Tantai Ye had been unconscious for nearly five days with no signs of waking.
The imperial physicians took turns examining him, but couldn't find the cause. Countless medicines had been administered, yet he showed no intention of waking.
When Xiao Chizhan pushed the door open, he heard Li Qiongyu standing by the bed, hands on his hips, scolding with great vigor, exposing all of Tantai Ye's sordid deeds.
The imperial physicians standing nearby trembled.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Li Qiongyu, having exhausted his voice from scolding, walked to the table, picked up the teapot, and drank several gulps. He then raised his peach-blossom eyes to look at Xiao Chizhan, who had just walked in.
"This dog is just like you, infuriating. He just lies in bed pretending to be dead."
Xiao Chizhan: "---"
"How is his condition?"
The imperial physicians quickly stepped forward and said respectfully, "The general's life is not in danger, but I fear his ailment of the heart will be difficult to cure."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chizhan walked to the bedside and lowered his gaze to look at his hair.
"Is this situation normal?"
The imperial physician replied, "According to the 'Medical Sect's Golden Mirror,' there have been precedents of hair turning white overnight."
"Can it be cured?"
"----" The imperial physician pondered for a moment and then said, "Strictly speaking, if the general's heart ailment is resolved, there is a possibility of self-healing. Alternatively, one could use a black paste made from black beans and shepherd's purse to dye the hair back."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Xiao Chizhan watched for a while and then asked, "How is she?"
"Miss Lan's injuries are serious, and her pulse is almost undetectable. We dare not make assumptions at this moment and need to observe her for some time. However—"
Seeing him hesitate, Li Qiongyu said directly,
"If you have any concerns, just say them."
The imperial physician sighed, "Miss Lan's condition is very poor. If she remains in this coma, unable to take any medicine, she is very likely to enter a catatonic state."
Xiao Chizhan frowned, "Catatonic state?!"
"Meaning the person may remain comatose indefinitely."
"---"
Li Qiongyu's eyes turned cold, "Find a way. If she dies, none of you will have peace."
All the imperial physicians: "---"
"Yes."
"You may go."
After they left, the room became empty.
Li Qiongyu sat on a stool, drank a cup of wine, and said, "Wanting to live, wanting to die, you two have truly defeated me."
Xiao Chizhan ignored his words and walked over. Just as he was about to pick up the wine glass nearby, he paused, withdrew his hand, and sat down lazily.
"Oh? You're so controlled by Ye Luan that you don't even dare to drink wine?"
"You'll be scolded for smelling of alcohol. Don't drink either, or you'll stink up the place too."
Li Qiongyu: "---"
Just as he was about to say something, Long Tian's voice was heard from outside, "Your Highness, a letter from the Prime Minister has arrived."
"Enter."
Long Tian walked in and respectfully handed over the letter.
Xiao Chizhan opened it and read it a few times, his eyebrows rising slightly, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"What is it?"
Xiao Chizhan didn't speak and tossed the paper over.
Li Qiongyu glanced at it briefly and sneered, "Truly a runaway horse, taking advantage of your absence to jump and frolic."
"The battle in Southern Xinjiang is imperative. We must fight until they dare not invade again."
"However, Li Cheng dares to forge the military seal by relying on the influence of his maternal relatives and cronies. We must uproot them all when we return."
Hearing this, Li Qiongyu glanced at the person on the couch, "In his condition, how can we go back?"
Xiao Chizhan stood up, "Everything is ready. The ship has everything, and the imperial physicians are watching. Nothing will go wrong. We will depart for the capital tomorrow."
"Long Tian."
"Your subordinate is here."
Xiao Chizhan said, "Send word to the Prime Minister with utmost urgency, find an excuse to deal with Consort Duan."
Long Tian bowed, "Yes."
Consort Duan was the birth mother of the Third Prince, Li Cheng. The Emperor was gravely ill, and she, in hopes of her son ascending the throne, had colluded with ministers in secret. Getting rid of her would be easy.
Seeing that everyone had left, Li Qiongyu glanced at the still sleeping Tantai Ye on the couch, finished the last sip of his wine, and also got up to leave.
"Take turns guarding him."
The imperial physician at the door bowed, "Yes."
After he came out, he had only taken a few steps when he saw Wei Qingge standing in the corridor, holding a dragon-patterned jade pendant and stroking it carefully.
She was wearing a simple yellow silk dress, her figure as light as a swallow, her hair tied up neatly.
Despite possessing the exquisite beauty of a woman with clear bones and tender skin, her clean eyebrows and eyes exuded a heroic spirit.
Upon closer inspection, a hint of sorrow veiled her eyes.
Li Qiongyu raised his eyebrows, looked at her a few times, and slowly walked over, deliberately slapping her shoulder heavily from behind.
"Ah—"
Wei Qingge was startled by his sudden action. As she hurriedly tried to hide the jade pendant, she fumbled and it clattered to the ground.
Alarmed, she quickly crouched down and picked up the jade pendant that had shattered into four pieces.
Li Qiongyu lowered his eyelids to observe her expression. Seeing her eyes suddenly redden, a faint coldness flashed in his alluring peach-blossom eyes.
"Li Qiongyu!" Wei Qingge came to her senses, her eyes red with anger as she glared at him. "Why did you slap me? You broke my jade pendant."
Li Qiongyu lowered his eyes, his voice flat, "I'll compensate you."
"Who wants your compensation?" She stood up in anger and kicked his leg, scolding, "You did it on purpose."
She clutched the broken jade pendant tightly in her hand, her fingers cut by the dull edge, and blood trickled down her palm.
Her clear, almond-shaped eyes were uncontrollably misted with tears, but she stubbornly held them back, biting her lip and glaring at him.
Li Qiongyu reached out as if to touch her, but she fiercely slapped his hand away.
He raised his eyebrows and withdrew his hand.
"How could I have done it on purpose? It's because you have something to hide that you couldn't hold it steady. Now that it's broken, what do you intend to do?"
Wei Qingge, seeing his indifferent attitude, felt her heart ache with anger. But looking at the shattered jade pendant in her hand, her heart felt even more like it was being cut by a knife, making her want to cry.
"It's just a jade pendant, is it worth it?"
His usually flippant expression was tinged with mockery, yet it inexplicably conveyed a sense of seriousness.
Wei Qingge paid no attention to the change in his expression. Upon hearing his words, she wished she could smash him to death with a sledgehammer. In her anger, she roared,
"What do you know? This is not just a simple jade pendant, it's—"
Before she could finish, she suddenly stopped speaking. A hint of grievance appeared in her reddened eyes. She glared at him fiercely, then turned to run.
Li Qiongyu looked at her bleeding hand and directly pulled her back.
"Go get it bandaged."
Wei Qingge was caught off guard by his pull and stumbled into his arms.
She raised her head in anger and glared at him fiercely, "Let go of me."
"Do you not want your hand anymore?"
His eyes were shadowed with a frightening ferocity, which made Wei Qingge a little flustered. She no longer cared about the broken jade pendant and wanted to walk away, but he firmly grasped her hand.
She was so angry she could die.
That damned Li Qiongyu, he only knew how to bully her.
In front of others, he was always nonchalant and unrestrained, but in private, if she angered him, he would become fierce with her, more terrifying than the Prince.
Thinking this, she became even more enraged and shouted loudly.
"It's none of your business! Let go!"