The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 836 - 836 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_2

Chapter 836: 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_2 Chapter 836: 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_2 It was none other than the Prince of Ning, who had once traveled to Jiangnan with the Emperor.

The Emperor had worn this very bamboo hat at the time.

The Prince of Ning surely couldn’t fail to recognize his own imperial father. He gently closed the window, leaving only a narrow crack, puzzled, “What’s going on? Why would Father come to such a place?”

“Could it be to catch the Crown Prince?” the guard suggested.

The Crown Prince was not as meticulous as the Prince of Ning, so it was within reason for the Emperor to notice his actions.

The Prince of Ning slightly shook his head, “No, Father has gone to see that pharmacist from Yan Country.”

The guard inquired, baffled, “Why would His Majesty seek out a pharmacist from Yan Country? Is His Majesty not feeling well?”

Speaking of this, the Prince of Ning remembered something; his father had met a Taoist priest on the way back to the palace who claimed he could concoct the Immortal Pill that grants everlasting life. His father was so set on attaining immortality that he hadn’t set foot in the Imperial Harem for two years.

He had investigated the Taoist priest and found his background suspicious. Just as he was pondering how to advise his father to stay away from the priest, the Emperor had suddenly dismissed the priest from the palace.

As if the quest for everlasting life was just a joke, or perhaps merely a whim of the Emperor’s.

The Prince of Ning was unaware that the Emperor had suffered from venereal disease and could not guess that the Emperor had sent the priest away simply because his illness had been cured and he no longer needed the pretext of seeking immortality.

In the end, the Emperor did not meet with the pharmacist from Yan Country. He was one step too late; the pharmacist had left the city to gather herbs.

As for when he would return, there was no certainty—perhaps three to five days, or as long as ten to fifteen days.

The Emperor, anxious to verify the truth, could not wait that long.

He thought of someone else.

…

Gu Jiao had been pretending to be a patient at the Medical Hall for a while, thinking that the Emperor would not come again. She removed her bandages and rode in Xiao Sansi’s carriage back to Bishui Alley.

She had just entered the house when the Emperor arrived on her heels.

With no time to even dry her half-sunned herbs, she dashed back into her own room!

Her movements so swift, Yao Family, who was watering the vegetable garden, didn’t even have time to react.

The Emperor entered the courtyard.

Yao Family hurriedly put down the watering can and performed a bow, not addressing him as His Majesty but instead calling out, “Lord Chu.”

The Emperor, knowing that the little divine doctor was at odds with the Marquis Residence, asked the old Marquis to return home first and came alone, accompanied only by Eunuch Wei.

“Is Jiaojiao here?” he asked.

“Jiaojiao…” Yao Family, unaware of the young couple’s plan to deceive the Emperor, was about to say that Jiaojiao was inside, but Xiao Liulang walked over leisurely from next door, wrapped in bandages on his neck and arm.

“Yes, Lord Chu, please follow me,” Xiao Liulang addressed the Emperor as Lord Chu outside the palace.

Seeing Xiao Liulang with an arm in a sling, Yao Family was startled, “Liulang, you…?”

Xiao Liulang looked at her firmly, “I’m fine, Mother, don’t worry.”

Yao Family was taken aback for a moment but then understood.

She lowered her eyes discreetly and said, “I’ll go see if the pastries are ready; you entertain Lord Chu.”

With that, she turned and headed to the kitchen.

Xiao Liulang led the Emperor to the main hall and personally poured a cup of tea for him. Now further from the entrance, Xiao Liulang spoke in a hushed tone, “Has His Majesty come to visit Jiaojiao?”

The Emperor asked, “I had been to the Medical Hall just now, and the shopkeeper said she returned. Has she gotten better?”

Xiao Liulang answered without a change in expression, “Indeed, she did come to for a brief moment, but it didn’t last long. After arriving home, she fell back into a deep sleep.”

The Emperor frowned.

Xiao Liulang continued, “Did Your Majesty come here specifically to see Jiaojiao?”

The Emperor sighed, “It was to visit her, yes, but also to ask her about something.”

Xiao Liulang looked at the Emperor, “May I know… what it is?”

The Emperor said with a furrowed brow, “A kind of medicine that the imperial physicians cannot identify. I wanted to consult her, but since she is still unconscious, I shall return another day.”

Xiao Liulang said, “She’s awake!”

The Emperor: “…”

Since Xiao Liulang stated that Gu Jiao had awoken, she indeed “faintly regained consciousness” laying on her bedchamber, clutching her chest, her face full of pain and injury.

Xiao Liulang entered the room to check on her first, luckily he did because with her cringe-inducingly awkward acting, she would have given herself away in minutes.

“Your Majesty,” Xiao Liulang came out and coughed lightly before saying to the Emperor, “She is a bit weak. Perhaps I should go in and ask her.”

The Emperor, considering Gu Jiao’s condition wrapped in bandages and in no state to meet anyone, handed Eunuch Wei two medicine bottles he carried with him and passed them to Xiao Liulang, “Go ask Jiaojiao, what medicine is contained in these bottles?”