The truth!
Hearing Bai Mengmeng’s half-laughing, half-weeping confession, Imperial Physician Gu finally learned the truth—so that was how it was!
It wasn’t Han Ziqing who had wounded Prince Yao—it was Bai Mengmeng, this vile woman!
Love turned to hatred, and she’d wounded Prince Yao so grievously, yet still had the gall to claim she loved him!
A flash of fury crossed Imperial Physician Gu’s cold eyes, but he didn’t let it show, listening calmly as Bai Mengmeng recounted the whole truth.
But in the end, Bai Mengmeng passed out again, without ever revealing where Han Ziqing had gone.
Finally, Bai Mengmeng fell silent, while Imperial Physician Gu was consumed with suspicion. According to what Bai Mengmeng had said, Han Ziqing had still been there when the wind began to weaken.
And Han Ziqing certainly hadn’t been as badly injured as Jun Beiyue and Situ Haonan—did that mean it was certain Han Ziqing hadn’t been swept up into the sky by the tornado?
Rather, Han Ziqing had left—left that area of Mingsha Mountain by the time the rescuers arrived.
But that didn’t seem possible either!
Han Ziqing wouldn’t abandon Situ Haonan and Jun Beiyue and leave on her own. Besides, though she wasn’t as gravely wounded as the two of them, she was still severely injured herself—how could she have gotten far?
The moment Yingzi and Jun Beichen arrived, they’d immediately ordered a search. If she’d simply walked off, it couldn’t have happened that quickly.
Unless…
At this thought, a chill ran down Imperial Physician Gu’s spine. Turning it over and over, there was only one possibility—Han Ziqing had been taken away by someone!
That woman knew no shortage of people. But who would have come to take her away at exactly that critical moment?
Rescued, or abducted?
If she’d been abducted, why hadn’t the Da Zhou royal family been contacted with any demands by now?
Imperial Physician Gu could only think of one thing—a Gu cultivator. Earlier, what Prince Yao had feared most was encountering a Gu cultivator.
Seeing Imperial Physician Gu’s complicated expression, Bai Mengmeng sneered, “I’ve told you the truth—what exactly do you intend to do?”
Bai Mengmeng didn’t know why Imperial Physician Gu disliked Han Ziqing, but she could see that he didn’t just dislike her—he despised her to the bone.
This, perhaps, was her chance. Her last chance.
Imperial Physician Gu finally looked at her. “You’re saying the princess consort misunderstood the prince?”
“Yes!” Bai Mengmeng said with utter certainty. She wouldn’t have misread it—women always read other women most accurately, and in that moment, she’d clearly seen tears welling in Han Ziqing’s eyes. There was no mistaking it!
She had misunderstood!
“Good, now I understand. This matter stays between heaven, earth, you, and me—understood?” Imperial Physician Gu instructed seriously.
“What do you mean? Explain yourself!” Bai Mengmeng pressed anxiously.
“Nothing in particular. I just think—since there’s a misunderstanding, let it be a misunderstanding. The princess consort may never come back anyway. For now, focus on recovering,” Imperial Physician Gu said, actually smiling—how much he resembled a compassionate physician in that moment!
Bai Mengmeng’s cold eyes narrowed slightly, saying nothing.
Imperial Physician Gu walked to the doorway and paused, without turning back, saying flatly, “Miss Bai, you should understand—the truth is precious precisely because few people know it. Once too many know, the truth is no longer worth anything as leverage.”
The words were, quite plainly, a warning.
“Don’t worry, as long as you let me live, I’ll do anything—especially against Han Ziqing,” Bai Mengmeng said immediately, currying favor. This old physician was now her lifeline—how could she let go of that?
Satisfied, Imperial Physician Gu nodded and left.
In truth, he hadn’t decided to do anything drastic. He thought—if Han Ziqing had fallen into the hands of a Gu cultivator, she surely wouldn’t be coming back. Being cultivated into a human Gu would bring endless harm, but that was still better than returning to Prince Yao’s side and corrupting his bloodline and descendants.
Dealing with a human Gu would become everyone’s shared concern, not Prince Yao’s alone!
