“His Majesty is personally leading the campaign. Nine times out of ten, my elder brother will follow His Majesty on the expedition.”

Zhu Yuanzhao looked at Yan Sanhe with worry. “Miss Yan, if by chance at that time…”

Having traveled with Zhu Yuanzhao twice, Yan Sanhe had some understanding of his temperament.

“Don’t think about things so far ahead. First do well with what’s before us. If that time comes, we’ll talk about it then.”

“Yan Sanhe is right.”

Xie Zhifei said, “Last time I saw Elder Brother Zhu, he didn’t mention this matter at all. If the heart demon is resolved, never mind following His Majesty on campaign—he could ascend to heaven or burrow into earth!”

Zhu Yuanzhao gritted his teeth and nodded. “Then tonight, I’ll have my elder brother come.”

Xie Zhifei said, “No need.”

Yan Sanhe said, “Good.”

The two spoke almost in unison.

Yan Sanhe looked at Xie Zhifei in confusion. Xie Zhifei shook his head.

“A few days ago he was summoned into the palace by His Majesty. At this critical juncture, I’m afraid there are eyes watching him. To be safe, we should act separately and avoid implicating the Zhu family as much as possible.”

“I’ll listen to you.” Yan Sanhe didn’t hesitate for a moment.

Hearing that his elder brother had been summoned to the palace, Zhu Yuanzhao’s heart began to grow uneasy again.

…

By the time they returned to the capital, evening was approaching.

As soon as they entered the city, Zhu Yuanzhao jumped down from the carriage.

The Zhu family’s carriage was waiting by the roadside, with Zhu Yuanmo and Zhu Yuanhao sitting inside.

The two brothers had been waiting anxiously for a long time.

Yan Sanhe and Li Buyan first returned to the courtyard to wash up and change into clean clothes before heading to Spring Breeze Tower.

Inside Spring Breeze Tower, guests came in an endless stream.

The four sat in a private room. They waited and waited, but Imperial Physician Pei didn’t come. Yan Sanhe and Li Buyan hadn’t eaten all day and were dizzy with hunger.

“Waiter, serve the food.”

Xie Zhifei said to Yan Sanhe, “Let’s eat first. After we finish, we’ll have the waiter bring another serving.”

“Right, right, right!”

Pei Xiao stole a glance at Li Buyan’s expression. “My father was probably detained by some noble person in the palace.”

This glance reminded Li Buyan. She took the handkerchief from her sleeve and stuffed it into Young Master Pei’s hands, specifically saying, “It’s clean, unused.”

Everyone’s eyes fixed on Pei Xiao.

Young Master Pei, without a trace of embarrassment, said, “What are you looking at? One must consider the big picture and not show favoritism.”

These words made no one else laugh, but Li Buyan laughed.

“For Young Master Pei’s words, this meal is on me.”

As she spoke, she slapped the table, glaring fiercely. “Waiter, serve the food, quickly! If you starve this young mistress to death, she’ll haunt you as a ghost.”

The waiter thought: What kind of people are these!

Xie Zhifei thought: It’s been so long since I’ve seen the young mistress throw a tantrum!

Yan Sanhe thought: This girl has been sullen the whole journey—finally she’s normal.

Young Master Pei thought: Tsk, domineering!

…

When Imperial Physician Pei pushed open the private room door and looked up, he was furious.

Was this supposed to be inviting this old man to dinner?

The damned plates had been licked clean!

Xie Zhifei quickly stood up. “Uncle Pei, they just returned from outside. They haven’t eaten for three days and nights, couldn’t bear the hunger, and you arrived late…”

Three days and nights?

Imperial Physician Pei quickly said, “No matter, no matter. I can’t eat much anyway. Just warm a pot of hot wine for me to relieve my fatigue.”

“How can that be? Someone, bring another serving exactly like before. Warm the wine really hot—only when it’s hot does it relieve fatigue.”

Third Master’s little flattery made Imperial Physician Pei extremely pleased.

The dishes were served and the wine poured full.

After Imperial Physician Pei had eaten for a while, Yan Sanhe glanced at Ding Yi nearby.

Without a word, Ding Yi went to guard the door.

“Imperial Physician Pei.”

Yan Sanhe coughed lightly. “The Zhu family’s heart demon involves Imperial Physician Shen’s youngest daughter.”

