A four-year-old medical prodigy descended to the mortal realm, and the entire capital sought her tre

Shen Yuan caught Xiao Pingzi behind a rockery outside the East Palace.

Just as he was about to destroy the package, Shen Yuan snatched it away. After failing to get any answers from him, he dragged the person outside the Imperial Study.

Shen Yuan took the package and went into the Imperial Study first, where he privately reported to the Emperor what he had seen in the Eastern Palace and his conjectures.

After all, Shen Yuan couldn't understand Xiao Pingzi's methods and couldn't get any answers from him.

But if the Crown Prince were to suffer any mishap because of what Xiaopingzi did in the Eastern Palace, even the execution of Shen Yuan's entire family would not be enough to atone for his crime.

Therefore, he had no choice but to promptly hand the matter over to the Emperor for a decision.

After careful consideration, the Emperor finally allowed Shen Yuan to bring Xiao Pingzi into the Imperial Study.

However, when he was in front of the emperor, Xiaopingzi still pretended to be stupid.

However, the emperor did not question Xiaopingzi like Shenyuan did.

Before coming to the Imperial Study, Shen Yuan kept asking Xiao Pingzi, "What is this red cloth wrapping?"

Why bury this package under the tree?

"What were you doing under the tree just now?"

Therefore, Xiaopingzi's answers to Shenyuan were "Nothing" and "I don't know"...

The imperial dignity is inviolable, and the emperor would not waste so much effort on a mere eunuch.

"Xiaopingzi, if you truthfully confess how you plotted against the Crown Prince and identify the person who instructed you, I will spare your entire family from execution."

Xiao Pingzi's heart skipped a beat, and he finally couldn't help but raise his head to look at the Emperor, his eyes shining.

After being captured by Shen Yuan, Xiao Pingzi was worried about his mother and only sister being implicated by him.

Consort Yu had promised him that as long as he denied what he had done and did not implicate her, she would save his entire family's lives.

But now, the emperor stands before him, and there are witnesses and evidence to prove it.

As soon as the Crown Prince falls ill and the truth comes out, he will surely be executed along with his entire family.

But now the Emperor says that as long as he confesses, his family will be spared. This exchange is worthwhile!

After figuring things out, Xiaopingzi immediately kowtowed three times to the Emperor.

Suddenly I felt calm, and my voice stopped trembling.

He said, "This servant is willing to confess, and begs Your Majesty to spare this servant's family."

The Emperor's expression relaxed slightly, and he said, "A promise is a promise. As long as you confess, I will not implicate your entire family."

Then, Xiaopingzi began to recount that he and Consort Yu's personal maid, Yin Tao, were from the same hometown.

It was Yin Tao who initially approached him, instructing him to place an incense burner in the Crown Prince's room and bury a package under a tree, as instructed by Consort Yu.

Consort Yu also threatened him with the lives of his mother and sister, forcing him to cooperate and keep the secret.

This process has been underway for more than half a year.

Xiao Pingzi frankly admitted that he did not want to do this, but Consort Yu gave him a lot of gold and silver.

He used the gold and silver to improve the impoverished lives of his mother and sister, and their lives gradually got better.

Everyone in the neighborhood and village praised him to his mother, saying that he had made a name for himself in the palace and had become successful.

Xiaopingzi felt even more empowered by this, and so he wholeheartedly helped Consort Yu.

The Emperor ordered Shen Yuan to bring the red cloth wrapping. Upon opening it, he found a strangely shaped stone inside.

Xiao Pingzi said, "Last night, Consort Yu instructed me to burn talismans and chant incantations for this stone before destroying it."

"Destroy the stone? Why destroy it?" Shen Yuan asked, puzzled.

"The Empress said that this stone is no longer of any use and should not be used as leverage."

Xiaopingzi didn't understand the significance of doing this, but he did as Consort Yu instructed.

After hearing this, the emperor felt a tightness in his chest.

Consort Yu? Why would this seemingly gentle and virtuous woman want to poison the Crown Prince?

Was it to help the fourth prince compete for the position of crown prince? This was the emperor's first reaction.