And if Han Ziqing somehow did manage to return, he wouldn’t mind keeping Bai Mengmeng on hand, using her behind Prince Yao’s back!
By his estimate, given the prince’s injuries, once his vital energy was restored and his body began to heal, it would take no less than two or three years before he fully recovered!
Two or three years—enough time for a woman’s heart to die completely.
Imperial Physician Gu left the Imperial Physicians’ Bureau, changed into a fresh set of clothes to rid himself of the smell of herbs, and only then headed toward Xuanlong Palace—Sha Qiuzi’s nose was several times sharper than his own, and would easily catch the scent of medicine.
As for this matter concerning Bai Mengmeng, he had no intention of telling anyone.
Just as Imperial Physician Gu arrived at the gates of Xuanlong Palace, he saw Jun Beichen hurrying out with Yelu Qianqian in tow.
What nerve Jun Beichen had—having clashed so unpleasantly with Prince Baxian just days before, yet daring to come again today, and bringing Yelu Qianqian no less!
Yelu Qianqian and Yingzi had spent these past months searching for Han Ziqing’s whereabouts—this much, Imperial Physician Gu knew.
“Second Prince, Xuanlong Palace isn’t a place you can come and go from as you please!” Imperial Physician Gu said, displeased, stepping forward to intercept them.
“This prince lacks the divine physician Sha Qiuzi—must I report to you as well? You’re nothing but a servant, who do you think you are!”
Jun Beichen showed no courtesy at all, and Yelu Qianqian, having heard of Imperial Physician Gu’s and Prince Baxian’s attitude toward Ziqing, felt too disgusted to even spare this lackey a glance.
Prince Baxian was still in the study handling court affairs at the moment—there was truly no one here who could stop the Second Prince. Imperial Physician Gu dutifully lowered his head and stepped aside.
Yelu Qianqian went in to see Jun Beiyue for a while, and when she came out, her eyes were rimmed red.
After parting from Yingzi, she had gone back to Hamabachu to see Situ Haonan. Like Jun Beiyue, he too remained unconscious, both wounded over the heart.
But Jun Beiyue’s condition was far, far more severe than Situ Haonan’s.
Sha Qiuzi came out together with Yelu Qianqian, giving Imperial Physician Gu some instructions before having him go back in to keep watch.
Jun Beichen led the two of them to a side hall, where Yelu Qianqian finally spoke of Xuanyuan Lige’s condition.
Sha Qiuzi’s brow furrowed deeply, and he sighed repeatedly. “That young man! Ai…”
“Can you save him, physician? Yingzi said Ziqing had asked you to help find medicine for him. He’s so weak, his coughing just won’t stop—will he die?” Yelu Qianqian asked anxiously.
Sha Qiuzi shook his head helplessly. “So far I haven’t managed to formulate the right medicine. By medical principle, his illness is treatable, but… I simply can’t get the formula right. No matter how I adjust it, something’s off.”
Sha Qiuzi fell silent for a long moment, blaming himself in frustration. “Princess Qianqian, this old man is truly at his wit’s end.”
“Is there no way at all to ease his condition?” Yelu Qianqian pressed again.
Sha Qiuzi shook his head once more. “This old man can only keep working at it. I can’t promise there will definitely be…”
Hearing this, Yelu Qianqian’s heart sank considerably. She let out a long breath, and without further ado, took her leave with Jun Beichen.
Seeing Sha Qiuzi return, Imperial Physician Gu asked probingly, “Princess Qianqian surely didn’t come to ask you to go treat Master Situ, did she?”
Sha Qiuzi smiled faintly. “The physicians of Xijing aren’t bad at all. This old man has been considering inviting them over—perhaps a joint consultation could help find a faster path to the prince’s recovery.”
Imperial Physician Gu nodded but offered no opinion. He was pondering—did Situ Haonan know the truth of what happened at Mingsha Mountain too? According to Bai Mengmeng, before she passed out, Situ Haonan had still been some distance from Prince Yao. Yet when Yelu Qianqian arrived, Bai Mengmeng lay off to one side, while Situ Haonan was right beside Jun Beiyue!
What should be done?