Chapter 90

Chapter 90

The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess exchanged glances, thinking their suspicions were confirmed. Earlier, upon hearing that Imperial Physician Wang had quietly left the capital, they feared for his life.

If Imperial Physician Wang had indeed committed some unforgivable crimes, then his quiet departure from the capital was certainly not a wise move.

As an imperial physician, once he left the palace, he would lose his value to the shadowy figure pulling the strings. To protect their own secrets, this figure would likely eliminate him.

If Imperial Physician Wang had stayed in the capital, under public scrutiny, the mastermind would have thought twice before acting. But once he left the public eye, there would be nothing to stop them from killing him.

Earlier, they had only speculated, but now their suspicions were proven true.

The Crown Prince asked, "What exactly happened?"

The 11th Prince replied, "The Nine Abyss Guard pursued Imperial Physician Wang in the direction of his hometown. However, for reasons unknown, Imperial Physician Wang never took the main road..."

Unable to catch up, the Nine Abyss Guard had no choice but to split into several groups. One group went ahead to wait at Imperial Physician Wang's hometown, another followed the main road, and the other two groups pursued along the smaller paths.

After an exhaustive search, one of the groups following the smaller paths finally located him in a desolate area outside a county town, about fifty miles from Imperial Physician Wang's hometown.

However, the Nine Abyss Guard failed to locate Imperial Physician Wang himself. Instead, they found a man driving an ox cart, carrying a corpse wrapped in a straw mat, heading to a remote area to bury it.

Spotting the Nine Abyss Guard on horseback, the man pulled his straw hat low to avoid detection.

Suspicious of the man, the Nine Abyss Guard approached and asked who the dead person was and why he was burying the body in such a place.

The man insisted it was his brother who had died of illness. Being poor, they couldn't afford a coffin and had no land to bury him, so they had no choice but to take him to the remote outskirts.

The Nine Abyss Guard noticed the man showed no grief and wore brand-new boots, despite driving an ox cart. Growing suspicious, two of them dismounted—one to question the man closely, and the other to inspect the corpse on the cart.

However, after answering a couple of questions, the man realized he couldn't talk his way out and bolted.

The Nine Abyss Guard immediately gave chase, but the man turned out to be highly skilled in martial arts. Despite a fierce struggle, both guards were injured and failed to capture him.

The Crown Prince frowned. He was well aware of the capabilities of the young men in the Nine Abyss Guard. If two of them couldn't subdue him, the man's martial arts must indeed be exceptional.

Princess Lanzhen asked curiously, "Did he escape?"

The 11th Prince shook his head, "He was severely injured but refused to surrender. He ingested poison and killed himself."

The Crown Prince was astonished. "With such skill and a willingness to die by poison, he rivals Liang Quan's secret guards."

The Crown Princess and Princess Lanzhen nodded in agreement.

The secret guards led by Liang Quan were selected from orphans across Daxuan who were left without guardians. They underwent special training and were loyal only to the Emperor, essentially serving as his elite force.

In all of Daxuan, only these strictly disciplined secret guards would take their own lives if they failed their mission and were about to be captured. Even the well-trained Nine Abyss Guard did not have such a rule.

This showed just how terrifying the master behind the man must be.

At present, everyone only knew that Imperial Physician Wang had worked for the Imperial Noble Consort while in the palace.

Could it be that the Imperial Noble Consort, who came from a bandit background, had such a powerful force that she could secretly train death squads?

The realization that such a terrifying figure was among them left everyone speechless.

The 11th Prince continued, "After the man died, the Nine Abyss Guard thoroughly searched his body but found nothing to identify him, nor any marks on his body."

Then, the Nine Abyss Guard inspected the corpse on the ox cart and discovered that the 'dead body' was actually Imperial Physician Wang, with bruises on his neck, clearly indicating he had been strangled.

The Nine Abyss Guard were taken aback and hurried forward to carefully examine Imperial Physician Wang, finding that he was still barely alive. They quickly gave him the life-saving pills they always carried and managed to save his life.

The Crown Prince nodded: "It's a relief he was saved. Did Imperial Physician Wang say anything?"

The 11th Prince shook his head: "No, Imperial Physician Wang's tongue was cut out, so he can no longer speak."

The Crown Prince asked again: "Can he write?"

