Chapter 27

The Sixth Prince’s Residence, the Heir’s eastern courtyard.

The sound of musical instruments echoed under the corridor, and the courtyard was filled with singing and dancing. As the music from the zither grew louder, the martial artist on stage twisted her waist and, with a “clang,” drew the sword from her side. The silver-white metal gleamed dazzlingly under the bright sun.

Seated at the head of the main seat, the Heir apparent, Ji Yan, squinted slightly, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips, yet he remained motionless.

Just moments ago, his confidant reported that the message had been successfully delivered to Imperial Uncle Kun.

Very good. Excellent.

He didn’t know who had sent him this message, but it didn’t stop him from immediately thinking of Yang Yanzong’s miraculously healed right hand—Ji Yan’s family was much closer to the Su and Yang families than Ji Yuanhao’s. He didn’t need to speculate or eliminate possibilities; he had long known that Su Ci healed Yang Yanzong’s right hand, and afterward, Yang Yanzong had specially placed Su Ci in the military medical camp.

It didn’t matter who it was; everyone had the same goal. Ji Yan didn’t delve into who had sent him the message. He quickly devised a sinister plan.

—He knew Yang Yanzong very well. This person was ruthless. Since the two couldn’t reconcile, he absolutely couldn’t allow a venomous snake to stay by his father’s side and occupy a trusted position. He had to act first and eliminate him as soon as possible.

The Emperor’s injury was unknown to outsiders, but the few princes’ residences had reliable sources. Though appearing to heal, the injury had actually developed complications. The specifics were unknown, but it seemed very serious, serious enough that all the imperial physicians were helpless. The Emperor’s condition was deteriorating. In the palace, the Imperial Medical Institute and those secretly sought from outside had, in just under a month, cost many lives.

—According to the latest secret report, the Emperor’s confidants and key officials had all sent people out to seek good doctors, and the movements were so large that even many in the court had noticed something was amiss. This shows the severity of the situation.

Ji Yan didn’t know if the Emperor’s leg injury would affect his lifespan, but he knew for sure that if it couldn’t be cured, it would be fatal, and no one could save him!

—Su Ci, a seventeen-year-old girl, no matter how skilled in medicine, couldn’t possibly compare to the imperial physicians. Absolutely impossible!

By chance, she had learned some extraordinary skills, could reconnect tendons, and make good medicine, but that was it.

Blame it on her bad luck; she could only accompany Yang Yanzong to hell at such a young age!

After a sword dance, the audience applauded. Ji Yan raised his eyebrows and said, “Reward!”

He raised his cup and clinked it lightly with the Shi brothers sitting below him. All three of them wore confident smiles. They drank it all in one go. The sweet and fiery liquor burned down their throats. Shi Shiqian and his brother Shi Shikun exchanged glances—there was no way the Emperor’s leg injury could be cured with just one good medicine. This time, they had finally gotten rid of the threat posed by Yang Yanzong.

…

The second shoe finally dropped. Su Ci and Yang Yanzong’s marriage was already on the agenda. The day after Yang Zhongying and Mrs. Yan returned, both families began to purchase various festive wedding items, including new beds, quilts, furniture, and freshly painted rooms.

“Second girl, second girl? Did you hear what I said?!” Mrs. Yan was somewhat displeased. The two matriarchs were discussing the details of the wedding. Given their close relationship, they had to consider Mrs. Chen’s and the bride’s preferences. Although Mrs. Yan didn’t particularly like Su Ci, she had to prepare for the wedding under the pressure of Yang’s father and the relationship between the two families. Today, she called Mrs. Chen and Su Ci to look at the house and discuss the furniture styles. The furniture had to be made quickly, and the styles needed to be decided today. Mrs. Yan and Mrs. Chen had some disagreements, so they asked Su Ci. After calling her twice, Su Ci finally responded with an “Ah.”

Su Ci looked through the booklet and found that she preferred her mother’s simple style. She pointed to it, and Mrs. Yan frowned, “Isn’t this too simple?”

“Alright, then, that one.”

