Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

The prince is like this, and Concubine Lin, an unfavored concubine, can only suffer more these years.

Qi Xiao watched Doctor Fang sitting by Concubine Lin's bed, taking her pulse. He was seething with rage, his fists clenched in anger, nearly shattering his bones. Any ordinary family could see a doctor for a disease, but why was it so difficult in this deep palace?! His mother was a noblewoman of high rank! The Imperial Hospital was full of doctors, so why didn't they save her?!

Doctor Fang finished taking Qi Xiao's pulse and came out to bow respectfully, "This old minister pays homage to His Highness the Ninth Prince."

Qi Xiao suppressed his temper and asked in a hoarse voice, "How is my mother's condition?"

"Reporting to His Highness the Ninth Prince, judging from the pulse, the Qi and blood are blocked, and the Yang Qi of the internal organs is insufficient. Noble Lady Lin has not recovered from the cold..."

"The cold hasn't healed yet?!" Qi Xiao couldn't contain his anger and interrupted Doctor Fang harshly, "It's not even Mid-Autumn Festival yet, the weather isn't cold yet, how can you have a cold?!"

Doctor Fang raised his eyes slightly to glance at Qi Xiao, only to see that his eyes were bloodshot and his face was gloomy and fierce, as if he was ready to eat him alive. The murderous aura frightened Doctor Fang so much that his legs went weak and he knelt on the ground, bowing his head and saying, "This, this... Noble Lin is weak, and the wind evil has come over, and the cold fever has invaded her internal organs. This is... this is..."

"Wind-cold fever? Why didn't you treat it before?!" Qi Xiao swung his sleeves, "Liu Shuang!"

Liu Shuang had only met Qi Xiao a few times. When she came before, he was very kind to everyone in Qiyun Palace, especially to Concubine Lin. She never expected that Qi Xiao would be so terrifying when he got angry. The palace maids knelt on the ground and trembled, fearing that they would also be charged with poor service.

Liu Shuang bravely said, "In reply to Your Highness, the Queen did catch a cold two months ago, and we asked the imperial physician to see her. The physician said that the Queen was weak and dared not use too much medicine. She could only slowly recuperate. This is..."

"It hasn't gotten better in two months?!" Qi Xiao knew that Liu Shuang didn't dare to tell the truth. He was afraid that the imperial physician was nowhere to be found and the medicine was in vain. Now Fang Yuanpan was right in front of him, and Liu Shuang didn't dare to complain. He was burning with anger and slammed his palm on the table. With a loud bang, the table was shattered into pieces by Qi Xiao's internal force and turned into a pile of broken wood in an instant. A piece of wood chip just brushed against Doctor Fang's cheek, and when Doctor Fang felt the pain, half of his face was bleeding.

"Your Highness, spare your life!"

"Your Highness, calm down!"

"Liu Shuang, go to the Imperial Hospital and get all my mother's pulse records from the past five years. I want to see them."

Doctor Fang opened his mouth to stop him, but his face hurt. He clutched the wound on his cheek, his hand dripping with blood, and dared not say another word. He was truly unlucky. He had never handled Concubine Lin's illness before, and he could have guessed that Concubine Lin had been ill for years. He had originally wanted to refuse when Qiyun Palace came to ask for help, but now everyone in the palace knew that the Ninth Prince was favored by His Majesty, and the Imperial Hospital dared not neglect him anymore, so he had to come. His presence would have been fine, but he hadn't expected to coincide with Qi Xiao's arrival, and he had actually stretched his neck to rub against Qi Xiao's knife blade!

"It was my fault that I accidentally injured Doctor Fang. Send Doctor Fang back."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Highness. I will go back and prepare medicine for Concubine Lin myself." Doctor Fang witnessed the Ninth Prince's rage and dared not even show any negligence. At this moment, he wished he could sacrifice him in order to save his life.

Qi Xiao didn't bother to care anymore. He had to take Concubine Lin out of the palace, the sooner the better!

Qi Xiao dismissed the palace servants and stayed alone beside Concubine Lin. Seeing her pale and haggard face, he felt hatred and pain in his heart. He crouched at the head of Concubine Lin's bed and whispered softly, "Mother, I'm scared..."

