After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

A cloud of dust rose as several fast horses came to a stop outside the free clinic tent. The riders dismounted with clean, swift movements, clearly skilled in martial arts.

The leader was dressed in official robes, with a serious expression, looking very much like he was doing his job. Behind him were several guards with equally serious expressions.

He walked straight up to Zhu Ling and Lin Qin, and took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his sleeve. "By order of the Emperor, the Prince and Princess are hereby summoned to the palace immediately!"

"Your Highness and Princess are doing a great service by providing free medical consultations and medicine. Why are you suddenly being summoned to the palace?" Zhu Ling stepped forward, shielding Lin Qin behind him, his tone carrying a hint of questioning.

"How dare you question the Emperor's decree!" the official scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain. "Accept the decree!"

Upon seeing this, the surrounding people began to whisper among themselves and discuss the matter.

The once bustling free clinic site fell silent instantly, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Lin Qin's heart was in her throat; she had a vague feeling that this matter was probably related to her.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, please cooperate and don't make things difficult for me." Seeing that the two did not move, the official's tone became a bit harsher.

The guards behind him also stepped forward, subtly forming an encirclement.

Lin Qin took a deep breath, suppressed her unease, and reached out to accept the imperial edict.

The bright yellow silk felt cold to the touch, just like her mood at that moment.

"Your Highness and Your Highness, please." The official gestured for them to enter, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Lin Qin turned to look at Zhu Ling, only to see his brows furrowed. She gently shook her head to reassure him, then followed the official to the carriage.

The carriage slowly drove away from the free clinic site. Lin Qin lifted the curtain and glanced at the crowd gradually disappearing behind her, feeling a mix of emotions.

She had organized the free clinic herself, but now it had to be abandoned halfway through, and she was filled with resentment.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned sharply to look at Zhu Ling, "Your Highness, wait! That..."

Lin Qin turned around abruptly.

The official took the document, unfolded it, and saw that it was clearly written in vermilion ink: "By imperial decree, Princess Lin is permitted to conduct free medical consultations in the capital and surrounding areas to benefit the people." The emperor's dragon seal was also present at the end of the document, leaving no room for doubt.

A look of surprise crossed the official's face, which quickly turned to anger and resentment.

"Why...why have I never heard of this document before?" The official's tone carried a hint of doubt, but more so, helplessness.

Lin Qin smiled slightly, "My lord, after the last free clinic, His Majesty personally bestowed honors upon us to commend our good deeds. Now, if you have any questions, you are welcome to go to the palace to ask His Majesty for verification."

Seeing this, the surrounding guards also wavered and exchanged glances.

The tense atmosphere at the free clinic eased slightly for a moment.

A sense of accomplishment welled up in Lin Qin's heart, and the moment she held the document in her hand, she felt an unprecedented confidence.

Seeing Lin Qin's quick wit, Zhu Ling felt somewhat relieved, but the worry between his brows did not completely disappear.

He turned to look at Lin Qin and said in a low voice, "Qin'er, this summons is probably not simple. I..."

Lin Qin interrupted him, "Our most important task right now is to stabilize the situation at the free clinic."

Upon hearing this, the official's face turned ashen, but he could not force the two to enter the palace immediately. He could only put away the document, and although his tone was still firm, it was not as resolute as before: "Since the Princess Consort has the Emperor's decree, then this official naturally dares not neglect it. But today's matter still needs the Prince and Princess Consort to explain to the Emperor in person."

Zhu Ling nodded, her brows furrowed, a wave of helplessness washing over her.

Lin Qin sensed his emotional change and felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she forced herself to calm down, reached out and gently grasped Zhu Ling's hand, squeezing it firmly to convey her silent support.

The carriage slowly started moving and headed towards the palace.

Lin Qin lifted the curtain and watched the free clinic gradually disappear into the distance, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She knew this was just the beginning, and the road ahead was long and difficult.

"Your Highness, no matter what happens, I will be by your side." Lin Qin's voice was gentle, but her determination was unwavering.

Zhu Ling nodded.

The carriage gradually drove away, raising clouds of dust, but only a firm promise echoed in the wind.

As the carriage drove away, dust billowed up, and Lin Qin felt a mix of emotions.

She held Zhu Ling's hand tightly, but her heart was filled with conflict.

On the one hand, she knew that the free clinic was her life's work and she couldn't abandon it halfway because of this sudden summons; on the other hand, she was worried about Zhu Ling's situation and didn't know what would happen in the palace.

For a moment, the tense atmosphere was ever-present, making it hard for her to breathe.

Lin Qin took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

She knew that the most important thing now was to stabilize the situation of the free clinic and allow the people to continue receiving treatment.

She returned to the free clinic tent and saw Dr. Zhao and several other doctors working busily. The surrounding people looked worried, but more than anything, they showed their support and trust in Lin Qin.

"Princess Lin, you're back!" Doctor Zhao rushed to greet Lin Qin upon seeing her, his voice tinged with concern. "What happened? Is it...?"

Lin Qin smiled slightly and shook her head. "Dr. Zhao, everything is fine. It's just that the Prince and I have been temporarily summoned to the palace to handle some matters. The free clinic cannot stop; we still need your continued efforts here."

