspicious: When did his mother become so familiar with Liu Yiyi?
The medicine was quickly brought back. Liu Yiyi was watching over the fire, and when she saw Yan'er coming over with the medicine pot, she naturally reached out to take it: "Do you want to boil the medicine? Let me do it..."
Lin Xiangli came over after hearing the voice and said, "Sister Liu, you've worked hard today. Once this medicine is ready, you can go back and rest early."
Liu Yiyi just smiled faintly as a response.
Tang Zhao stayed by the stove, carefully guiding Liu Yiyi through the steps of decocting the medicine. Not long after, Lin Xiangli took Yan'er to another room to attend to some chores in the courtyard.
The stove suddenly became quiet, with only Zhao Hui, Liu Yiyi, Tang Zhao, and Fang Buyu wearing a mask left.
The medicine pot was bubbling on the stove. While waiting for the medicine to foam, Tang Zhao and Fang Buyu stood quietly by, like two silent shadows.
Liu Yiyi sat on a low stool, tending the fire while reminding Zhao Hui, who was adding firewood, "Madam Zhao, it's getting dark. You should go back first and don't let... your son worry."
"You said you didn't meet him," Zhao Hui replied without looking up. "The emperor recently sent him to Mobei on an errand. I'm afraid it will be quite some time before he returns."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Zhao glanced sideways inconspicuously at the masked man next to him.
"And..." Zhao Hui stopped mid-sentence and looked around cautiously.
His eyes passed over Tang Zhao, who stood quietly to the side, and then fell on the masked man. Yes, I just heard that this man is Doctor Tang's brother, who wears a mask all day because he suffers from solitary congenital disease.
She then lowered her voice and continued, "Buyu is not only my son, he is also your son..."
Although the words were soft, they reached the ears of Tang Zhao and Fang Buyu as clearly as thunder.
Fang Buyu's breathing under the mask obviously stagnated, and he turned stiffly towards the source of the sound.
At this time, Zhao Hui was tidying up the firewood with her head down, and Liu Yiyi was concentrating on looking at the medicine pot. No one noticed the shocked gaze behind them.
"Do you really want to stay here forever?" Zhao Hui's voice was still very low. "Although Tuoba Xuan was demoted to the fifth rank, he was once the prime minister after all, and his influence still remains. If you stay in Jiusu County, there is no guarantee that he won't find you."
Liu Yiyi gently stirred the firewood in the stove, the flames illuminating her calm profile. "The most dangerous places are often the safest. Madam Zhao, don't worry about me. As for you, this place is a long way from home, so it's best if you don't come here as often as possible..."
"But after all... you are my biological mother."
"Mrs. Zhao," Liu Yiyi's gaze remained fixed on the stove, without a flicker of emotion, "don't mention this again. You are the only mother I've missed."
At that moment, a soft sizzling sound came from the medicine pot, perfectly ending the conversation. Liu Yiyi calmly stood up and lifted the lid, the steam spreading across her cool face. She turned to Tang Zhao:
"Doctor Tang, Chuanxiong has already produced foam. What should we do next?"
Tang Zhaozheng looked at Fang Buyu beside him with concern.
"Doctor Tang?" Seeing that she didn't respond for a long time, Liu Yiyi couldn't help but follow her gaze, and her eyes finally fell on the masked man.
The moment her gaze met the eyes behind the mask—
"Bang!"
The pot lid in his hand fell and hit the edge of the pot with a sharp, piercing sound.
"Ouch! What happened? Did you burn your hand?" Zhao Hui was startled by the sudden noise and stood up.
The sound also brought Tang Zhao back to her senses suddenly, and she immediately stepped forward to check the situation.
Zhao Hui had already quickly used a fire poker to move the scalding pot lid to a safe place. Then she looked at Liu Yiyi with concern: "Are you okay?"
Liu Yiyi shook her head in a daze.
Tang Zhao leaned over to examine the herbs in the pot, then said, "Now you can continue adding water."
"Okay, I'll add it right away!" Zhao Hui responded quickly and added water to the pot with swift movements.
