In Xuanlong Palace, Imperial Physician Beiqiu bowed respectfully beside the medicinal pool, carefully taking Jun Beiyue’s pulse.

Even gravely wounded and unconscious, the towering achievements behind him, the imperial presence radiating from him even now, still commanded the Xijing physicians’ complete deference.

Imperial Physician Beiqiu took the pulse with great care, while the other physicians beside him carefully observed Jun Beiyue’s face, examined the medicines in the pool, and conferred quietly with Sha Qiuzi and Imperial Physician Gu.

After a long while, Imperial Physician Beiqiu finally rose and stated with total conviction, “Imperial Physician Gu, this old man can state with absolute certainty — you have misjudged Prince Yao’s constitution!”

Such an error would be understandable enough from an ordinary physician — but coming from Imperial Physician Gu, it was truly baffling!

Yet, contrary to his usual stubborn temperament, Imperial Physician Gu surprisingly admitted it graciously this time. “Sigh… this old fool deserves to die a thousand deaths for such an error!”

Even as he confessed his fault, in truth he was every bit as baffled as everyone else in the room, if not more so!

How could he possibly have misjudged Prince Yao’s constitution? Of everyone present, he alone knew that Prince Yao carried no royal blood at all — that the blood running through his veins belonged to the Gu Clan of the Isle of Lost Immortals!

The Gu Clan was renowned for its internal art, and Prince Yao’s constitution was the very best suited for cultivating it!

There was absolutely no way he could be wrong!

He had designed the treatment plan precisely according to the Gu Clan’s constitution and the cultivation path of the Gu Clan’s internal art!

If he really had erred — could it be that the young master’s constitution wasn’t actually that of the Gu Clan at all?

Of course, Imperial Physician Gu wouldn’t say any of this aloud. If Imperial Physician Beiqiu was so capable, let him see for himself exactly what Prince Yao’s constitution really was!

Constitutions varied from person to person, some quite unusual, and different constitutions naturally required different treatment plans and medicines — this, in itself, was perfectly ordinary.

None of those present had any idea about the Gu Clan’s affairs, so naturally none of them suspected anything unusual.

Sure enough, seeing Imperial Physician Gu’s sincere, remorseful demeanor, Sha Qiuzi said nothing further, and Imperial Physician Beiqiu even spoke up on his behalf. “Constitutions come in countless varieties, yet most share certain similarities. Imperial Physician Gu, there’s no need to blame yourself so heavily — misdiagnosis happens to any physician. As long as it hasn’t caused irreversible harm, all is well!”

Imperial Physician Gu nodded. “May I ask what conclusion Imperial Physician Beiqiu has reached…”

“The medicines Imperial Physician Gu previously used were all of the Wood element. However, Prince Yao’s constitution isn’t Wood at all — it’s Fire. In truth, the treatment approach itself wasn’t fundamentally wrong — the error lay in the choice of medicine!” Imperial Physician Beiqiu stated the crux of the matter concisely.

Restoring vital energy had to strictly follow one’s constitution — the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth each formed a distinct vital energy, and only the corresponding medicinal materials could achieve the desired restorative effect!

Hearing this, Sha Qiuzi immediately understood, and couldn’t help bursting into laughter. “Imperial Physician Gu, oh Imperial Physician Gu — this is truly… a blessing in disguise!”

The five elements generate and control one another in cycles — Wood generates Fire!

All the medicines Imperial Physician Gu had used were of the Wood element. Though not as direct as Fire-element medicine would have been, it was still capable of restoring vital energy — it would simply take much longer.

The real blessing was that Imperial Physician Gu hadn’t misjudged Jun Beiyue’s constitution as Water instead — because if he had used Water-element medicine, Jun Beiyue would likely never have woken up at all, for the rest of his life!

Everyone immediately grasped the logic and let out sighs of relief all at once, but a complicated look flickered in Imperial Physician Gu’s eyes. Strange — this was truly strange!

Members of the Gu Clan all possessed a Wood-element constitution — the Gu Clan’s internal art specifically required that very constitution to cultivate at all. Given how extraordinarily gifted Prince Yao was, having achieved such mastery in the Gu Clan’s internal art, how could his constitution possibly not be Wood?

