Song Yi'an picked up a tree branch by the creek, used a stone shard to sharpen the tip, and after some effort, speared two creek fish before heading back.
After this trip out, Song Yi'an did not expect that upon returning, such a big fairy would have disappeared.
The temple was completely empty inside.
Not only had Fu Xihe disappeared, but even Xiao Bai was nowhere to be found. There were two fresh carriage tracks outside the temple gate. Could it be that the imperial guards had come looking and taken the fairy away?
With the fairy and Xiao Bai missing, Song Yi'an's mood sank to the bottom in an instant.
……
Deep within the imperial palace, the bedchamber was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was heavy.
Emperor Cheng paced back and forth in the hall, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, looking at Imperial Physician Li from time to time.
On the couch, Fu Xihe was breathing steadily, and a pitch-black dog guarded the bedside, baring its teeth and growling low whenever anyone approached.
"Your... Your Majesty, this..." Imperial Physician Li wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, caught in a dilemma.
Emperor Cheng looked at Qing Chao, who was kneeling in the hall.
Qing Chao understood and turned to the black dog, his tone as gentle as possible: "Xiao Bai, do not be rude. This is Imperial Physician Li, who is here to treat Your Highness. He is not a bad person."
The black dog, which was Xiao Bai, tilted its head, stared at Imperial Physician Li with its dark, bright eyes for a long while, and as if it had actually understood, stepped back to clear the way.
Imperial Physician Li approached the bed trembling, held his breath, and leaned over, carefully uncovering the collar of the Third Prince's chest. He leaned in to examine it closely for a long time, a look of astonishment appearing in his eyes.
Imperial Physician Li straightened up and blurted out: "May I ask Your Majesty, whose handiwork is this?"
Seeing him remain silent for so long, Emperor Cheng was already burning with anxiety. Now, hearing him not report on the condition but instead ask about trivial details, if not for the fact that Imperial Physician Li was elderly, he would have surely ordered him to be punished with ten strokes.
He immediately snorted coldly in annoyance.
"I do not know. This is how he was when Xihe was sent here."
"What a pity, what a pity. I wanted to discuss this with the expert." He stroked his gray beard and could not help but praise repeatedly, "This wound was treated extremely well. The bleeding was stopped in time, and the debridement was clean and efficient. Not only that, but there is not the slightest sign of redness, swelling, or suppuration at the wound. Even more miraculously..."
"I am asking you how my son is." Emperor Cheng could no longer bear it and interrupted his endless stream of words.
Imperial Physician Li suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly bowed: "The Third Prince is blessed by heaven. Although the wound was dangerous, it was treated perfectly. There is no longer any threat to his life; he only needs to rest for a few days to recover."
"Then why has Xihe not woken up yet? It has already been two days." Emperor Cheng pressed.
Imperial Physician Li deliberated and said: "Replying to Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the Third Prince does not seem to be in a coma, but rather asleep. Your Highness has long suffered from head illness and has been unable to sleep at night for years, causing great exhaustion of his vitality. This time, after suffering a serious injury and losing all his strength, his mind finally relaxed, and his body fell into a deep sleep. That is why he has not yet woken up."
Hearing that his beloved son was not in any serious danger, the heart that Emperor Cheng had been holding for two days finally settled down.
He cast his gaze toward Qing Chao, who was kneeling straight in the hall. Since escorting Xihe back, he had been kneeling for two full days without eating or drinking.
Emperor Cheng said in a deep voice: "Failing to protect your master and causing the Third Prince to be seriously injured and put in danger—go back and accept twenty military floggings."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Upon learning that the Third Prince was not in danger of losing his life, Qing Chao was willing to accept the twenty military floggings, so he withdrew.
Emperor Cheng caught a glimpse of the black dog that was guarding the bed without taking a single step away: "Wait, take this dog away."
Given that the black dog had merit in protecting its master, Emperor Cheng could not force it away.
It was said that this dog was quite spiritual. When the Eldest Miss Song and Qing Chao found Xihe at the desolate temple, the black dog had been guarding his side, and no one else could get close.
