Seeing Bai Jinzhi’s expression change drastically, the imperial physician continued: “Madam Qin, please be at ease. This old minister will prescribe medicine for Princess Zhenguo. After taking it, her symptoms will be somewhat alleviated. However, if she wishes to properly recuperate and heal, I’m afraid Court Judge Imperial Physician Huang would need to treat Princess Zhenguo. But Imperial Physician Huang is currently in Huayang City, so he’s beyond reach.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician!” Bai Jinxiu nodded to the imperial physician.
The imperial physician came out of the inner room and sat at the small round table under the lamp to write a prescription for Bai Qingyan.
From the courtyard of Qinghui Courtyard came the pleading voice of Li Mingrui’s messenger boy.
Bai Jinxiu tucked in the quilt for Bai Qingyan, sniffled, and said in a low voice: “Elder sister, rest assured. You rest peacefully. Once the imperial physician finishes writing the prescription, I’ll take that person to see His Highness the Crown Prince!”
Bai Qingyan nodded and only then slowly closed her eyes to rest.
The nanny beside the Crown Princess saw Bai Qingyan under the candlelight, her complexion extremely pale and terrible. Her hands folded on her lower abdomen tightened, feeling that this Princess Zhenguo’s dying appearance could never be as the Crown Princess’s personal nanny had said… becoming an obstacle to their Crown Princess.
·
In the main hall, the lights blazed brightly.
Quan Yu had tried several times to tell the Crown Prince about Bai Jinxiu’s visit requesting an imperial physician, but couldn’t find an opening. Speaking of this matter couldn’t appear too deliberate, so Quan Yu could only stand to one side, waiting for the right moment.
The Crown Prince ordered servants to move the brazier to his feet, extending his hands to warm them by the fire while listening to Old Fang speak about Wang Qiulu’s matter.
Hearing that Wang Qiulu was still alive, the Crown Prince was quite shocked. He remembered… that night when Bai Qingyan went to the prison to see Wang Jianghai, the Crown Prince had also gone. Bai Qingyan said Wang Jianghai had asked a guard to take her fourth uncle’s jade pendant to see her, which made her rush to the prison in panic, only to discover Wang Jianghai had deceived her, and she was very sad about it.
“You say… Princess Zhenguo saved that Wang Qiulu. I remember… that Wang Qiulu should have been executed!” The Crown Prince frowned deeply.
Quan Yu gritted his teeth. This Old Fang was going to frame Princess Zhenguo again.
“Exactly!” Old Fang bowed deeply. “Princess Zhenguo is meticulous in thought and quite cautious in her actions. Therefore, Princess Zhenguo didn’t use anyone from the Bai mansion, but instead sent people to Shouyang to find someone there who had relatives connected to the Dali Temple prison guards. She gave this person money to have him rescue the prisoner! Now this old servant has already sent people to capture that person, and this old servant has also brought back the Dali Temple prison guard, and naturally Wang Qiulu!”
Having said this, Old Fang signaled to Ren Shijie.
Ren Shijie hurriedly picked up the account books and contracts placed on the table beside him and stepped forward, respectfully presenting them to the Crown Prince: “This is the house that Shouyang person bought after returning from the capital. The purchase records are here! This one… is the purchase record for a triple-courtyard house in the capital, with the buyer being that prison guard.”
The Crown Prince frowned deeply, casually flipping through those purchase records.
Old Fang lowered his eyes in thought, then deliberately said: “Did… Princess Zhenguo ever mention to Your Highness the Crown Prince about rescuing Wang Qiulu?”
The Crown Prince recalled how previously in the prison, Bai Qingyan had clutched the jade pendant with tears in her eyes, telling him… that Wang Jianghai had deceived her there just to make her save his son. The Crown Prince wasn’t sure if this counted as Bai Qingyan having told him about it.
Seeing the Crown Prince’s hesitant expression, Old Fang continued: “Your Highness, shall we summon the witnesses?”
“Bring them in. I want to hear what they all have to say!” The Crown Prince casually tossed those purchase records aside.
