Wei Yan had not noticed Tian Dong’s surprise. His eyes held only those two figures — a young man and a young woman standing facing each other.
From his vantage point, he could only see Ling Jingshu’s back, but the Crown Grandson’s expression was perfectly clear before him.
The Crown Grandson was looking at Ling Jingshu, his gaze unwavering, with no room for anyone else in the world.
This was the look of a young man watching the girl who had captured his heart.
And Ling Jingshu? Did she harbour the same feelings for the Crown Grandson? No — it couldn’t be. If she did, she would not be so troubled over the matter of Prince Yan.
Wei Yan steadied himself, stepped forward, and clasped his hands in a bow. “Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Grandson.”
The Crown Grandson acknowledged him with a casual sound of assent, his gaze shifting to Wei Yan’s face. “Imperial Physician Wei has been treating Young Master Ling with acupuncture for quite some time now. Has there been any improvement in the young master’s condition?”
Wei Yan replied with composed composure: “There has indeed been some progress. The blood stagnation in Young Master Ling’s head has dispersed considerably, and his eyes have grown slightly more tolerant of light. As long as treatment continues, there will come a day when he makes a full recovery.”
The Crown Grandson smiled a smile weighted with meaning. “Imperial Physician Wei has devoted himself heart and soul to treating Young Master Ling. When the day comes that his eye ailment is cured, Miss Ling will surely be moved to deep and lasting gratitude.”
Wei Yan chose to hear nothing cutting in the Crown Grandson’s words. He replied with a mild smile: “It is said that a physician holds the heart of a parent toward the patient. I have dedicated myself to the art of medicine solely to heal the sick and save lives. I have never had the luxury of hoping for any reward.”
His tone was neither servile nor presumptuous, neither yielding nor rigid.
The Crown Grandson’s eyes flickered, and a smile — or something like a smile — pulled at the corners of his lips. “Imperial Physician Wei is of lofty medical virtue, healing the sick with no thought of reward. That is truly admirable.”
Wei Yan answered with unruffled ease: “Your Highness speaks too highly of me.”
Their eyes met. Wei Yan’s gaze was calm and steady; the Crown Grandson’s was sharp and cold, pressing like a blade. An invisible rivalry hung silently between them.
Ling Jingshu, too, felt a prickling discomfort. She cleared her throat to break the silence. “Your Highness, A’Xiao has finished receiving his acupuncture treatment. We shall not trouble you further — with your permission, we will take our leave and return to the residence.”
The Crown Grandson made no move to detain them. He uttered a casual sound of assent.
Ling Jingshu exhaled quietly in relief, gave Wei Yan a slight nod, then turned and walked away.
The Crown Grandson stood motionless, watching Ling Jingshu’s retreating figure. When at last he drew his gaze back, he suddenly noticed that Wei Yan had done the very same thing. The ember he had just barely suppressed flared up in an instant.
“Why has Imperial Physician Wei lingered so long without departing? Could there be something you are reluctant to leave behind?” the Crown Grandson asked, wearing a smile that did not reach his eyes.
Wei Yan replied with studied nonchalance: “Since Your Highness has not yet departed, how could I presume to take my leave first?”
The Crown Grandson suppressed the urge to scoff, and said with an expressionless face, “Very well then — I shall go first.” And with that, he turned on his heel and swept away.
Wei Yan stood in place for a moment, his expression revealing not a trace of feeling.
Tian Dong was completely at a loss. He asked with careful caution: “Imperial Physician Wei, are we not leaving yet?” What had just transpired? Between Imperial Physician Wei and the Crown Grandson, there had seemed to be a faint edge of blades drawn and crossbows cocked.
Wei Yan came back to himself. “Alright, let us go,” he said lightly.
Tian Dong answered with a sound of acknowledgment and followed behind Wei Yan out of the Crown Prince’s residence.
The Imperial Medical Academy was a fair distance from the Crown Prince’s residence. Wei Yan disliked riding in a carriage, and walked every time. Today was no different. However, his pace was somewhat slower than usual.
Tian Dong stole a sidelong glance at Wei Yan and, gathering his courage, ventured to say: “Imperial Physician Wei, are you in a bad mood?” Not a single trace of a smile was to be found on that gentle, handsome face.
