And just when the imperial physician Chen was helpless in the face of this crisis, Fire Spirit arrived and hurriedly rushed towards the courtyard, bringing along an elegant male.
"Air Spirit pays his respects to His Highness." When the elegant male saw Xiao Xu, he immediately made his salutations. He sized up his family's Highness from head to toe and saw that he was in good health before releasing a breath in relief. Originally, he thought being summoned back so urgently was because His Highness was poisoned.
"The person is over there." Xiao Xu nodded.
Air Spirit, seeing this, didn't dare to stop to rest, immediately walking towards the bed. He saw that the patient he needed to treat was a half-grown child, and although Air Spirit was shocked, he still walked up.
Mandara poison, the toxicity had already entered the blood, only. it was curbed, so it still hadn't had the time to spread. But now, the poison started to migrate again, if it was not taken out now, then it would invade the heart.
Air Spirit did not dare to tarry, "People come, prepare a bath barrel."
Hong Yi, having heard what was said, immediately ordered the servants to go do it.
Air Spirit, with a few brush strokes, wrote down the medicine that would need to soak later and also gave it to Hong Yi to have someone get the herbs.
Seeing Air Spirit methodically arranging the preparation, everyone released a soft breath of relief.
At this moment, Gu Rong entered the room to report Fourth Prince's request to see Xiao Xu.
Everyone's gaze, one after another, turned toward their Highness. The suspicion that Fourth Prince put in the poison floated in everyone's heart. Now, he actually dared to come to the door and ask to meet, wasn't he afraid His Highness would get angry?
However, Fourth Prince, since little, liked to stick to His Highness's side. Although His Highness was always cold, the more Fourth Prince was obstructed, the braver he became, even disregarding how much hatred there was between Fourth Prince's party and Prince Ying's party.
"Won't see." Xiao Xu said indifferently.
Gu Rong immediately accepted the order and went down.
However not long after, one could hear a burst of clamor sounds approaching the Jade Courtyard. Xiao Xu couldn't help but look at Xiao Ran, who had charged over the whole way, while Gu Rong followed at the side, full of self-blame. Fourth Prince insisted on charging in, and he, as a subordinate, couldn't stop him.
Turned out a subordinate with a face full of anger dared to stop him from seeing his royal brother. But seeing the person standing like a jade before him, an unnatural expression appeared on Xiao Ran's face. However, seeing the servants coming and going into the courtyard, even carrying bags of medicine, he immediately returned to his senses. He took two steps forward and, in a great rush, tried to explain, "Royal Brother, it really wasn't I (1) your younger brother. How could I your younger brother harm you?"
Xiao Xu's eyes narrowed slightly, then glanced at Fire Spirit who was at his side.
Having followed by His Highness's side for many years, he could guess what this meaningful glance from His Highness meant. Fire Spirit never expected that the news would spread so quickly, so he said, "This subordinate sealed the news on that day, the people in the manor could not have leaked out this information."
But now, not only did Fourth Prince know, even the common people have heard the rumor, saying that Fourth Prince had personally attempted to assassinate his brother. Very likely, there was a black hand behind the scenes, pushing everything forward.
Xiao Ran immediately said, "Must Royal Brother still conceal this matter from I your younger brother? If I hadn't heard it due to the people in the palace talking about it, perhaps I your younger brother would still be kept in the dark. But I your younger brother also don't know why there would be poison in those pastries. I your younger brother have already arrested all the people in the imperial kitchen, interrogating them one by one. But there was no suspicious person." Saying up to here, Xiao Ran's face was full of defeat.
Xiao Xu looked at the upset person in front of him, only he could turn the imperial palace upside down on its head and not enrage Rong-Yan. His expression didn't change as he said, "No matter, you don't need to blame yourself."
"Royal Brother, you believe that I your younger brother didn't plot to murder you ah!" In the end, Xiao Ran was still a twelve-year-old youth, the mood in his heart would very quickly be expressed on his face.
Xiao Xu didn't reply, rather, he waved his hand and said, "Time is not early anymore, your mother the imperial concubine ought to be worried, you should go back!"
Although Royal Brother didn't directly admit it, Xiao Ran knew that since Royal Brother had already opened his mouth to speak, he had no other justification to continue staying here. He said his goodbye and, as if there was wind under the soles of his feet, he brought his people to return to the palace.
At this moment, Earth Spirit appeared, and he stared stunned at the master on his other side, "Highness, why didn't you take this opportunity to strike back at Concubine Yue?" Recently, Concubine Yue didn't lessen her tries at finding trouble for his Highness. Even that this time's corruption case would so mysteriously implicate his Highness, must be Concubine Yue adding fuel to the fire behind these matters.
