For the dignified Prince Yan to personally lead the way in front was, indeed, an enormous honor. It left no room for anyone to refuse.

Everyone exchanged a helpless glance, each composing their unsettled feelings, and followed along.

Ling Jingshu furrowed her brow slightly, but quickly smoothed it out again, taking Ling Xiao’s hand to walk alongside him.

Like the old saying goes, the drunkard’s intent was never truly in the wine — under the pretext of talking with Ling Xiao, Prince Yan turned back to look, openly and without the least shame, time and again. His unrestrained gaze repeatedly landed on Ling Jingshu’s lovely face.

Ling Jingshu suppressed the urge to frown, lowering her gaze to avoid Prince Yan’s burning stare.

At that moment, Imperial Physician Wei suddenly quickened his pace, passing Ling Jingshu and her brother to walk just behind Prince Yan. Whether intentional or not, he ended up blocking Prince Yan’s line of sight perfectly.

Prince Yan felt somewhat displeased but found it inconvenient to say so outright. He twitched the corner of his mouth in something between a smile and a sneer. “Imperial Physician Wei comes to the Crown Prince’s manor every five days to take the Crown Prince’s pulse, and on top of that gives Young Master Ling acupuncture — truly hard work.”

“As an Imperial Physician, attending to His Highness the Crown Prince is simply part of my duty, no hardship at all,” Imperial Physician Wei replied evenly. “And giving Young Master Ling acupuncture is merely a small, incidental favor.”

Prince Yan glanced at Imperial Physician Wei’s handsome face, one that put every other man to shame, and said with an air of implication, “As long as you can cure Young Master Ling’s eye ailment, this Prince will reward you most generously.”

What did it matter to Prince Yan whether Ling Xiao’s eye ailment could be cured?

Prince Yan was deliberately saying this in front of him — partly to curry favor with the Ling siblings, and partly as a veiled reminder and warning!

Imperial Physician Wei sneered coldly inside, though his face betrayed nothing. He smiled casually. “As a physician, healing the sick and saving lives is simply my duty. How could I dare accept Your Highness’s generous reward! Besides, Young Master Ling’s eye ailment has already lingered for several years. Whether it can truly be cured now, I dare not say for certain.”

“Why be so modest, Imperial Physician Wei.” Prince Yan raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Your acupuncture skills are unrivaled even within the Imperial Medical Institute. Both Father Emperor and Mother Empress place great trust in you. Your superb medical skill is plain for all to see, and this Prince has every confidence in you. You’d better not disappoint this Prince!”

Imperial Physician Wei answered calmly, “I will naturally do my utmost.”

Even the most innocent Ling Jingyan could tell that Prince Yan’s aggressive words carried a hidden meaning. Needless to say, Ling Jingshu could tell as well.

Wasn’t Imperial Physician Wei supposed to belong to Empress Xu and Prince Yan’s faction? Yet judging by Prince Yan’s attitude toward him, it didn’t seem to be quite that way after all……

Ling Jingshu pondered silently to herself and looked up. Imperial Physician Wei’s tall figure immediately filled her view.

He was very tall. Broad-shouldered and long-legged, his back held perfectly straight as he walked, his pace neither hurried nor slow. His figure from behind was a fine sight.

Had he just now deliberately blocked Prince Yan’s line of sight for her sake……

And engaging Prince Yan in conversation was also a deliberate way of holding his attention! That way, Prince Yan would have neither the time nor the energy to bother her……

Wait! What was she thinking!

The moment Ling Jingshu became aware of the thoughts in her mind, her face quietly grew hot.

Imperial Physician Wei was a gentleman rare to find in this world. He had also once sworn never to marry in his lifetime — how could he possibly look upon her with any special regard? Thinking so much was, perhaps, nothing more than wishful conceit on her part.

These thoughts just now must absolutely not be let on to anyone. Otherwise, she would truly have no face left to see Imperial Physician Wei again.

Ling Jingshu steadied herself and brushed away the tangled thoughts in her mind.

They soon arrived outside the gate of the Crown Prince’s manor.

