As Zhuang Dongqing entered the Wangfu, he keenly sensed that something was different.

The vigilance… was intense.

Usually, a few doors would be guarded by servants, but now it was different. Ever since they entered the Wangfu, every fifty steps there stood a guard in narrow-sleeved martial attire, equipped with a sword, their right hand resting on the hilt, standing tall and proud, all looking strong and capable.

Looking around, Zhuang Dongqing recognized quite a few faces.

“Did they transfer people from the camp back to the capital?”

Ahead, Gonggong Feng also noticed the unusual atmosphere in the Wangfu and asked.

Liu Qi let out a bitter smile and said, “Recently, there have been rumors about the capital. I’m sure you’ve heard, Gonggong. Our lord was never meant to stay in the capital for long, but thanks to His Majesty’s grace, he has been with the Empress for so many years and has even been appointed as the Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple… Over the years, he has made countless enemies, and given the current situation, we must be on guard.”

Gonggong Feng said solemnly, “Under the Emperor’s feet, who would dare to act recklessly!”

“You’re right, Gonggong. Right now in the capital, we can’t compare it to the spring hunt. Let’s just say we’re worried for our lord. He has never suffered like this, and if we don’t keep a close watch, how can we face the old lord after we die?!”

Mentioning the hunting grounds made Gonggong Feng choke up, and for a moment, he didn’t know what else to say.

But Liu Qi kept talking, “Back in the day, when our lord was just ten years old, he received the grace to come to the capital as a companion student. Before leaving, the old lord repeatedly instructed us to take care of him…”

Though they were a bit far apart, Zhuang Dongqing could still hear Liu Qi and Gonggong Feng’s conversation carried by the wind.

He never expected Liu Qi to have this side to him, and Zhuang Dongqing was taken aback.

As Liu Qi reminisced with emotion, the more heartfelt he became, the more silent Gonggong Feng grew.

Zhuang Dongqing realized that this matter must not be in the old emperor’s favor.

In a moment, they arrived at the main entrance of the west wing, and from a distance, they saw their group. The tightly shut door was opened by the guards on both sides.

Liu Qi led Gonggong Feng inside, and just before Zhuang Dongqing entered, he paused to glance at Hao San.

Knowing what Zhuang Dongqing was thinking, Hao San lowered his voice and said, “Young Master, don’t worry. With the old lord’s protection and so many imperial physicians present, our lord will surely turn misfortune into fortune and be safe.”

Zhuang Dongqing understood.

He meant that Cen Yan was fine.

With his heart slightly eased, Zhuang Dongqing whispered, “I’m afraid I might not know the proper etiquette and offend Gonggong.”

The two exchanged glances, and Hao San understood, reassuring him, “It’s fine. Just follow behind me and keep your head down.”

He might as well have said that he would handle everything.

Zhuang Dongqing nodded, promising, “I’ll listen to the captain.”

The more he spoke, the more mistakes he might make, so he decided to just quietly follow along.

Having prepared himself mentally, he stepped into the west wing, but what followed exceeded Zhuang Dongqing’s expectations.

He had been to the study and the reception room before, but the study was confidential, and no idle person was allowed in. Therefore, aside from Gonggong Feng and a few imperial physicians who were there to check on Cen Yan, the young eunuchs and many medicine boys were arranged in the reception room to wait for news.

As Zhuang Dongqing passed through the reception room with Hao San, he glanced over and saw a sea of heads; quite a few people had come.

Turning to the main house at the back, it was Zhuang Dongqing’s first time there.

He hadn’t thought much about it when he was looking around, but as he was about to enter, he suddenly felt a bit out of place, as if he were intruding on Cen Yan’s private territory, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

Before Zhuang Dongqing arrived, the Wangfu had only Cen Yan as its master, so naturally, his living space was spacious.

Most of the people who could come here were left outside, with only a few young eunuchs and medicine boys waiting in the outer area. Only Liu Qi, along with Gonggong Feng and a few imperial physicians, truly entered the inner chamber.

Zhuang Dongqing followed Hao San, while Liu Fu and two guards were left in the courtyard.

The first thing he noticed upon entering was the simplicity.

The inner chamber was not decorated like the homes of the wealthy in the capital; it had a bit of… His gaze shifted from the tie-dyed curtain to the intricately carved wooden eagle, and he noticed a knife with many embedded daggers hanging on the wall, exuding a strong ethnic flavor.

It must be a characteristic of the Wangfu’s fief.