Xiao Xu took a glance at him, although his expression was mild, he made people feel that a thousand catties (2) were pressing down on his head. Earth Spirit lowered his head, not daring to continue speaking, but his heart once again felt injustice for his master. For so many years in the past, Master allowed others to bully him, but because he cared about brotherly affection, he never revolted against these people. Ever since these people tasted the sweetness, they became even more intensely demanding; simply too hateful.
"Prepare a horse, this king wants to enter the palace." Xiao Xu saw that Chu Qing-Yan's treatment had already started and that now, her life shouldn't be in danger, so he lifted his foot to walk out.
"Yes." Although Gu Rong and Gu Yi were surprised, they still agreed immediately. They then withdrew to make arrangements.
Inside the palace.
Empress Liang had her eyes closed while sitting on the chair to recuperate, when the palace servant suddenly came to report that Prince Ying asked to see the empress.
Empress Liang's eyes opened in a flash, this was the first time he had voluntarily come in this period of time. Empress Liang couldn't help but to wave her hand and let him enter.
"What's today's wind, that would blow you to come this palace's place?" Seeing the person that came, Empress Liang's cutting tone taunted him.
"Mother Empress's heart should be clear." Xiao Xu stood firmly inside the palace hall, as he replied in a flat tone.
Luo Yun, otherwise known as Aunt Luo, a confidant who stood at Empress Liang's side, thought His Highness entered the place to reminisce about former times with the empress, but she never anticipated that the two's atmosphere would be of being unable to deal with each other, that could explode at any moment.
Empress Liang's eyebrow jumped, her heart was somewhat uneasy, but very quickly, she smoothed it down. She lifted up a white as jade, slender finger and blew on her nail, a cold smile appearing at the corner of her mouth as she said, "Oh? Then, mother empress wouldn't know. Xu'er, if you have something to say, then say it directly, mother empress is not an outsider. No need to talk in riddles with mother empress."
"Then I, your son, will open the sunroof to say clear words." Xiao Xu fixedly looked at the person in front of him, "Mother Empress, Chu Qing-Yan is the person who royal grandfather bestowed this marriage to. You need not take the trouble to eliminate her once again."
Didn't anticipate that he would be this smart. That he would so quickly knew this matter of the poison had come from her own hand. She subconsciously stared blankly, but very quickly, her face became cold. Flying into a rage out of humiliation, she said, "Xu'er, you must not let down mother empress's piece of painstaking effort. Now, you are being doubted by your father the emperor that you embezzled silver from the storehouse. You may not be worried, but mother empress doesn't have that good of a determined strength. With such a great opportunity, one arrow hitting two birds, to destroy Xiao Ran's reputation and also get rid of Chu Qing-Yan, that loathsome girl. Mother Empress has helped you sweep clear all obstacles, why would you treat your mother empress like this? To run over so late at night just to fiercely criticize mother empress?"
Faced with Empress Liang's angry and stirred up mood, Xiao Xu remained unmoved, "My, your son's, matter, I your son will naturally deal with by myself. Don't need to trouble Mother Empress. Father Emperor is not a muddleheaded person, he will surely give your son I a fair judgement. Moreover, Mother Empress ought to see one matter clearly, even if today there isn't Chu Qing-Yan, in the future, there will be Li Qing-Yan, Zhao Qing-Yan. Therefore, why should Mother Empress take the trouble to do so once again!"
"Fair judgement?" Empress Liang coldly scoffed, "If your father the emperor's eyes had you, how could you be sent out for so many years to the border to eat hardship and be tired endlessly? If your father the emperor's eyes had you, how could he be fully aware that you have been wrongly accused and still let people bring written requests to accuse you of misconduct? If your father the emperor's eyes had you, how could he tolerate that slut's son to climb on top of your head? Xu'er, for so many years, could it be you still can't see clearly?" The more Empress Liang spoke, the more stirred up she became, with both eyes red and full of hatred.
1) I your younger brother: The Chinese is 臣弟. The 臣 is when people talk about themselves in the third person. For example in royal court the ministers would say 臣 which could be translated as 'I the servant'. I decided to make my life easier and translate 臣 as I and 弟 is younger brother so 臣弟 became 'I the younger brother'. Note for future 臣 will be translated as I.
2) catty: Chinese 斤 or jin is a unit of measure which is equal to 500 g for Chinese conversion. The conversion for Taiwan, HK, Singapore etc is slightly different, greater than 600g or less than 700g.