***

Qi Xiao was summoned to the palace, leaving Tang Ling alone in Yangxizhai. Qi Xiao asked him to wait in the main room, so Tang Ling looked around the room.

Yangxizhai is smaller than Huaxi Courtyard. It’s not that the secretary of the same guild hall is deliberately trying to make things difficult for Qi Xiao, but Yangxizhai is in the east, the main location, and the specifications are the highest. Fortunately, Qi Xiao didn’t bring many people with him, so it was just enough for them to live in. If it wasn’t enough, there was a courtyard next door, and they could be accommodated by opening the corner door.

Qi Xiao's main room wasn't small at all, but it was quite empty. Tang Ling looked around and felt like something was missing. However, the furnishings were plentiful, seemingly everything. Qi Xiao's personal belongings, on the other hand, were completely empty, save for his daily clothes. Thinking about it, Qi Xiao had spent most of his time away from Yangxi Zhai since arriving in Yuanjing City, so he certainly wouldn't have bought anything new.

Tang Ling was about to return to the side hall to retrieve the book when she caught a glimpse of a brocade box prominently placed on the table. Inside lay the folding fan Tang Ling had given to Qi Xiao. He had never seen Qi Xiao carry it with him before and had assumed he was angry with him and didn't like him. It turned out it wasn't that he disliked him; it was that he loved him so much that he carefully kept it.

Tang Ling smiled as she closed the brocade box and left Qi Xiao's room to get a book from the side hall. A few steps outside, a personal guard led Qing Lan into the inner courtyard. "Sir, Master Huang invites you back for lunch."

Tang Ling had promised Qi Xiao that she would wait for him to come back, and she was about to say she didn't want to go back. Qing Lan quickly stepped forward and said, "Sir, Master Huang has something important to discuss with you."

"...I understand. Let's go back then." Tang Ling thought about it. It would take some time for Qi Xiao to enter the palace to meet the emperor. Since he entered the palace, he should go to see Concubine Lin again. Tang Ling went back to Huaxi Villa to meet Huang Zexian now, and it would still be in time for her to come back, so she agreed to Qinglan's offer.

Before Tang Ling took a step forward, two more people came into the yard. Zong Sheng and Chi Yue came back.

Before Qi Xiao returned to the guild hall, he sent Bai Xiqiao to the Jingji Protectorate to assist Cao Weishan in the trial of the people from Changming Commercial Company. He also left Zong Sheng and Chi Yue in the Dali Temple, making sure that by the time Pei Hao came to the emperor in the morning, all the testimonies and statements from the servants of the Luo Mansion, the clerks of the Dali Temple, and the jailers had been sorted out. When Pei Hao came back, all the items were presented to him clearly and accurately before the two of them left.

Zong Sheng was not surprised to see Tang Ling in Yangxizhai, and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Master Tang."

"Mr. Tang." Chi Yue lowered his head.

Tang Ling stared at Chi Yue: "Have we met before?"

Chi Yue looked up and said, "Mr. Tang, I'm afraid you've made a mistake. I've never met you."

Tang Ling couldn't help but frown: "...Maybe I made a mistake."

Tang Ling did not stay any longer and left Yangxizhai with Qinglan.

On the way, Qinglan asked, "We have all seen the guards of Prince Chu's palace, but that person is not him."

"Yeah." Tang Ling responded lightly.

Qing Lan was a little surprised and said, "That's strange. The young master has a photographic memory and never mistakes someone."

"Qinglan, don't mention this matter or this person to others."

Qinglan was stunned. Sure enough, the young master recognized him!

"Yes, Qinglan knows."

Tang Ling recognized Chi Yue at a glance, even though they had only met once, and even though he and Chi Yue were still teenagers at that time, but because of the teardrop mole under his eye, there was no way Tang Ling would make a mistake.

It has been eight years, and I didn’t expect to meet him again in Chen State. He suddenly appeared beside Qi Xiao... There is only one possibility, Tiance Camp!