Su Ci was okay with the more complicated style, too. Solid wood furniture was similar to her, and her mind wasn’t really on this matter, so she casually changed it.

Mrs. Yan felt this attitude was shallow and was unhappy. Mrs. Chen nudged her daughter under the table, but before Mrs. Yan could speak, there was a sudden unusual commotion outside, with hurried and chaotic footsteps.

The three women were startled, and Su Ci stood up abruptly.

“Madam, madam, there’s an imperial decree—” Someone ran in frantically to announce, and the guards led by A Zhao quickly gathered at the courtyard gate. Immediately, a man in a ceremonial robe stepped into the courtyard. He wore a deep blue ceremonial robe with intricate patterns of river cliffs and sea waves embroidered on the collar, cuffs, and hem, and a matching hat. He had a pale face, no beard, and a sharp, thin voice: “By the emperor’s command, summon General Yang Yanzong, the pacifier of the west, and the second daughter of Captain Su Di, Su Ci, to an audience!”

…

When Yang Yanzong received the imperial decree, he was not at home. He was patrolling the camp on horseback when he encountered the Red Wing Camp led by Ji Yuanhao. The two rode side by side, and Yang Yanzong coldly laughed, “What a clever trick, killing without a trace.”

He had already learned that Ji Yuanhao had sent the news about the new medicine, and the Heir had privately passed the information to Imperial Uncle Kun on the day he received it.

Ji Yuanhao openly admitted, “Yes, it was me who sent the news.”

But he had only passed the news to Ji Yan; he didn’t interfere with what Ji Yan did with it. Wasn’t it the Heir who took action?

“You sent me through the underground river, so I sent a message to Ji Yan. Isn’t that fair?”

Ji Yuanhao had a near-death experience in the underground river. If the dart he threw hadn’t luckily jammed in a crevice, he might not have made it back alive. The danger he faced was beyond words.

Ji Yuanhao smirked as he spoke.

Yang Yanzong gave a cold laugh.

These two spared no effort when it came to taking each other’s lives, yet they had once fought side by side and achieved great victories. Unfortunately, now they served different masters. In short, their relationship was very complicated. The sound of horse hooves was rapid and urgent. Two teams of riders charged out of the gate side by side and then split up.

Yang Yanzong, with his sharp eyes, saw A Zhao galloping towards him, but before he could return home, he received a summons from the Sixth Prince.

“General Yang, the prince urgently summons you, please!”

Yang Yanzong’s eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He turned his horse and followed the messenger to the Sixth Prince’s residence.

The Sixth Prince wanted to discuss the Emperor’s decree with Yang Yanzong. He had already received the news and quickly understood the situation.

“A miraculous medicine?”

When Liu Sheng arrived, his injuries had significantly improved. Under Yang Yanzong’s deliberate downplaying, the physician treating Liu Sheng did not attract attention, and the penicillin remained unknown to outsiders.

This was the first time the Sixth Prince had heard of it, and his tone revealed no emotion: “I heard that Shen Xing’s fiancée made a new medicine with the power to bring the dead back to life?”

Such a miraculous medicine, yet Yang Yanzong hadn’t mentioned it to him.

The Sixth Prince narrowed his eyes slightly. The large hall became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Yang Yanzong remained calm, knelt on one knee, and saluted, “Your Highness, my wife did indeed create a new medicine, but it does not have the power to bring the dead back to life.” That wouldn’t be a medicine but a cure-all. “The medicine has some miraculous effects on healing external injuries, but other effects are still unknown, and whether it has any side effects is also not yet known.”

He explained, “The medicine was just made before Mrs. Su went to Wuchuan, and it is still in the experimental stage. We must thoroughly test its effects and side effects before reporting to Your Highness.”

Yang Yanzong frowned, “I just don’t know who dared to report this matter to the emperor?!” He looked worried, “Your Highness, could it be that someone in the palace…”

This statement is quite reasonable. After all, the Su family member is only over ten years old. No matter how talented, someone can’t make medicine at thirteen or fourteen. With this fact, it is quite convincing.

