The serene Taiping Medical Clinic was suddenly thrown into disarray.

Prince Jing was like a whirlpool, drawing both apparent and hidden troubles, like old rotten leaves and dead branches, into the clinic.

The sturdy servants brought by Concubine Yun were scattered throughout the courtyard, eyeing their surroundings menacingly, making the space feel somewhat crowded.

Behind Concubine Yun, one servant scornfully surveyed the humble courtyard: the accumulated snow hadn’t been fully cleared, moss still clung to the cracks in the green bricks, a large water vat in the corner had a small chip, and the bamboo broom leaning against the wall was worn bald!

Only the apricot tree in the courtyard, adorned with red silk ribbons, offered a pleasant sight.

A servant reached out to touch the red ribbon on the tree branch but was stopped by Liang Mao’er, who grabbed their wrist and said in a muffled voice, “Don’t touch it.”

The servant struggled several times before finally pulling their arm free, then muttered under their breath, “As if anyone would care.”

At this moment, Xibing was leaning to the side, frantically signaling Chen Ji from behind Concubine Yun, urging him to retreat quickly.

However, Chen Ji did not retreat. He simply stood, leaning on his Whale Blade, and stated, “Concubine Yun, please stop. You cannot enter now.”

Concubine Yun looked at him expressionlessly and asked, “Do you know what you are doing?”

Chen Ji replied earnestly, “Madam, I know what I am doing. My master is currently administering acupuncture to the Prince and cannot be distracted in the slightest. This concerns the Prince’s life, and I hope for your understanding.”

Concubine Yun sneered, “How do I know you aren’t trying to assassinate the Prince? Get out of my way!”

With that, she walked straight towards the room, completely disregarding Chen Ji as if he were not there.

Concubine Yun was far more domineering than Concubine Jing. For every step she advanced, Chen Ji was forced to take one step back.

Just as Chen Ji was about to be forced into the room, he whispered, “Madam, I have some well-intentioned advice. I wonder if you would be willing to hear it!”

Concubine Yun slowly came to a halt, now only a single step away from Chen Ji.

She waved her sleeve, signaling the servants to retreat several steps, then gazed at Chen Ji and asked in a low voice, “What identity are you using to speak to me? A medical apprentice, or a Jing Dynasty spy?”

Chen Ji replied, “Madam, you don’t need to concern yourself with my identity. Simply judge for yourself whether my advice is useful.”

Concubine Yun slightly raised her chin and said, “Tell me.”

After carefully choosing his words, Chen Ji lowered his voice and said, “On his way back with the Princess, the Prince encountered a man with a Buddha tattoo on his wrist. The Prince initially paid no mind, but later, when the heir mentioned that this man had visited Bai Li multiple times, the Prince’s expression darkened.”

Concubine Yun remained impassive, “What does this have to do with me? Are you just making up nonsense to try and delay me?”

Chen Ji replied earnestly, “If this hadn’t truly happened, I couldn’t possibly fabricate it. If you know this person, Madam, I urge you to inform him to leave Luocheng as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Prince wakes up, he will likely order a city-wide search for him. By then, he won’t be able to escape.”

Concubine Yun’s expression subtly changed.

Chen Ji knew he had gambled correctly.

The man indeed had a secret connection with Concubine Yun.

But he felt no joy in being right, for Concubine Yun’s reaction precisely guided his suspicion towards the worst possible outcome.

That was the truth the Princess was unwilling to bear.

Concubine Yun subtly frowned, “How am I to know if what you say is true?”

Chen Ji replied calmly, “If Madam doesn’t believe me, you can ask the heir, or even the Prince.”

Concubine Yun remained expressionless and silent.

The next moment, she flicked her sleeve and turned to leave.

After taking a couple of steps, Concubine Yun suddenly turned back and asked, “How is the Prince’s health?”

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, “My master just told Concubine Jing that the Prince has at most three months left.”

Just then, outside the Taiping Medical Clinic, dense footsteps and the chilling clatter of armor rang out, making one’s scalp tingle.