Wei Yan would naturally not admit to it: “Nothing of the sort.”
Tian Dong muttered under his breath: “Clearly in a bad mood, yet you refuse to admit it.” He had spent several years at Wei Yan’s side and knew his temperament fairly well. At this moment, Wei Yan was plainly weighed down by something on his mind.
As for the reason, he could not quite puzzle it out. Though it seemed inseparable from the Crown Grandson.
Wei Yan turned a deaf ear to Tian Dong’s grumbling and simply quickened his steps.
After returning to the Imperial Medical Academy, before he had even had a moment to settle his mind, an inner attendant arrived from the palace.
“Her Majesty the Empress is feeling somewhat unwell today. She asks that Imperial Physician Wei come to the palace at once to take her pulse.” The one who had come was Eunuch Hu, the head steward of Jiaofu Palace.
This Eunuch Hu had long grown accustomed to swaggering about on the strength of Empress Xu’s power and influence. Yet in his manner toward Wei Yan, he was remarkably warm and eager.
Wei Yan’s brow creased ever so slightly, barely perceptibly. A moment later, he composed himself and accepted with a smile.
He walked swiftly all the way to Jiaofu Palace.
Wei Yan halted just outside the gates of Jiaofu Palace and said in a measured tone: “Would Eunuch Hu please be so good as to announce me?”
Eunuch Hu smiled and replied: “Her Majesty the Empress has been waiting inside for Imperial Physician Wei. She even specially instructed me that when you arrived, you should go straight in without needing to be announced.”
He paused briefly and added in a low, bantering voice: “Her Majesty the Empress holds Imperial Physician Wei in such high regard and such special favour. Such an honour is truly enough to make anyone envious. Who in all of Jiaofu Palace has not heard of the great renown of Imperial Physician Wei?”
The traces of envy and insinuation flickering at the corners of his eyes and brows were utterly conspicuous.
Wei Yan’s heart recoiled with discomfort and aversion — even a creeping nausea.
This so-called “special favour” — he wanted no part of it.
After entering Jiaofu Palace, a palace maid with a pretty face came forward to receive him. This maid spoke little to Wei Yan and was noticeably restrained: “Her Majesty the Empress is unwell and is resting in her bedchamber. Please follow me to Her Majesty’s inner chambers, Imperial Physician Wei.”
By palace protocol, when consorts or imperial ladies fell ill and summoned an imperial physician, they were to receive him in the outer hall. Unless the illness was grave, there was no cause for them to be confined to bed.
Wei Yan’s lip twitched almost imperceptibly. He accepted without visible expression and followed the palace maid into the inner chambers.
Jiaofu Palace was the residence of the Empress consort and the most sumptuously appointed palace in the imperial harem. Empress Xu’s inner chambers were naturally decorated with exceptional refinement. From some distance away, a fragrance — elusive at first, but growing more concentrated the closer one drew — drifted through the air.
The palace maid lifted the pearl curtain aside. Wei Yan stepped through. Tian Dong was about to follow, but the palace maid stopped him with a smile: “Imperial Physician Wei must take Her Majesty’s pulse. You wait outside.”
Tian Dong had no choice but to stop where he was.
Wei Yan entered the inner chambers, keeping his gaze strictly ahead, and clasped his hands in a formal bow. “Your servant greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
Empress Xu had been reclining on the bed; upon hearing Wei Yan’s voice, she at once directed her palace maids to help her sit up. She settled herself at a slant against the thick, plush bolster pillows and extended her wrist with languid ease. “Imperial Physician Wei, from the moment I rose this morning, I have felt my whole body sluggish and without strength. Come and see what the matter is.”
Wei Yan replied with a composed air: “If Your Majesty felt unwell from the moment of rising, you ought to have summoned an imperial physician sooner — lest the delay cause your honoured constitution to suffer any prolonged harm. Within the Imperial Medical Academy there is no shortage of physicians of great skill. Imperial Physician Zhou and Imperial Physician Li are both pre-eminent among their peers.”
Empress Xu raised the corners of her lips in a smile. “I have grown accustomed to having you take my pulse. I simply did not summon any other physician.”