Upon hearing that Xiao Man was critically ill, Xiao Zhen rushed back from the military camp overnight.
As soon as he entered the manor, the butler greeted him.
"General, you're back."
Xiao Zhen merely nodded and headed towards Shuiyue Xiaozhu.
Seeing Xiao Zhen's grim expression, the butler knew the General was aware of the old madam's severe beating of the young lady. He had rushed back before his scheduled leave. The butler calculated the time and guessed the General had returned overnight.
Xiao Zhen, still in his armor, dusty from travel, saw the guards stationed outside Shuiyue Xiaozhu and looked at the butler.
The butler hurried to explain, "These are the guards you assigned to the old madam. They only obey her orders. The old madam has ordered Shuiyue Xiaozhu to be surrounded... preventing anyone inside from leaving, and no one is allowed to fetch a doctor."
Xiao Zhen's expression was unreadable.
The guards protecting Shuiyue Xiaozhu immediately knelt to pay their respects.
Xiao Zhen, without even a glance, entered Shuiyue Xiaozhu.
"General, the General is back." Yin Zhu, who had met Xiao Zhen before, rushed forward, her voice choked with sobs, "General, you're finally back. Miss... Miss has had a high fever and remains unconscious..."
Xiao Zhen went straight to Xiao Man's room as if he were familiar with it.
Qiu Tong and Ying Xue were still wiping Xiao Man's body. The fever-reducing medicine prescribed by the doctor was completely ineffective, so they could only resort to the most rudimentary method to cool Xiao Man down. Seeing Xiao Zhen push open the door, they quickly rose to greet him. Su Dan Novel Network.
Xiao Zhen looked at Xiao Man, who was lying on the bed, pale and with cracked lips. His eyes reddened, and his gaze fell on Xiao Man's bloodied back, his fists clenching with a creaking sound.
"General, Miss's back, buttocks, and legs are all covered in wounds. The bleeding won't stop, and a female imperial physician is needed," Ying Xue said quickly. "Only the palace has a female imperial physician. The old madam has confined us to the courtyard, refusing to let us call for a doctor or leave."
"Take good care of Miss. Have the manor doctor wait, and I will go to the palace immediately."
***
The old emperor looked at Nangong Yu, who was as calm as still water before him, and slowly placed a chess piece.
"It's rare for you to visit the palace to play chess with me."
"My chess skills are poor, and my sportsmanship is bad. It's boring."
Nangong Yu's voice was as bland as plain water, betraying no emotion.
The old emperor was momentarily stunned. "You brat, is that how you speak to your own father?"
"You keep cheating and retracting your moves. I thought you were some rogue who had wandered out of nowhere," Nangong Yu said slowly, seeing the emperor about to renege on a move again.
The old emperor glanced at Nangong Yu. "I heard you had someone pull out the tongue of the Grand Scholar's daughter yesterday?"
"She slandered my name and accused me of abusing my power. According to our Yusheng laws, the punishment for speaking ill is to have one's tongue removed. All actions were carried out according to the law," Nangong Yu said slowly.
The old emperor gave Nangong Yu a sharp look. He had the same gentle, flowing demeanor as his mother, but their temperaments were worlds apart.
"Your Majesty, the Protector General has entered the palace."
The old emperor paused his hand holding the chess piece. "When did he return to the city?"
"The General returned to the city overnight."
The old emperor was puzzled. Xiao Zhen had always abided by the rules. Returning overnight must mean something was wrong. "Returning overnight, has something happened?"
"It seems the eldest daughter of the Protector General's household is not well," the chief eunuch Jiang Shan said cautiously.
"What happened to that girl again?" the old emperor asked immediately.
"It is said that after the flower appreciation banquet yesterday, the Crown Prince visited the Protector General's manor. After the Crown Prince left, the old madam of the Xiao family beat the eldest daughter severely. It is said that the old madam was so furious that she used too much force. By yesterday evening, the eldest daughter's condition had worsened. The people in the manor quickly sent a message to the Protector General, who then returned overnight and is now in the palace seeking a female imperial physician."
The old emperor put down his chess piece. "Send the best female imperial physician from the palace to the Protector General's manor. If any medicine is needed, send someone back to the palace to retrieve it. Ensure Xiao Man is cured. Also, summon the Crown Prince to see me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Crown Prince had been kneeling in the Imperial Study for an hour but dared not move. He cast a suspicious glance at Nangong Yu, wondering if Nangong Yu had said something to incur his father's punishment.
"Wrong, wrong, I should have moved here."
Nangong Yu looked at the old emperor with disdain and let him renege on his move again. "Watch carefully, are you sure about this move?"
The old emperor carefully considered and then placed his chess piece. "Watch carefully, I'm moving here."
Only then did Nangong Yu make his move. "You've retracted your moves more than eighty, if not a hundred, times in this single game. Your Majesty is the dignified ruler of a nation. A ruler's word is his bond."
The old emperor paid no mind to Nangong Yu's words.
"It's just a game of chess, why be so serious? You're not getting any younger, when do you plan to take a concubine?"
"You decide. Anyone less beautiful than me is not acceptable, and anyone I can't defeat is also not acceptable."
The old emperor nearly spat his tea onto Nangong Yu's face.
"This is not taking a wife, this is..." Which woman in this world could defeat you? You are no weak scholar who can't even lift a chicken.
Nangong Yu did not seem angry.
"There is always someone better. I have also suffered defeat, and it was at the hands of a woman."
The old emperor immediately realized that Nangong Yu was referring to Empress Dowager Yun Qi, Dugu Man.
"Such an extraordinary woman, why wasn't she born in our Yusheng? If she were, there would be no doubt that our Yusheng would unify the world."
"She wasn't born in Yun Qi either, nor did she help Yun Qi unify the world. Instead, she died at the hands of the young emperor she supported. This shows she was also foolish," Nangong Yu urged. "It's getting late, let's finish this game soon."
"Stay in the palace and dine with me. It's been a long time since father and son have dined together," the old emperor said in a gentle tone, his gaze falling on the kneeling Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, you've certainly grown. As the dignified heir apparent, you've resorted to the tactics of those women in the harem, complaining and tattling."
The Crown Prince, already suspicious as to why the old emperor was punishing him, finally understood when the emperor spoke. He feared his father had found out about his visit to the Protector General's manor yesterday to cause trouble.
"Father, your son..."
"Xiao Zhen returned from the military camp overnight," the old emperor continued, not waiting for the Crown Prince to speak. "Do you know Xiao Zhen's character?"
"The Protector General's manor is loyal to the sovereign and loves the country. He is a rare military talent."
"Xiao Zhen does not form factions, nor does he favor anyone. When you ascend the throne, he will be a strong pillar supporting your kingdom," the old emperor said as he moved a piece. "Xiao Zhen is upright and just, with only one weakness: his legitimate eldest daughter. You went and learned from those gossips, instigating the old madam Xiao to beat Xiao Man. If Xiao Man is unharmed, this matter will be dropped. If Xiao Man suffers any mishap, the Protector General's manor will surely harbor resentment towards you."