The Sixth Prince nodded, accepting this reason. He called Yang Yanzong to stand up, turned the ring on his hand, and pondered the situation briefly before saying slowly, “There is news from the palace that His Majesty’s injury has relapsed and seems quite serious.”

Yang Yanzong appropriately showed a few signs of shock.

The Sixth Prince nodded: “Given the situation,” he pondered for a moment, “you should enter the palace and find out the exact condition of the Emperor’s injury. Someone will contact you to relay the information.”

Yang Yanzong lowered his eyes to hide his expression and replied in an unchanged voice, “Yes!”

“As for the new medicine, we will discuss it when you return.”

“His Majesty’s decree must not be delayed. You should go immediately.”

“Understood.”

It was good that the Sixth Prince’s men came first. Yang Yanzong could first appease the Sixth Prince. Of course, he had never intended to hand over the penicillin to the Sixth Prince’s residence.

The appeasement was fairly successful, but his loyalty in the Sixth Prince’s eyes might have diminished somewhat after this incident. However, this was not important. What was important was to get through this hurdle first. A flash of fierce light passed through Yang Yanzong’s eyes. He quickly descended the steps and left the mansion. The Sixth Prince sent two men to accompany him into the palace, which was normal procedure. He didn’t mind, mounted his horse, and quickly galloped back home.

Yang Yanzong hurried in, and after waiting for a while, Su Rong rushed to meet him, “Eldest Young Master, should I…” She lowered her voice so that the eunuchs in the hall wouldn’t hear. Her heart was racing. Given today’s situation, the family, having experienced major events over the years, was anxious. Su Rong was uneasy, but she forced herself to come over. If she was going to do it, she had to do it all the way.

Su Rong asked if she should continue impersonating Su Ci, but Yang Yanzong, walking quickly, didn’t stop. “No need.” It was useless. He didn’t go back to his own house but went to the Su family next door first.

Su Ci was lying on the bed at that moment. The eunuch had summoned two people, so she had to wait for Yang Yanzong to return. Using the excuse of changing clothes, she went back to her room.

Su Yan was very worried, “What’s going on? What’s going on? How did it suddenly involve the palace?”

She repeated this many times like a nagging old woman, making Su Ci’s head spin. Su Ci reassured her, “It’s nothing. It shouldn’t be a big deal, sister, mother. It’s just that the palace heard about the medicine and might be able to use it.”

She briefly explained a bit, knowing that her father would know the details and tell her mother and sister when he returned. There was no point in hiding it, so she chose to say what she could in a positive light.

Su Ci lay on the bed. Her emotions from the previous night had long since recovered. Having faced death once, she had a strong mental fortitude. She wasn’t panicking, just feeling overwhelmed—she had mentally prepared for a turbulent life after marrying Yang Yanzong, but she didn’t expect it to come so quickly!

These days were like the surface of a lake on a rainy spring day, and tranquility was gone forever. She hadn’t even married yet.

Su Ci clutched her chest for a moment, then suddenly heard Yang Yanzong’s familiar footsteps outside. She immediately jumped up like a carp. Rushing out, she opened the door, and the two stood face to face.

The eunuch had been waiting for a long time. Yang Yanzong grabbed Su Ci and quickly walked towards the hall. She half-walked and half-ran. As soon as they entered the hall, the eunuch stood up, saying, “Everyone is here; let’s go.”

…

After that, they rode swiftly towards Yangdu. The sky was already darkening. The towering walls of Yangdu loomed high, and torches blazed on the city towers. The eunuch took out a token, and the group rode straight in without stopping. They passed through the Tongtian Avenue. The closer they got to the inner city, the fewer pedestrians and shops there were. They passed by numerous grand mansions with flying eaves and heavy tiles. The majestic palace city with red walls and golden tiles stood at the end of Tongtian Avenue. The guards stood in rows, orderly and imposing, far from the bustling tourist attraction the Forbidden City would become in later generations. The imperial atmosphere was solemn and grand, holding all the power of life and death in the world. In front of this palace city, people were as small as tiny ants. Even someone as knowledgeable and mentally strong as Su Ci couldn’t help but hold her breath at the sight.