The 11th Prince shook his head again: "The tendons in his hands were severed, so he cannot write. The physician said it would take at least three to five months, or even a year or more, before his hands could barely hold a brush."

The mastermind's methods were truly ruthless. The Crown Princess frowned in concern, and Princess Lanzhen patted her arm. The Crown Princess smiled gratefully at her.

The Crown Prince instructed: "We must make sure he gets proper treatment."

The 11th Prince nodded: "Don't worry, elder brother. Imperial Physician Wang is already in a safe location, and a physician is doing everything possible to treat him. Once his condition improves in a few days' time, we will transport him back to the capital."

The Crown Prince nodded: "That is very good."

It's almost certain that the Imperial Noble Consort is behind Imperial Physician Wang's ordeal, which means the Second Prince is likely implicated as well.

Although A Tong is here, their schemes can't escape the royal family's notice, but it seems the court officials can't hear Nuo Er and A Tong's conversations.

In the future, when dealing with that mother and son, we must give the court officials a reasonable explanation to avoid causing unrest in the court. Therefore, it is best to preserve Imperial Physician Wang as a key witness.

After discussing Imperial Physician Wang's case, the 11th Prince asked: "Elder brother, did you call me here to give me instructions?"

The Crown Prince then explained the matter of Xue Laosan's plan to host a banquet. Though the 11th Prince is usually reserved, he is very close to his elder sister, Princess Lanzhen, and his niece Xue Ning means as much to him as the children of the Eastern Palace.

After listening to the Crown Prince, the 11th Prince's expression turned icy, and he abruptly stood up to leave: "I'll arrest that couple and make them pay dearly."

Seeing that the 11th Prince and the Crown Prince had the same reaction to this matter, Princess Lanzhen was moved and reached out to stop her brother: "Eleventh, don't be hasty. This is a delicate matter that needs careful handling."

The Crown Prince also said: "Sit down first and listen to me."

Seeing that both his elder brother and sister spoke this way, the 11th Prince sat back down and quietly looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince then relayed the earlier discussion among the three of them, concluding: "Monitor Xue Laosan's residence and the Xue family's country estate. Once the situation becomes clear and the mastermind reveals themselves, we will capture them all in one fell swoop. It would be best to resolve this before the banquet, so Ning Er won't be put in danger."

The 11th Prince nodded in agreement.

Princess Lanzhen also mentioned Xue Wan and Jiang Yiniang to the Crown Prince: "Ning Er wants to help Xue Wan save her aunt. I thought Jiang Yiniang is innocent, so I agreed, to prevent her from being implicated when the Xue family is imprisoned."

The Crown Princess nodded, adding her support: "If an innocent woman can be saved, we should do so."

The Crown Prince was not particularly concerned and nodded in agreement, only cautioning: "Just don't tip them off."

Princess Lanzhen smiled: "We won't. Ning Er took Xue Wan to A Dai's residence, saying she wanted to seek advice from her Ninth Aunt."

Thinking of the thrilling incidents when the Ninth Princess secretly brought Consort Chen out of the palace, the Crown Princess couldn't help but laugh: "She definitely went to the right person."

After chatting for a while longer, the 11th Prince got up to leave, while the Crown Princess and Princess Lanzhen went to Fengyi Palace to pay their respects to the Empress.

---

At the Ninth Princess's residence.

From today onward, Cheng Yuan would be assisting the Nine Abyss Guard, and the Ninth Princess was also going to the palace. After having breakfast together, they left the house hand in hand.

As they walked out, chatting and laughing, they saw Princess Huayue leading a quiet little girl out of a carriage.

"Ninth Aunt, Ninth Uncle," Princess Huayue greeted with a smile, leading Xue Wan forward to bow and greet them.

The Ninth Princess smiled and helped the two little girls up, asking curiously, "Isn't Ning Er supposed to go to the palace early every day? Why did she come to her aunt's place today?"

Princess Huayue affectionately took the Ninth Princess's hand and shook it, "Aunt, Ning Er has something to ask you."

Seeing the little girl's mysterious demeanor, the Ninth Princess pointed to the door, "Let's go inside to talk."

Princess Huayue glanced at Cheng Yuan, "Will it delay you and my uncle's important matters?"