Once he started speculating in this direction, the Emperor was more worried about the Crown Prince's situation than about hating Consort Yu's wickedness.

"Shen Yuan, take him back to the East Palace and act as if nothing happened. Continue to protect the Crown Prince and do not alert him."

The Emperor then instructed Xiaopingzi to return and proceed as before, and to treat the red cloth wrapping as if it had been destroyed.

However, if Consort Yu makes any new moves or requests to him, he must immediately inform Shen Yuan.

As expected, the Crown Prince did not appear at the morning court session.

Li Shengtang came to report that the Crown Prince was feeling unwell and that he had already invited Imperial Physician Li to the Eastern Palace.

The Emperor hurriedly ended the morning court session and personally went to the Eastern Palace.

When the Crown Prince appeared before the Emperor in what looked to anyone else as a serious illness...

The emperor's mind conjured up the image of the gentle Consort Yu's vicious face.

His heart sank, and he was filled with rage.

"How have you all served the Crown Prince? I only just found out he was so ill!"

A dozen or so eunuchs and palace maids trembled, not knowing how the Crown Prince had suddenly become like this.

The Emperor stepped forward, took the Crown Prince's hand, and looked at his sickly appearance, feeling a great pang of sorrow.

The crown prince coughed twice, looking unwell, and said weakly, "Father, I have already told you."

"When?" the Emperor asked in surprise, seemingly having truly forgotten.

"Last time, I was unwell and asked the Grand Tutor for leave to rest, but I was later cured by Princess Ji'an."

After recovering, I missed my father very much, so I went to the Imperial Study.

The Crown Prince recalled that when he went to the Emperor last time to tell him that he was feeling unwell, he wanted to tell the Emperor that someone in the Eastern Palace wanted to harm him.

However, the emperor did not believe him at the time and even said he was naive.

Moreover, the COVID-19 situation in Sirius was severe that day, so the feeling of unwell passed by as quickly as a dragonfly skimming the water.

Eunuch Qin reminded the Emperor, "Your Majesty, what Your Highness says is true. This old servant remembers, it was on that occasion that you ordered Shen Yuan to..."

Upon hearing the mention of Shen Yuan, the Emperor suddenly remembered, "Oh! Yes, I remember now!"

However, at that time, he sent Shen Yuan to secretly monitor the Eastern Palace, mainly to eliminate the Crown Prince's faction and prevent them from harming the Crown Prince.

They completely forgot about the Crown Prince's illness.

"Father... Your son..." Seeing the Emperor's worried expression, the Crown Prince acted even more enthusiastically and coughed a few more times.

"Imperial Physician Li, what illness does the Crown Prince have?" the Emperor asked Li Chengquan with concern.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince... judging from his pulse, there is nothing seriously wrong. Perhaps... perhaps he is simply overworked."

In recent years, Li Chengquan has encountered this situation more than once: the pulse diagnosis is inconclusive, but the patient's illness is quite serious.

First it was Zhao Jinzhong, then the Empress Dowager, and now it's the Crown Prince. Who will be the master he can't afford to offend next?

Li Chengquan suddenly had a premonition that if things continued like this, he might lose his position as the head of the Imperial Medical Academy.

"Father, last time I was unwell, the Imperial Hospital couldn't diagnose me, but Zhou Ruo came and cured me."

The Crown Prince emphasized again that it was Zhou Ruo who cured him.

"Yes, yes, and Princess Ji'an too!" Li Chengquan felt as if he had grasped a lifeline and instantly saw hope.

The Emperor nodded and said, "Yes, Ji'an always has a way. Eunuch Qin, quickly go and invite Princess Ji'an to the East Palace."

Upon hearing that the Emperor had not summoned Zhao Jinzhong, the Crown Prince quickly grabbed the Emperor's hand and said, "Father, and the Young General too, bring him along!"

"Lin'er...you...?" The Emperor felt the Crown Prince's grip on him, which seemed incongruous with his own helpless expression.

The crown prince suddenly realized that he was about to be exposed, so he quickly tried to salvage the situation.

He clutched his chest with one hand, coughed twice, and said weakly, "I was a little agitated just now, and now I feel even weaker."