Chapter 124: Saving a Life

This was clearly heading toward a formal reprimand! Liu Ling’er glanced at Xiao Tao, who stood timidly in the corner. Xiao Tao probably felt she had done something wrong and was so anxious about Liu Ling’er turning on her that she might as well have tried to melt into the wall.

To be honest, Baili Xian was truly furious. The moment Xiao Tao told him that Liu Ling’er was missing, he immediately dropped everything in his hands. He harshly scolded Tie Wula, who was temporarily acting as a covert guard, and then mobilized all the Imperial Guards at his disposal to search the entire palace for Liu Ling’er.

The commotion was enormous. Those unaware inside the palace thought an assassin had infiltrated again. Panic spread like wildfire. Had the Empress Dowager not issued a stern decree, many palace maids and eunuchs might have fled in fear.

When Baili Hai received the eunuch’s report, he was enraged, mistakenly thinking Baili Xian was plotting rebellion. Upon hearing from Liu Degui that they were searching for the virtuous princess, Baili Hai let out a sinister chuckle. “I thought you were without flaw! Who would have guessed she was your weakness!”

Faced with Baili Xian’s wrath, Liu Ling’er instantly became meek. The fiery glare and icy demeanor radiated from Baili Xian revealed one undeniable truth: he was about to unleash his full fury.

A wise person knows when to yield; Liu Ling’er naturally wouldn’t provoke a raging storm. At such a moment, it was best to keep a low profile. She blinked her eyes, pressing her small hand to her forehead. “Oh, my head feels so dizzy!”

With that, her body went limp, and she let herself fall toward the ground, determined to see if Baili Xian would really watch her collapse to the floor. As expected, Baili Xian anxiously caught her, then swiftly lifted her onto the bed and barked at Tie Wula, “Go fetch the imperial physician immediately!”

Tie Wula was nearly in tears. He fled the Phoenix Rest Palace like his life depended on it, knowing all too well the scolding he would face from his lord. Though running errands now was a minor task, it was still a crucial one.

In the Imperial Medical Court, an elderly physician with snow-white hair was busy pounding on a medicine jar with exaggerated force, as if venting his fury at the vessel itself. He grumbled, “Where has Gu Xiaoyan gone? I told him to deliver a simple message, and he’s slacking off. It’s enough to drive an old man mad.”

Just then, a young doctor outside the door was about to enter but overheard the scolding. Startled, he shrank back and was about to flee when the old physician’s sharp eyes caught sight of Gu Xiaoyan, who looked guilty and hesitant. Without missing a beat, the old man shouted, “Gu Xiaoyan, where do you think you’re going?”

Gu Xiaoyan was quite a character. Seeing the impending scolding, his expression instantly shifted from deeply troubled to ingratiatingly submissive—his change of face was faster than one could blink.

He strode over to Master Jun Miaoshou and snatched the pestle from his hands. “Ah, Master Jun, you’re the royal physician; how can you do such rough work? This kind of task is better suited for me!”

Though Gu Xiaoyan’s eagerness to impress was obvious, it soothed some of Jun Miaoshou’s irritation. “I sent you to the Phoenix Rest Palace to deliver a few words to the virtuous princess. How did it come to this? Don’t tell me you got lost again.”

Gu Xiaoyan’s face darkened. The excuse of getting lost had worn thin. He couldn’t tell the truth either—if he admitted to being delayed by watching those little eunuchs gamble, he’d swear on his future happiness that Master Jun would cripple him for sure.

He was not foolish enough to fall into that trap. Thinking quickly, he looked at Jun Miaoshou without changing expression. “Master Jun, I wasn’t going to say this, but on my way back, a palace maid fainted nearby. I happened to pass by and helped revive her. She seemed weak, so I escorted her back. One must see a rescue through to the end. As healers, Master Jun, you always remind us to have a compassionate heart.”

Jun Miaoshou nodded. What Gu Xiaoyan said made sense. As physicians, how could they stand idly by in such a situation? But something seemed off, and Jun Miaoshou eyed Gu Xiaoyan suspiciously. “Is this true?”

Gu Xiaoyan’s heart raced with fear. Lies were fragile and could not withstand scrutiny. Yet he dared not falter now and confidently pounded his chest. “Of course it’s true—truer than pearls!”

Just as Gu Xiaoyan made his solemn vow, Tie Wula burst in, breathless and panicked. “Master Jun, the virtuous princess has fainted. Please come quickly to help!”

“What happened? The virtuous princess should be recovering soon. The apprentice just came from the Phoenix Rest Palace, and she was fine then. How could she have fainted?” Jun Miaoshou asked calmly, seeking to understand the situation.

“Saving her is more important. Master Jun, let’s talk on the way.” Tie Wula had endured an entire morning of Baili Xian’s reprimands and was desperate to avoid further blame. A poor performance could lead to dismissal—and even worse.

Seeing the urgency in Tie Wula’s demeanor, Jun Miaoshou nodded. “Very well. Let’s go.”

Grabbing Master Jun, Tie Wula swiftly used lightness skills to rush to the Phoenix Rest Palace. They traveled in silence, the wind whipping through Jun Miaoshou’s white hair in waves, making him dizzy and nearly nauseous before they even arrived.

Barely had their feet touched the ground when strong hands grabbed them and pulled them toward the bed. “Master Jun, please, help me check on Ling’er!”