The rain continued to fall in a fine, restless drizzle — if anything, growing heavier than before.

An attendant caught up from behind, opened an umbrella, and said with obliging eagerness, “The rain has grown heavier than ever — please slow your steps, Your Highness. This servant will hold the umbrella for you…”

“No need!”

The Crown Grandson cut the attendant off, his expression dark. “You — withdraw!”

The attendant was taken aback. “Your Highness, it is still raining. This servant should at least hold the umbrella for you…”

“Withdraw!” The Crown Grandson’s voice rose slightly, carrying a thread of cold irritation.

The attendant felt a jolt of alarm and dared not say another word. He was just about to close the umbrella when Wang Tong, the guard commander standing nearby, suddenly spoke. “All right — give the umbrella to me. You withdraw first.”

With that, he took the umbrella from the attendant’s hands.

The attendant felt as though a burden had been lifted from him and withdrew with a deep bow.

Wang Tong held the umbrella steadily. Raindrops struck the canopy and ran in rivulets off its edge. From Wang Tong’s vantage point, only a portion of the Crown Grandson’s profile was visible.

The Crown Grandson’s lips were still pressed tightly together, his face holding no expression beyond the ordinary.

Only someone familiar with his temperament could tell that his mood at this moment was genuinely far from pleasant.

The Crown Grandson said nothing and continued walking forward.

Wang Tong did not dare offer any words of comfort either. He simply raised his arm and held the umbrella steady, keeping close to the Crown Grandson’s side without a single step’s distance. They were almost at the main gate — the deep red of the gate was already visible in the distance — when the Crown Grandson abruptly stopped.

Wang Tong was, after all, a trained warrior. His reactions were sharp and swift; he had nearly stopped in the same instant. “Your Highness — what is it?”

Why the sudden halt?

The Crown Grandson did not turn around. His voice seemed to be speaking to himself, or perhaps addressing Wang Tong. “I meant well by it. Why did she refuse to accept it?”

The “she” who had refused his goodwill was, of course, Ninth Miss Ling.

Wang Tong chose his words with careful deliberation. “The hearts of young women are fine-grained and easily shift. That is only natural. Perhaps it is because Ninth Miss Ling has a strong sense of pride and does not wish to keep accepting Your Highness’s kindness. Your Highness need not take it to heart.”

Yes.

The first time they met, she had been seized by bandits, the blade’s glinting edge pressed against her back — her life hanging by the thinnest of threads. Yet she had not lost her composure. She had kept her face perfectly calm through a volley of arrows, bided her moment, and cut down that bandit with a single stroke!

A girl of such bold nerve and unyielding spirit — it stood to reason she would not want to keep accepting his kindness time and again.

Having worked through this reasoning, the Crown Grandson’s expression finally eased somewhat.

Wang Tong, seeing the Crown Grandson’s countenance lighten a little, quietly exhaled in relief and added in a low voice, “Young Master Ling’s eye condition cannot be healed in a single day. In the coming months they will be coming to the residence every few days, and there will be no shortage of chances to meet. Your Highness need not be in a hurry at this particular moment…”

“When did I ever say I wanted to see her? When did I ever become impatient?” The Crown Grandson gave a light, dismissive sound and cut Wang Tong off.

Wang Tong readily picked up the thread. “Yes, yes, quite right — this subordinate has spoken out of turn. Today Your Highness was simply passing by the study area by chance — and that is how you came to encounter the Ling siblings.”

The Crown Grandson: “…”

A flash of suspicious warmth crossed the Crown Grandson’s face before he recovered his composure, and he said with detached indifference, “That will do. I am not in the mood to quarrel with a girl. Father’s health is what matters — I should go to the study and wait, and hear what Imperial Physician Wei has to say.”

Wang Tong: “…”

So — stormed off in anger, walked a good stretch of the way — and now that the anger has passed, wants to head back again?

Your Highness, oh Your Highness — with a temperament this contrary, always saying one thing and meaning another… you are going to have a very hard time winning any young lady’s heart, do you know that?

Of course, Wang Tong only dared to give voice to this in the silence of his own thoughts. Not a single word of it was permitted to pass his lips. He smiled agreeably, acknowledged the order, turned around, and resumed holding the umbrella forward.

