After returning home from the palace, Qi Yue naturally wouldn’t come out wearing those formal clothes. She changed into a daily crimson gold-embroidered jacket, and removed all those vermillion hairpins and jewelry. She was here to see patients, not to stroll in gardens or visit guests—such occasions weren’t suitable for being decked out in jewels.

“Alright, no need to escort me further,” she said with a smile to the steward.

Which gate to use didn’t matter to Qi Yue, but A’Ru and A’Hao looked shocked.

“Farewell, Lady,” the steward bowed deeply.

Qi Yue nodded with a smile and walked down the steps. After just two steps, she noticed people at the gate looking over.

They were two men—one tall and thin, one short and fat.

The tall thin one was wrapped in a large cloak that covered half his face, while the short fat one looked to have delicate skin and tender flesh, with two fake mustaches stuck to his mouth…

Why were they fake mustaches?

Qi Yue couldn’t help but laugh.

This laugh brought the two men, who had been staring dumbfounded, back to their senses.

They watched the beauty walking down the steps step by step, approaching them.

The thin lips under the man’s cloak also turned up slightly.

“Hey,” Qi Yue raised her hand to cover her mouth slightly and said quietly, “It fell off.”

The two men instinctively looked down. A breeze passed, and the woman walked by.

The tall thin man looked at the short fat one, who also looked at him somewhat puzzled. Sure enough, one side of the mustache stuck to his mouth had fallen off and was hanging at the corner of his mouth, swaying with his breathing—quite comical.

The tall thin man also laughed.

“I told you not to make trouble!” he said, reaching up to pull off the mustache with a laugh.

The short fat man felt very wronged.

“This was, this was to avoid being recognized,” he muttered.

The tall thin man stopped looking at him and, remembering something, quickly looked for the woman, but saw she had already gotten into a carriage. The small, unremarkable carriage quickly disappeared down the street.

That beauty…

The short fat man coughed lightly, reminding him of their purpose for coming.

The tall thin man withdrew his gaze and turned around. Since the main gate was open, they naturally had to enter through the main gate.

“Hey hey, what are you doing!” The gatekeeper wouldn’t have it and immediately shouted to stop them.

“What are you shouting about!” The short fat man had no good temper either, especially having never been scolded like this before. He glared back.

The gatekeeper had noticed these two earlier, dressed strangely and staring at Lady Qi with their eyes and drool about to fall out. He was already in a bad mood, and hearing these words, he turned around and slammed the door shut with a bang.

The two men outside were caught off guard, watching helplessly as the main gate closed.

A woman had strutted out through the main gate with great fanfare, while they were shut outside.

“If you have business, go to the side gate to talk,” came a voice from inside the door.

Outrageous! The short fat man was about to charge over but was held back by the tall thin man.

“Why make trouble with a gatekeeper,” he said, walking toward the side gate with some curiosity. “Never walked through a side gate before…”

But the side gate wasn’t easy to enter either.

“Where’s your invitation?” the guard asked indifferently.

“Invitation?” The short fat man was stunned. “We’re here to visit Elder Li—what invitation do we need! Move aside quickly!”

The side gate also slammed shut with a bang.

“…Where did these lunatics come from? Don’t they see what kind of place this is…”

Mocking laughter came from inside the gate.

“Now this is good. Really no one recognizes us,” the short fat man muttered.

“Quite fun,” the tall thin man said with a laugh. After thinking, he reached out and pulled a token from the short fat man’s waist. “Send this in.”

“Stop looking, let’s go back,” the short fat man said.

“No, I must see,” the tall thin man said decisively.

Really, it wasn’t like they’d come on purpose—they’d just wanted to sneak to the city gate for a bowl of wontons and mentioned Elder Li in passing. Hearing from the hidden guards that Elder Li had recovered, they’d gotten curious and come to take a look at this novelty.

It was optional, but if they were going to look, they had to see enough.

The short fat man had no choice but to take the waist token and call at the gate again.

Elder Li had already withdrawn from the room with his people because the Imperial Physicians had prescribed new medicine that was being prepared. Li Tong’s father had volunteered to have Li Tong stay to attend to the patient, which made the other brothers quite dissatisfied—it seemed like you’d monopolize feeding medicine from now on—but there was nothing they could say.

The gatekeeper came running with the waist token.

“Master, master, someone’s here to visit,” they shouted.

Elder Li was somewhat displeased. Who was so tactless, coming to see people at dinner time?

He reached out to take the waist token—it was an ivory double-sided relief with cloud patterns.

Palace Ceremonial Supervisor eunuch…

Elder Li’s hand trembled slightly.

“It’s someone from the palace,” he said.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, but then it wasn’t surprising—the Emperor was concerned about the Elder’s condition, so sending a eunuch to inquire was normal.

“Prepare more money,” Elder Li said again.

These eunuchs’ gratuities couldn’t be neglected.

He straightened his clothes and went out personally to receive them.

Cai Zhong watched the side gate open and couldn’t help cursing inwardly.

Why not open the main gate!

If it were before, he wouldn’t have cared about such things, but with the comparison to that woman just now, he felt very uncomfortable.

Why! He was at least the chief secretary eunuch of the Palace Ceremonial Supervisor—was he really less than a woman!

While thinking wildly, Elder Li came over with people to receive them.

“Oh my, why did Eunuch Cai come personally… ah, Your Majes—” Elder Li squinted and looked, immediately rushing over in panic. Before finishing his words, he gasped and his legs went weak.