The main gate and the back wall were completely surrounded by the Prince’s guards, making it impenetrable.

Standing on the steps of the main house, Chen Ji looked up and saw Grand Eunuch Feng, dressed in simple cloth, striding swiftly towards them.

Even when he reached Chen Ji, he showed no intention of stopping.

Grand Eunuch Feng, an operative of the Directorate of Ceremonial stationed by Prince Jing’s side, had brought troops to surround the Taiping Medical Clinic and was attempting a forceful entry. His intentions were entirely unclear.

In a flash, Chen Ji raised his Whale Blade and swung it towards Grand Eunuch Feng.

Only then did Grand Eunuch Feng finally stop, calmly dodging the blade by a hair’s breadth.

As the blade swept past Grand Eunuch Feng, he casually flicked the side of the Whale Blade with his finger. With a resonant hum, the blade vibrated violently and incessantly.

Chen Ji’s hand throbbed numbly, and with a grim expression, he took a step back.

Grand Eunuch Feng smiled and praised, “It didn’t break. What a fine blade.”

Chen Ji re-gripped the hilt and held the Whale Blade horizontally before him.

Seeing that Chen Ji still refused to move, Grand Eunuch Feng chuckled softly, “A newborn calf fears no tiger, but once it grows horns, it begins to fear people. Young man, you seem to lack a sense of proportion.”

Chen Ji replied calmly, “It has nothing to do with proportion.”

Grand Eunuch Feng smiled indifferently and continued to walk towards the main house.

The atmosphere between the two was like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment.

She Dengke and Liu Quxing nervously and involuntarily rose to their feet. Liang Mao’er also quickly moved closer to Chen Ji, but it was already too late.

As Grand Eunuch Feng reached Chen Ji, he gently raised his right hand and floated a palm strike towards him. Though the movement was deceptively slow, Chen Ji had the powerful illusion of a tsunami surging towards him.

Unable to dodge!

Just as the palm was about to land on Chen Ji’s face, Prince Jing’s weak voice came from inside the room: “Has Grand Eunuch Feng arrived? Come in.”

Grand Eunuch Feng’s palm suddenly stopped in front of Chen Ji.

The wind generated by that palm strike blew Chen Ji’s hair violently backward, even pushing open the door curtain behind him and causing the oil lamp inside to flicker wildly.

Grand Eunuch Feng withdrew his hand, smiling as he asked, “Young man, the Prince has already spoken. Won’t you step aside now?”

Chen Ji lowered his Whale Blade and slowly, expressionlessly, retreated to the side.

Grand Eunuch Feng gave him a deep look, then lifted a side of the door curtain, bowed his head, and stepped inside.

“Your Highness, are you feeling better?”

As the door curtain fell, the sounds inside the room were isolated.

Chen Ji leaned by the window, attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation inside, but found he couldn’t hear a thing.

It seemed that both Grand Eunuch Feng and Prince Jing had lowered their voices.

His gaze returned to the courtyard, and as he watched Concubine Yun’s retreating figure hastily leaving the clinic, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

She Dengke and the others quickly gathered around him, asking, “Are you alright?”

Chen Ji shook his head, “I’m fine!”

He sat on the low stone steps in front of the main house’s door and sighed, “What a mess this is!”

She Dengke hesitated, then asked, “Chen Ji, where did you get this blade? And that move you just made, it looked incredibly powerful, even more so than the men of the River Gang at the East Market docks.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, “Senior brothers, please go and rest. I’ll explain everything tomorrow. For now, please don’t approach my master’s room unless it’s necessary.”

With that, he slowly closed his eyes and sank into a dream.

After an unknown period, the door curtain of the main house was lifted.

Chen Ji suddenly opened his eyes, just in time to see Grand Eunuch Feng departing hastily, head bowed.

This expert from the Directorate of Ceremonial, who had been placed in the Prince’s residence, did not spare Chen Ji another glance. Meanwhile, the Prince’s guards remained unmoving, encircling the clinic like an impenetrable iron wall.