And yet, Prince Yao truly was the son of the Gu Clan’s patriarch!

No matter how Imperial Physician Gu turned it over in his mind, he simply couldn’t make sense of it — this whole matter felt deeply suspicious. Of course, this was a secret bound up with bloodline — something even Prince Baxian could never be told.

“In that case, if we simply switch the medicines to Fire-element ones, could we maintain the original treatment plan?” Imperial Physician Gu asked humbly.

That wasn’t at all what Sha Qiuzi had originally intended. Though he cared little for the finer points of restoring vital energy, as a fellow physician he understood enough. “No, that won’t do at all — if we follow the original approach, wouldn’t it still take two or three years?”

The whole point of this consultation wasn’t simply to maintain the status quo!

Sha Qiuzi looked earnestly at Imperial Physician Beiqiu — he had no idea that Prince Yao not only had state affairs demanding his attention, but a wife to search for as well.

Sha Qiuzi had always thought well of Ziqing, without the same reservations or hesitations Imperial Physician Gu harbored. He simply hoped Prince Yao would wake soon and bring his princess consort back — she was no ordinary woman, an orphan of the lost island, missing for so long now; it was far too dangerous.

Regrettably, Imperial Physician Beiqiu only shook his head, and Sha Qiuzi glanced at the other physicians present, who shook their heads too.

Imperial Physician Gu kept his head bowed, though inwardly he sneered coldly. Sha Qiuzi wasn’t well-versed in restoring vital energy, but he himself was — he’d known all along this consultation would lead nowhere.

The whole point of pushing for this consultation, for him, had simply been to size up Xijing, to learn something of Situ Haonan’s condition.

After a long moment, Imperial Physician Beiqiu sighed regretfully. “Elder Sha, I truly am sorry. Imperial Physician Gu’s approach is already the fastest option available. When restoring vital energy, one must never rush the process, or it will cause endless trouble down the road. Two or three years is, in truth, not slow at all.”

Hearing this, Sha Qiuzi’s heart sank considerably. Two or three years might mean little to a nation — but to a single person, it was far too long!

Jun Beiyue had spent years away from home; Da Zhou could hold steady under Prince Baxian for two or three years, that much was manageable. But what about Han Ziqing?

Sha Qiuzi couldn’t even imagine what Jun Beiyue’s reaction would be, years from now, waking to find his wife nowhere to be found.

Sha Qiuzi felt a deep pang of sorrow in his heart. This, perhaps, was the most tragic part of being a healer.

Treating illness and mending wounds was only the surface of it — what one was truly trying to save was an entire life, and the lives of everyone connected to that person too!

And yet, despite his grief, Sha Qiuzi kept his composure on the surface, offering Imperial Physician Beiqiu a grateful smile. “Regardless of everything, we owe you our sincere thanks, Imperial Physician Beiqiu. Otherwise, ten years from now, this responsibility would be far more than the two of us could bear!”

“I only hope Prince Yao recovers as soon as possible. Should you need anything further, please don’t hesitate to say so!” Imperial Physician Beiqiu said sincerely.

Only then did Imperial Physician Gu manage a smile of his own. “Everyone, you’ve all traveled so far and worked so hard. Prince Baxian has prepared a banquet in the courtyard — this way, please.”

The banquet was mere formality. That night, once Prince Baxian learned the outcome, he wilted like a withered plant, listless and low-spirited, and the banquet broke up early.

Sha Qiuzi remained stationed in Xuanlong Palace, while Imperial Physician Gu personally escorted Imperial Physician Beiqiu and the others back to their lodgings at the envoy’s residence.

Along the way, Imperial Physician Gu studied the visiting physicians closely — not just their medical skill, but their character too, for only by observing both could one truly gauge a physician’s integrity.

If Imperial Physician Gu wanted to move against Situ Haonan, the most direct method would be to bribe one of his physicians!

Yet after careful consideration, he approached none of the physicians present. Instead, he sought out someone else entirely…