Impossible! This cannot be! A person who was perfectly fine just moments ago is suddenly gone — how could Feng Jiu’er possibly accept this?

Yet why was there still not even the faintest trace of breath? Why not even the slightest hint?

Forcing herself to stay calm, Feng Jiu’er’s hands still trembled as she opened her needle case.

Ignoring the people behind her, she pinched a silver needle between her fingers and drove it into Feng Yan’s fatal acupoint.

“Your Highness, you must not! That is a death—”

The Head Imperial Physician seemed to realize he had misspoken. He had been about to step forward to stop her, but after extending his large hand, he froze in place.

The person is already gone — what difference does it make whether it is a fatal acupoint or not?

The Head Imperial Physician turned his head and cast a look of profound alarm at Feng Qiongcang, then lowered his gaze.

Everyone’s attention returned to the bed. The bedchamber fell as silent as death itself.

Gu Mingcheng, who stood closest to Feng Jiu’er, did not move a single inch, his eyes hollow and vacant.

After she had inserted needles into several fatal acupoints, Feng Jiu’er suddenly sensed the most faint, threadlike wisp of breath.

It was so faint — so weak — that she dared not trust her own perception.

“Silence!” she said coldly, throwing out those two words. Both hands immediately pressed down onto two acupoints simultaneously.

Her eyes, glazed with sweat, creased at the corners. Feng Jiu’er turned her head and swept a glance behind her.

“Anyone who makes another sound — get out!”

Everyone present, except for Feng Qiongcang, exchanged bewildered glances with one another.

No one had dared to speak just moments ago — had the Princess’s hearing gone unwell?

At this moment, Feng Jiu’er naturally had no intention of explaining to any of them that it was the sound of their very breathing that had disturbed her focus.

By the time everyone registered what had happened, all that remained in their line of sight was the Princess’s busy silhouette, as though she had never spoken at all.

“Except for the Head Imperial Physician — everyone else, withdraw!”

So as not to disturb Feng Jiu’er, Feng Qiongcang kept his voice pressed very low.

Everyone looked up at him briefly, then withdrew one after another, not daring to make so much as a half-breath of sound.

Gu Mingcheng still stood motionless, his gaze locked onto the bed. Even the rise and fall of his chest was barely perceptible.

No one could make sense of Feng Jiu’er’s efforts to rescue Feng Yan, but neither did anyone dare to say a word or take any action.

After a period of frantic effort, Feng Yan’s breath grew more and more distinct — not only could Feng Jiu’er sense it, but even Gu Mingcheng and Feng Qiongcang could feel it now.

“Have someone prepare the finest thousand-year ginseng and Tianshan snow lotus — I will need them shortly.” Feng Jiu’er’s voice rang out again, and she did not turn around.

The movements of her hands did not slacken in the slightest, for fear that some mishap might occur and undo everything she had worked for.

The Head Imperial Physician stared with wide eyes, his mind completely failing to catch up.

Did the Princess mean that the Second Imperial Prince had come back to life?

“Go.” Feng Qiongcang’s voice pulled the Head Imperial Physician’s awareness back to the present.

“Yes.” The Head Imperial Physician immediately rose to his feet, stepped back several paces, turned, and hurried out.

Upon hearing that the Second Imperial Prince had been brought back to life, the palace hall — which had been as lifeless as a tomb — quickly stirred back to life.

The imperial physicians, one after another, dared not leave, and all waited for further orders.

Had they not been certain the Second Imperial Prince was dead, none of them would have dared to speak out of turn. Failing to treat a patient was a capital offense; saying what ought not be said added to one’s crime.

Now the Princess had actually brought the Second Imperial Prince back from death’s door — there was not a single person who was not astonished, not a single person who was not overjoyed.

After an entire hour of exhausting effort, as night was falling, Feng Jiu’er finally emerged from the bedchamber.

Feng Qiongcang had not left. Even Ya Guifei, who had come with him, remained at his side.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er come out, Ya Guifei anxiously rose to her feet.

“Jiu’er, how is Ah Yan? Is he truly all right?”

She looked at Feng Jiu’er, the worry etched between her brows refusing to ease.

Feng Jiu’er took a seat to one side, accepted the teacup a palace maid handed to her, and drank every last drop in a single breath.