Ren Shijie rose and went outside to bring in Wang Qiulu, the prison guard, and that Shouyang gambler.
Wang Qiulu clenched his hands into tight fists, glanced at the Crown Prince, and knelt before him: “This criminal pays respects… to Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Raise your head!” The Crown Prince supported himself on the chair’s armrest with one hand, putting on his princely airs, his voice carrying strong authority.
Wang Qiulu raised his head upon hearing this, showing no fear as the Crown Prince scrutinized him.
This Wang Qiulu had never met the Crown Prince face to face. The Crown Prince only felt he looked somewhat familiar, and thinking further… this Wang Qiulu indeed resembled Wang Jianghai. He asked: “Were you rescued by Princess Zhenguo?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, the Crown Prince, this criminal doesn’t know who rescued me either. This criminal only knows that after being rescued from prison, no one cares for this criminal anymore. Later…”
Wang Qiulu’s words suddenly stopped, and he kowtowed to the Crown Prince: “Please Your Highness the Crown Prince dismiss your attendants. Only then will this criminal be willing to confess everything truthfully to Your Highness!”
Old Fang was startled by Wang Qiulu’s words. This wasn’t what they had agreed upon beforehand. Old Fang suddenly stood up: “What trick are you trying to play?!”
“Please, Your Highness, the Crown Prince dismiss your attendants!” Wang Qiulu kowtowed heavily again.
“Your Highness! This person was once a serious criminal guilty of treason! How can he be alone with Your Highness… Please, Your Highness, reconsider!” Old Fang cupped his hands toward the Crown Prince.
Ren Shijie’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, quietly tightened. How could this matter suddenly take such a turn?
Could this be some scheme of Li Mingrui’s? Regardless, he should just observe for now!
“Wang Qiulu, are you unwilling to have me and Old Fang present… or unwilling to have anyone present?” Ren Shijie asked.
“As long as this Old Fang and you leave, that’s enough!” Wang Qiulu said.
Seeing this, Ren Shijie stood up and tugged at Old Fang’s sleeve: “Old Fang… since he insists so strongly, it’s fine for us to wait outside!”
Having said this, Ren Shijie lowered his voice: “Could the Crown Prince hide anything from you? He’ll certainly tell you afterward! Just be patient for now, otherwise… the Crown Prince might think you’re here framing Princess Zhenguo and don’t dare let Wang Qiulu speak!”
Old Fang felt Ren Shijie’s words made sense, so he could only nod, glaring at Wang Qiulu: “Then… I’ll wait with Mr. Ren outside for Your Highness to summon us.”
Having said this, Old Fang withdrew from the main hall with Ren Shijie, waiting in the outside corridor.
Old Fang frowned deeply: “Do you think… this couldn’t be Li Mingrui’s design to frame you and me?”
Ren Shijie stood under the hexagonal palace lantern with his hands tucked in his sleeves, frowning in thought: “I don’t think… It’s likely, but in this matter, I believe Old Fang shouldn’t claim sole credit anymore. Although Li Mingrui appears clean and refined, his heart isn’t very clean. To prevent Li Mingrui from using some means to trap Old Fang and me as his pawns, we should just tell the truth as it is. What does Old Fang think?”
Old Fang also nodded, raising his hand to press his twitching eyelid: “Mr. Ren speaks reasonably. My eyelid keeps twitching – it’s not a good omen. Let’s just tell the truth!”
Inside the Crown Prince’s mansion main hall.
Wang Qiulu knelt on the mirror-bright floor, and after kowtowing to the Crown Prince said: “Your Highness, this criminal indeed didn’t know at first who had saved me! Later, that person told me to go to Prince Liang’s mansion, deceiving me by saying that Miss Liu Ruofu of Nandu had her face and voice ruined and was at Prince Liang’s mansion. So I went. Someone met me at the back side gate of Prince Liang’s mansion and later took me to see Liu Ruofu, but this criminal is certain that it was not the Miss of Nandu!”