Lin Hao walked hurriedly outside, very puzzled in her heart.

Imperial proclamations were posted for matters of national importance. This proclamation seeking physicians was a rare thing—why had she never heard anyone discuss it in her previous life?

Could it be that in her previous life this matter never occurred? Lin Hao’s steps paused, her heart stirring slightly.

Posting a proclamation to seek physicians was clearly for the Crown Prince. If this had not happened in her previous life but was happening in this life, that would indicate the Crown Prince’s injuries were different.

But what had caused the difference?

Lin Hao’s thoughts turned in a hundred directions. Before she realized it, she had walked to the imperial proclamation.

Quite a few people were already standing there, excitedly discussing.

Lin Hao raised her head and read the content of the imperial proclamation word for word, confirming with her own eyes that it was undoubtedly seeking a physician for the Crown Prince.

This meant that dog Crown Prince’s condition was not very good?

A small joy sprouted in her heart, only to quickly be overtaken by confusion: if the Crown Prince’s condition was poor, the Crown Prince’s assassination attempt would surely leave a heavily inked mark in history, rather than passing like wind without a trace.

Therefore, something must have changed.

Lin Hao gently rubbed her temples when suddenly a commotion made her involuntarily move with the crowd in one direction.

“Miss, be careful!” Baozhu pushed away someone leaning toward Lin Hao.

A hand reached out, pulling Lin Hao over, then quickly releasing her.

“The Heir is here too?” Lin Hao had already realized the owner of the hand was Qi Shuo and had allowed him to pull her.

“I heard an imperial proclamation was posted, so I came to see.”

Lin Hao followed Qi Shuo’s gaze. A lean elderly man was taking down the proclamation.

The old man was the source of the commotion.

“I didn’t expect someone to take down the proclamation so quickly!”

“Yes, who is this old man? Does anyone recognize him?”

“Perhaps he’s a physician from some apothecary.”

Lin Hao seemed deaf to people’s excited discussions, her attention entirely on the old man.

Looking at his back, he seemed somewhat familiar.

Soon the yamen runner guarding the imperial proclamation walked over: “Who are you? Do you understand what it means to take down the proclamation?”

The old man held the imperial proclamation and pointed at the words on it: “Doesn’t this say you’re seeking someone who understands the golden needle pain relief technique? This old man happens to know a bit about it.”

The yamen runner was overjoyed: “Please come with me!”

The old man nodded and followed the yamen runner, leaving people standing before the now-empty wall discussing animatedly.

Lin Hao’s gaze followed the old man departing with the yamen runner. She almost could not resist chasing after him.

It was Teacher—it was actually Teacher!

She had secretly taken Teacher’s correspondence with Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor Qin Yunchuan to expose the matter of Qin Yunchuan’s demotion. As she had anticipated, Teacher had disappeared without a trace in the capital. She had never imagined their reunion would be before an imperial proclamation.

Was Teacher about to see the Emperor?

For a moment, Lin Hao only felt it bizarre.

“What is Second Miss Lin thinking about?” By her ear, the youth’s clear, gentle voice sounded.

Lin Hao came back to herself and looked toward Qi Shuo.

He was very pale. Under the feeble winter sunlight, he had a fragile beauty.

But Lin Hao thought of that heavy rain, that mountain temple, that fortune teller Fang Chengji whose throat had been slit with a single blade.

Her heart gained some clarity.

Even the Prince Jing Heir, whom she had considered sickly and gentle for over ten years, could wield a knife to kill someone because of a dream—what else was impossible?

The three years of her previous life were prescient knowledge for her, an advantage, but she could not be too superstitious about them.

On the way back, Lin Hao answered Qi Shuo’s question: “I was thinking the Crown Prince must be seriously injured to require posting an imperial proclamation to seek physicians.”

“Perhaps.” Qi Shuo’s tone was very light. He asked Lin Hao quite naturally, “Does Second Miss Lin have free time?”

Lin Hao looked at him.

Qi Shuo smiled and asked: “Would you like to chat about yesterday’s matter?”

Hearing him say this, Lin Hao suddenly had time and agreed in one breath: “Alright.”

The two went to a nearby teahouse.

