The bustling long street was filled with people coming and going. Common folk, carrying shoulder poles and driving ox carts, trod through the snow out of the city. They aimed to leave Luocheng before sunset to return to their farms in the suburbs.

The mingled smell of cow dung and the shouts of vendors brought Luocheng’s winter to life.

Chen Ji stood amidst the continuous flow of people, silently pulling his hand into his sleeve to hide the note delivered by Xifeng.

A chill ran down his spine. The Secret Intelligence Bureau consisted of imperial guards under the direct command of the inner court. Normally, the Twelve Zodiacs, bearing royal authority tokens, could move freely without hindrance. Why would they need to go incognito and secretly pass notes?

Yet now, Xifeng had pulled down his bamboo hat and departed in a hurry, indicating that the Secret Intelligence Bureau had gone underground, operating secretly!

They had to be wary of the Liu family taking desperate measures and eliminating everyone.

However, if this were the case, in Mr. Feng’s eyes, only Chen Ji remained in the open, leaving the Liu family with no one else to vent their anger on.

Chen Ji had initially thought that after the destruction of Longwang Garrison, the Secret Intelligence Bureau would have evidence of the Liu family’s rebellion.

They only needed to send the evidence to the capital, and the Liu family would be stripped of their assets and executed.

Once the Vanguard Army arrived, the Liu family would naturally be annihilated.

However, the Liu family had no intention of passively awaiting their fate. The Secret Intelligence Bureau’s confidential reports could not even leave Yuzhou.

No wonder Mr. Feng was so audacious.

The Liu family was about to show their true colors.

Chen Ji looked back, his gaze passing through gaps in the crowd to the quiet carriage outside the city gate.

What secret plot was Elder Liu so eager to discuss with Prince Jing?

Seeing his dazed expression, Bai Li asked curiously, “Chen Ji, what’s wrong? You don’t look well.”

Chen Ji came back to his senses and smiled at Bai Li. “Princess, I’m fine!”

Bai Li pulled his sleeve and walked forward. “Up ahead is the Li Family Tailor Shop’s branch in the south of the city. I’ll take you to get your measurements taken. We can wait for Father there and then all go back to Anxi Street together.”

Zhang Xia looked at Bai Li’s hand and instinctively glanced at the Crown Prince’s expression.

The Crown Prince pretended not to notice, his gaze drifting elsewhere.

Zhang Xia asked curiously, “Is the Crown Prince going to turn a blind eye?”

The Crown Prince said helplessly, “Counting this time, Chen Ji has saved my sister and me twice. Each time was perilous, a near-death experience. As her brother, I’m already pretending not to see it. Why should Miss Zhang, an outsider, delve into it?”

Zhang Xia smiled. “You’re right!”

Inside the Li Family Tailor Shop, the shopkeeper personally took a leather tape measure and began taking Chen Ji’s measurements.

Chen Ji stood in front of the counter with his arms outstretched, but his gaze was fixed on the door outside.

Bai Li sat on a nearby chair, her fair hand propping up her chin, watching with interest.

Two maids brought tea and preserved fruits, diligently placing them on the small table beside Bai Li, and were about to kneel to massage her legs.

Bai Li was startled. “No, no, no, what are you doing?”

The shopkeeper smiled. “Princess, you might not know this, but tailoring takes time and meticulous effort. Even a slight difference of an inch or a fraction of an inch can make the clothes uncomfortable. To ensure our guests can wait patiently, we at Li Family Tailor Shop specially hire maids to entertain our esteemed customers.”

Bai Li quickly waved her hand. “No need, no need, I’m ticklish.”

The shopkeeper smiled at the maids. “Since the Princess says it’s not needed, you two may go.”

The maids curtsied and softly replied, “Yes!”

The shopkeeper added, “There’s also a place for playing pai gow in the back courtyard. If the Princess gets bored waiting, you can ask the maids to join you for a couple of rounds.”

Bai Li couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “Really, it’s not necessary, I can wait.”

“Alright!”

The shopkeeper meticulously measured Chen Ji’s clothes: cuffs, collar, waistline – no detail was missed.

No wonder the Li Family Tailor Shop was famous in Luocheng; its reputation was well-deserved.