Prince Yan was fond of luxury by nature, and the carriage he rode in was correspondingly extravagant and grand. The carriage body was fully twice the size of the Ling family’s carriage, and the fine horses pulling it were all pure snowy white from head to hoof, without a single stray strand of color — extraordinarily magnificent steeds.

Prince Yan enthusiastically invited Ling Xiao to share his carriage. “Young Master Ling, this Prince’s carriage is quite spacious. Even with a dozen or so people inside, it wouldn’t feel crowded. Come ride in this Prince’s carriage!”

Before Ling Xiao could decline, he turned with a smile to Ling Jingshu. “How about Miss Ling joining her brother as well?”

They were neither relatives nor close acquaintances — what reason was there to openly invite an unmarried young lady to share a carriage?

Ling Jingshu had braced herself the instant Prince Yan opened his mouth, and upon hearing this, she showed neither embarrassment nor anger, replying evenly, “Men and women must keep their distance. I can only accept Your Highness’s kind intention in spirit alone.”

A beauty was a beauty indeed — even her cool, indifferent manner was so captivating!

Prince Yan remained in good spirits and didn’t take the refusal to heart at all. Young women were always thin-skinned — even if their hearts were a thousand times willing, their mouths would still say no.

Sooner or later, she would willingly and bashfully climb into his carriage of her own accord.

Prince Yan boarded his carriage, and Ling Xiao, unable to find a reason to refuse, had no choice but to reluctantly climb aboard Prince Yan’s carriage as well.

Ling Jingshu felt deeply worried inside. Ling Xiao’s nature was so simple and innocent — how could he possibly handle someone as deeply calculating as Prince Yan?

Just then, Imperial Physician Wei walked up to Prince Yan’s carriage, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, “Your Highness, I walked here from the Imperial Medical Institute today. Now I can only shamelessly impose and ride in Your Highness’s carriage.”

Prince Yan gave a casual hum of acknowledgment.

Watching Imperial Physician Wei also board the carriage, the heart Ling Jingshu had been holding high in her chest quietly settled back down. She then boarded the carriage along with Jiang Shi and Ling Jingyan.

At last she didn’t have to face Prince Yan directly and could breathe a little easier.

Jiang Shi let out a breath and cautioned in a low voice, “A’Shu, whatever Prince Yan’s intentions, this visit to his manor today cannot be avoided. You must be extra careful.”

Ling Jingshu nodded. “Don’t worry, cousin-in-law, I know how to conduct myself.”

Ever since Ninth Miss Ling had left, the Crown Grandson had not moved at all. He simply remained sitting in the pavilion like this, his expression stiff, his back rigid.

Anyone with eyes could see that the Crown Grandson’s mood was extremely poor.

None of the guards dared approach, and Wang Tong, too, was unwilling to court bad luck, keeping watch from a distance the whole time.

A guard approached Wang Tong and whispered a few words. Wang Tong nodded, hesitated briefly, and finally walked into the pavilion to report. “Your Highness, Prince Yan has left.”

He paused, then continued. “Imperial Physician Wei and the Ling family also left along with Prince Yan. According to the maid who was attending nearby at the time, Prince Yan invited them to his manor for lunch. Though Miss Ling and Young Master Ling seemed reluctant, they were unable to voice a refusal and had no choice but to go along.”

The Crown Grandson said nothing, but a flash of coldness swiftly passed through his eyes.

After finishing his report, Wang Tong stood with hands lowered, waiting quietly for instructions.

After a moment, the Crown Grandson finally spoke. “Have someone secretly keep watch on what happens at Prince Yan’s manor. If anything unusual occurs, report back immediately.”

Wang Tong hurriedly acknowledged and was about to withdraw when the Crown Grandson suddenly spoke again. “Wang Tong, have Lyu Cai come see this Prince.”

Wang Tong was the captain of the guards at the Crown Grandson’s side, while Lyu Cai was the commander of the shadow guards, in charge of the Crown Grandson’s covert forces — things such as hidden guards, death-sworn warriors, and informants lying in wait in various places.

Why did the Crown Grandson suddenly want to see Lyu Cai?

Wang Tong didn’t dare let his inner surprise show, and accepted the order before withdrawing.