Jun Beiyue’s heart pulse had always been extremely abnormal — completely beyond the scope of what Sha Qiuzi and Physician Gu’s medical knowledge could explain, and entirely beyond common sense.

And now, this condition had clearly grown even more severe.

So severe that Physician Gu had no choice but to summon Prince Baxian, who had been preparing to attend the morning court session.

Just as everyone was anxiously at a loss over what to do, the door burst open with a bang, and Yingzi and Situ Haonan arrived along with the others.

“How is he?!”

The moment Situ Haonan entered, he asked loudly.

But no one answered him. When he rushed to the edge of the medicinal pool and saw Jun Beiyue’s chest, he found his answer!

“Prince Baxian, where have the Meng clan people gotten to?” Situ Haonan couldn’t help shouting, no longer minding matters of rank and propriety at this point.

Once the Meng clan people crossed the southern border gate, they would have been personally escorted by the imperial guards along the official road — they should have arrived by now!

“They’re almost entering the city!” Prince Baxian said urgently.

The moment the words left his mouth, Yingzi bolted out the door. “I’ll go meet them!”

No matter what exactly was happening to Jun Beiyue, at least one thing was clear even to those without medical knowledge — if this continued, his vital-energy-depleted body wouldn’t be able to withstand the force of his heart pulse!

Yet everyone present was helpless to do anything about it!

The only thing Sha Qiuzi could do was check Jun Beiyue’s pulse at intervals, monitoring whether his condition was worsening.

Time continued to slip away, and this tense situation persisted for an entire day and night. Even Baili Weisheng on the rooftop never left the whole time, staring fixedly at Jun Beiyue’s heart!

Yet, amid the long wait, through pulse-check after pulse-check, finally, this time Sha Qiuzi discovered something!

“Strange!”

Sha Qiuzi exclaimed, his hand trembling where it rested on Jun Beiyue’s pulse.

“What’s going on?” the group asked, almost in unison.

Only then did Physician Gu step forward, shoving aside the stunned Sha Qiuzi, and quickly checked the pulse himself. Soon, he too discovered something was off. “Strange, strange, how could this be, this is impossible!”

“What exactly is going on — stop being so cryptic, the both of you!” Prince Baxian snapped, displeased.

Only then did Physician Gu say hurriedly, “His Highness’s pulse is recovering — it’s growing stronger and stronger, and his vital energy seems to be recovering as well!”

Previously, Jun Beiyue’s pulse had been extremely weak — yet the strength in the heart pulse on his chest was simply worlds apart from that.

For nearly a year and a half now, Jun Beiyue’s pulse had shown no sign of recovering at all, remaining very weak the entire time. Every day when Physician Gu and Sha Qiuzi checked his pulse, their greatest fear was that they would suddenly be unable to find it at all!

Yet this time, the situation had completely reversed!

No wonder Sha Qiuzi was stunned — in all his years of practicing medicine, all the patients he’d seen, all the medical texts he’d read, he had never once encountered such a case, and couldn’t make sense of why this was happening at all!

He had a strong feeling that the vital essence, blood energy, and strength within Prince Yao’s body hadn’t actually been depleted or leaked out because of that wound to the chest — but rather seemed to have been hidden away, and was now gradually bursting forth!

Hearing Sha Qiuzi’s words, though no one present understood why, everyone was overjoyed all the same — they no longer cared about the reasons, they only wanted the result!

“Does this mean he’s about to wake up?!” Yelu Qianqian, as always, was the most direct one!

“Does this mean his vital energy is starting to recover?” Situ Haonan’s question was a bit more professional.

“Physician Gu, what exactly is going on here — is there hope now?” Prince Baxian was, as ever, the conservative one.

…

But neither Physician Gu nor Sha Qiuzi could answer — or rather, they were unable to give a definitive answer.

“At present, the pulse is growing stronger, and the vital energy is strengthening, but it’s still not very stable.”

“By all normal reasoning, if this continues, it should turn out fine — once his vital energy recovers and his pulse stabilizes, there shouldn’t be any serious danger…”

Both Physician Gu and Sha Qiuzi spoke very cautiously — with one saying “at present” and the other saying “by normal reasoning” — leaving everyone’s hearts, which had just settled slightly, suspended once more.

Meanwhile, up on the rooftop, Baili Weisheng let out a breath without even realizing it himself.

“Quack doctors! Clearly it’s a constitutional issue — he’s not going to die!”

He muttered to himself dismissively. Of course, the fact that he hadn’t shot Jun Beiyue with a cold arrow was already generous enough of him — he certainly wasn’t kind enough to go down and enlighten Sha Qiuzi.

Thinking back on how Sha Qiuzi had once betrayed him, his heart ached with resentment!

Baili Weisheng clutched his chest, rolled his eyes a few times, and then slipped away silently — he still had to hurry and find the seal of the world of poison beasts.

Once Jun Beiyue woke up, Baili Weisheng was genuinely worried he wouldn’t be able to wander so freely around the palace anymore!

Whether it was really a constitutional issue or not, only the Meng clan people would know for sure once they arrived.

Yingzi had gone out of the city personally to meet them, so naturally he moved quickly.

The next morning, Yingzi brought the two Meng clan elders — known as Meng the Second, the clan’s second elder, Meng Yijing, and Meng the Third, the clan’s third elder, Meng Yishu — to the Imperial Study.

Meng the Second and Meng the Third were both around forty years old, dressed plainly, easygoing, and pleasant to deal with.

The moment they saw Prince Baxian, they expressed their concern for Jun Beiyue and urgently asked to see him.

Yingzi wished he could take them straight to Xuanlong Palace at once, but since they were guests from a foreign land, proper etiquette still had to be observed.

Prince Baxian gave them a high-standard reception, inviting them for tea while having Physician Gu explain Jun Beiyue’s condition in detail.

“I imagine Prince Nanzhao has already informed the two of you of the situation. As for Prince Yao’s current condition, it’s as I’ve just described. If convenient, might I trouble the two of you to come to Xuanlong Palace?” Prince Baxian said politely.

Though they knew Meng Wanyue was from the Meng clan, whether she was an ordinary clan member or someone of noble, direct-line status remained unknown!

If she were of noble, direct-line status, that would naturally be best — it alone would add a powerful backing force for Jun Beiyue.

Listening to Physician Gu’s account, Meng the Second and Meng the Third exchanged glances — whether out of confusion or having discovered something, it wasn’t clear. Before long, no longer minding decorum, they began whispering to each other, unclear what they were murmuring about.

Watching this, the hearts of Prince Baxian and Physician Gu, already hanging in suspense, grew even more anxious.

Yet, they didn’t dare interrupt, watching eagerly as the two finished their discussion. Only then did Prince Baxian speak up. “The two of you…”

“Prince Baxian, could you take us to see Prince Yao?” Meng the Second asked, his expression serious.

“Of course!”

Prince Baxian practically leapt up from his seat, personally leading the way. “This way, please, this way!”

Meng the Second and Meng the Third rose quickly and followed. The two of them kept their heads lowered the entire way, and though their gazes seemed outwardly gentle and amiable, shock and malice kept flashing through them again and again.

Had they discovered something without even having seen the man yet?