In the time it took to drink two cups of tea, the shopkeeper finished taking Chen Ji’s measurements and asked with a smile, “Princess, what items would you like to custom-order for this young gentleman?”

Bai Li counted on her fingers. “Two stand-collar robes with large lapels, two pairs of winter cotton trousers, two pairs of black boots, and a black gauze cap with a ridged top. You can make cloaks here, right? Make him a black cloak for warmth using fox fur, but the fox fur should be on the inside as a lining, not exposed, as he dislikes being ostentatious.”

Chen Ji was stunned. He pulled his gaze back from the door. “Princess, do we really need so many things?”

Bai Li’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled. “You’re always so busy, so when you finally get clothes made, it’s better to make a few more. This is my way of thanking you for saving my life. Isn’t my life worth this money?”

Chen Ji also smiled. “It is!”

Bai Li waved her hand. “Alright then. You can go out and wait for me for a moment; I’ll just say a few words to the shopkeeper and be right out.”

Chen Ji turned and left the shop to speak with the Crown Prince and Zhang Xia.

Bai Li peeked out, saw they weren’t paying attention, then stood up and walked to the counter. She took six gold melon seeds from her sleeve. “Shopkeeper, when you make the clothes, please sew these gold melon seeds into his garment hems.”

The shopkeeper was taken aback.

Noble families traditionally liked to sew small, fingernail-sized silver coins into garment hems. These weighted silver pieces would make the clothes hang better and appear more flowing and structured. Some also sewed auspicious copper coins with phrases like ‘May wealth and treasures enter’ or ‘May you rise in rank and fortune’ for good luck.

However, sewing in gold melon seeds was something he had never seen before.

Seeing the shopkeeper’s confusion, Bai Li smiled and explained, “They’re for emergencies. Just sew the gold melon seeds in.”

The shopkeeper didn’t ask further, smiling as he agreed. “Alright!”

Just then, Prince Jing pushed open the carriage curtain and emerged from the carriage. He then mounted a horse and galloped hurriedly towards the city.

Chen Ji saw his figure in the distance and turned to Bai Li. “Princess, we should go.”

Bai Li replied from inside, “Coming.”

But no sooner had she spoken than Prince Jing’s body swayed precariously on his horse. Before he even reached the entrance of the Li Family Tailor Shop, he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and fell crookedly from his horse.

The Crown Prince cried out, “Father?”

Chen Ji, quick as a flash, rushed forward two steps and caught Prince Jing before he hit the ground.

He looked up towards the city gate and saw Mr. Feng sitting in the driver’s seat, holding the whip high and driving the carriage south as if no one else were there.

No one had expected that the Liu family would dare to launch such a vicious attack on a powerful vassal prince in a bustling marketplace.

The Crown Prince’s eyes were bloodshot with fury. He glared resentfully at the Liu family’s carriage but didn’t pursue it. Instead, he turned to Chen Ji and whispered, “Let’s go back to Anxi Street first and find your master to save him.”

Chen Ji decisively hoisted Prince Jing onto his back and sprinted towards Anxi Street.

Amidst the continuous flow of people, Zhang Xia and others rode their horses in pursuit but couldn’t catch up immediately.

Chen Ji’s expression was grim.

If the Liu family truly was behind this venomous attack, it meant they had become utterly reckless and completely deranged.

Yet, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t grasp the significance of the Liu family killing Prince Jing.

The setting sun dipped below the city, and the world grew dim.

Taiping Medical Hall had already closed for the day.

Chen Ji pushed the door open and called out loudly, “Master, Master!”

The long-unseen Old Man Yao was standing behind the counter, lighting an oil lamp and clacking an abacus.

He glanced up at Chen Ji and Prince Jing, then at his precarious door panel, and remarked blandly, “Has the sky fallen?”

The Crown Prince burst in from outside, urgently saying, “Physician Yao, please save my father! The Liu family poisoned him.”

Old Man Yao asked nonchalantly, “Did you see it with your own eyes?”

The Crown Prince said helplessly, “At a time like this, and you’re still so unhurried.”

Old Man Yao walked out from behind the counter, stroking his white beard with his left hand while gently placing three fingers of his right hand on Prince Jing’s wrist.

Chen Ji held his breath, fearing he might disturb the pulse diagnosis.