Yang Yanzong glanced at her, and she understood, obediently standing behind him. The palace guards watched them as they removed their weapons. The two followed the eunuch into the Xihua Gate. But unexpectedly, the two did not see the Emperor, who was rumored to have a severe relapse of an old injury. Instead, they were led to a small palace on the outskirts. Inside the palace, a man in his early thirties stood with his hands behind his back. He wore the court attire of a minister, with a black gauze hat, a purple-red sash around his waist, and cloud-patterned brocade shoes. He stood with his back to the door in front of the window.

Su Ci quickly glanced at Yang Yanzong. From the moment this man stepped into the palace gate, a highly dangerous and tense atmosphere quietly enveloped the silence, seemingly unchanged but deeply dangerous enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Su Ci was not afraid of him. She tugged at Yang Yanzong’s sleeve. Yang Yanzong’s eyebrows did not move, and he mouthed silently: “Uncle Kun.”

Uncle Kun turned around. Following Yang Yanzong’s signal, Su Ci slightly lowered her head and stood behind him. She felt a gaze like a steel file scrutinizing her up and down several times, with a strong sense of examination and evaluation, making her uncomfortable.

After a moment, a slightly deep male voice from above said, “Bring him up.”

“I heard your medical skills are good. Show me.”

The voice was somewhat deep and hoarse, with no discernible emotion.

Soon, there were chaotic footsteps. Su Ci glanced up and saw a young man with a severely injured, bleeding thigh being carried in. His outer pants had already been cut open, and he was groaning in pain.

Su Ci hesitated slightly, then stepped forward, opened the bundle she had brought, and quietly stated what else she needed—Unless she never practiced medicine again, she couldn’t ensure her methods wouldn’t be leaked. After all, besides Yang Yanzong’s confidants, she had treated some people before.

At this point, Su Ci didn’t know how much the other party knew about her, but she was sure that hiding it would be more harmful than beneficial. She changed clothes, washed her hands, stopped the bleeding, and cleaned the wound. Using tweezers, she removed the bone fragments from the wound. She didn’t have a bone marrow needle, but fortunately, the fracture wasn’t severe. She thought for a moment, then repositioned the bone and applied a long splint at the bottom. Next, she began to suture the muscle and skin. After cutting the last stitch, she opened the plaster box and started padding and fixing the wound. By the time she finished, more than an hour had passed. Despite the winter cold, she was sweating profusely. “The fine stone powder will take twenty-four hours to set fully. Until then, he must not move his foot, or the bone will shift.” She then administered an injection to the patient.

Su Ci’s technique was skillful, and she remained calm and composed throughout the surgery. From the moment she used the tweezers to remove the bone fragments, it was clear to any expert that she was highly competent, even if her methods seemed strange and unusual.

Moreover, needle therapy was also practiced in ancient times. It was said that during the Qin and Han dynasties, techniques like “scraping bones to heal wounds” and “cutting open the abdomen to clean the intestines” were used.

This wasn’t something Su Ci invented. Uncle Kun asked, “Where is your master?”

Su Ci replied, “He has already passed away.”

She wasn’t intentionally cursing her teachers, parents, and grandparents.

Uncle Kun frowned slightly, then ordered someone to take good care of the injured person. “If anyone lets him move, bring their head to me.” With a casual remark, he decided on life and death.

Su Ci sneaked a glance at him. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and full lips. However, his eyes were too sharp, and his gaze was so deep that it gave her a sense of foreboding.

After giving his orders, Uncle Kun called someone to take Yang Yanzong and Su Ci to rest.

After that, they observed the injured person. On the third day, an eunuch came to summon Yang Yanzong and Su Ci to the palace. Actually, before, that wasn’t considered the palace, just the outer court near the edge of the inner palace. What we’re entering now is the actual palace.

They walked in step by step. It was a cloudy day, and the vast white marble square was empty. The sound of the north wind howled, and white flakes swirled around. The first snow of the season had finally arrived.

Su Ci: Does it have to be this bleak? Does it have to be this fitting?

