“It hurts so much, it hurts so much—” The Crown Prince, who had never suffered hardship before, moaned loudly. The sound of cups and saucers falling to the floor could be heard.

Emperor Tai’an walked in just in time to see a teacup smash on the ground, shattering to pieces.

“Yuan’er, you’re awake.”

The Crown Prince’s frantic movements paused. He looked toward the doorway and immediately reddened his eyes: “Father Emperor, your son is in too much pain.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Tai’an’s eyes also involuntarily reddened. He quickly walked over to grasp the Crown Prince’s hand and asked the trembling imperial physicians: “Is there no method to stop the pain?”

The imperial physician hurriedly said: “If he drinks too much pain-relieving medicinal soup with extremely good effects, it will have some influence on a person no matter what.”

“What about something that can alleviate the pain somewhat?”

The imperial physician lowered his head: “The medicinal soup His Highness is taking already includes this type of medicine.”

Emperor Tai’an frowned: “Apart from this, there is no other method?”

“This subject is incompetent…”

The imperial majesty’s威严 gaze swept over the other two imperial physicians present. Both imperial physicians also lowered their heads.

The Crown Prince, having confirmed that the imperial physicians were powerless, had the string called rationality completely snap. His uninjured hand clutched at the brocade quilt as he cried out loudly in pain.

Emperor Tai’an stared at the three imperial physicians with a dark expression: “You truly have no method at all?”

Feeling His Majesty’s suppressed fury, one imperial physician said carefully: “There was once a golden needle pain relief method, but unfortunately it has been lost to history…”

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince’s expression turned fierce as he roared: “Just because you don’t know it, does that mean no one in the world knows it?”

The three imperial physicians all knelt down together, not daring to make a sound.

There are mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people—they naturally dared not say that no one in the world knew this technique.

The unbearable pain made the Crown Prince’s mind particularly sharp. He grabbed Emperor Tai’an’s sleeve: “Father Emperor, post an imperial proclamation to gather capable people who know the golden needle pain relief method!”

Emperor Tai’an hesitated slightly.

“Father Emperor, your son truly cannot bear the pain—I’m going to die from the pain!”

Emperor Tai’an lowered his eyes to look at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s forehead was covered in sweat, his pale complexion and bulging veins making it clear at a glance that he was enduring enormous suffering.

His gaze moved downward, falling on the Crown Prince’s injured left arm. It was wrapped in layer upon layer of white cloth, with circles of brownish bloodstains seeping through.

A voice came from the doorway: “What is Your Majesty still considering? Post the proclamation to seek physicians as soon as possible, so the Crown Prince will suffer less.”

Emperor Tai’an immediately turned to greet her: “Mother Empress, why have you come?”

The Empress Dowager, supported by palace maids, walked in: “With such a major incident befalling the Crown Prince, how could this dowager not come to see?”

Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince felt even more wronged: “Imperial Grandmother—”

The Empress Dowager glanced at her pitiful grandson and sighed: “Yuan’er has suffered. Endure a bit longer. There are so many capable people in the world—there will surely be someone who knows the golden needle pain relief technique.”

The Crown Prince nodded with a pained expression.

The Empress Dowager looked toward Emperor Tai’an.

Emperor Tai’an no longer hesitated and ordered the head eunuch to make arrangements.

At this moment, a eunuch entered to report: “Prince Wei has come to visit His Highness.”

Hearing it was Prince Wei, Emperor Tai’an’s tense expression relaxed somewhat as he had the eunuch invite him in.

Soon a deflated ball moved in. Seeing that both Emperor Tai’an and the Empress Dowager were present, he was slightly stunned: “Imperial Grandmother and Father Emperor are both here.”

Emperor Tai’an did not think much of it, but the Empress Dowager, who had not seen Prince Wei for several days, could not help but examine him carefully.

In just these few days, Silang had actually lost more weight and even showed some handsome features.

“Eldest Brother, are you feeling better?” Prince Wei walked over with a face full of concern.

The Crown Prince had never taken this younger brother seriously, and now in unbearable pain, he was even less inclined to humor him.