Now, not even a bird could fly into Taiping Medical Clinic.

From inside, Prince Jing called out, “Young man, come in!”

Chen Ji entered the room and asked, “Why have you called me, Prince?”

Prince Jing sat on the edge of the bed, pulling out the silver needles from his body once more. He said grumpily, “Next time, please don’t say your master is administering acupuncture to me. Otherwise, every time you lie, I’ll be pricked again, and I’ll get sick even if I’m not ill.”

Chen Ji, losing some of his deference, retorted testily, “Prince, if I didn’t use that excuse, what other excuse could I find? If you weren’t running around recklessly, I wouldn’t need to lie at all.”

Prince Jing said, smiling reassuringly, “Alright, alright. I merely asked you to guard a door; why are you getting so grumpy? Is there still food in the kitchen? Go get me another bowl.”

Chen Ji sighed, “You truly don’t treat yourself as an outsider, do you? There’s no food left in the kitchen. If you want to eat, I’ll cook some now. It’ll take about forty-five minutes.”

Prince Jing said regretfully, “Too long.”

As he spoke, he sat on the edge of the bed, carefully observing Chen Ji. “Young man,” he proposed, “how about we make a deal?”

Chen Ji quickly said, “Absolutely not!”

Prince Jing’s interest was piqued. “Why? There are countless people in this world who wish to make a deal with me. Why do you shun it like a viper?”

Chen Ji explained, “Your status is noble, and anything connected to you is beyond my humble capabilities. You’d best seek out someone more capable. I think my master, for instance, would be a good fit.”

Old Man Yao glared at him. “You’re certainly good at finding trouble for me.”

Prince Jing laughed, “I need to go out incognito for a few days to handle some matters, but I lack a trustworthy bodyguard. How about this: for every trip you accompany me on, I’ll give you fifty taels of silver.”

Chen Ji leaned against the door and said, “No. Being your bodyguard is far too dangerous. I still wish to live to be over ninety, like my master!”

Old Man Yao stroked his beard. “Given your temperament, that might be a bit difficult.”

Chen Ji looked suspicious. “Have you cast a divination for me, or are you just trying to scare me?”

Old Man Yao slowly replied, “I can’t accurately predict your future anymore. A few days ago, I cast a divination and it predicted you’d still be deceived when you’re over nine hundred years old.”

Prince Jing stroked his chin. “Did you drink fake Meng Po’s soup?”

Chen Ji was torn between laughter and exasperation. “That’s far too inaccurate, Your Highness.”

Prince Jing looked at him and said, “You two, master and disciple, please stop joking around. Let’s return to this deal. You can be my bodyguard, and if any official tries to kill me, I’ll even allow you not to intervene. How does that sound?”

Chen Ji suddenly asked, “Prince, why me?”

Prince Jing also sighed with emotion, “Indeed. Why you!”

Chen Ji was suspicious, “Hmm?”

He always felt that Prince Jing’s words had a hidden meaning.

Prince Jing smiled and spread his hands. “Young man, I have no one else I can trust by my side. Just agree to it. If something were to happen to me, Bai Li and Yun Xi would lose their father, and your annual dividend of two thousand five hundred taels would likely vanish.”

Chen Ji narrowed his eyes. “How can you renege on a promised dividend? Are you threatening me, Your Highness?”

Prince Jing chuckled cheerfully, “Yes, I am threatening you!”

Chen Ji sighed helplessly, “How can a mighty, powerful prince be so shamelessly roguish?”

Prince Jing replied meaningfully, “Otherwise, how do you think I managed to become a powerful and influential prince?”

Chen Ji stood up. “I can temporarily serve as your bodyguard, but let’s be clear beforehand: if any official makes a move, I will turn and run immediately.”

“Don’t worry!”

Prince Jing pulled open the bed and walked towards the secret passage.

Chen Ji was startled. “Leaving now?”

“Yes. Leaving now!”