Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 52 Outbreak

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Outbreak

Zheng Haoyuan obediently took his medicine and lied down on the bed. After everyone thought he had fallen asleep and the palace maids had dozed off, he quietly opened his eyes.

The palace maid on the ground had been replaced, but Zheng Haoyuan was even more unfamiliar with this one, unsure if he had ever seen her in the Bushou Palace.

Zheng Haoyuan tiptoed past the palace maid snoozing at the foot of his bed and slipped out the door. He was unfamiliar with the yard of the Traveling Palace, but it was much simpler than the Imperial Palace, and the security patrol of the passageways was not as tight.

Upon leaving the yard, Zheng Haoyuan remembered he didn’t know Eunuch Ho Sheng’s whereabouts at that moment. But he couldn’t bear the thought of going back. Should he go looking for his cousin?

Zheng Haoyuan hesitated; he needed to find out what exactly Ho Sheng had said.

Just then, an imperial physician hurried towards the yard with a medicine chest, followed by two little eunuchs—who were from his palace.

Zheng Haoyuan immediately followed them. One of the little eunuchs turned around and shuddered before Zheng Haoyuan’s glare sent him reeling back in fright. Zheng Haoyuan pointed towards the path ahead, looking at the little eunuch, who nodded tremblingly.

"What’s the matter, why the sudden seizure?"

"Sir, we didn’t dare leave him for a moment. The steward’s strength is terribly frightening. Four or five guards couldn’t subdue him, and that black qi is starting to rise from his foot again."

Zheng Haoyuan frowned, black qi? His mind flashed again to that living mass of black qi. What in the world was it?

Before Zheng Haoyuan could enter Noble Consort Wen’s secluded courtyard, he heard the terrifying screams of Ho Sheng from inside. The voice was already hoarse, even exuding a hysteria that suggested blood was coming up his throat, indicating Ho Sheng had been yelling for quite some time.

The imperial physician looked troubled, but still lifted his robe and hurried inside.

"Crash—" A vase smashed against the doorframe, followed by a footstool that flew out, crashing down with such force that the wood scattered everywhere.

"Evacuate, why haven’t you evacuated?" The imperial physician covered his head and continued to advance timidly while shouting.

A few guards rushed outside, carrying things, and no one noticed that an extra person had slipped in behind the imperial physician.

Zheng Haoyuan observed the chaos strewn across the floor, and Ho Sheng, who was flailing wildly as if deranged, his hair disheveled, his clothes ripped into strips, exposing his greasy belly and thick arms.

Zheng Haoyuan frowned; it seemed he couldn’t get anything out of him now. Just as he was about to leave, the imperial physician had skillfully dodged all obstacles and reached Eunuch Ho Sheng’s side. He didn’t even look as he swiftly inserted a silver needle straight into Eunuch Ho Sheng’s forehead. Eunuch Ho Sheng immediately stopped moving as if frozen, his hand still raised mid-air, with guards dragging his arms and two others hanging from his waist.

"All right, quickly prepare a pot of the Calm Spirit Soup, make it strong, and pour it down his throat. Tie him to the bed, and make sure he is not released," the imperial physician instructed.

Zheng Haoyuan indeed saw Ho Sheng quieten down, only to hear Eunuch Ho Sheng shiver, then promptly collapse to the ground.

"Steward, steward." Two little eunuchs hurried to aid him, crying as they fixed up what little remained of Ho Sheng’s clothing, before once again draping a robe over him and assisting him to bed.

"What about His Highness? Cang Er, are you watching over His Highness?" Ho Sheng suddenly turned his head, grabbing one of the little eunuchs and asking anxiously.

"Steward, His Highness is fine, the Noble Consort is taking care of him," Cang Er hurriedly said, crying out in fright.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Haoyuan felt a surge of excitement and was about to step forward when he heard the eunuch’s voice from outside the door.

"Noble Consort arriving—" Zheng Haoyuan had no time to hide and, seeing a screened room with a sheer curtain to one side, darted behind it, crouching behind a Treasures Pavilion.

"Your servant, your servant—" Ho Sheng struggled to get up. His speech was not yet finished, and he blacked out mid-sentence, his body no longer under his control.

"No need." Noble Consort Wen waved her hand. "Mage, please take another look."