After replacing the lid, Zhao Hui noticed that Liu Yiyi was still in her previous position, staring blankly at... the female doctor's brother? When she followed his gaze, Fang Buyu had already lowered his head and retreated behind Tang Zhao without a trace.
At this time, Lin Xiangli came from the courtyard gate and asked, "Doctor Tang, Sister Liu, how is the medicine being boiled?"
Tang Zhao glanced at the boiling medicinal liquid and said, "After boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another quarter of an hour."
Lin Xiangli nodded: "Then leave this place to us. Doctor Tang, it's getting late. The carriage prepared for you has arrived. Why don't you go back and rest first?"
"Alright," Tang Zhao turned around and looked at the people behind him, then glanced at Liu Yiyi who was still standing there in a daze, and asked Fang Buyu who kept his head down, "Then let's go back first."
The person behind him nodded slightly and walked straight to the door.
Tang Zhao bowed and said goodbye to Zhao Hui, Liu Yiyi and Lin Xiangli: "I'll take my leave today." After that, he quickened his pace and caught up with the lonely figure in front of him.
As the carriage was about to depart, Tang Zhao, sitting inside, faintly heard hurried footsteps coming from behind. She lifted the curtain and looked back.
It was actually that Madam Liu who chased out.
Tang Zhao subconsciously looked across at Fang Buyu, who was sitting with his eyes closed, his mask covering all his expression.
The wheels slowly turned. Tang Zhao stared at the figure in front of the courtyard gate. At first, she followed the carriage for a few steps, then it stopped. On that usually calm face, the eyes seemed to gleam with tiny tears.
The carriage went farther and farther away, until the figure finally turned into a black dot at the end of the field of vision and disappeared into the twilight.
*
The prince's men arrived on the fifth day.
At daybreak, Tang Zhao got up and walked past the kitchen, where she saw Fang Buyu leaning against the firewood pile as usual. She thought he was still asleep, so she didn't disturb him and walked straight past the kitchen door, intending to wash up first. But after taking a few steps, she stopped.
No...something seems to be wrong!
She turned back quietly, walked into the kitchen with light steps, and came in front of Fang Buyu.
This closer look confirmed the uneasiness in his heart - Fang Buyu, he was trembling slightly!
She quickly squatted down and reached out to hold his arm. Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, the subtle but unconcealable trembling was still clearly felt through his palm.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked anxiously.
The eyes under the mask slowly opened, but he didn't answer her question: "The prince's men are here."
"What?" Tang Zhao suddenly turned his head and looked towards the courtyard gate. He subconsciously wanted to go out to check, but he was concerned about the obvious abnormality of the people in front of him, so he did not move. "Where are they?"
"Early in the morning... I heard footsteps outside the courtyard gate..." He paused slightly, as if trying to suppress something, "I recognized them through the cracks in the stone wall."
"In other words, they are guarding outside the door right now?"
"Hmm..." This response seemed particularly difficult.
"But you...what on earth happened?" As he spoke, Tang Zhao had already reached out to feel his wrist pulse.
Just as her fingertips touched his skin, he grabbed her wrist. "It's okay, I know my situation." His voice was low and husky, with an air of refusal. "I need you to agree to a favor."
Feeling the abnormal burning heat and trembling coming from his tightly clasped palms, Tang Zhao felt anxious, but he didn't dare to ask too much, nor did he dare to look directly into his eyes under the mask. He could only lower his eyes to look at his tightly clasped hands: "What's the matter?"
"If the prince's men come to ask for you later, you must find a way to take me to see him no matter what."
"I know that. Didn't you tell me that from the beginning? You wanted me to help you get close to the prince."
Fang Buyu loosened his grip slightly and slowly let her go. "I'm just reminding you not to play any tricks. Otherwise—" His voice suddenly turned cold, "I can take your life at any time."
Even without looking up, Tang Zhao could feel the warning gaze from behind the mask. She felt no fear and simply reached out for his wrist again. "I know. But before that, let me see what's wrong with you."
Fang Buyu turned his wrist to avoid her touch and insisted, "I'm fine."
