Indeed, he had issued a secret order and had not consulted with Chancellor Lu and other veteran officials, precisely to avoid obstruction. How had Bai Qingyan learned of it?

Seeing the Crown Prince’s expression, Old Fang knew it was not the Crown Prince who had sent someone to tell Bai Qingyan: “If this matter was not told to Princess Zhenguo by someone Your Highness sent, this old man boldly requests that Your Highness carefully question Princess Zhenguo later to see how she explains it.”

The Crown Prince’s palms tightened: “Old Fang means that Princess Zhenguo has placed someone by my side?”

“This old man dares not speculate wildly…” Old Fang had grown clever now and did not dare to openly criticize Bai Qingyan in front of the Crown Prince. He only pointed it out for the Crown Prince to think about himself, “But Princess Zhenguo knowing about this matter is indeed too suspicious!”

The main hall was extremely quiet, so quiet that only the sound of fine sand falling from the hourglass could be heard.

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, carefully considering each person around him, guessing which one might be someone Bai Qingyan had placed by his side.

The Crown Prince thought it over—there were only so many people around him.

Seeing the Crown Prince lower his eyes in deep thought without speaking for a long while, Old Fang continued: “Your Highness, let’s not discuss whether Princess Zhenguo has placed someone by Your Highness’s side! But… since Princess Zhenguo already has the prescription to treat the plague, why didn’t she bring this prescription to Your Highness? Instead, she had Bai mansion guards rush to Huayang and Qin Huai cities with the prescription first?”

“What does Old Fang mean?” The Crown Prince frowned deeply.

“Your Highness, think about it… Finding a cure for the plague and saving countless people from suffering—what great merit is that? That’s enough to be remembered for eternity! Princess Zhenguo could have completely sent Bai family guards to Huayang and Qin Huai cities to stop Your Highness’s order to massacre all plague victims, then sent someone to deliver the plague treatment prescription to Your Highness, letting Your Highness claim this merit! Your Highness, as Crown Prince, desperately needs such virtue before ascending the throne, to let the people know that Your Highness is destined by Heaven, someone who can save them from water and fire! But Princess Zhenguo only thought about the Bai family’s name being recorded in history, without considering Your Highness…”

Just as Old Fang finished speaking, they saw someone wearing a white fox fur cloak, with a pale complexion, covering her heart and supporting herself on Quan Yu’s arm as she stepped across the main hall threshold: “In the fifteenth year of Qingde, at the end of the year, there was a great plague in Jiaozhou. The entire nation was terrified, and the people scattered and fled! The spreading momentum was fierce; nine out of ten doctors died, and everyone avoided it! The court sealed the city, and Jiaozhou was covered with graves and mountains of white bones! It was my aunt Bai Suyi who made a military pledge, requesting to enter Pengcheng in Jiaozhou, relying on her medical skills alone to save the people! My father led a battalion of Bai family troops to escort my aunt into the city, staying for ninety-six days without coming out! They eliminated the plague and saved countless people throughout the realm! Isn’t such an achievement enough to be recorded in history?! The Bai family’s reputation is known throughout the world—do I need to compete for opportunities to earn fame for the Bai family at this time?! Old Fang’s mind is far too narrow.”

Having said this, Bai Qingyan covered her heart, hunched over, and began coughing violently.

“Princess Zhenguo!” Quan Yu supported Bai Qingyan with a worried expression, his eyes turning red.

Just now, Quan Yu had originally intended to take people out of the city to meet Princess Zhenguo, but before he could reach the front courtyard, he saw servants bringing Princess Zhenguo into the Crown Prince’s mansion, so he hurried to escort her in.

These past months, Quan Yu had been by the Crown Prince’s side and naturally knew about the situation in Shouyang—that Princess Zhenguo had nearly died twice since winter began. Seeing Princess Zhenguo again… seeing that she had become so emaciated, Quan Yu’s heart felt as if it were being cut by knives. He hadn’t expected that as soon as he helped Princess Zhenguo enter, he would hear Old Fang speaking ill of Princess Zhenguo before the Crown Prince.