As he lifted the curtain to enter the inner chamber, Hao San didn’t come closer but stood at the boundary between the inner and outer rooms, able to see the movements inside without getting too close to the palace people.

This arrangement suited Zhuang Dongqing just fine.

Keeping a distance eased his tension, and he looked up to see.

At that moment, his pupils constricted.

As he raised his eyes, Zhuang Dongqing happened to see the imperial physician frowning deeply, reaching out to check Cen Yan’s breath, and his heart sank again.

The physician’s actions not only startled Zhuang Dongqing but also shocked Gonggong Feng.

“What’s going on?” Gonggong Feng couldn’t help but take a half step closer, his eyes wide as he whispered.

You see, if the physician needed to check the breath, he would usually inform them beforehand, but the moment the physician placed his hand on the pulse, he immediately went to check the breath. The implications of these actions were not lost on Gonggong Feng.

The physician said, “Gonggong, please remain calm.”

As he spoke, he had already withdrawn his hand and let out a long sigh of relief, saying, “The lord still has breath, but…”

“But what?”

The physician wiped the sweat from his forehead, “But the breath is weak. We need to clear the room a bit; allow me to examine him carefully.”

Upon hearing this, Gonggong Feng’s expression darkened, and he looked at Cen Yan, who lay on the bed with pale lips and a bloodless face, looking nothing like someone who was fine.

For a moment, he felt a burning sensation in his heart, but having experienced many storms in the palace, Gonggong Feng didn’t show any signs on his face. He followed the instructions and stepped back a bit, looking at the physician with authority, “The lord is a descendant of the phoenix and dragon; you must examine him thoroughly.”

The physician replied, “Before leaving the palace, His Majesty also emphasized this; I will be careful.”

As he spoke respectfully, sweat began to bead on his forehead again.

Only then did Gonggong Feng wave his hand, and everyone stepped back a few paces.

Zhuang Dongqing had never seen Cen Yan like this before; he looked as pale as if he had just been pulled from the water. Even though he knew he shouldn’t be in any danger, he was still swept up in the atmosphere, anxiously clasping his left hand with his right, waiting in distress.

The physician called for the medicine boys to come in, first wiping his own sweat, steadying himself before continuing the examination.

After checking the pulse again, it was already two or three cups of tea later.

The room was silent, and the quiet atmosphere silently nurtured the growing panic in their hearts.

“May I see where the lord was bitten by the snake?”

After releasing his hand, the physician asked.

Liu Qi nodded and stepped forward to lift a corner of the blanket, revealing a calf. Zhuang Dongqing slightly opened his mouth.

He saw that the calf, which had only two holes left unhealed yesterday, was now completely swollen, the wound dark and black, spreading from the bite site outward.

As the physician’s breath caught, Zhuang Dongqing couldn’t help but swallow hard.

It really looked like a case of snakebite poisoning.

The physician pressed around the wound, and beads of sweat began to pour down his forehead. Gonggong Feng’s heart felt cold; even without medical knowledge, he knew what snake venom looked like, and right now…

Gonggong Feng furrowed his brows, waiting.

“The lord… looks like the poisoning is deep.” The physician wiped his sweat and said, “I’m sorry for my incompetence; I ask a few colleagues to come forward and examine him together.”

Gonggong Feng immediately looked at one of the imperial physicians. The physician in charge of the Imperial Medical Institute was not the best at detoxification.

But the Imperial Medical Institute still had such talents, like the one Gonggong Feng was looking at.

The physician accepted the order and immediately stepped forward to examine the wound, placing his hand on the pulse.

As soon as he touched it, he looked at the physician in surprise, making the same gesture as the physician before, reaching out to check the breath.

Seeing this, Gonggong Feng closed his eyes, already calculating the outcome of this visit in his heart.

After this examination, he called the last physician to come forward.

This last physician’s skills were not as good as the previous two, and when he checked the pulse, his eyes widened. Afterward, he kept wiping his sweat with his sleeve. When he finally released his hand, before Gonggong Feng could speak, he heard Liu Qi’s voice filled with tears, “Is my lord…?”

Hearing this, Zhuang Dongqing’s heart was also in turmoil.

Gonggong Feng could only comfort him, “Liu Supervisor, don’t panic. Let the lord rest first; shall we talk outside?”

The physician echoed, “Yes, yes, let’s talk outside.”

