Zhao Zhang Wei left Lantai Courtyard leaving all the Concubines with disappointed faces. When everyone sat back down on their seats, Concubine Li smiled tightly and said

“Wangye cares so much for Wangfei. Instead of going to the Imperial Court first, Wangye brought the Imperial Physician himself to check on Wangfei’s health. Wangfei is very fortunate.”

The rest of the concubines also showed their agreement but their eyes showed their enviousness.

Yi Huiqing smiled at Concubine Lin’s words but no one saw that her smile was full of irony.

‘Yes, she was very fortunate.”

Half an hour later, the concubines went to their respective abode.

Yi Huiqing entered her chambers and saw the young Physician and her personal maidservant together.

Her maid was scribbling something on the paper asking something to the Young Physician pausing in between and the young Physician was seriously and patiently answering her questions. 

When they saw her entering, both of them bowed their heads to greet her.

“Rise, there is no need to be so formal.”

She sighed and went to sit on the chair.

Looking at the Young Physician, Yi Huiqing couldn’t help but smile playfully.

“This Wangfei didn’t know that she was suffering from so many diseases. Insomnia, headache, irritation, and chest pain hmmm…”

She hummed and her face was very solemn as she said looking in the Young Physician’s direction.

“All thanks to Imperial Physician for letting this Wangfei know all this.”

The personal maidservant looked a little confused at her mistress’ words. She put down the paper on which she was writing the names of the herbs to treat her mistress.

Standing on her right side, the young Physician lowered his head. Yi Huiqing didn’t see the flustered expression on her face. The woman sitting in front of him had a very soft voice.

“May this one ask the Imperial Physician’s name.

“Sun Chao, My Lady.”

The young Physician replied humbly and respectfully.

Yi Huiqing nodded and looked at her maidservant.

“Daiyu”

“Yes My Lady.”

The maid was immediately there to hear her mistress’ command.

“Give that set of a teacup that was placed in store just a few days ago to Imperial Physician Sun.”

Daiyu was startled. The set was given by the second Prince to Wangfei.

It was not right to give that set to someone like this, was it?

But seeing the firm gaze of her mistress on herself, she acted as if she does not know anything and went away to take out the set of teacups from the store.

The maid went away and Yi Huiqing’s soft voice again fell in Imperial Physician’s ears.

“Although this W/angfei does not know why Imperial Physician Sun lied, this Wangfei is grateful.”

Yi Huiqing knew her own body. She was weak after she miscarried but she had recuperated seriously. Her loss was great and her heart would always pain remembering it but she can’t let those who love her worry about her health. She was not that immature.

Last night, she had used her health just as an excuse. Zhao Zhang Wei also knew that.

The Young Physician just saved her from becoming a joke in Xinhe Palace.

Imperial Physician bowed his head and said

“It is this servant’s honor.”

Few minutes passed, Sun Chao didn’t hear anything. He raised his head very slowly and saw that Yi Huiqing was sleeping with her eyes closed as her head rested on the headrest.

His long black hair flowed down the chair without touching the floor. The light from the window fell on her face enhancing the whiteness and smoothness of her tender cheeks.

His heart started beating fast as he looked at her, so he lowered his head immediately.

Sun Chao didn’t know how red his face and ears were at this time.

Yes, he lied. Intentionally.

He lied because he didn’t want her to face any trouble.

Sun Chao had been inside the Imperial Palace for many years. Before becoming an Imperial Physician, he was an apprentice. In these years, he had seen many women losing their children.  He had seen them grieving over their dead child. But he didn’t know why he could never sympathize with them. He had seen everything inside the Imperial Palace these years with a straight face.

Once, Sun Chao had started to feel that he was a heartless person because he couldn’t feel anyone’s despair. He couldn’t feel any sadness when he saw someone crying for their beloved ones.

But a month ago, for the first time, he felt someone’s pain inside himself.

It was when he had seen the second Prince’s Wangfei after she had miscarried her child.

She was told that her boy couldn’t hold the child. But he knew the truth.

His Master told him that the Second Prince had asked them to hide that his Wangfei was poisoned.

Why did the Prince hide this from her?

He didn’t know.

But on the third day, when he came to check on her again he saw her empty eyes. He saw the pure grief on her face that he had not witnessed in these years. She truly loved her child. She was really mourning over her child.

Her grief had stirred his calm heart.

That moment, Sun Chao had thought that he could give away his everything if it could take away all her pain and sadness.

—————————————

Xi Manor

It was after half an hour, Yi Junjie and Li Rui exited the room. Before leaving he took out a large pouch and gave it to Li Rui.

Xi Ying frowned when he saw this.

“This is the small amount that you have earned this month.”

The large pouch contained a huge sum of money. Li Rui took it from Yi Junjie very calmly.

After this, Yi Junjie told her.

“I have arranged a good place for your maidservant. Just tell me whenever you want to send her away. I will make arrangements.”

Li Rui hummed in acknowledgment and she glanced at Li Hua who was watering the plants.

On the day she had asked Yi Junjie to send Li Hua somewhere else, she had thought that sending Li Hua away would be an easy job. But now she no longer thought so.

Li Hua had changed a lot after Li Mei’s death. She was no longer the girl who would remain silent and act sensibly. Now she expressed her opinions just like Li Mei whenever she saw that Li Rui was doing something that she found troublesome for her.

While Yi Junjie glanced at her when she didn’t say anything after that. His lips were pressed in a thin line as he spoke

“I don’t expect you to hide anything from me, Rui.”

When Li Rui heard his words, her fingers curled and uncurled a few times but she still didn’t open her mouth.

“You already have a guess who is colluding against Uncle Li, right?”

Still looking at the front, Li Rui was silent. A few moments later, she turned to look at Yi Junjie and said to him in a low voice that only they could hear.

“It is someone from the First Household.”

“You think that Uncle Li Qiang is involved in all this.”

Yi Junjie was a bit startled. Although Li Na and Li Caihong had schemed against Li Rui four years ago, it was difficult to believe that General Li’s elder brother would do something like this. After all, he had seen that man.

Sure enough, Li Rui shook her head in ‘no’ at his question.

“Not First Uncle. He can never go against Father.”

“Then you mean…. But how can it be possible? He’s just a child. Who will…. “

But Li Rui answered all his questions with her one sentence.

“He’s not a child anymore. Not when he is giving them something that a child can’t. For them, he is just a tool. A tool to destroy Li Clan.”

————————-

Li Manor

It was night time. The Courtyard, where General Li resided with his Wangfei, was silent in the dark night.

A blurry figure suddenly passed through the corridors of General Li’s study room. The doors creaked with noise and opened.

A person stepped inside the room. He looked around the room. On the front table, documents were neatly arranged. Passing the table, he walked across the large bookshelves. He removed the books from some shelves and touched the wall behind them.

A few minutes passed like this but he didn’t find anything.

Finally, in the furthermost corner when he removed the books and touched the wall behind them, he felt something.

He applied more force and after a few moments, he took his hand out. Putting the books back in their place, he stood up from the ground.

Moonlight fell on his face showing his curled lips as he looked at the book in his hands happily.

He was Li Qiang only son, Li Chen.

His face had the immaturity of a teenager as he spoke

“Now no one can stop me from becoming the youngest General in Empire Xin.”

Laughing happily, he stuffed the book in his robes. When he was sure that nothing looked out of the place in the room, he left from there.