Right now, apart from his unconscious son and Qing Chao, it did not recognize anyone else.
Qing Chao looked troubled and bowed to report: "Your Majesty, this villain is powerless. The black dog's master was originally a little girl."
Emperor Cheng frowned: "Where is that little girl now?"
Qing Chao replied: "When the Eldest Miss Song and I found Your Highness, only the black dog was guarding his side. Its master was nowhere to be found."
Emperor Cheng pondered for a moment, thinking the master was likely dead, so he waved his hand.
"Forget it. Xihe being able to turn danger into safety this time is also thanks to it. Let it stay in the palace. Wang Zhao, pass an order to the imperial kitchen to prepare its food."
Eunuch Wang, who was waiting on the side, hurriedly responded.
It seemed this black dog would be quite precious in the future; he had to properly order the imperial kitchen not to neglect it.
As soon as Eunuch Wang stepped out of the palace gate, he saw a graceful figure waiting outside. It was Prime Minister Song's granddaughter, Song Mingsi.
He recalled the rumors in the capital about this young lady of the Prime Minister's estate: beautiful in appearance, gentle and well-behaved in nature, cultured and polite, and proficient in all the arts—she was vaguely known as the number one talented woman in the capital.
At a young age, she was highly valued by Prime Minister Song and was the preferred choice for a daughter-in-law in the eyes of the ladies of the noble families in the capital.
Since the day she accompanied the unconscious Third Prince back to the palace, she had been staying in the palace for two days.
Song Mingsi stepped forward, her voice soft: "Eunuch Wang, how is the Third Prince's condition?"
Eunuch Wang held his whisk, stood to the side, and said with a smile: "Thanks to the Eldest Miss Song discovering him in time, the Third Prince is now out of danger."
Song Mingsi looked up at the tightly closed palace doors, her eyes filled with expectation: "Has Your Highness woken up yet?"
Eunuch Wang had been in the palace for decades and was very shrewd. He could understand a person's meaning from a single look or gesture. His smile did not fade: "Your Highness has not yet woken up. The imperial physician has ordered that he still needs to rest."
Song Mingsi's eyes dimmed. She was silent for a moment before saying: "It is good that the Third Prince is safe and sound. I have been troubling the palace for two days, and there are matters at home, so I am afraid I cannot wait for Your Highness to wake up."
Eunuch Wang took in this expression, pretended not to notice, and said warmly: "I will certainly convey Miss Song's sentiments to the Third Prince. Perhaps Miss Song should return to the estate to rest first."
Song Mingsi nodded slightly: "Thank you, Eunuch." She turned and left.
Until her figure disappeared, Eunuch Wang shook his head with a sigh. The Third Prince had a face that was almost demonic; although he was gifted and intelligent, his nature was eccentric, and he acted entirely according to his own whims, which even the Emperor often found a headache. He feared that Miss Song would be heartbroken in the future.
……
"Young Master, it is getting late. It is time to return to the estate."
Recently, the autumn wind had begun to rise, and his Young Master had a frail constitution, so Fugui could not help but remind him.
Song Yili stood at the corner of the alley, his gaze fixed on the tea stall not far away.
He saw the woman sitting behind the stall, staring blankly at the center of the street. Song Yili muttered to himself: "It seems business is not good today."
Song Yili did not dare to go forward.
It was all because he had fallen ill at the wrong time; it was all his fault that Er Ya had been left there.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Fugui. With just one look, Fugui knew what he meant.
The stall owner was the Young Master's biological mother, Madam Gu. Half a year ago, the Old Madam fell seriously ill, and in her delirium, she repeatedly talked about wanting to see her grandchildren.
What she was talking about was not Miss Ming Si and Young Master Zeyue, who had been raised in the estate since childhood, but the son and daughter of the Second Master, who had been away from home for many years.
Prime Minister Song had invited all the famous doctors in the capital, but they all said the Old Madam was suffering from a heart ailment, which had no cure unless her heart's desire was fulfilled.
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