Chapter 1410: Chapter 1388: Detoxification 2 (October Monthly Ticket Bonus 4)
Zhou Lijun carefully tucked it into her bosom, looking serious as she said to Manbao, "Aunt, I’ll come to brush your hair every day from now on."
Manbao looked into her eyes through the bronze mirror and instantly grasped her meaning, saying, "I don’t have enough jewelry to give you one piece a day."
"No problem," Zhou Lijun said righteously, "Aunt, do you think I’m that kind of person? I’m brushing your hair out of filial piety."
Such filial piety indeed, the two of them grew up together, and Zhou Lijun was two years older than her; who doesn’t know whom?
Manbao dressed stylishly to eat breakfast, and everyone was stunned.
Bai Shan was the first to snap out of it and, seeing Bai Erlang still staring at her, couldn’t help but kick him under the table, "Stop staring."
Bai Erlang continued to look at Manbao, but he did sip his porridge, sighing, "Manbao has really grown up."
Manbao raised an eyelid and glanced at him, saying, "Junior Brother has grown a bit too."
Bai Erlang’s mood instantly soured, and Bai Shan wasn’t feeling too cheerful either, lowering his head to pretend he was invisible.
Sitting at the head, Mr. Zhuang couldn’t help but chuckle, tapping his chopsticks and saying, "Hurry up and eat; after this, I’ll take you to report to the Imperial Academy, where we’ve agreed on the time to start school."
Coincidentally, Bai Dalang came over from next door to have breakfast. He currently rents the small courtyard next door with his classmates. Firstly, because he’s older, he often has social obligations, so his schedule isn’t quite the same as Bai Shan’s;
Secondly, it’s quieter over there, whereas it’s bustling here due to the many young people; even early in the morning, the noise from here can be felt next door.
Studying is better in peace.
Before he could greet them, he heard Mr. Zhuang’s comment, then, after greeting, sat down and said, "Teacher, I asked Brother Xu yesterday; he said the Imperial Academy starts on the twentieth."
Mr. Zhuang raised an eyebrow, "I thought they started on the sixteenth."
It’s already the eighteenth today, and students of the Imperial Academy can report two days late, but if they’re too late, the Academy will pursue it; that’s why they’ve hurried to the capital.
Bai Dalang said, "According to past rules, it should start on the sixteenth, but this year His Majesty plans to open the grace examination. Orders have already been sent to all provinces before the end of the year, stating that there will be major exams in April and another in August. I heard that before the end of the year, Libationer Kong and other scholars were already worried about the exam papers, so the start date was set to the twentieth."
So this year they’re not late, in fact, they arrived early, though only a few days early.
Mr. Zhuang, upon hearing this, laughed and said, "Perfect, today we should go out and look for suitable schools for Lixue and the others."
As the guardian, Manbao thanked Mr. Zhuang and entrusted them to him. After finishing her breakfast, she grabbed her medicine chest and headed out.
Bai Shan had the family coachman take her to the palace.
The Eastern Palace might not have expected her to successfully make the antidote within a day, so they hadn’t sent anyone to fetch her.
Manbao entered holding the token given by the Empress.
The guards at the palace gate knew her well, as she frequently came here—not for treating the Empress, then for treating the Crown Prince. Her comings and goings were second only to the officials working in the palace.
Thus, after a simple inspection, they let her pass and joked with her, "Doctor Zhou Junior, why didn’t Eunuch Wu come to fetch you today?"
Manbao replied, "Probably busy; I’ve long memorized the route, I can go on my own."
The guards laughed, letting her through, saying, "Take care, Doctor Zhou Junior."
Manbao glanced at the smiling young guard, nodding slightly and thinking: The Crown Prince better not have any rebellious ideas, otherwise if it were an actual rebellion, the Emperor might not be harmed, and he might not die, but those guarding the palace gates surely would.
Manbao carried her medicine chest through the palace, walking slowly along the palace walls towards the Eastern Palace.
Everyone she encountered along the way, whether patrolling guards or palace servants, merely glanced at her and nodded slightly before continuing on their way.
A palace servant walking the same path caught up from behind, offering to carry her medicine chest.
Even though Manbao hadn’t been in the palace this past month, Ms.Doctor Liu and the others occasionally practiced acupuncture on the palace staff, and in winter and spring, colds were prevalent. Fewer people than in previous years had moved to the epidemic prevention institute from the palace, and deaths were fewer too.
Although they didn’t say it, everyone was grateful to Manbao.
Even though the medicine chest was heavy, it contained an antidote for the Crown Prince, and even with Keke there, Manbao dared not hand it over casually.
If the medication were contaminated, where would she find another supply to give the Crown Prince in a hurry?
Thus, Manbao declined the palace staff’s offer and continued her leisurely walk along the palace walls.
Reaching the Eastern Palace gate, she found it closed, so she knocked.
The guard at the Eastern Palace opened the door and, startled upon seeing Manbao, took a step back to let her in.
Manbao asked, "Why is the door closed in broad daylight?"
As she spoke, faint sounds of argument reached her ears, intriguing Manbao.
The guard lowered his voice, "His Highness is in a fit at the moment, Doctor Zhou Junior, would you rather wait a bit before going in?"
Manbao paused for a moment and then said, "No need, I’ll go take a look."
Manbao made her way through the familiar path to the Eastern Palace’s rear courtyard.
The Crown Prince was in the main courtyard smashing things. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard the sound of items being crushed, while palace servants hid inside the courtyard.
Eunuch Wu stood outside the door, wiping sweat from his forehead. When his sleeve was pulled by an apprentice, he turned around and, startled to see Manbao, said, "Doctor Zhou Junior, why did you come to the palace today? His Highness didn’t say to fetch you..."
Manbao replied, "We agreed on coming every other day for acupuncture, so here I am."
Peeking into the room but seeing nothing, Manbao asked, "What’s going on?"
Eunuch Wu wiped his sweat and lowered his voice, "Yesterday during the morning assembly, Lord Wang mentioned the Crown Princess’s barrenness, suggesting the Emperor choose a good match for the Crown Prince. The imperial clan also requested State Duke Pi be more generous, voluntarily finding compatible brides for His Highness. There was an argument in the main hall yesterday. Who would’ve thought Lord Wang foolishly brought it up again today..."
Manbao: ...This wasn’t about the Crown Princess, but a clear insinuation about the Crown Prince.
Didn’t the Crown Princess find women for the Crown Prince?
There were quite a few people in the Eastern Palace before.
Initially, the blame was on the Crown Princess for not having a child, yet with so many women in the Eastern Palace unable to bear a single child, suspicions about where the problem lay arose.
Moreover, although the Crown Prince’s issue hadn’t been publicly announced, it was an open secret. People didn’t speak of it but knew well in their hearts.
Manbao asked, carrying the medicine chest, "Should I wait outside?"
Eunuch Wu was uncertain, mainly because recently the Crown Prince had been particularly volatile, often losing his temper even without cause these days. Thus, he couldn’t tell if now was a good time for Zhou Man to enter.
The two stood outside, looking at each other.
The Crown Prince roared from inside, "What are you doing out there? Come in!"