Cai Zhong was quick-eyed and quick-handed, stepping forward to support him.

“Don’t make a scene,” he said quietly.

Elder Li stood up straight with his support, his body trembling slightly as he watched the tall thin man walking over step by step.

Under the corner gate’s lamp, he could see the man had lifted part of his cloak, revealing half his face, which was instantly recognizable to those familiar with it.

Elder Li felt his breathing was unsteady and his mind was foggy.

“Come, come, let’s go in and take a look,” Cai Zhong said with a smile, while pushing Elder Li to make way.

The others noticed Elder Li’s strange behavior but couldn’t guess why, chatting and laughing as they surrounded Cai Zhong going inside.

Cai Zhong waited until the tall thin man went first before taking his own steps.

The people following behind noticed and couldn’t help whispering to those beside them.

“Who’s that person?” he asked quietly.

“Eunuch Cai’s bodyguard?” another person guessed.

“Bodyguard?” The first person frowned and pointed. “Whose bodyguard walks with more presence than his master?”

Everyone looked over and saw Cai Zhong supporting Elder Li, seeming to walk steadily but actually staying one step behind that tall thin man.

Elder Li’s legs felt weak and he still wanted to kneel down, but was helplessly supported by Cai Zhong.

“I, I haven’t prepared anything…” he stammered.

While speaking, they had already reached Elder Li’s room.

“Prepare what? Have everyone else withdraw,” Cai Zhong said quietly.

Elder Li responded and turned around.

“Everyone go back, go back,” he said in a trembling voice.

The brothers and descendants who had followed were all stunned, but didn’t dare say anything. After all, he was the eldest—in this family, besides Elder Li, he was the one who decided things. Who told them not to be born to the eldest?

After everyone dispersed, Elder Li breathed a bit easier, watching the man in front enter the room.

“No, that won’t work!” He suddenly remembered there was still someone in the room…

“What works or doesn’t work,” Cai Zhong shook him. “You come with me and serve me your good tea.”

“I need to attend to…” Elder Li said urgently.

“Attend to what! Just a quick look—aren’t there servants in the room?” Cai Zhong said.

Without allowing refusal, he dragged Elder Li into the side room.

Li Tong took the towel handed by a maid and gently wiped the corners of Elder Li’s mouth, then carefully tucked in the bedding before standing up.

“Young Master, you should go rest,” a maid said quietly.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it,” Li Tong said. “We’ll need to wake him to give medicine later anyway.”

The maid looked at him and smiled.

“Young Master is quite skilled at this,” she said.

After saying it, she regretted it—everyone knew this Young Master Tong was an unloved illegitimate son. Saying he was skilled at these servant’s tasks—wasn’t that mocking him?

Before, such words were just said, but now she had to weigh them carefully. The maid weighed it and decided to apologize.

“When my concubine mother was ill, I attended to her, so I’m quite skilled at caring for patients,” Li Tong said without any displeasure, even smiling at the maid.

The maid breathed a sigh of relief.

Footsteps could be heard, and the two turned to look, seeing a strange man walk in.

“Is it so hot in this room?” the man said, while removing his cloak to reveal a pale, upright face with thick, long eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Who was this man?

Both were stunned, but thinking that anyone who could enter must be no ordinary person, Li Tong, being of low status and knowing few of the family’s associates, didn’t pay much attention.

“The Imperial Physician said it should be warm—he can’t catch cold or he’ll cough,” he said.

The man glanced at him.

Li Tong saw the cloak had been removed and naturally stepped forward to take it.

The man smiled slightly and handed him the cloak.

“How is he? Really… really better? I heard he recovered?” he asked, casually walking to the bedside.

Elder Li was sleeping on the bed.

“Isn’t he still unconscious?” the man asked.

“He slept after taking medicine,” Li Tong answered, while inviting him to sit and having the maid bring tea.

“Really awake?” the man asked with some curiosity, looking at the tea Li Tong was holding. “What kind of tea is this?”

Li Tong didn’t know either, looking somewhat embarrassed as he glanced at the maid.

“Longjing,” the maid said quickly.

Only then did the man take it, but didn’t drink, just held it in his hands, looking at Li Tong with a half-smile.

“You’re Elder Li’s grandson?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m from the fourth house,” Li Tong quickly answered, feeling somewhat embarrassed himself. Previously he’d rarely had the chance to enter his grandfather’s room, let alone know what tea his grandfather had there. No wonder the man found it strange. “I only came to attend to grandfather today.”

The man made a sound of acknowledgment, turning the teacup while looking at Elder Li again.

“Really awake,” Li Tong answered without being asked, then told him when Elder Li had awakened and what he’d eaten.

The man listened and nodded.

“The Imperial Physicians are doing well,” he said with a smile.

This man’s smile also carried a somewhat unapproachable quality. Li Tong quickly lowered his head and looked away.

“Actually, we invited another doctor…” he said.

Before he could finish, Elder Li on the bed was awakened by the noise.

“Mmm…” he exhaled with his eyes closed. “What time is it…”

Before Li Tong could answer, the man spoke first.

“Three quarters past the seventh watch,” he said.

Then Li Tong experienced the most shocking moment of his life, something that would still seem like a dream years later when he remembered it.

Elder Li, not yet fully awake, bounced up from the bed like a bow, then rolled directly to the floor.

“Your Majesty!” he shouted, looking at the man sitting on the stool with a smile, his eyes wide with shock and terror.