“I’m afraid of what?” Li Zhaoting shot a fierce glance, his tone sharp.

“I’m afraid even Hua Tuo reborn couldn’t fully restore it—scars of a different skin color will remain,” the head physician answered in alarm.

He thought for a moment, then quickly added, “But it shouldn’t be… shouldn’t be… too deep.”

“Hua Tuo reborn?!” Li Zhaoting suddenly sneered coldly, “I appointed you as head of the Imperial Medical Academy, and all you can say are these evasive words?! Fine, then I’ll go outside the palace to find another Hua Tuo reborn to come back. As for you…”

A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes. The head physician was terrified and fell to his knees with a thud, “Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty—”

Li Zhaoting didn’t respond. Si Lanfeng was about to have guards take the man away when Suzhen said, “Thank Your Majesty for your concern, but the matter has come to this—there’s no point in forcing it. The head physician is speaking truthfully. If even he has no confidence, how many doctors outside could do better?”

Li Zhaoting glanced at her coldly and said in a deep voice, “Use your abilities to treat her. This person looks sallow and thin—is there truly nothing else wrong with her body?”

But he was speaking to the head physician!

“Replying to Your Majesty, there’s… there’s nothing.”

The head physician was covered in cold sweat. How dare he tell the truth now—that this body seemed afflicted by hemorrhaging and qi depletion, with life in danger sooner or later? He could only keep nodding and tremblingly apply medicine to Suzhen.

Li Zhaoting didn’t stay longer and immediately left with Si Lanfeng.

Soon the head physician departed, along with some former palace maids and eunuchs. Guo Sizhen, who had returned to the Sizhen Hall, and Chen Jiao and Little Lu, who had been sent to serve in other palace quarters, were successively reassigned back.

Seeing Suzhen, they all embraced her and wept. But Suzhen didn’t care about her face—with Lian Yu dead, she no longer had anyone to please. It was a pity about Little Zhou though.

Yesterday she had nearly died in the temple, but fortunately she saw the letter and had imperial guards secretly help her up to take medicine. Thanks to Quan Feitong’s assistance, she had finally managed to return!

With Wei Wulei’s precedent, she had managed to temporarily deceive the physician. But Li Zhaoting’s attitude was hard to read—could she think of a solution? Even if she thought of one, would she still be able to speak to him?

Thinking this, she began coughing violently, alarming everyone. She quickly took out Little Zhou’s prescription and had someone go to the Imperial Medical Academy to get medicine from the head physician—absolutely no one else could be asked, and they must personally supervise the brewing.

She would need to keep taking this medicine.

Though everyone didn’t fully understand, seeing her sallow complexion, they immediately agreed.

“This slave will make a trip,” said Guo Sizhen.

“No, I’ll go!” Little Lu volunteered, taking the prescription and leaving.

As Li Zhaoting left, he instructed Si Lanfeng while walking, “While Wuqing conducts his thorough investigation, you must also assign people to investigate separately. I must know who did this.”

“Yes,” Si Lanfeng replied quietly.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Your Majesty, do you think it might be…”

“It’s possible, but not very likely,” Li Zhaoting said indifferently. “The Wei army is his force—doing this would be too obvious. Investigate first before drawing conclusions.”

“Yes.”

Si Lanfeng paused, then tentatively said, “Your Majesty, since you’ve brought her back and Concubine Shu is in such condition, won’t you stay to have a meal with her and speak a few words?”

Li Zhaoting smiled slightly, “You seem quite concerned about her.”

Si Lanfeng remembered the previous beating, “Your Majesty, this subordinate is thinking of Your Majesty…”

“The business between her and me failed, but our friendship remains. But I cannot let her die—now it’s truly for the Feng family’s sake. I brought her back only because it wasn’t safe there. This fire and her injury carry some responsibility of mine, but that’s all.”

Suzhen washed up briefly, changed into clean clothes, then ground ink and wrote two letters.

One to Wuqing, one to Quan Feitong. She had Guo Sizhen send someone to deliver both to Wuqing for forwarding.

Sending directly to Quan would be troublesome if Li Zhaoting discovered it.

The letter to Quan Feitong was to express gratitude. The letter to Wuqing asked her brother to help with two matters. After Lian Xin’s incident, she believed Wuqing was somewhat moved and wouldn’t rashly harm the Lian family.

She explained the situation and asked Wuqing to write to notify Lian Jie about this matter, warning them not to panic or withdraw en masse immediately. At the same time, Little Zhou and Lian Xin must absolutely not tell the Lian family that Little Lotus had been born.