Just as he raised his hand, the slightly wide cuffs slipped down, revealing a part of his wrist - the skin was covered with dense red rashes!
"Your hand!" Tang Zhao exclaimed in shock, no longer caring about anything else, and looked up at the mask.
The other person tilted his head to one side and hunched his shoulders slightly, as if he wanted to hide himself in the shadow, not wanting Tang Zhao to see any trace of pain on his face.
However, Tang Zhao's eyes had already keenly caught the exposed part of his neck where his collar was loose - there was also a crimson rash on that piece of skin!
"You...what on earth is going on?" she shouted in panic.
"Keep your voice down!" Fang Buyu whispered, "I told you, it's fine." He supported himself on the pile of firewood behind him and straightened up. "It's time to go out and meet them."
Just as he stood up, Tang Zhao caught a glimpse of a silk handkerchief spread out beside him, with half a piece of uneaten mung bean cake left on it.
He ate mung bean cakes... but he clearly can't touch beans...
In a flash, Tang Zhao understood his intention—he did it on purpose! He wanted to use this allergy to hide his true appearance...
She raised her eyes with mixed emotions, looking at the tense figure standing in front of the door. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Why... do you have to get close to the prince?"
The figure in front of the door did not turn back, and a cold voice came:
"None of your business."
*
The wooden door creaked as it was pulled open. Outside, the scattered figures standing by the wall moved at the sound and gathered in front of the door. The leader stepped forward, a polite smile on his face. "Doctor Tang, good morning! Do you still recognize me?"
Tang Zhao's eyes fell on the other person's face, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes at the right time. "Zheng Bo?" She paused and asked inquiringly, "What are you doing...?"
As she spoke, her gaze naturally passed over Zheng Guang's shoulder and swept behind him. She glanced at the carriage parked nearby, her brows furrowed slightly, revealing even deeper confusion. "Uncle Zheng, these people behind you..." Her tone was filled with pure, medical concern. "Are they people who have come here specially to see a doctor?"
Zheng Guang dodged her question, "Doctor Tang is a skilled doctor. The patients you brought in a few times before are now healthy and strong, and can work much more efficiently."
Tang Zhao only nodded slightly, not smiling at the compliment. Instead, he looked at him more intently, "Zheng Bo, you're too kind. So, why did you come here in person today?"
The smile on Zheng Guang's face faded a little. He took a step forward and lowered his voice to sound serious: "It's our master. He wants to see you."
"Your master?" Tang Zhao frowned even more tightly, like a doctor responding to a patient's family member's call. "Is he ill?"
Zheng Guang stepped aside to make way for the carriage, his words still vague: "Doctor Tang, come with us, and you will understand."
Upon hearing this, Tang Zhao lowered her eyes, pretending to think deeply. After a moment, as if she had weighed the options, she raised her head and, with a hint of reluctance, agreed, "Alright, since the master of the mansion has invited me, I'll go with you. Thank you, Lord Zheng, for leading the way."
She started walking, and Fang Buyu, wearing a mask, followed her silently. Just as the two of them stepped out of the door, Zheng Guang turned and happened to stand in front of Fang Buyu.
"Doctor Tang," he turned his gaze to Tang Zhao, his tone still polite, but with a clear objection, "I'm afraid your brother is not able to come with us."
Before coming here, Zheng Guang had already made inquiries. He knew that the female healer had recently found a brother who suffered from "isolation syndrome" and always wore a mask to cover his face.
However, he was always a little worried about this "brother" whose timing was coincidental and whose origins were mysterious.
Tang Zhao, his figure like a green bamboo, protected Fang Buyu behind him and met Zheng Guang's gaze. "Uncle Zheng, my brother suffers from social isolation and is always afraid of meeting strangers. He is my only blood relative in this world, and I cannot leave him alone."
Zheng Guang still had that smooth, polite smile on his face, but his words carried a hint of pressure: "Doctor Tang, don't worry. I will send a few reliable people to carefully look after your brother and will never let him suffer any injustice."
