Physician Sun forced himself to remain calm: “No one taught me to say anything. The Prince of Qin indeed fell suddenly ill.”

Li Yuanji glared and said harshly: “Still telling lies here! Do you believe I’ll tear down this broken medicine hall of yours and make it impossible for you to establish yourself in Chang’an City ever again!”

Physician Sun was too frightened to speak. Although he didn’t know the identities of these people, judging by their clothing, they must be either wealthy or noble. But the Prince of Qin’s side… what should he do?

“My brother has a hot temper. When he gets angry, even I can’t stop him. Does Physician Sun really want to see your life’s work turn into a pile of broken bricks and rubble?”

“The Prince of Qin… he truly fell suddenly ill, and no one taught me to say anything.” Although the words were the same, this time Physician Sun was clearly lacking in confidence.

“You won’t cry until you see the coffin!” Li Yuanji snorted coldly: “Wanche, come with me and tear down this worthless Peace Hall!”

Seeing he was really going to act, Physician Sun quickly stepped forward to stop him: “No! Please show mercy, young master! Please show mercy!”

A young medicine apprentice nearby, seeing their behavior, said angrily: “This is Chang’an, at the foot of the Son of Heaven. How dare you so brazenly defy the law? Aren’t you afraid we’ll report to the officials?”

Li Yuanji laughed in extreme anger, staring at the young apprentice: “Ha! So young yet so bold!” Before he finished speaking, he grabbed the apprentice’s throat with one hand and lifted him clean off the ground: “Do you believe I’ll kill you right now?!”

Li Yuanji had always been ruthless and cruel – he could even kill his own brother who was an imperial prince, let alone a mere commoner youth.

Physician Sun hadn’t expected him to act so suddenly. Seeing the apprentice’s face turn red from being strangled, his eyes rolling back, he urgently said: “Please show mercy, young master! Please show mercy!”

Faced with his pleas, Li Yuanji sneered and added three more points of strength to his grip. Just as the apprentice’s life hung by a thread, Li Jiancheng finally spoke: “Stop fooling around! Let go!”

Although Li Yuanji feared neither heaven nor earth, he was only afraid of Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng. He had to release his grip as ordered. The young apprentice no longer had the strength to stand and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Fortunately Li Jiancheng intervened in time – if it had been any later, he might have truly lost his life.

Physician Sun was both panicked and terrified: “What exactly do you want?”

Li Jiancheng said methodically: “Very simple. Tell us everything about last night, in complete detail, without hiding anything.”

“Fine, I’ll speak.” Physician Sun knew in his heart that if he didn’t explain things clearly today, he wouldn’t get past this ordeal. “To be precise, it wasn’t last night, but this morning. A man calling himself Chuyi came to Peace Hall looking for me, gave me a bag of five-zhu coins, and his request was for me to help tell a lie.”

Li Yuanji said: “About the Prince of Qin?”

“Correct. He said that no matter who came to ask me, I should say the Prince of Qin fell suddenly ill last night and summoned me to treat him. He also showed me a prescription. I looked at it – it was indeed for body conditioning.”

“Who exactly treated the Prince of Qin?” Faced with Li Yuanji’s question, Physician Sun said with a bitter face: “Apart from what I just mentioned, he said nothing else. I truly don’t know.”

Li Yuanji snorted coldly: “Still daring to hide things! Do you really want me to tear this place down?”

“No! No!” Physician Sun waved his hands frantically, saying with a bitter face: “I’ve told you everything I know. I really don’t know anything else. Please show mercy, young masters, and let me go!”

Li Yuanji was about to press further when Li Jiancheng had already walked out. He quickly caught up: “Elder Brother, why aren’t you asking more?”

Li Jiancheng continued walking without stopping: “He’s already said everything he knows. What else is there to ask?”

Li Yuanji looked back at Physician Sun who was helping the young apprentice, and snorted: “He might still be hiding things. I’ve seen plenty of these cunning people.”

“He doesn’t have the guts!” As he spoke, Li Jiancheng never stopped walking, but the direction he was heading wasn’t toward the Eastern Palace. Li Yuanji asked puzzledly: “Elder Brother, where are you going?”

Li Jiancheng paused and said coldly: “To prove whether it was really Xia Houduan who cured Shimin’s poison!”

“Even if it really was him, he won’t admit it. Xia Houduan is after all a court official – we can’t be too forceful with him.” Although Li Yuanji was impulsive, he wasn’t completely brainless. “But that Sun fellow has already admitted to lying, so nine times out of ten, it was Xia Houduan who cured Second Brother’s poison.” At this point, he said hatefully: “That old fox, usually so quiet and unassuming that I almost forgot such a person existed. I didn’t expect him to have sided with Second Brother and even tell such outrageous lies before Father Emperor.”

Li Jiancheng sneered: “Don’t worry, I have ways to make him admit it!”

When they reached the vicinity of Xia Houduan’s residence, Li Jiancheng stopped and whispered a few words in Xue Wanche’s ear. The latter showed a surprised expression: “Your Highness, what are you doing?”

Li Jiancheng said coldly: “Don’t ask too many questions. Just do as I say.”

“Yes.” After Xue Wanche left, Li Yuanji asked puzzledly: “Didn’t you say you wanted to find Xia Houduan to get answers? Why did you stop going in when we got here? And Xue Wanche – what did you send him to do?”

Li Jiancheng revealed a chilling cold smile: “You’ll know soon enough.”

As the sun gradually moved westward, Xue Wanche appeared in their sight with someone. Li Yuanji recognized him – it was a household servant Li Jiancheng had brought from Taiyuan, who had been serving in the Eastern Palace all along. He was an old hand, called A’an.

Xue Wanche bowed: “Your Highness, I told A’an of your request, and he says he’s not afraid.”

“Good.” Li Jiancheng walked up to A’an: “Have you truly thought it through?”

A’an bowed: “This humble one’s life was given by Your Highness. Now being able to serve Your Highness is this humble one’s honor. Even if I lose my life, I have absolutely no complaints!”

“Good.” Li Jiancheng nodded: “If something happens to you, I will take good care of your family and ensure their wealth and comfort for life. As for your son, I will also raise him to become accomplished.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” A’an responded and asked: “What does Your Highness need this humble one to do?”

Li Jiancheng extended his hand toward the puzzled Li Yuanji: “Give me the thing.”

Li Yuanji was startled by the question and asked uncomprehendingly: “What thing?”

Li Jiancheng said impatiently: “What do you think? Naturally the thing I told you to bring before we left.”

Hearing this, Li Yuanji finally realized and quickly placed the bottle containing the Wind Eggplant flower poison in Li Jiancheng’s hand. Li Jiancheng handed it to A’an: “This is poison extracted from a type of flower. It won’t take effect immediately after consumption, but when the poison manifests, it’s nine deaths out of ten. I’ll direct you to find someone, but whether he can cure the poison, or whether he’s willing to cure it for you, I can’t guarantee.”