The private room was quiet and secluded, tea fragrance curling upward. The closed windows blocked out the cold outside.

Lin Hao cupped her teacup to warm her slightly cool fingertips, her tone carrying the casualness she only had before familiar people: “What would the Heir like to discuss?”

Qi Shuo looked at her.

The young lady’s brow tips were sharp, her eyes calm.

“Does Second Miss Lin… have any connection with that assassin called Little Feng from yesterday?”

Lin Hao’s fingertips gripping the teacup tightened, her knuckles turning white, yet the corners of her mouth held a light smile: “The Heir asks me so directly whether I have a connection with the person who assassinated the Crown Prince. If it were someone else, they would probably be angry.”

“Second Miss Lin will not be.” Qi Shuo’s tone was certain.

Lin Hao looked at him with indifferent eyes.

“Second Miss Lin is like me—we both dislike the Crown Prince.”

Lin Hao’s expression changed slightly.

She looked at Qi Shuo seriously, somewhat surprised by his candor.

After a moment of silence, she asked: “Why does the Heir dislike the Crown Prince?”

In the eyes of the world, Prince Jing’s Estate kept a low profile without争, the Crown Prince’s position as heir apparent was extremely secure. The two sides simply had no possibility of conflict. For the Prince Jing Heir to frankly state he disliked the Crown Prince was quite unwise.

Qi Shuo said calmly: “The Crown Prince lacks virtue.”

Lin Hao curved the corners of her mouth slightly.

This reason was truly both reasonable and willful.

“Then how does the Heir know I dislike the Crown Prince?” Lin Hao asked again.

Qi Shuo raised his eyebrows slightly: “Do you like him then?”

Lin Hao was immediately rendered speechless.

Qi Shuo picked up the teapot to add hot water to her teacup, his tone as bland as if discussing family matters: “Little Feng risked his life to assassinate the Crown Prince. He must have suffered great misfortune because of the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, the authorities cannot immediately determine his origins. If we could know Little Feng’s identity, perhaps we would know what the Crown Prince has done.”

These words stirred Lin Hao’s heart.

She had been observing quietly and waiting for the right opportunity to deal with the Crown Prince. Now might be that chance.

If they could dig up the Crown Prince’s disgraceful conduct through Little Feng, even if the Emperor doted on this son, he would ultimately retain a bit of disappointment in his heart.

Ice three feet thick does not form in a single day. When disappointment accumulated enough, there might be changes.

She had never hoped to bring down the Crown Prince in one attempt.

After drinking several sips of hot tea, Lin Hao spoke: “I do know Little Feng. He was a childhood playmate of mine…”

Qi Shuo listened quietly.

After Lin Hao finished speaking, her expression was somewhat ugly: “I suspect Little Feng’s sister’s incident may be related to the Crown Prince.”

“Now that we know Little Feng’s origins, this will be easy to handle. Currently those people are desperately investigating to report to His Majesty. As long as we reveal Little Feng’s identity, they will naturally investigate the truth of what happened back then.”

Someone like Little Feng should have been kept alive, but yesterday he encountered the guards responsible for the Crown Prince’s safety. For these guards, the Crown Prince’s safety was the only and most important matter. Once the Crown Prince faced danger, they must completely eliminate the threat.

However, this made things difficult for the various yamen responsible for subsequent investigations.

How easy could it be to determine the origins of a child who performed on the streets and later joined a variety troupe in a short time?

“I’ll leave what comes after to the Heir.”

Leaving the teahouse and walking onto the snow-covered street, Lin Hao’s heart felt as if piled with accumulated snow—cold and heavy.

Little Feng’s life could only be exchanged for the Emperor’s slight dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince. Thinking about it, how truly unjust.

“Candied hawthorn, big and sweet candied hawthorn—” A vendor’s hawking cry came.

“Second Miss Lin, please wait a moment.” Qi Shuo walked quickly toward the vendor. When he returned, he held a stick of candied hawthorn in his hand.

He handed the candied hawthorn over: “Sweet and sour food will make one feel a bit better.”

Lin Hao stared at the bright red candied hawthorn for a moment, then accepted it.

“Thank you.”