Otherwise, they would certainly find ways to discover Little Lotus’s whereabouts and take her back to raise the banner of restoration. This was something she absolutely didn’t want to see.

Second, she asked Wuqing not to contact Leng Xue and others for now—she had instructed this before but was still worried. Only by completely cutting contact with Little Lotus could they prevent problems, whether from Li Zhaoting’s side or the Lian family’s.

While pondering how to persuade Li Zhaoting to cancel the mining and simultaneously thinking about how to fill the treasury—these two conflicting concerns, combined with her injuries and exhaustion, finally caused her to fall into unconsciousness.

At the Six Doors Bureau.

Wuqing showed the letter to everyone. Actually, Little Zhou and the others hadn’t left yet. Everyone was worried about Suzhen and wanted to stay a while longer to assess the situation before departing. Wuqing definitely didn’t want Suzhen to fight to the death—only Little Lotus could restrain her. But if it came to the last resort with no other options, they would have to leave!

He had Iron Hand and Ah Qing deliver the letter to Lian Jie and others under the guise of official duties.

Everyone was shocked, unable to believe that before one crisis was resolved, another disaster had struck.

“My lady… my lady…”

As Suzhen slept hazily, Guo Sizhen’s voice came softly.

She opened her heavy, aching eyes to see Guo Sizhen’s worried face above her. “The Dowager Empress has sent someone to summon you to attend the autumn banquet.”

Suzhen’s drowsiness immediately dispersed. The autumn banquet… there were truly many royal banquets, though they were just pretexts of course.

But since the Prince of Jin’s consort had issued the decree, she couldn’t refuse to go.

Chen Jiao helped her dress and apply cosmetics. She didn’t look at herself in the mirror.

When she was ready, Guo Sizhen and the others prepared to accompany her out, but she waved them off, “I’ll go alone.”

Watching Suzhen leave with the message-bearing eunuch, Chen Jiao and Little Lu couldn’t help wondering, “Why doesn’t my lady want us to come? Other ladies travel with great fanfare, and now that the Empress is expecting an imperial heir, going alone seems inadvisable…”

Guo Sizhen sighed, “It’s a Hongmen Banquet. She doesn’t want us to suffer embarrassment alongside her.”

…

It truly was a Hongmen Banquet.

The banquet was set in the Imperial Garden.

When Suzhen arrived, all the harem consorts were already present.

Seeing her appear, everyone was shocked.

Even A Luo and Wei Wulei, who had been chatting cheerfully with the Prince of Jin’s consort, abruptly stopped talking.

Miaoyin stood up: “You…”

Suzhen nodded to Miaoyin, knowing what they all saw when they looked at her now.

On her left cheek was a three-finger-wide wound, the flesh red-black and sticky, quite horrifying. Whether she had gotten back at the head physician who then retaliated, or not, he had repeatedly warned that after applying the medicine, the wound absolutely could not be covered, or the consequences would be severe. So she had come like this.

“I heard Concubine Shu had… finished recuperating and returned to the palace, so I summoned you to dine together,” the Prince of Jin’s consort said slowly, as if she couldn’t see the scar.

After court, Li Zhaoting met with the Minister of Works, Minister of War, Wei Chenghui, and Ying Yan, who had accompanied him to court again that day, in the imperial study to discuss matters.

Since Wei Chenghui had brought the self-recommending Ying Yan to court several days ago, Li Zhaoting had ordered the Ministry of Works to arrange personnel for surveying and excavation. Because Ying Yan said the tribespeople and neighboring tribes wouldn’t easily relocate, he also ordered the Ministry of War and local authorities to fully assist, first arranging civilian evacuation, and if anyone resisted, to use force!

Wei Chenghui took the opportunity to suggest letting his second son Wei Wujun atone for his crimes through merit by handling the arrangements.

As Li Zhaoting pondered, Little Four entered. Si Lanfeng thought to himself that this fellow’s timing was perfect.

Little Four smiled, “Your Majesty, it’s time for your meal.”

Li Zhaoting nodded, “Then gentlemen, we’ll continue discussing this tomorrow. Marquis Wei, I’ll consider Wujun’s matter. Whether I keep my word is one thing, but I’m afraid Wujun will face criticism from all the ministers. Let me think about it more.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Wei Chenghui answered through gritted teeth and a smile.

Li Zhaoting was about to leave when a eunuch came to report something outside. Soon Liang Song entered, and seeing Wei Chenghui present, whispered something in Li Zhaoting’s ear.