Zheng Haoyuan faintly made out the figure standing next to Noble Consort Wen, a tall figure dressed in white, the garb of a mage from Qiandao Temple. Yet, judging by the appearance, it was likely not a mage of any high rank from the temple.

Master Chang Zhen? Zheng Haoyuan vaguely remembered that this mage was acquainted with his Mother Consort.

Master Chang Zhen had already walked forward, one hand lifting Ho Sheng’s robe to reveal his tattered clothes.

Ho Sheng panicked, trying to avoid it, but Master Chang Zhen firmly held him down.

"There is no need to panic, steward. Before the Dao of magic, all is an illusion, everything is void," Master Chang Zhen said with a clear, smooth voice. His hands had already touched the black marks on Ho Sheng’s thigh.

Extending from his whole left foot up to the root of his thigh, the spreading blackness seemed like one big birthmark.

"Noble Consort, what kind of mystical arts is this, so powerful?" Noble Consort Wen’s concern was not for Ho Sheng, but whether this mystical art could harm others again.

"Your Highness, this is a Slander Technique, consistent with Master Yin He’s technique. This black miasma should also be a form of power transfer," Master Chang Zhen spoke vaguely. "However, this technique is very powerful. In just half a day, it has reached the root of the thigh. Now, we can only use a spell to restrain it temporarily and take the man back to Qiandao Temple. After reporting to Master Huo Yi, we will make a decision."

"Then we will trouble the mage," said Noble Consort Wen. Watching Master Chang Zhen, she saw him trace talismans in the air that initially seemed invisible, but gradually golden lights flickered along his motions. Following Master Chang Zhen’s low shout, they directly wrapped around Ho Sheng’s thigh root, abruptly leaving a golden ring mark over the black one.

"Thank you, thank you so much, mage," Ho Sheng thanked him again.

"There is one more thing. Although the Fourth Prince has not been attacked, to be on the safe side, Noble Consort could request Master Huo Yi to send Master Ling Yi."

"Thank you for the reminder, mage," Noble Consort Wen immediately nodded. "However, I will take Ho Sheng back to the palace myself, then send someone to take him to Qiandao Temple. What do you think, mage?"

After hearing this, Master Chang Zhen nodded. The way to Qiandao Temple was the same as the way back to the palace, besides, it was indeed troublesome for him to take Ho Sheng alone.

"In that case, I will first return to report this matter to my master." Since Master Yin He was not from Qiandao Temple, he also needed to consult his master on how to handle the situation.

Without lingering any longer, Master Chang Zhen left, and Noble Consort Wen saw him out, but then turned back.

Zheng Haoyuan, however, was puzzled; his Mother Consort wasn’t leaving, she stood in front of Ho Sheng, a quiet but strange atmosphere around her.

"Your Highness, I am not sure how the prince is doing..." Ho Sheng’s heart was completely focused on Zheng Haoyuan, and he respectfully asked.

"Fu Gong is fine. I ask you, apart from you and a few people like Princess Chao Ren, does anyone else know about what happened in the cave?" Noble Consort Wen asked in return. She had kept Ho Sheng there not for Master Chang Zhen’s convenience, but because she had no intention of saving Ho Sheng.

Ho Sheng was slightly stunned but recovered faster than Zheng Haoyuan.

"Rest assured, Your Highness, no others are aware, and I will not speak of it. As for Princess Chao Ren, there is no need for concern. The Princess originally has no contact with others in the palace."

Zheng Haoyuan was momentarily taken aback, vaguely grasping the meaning behind Ho Sheng’s words.

The silence in the air slowly spread out, with fear and darkness accumulating.

"Yet, I only believe that the dead are truly capable of keeping secrets. Although I know you are very loyal, Ho Sheng, this concerns the reputation of the Great Imperial Family, and that of the Second and Fourth Princes. For you, dying would be an honor."

Zheng Haoyuan sharply turned his head, disbelieving that these words came from his Mother Consort.

But Eunuch Ho Sheng seemed to have anticipated all of this.

"Your Highness, this old servant is useless, causing the prince to fall into danger. I deserve to die, having no other wishes left. I only ask that Your Highness take good care of the prince. From now on, he is your only hope."

Eunuch Ho Sheng gave a desolate smile, knowing ever since he spoke out to seek justice for his master that he would meet today’s end.

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