Tang Zhao's expression suddenly turned cold, and his words were as sharp as a sword drawn from its sheath: "Sir, don't you understand what I am saying? My brother cannot stand the sight of strangers. If a stranger comes near him, his old illness will flare up and he will be in great disarray. I must keep him by my side and cannot leave him for even a moment."
She paused briefly, her eyes fixed on Zheng Guang, each word clear and distinct: "If Lord Zheng insists on keeping my brother here, then please forgive Tang Zhao for being rude—I regret that I cannot comply with your appointment today."
The smile on Zheng Guang's face froze instantly, and his expression turned completely gloomy: "Doctor Tang, this matter...I'm afraid it's beyond your control."
Before he finished speaking, he nodded decisively. The four burly men behind him responded, two of them swiftly advancing like hawks, one on each side grabbing Tang Zhao's arms; the other two walked steadily and steadily towards Fang Buyu, who stood silently behind Tang Zhao.
As soon as the two strong men put their hands on Fang Buyu's arms, he shrank back as if burned by fire, his body twisted violently, and a suppressed and painful whimper like a wild beast came from his throat. His breathing was heavy and rapid, and he looked extremely panicked.
"Brother! Let my brother go!" Tang Zhao saw this and immediately struggled hard. He turned to Zheng Guang and shouted, "Master Zheng! If you insist on forcing me like this, even if you tie me up today, I, Tang Zhao, would rather bleed on the steps than diagnose and prescribe medicine for your master!"
"You..." Zheng Guang's breath was taken aback by the resolute tone. He stared at Tang Zhao for a long time with a sullen face, and finally squeezed out a heavy snort from between his teeth. He turned around and strode towards Fang Buyu, who had been restrained.
At this time, Fang Buyu seemed to have exhausted all his strength and no longer struggled vigorously. He just lowered his head deeply, his thin body trembling slightly, and his trembling was quite real.
Zheng Guang stood before him, pressing his palm firmly against his shoulder. The tremors from his palm were subtle and persistent, not feigned, but rather like the symptoms of a chronic illness.
"Brother!" Tang Zhao let out a mournful cry at the right moment.
Zheng Guang ignored him. Although the hand had been lifted from Fang Buyu's shoulder, it was still hovering in the air.
His palm slowly moved upwards, and his fingertips stopped just before touching the edge of the mask.
As his hand moved upwards, Fang Buyu, who was held down by two strong men, began to struggle again.
His whole body was shaking violently, the muscles in his arms that were tied behind his back were tense, and the veins on his neck were bulging. Especially when Zheng Guang's dangling hand got closer to the mask, his resistance became more intense, and he tried hard to tilt his head back, as if the cold mask was his last piece of armor.
Zheng Guang's fingers finally touched the edge of the cold mask. As the other party struggled, the mask swayed from side to side under his fingertips.
"Hold his head steady!"
"Brother! Brother!..."
Amid the woman's shrill cries, Zheng Guang slowly untied the knot tied behind Fang Buyu's head.
The moment the mask came off, Tang Zhao closed his eyes involuntarily.
"Hiss..." Zheng Guang took a breath and took a half step back looking at the face in front of him covered with irregular red spots and dense pimples.
It really is... so ugly that it's unbearable to look at!
"Quick! Put the mask on him!" He waved his hands hastily, as if to dispel something unclean. "Don't let this ugly face offend the noble!"
The grip behind him suddenly loosened. Tang Zhao slowly opened his eyes, his eyes already bloodshot.
Zheng Guang put on a polite smile again and stepped forward, saying, "Doctor Tang, I was truly helpless just now. I apologize for any offense. Please bring your brother with you and leave with us."
Fang Buyu, who was wearing a mask, also broke free and staggered behind Tang Zhao. He grabbed her sleeve tightly with one hand and trembled, looking as if he was terrified.
Tang Zhao knew, however, that his trembling was not entirely feigned. With a cold expression, her eyes darted fiercely across Zheng Guang's face, and without a word, she protected the huddled figure behind her as she walked towards the waiting carriage.