Imperial Physician Wei carefully took the Crown Prince’s pulse, then asked in detail about his daily habits of dress, diet, and rest over recent days.

The attendants serving the Crown Prince answered each question in turn.

Imperial Physician Wei deliberated for a moment, then wrote out a new prescription for nourishing the body and handed it to the attendant standing nearby. “Set aside the current decoction for the time being, and substitute this one. Take it for a few days and we shall see.”

The attendant accepted the prescription with respectful hands held in both and carefully put it away.

The Crown Prince was in good spirits today and said with a smile, “I have troubled Imperial Physician Wei.”

Imperial Physician Wei smiled in reply. “To be able to tend to Your Highness the Crown Prince’s health — that is this humble official’s good fortune.”

He was the Emperor’s personal imperial physician, and for the past two years had also been coming to take the Crown Prince’s pulse and prescribe medicines. The envy this had stirred among other imperial physicians was beyond reckoning. Fortunately, his medical skill was superb, his reputation impeccable, and his backing formidable. Other physicians might harbor silent resentment, but none dared openly obstruct him.

The Crown Prince asked again, “Is Father’s health still well these days?”

Due to his frailty and the need for long-term rest, the Crown Prince attended only the grand court audiences on the first and fifteenth of each month. He rarely participated in the daily small court sessions, which were mostly attended by the Crown Grandson in his stead. As a result, the Crown Prince did not have many opportunities to see the Emperor.

Imperial Physician Wei, residing in the palace, saw the Emperor every day.

“The Emperor caught a slight cold some days ago. After a few days of herbal treatment, he is very nearly recovered.” Imperial Physician Wei replied with a smile. “Your Highness need not worry.”

Just as they were speaking, an attendant came to announce: “His Highness the Crown Grandson has arrived.”

Imperial Physician Wei raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of quiet amusement in his eyes.

He had just moments ago caused the Crown Grandson to lose face in front of him because of Ninth Miss Ling. Given the Crown Grandson’s pride, one would not have expected him to show up again so soon… How very interesting.

The Crown Grandson strode in shortly after. He first paid his respects to the Crown Prince, then turned to Imperial Physician Wei. “Imperial Physician Wei — having taken my father’s pulse today, how does it present?”

Imperial Physician Wei considered for a moment before speaking. “When the Crown Prince was injured, his body suffered grave damage to its vital energy. With steady, careful recuperation since then, there is no particular cause for concern at present. However, tonic remedies should not be taken to excess — lest the body fail to absorb them and a surfeit of inner heat arise.”

“I have just written a new prescription, replacing two of the medicines with herbs of milder properties. The effect will be slower, but will not harm the body.”

Unhurried, methodical, orderly in his reasoning.

Though his manner was gentle, there was an unusual, quiet authority in his words that did not invite contradiction.

The Crown Grandson breathed out in relief, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly. “Many thanks for Imperial Physician Wei’s care.”

He paused and added, “I know Imperial Physician Wei resides in the palace and has no want of gold or jade. While journeying outside the capital some days ago, I came across several rare medicinal ingredients that are difficult to obtain. I hope Imperial Physician Wei will accept them.”

Imperial Physician Wei did not demur and cupped his hands in thanks for the gift.

Gold and silver would be too common and beneath one’s standing to offer. The Crown Grandson had spoken of rare ingredients that were difficult to find — their monetary worth aside, the real value was in how very hard they were to come by.

A gift like this was very much to his liking.

Then Imperial Physician Wei again bowed his leave. “Young Master Ling is still waiting for this humble official to administer the acupuncture treatment. I will take my leave now.”

The Crown Grandson suddenly asked, “Is there any hope of Young Master Ling’s eye condition being healed?”

Imperial Physician Wei replied candidly. “There is no great certainty. Only a thirty-percent chance.”

Only thirty percent?

The Crown Grandson could not help but raise an eyebrow and ask, “And if it cannot be healed — what then?”

Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao are deeply devoted siblings. If Ling Xiao’s eyes cannot be healed, Ling Jingshu will surely be heartbroken.