Dr. Zhao nodded. "Don't worry, we will continue with the free clinic."

Lin Qin felt a warmth in her heart. She looked around and saw that the people were also casting supportive glances at her.

An elderly woman held her hand and said with deep emotion, "Princess Lin, you are our benefactor. No matter what happens, we are willing to testify for you. Continue to do your good deeds, we all support you."

Lin Qin was so moved that she almost cried. She nodded vigorously, "Thank you everyone, thank you for your understanding and support. I will come back as soon as possible and continue to work hard with everyone."

After saying that, she turned around and went back into the free clinic tent to continue instructing the doctors on their work.

The people applauded Lin Qin, and the atmosphere gradually returned to its usual liveliness and harmony.

Lin Qin's heart was filled with strength and confidence once again.

Just then, a rapid sound of hooves came from outside, and several fast horses galloped up and stopped outside the free clinic tent.

The rider dismounted, and a smiling young man walked over, the letter in his hand gleaming in the sunlight.

“Princess Lin, the Prince sent me here to show his support.” He smiled and handed over the letter. “Please continue your free clinic, Princess. The Prince will finish dealing with the affairs in the palace as soon as possible.”

Lin Qin received the letter, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She raised her head and looked at the man riding up on horseback. "Please tell His Highness that I am waiting for his return."

"

The man nodded, turned and leaped onto his horse, galloping away and leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

Lin Qin gripped the letter tightly, her heart filled with determination. Her gaze was firm and hopeful, as if conveying a vow in silence.

No sooner had Zhu Ling left than he sent his trusted bodyguards in disguise to mingle among the crowd at the free clinic, keeping a close watch on Lin Qin's safety.

This prince appears cold and aloof on the surface, but he's secretly a jealous and possessive man, constantly worried that his princess will be kidnapped.

Lin Qin, on the other hand, is also a decisive person. As soon as the imperial decree was issued, she immediately switched to "business-oriented" mode, as if she had been injected with chicken blood.

She commanded with composure and arranged the free clinic in an orderly manner, displaying the demeanor of a "strong woman".

He was busy discussing prescriptions with Dr. Zhao one minute and comforting the people who came for treatment the next. He was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, but he didn't seem tired at all. On the contrary, he became more and more energetic as he worked.

Watching Lin Qin's busy figure, the guard secretly admired her: The princess is truly an extraordinary woman; no wonder the prince cares so much about her.

He secretly reported Lin Qin's situation to Zhu Ling, and even added some praise, which made Zhu Ling's lips curl up in the palace. He was secretly pleased: This little girl really has some skills.

In the palace, Zhu Ling answered the emperor's questions flawlessly, exonerating himself completely.

Although the emperor had doubts, he ultimately lacked conclusive evidence and had to abandon the matter for the time being.

However, this does not mean the matter is over. The investigation is still ongoing, and it remains to be seen whether Zhu Ling can completely extricate himself from the situation.

Meanwhile, in Linqin, the free clinic was in full swing, with a constant stream of people coming to seek medical treatment.

Looking at the grateful faces, Lin Qin felt a great sense of accomplishment.

She was about to take a short break when suddenly a sharp voice shattered the harmony of the scene.

"Is this free clinic of yours just a front? I think you're clearly using the guise of a free clinic to swindle money from people!" A richly dressed woman pointed at Lin Qin's nose and shouted loudly.

Lin Qin frowned slightly, thinking to herself: Where did these "demons and monsters" come from this time?

Just as she was about to explain, a figure suddenly blocked her way.

"Madam, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Our Princess is doing this out of kindness, offering free medical care to the people. How can you slander her like this?" The speaker was Zhu Ling's trusted bodyguard, who had changed into ordinary civilian clothes and was pretending to be a volunteer at the free clinic.

Seeing someone step forward, the woman became even more aggressive, "And who are you? How dare you speak to me like that? Be careful..."

"Who I am is unimportant. What matters is that if you dare to slander the Princess again, don't blame me for being impolite!" The guard's voice turned cold.

The woman was intimidated by his imposing manner, and her momentum weakened somewhat, but she still refused to give up. "Hmph, I'll see what you can do to me!"

The guard sneered and was about to speak when suddenly a voice came from the crowd, "Madam, you must have misunderstood."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man in official robes walk out, holding a scroll in his hand. "This is the document issued by the Emperor for the free medical consultation, proving that Princess Lin's free medical consultation is legal and compliant."

The woman's face changed, and she stammered, "This...this..."

"My lord, what brings you here?" Lin Qin asked in surprise.

The newcomer was the same official who had read the imperial edict earlier. He smiled slightly, "I have come by order of His Majesty to investigate the free medical clinic." He paused, his gaze falling on the woman, "Madam, do you have anything else to say?"

The woman's face turned deathly pale, and she couldn't utter a single word.

The official turned to Lin Qin, his tone much gentler, "Princess Lin, please cooperate with us and accept our investigation."

Lin Qin nodded. "Of course, I'm ready to cooperate at any time."

The official smiled with satisfaction, then said to the guard beside him, "Let's begin."