The Ninth Princess poked her forehead, "It won't delay us, let's go inside and talk."

Then she looked at Cheng Yuan and said with a smile, "You go to the Nine Abyss Guard first, and come pick me up at the Empress's quarters after your shift."

Cheng Yuan agreed, nodded with a smile at the two little girls, and turned to leave first.

Watching Cheng Yuan ride away, Princess Huayue dragged the Ninth Princess's arm and walked inside, "Aunt, hurry, Ning Er has a big matter to consult."

A moment later, after hearing Princess Huayue's words, the Ninth Princess was somewhat shocked, "You want me to help you sneak an aunt out of the Xue family?"

Princess Huayue pushed Xue Wan, who had been standing obediently beside her, in front of the Ninth Princess, "Aunt, this is A Wan, we want to save her birth mother. Look how well-behaved A Wan is, she's really a good child. Aunt, please help her, okay?"

Xue Wan didn't know why the princess aunt had already agreed to help her, but her sister still brought her to see the Ninth Princess. But her sister said that the Ninth Princess's help was worth double, so they must seek her advice on this matter.

Now seeing the Ninth Princess looking at her, she felt uneasy, her hands unconsciously forming fists and pressing against her chest, pleadingly looking at the Ninth Princess.

The Ninth Princess examined the well-behaved and quiet little girl in front of her, seeing her eager eyes full of plea and hope.

Looking into the little girl's sparkling eyes, the Ninth Princess instantly thought of herself in the original plot, who had carried bones into the palace, feigned madness, and secretly taken her mother out of the palace.

She was certain that if her mother were to encounter the same situation as in the original plot, she would undoubtedly do the same.

But now with Nuo Er and A Tong around, many things have changed, and she probably won't have the chance to go crazy like in the original plot. Thinking about missing such exciting events is quite a pity.

So, such a filial little girl coming to her for help to save her own mother, what reason does she have to refuse?

Seeing the Ninth Princess staring at her, Xue Wan's heart pounded, fearing she would refuse. Finally, unable to wait any longer, she bent her knees to kneel, "This humble girl begs for Your Highness's assistance."

The Ninth Princess pulled her up, gently rubbed her head, and said softly, "You're a good child, and I am willing to help you."

Xue Wan's eyes instantly reddened, and she bowed to the Ninth Princess, "Thank you, Princess."

Princess Huayue was even more delighted, jumping up and hugging the Ninth Princess's arm, shaking it, "Aunt is the best."

The Ninth Princess laughed, holding each little girl's hand, and walked towards the study, "Let's go and discuss this properly."

---

Shen Zhinuo, holding the Little General, led her sister and second brother out of the East Palace, originally planning to rush to the Chongzheng Hall to meet the old ministers, but they were a step late. Plus, her legs were too short, and she walked a bit slowly. By the time they arrived, the old ministers had already left.

The children stood outside the Chongzheng Hall, the three older ones looking at the short, chubby little girl, waiting for her to make a decision.

Shen Zhinuo looked at Eunuch Ding and asked, "Eunuch Ding, who is inside?"

Eunuch Ding squatted down, full of smiles, and said to his little princess, "Reporting to the little princess, the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, Princess Lanzhen, and the Eleventh Prince are all inside."

All family members, A Tong had already scanned them. Shen Zhinuo thought for a moment, "Alright then, let's go play somewhere else."

With that, she took Di Guihong's hand in one hand and Princess Wen'an's in the other, and turned to walk elsewhere.

Passing by the Chong'an Palace, wondering how the Old Emperor was doing, Shen Zhinuo decided to take everyone in for a look.

Emperor Chengwu had previously instructed that if the children came, they should not be stopped. Kang Yuande smiled and welcomed the little masters inside.

Shen Zhinuo led the way again, running in first and peeking around the screen, poking her little head out. Not spotting the Old Emperor at first glance, she called out, "Grandfather Emperor?"

Emperor Chengwu was lounging by the window with a book. Hearing the sweet, childish voice, he quickly responded, "Yes, Grandfather Emperor is here. Come here, Nuo Er."

Shen Zhinuo turned around and beckoned, calling for the Little General and her siblings to follow her in.

When they reached the couch, the children paid their respects to Emperor Chengwu, who smiled and motioned for them to rise. He then patted the edge of the couch, saying, "Come, sit here with Grandfather Emperor."