As soon as the curtain fell, Tang Zhao immediately opened the medical kit he carried with him, poured out a brown pill from a medicine bottle, then moved to Fang Buyu's side and raised his hand to feed it into his mouth.
Fang Buyu tilted his head even lower, his jaw tense, obviously worried.
Tang Zhao understood. She quickly took out a pen and paper from her medical box and quickly wrote a few small words: "This medicine will quickly relieve pain and slowly relieve external symptoms."
She showed the paper to Fang Buyu and made sure he could see it clearly. Then she took up her pen and scribbled a few lines on the paper, completely covering up the previous handwriting. Then she handed the pill to his lips again.
This time, he opened his mouth and swallowed it obediently. Tang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and carefully put the paper ball away.
Along the way, Tang Zhao's attention was always on Fang Buyu, paying attention to his symptoms after taking the medicine. Until a noise gradually arose outside the car, mixed with the rumbling sound of horse hooves in the distance, as if thousands of horses were coming through the dust.
Tang Zhao lifted the curtains and looked out, only to discover that the carriage had already left the city gates and was now traveling on the official road outside the city. A large number of people had gathered at a fork in the road ahead, forming a line along the road, all eagerly waiting.
She leaned over and lifted the curtain in front of the carriage, then asked Zheng Guang, who was sitting on the shaft with the driver, "What's going on up there?"
Zheng Guang didn't turn around, but just snorted coldly.
Tang Zhao didn't understand what he meant for a moment.
But soon, her doubts were answered. As the carriage passed the fork in the road, the cheers of the people outside the window came into the carriage:
"The Ninth Prince! It's the Ninth Prince! The Ninth Prince has returned to the capital!"
"I heard that this time, the Ninth Prince led only 20,000 soldiers and horses, but he defeated a 50,000-strong Xiongnu army and recaptured 2,000 miles of our Dafeng territory!"
"Yes, I heard the news of victory a long time ago, and I woke up early to wait here, just to catch a glimpse of our Ninth Prince, who is so popular among the people of Dafeng!"
"What do you mean by the will of the people? Don't say that casually, or you'll lose your head!"
"Tell me what's wrong. The Ninth Prince has great military achievements and literary talent. The position of Crown Prince should belong to the Ninth Prince!"
"Stop talking..."
Tang Zhao suddenly understood the meaning of Zheng Guang's cold snort. She stared at the triumphant procession in the distance until the carriage turned onto another fork in the road, her view obscured by a dense forest, and the cheers gradually faded away. Only then did she slowly lower the curtains.
The carriage traveled along the winding forest path for a long time before finally coming to a stop.
At the driver's warning, Tang Zhao and Fang Buyu disembarked. Looking around, they saw the scenery they had stopped at was identical to anything they had seen along the way, save for a nondescript bluestone stele beside the road, a single, scribbled "cloud" character faintly inscribed on it. "Doctor Tang, please," Zheng Guang said, stepping aside to lead the way.
The two followed him into a mixed forest. At first, the trees were intertwined, their branches and leaves blocking out the sun, but the deeper they went, the wider the view became.
After passing the last tree barrier, the view suddenly opens up - at the end of a flat open space, stands a magnificent vermilion lacquered wooden door, with an ebony plaque hanging above the door with four large gold-plated characters inscribed on it: "Yunjian Villa".
Tang Zhao looked up and saw that behind the villa, there were towering cedar trees surrounding the villa in a circle. Above the treetops, there was cloud and mist, and it was like a fairyland.
That must be the location of the world-famous Yunjian Hot Springs. So ethereal and transcendent, like a fairyland descended upon earth, it's no wonder the Crown Prince came here every year to cultivate his health.
The gate of the villa was already open, and the three of them entered one after another. Inside was a different world - outside the gate was an ancient forest, while inside the gate were pavilions and winding paths.
After walking for a long time, climbing several stone steps and passing through a long corridor with carved beams and painted buildings, Zheng Guang finally stopped in front of an exceptionally wide rosewood door.