But Liu Qi wouldn’t give in, wanting a definite answer from the Imperial Medical Institute, his expression earnest, recounting Cen Yan’s contributions and his relationship with His Majesty, almost kneeling to plead for help. The room was in chaos for a moment, with Gonggong Feng trying to persuade him and the physicians comforting him. After much effort, they finally managed to get Liu Qi to go out to talk. Gonggong Feng wiped his sweat, and when he turned around, he met Zhuang Dongqing’s tearful face, which made his heart tighten again.

Zhuang Dongqing quickly lowered his head, and Hao San’s expression was serious, not saying a word, just raising his hand to salute.

Gonggong Feng, along with several imperial physicians and Liu Qi, finally managed to leave the inner chamber.

Once the footsteps faded, Zhuang Dongqing kept his head down and stepped forward to adjust the blanket for Cen Yan. Then he turned around to face Hao San, who was startled by his appearance.

“Young Master, you…”

It was no wonder Hao San was at a loss for words; Zhuang Dongqing looked truly pitiful, his eyes glistening with tears, his nose and lips red, and when he lowered his head again, he looked like he was on the verge of crying, utterly aggrieved.

As he opened his mouth, Zhuang Dongqing even sniffled, causing Hao San to swallow the rest of his sentence back.

Not daring to speak, he quickly found a stool for Zhuang Dongqing to sit beside Cen Yan, trying to calm him down.

But he didn’t need to explain.

Because as soon as Zhuang Dongqing sat down, his hand was grasped.

Seeing that the hand gripping his wrist came from under the blanket, Zhuang Dongqing looked up to see Cen Yan, who had opened his eyes at some point, weakly reassuring him, “It’s okay, Qingqing.”

• Gonggong Feng returned to the palace.

Accompanied by three imperial physicians.

The carriage rushed through several gates, almost reaching the Emperor’s sleeping quarters, and they hurriedly got out of the carriage and walked briskly.

Passing through the main hall, they entered the Emperor’s sleeping quarters.

Upon entering the inner chamber, a strong medicinal smell mixed with the overpowering scent of incense created a decayed and strange atmosphere that filled the air.

After greeting, an old voice came from the inner room, “How is A Yan?”

Gonggong Feng swallowed hard, steeling himself as he said, “The poisoning is deep; I’m afraid it’s all up to fate now.”

After Gonggong Feng finished speaking, the physician quickly added, “When this poison was encountered in the palace, none survived for long, including the Shufei, whom Your Majesty witnessed personally…”

“The lord has held on for so long and still has breath. Oh right, the Wangfu also has a divine physician from the fief; surely, a blessed person will have heavenly protection, perhaps… he can turn misfortune into fortune…”

As he spoke, the latter part of his voice trailed off, clearly indicating that even the physician didn’t fully believe in these auspicious words.

The inner chamber fell silent.

After a long while, with a sigh, the voice asked again, “Really?”

At this, inexplicably, Gonggong Feng didn’t think of Liu Qi but instead recalled that tearful face, which was truly…

Gonggong Feng deeply bowed and reported, “The physician examined the wound, and the distance between the two bite marks matches those found on the bodies of the poisoned people in the palace…”

Gonggong Feng closed his eyes, “It’s likely… true.”

Another wave of oppressive silence followed, and the voice in the inner chamber became very soft,

“What should we do now?”

• Meanwhile, in the Wangfu.

After saying just a few words, Gonggong Feng hurriedly left with the physicians. Liu Qi lingered for a moment, but seeing he couldn’t stay, he sent someone to escort them. He only said he needed to return to pull the blanket for the lord, and Gonggong Feng, already flustered, didn’t suspect anything.

Turning back into the inner chamber, upon seeing Zhuang Dongqing’s appearance, Liu Qi was also taken aback.

He was instantly at a loss for words, “What’s wrong? Is the young master alright?”

“Did you cry? It’s nothing; it’s my fault, my fault. I thought the young master wouldn’t encounter this, so I thought it was better to avoid trouble and didn’t inform you in advance…”

Zhuang Dongqing shook his head.

He couldn’t speak earlier, but after a moment, he felt better and said, “It’s not your fault.”

“I know it’s nothing.”

His voice was choked, and he sniffled again.

Cen Yan hesitated, “Then you…”

Zhuang Dongqing sniffled again, sincerely saying, “Liu Supervisor acted so well that I accidentally got drawn in.”

“Ugh, it looked too tragic.”

As he spoke, he wiped his eyes, reminiscing, and confirmed that the more he thought about it, the more tragic it seemed!

Hao San: “…”

Liu Qi: “…”

Cen Yan: “…”

Cen Yan couldn’t help but laugh and pressed his forehead, “Got it, I’ll watch it as a play.”