Shen Zhinuo climbed onto the couch, her chubby legs kicking off the ground, and sat down a respectful distance from the Old Emperor. She inquired with genuine concern, "Grandfather Emperor, are you feeling better?"

Emperor Chengwu chuckled, "Grandfather Emperor is feeling much better. Our Nuo Er is truly filial."

Shen Zhinuo noticed his improved complexion and was pleased to see that he looked much better than before. Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she thought to herself, "Pup, the Old Emperor is better now, so my father won't have to work so hard."

A little black dog materialized out of thin air, agreeing, "That's really great."

Noticing that Nuo Er's words were respectful this time and not rebellious, Shen Weiqing, Princess Wen'an, and Di Guihong, who had been tense since entering, finally relaxed a little.

Although the Emperor had shown signs of stepping down, as long as he remained on the throne, they couldn't treat him like an ordinary grandfather.

Hearing that the little chubby girl didn't curse him in her heart this time, Emperor Chengwu couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and patted her head, saying, "Nuo Er, how about coming to keep Grandfather Emperor company every day from now on?"

Shen Zhinuo shook her little head, shaking off the Old Emperor's hand, "Nuo Er still has to go and play." There were so many people she hadn't swept yet; she was busy.

Emperor Chengwu knew the little girl was busy sweeping people and sighed softly.

Initially, he had arranged for the Empress to summon people to the Phoenix Palace daily and then call the children over. If he had time, he would join them to listen. But now, after spitting up blood once, the Crown Prince and Empress no longer allowed him to participate.

A Tong's reports were no longer shared in full detail with him; only the important matters that wouldn't upset him were mentioned.

Although he was eager to know more, he understood that the Empress and Crown Prince were doing this for his own good.

After two days of peace, he felt much better.

Well, while those wolves hadn't returned yet, he needed to take the opportunity to recuperate, lest he lack the strength to deal with them later.

Shen Zhinuo didn't know the Old Emperor was thinking so far ahead. Seeing him staring at her in a daze, she waved her little chubby hand in front of his face, "Grandfather Emperor?"

Emperor Chengwu snapped out of it and smiled, "Yes, Grandfather Emperor is here."

Seeing that he was fine, Shen Zhinuo didn't want to waste any more time. She got off the couch, bowed, and said, "Grandfather Emperor, take good care of yourself. Nuo Er is going to play now."

Emperor Chengwu agreed and extended another invitation, "Nuo Er, how about coming to see Grandfather Emperor tomorrow? Grandfather Emperor has something valuable to give you."

Hearing the word "valuable," Shen Zhinuo swallowed her initial refusal and asked curiously, "What is it?"

Emperor Chengwu, afraid the little girl wouldn't come, teased, "Something priceless. You'll find out tomorrow when you come."

At the mention of "priceless," Shen Zhinuo's heart was swayed. Without thinking, she nodded, "Then Nuo Er will come to keep Grandfather Emperor company tomorrow."

Emperor Chengwu knew the little chubby girl was a bit of a treasure hunter and couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Outside the door, Kang Yuande, hearing the Emperor's hearty laughter, also smiled, thinking to himself that only Princess Baoning could make the Emperor so happy.

After laughing, Emperor Chengwu instructed Shen Weiqing and Princess Wen'an, "You two come tomorrow too, and bring your eldest brother. Also, invite your cousin A Song and your cousin Ning Er. Grandfather Emperor has gifts for all of you."

Shen Weiqing bowed with a smile, "Then this grandson thanks Grandfather Emperor in advance."

Shen Zhinuo noticed that the Old Emperor had mentioned everyone except Di Guihong. She glanced at the boy and saw that he looked calm, not showing any disappointment. Still, she couldn't bear to leave him out, especially since his father and brother had left him behind for the sake of Daxuan's kingdom. He deserved something too.

So she took the little boy's hand and pulled him towards the Old Emperor, "Grandfather Emperor, there's also the Little General."

Emperor Chengwu couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, the Little General will also receive something, come together tomorrow."

"Thank you, Grandfather Emperor," Shen Zhinuo said sweetly, then shook Di Guihong's hand, "Little General, you have something too."

Di Guihong didn't care whether the Emperor gave him something or not, but seeing the chubby little girl smiling like a flower, he also smiled.

