Chapter 215 1/3

After Li Qingzhi approached the woman, he smelled the scent of medicine and something burnt.

He was puzzled by the smell until he saw the face of the child in the woman’s arms.

The child had been scalded beyond recognition, with no intact skin on his face.

The woman, though elderly, had an air of nobility. Her clothes, though simple, were made of the finest fabric and embroidery. The child she held was clearly scalded…

Li Qingzhi immediately realized something – this woman before him was Concubine Liu!

And this child must be the young prince from the palace!

The child’s injuries were severe. In modern times, with antibiotics, he would surely survive. But this was the ancient world, with no antibiotics.

A child with such severe injuries, without antibiotics… it was highly likely he would die from infection.

Infection wasn’t the only threat. His eyes were burned, as were his mouth and nose… for this child, breathing and eating were extremely difficult. He was hanging by a thread.

“Can you save him?” Concubine Liu grabbed Li Qingzhi’s sleeve.

Normally, Concubine Liu wouldn’t believe a young man like Li Qingzhi could save someone the royal physicians had given up on.

But seeing Qi An barely clinging to life, she was desperate.

Now, she was willing to believe and try anything if it meant saving Qi An!

“Let me take a look.” Li Qingzhi didn’t dare delay. He extended a hand to the barely breathing child, pretending to check his pulse.

As he stood before Concubine Liu, her followers closed in. Li Qingzhi could feel several pairs of eyes on him.

A single misstep, and these people would attack him.

But he had no ill intentions, so he had no need to worry.

Li Qingzhi’s energy entered the burned child’s body, quickly revealing his condition.

Although the child had been doused with burning charcoal, his winter clothes had protected him from severe burns.

However, the child had cried and inhaled smoke… his throat and lungs were burned.

Now, every breath he took was agonizing.

Without treatment, he would certainly die.

Li Qingzhi used his energy to treat the most critical areas, those that could be fatal.

After doing so, his energy was depleted.

He had overestimated himself thinking he could enter the palace to treat both the emperor and the child. Given his current abilities, saving even one was difficult.

For the first few days, he might need to stay with the child, treating him as soon as he regained energy.

Otherwise, the child’s condition might worsen.

“Can you save him?” Concubine Liu asked, gripping Li Qingzhi’s sleeve so tightly her veins bulged.

“To fully heal him is impossible, but I have a way to keep him alive,” Li Qingzhi said.

The child was so severely burned that claiming he could heal him would be unbelievable.

But saying he could keep him alive… that might be believable.

Concubine Liu’s hand trembled from the intensity of her grip: “Really?”

“Really,” Li Qingzhi confirmed, “Madam, let me take you to my home. I have medicine there.”

Without hesitation, Concubine Liu agreed: “Alright.”

As soon as she spoke, a woman in her thirties approached: “Madam…”

Concubine Liu glanced at the woman and said to Li Qingzhi, “This is my maid. She will accompany me.”

“Of course,” Li Qingzhi agreed readily.

He had no ill intentions towards Concubine Liu and didn’t mind her maid accompanying them.

He noticed Concubine Liu gesturing to her followers, likely instructing them to investigate his background.

Li Qingzhi wasn’t concerned. He was the top scholar of Jiang’an Province! Once Concubine Liu learned his identity, she would trust him even more.

Their destination wasn’t far from Li Qingzhi’s residence.

Concubine Liu, already cloaked, wrapped herself tighter to conceal her face and the child, and followed Li Qingzhi.

Soon, they arrived at Qingshi Lane.

People greeted Li Qingzhi warmly: “Mr. Li, back so soon?” “Mr. Li, where did you go?” “Mr. Li, who’s this?”

Li Qingzhi fabricated an identity for Concubine Liu: “This is a friend of my godmother, here to visit her.”

As soon as he finished speaking, they encountered Lord Ping.

After settling in the capital, Li Qingzhi’s first visit was to Lord Ping, and since they lived nearby, they had maintained contact.

They often shared food with Lord Ping, who couldn’t afford a skilled young cook and had hired an elderly woman instead. The food wasn’t great.

The dishes from the Li family were a treat for them!

Hence, Lord Ping was very fond of Li Qingzhi. Seeing him now, he said, “Zi Xiao, there’s trouble in the capital. Stay home for the next few days! I don’t know what happened, but the palace is sealed, and the mansions of Prince Jin and Prince Yan are surrounded. We’ve been sent home.”

Lord Ping was still in his official robes, clearly just back from the office.

Li Qingzhi replied, “Thank you for the warning, my lord. I’ll be careful.” Lord Ping didn’t know the specifics, but Li Qingzhi did, and he had already brought Concubine Liu home.

After Lord Ping left, Li Qingzhi led Concubine Liu into his home.

At first, Concubine Liu was thrilled when Li Qingzhi said he could save Qi An, not doubting him at all.

But as they walked, doubts arose.

How could she randomly encounter someone who could save Qi An?

Was this person trying to harm her?

If so, he would meet a grim fate.

Many thoughts crossed Concubine Liu’s mind, but entering Qingshi Lane, seeing so many people recognize Li Qingzhi and call him “Mr. Li,” her doubts vanished.

After seeing Li Qingzhi talk to Lord Ping…

Concubine Liu didn’t know Lord Ping but recognized his official attire.

The young man might not heal her An An, but he seemed to mean no harm.

The Li family door was open, and upon entering, Concubine Liu saw a pregnant woman sunning herself in a sheltered veranda.

Two maids were washing clothes in basins of steaming water… A household that boiled water for maids to wash clothes couldn’t be bad.

In the palace, lacking firewood, she had to wash clothes in freezing water, hands raw and chapped.

“Azhi, who is this?” Mrs. Qian asked, puzzled.

Mrs. Qian didn’t know about Li Qingzhi’s special abilities or the palace troubles. Li Qingzhi and Li Zhu hadn’t informed her.

Li Qingzhi explained, “Auntie, I met a lady on the road whose child was burned. I promised to help treat him.”

“I see. You go ahead,” Mrs. Qian replied, turning to Concubine Liu: “Madam, my Ah Zhi is skilled in medicine. Don’t worry, he’ll surely heal your child!”