Peerless Physician: The Path of a Foolish Eldest Daughter's Rise to Power

Early morning, at the Fourth Prince's residence.

The fourth prince, Chu Yichen, was unbearably itchy all over. When he got up, he found that his hands were covered in red rashes, some of which had already ulcerated. He was horrified and dared not look at them. Were these still his noble hands?

He glanced at the woman beside him and was startled. The beautiful woman from last night had developed a lot of red rashes on her face this morning, fewer than those on his hands, but still quite unsightly.

The woman opened her eyes and looked at Chu Yichen with a seductive gaze. The fourth prince's face was covered with red rashes, some of which were beginning to ooze yellow pus. The woman was horrified and screamed, her voice echoing throughout the courtyard and attracting many people.

Chu Yichen was so angry that he kicked the woman off the bed. He thought she was nice, but he spoiled her. She couldn't handle anything and was just a pretty face.

The woman, without even having time to dress, knelt down and begged for mercy.

Chu Yichen said with a dark face, "Useless thing, hurry up and get dressed, are you waiting to be laughed at?"

A moment later, Chu Yize's face itched. When he touched it, his once smooth skin began to itch and itch.

The local physicians couldn't find the cause, so they had to call in the imperial physician.

The three imperial physicians took turns examining the pulse but could not find the problem. The pulse was similar to normal. They were not skilled in poisons, and they could not come to a conclusion.

Chu Yichen found it was itchier than before. He looked in the bronze mirror again and found that there were more red rashes and more pus.

When Judge Sun arrived, he investigated everything the Fourth Prince had eaten, used, and come into contact with yesterday, causing chaos throughout the entire mansion.

When Consort Zhu learned that her son was ill, she hurriedly left the palace. The Emperor placed the Fourth Prince under house arrest, but did not forbid anyone from visiting him.

When Consort Zhu saw her son's face and hands, and knew that he had also been disfigured on his body, she almost collapsed. Her imperial son must not be disfigured, absolutely not.

A servant reported that Physician Huo had arrived in the capital yesterday, and Consort Zhu immediately sent someone to invite him.

The news spread throughout the streets that the Fourth Prince was covered in festering sores. The once handsome prince had been completely disfigured and his body was covered in sores in just one morning.

Upon hearing this, Doctor Huo's shrewd eyes lit up; he could now study the lesion again.

He arrived at the Fourth Prince's residence, and Consort Zhu was grateful to Physician Huo for coming to treat her son.

Doctor Huo examined the Fourth Prince, took his pulse, listened carefully to Physician Sun's reaction, asked some questions, and also examined the woman.

Consort Zhu was furious. Her son was of noble status, and it was only right and proper for Doctor Huo to treat him. How could that lowly maid be worthy of being treated by Doctor Huo? How could she be compared to her son?

"Both the Fourth Prince and this woman have been poisoned." Doctor Huo stroked his white beard and gave his conclusion. "This is the first time I've seen this kind of poison, and the antidote won't be available for a while."

Consort Zhu watched as her son scratched incessantly, his face and hands already covered in blood and gore.

The woman who was serving her son last night was also poisoned, and she believes that the woman poisoned her son.

He walked up to the woman, slapped her twice, and then hysterically shouted, "Guards, drag this wretched woman away and beat her to death!"

Physician Huo and Physician Sun quickly stopped her, saying, "Your Highness, you absolutely cannot."

"My son is already in this state, are you still going to side with this lowly servant?" Consort Zhu was furious. Her status as a mother depended on her son, and the fact that her son had suffered such a fate had driven her to lose her mind.

"Shut up, are you a healer?" A deep voice silenced the room instantly. The emperor was furious, and everyone knelt down to pay their respects.

"Rise." After Emperor Yongfeng finished speaking, he walked up to the Fourth Prince. When he saw Chu Yichen's disfigured face, he felt a sudden pain in his heart. He had heard the Fourth Prince's face in the Imperial Study, but he was not as shocked as he was by what he saw. What would happen if he couldn't be cured?

"Guards, tie up the Fourth Prince and make sure he stops scratching," Emperor Yongfeng said.