Upon entering the palace gates, everyone behind Su Ci and Yang Yanzong was stopped, including the two attendants sent by the Sixth Prince.

Su Ci turned back and saw one of them glancing at Yang Yanzong, who gave a barely noticeable nod.

Su Ci could guess with her knees that the Sixth Prince had ordered Yang Yanzong to investigate the old Emperor’s true condition.

—Can this be said? Do you not want to live?

It was unclear if the matter of the new medicine had left a knot in the Sixth Prince’s heart. Both father and son were very annoying. Braving the wind and snow, they walked to the heavily guarded area of the palace.

The old Emperor had not yet finished his court session, so they were temporarily placed in a small waiting room. It was freezing cold, and the charcoal brazier seemed useless. Apart from the distant guards, there was not a single person around.

Su Ci poured herself a cup of lukewarm tea, glanced around, and saw Yang Yanzong scanning the surroundings. She mouthed quietly: Can we talk?

Yang Yanzong nodded.

Su Ci whispered, “The Sixth Prince’s residence is really annoying, still sending people to follow us. And that Heir!”

If the host doesn’t hit, the guest will. Yang Yanzong sat facing the door while she shrank behind him to avoid the wind, but she was still so cold that her hair stood on end. She whispered, “Can we take this opportunity to jump to His Majesty’s side?”

Yang Yanzong shook his head. The Sixth Prince’s Mansion was the foundation of his rise to power, deeply rooted after years of management, and he certainly couldn’t abandon it.

At least, not now.

Moreover, the Emperor was not a benevolent person.

Yang Yanzong squinted his eyes, silently raising his eyelids, his gaze deep and cold. However, this did not prevent him from considering a new option, such as the Emperor.

Danger and opportunity coexist. Yang Yanzong had seen many storms. Even though he was now walking a tightrope on the edge of a cliff, with the risk of being shattered to pieces at any moment, the extreme danger only heightened his adrenaline. Instead of being terrified, he sensed a new development path amidst the crisis.

Yang Yanzong softly told her about the Emperor’s leg injury: “It is said that the wound had healed, but for some reason, it relapsed a month ago. Pressing on it causes pain, and it has worsened to the point where he cannot sleep at night.”

This was the fundamental reason they were urgently summoned to the inner palace within three days.

Yang Yanzong didn’t know where the news came from. He held her close and whispered, “Are you confident?”

Su Ci: “…”

It was so vague, and the most important thing was that the old Emperor was already so old. How could she say she was confident?

Su Ci: “I don’t know.”

She was finally a bit uneasy. Speaking of ancient times, she didn’t want to lose her head, sob sob.

In the small room with the cold wind whistling, the prince had pushed the two of them into a situation in which advancing might not lead to a way out, and retreating would immediately result in broken bones.

Thinking of this, Yang Yanzong let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with a chilling killing intent. After he got through this, he would deal with this person!

“Don’t panic!” He placed his hand on her cheek and stroked it for a moment. “We’ll act according to the situation.”

“I’m not panicking.”

“Neither should you.” Su Ci whispered. She was a bit nervous, but she wasn’t panicking. Everyone should stay calm; panicking easily leads to mistakes.

Yang Yanzong chuckled. Telling him not to panic? This was indeed a novel experience.

Yang Yanzong had been on the battlefield since he was twelve years old. Having shouldered various responsibilities from a young age due to his excellence compared to his peers, this was the first time he had heard such words. He lowered his eyes and stared at those clear black-and-white eyes for a while. Su Ci blinked in confusion. He snorted and said, “The wedding date is set for next month.”

Their wedding date had just been set for the first month of the lunar year.

Su Ci whispered, “I hope it won’t be postponed.” She had never hoped so much for a smooth marriage with Yang Yanzong!

Yang Yanzong slowly tightened his arm around her waist. “It won’t be.”

The atmosphere in the room had just relaxed a bit when, suddenly, the sound of the chief eunuch’s boots hitting the ground came from the end of the corridor.

Yang Yanzong quickly raised his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping towards the red corridor in the howling north wind.