A moment later, Old Man Yao said matter-of-factly, “The Prince was not harmed by anyone. It’s merely an old illness acting up, as his previous cold had not fully recovered before he left the city.”

Chen Ji suddenly breathed a sigh of relief; at least the Liu family hadn’t gone completely mad yet.

Old Man Yao walked towards the back courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back, calmly giving instructions: “Chen Ji, carry the Prince into the main room. She Dengke, light the stove inside to keep the Prince warm. Liu Quxing, fetch my silver needles. Crown Prince, Princess, please close the door properly and don’t let any outsiders in. Even people from the Prince’s manor are not allowed.”

In the main room, Old Man Yao ultimately only kept Chen Ji to assist him.

He gently placed Prince Jing on Old Man Yao’s bed and removed his armor.

Old Man Yao sat by the stove fire, methodically sterilizing each silver needle before applying them to Prince Jing.

In the blink of an eye, Prince Jing’s chest was covered with silver needles.

Chen Ji quietly asked, “Master, is Prince Jing truly suffering from a common cold illness?”

Old Man Yao glanced at him, and while continuing to apply the needles, countered, “You’ve also studied the pathology of colds. What do you think?”

Chen Ji did not answer.

As soon as all the silver needles were applied, Prince Jing suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Chen Ji exclaimed in surprise, “Master?”

Prince Jing slowly opened his eyes, smiled at Old Man Yao, and said weakly, “You’ve saved me again!”

Old Man Yao got up and went to the wooden basin stand, washed his hands, and scoffed while drying them with a white cloth, “Prince, perhaps you shouldn’t go out secretly anymore. I’m a physician, not a sorcerer. I don’t have the power to erase names from the book of life and death!”

Prince Jing chuckled, seemingly long accustomed to Old Man Yao’s sharp tongue.

He turned to Chen Ji. “Young man, please call Yunxi in for me; I have something to tell him. Also, please guard the door and ensure no one enters.”

Chen Ji nodded, lifted the door curtain, and went out.

In the courtyard, Bai Li held the Whale Blade, standing under the apricot tree with her lips pursed, while the Crown Prince paced anxiously.

She Dengke, Liu Quxing, Liang Mao’er, and others squatted nearby, helpless.

Seeing Chen Ji emerge, the Crown Prince immediately rushed forward. “Chen Ji, how is my father?”

Chen Ji whispered, “Crown Prince, the Prince has called you inside.”

The Crown Prince slipped into the main room. As the door curtain swayed, a series of urgent knocks sounded from outside the medical hall’s main gate.

Concubine Jing’s voice, cold and clear, called from outside, “Open the door!”

Chen Ji calmly said, “Brother Mao’er, hold the door. Don’t let anyone into the medical hall yet.”

Liang Mao’er acknowledged him and started walking towards the door. Before he reached it, Concubine Jing, leading over ten strong servants, forcefully pushed the door open and stormed in.

Chen Ji took the Whale Blade from Bai Li and stood by the main room door, leaning on the blade. “Concubine Jing, the Prince instructed that he is speaking with the Crown Prince, and no one is to enter.”

Concubine Jing stared intently at him. “Did the Prince say that himself, or are you falsely relaying his command? Move aside!”

Chen Ji slightly twisted the hilt of the blade, turning its sharp edge towards Concubine Jing and her group. “I cannot do that.”

Concubine Jing walked forward step by step, completely disregarding Chen Ji and the Whale Blade. “Young man, don’t cause trouble for yourself. You’re just a medical apprentice; raising a blade against a member of the royal family is a capital offense. Step aside now, and I’ll let bygones be bygones.”

Chen Ji remained motionless.

Just then, the door curtain behind him was lifted.

Chen Ji turned to look. The Crown Prince walked out, his eyes red-rimmed, wiping away tears with the back of his hand, and looked at Concubine Jing. “Aunt, Father has called you in.”

In the quiet courtyard, Chen Ji held the Whale Blade and stepped aside. Concubine Jing, head held high in arrogance, brushed past him.

Chen Ji watched as the Crown Prince, still weeping, pulled Bai Li away from the medical hall. He then looked back at the silent main room.

What exactly did Prince Jing say to the Crown Prince?