Setting the cup down, she raised her eyes to look at the two people seated in the main chair.

“Father Emperor, Noble Consort Ya, Second Imperial Brother’s condition has stabilized. However, he was poisoned far too deeply — when he will regain consciousness remains an unknown.”

“Father Emperor, I wish to know why Second Imperial Brother was poisoned. Before I left this morning, he was clearly perfectly well.”

“It is possible that this morning’s events drove him to seek his own end.” Feng Qiongcang said quietly.

Now that the situation had stabilized, the expression on his face had not changed much.

Whether it was a lack of feeling or simply the nature of this father’s character, Feng Jiu’er was not yet certain.

“I do not believe Second Imperial Brother would take his own life. When we parted today, he showed absolutely no such inclination.”

“Father Emperor, I suspect Second Imperial Brother was poisoned by someone. This matter must be thoroughly investigated!”

“You truly believe this, Jiu’er?” Feng Qiongcang’s eyes creased slightly, his expression darkening several degrees.

“I am certain Second Imperial Brother did not seek his own death.” Feng Jiu’er said in a firm, low voice.

Feng Qiongcang looked at the certainty in Feng Jiu’er’s eyes and tightly clenched his fist.

“Someone come!”

An’bao, who stood not far away, immediately stepped forward and knelt upon the ground.

“Your Majesty, what are your orders?”

“We suspect Ah Yan was poisoned by someone. This matter must be investigated thoroughly and to the end.” Feng Qiongcang said in a cold voice.

“Yes. This servant will go and issue the command at once.” An’bao nodded, rose to his feet, and withdrew.

Ya Guifei coughed lightly several times, pressing her handkerchief-clutching hand to her heart.

Feng Qiongcang turned his head to look at her, and let out a quiet sigh.

“Let Us accompany you back. Your illness can no longer be left to drag on.”

“That will not do. Ah Yan has not yet woken. How can Your Majesty leave?” Ya Guifei immediately withdrew her hand and looked at Feng Qiongcang.

“This consort is worried, and wishes to remain here and wait for Ah Yan to regain consciousness.”

Feng Jiu’er glanced at Ya Guifei, then stood.

“Noble Consort Ya, Second Imperial Brother will not recover consciousness anytime soon. Please go and rest.”

She was not blind to Ya Guifei’s frailty — but there were many imperial physicians in the palace, and there was no need for her to intervene. Moreover, she had no heart for it at present.

Shifting her gaze, Feng Jiu’er looked at Feng Qiongcang.

“Father Emperor, I will remain with Second Imperial Brother a little longer. Please excuse me.”

With those words, she turned and walked back in the direction of the bedchamber.

That the Second Imperial Prince had been drugged within his own palace chamber spread through the entire imperial palace in an instant.

The palace was plunged into an atmosphere of fear and unease.

Feng Jiu’er kept constant vigil at Feng Yan’s side and knew nothing of what was happening outside.

Unexpectedly, not long after she had finished a small evening meal, a palace maid from the Princess’s palace came rushing over in a great hurry.

“Your Highness, something terrible has happened, something terrible!”

The palace maid arrived with hurried, urgent steps.

“What is it?” Feng Jiu’er set down her cup and looked at the one who had come in.

“Your Highness, the guards searched your palace and found poison — it is… it is the very poison used to harm the Second Imperial Prince.” The palace maid’s face went ashen.

Feng Jiu’er seemed to sense something at once, and immediately stood up.

“Outrageous! You mean to say the one who poisoned Second Imperial Brother is me?”

“No.” The palace maid shook her head frantically.

“I heard that the item was found inside Young Master Zhan’s — Young Master Zhan’s bundle. When I came here, I saw the First Imperial Prince leading guards and heading that way with great urgency.”

“I was worried…”

“Inform the Head Imperial Physician. Have him come and keep watch over Second Imperial Brother. If Second Imperial Brother suffers any further mishap, tell him to bring his head to face me!”

Who exactly intended to harm her Second Imperial Brother was still unclear to Feng Jiu’er at this moment, but she could not stay — she could only leave behind those harsh words.

The words had barely left her lips before Feng Jiu’er’s figure had already vanished from sight.