“Clatter!”

The chopsticks in Pei Yu’s hand fell to the floor, his face instantly turning green.

“Father?”

Pei Xiao picked up the chopsticks, wiped them with a handkerchief, and asked with concern, “Yan Sanhe hasn’t said anything yet. Why are you so agitated?”

Agitated?

This old man needs to get impulsive too!

Pei Yu snatched the chopsticks and struck Pei Xiao’s head several times.

You heartless little bastard—you’re just trying to make your father die early.

“Imperial Physician Pei.”

Yan Sanhe pulled out the manuscript from her bosom. “Want to take a look?”

Look?

Definitely nothing good!

Don’t look?

It would gnaw at him unbearably.

After struggling internally several times, Pei Yu finally picked up the paper…

After reading the last character, he felt dizzy and disoriented. His hand gripped his son’s waist and twisted viciously.

Oww—

Young Master Pei’s face contorted, but he didn’t dare cry out.

Xie Zhifei felt bad for him and quickly put on an ingratiating smile. “Uncle Pei, you see…”

“You shut up too, boy.”

Pei Yu glared at Xie Zhifei. “Say one more word and I’ll hit you too.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I’ll shut up.”

Xie Zhifei nudged Yan Sanhe with his foot: The commotion is this big—we can definitely dig up some information. Girl, you go!

No need to go.

Yan Sanhe folded her arms and put on a stern face, staring coldly at Pei Yu.

Under her gaze, Pei Yu felt guilty. Thinking of his mother-in-law’s heart demon, he asked cautiously, “Miss Yan, I’ll just ask one thing—does it truly involve…”

“Yes.”

Yan Sanhe put the manuscript back in her bosom, her tone exceptionally serious. “Moreover, if this heart demon isn’t resolved, everyone in the Zhu family will die and enter the Eighteen Levels of Hell after death.”

“What a sin!”

After gritting his teeth for a long while, Pei Yu suddenly nodded. “What do you want to know? Ask!”

Yan Sanhe added some hot tea to Pei Yu’s cup. “First, tell me about the Shen family.”

“The Shen family?”

Pei Yu sighed lightly.

“In the capital, there are two great hereditary medical families—one is my Pei family, and the other is the Shen family. Others might see them as equal, but if we’re really comparing, the Shen family is far superior to the Pei family.”

Old Imperial Physician Shen Wei’s grandfather was the Director of the Imperial Medical Academy during the previous dynasty.

Tracing back several more generations, they were all renowned figures in the Imperial Medical Academy.

The Shen family not only excelled at treating bones but was also skilled with acupuncture.

When the current dynasty was founded, his grandfather declined the court’s invitation due to advanced age and didn’t emerge from retirement. Shen Wei’s father, however, entered the Imperial Medical Academy.

The northern regions had many battles.

When battles arose, most soldiers suffered external injuries and broken bones. The late Emperor selected young physicians from the great hereditary medical families who were proficient in treating these two conditions to serve in the north.

Prince Zhao was enfeoffed as a prince by the late Emperor at seventeen, with his fief in the northern regions.

Shen Wei stood out exceptionally among that group of young physicians and gradually caught Prince Zhao’s eye.

“As for how close their relationship was, I don’t know.”

Pei Yu said, “But supposedly, whenever anyone in Prince Zhao’s residence had even a headache or fever, no other physicians were used—only Shen Wei.”

Young Master Pei quickly threw a glance at Yan Sanhe: See, exactly what I told you.

Yan Sanhe ignored him and asked, “What about now?”

“Now…this story is also long.”

Pei Yu looked at Yan Sanhe. “You should still listen to me tell it slowly.”

After several years in the north, Shen Wei returned to the capital to establish a family.

His first wife was from the Pu family.

The Pu family was far away in Jiangzhou Prefecture—also a hereditary medical family. Madam Pu understood medicine, having learned some basics from her father and brothers. She could treat most minor ailments.

After the two married, Shen Wei worked in the Imperial Medical Academy with his father and didn’t return to the north.

The Pu family had a secret formula for producing male heirs.

After Madam Pu gave birth to four sons in succession, she hoped for a daughter.

The night before Shen Du Ruo was born, Madam Pu supposedly dreamed that an immortal herb burrowed into her belly, which is why she was named Du Ruo.