“Princess Zhenguo!” The Crown Prince hadn’t expected Bai Qingyan to arrive so quickly and was quite surprised.

Bai Qingyan released Quan Yu’s hand and struggled to bow deeply to the Crown Prince: “Bai Qingyan greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince…”

The Crown Prince quickly stepped out from behind his desk to support Bai Qingyan: “With your condition, what ceremony is needed! Come… sit down first!”

The Crown Prince personally helped Bai Qingyan sit down, his eyes full of worry: “Quickly! Bring hot water for Princess Zhenguo!”

Feeling the cold emanating from Bai Qingyan’s entire body, the Crown Prince remembered that Bai Qingyan still suffered from cold syndrome and quickly said: “Quan Yu, bring a few more charcoal braziers! Bring my hand warmer for Princess Zhenguo!”

Quan Yu brought a cushion to place behind the breathless Bai Qingyan’s back and put the Crown Prince’s hand warmer into Bai Qingyan’s hands.

Bai Qingyan’s breathing calmed slightly, and she nodded to thank the Crown Prince: “Thank you, Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”

Seeing that when the Crown Prince looked at the pale, bloodless, and emaciated Bai Qingyan, his eyes no longer held the suspicion and doubt from earlier but only worry, Old Fang felt stifled and uncomfortable.

Old Fang stood up and first bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Princess Zhenguo, it’s not that this old man is narrow-minded, but since we both serve under the Crown Prince now, we should consider everything for His Highness’s sake. Not to mention that His Highness has not yet ascended the throne and is precisely in need of reputation now—even after His Highness ascends the throne… we should still plan for His Highness’s eternal fame after succession!”

Bai Qingyan looked up at Old Fang: “As soon as Bai Qingyan learned that Physician Hong’s plague treatment prescription had succeeded in trials, before I could ask Physician Hong for details, the person His Highness sent to inform Bai Qingyan of the secret order to kill the plague victims of Huayang and Qin Huai cities arrived. If Old Fang doesn’t believe this… You can call out the messenger and ask if this is so! Bai Qingyan was precisely planning for the Crown Prince’s reputation, which is why I ordered people to rush to Huayang and Qin Huai cities with the prescription to stop the slaughter! Otherwise… without seeing the prescription, how could Bai mansion guards possibly stop the Crown Prince’s secret order?!”

The Crown Prince and Old Fang exchanged glances. Bai Qingyan was saying… that the Crown Prince had sent someone to tell Bai Qingyan about his secret order?!

Bai Qingyan’s breathing was labored: “Now His Highness the Crown Prince governs on behalf of His Majesty. If the plague-stricken people of two cities are massacred, won’t people guess that this was ordered by His Highness the Crown Prince? A hundred years from now… His Highness the Crown Prince alone will bear all the infamy! Old Fang is such a prudent and wise person—how can he not understand even this?!”

Having said this, Bai Qingyan began coughing violently again. She pulled out a handkerchief to cover her lips, coughing until her face grew even paler. When she moved the handkerchief away, it was covered in bright red, and looking at Bai Qingyan again, her lips had turned purple.

Seeing the bright red on the handkerchief, Quan Yu found it shocking. He quickly knelt and kowtowed to the Crown Prince with red eyes: “Your Highness… Princess Zhenguo rode from Shouyang to arrive in time to stop Your Highness! This journey’s bumping and jolting… her body can no longer endure it!”

“Quickly! Quickly summon the imperial physician!” The Crown Prince, seeing the fresh blood on Bai Qingyan’s white handkerchief, shouted in alarm.

“Your Highness…” Bai Qingyan seemed afraid that the Crown Prince would see and quickly hid the handkerchief, grasping the Crown Prince’s wrist with a voice as faint as a thread: “Your Highness… I’m fine! Bai Qingyan took it upon herself to send people with the prescription to block Your Highness’s order. I know this is a capital offense, but even if Bai Qingyan dies, I absolutely cannot watch helplessly as Your Highness bears the name of massacring the people of two cities…”