“However, it wouldn’t hurt to have another imperial physician take a look.”
Consort Li: ?!
Shangguan Lin ordered coldly, “Xiao Chenzi, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and summon Physician Xu, the Chief Imperial Physician.”
【Wonderful! Tyrant Daddy, you’re truly wise and mighty! So intelligent and perceptive! You saw through Consort Li’s scheme at a glance!】
Shangguan Lin curled his lips in satisfaction.
Of course.
But why only one compliment…?
Physician Xu arrived quickly. After taking Shangguan Sui’s pulse, he bowed and announced his diagnosis.
“The little princess is merely suffering from a cold. I will prescribe a few doses of medicine, and she should recover after half a month of rest.”
Upon hearing this, Consort Chen immediately let out a sigh of relief.
That’s wonderful—her Sui Sui would be saved.
Sensing that the situation was turning unfavorable, Physician Zhang quickly begged for forgiveness.
“It is due to my poor medical skills that I nearly harmed the princess. I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”
Hearing his words, Shangguan Sui couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
【Hmph! This isn’t a matter of poor medical skills—you deliberately tried to harm me! You added quite a few ingredients to my medicine that worsened my condition!】
【You have no medical ethics at all! You and Consort Li colluded to kill me. Truly despicable!】
Shangguan Lin’s expression grew increasingly grave.
Physician Xu’s diagnosis made him completely believe Sui Sui’s words.
“Physician Xu, examine this bowl of medicine and see if there is anything wrong with it,” Shangguan Lin ordered, pointing to the bowl on the table.
After a careful inspection, Physician Xu frowned deeply.
“This medicine is extremely harmful to the princess’s condition and could even aggravate her illness.”
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Lin’s icy gaze immediately swept toward Physician Zhang, who was kneeling on the ground.
“Physician Zhang, you dare to deliberately attempt to murder the princess!”
Physician Zhang frantically kowtowed. “Your Majesty, I was momentarily confused…”
He opened his mouth to say more, but Consort Li interrupted him.
At that moment, her beautiful face was filled with sorrow.
“Your Majesty! I never expected that Physician Zhang would dare to harm the princess. I had no idea he was such a person!”
【Oh ho, quick reaction—pushing all the blame onto Physician Zhang. But he was clearly acting under your orders!】
【Hmph, my foolish tyrant father wouldn’t really believe Consort Li’s lies, would he? What a lecher!】
Shangguan Lin: …
Not exactly…
This little daughter of his truly spared him no mercy.
Consort Chen looked at the hesitant Physician Zhang, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she spoke in a calm yet firm voice.
“Attempting to murder a princess is a grave crime—one that implicates the entire family. But if you confess the mastermind behind this, I can plead with His Majesty to spare your family’s lives.”
Physician Zhang immediately began trembling in fear.
Was five hundred taels of silver from Consort Li really worth sacrificing his entire family?
【Wow! Mother is amazing! She directly seized Physician Zhang’s weakness!】
【Mother is both brave and resourceful—so smart and impressive! I love her!】
【Hugging Mother! Muah~】
Shangguan Lin, who heard everything: …
Why does Consort Chen get three compliments while he only gets one?
He was clearly impressive too!
Setting down his teacup, Shangguan Lin felt a twinge of jealousy.
The tea was delicious, but he suddenly couldn’t enjoy it anymore.
Physician Zhang trembled as he raised his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
“It was Consort Li! It was Consort Li! She was the one who instructed me!”
Startled, Consort Li hurriedly kowtowed.
“Your Majesty, please see the truth! I am innocent! Physician Zhang is falsely accusing me!”
Physician Zhang turned to glare at her angrily. “Your Ladyship, the five hundred taels of silver you gave me are still in my home!”
Consort Li retorted, “What proof do you have that the silver came from me?!”
“Your Ladyship, how can you deny it now?!”
【Hehe, dogs biting dogs—how entertaining!】
【Argue more fiercely! Fight! Fight!】
Consort Chen and Shangguan Lin: …
“Drag these two away and hand them over to the Department of Punishments for severe interrogation,” Shangguan Lin ordered coldly.
They dared to harm his Sui Sui—they must pay the price!
“Your Majesty! Please, no! I am innocent!” Consort Li cried loudly, her once exquisite makeup now twisted in terror.
