The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1482: 724 Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law (Part 2)_2

Chapter 1482: 724 Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law (Part 2)_2

The National Master asked, “Have you not considered conservative treatment?”

Gu Jiao opened another cabinet, “Let her lie down for three months? With her temperament, I’m afraid she won’t stay put. Ah, found it.”

The National Master looked at Shangguan Yun, then at Gu Jiao, but he did not ask how Gu Jiao knew about Shangguan Yun’s temperament.

However, to be honest, considering all of Shangguan Yun’s injuries, she indeed was not suitable for conservative treatment.

Everything was ready.

Gu Jiao and the National Master each took their places on opposite sides of the operating table.

Gu Jiao: “Patient’s condition.”

The National Master: “Anesthesia complete, heart rate normal, blood pressure normal.”

Gu Jiao: “Surgery begins.”

…

Xiao Hen stood quietly in the chamber, waiting.

Zhang Dequan also came over, though it was not clear whether he had volunteered or had been sent by the sovereign.

Many chambers were here, yet he did not stay inside any of them but paced back and forth in the corridor. He was worried that making too much noise might disturb Shangguan Yun’s treatment, so he moved lightly.

He tiptoed, like a thief.

Xiao Hen appeared calmer than him, but his heart surged with waves of emotion.

Having experienced life and death, there were few things in the world that could unsettle him.

Gu Jiao had already successfully escaped from danger, and his current unease came from another woman.

But that was strange, wasn’t it?

He tried to calm himself down. Worrying was of no use, and what he needed to do now was to figure out the whole truth of the matter, to find the mastermind behind the incident and those accomplices who had abetted the villainy.

“Eunuch Zhang.”

He called to Zhang Dequan who was walking down the corridor; he remembered that was how the junior eunuchs in Zhaoyang Hall addressed him.

Zhang Dequan stopped in his tracks and looked over at Xiao Hen.

Xiao Hen was now in disguise, wearing a most ordinary face, even his Vermilion Phoenix Eyes had been transformed into ordinary eyes.

Zhang Dequan really did not recognize anything.

“You are… Xiao Liulang’s medicine boy?” Zhang Dequan asked.

“Yes,” Xiao Hen said.

“Ah.” Noticing that Xiao Hen seemed to have something to say, Zhang Dequan looked at the surgery room guarded by the assassins, then silently walked over to Xiao Hen’s room using soft careful steps, “Is there something you need?”

Just as Xiao Hen was about to speak, a junior eunuch from the palace approached, “Eunuch Zhang, people from the Duwei Prefecture have come. They want to take Xiao Liulang’s medicine boy to the prefecture for questioning.”

This was for the investigation of the assassination.

Xiao Hen was in disguise, and entering the Duwei Prefecture could likely blow his cover, probably with a high chance of enduring some severe interrogation, especially if he pointed out the Han Family’s heir as the culprit.

Zhang Dequan did not interfere with the Duwei Prefecture’s authority to arrest people, after all, the prefecture was also a trusted office of His Majesty’s.

At this moment, a disciple from the National Master Hall approached, it was National Master Hall’s head disciple, Ye Qing.

Ye Qing said indifferently to the junior eunuch, “This is the National Master Hall, any matter can wait until the National Master comes out.”

The junior eunuch opened his mouth, “But the Duwei Prefecture…”

Ye Qing flung his sleeve, emitting a full aura, “The Duwei Prefecture has no right to take anyone from the National Master Hall!”

The junior eunuch trembled with fright, “Yes! I will convey the message right away!”

After the young eunuch hastily left, Ye Qing greeted Zhang Dequan before turning his gaze to Xiao Hen, his tone and expression much more polite than before, “You must be Young Master Xiao’s medicinal boy. My name is Ye Qing, the principal disciple of the National Master Hall. The National Master has prepared some herbs for Young Master Xiao; come with me to get them.”

Xiao Hen nodded and left Qilin Palace together with Ye Qing.

Ye Qing said, “The younger disciples have placed the herbs in the Book Pavilion, just ahead.”

Xiao Hen replied, “Thank you for your trouble.”

The two of them headed towards the Book Pavilion together.

Ye Qing suddenly sighed, “Such a serious incident has occurred with the former Princess, causing an uproar throughout the Imperial Palace. Although the former Princess has been demoted to a commoner, she was after all, raised by several of the noble consorts. Before dawn, those noble consorts requested a decree to go to the Grand Temple to offer sacrifice to the ancestors and pray for the former Princess. Han Ye, as the deputy commander of the Imperial Forest Army, was also in the entourage.”

Xiao Hen’s eyes flickered, and he looked towards Ye Qing, “Was Han Ye always at the Grand Temple?”

Ye Qing nodded, “Yes, the Grand Temple is in the outer court, that is, what the common folk call the ‘before palace.’ Naturally, when the noble consorts leave the Imperial Harem, they must be escorted by the Imperial Forest Army. The noble consorts prayed until noon; only after Han Ye’s Imperial Forest Army escorted them back to the Imperial Harem did they depart.”

The assassination had clearly happened at the hour of si.

By the hour of zi, he had already entered the palace.

If Han Ye was at the Grand Temple the whole time, then he would have the perfect alibi.

If at that moment, he had been taken away by the people from the Duwei Prefecture and accused Han Ye before all the officials, it would have inevitably been ruled as slander.

Gu Jiao had fought with Han Ye; the Han Ye in the forest was the real one.

The Han Ye at the Grand Temple was a substitute, who, like him, had used disguise techniques.

No wonder Han Ye dared to personally assassinate the physician invited by the emperor.

If the assassination had been successful, all the better.

If not, then pointing the finger at Han Ye would be falling into this well-laid trap.

The outcome would be that not only would the Han Family be unscathed, but also the injuries of the Princess could become a ploy framed against the Han Family and the Crown Prince.

What a cunning plan, truly a cunning plan!

But why would Ye Qing tell him all this?

Was it inadvertent or intentional?

“We’ve arrived,” Ye Qing said to Xiao Hen. “Let’s go in.”

Xiao Hen entered the Book Pavilion with Ye Qing.

The Book Pavilion was very quiet, which complemented the peaceful aura of Ye Qing.

Ye Qing seemed like an easygoing young man, yet he maintained a polite distance, not letting others get too close.

The disciples all greeted him with a bow: “Senior Brother.”

Ye Qing nodded politely.

Ye Qing led Xiao Hen through rows of bookshelves to his desk. Looking at a medicine basket on the desk, he remarked, “Ah, here it is.”

“I’ll take it,” Xiao Hen said.

Xiao Hen stepped forward, picked up the heavy medicine basket, but perhaps due to his own strength, he accidentally knocked over a painting scroll next to it.

Xiao Hen bent down to pick up the scroll, “My apologies.”

Ye Qing took it, unrolled it, and chuckled, “No harm done; this is a portrait of the Imperial Eldest Grandson, painted three years ago.”

The Imperial Eldest Grandson.

A subtle feeling swept through Xiao Hen’s heart as he subconsciously looked at the portrait.

When he clearly saw the young man in the portrait, and the familiar teardrop mole beneath his right eye, he was completely stunned.