The door stood open, and looking inside, I saw a dark blue gauze curtain draped deep within the empty hall. Faintly visible on the gauze were patterns of clouds and cranes embroidered with silver thread. A gentle breeze from nowhere rustled the patterns, creating a scene reminiscent of a sea of rolling clouds and dancing cranes.
Through this barrier, one can vaguely see a faint scent of sandalwood burning behind it. Amidst the curling smoke, a slender figure is sitting cross-legged on a cushion, looking like a person in seclusion.
Zheng Guang turned around and said, "Please wait here, Doctor Tang. I will go and report to His Highness first."
Everyone knows that Yunjian Villa is the resting place of Crown Prince Wei Yuanxiu, so at this point, Zheng Guang no longer conceals his true identity by using the title of "Master" and directly reveals his true identity.
Soon after Zheng Guang bowed and entered the dark green gauze curtain, he reappeared in front of Tang Zhao, followed by two maids in dark green skirts.
"Doctor Tang, His Highness summons you to an audience. However, according to protocol, you must first cooperate with the inspection."
Tang Zhao nodded slightly and calmly spread her arms. Two maids came forward and carefully examined her clothes and accessories, and then took out the needles, medicine bottles, and other items from her medical box one by one for inspection.
After confirming everything was correct, Zheng Guang nodded and made way: "Doctor Tang, please."
She had just taken two steps when she saw Zheng Guang raise his hand to stop Fang Buyu who was following closely behind her.
"Doctor Tang, I truly cannot allow your brother to accompany you this time." Zheng Guang said solemnly, "Your Highness is a precious person. No one except the doctor is allowed to approach him. If you insist on disobeying and angering Your Highness, no one will be able to bear the consequences."
Upon hearing this, Tang Zhao looked at Fang Buyu hesitantly.
Seeing her attitude soften, Zheng Guang advised, "I will watch over your brother from here. Besides, he can see you from here all the way to the hall, so it won't be considered as separating the two of you."
Tang Zhao slowly walked up to Fang Buyu, subtly blocking Zheng Guang's sight with his body, and pretended to say, "Brother, wait here for a moment. I'll be back soon."
Feeling Fang Buyu's imperceptible nod, she stepped back and walked alone towards the place covered by the gauze curtain.
The distance from the palace gate to the inner room covered by gauze curtains is about thirty feet.
Tang Zhao walked forward step by step. As the distance got closer, the gloom in her eyes became darker.
When she was only five or six steps away from the curtain, a figure in dark blue eunuch's attire quietly stood in front of her. His voice was both deep and sharp: "You will pay your respects right here."
Tang Zhao immediately understood that this should be the eunuch who served the prince personally.
She gently set down the medical kit, lowered her head, and hid all her emotions beneath her drooping eyelashes. Then she knelt on one knee, clasped her fists, and saluted: "I pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."
After a moment of silence, a long male voice came from behind the gauze curtain: "Get up."
The voice sounds mellow at first, but upon closer inspection, one can detect a lack of strength in it. Every word seems to be floating in mid-air, empty and powerless.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Tang Zhao stood up with his hands hanging down.
The eunuch led her to the gauze curtain and whispered, "Please take His Highness's pulse."
"Yes." Tang Zhao was about to take the pulse pad from the medical box, but he saw that a maid had already prepared brocade pads, pillows and other necessary items in front of the curtain, and placed them neatly.
At this moment, a hand so pale that it was almost translucent slowly stretched out from the gap in the dark green gauze curtain.
The wrist was too slender to be that of an adult man, and its skin was a pale pale from long absence of sunlight, with almost no trace of blood. Beneath the thin, cicada-wing skin, bluish-purple veins were clearly visible, winding and protruding, and the jagged knuckles were particularly prominent, as if they would break with the slightest force.
The moment she saw the hand, a surge of violent hatred surged from Tang Zhao's heart. She bit her lower lip until the taste of blood filled her mouth, and then she barely suppressed the impulse.
My father-in-law's shrill voice sounded again: "What are you still standing there for?"
Tang Zhao then loosened his hands which had been clenched into fists without him knowing when, took a deep breath, leaned over and gently placed three fingers on the pale wrist.
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