Then he lifted his robe and knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Emperor Chengwu to express his thanks, "This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for your kindness."

Seeing the child so well-mannered at such a young age, Emperor Chengwu felt fondness in his heart and reached out to help him up, "Good child, rise quickly."

Promised something good for tomorrow, the children left Chong'an Palace with smiles on their faces, headed to Fengyi Palace to greet the Empress.

When they arrived at Fengyi Palace, they found that the Crown Princess and Princess Lanzhen were present as well, and not only them, but Noble Consort and the Sixth Princess, who had just arrived today, were also there.

The Sixth Princess, like the Eighth Prince and the 14th Prince, was born to Noble Consort, but the Sixth Princess had moved away with her husband's family years ago and had rarely returned to the capital in recent years, so Shen Zhinuo didn't recognize her.

Seeing the children arrive, the Empress quickly smiled and called them forward, and the children greeted the elders one by one.

The Crown Princess knew that her little daughter hadn't yet met the Sixth Princess, so she smiled and introduced, "Nuo Er, this is your Sixth Auntie, you haven't met her yet, come and greet her."

Shen Zhinuo obediently stepped forward and greeted the Sixth Princess, "Nuo Er greets Sixth Auntie."

The Sixth Princess looked at the chubby little girl and took her small round hand, smiling gently, "So this is Nuo Er, you've grown so big."

Then she took a brocade box from the side and handed it to the little girl, "This is Auntie's first time meeting our Nuo Er, here are some little toys for you to play with."

Shen Zhinuo obediently agreed, reaching out her little hand to take it, then handed it to the Crown Princess, "Mother, please keep this for Nuo Er."

To talk freely, the servants were sent away, so the Crown Princess smiled and took it, placing it aside.

The Sixth Princess gave gifts to the other children as well, including Di Guihong, and the children received the gifts, thanking her one by one.

As everyone chatted, Shen Zhinuo leaned against the Crown Princess's leg, tilting her little head up, curiously observing the Sixth Princess, who was as gentle as Noble Consort. After looking for a while, she said in her heart, "Puppy, go check my Sixth Aunt."

"On it, Young Master," the little black dog responded, flying over to check the Sixth Princess's face.

Hearing the odd noise, the Sixth Princess glanced at Noble Consort without changing her expression, and Noble Consort gave a slight nod, indicating that this was the A Tong she had mentioned.

The Sixth Princess arrived in the capital early that morning, having her servants take her luggage to the princess's residence where she had lived before leaving the capital, while she entered the palace. After entering the palace, she first went to see Noble Consort.

As soon as mother and daughter met, Noble Consort didn't bother with small talk, quickly filling her in on the recent events.

After hearing this, the Sixth Princess was too shocked to speak. It took her a while to recover, first cursing those who had done bad things, then feeling relieved that thanks to Nuo Er and A Tong, everyone was saved. Then, without delay, she went with Noble Consort to Fengyi Palace to greet the Empress, of course, eager to see the miraculous A Tong for herself.

At this moment, she firmly remembered Noble Consort's earlier instructions, not daring to move, sitting quietly waiting for the invisible A Tong to scan her.

Soon, the little black dog flew back to Shen Zhinuo's shoulder, jumping up and down, "Young Master, what do you want to ask?"

Following her habit, Shen Zhinuo first asked about life and death, "My Sixth Aunt is far from the capital, so can you see if my Sixth Aunt survives in the end?"

The system searched for a while and answered, "No, the Sixth Princess also died."

This result was within Shen Zhinuo's expectations, but she was still curious and asked, "Then how did my Sixth Aunt die?"

The system replied, "The Sixth Princess was killed by her husband's family."

Everyone was shocked, and the Sixth Princess's face also changed.

The Crown Princess, fearing that her little daughter would notice everyone's strange reactions, quickly placed the chubby little girl sitting on her lap onto the ground, so that with the little girl's height, as long as she didn't deliberately look up, she wouldn't be able to see everyone's faces.

Seeing the Little General sitting alone on the edge of the couch, Shen Zhinuo also wanted to get down and go to him. Now that she was suddenly placed on the ground by her mother, she didn't notice anything, walking towards the Little General while curiously asking, "Who did it? Was it the Princess's husband?"