King Yan paused and looked at the Empress.
The Empress said, "We know the Ning Family has a wide network and many resources. Although the regular dicines King Yan takes have specific sources, they’re still not easy to procure. Later, I’ll have soone ask the Imperial Hospital what they are short of. If you can help gather them, it would naturally be a good thing."
Pei Zhan asked, "Do we know where King Yan’s needed dicines have co from in the past?"
The Empress smiled slightly, "They’re nothing other than those from Yunnan, Sichuan, and similar places."
"When I was in the northwest, I managed to obtain a few rare herbs from there, which are not found in our Central Plains. Madam, have you not sent soone to the northwest to look for them?"
"I have," the Empress paused, "but that was a long ti ago. Good dicines are hard to find; even if they’re available, they might not suit his ailnts, so it’s pointless to go through the trouble."
As she lifted the teacup, the sound of the cups and saucers clinking filled the pavilion.
Pei Zhan didn’t press any further, took a couple of sips of tea, and then said, "If that’s the case, why bother sending soone on another trip? Since I’m here, I’ll just go to the Imperial Hospital on your orders and ask."
"Very well." The Empress remained calm, "The ones who regularly check King Yan’s pulse are the two Imperial Physicians, Lin Liu. You may go."
Both Pei Zhan and his companion stood up, saluted, and took their leave, walking out of the pavilion and past the flower beds before exiting the imperial garden.
The Empress watched their backs recede, then turned her gaze back only to et King Yan’s eyes.
She smiled slightly and pointed at the guqin in front of him, "Continue playing. This piece, ’Flowing Water on High Mountains,’ is one your late father used to play often when I accompanied him in the army."
King Yan nodded, obediently returned to the front, sat down, and had just plucked a couple of strings before pausing to look up, "Should I not change the piece for Mother instead?"
"No," the Empress raised her hand, "I wish to hear this one."
"Mother, why trouble yourself..."
King Yan hesitated, his gaze revealing a hint of pain.
The Empress lowered her voice, "You don’t understand. Your father and I have shared decades of companionship; so things are not easily destroyed."
Her weathered and thin face looked no different from before, yet her eyes clearly held a certain sadness.
"If I could, I would rather return to when I was young. Though life was hard then, my heart was carefree."
"Mother..." King Yan bowed his head deeply, "It’s my fault; if only I had, back then..."
"Foolish child, it has nothing to do with you." The Empress took a slow breath, "Once so things begin, the ending is already set. With or without you, it’s the sa."
King Yan’s brows furrowed tightly, his hands on the guqin strings curling up slowly. Finally, with a pop, the string snapped in his grip.
...
The Imperial Hospital was not within the inner palace. It wasn’t until Pei Zhan exited the imperial garden and left the court that he found a secluded spot to stop.
He said to Liang Chen, "Later, when I go to the Imperial Hospital to find Imperial Physicians Lin and Liu, try to find King Yan’s dical records."
Liang Chen replied, "Since the Empress has already given her word, you should be able to get the information directly from the physicians."
"The worry is that the physicians won’t speak the truth either." Pei Zhan gave him a aningful look, "Previously, Zhang Yuan ntioned that the guards from the Prince Yan’s Palace didn’t ntion going to the northwest when buying dicines. However, the Empress’s words just now made it clear that those guards have been to the northwest. If apart from those sent by the Emperor to find the Crown Prince, only the guards beside King Yan left the palace, then they certainly weren’t looking for dicines but inquiring about the Crown Prince’s whereabouts.
"All along, even the Emperor may not have known about such a group, so the physicians must have been bought off as well.
"But no matter how they were bought off, once an incident occurs while treating a prince, the physicians will have to bear responsibility.
"Therefore, they would not take the risk of losing their heads by being completely led by the nose. They would certainly leave dical records to prove their prescriptions and treatnts were correct."
Liang Chen said, "So you an this group was actually directed by King Yan to find the Crown Prince, contrary to what Yang Zhan said about them being sent by the Empress."
Pei Zhan said slowly, "I really can’t find any reason why the Empress would secretly search for the Crown Prince without the Emperor knowing. The deep affection between the Emperor and Empress is evident, but I’m not as familiar with King Yan."
Liang Chen agreed with him, "Considering the entire bloody affair’s outco, not only did Prince Rong’s Mansion lose, but the deposed Crown Prince as well. The only one benefitting now is King Yan.
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