"Dr. Huo, Physician Sun, you can treat him according to your own ideas."

Doctor Huo and Physician Sun took the woman's blood and then told her to go and rest.

Emperor Yongfeng glared at Consort Zhu. He felt more and more that Consort Zhu was different from what he had seen before. She was really stupid. Whose blood would be taken to test the medicine after that woman was beaten to death?

"You should go back to the palace. You can't help here and will only affect the judgment of Physician Huo and Physician Sun."

The fourth prince really wanted to cry in front of Emperor Yongfeng, but even if he cried, his face would show no emotion. Moreover, he was itchy and in pain all over his body, so he had no mood to put on a show for the emperor.

Emperor Yongfeng told Chu Yichen to rest well, and then he left, followed by Consort Zhu.

The Fourth Prince's residence has become much quieter.

While Dr. Huo was conducting research, Physician Sun, who was not an expert in poisons, assisted Dr. Huo without feeling wronged at all, and even enjoyed it.

Despite working tirelessly all day, Dr. Huo was still unable to devise an antidote.

The fourth prince's condition worsened, and the woman's condition was also not optimistic. Physician Sun suggested seeking out other renowned doctors to discuss the matter, hoping to find clues to an antidote.

Meanwhile, the streets and alleys of the capital were abuzz with talk of the Fourth Prince's illness, and all sorts of rumors were spreading like wildfire. Some said it was the work of evil spirits, while others said it was the work of hostile forces.

There's another bombshell news today: Wen Yu, the handsome and talented young master of the capital, and Yang, the eldest of the four young masters of the capital, are engaged to a peasant girl and will be married in a month.

In the imperial study, Emperor Yongfeng breathed a sigh of relief and was in an exceptionally good mood when he heard that Yang Mujin was going to marry a peasant girl.

These literati should not be underestimated; they wield considerable influence and can command a large following.

This was Yang Mujin's own choice, and the Yang family actually agreed. He sent people to investigate, and it's true.

He would not agree to the marriage between the Gu and Yang families. He didn't know what the late emperor was thinking, but he couldn't let them become even closer relatives.

Princess Jiayang followed the Empress Dowager in fasting and chanting scriptures, praying that she could marry Yang Mujin, her heart filled with longing.

Zhu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, looked resentful and jealous. She had originally admired Yang Mujin, but now she was very indignant. How could a peasant girl be worthy of the young master?

Some people were happy for Yang Mujin and wished him a happy marriage; others felt sorry for him and thought he deserved a better match.

Inside Prince Yi's residence, Chu Hongyu was looking for his sister. "Jingning, why don't you ask Xinyue to come out? I have something I want to say to her face to face."

“Brother, you make the appointment yourself, and I'll deliver the message for you. I don't want Xinyue to misunderstand that I'm using her. You know she's my only friend in the capital.”

"Okay, okay, okay, I still thank you for your help, brother."

After handing the letter to Chu Jingning, Chu Hongyu waited anxiously for half a day. Then a servant came to report that Gu Xinyue had gone to the Yang residence.

Prince Yi was in the imperial study, waiting for the emperor to finish reviewing the last memorial.

"Uncle Yi, what is it you want to say?"

"Your Majesty, have you heard? Yang Mujin is getting married. Could you please grant Gu Xinyue to Yu'er in marriage?"

"Is this your idea, or the Princess's? What is Yu'er's attitude?"

"Yu'er was excited when he found out and wanted Jingning to help him sound out Gu Xinyue's opinion. The princess dotes on her son and had previously introduced him to several families, all of whom had good family backgrounds, but he didn't like any of them. Now that there's an opportunity, the princess asked me to implore the emperor to grant them a marriage."

"Don't you have any ideas?"

"I'm happy as long as they're happy."

"Didn't you used to be oblivious to worldly affairs?"

"I didn't have any children before, so of course I worry about them now that I have two."

"Next time you come to me, I hope it won't be for your wife and children, but for yourself."

"Very well, Your Majesty. The Gu family would never marry their daughter down. I've thought about it and it would be best for him to marry into the royal family. That would be good for everyone."

"Gu Xinyue has a bad reputation?"