Prince Wei, however, did not mind: “Yesterday when Eldest Brother was attacked, it truly frightened your younger brother. Fortunately Eldest Brother has heaven’s protection—”

The Crown Prince impatiently interrupted Prince Wei’s concern: “I want to sleep. Fourth Brother, please return.”

“Oh, then younger brother will not disturb your rest.” Prince Wei said good-naturedly.

“Then rest well.” The Empress Dowager patted the Crown Prince’s hand, as if just remembering: “When this dowager came, I saw the Crown Prince Consort standing outside—”

The Crown Prince looked disgusted: “Your grandson does not wish to see her.”

Regarding the Crown Prince’s wearing his emotions on his face, the Empress Dowager was actually somewhat disappointed, though she showed nothing on her face: “She is your wife. Coming to attend to your illness is also her duty.”

In the Empress Dowager’s view, giving the Crown Prince Consort such a loss of face was somewhat harsh.

The Crown Prince was not an ordinary wealthy young master but the heir apparent. Leaving the people with an impression of harshness was not good.

Emperor Tai’an also said: “I heard that last night the Crown Prince Consort knelt all night praying for your blessing.”

Even if he later punished the Wuning Marquis Estate to some degree, Emperor Tai’an had no intention of deposing the Crown Prince Consort. Since he would not move against the Crown Prince Consort, they could not make things too ugly.

Hearing the two people with the highest status in the palace both say this, the Crown Prince had no choice but to say: “Your son understands.”

The Empress Dowager, Emperor Tai’an, and Prince Wei—the three generations of grandparent and grandchildren together left the Eastern Palace.

“Silang, this dowager sees that you seem to have lost weight.”

Emperor Tai’an glanced at his son and confirmed: “He has indeed lost quite a bit.”

Prince Wei was somewhat embarrassed: “Your son is someone who is about to marry. It is not good to always be so fat, so I ate less and moved more. I did not expect to actually lose some weight.”

The Empress Dowager smiled: “It turns out that only after taking a wife can one become sensible.”

Emperor Tai’an was gratified that Prince Wei could lose weight and instructed: “Since it is effective, you must persevere.”

“Father Emperor, rest assured. Your son will definitely persevere. When your son completely slims down, perhaps I can be as graceful and distinguished as Father Emperor.”

Hearing these words, Emperor Tai’an’s expression, which had been gloomy for two days, cleared slightly.

In the Eastern Palace, however, the atmosphere was deathly still.

The Crown Prince looked at the Crown Prince Consort, who had not slept all night and was swaying unsteadily, with only annoyance: “I do not wish to see you right now. Return to your chambers.”

The Crown Prince Consort’s eyes brimmed with tears: “Your Highness, my family truly did not expect such a thing to happen—”

“Enough, I do not want to hear this!” The Crown Prince’s expression turned fierce as he interrupted the Crown Prince Consort’s pleading. “Stay away from me. Get out!”

The unbearable pain left the Crown Prince with no patience at all—he only wanted to vent his anger.

The Crown Prince Consort bit her lip and left tearfully. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Sun Xiuhua standing quietly and felt both hatred and vexation in her heart.

Originally, no matter how much this base woman was favored, as long as she remained securely as Crown Prince Consort she need not take it too seriously, but in the future this base woman would probably step all over her.

She could only blame her younger brother for letting someone exploit an opening…

The Crown Prince’s assassination attempt affected more than just the Wuning Marquis Estate. After a day of word-of-mouth transmission, countless eyes were watching the Crown Prince’s condition. Then these people discovered that yamen runners had begun posting imperial proclamations everywhere.

After scholars read aloud the content of the imperial proclamation, all the common people of the capital knew that the imperial family was summoning people who understood the golden needle pain relief technique to enter the palace.

Information between the upper and lower classes was actually quite blocked. Except for the common people who had personally witnessed the Wuning Marquis Estate surrounded by government soldiers and had some speculations, the vast majority of common people did not know the Crown Prince had been attacked. Seeing the imperial proclamation, they only assumed some noble person was ill and sought famous physicians.

In Luoying Residence, Baozhu ran in, her voice clear: “Miss, they are posting imperial proclamations outside, seeking an expert who understands the golden needle pain relief method.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Hao took down the snow fox fur-collared bright red cloak draped over the screen: “Let us go see.”