Li Zhaoting had scheduled today’s lunch at Miaoyin’s palace, but the old eunuch had just received a report from Miaoyin’s palace eunuchs that the Dowager Empress and Empress had arranged a banquet for all the consorts, asking him not to go there yet.

Li Zhaoting frowned slightly. Normally for an autumn banquet, his mother wouldn’t fail to send someone to notify him. After thinking briefly, he said, “Proceed to the Imperial Garden.”

“All of you come as well. Ying Yan, you’ve rendered service by offering the mines—come along too. I’ll drink with you.”

“Yes, this humble citizen thanks Your Majesty.”

Wei Chenghui and the others naturally didn’t refuse, and Ying Yan was overjoyed.

Since he and his confidants had been driven from the tribe by that outsider youth who helped Sangzhan, he had once attempted to fight back but was expelled by Sangzhan again. After thinking it over, he had made his way to the capital, arriving just as disasters struck. He went to the Wei residence, claiming he could offer wealth to fill the national treasury.

This way, as long as the court was willing to send troops, no matter how capable Sangzhan was, he couldn’t resist. Even if that youth was still there, what was there to fear! He could not only gain official position and title but also claim his rightful share!

When Li Zhaoting’s group arrived at the Imperial Garden, Suzhen was just taking her seat. The Prince of Jin’s consort was somewhat surprised to see him come, but then smiled, “Your Majesty and the gentlemen have arrived. Why don’t you take seats?”

Palace maids and eunuchs immediately bustled about arranging things.

Wei Chenghui was quite surprised to see Suzhen’s appearance, but then a smile flashed in his eyes!

Ying Yan naturally didn’t dare look much at the Emperor’s consorts, but Suzhen was striking. With one glance, he couldn’t help being startled.

Not only because of her face, but also her identity. When they had first met, he had thought she was just the wife or concubine of some wealthy family.

Li Zhaoting looked over, “What’s wrong?”

Ying Yan shuddered and quickly replied, “Your Majesty, please don’t blame me. This humble citizen was discourteous.”

The Prince of Jin’s consort said blandly, “Ignorance is no crime. Originally, being startled at first sight is understandable. We were all quite frightened just now.”

All the consorts laughed at this. At this moment, a palace consort beside Suzhen quietly moved her chair away.

She was clearly somewhat afraid of Suzhen’s face.

However, Suzhen’s rank was not low after all. Though banished by the Emperor, she had returned now. Unlike the Empress and the three high consorts Miao, Wei, and others, she was still somewhat wary of this ugly woman. But with the Prince of Jin’s consort speaking thus, she no longer had qualms.

Though Suzhen didn’t care, out of feminine instinct, she subconsciously reached up to touch her face. At this moment, Li Zhaoting suddenly spoke: “Consort Xia, come pour me a cup of tea.”

Consort Xia was the name of the consort who had moved her chair.

She was startled, thinking it was because the Emperor had visited her quarters recently and expressed favor. She smiled slightly and quickly rose, walking to Li Zhaoting’s side.

She quickly brewed the tea and handed up the cup, but somehow her wrist suddenly hurt and the tea spilled all over Li Zhaoting’s hand, turning it bright red! Everyone was alarmed as she knelt down in terror, “Your Majesty… I… I deserve death!”

“With such clumsy hands, you indeed deserve death,” Li Zhaoting said calmly, taking the handkerchief Liang Song offered.

Though naturally noble by birth, after ascending the throne his imperial aura had grown daily deeper. Though he spoke calmly now, it made people shudder.

Consort Xia was terrified and kowtowed repeatedly. After a long while, Li Zhaoting finally said, “Get out!”

Consort Xia ran away crying, truly crawling and rolling.

The atmosphere became subtly tense.

Everyone present was no fool—who couldn’t see what Li Zhaoting was demonstrating! As they each pondered their own thoughts, they heard him say, “Concubine Shu, come pour me another cup of tea.”

Suzhen was surprised and glanced at him uncertainly, not knowing what he was thinking, but quickly stood and walked to his side.

“Liang Song, bring a chair over,” he said again.

At this moment, A Luo smiled, “Isn’t that Minister Quan? And who’s that beside him?”

Everyone looked where Li Zhaoting was looking and indeed saw Quan Feitong not far away. Seeming to have arrived unexpectedly, he hadn’t had them announce his presence. Beside him was a young man in blue, dressed in plain clothes with refined eyebrows and bright eyes. He was looking steadily ahead without the awkwardness of an audience with the Emperor, appearing courteous and modest, though his eyes held depths.