She had been in the palace for five years but had never borne a child, which made her especially resentful of those consorts who had children.
Consort Chen had no powerful family background and was no longer favored by the emperor, making her the easiest target.
She simply couldn’t understand how her flawless plan had been exposed.
Where had it gone wrong…?
Hearing Consort Li’s wails, Shangguan Sui felt delighted.
【Oh ho~ The bad guys have been caught!】
【Hooray! Tyrant Daddy is truly a just and upright magistrate—pfft, I mean a righteous emperor!】
Just as Shangguan Lin was about to feel proud, the childish voice continued.
【It’s just a pity that in two years… sigh…】
Shangguan Lin perked up his ears.
What about two years later?
What would happen to him?
But after waiting for a long time, no further words came. Anxious, Shangguan Lin quickly walked to Shangguan Sui’s side—
Only to discover that she had fallen asleep!
Her eyes were tightly shut, and her tiny fists rested beside her cheeks, looking adorable and well-behaved.
Shangguan Lin’s heart instantly melted.
So this was what it felt like to have a little daughter.
Busy with state affairs year-round, he had never been close to his children and only saw them a few times a year.
Now he realized that having a daughter felt like this…
Warm and comforting, as if his heart were soaking in honey.
Moreover, Sui Sui did not call him “Father Emperor,” but simply “Daddy.”
He liked this form of address—it lacked the aloofness of royal kinship and felt like that of an ordinary father and daughter.
As for the word “tyrant” that came before it, he decided he could simply ignore it.
Shangguan Lin reached out and gently poked Shangguan Sui’s chubby cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Everyone around them was stunned.
Was this really the emperor they knew?
Hadn’t he always disliked children?
And now… he was being so gentle with the little princess?!
“Your Majesty, the Ministry of War has just submitted a memorial,” Eunuch Chen reported softly.
“I know. Leave it for now,” Shangguan Lin replied coolly.
He wanted to wait here until Sui Sui woke up.
Today, he had to find out what would happen in two years!
And so, Shangguan Lin remained in Consort Chen’s Bihua Palace until nightfall.
Shangguan Sui, however, continued sleeping…
Soon, news that the emperor had spent the entire day in Consort Chen’s palace spread rapidly throughout the harem, sparking widespread discussion among the palace maids and eunuchs.
“Wasn’t Consort Chen long out of favor? Yet His Majesty stayed in her palace for so long! He never visits the consorts’ residences during the daytime.”
“Who knows? His Majesty’s thoughts are beyond our understanding.”
“In any case, we must be extra diligent in our duties at Bihua Palace from now on!”
Even by evening, Shangguan Lin had not seen Sui Sui wake up. However, the day’s memorials still awaited his attention. After dining at Consort Chen’s palace, he returned to the Imperial Study.
..
The Next Day
Shangguan Sui yawned and slowly opened her eyes.
【Woohoo, sleeping until I wake up naturally feels amazing!】
【Not having to work or go to school is the best!】
Since arriving in this body, Shangguan Sui realized that she had gradually begun to resemble a true three-year-old, perhaps influenced by the original owner of the body.
Hearing the sound, Consort Chen paused her embroidery.
Her Sui Sui was awake.
She walked to the bedside and gently touched Shangguan Sui’s forehead. Discovering that the fever had subsided, she let out a long sigh of relief.
The previous night, Physician Xu had performed acupuncture, expelling most of the toxins from her body, and as expected, the fever had broken.
“Sui Sui, how are you feeling?”
Shangguan Sui blinked and made a couple of soft noises.
“Ah-ba, ah-ba—”
【Waaah, Mother, my throat hurts so much. I can’t speak.】
Consort Chen gently stroked her cheek. “Be good, Sui Sui. Physician Xu said this is a wind-heat cold. As long as you take your medicine, you’ll recover soon.”
【Mm-hmm, Mother is so gentle. I love Mother~】
【Hugging Mother, muah~】
A faint smile appeared on Consort Chen’s lips.
At that moment, Eunuch Chen’s voice sounded from outside the hall.
“Your Ladyship Consort Chen, His Majesty asks whether the Fifth Princess’s condition has improved. He would like the Fifth Princess to visit the Imperial Study.”