Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

The person inside coughed weakly twice more, their voice hoarse.

"Thank you for your concern, Father-in-law. I'm fine. I was feeling groggy yesterday, but hearing that you've come today has cleared my head a bit. Maybe I'll be better in a couple of days."

After saying that, he clutched his chest, bent forward, and coughed violently. This startled De Shun.

This young master Xiao, after only a few days apart, has become so seriously ill?

He hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please rest well and don't worry about it anymore."

"Physician Zhao, please take a look at the young master quickly."

The imperial physician responded and then sat down on the embroidered stool to take Xiao Lie's pulse. As the pulse became weak and feeble, Xiao Lie's eyelids twitched suddenly.

This...this is clearly an empty shell, a ruin on the verge of death.

The imperial physician was startled, sweating profusely until his back was soaked. He could only wipe his sweat with his sleeve to hide the astonishment on his face.

De Shun urged, "Imperial Physician Zhao, your medical skills are the best in the palace. Have you figured anything out? Is there any possibility that the Crown Prince's condition may be improving?"

"This..." Doctor Zhao was at a loss for words. He couldn't very well tell the patient, "You're about to die."

He stammered, and under the scrutinizing gazes of the group, he had no choice but to kneel on the ground and kowtow.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. After observing your condition, I feel that if we do not intervene properly, you may die young."

Xiao Lie was startled and frightened; he hadn't expected the old man's medicine to be so potent.

As expected of someone sent by my grandfather, he's got some skills; he even managed to fool the imperial physicians.

But... he managed to fool them, but he didn't want to die yet.

With such potent medicine, wouldn't he have to stage a scene of being seriously ill and seeking medical help? Otherwise, the fact that he would quietly recover from a serious illness would inevitably seem suspicious and arouse the emperor's ambition.

Just as he was thinking about how to smooth things over, he heard the person on the ground say something.

"However, Your Highness need not worry. I have inherited a family secret technique and have some experience with this kind of symptom. If I were to treat it, there is a 50% chance of improvement."

Xiao Lie's expression froze.

The imperial physicians who came to treat his illness were more terrifying than him seeking medical help everywhere.

"Imperial Physician Zhao is the best doctor. If my matter causes me to delay treating the masters in the palace, wouldn't that be my fault?"

De Shun hurriedly said, "Your Highness need not worry. Commander Xiao has worked hard and made great contributions. How could His Majesty bear to let him worry? Besides, the reason for sending Physician Zhao along this time is specifically to treat Your Highness's illness."

"When I return to the palace, I will convey this to His Majesty. Once His Majesty learns of the Crown Prince's illness, he will surely grant permission to keep Physician Zhao at the residence."

"This...this is not right. Such favor makes me, Xiao, feel uneasy."

"It is precisely because His Majesty values ​​him that the Crown Prince must take good care of his health to repay His Majesty."

"this……"

Xiao Lie wanted to say something more, but De Shun had already turned and left to return to the palace to report.

Seeing him leave, Xiao Lie sighed helplessly. "Physician Zhao, tell me, how should I treat him?"

"I have a family-inherited acupuncture technique that may be able to resolve the Crown Prince's predicament. Acupuncture should be performed every three days, supplemented with herbal medicine, and he should recover."

After saying this, Physician Zhao asked Xiao Lie to take off his clothes, intending to perform acupuncture on him on the spot.

Xiao Lie was helpless. He wanted to refuse but couldn't find a reason to do so. Suddenly, Sixteen was quick-witted and accidentally spilled a cup of water on Physician Zhao, making him go down to change his clothes, which diverted the man away.

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

"Quickly call Old He over."

Old He was the physician of the Duke's mansion. Almost no one knew his real name. However, his grandfather treated him with great respect in his letters, so Xiao Lie adopted that title and called him that without thinking.

When Old He heard the news, he came over and, upon learning the whole story, his expression changed drastically.

"Oh dear, Your Highness, you really know how to make things difficult for this old man. Now that you've taken the medicine, you still want that Imperial Physician Zhao to give you acupuncture. Aren't you just asking for trouble?"

"Since things have come to this, there's nothing I can do. I hope Mr. He can come up with a foolproof plan to help us."

Old He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and finally sighed and said.

"Fine, I'll give it a try. I'll also bet that the young man isn't smart enough to see through my tricks."

When Physician Zhao returned after changing into clean clothes, Old He revealed his identity and pulled Physician Zhao aside to discuss the patient's condition.

Upon hearing this, Physician Zhao gladly went to the hospital.

When he returned, his expression had changed.

"Physician Zhao, why is your face so sweaty?"

Physician Zhao smiled sheepishly, full of shame. "Only now do I understand the saying 'There are people more capable than you, and mountains beyond mountains.' Just now, I observed that the young master's pulse was weak and superficial. Without examining it carefully, I made a hasty conclusion, almost delaying the young master's health. Fortunately, this old master pointed it out to me, which prevented me from making a big mistake."

"Then...Doctor Zhao, would you like to administer acupuncture?"

"No, no more. Although Your Highness is weak, there is still a chance for recovery. We should proceed with caution. I will now prescribe another medicine for Your Highness to observe its effects. If it is effective, I will adjust it accordingly."

well.

Xiao couldn't help but cast an admiring glance at Old He, but the old man was proud and dissatisfied with Xiao Lie's abuse of his body. He snorted and turned away, ignoring him.

Xiao Lie saw it all, smiled to himself, and didn't hold it against him. He felt relieved, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart after passing a hurdle.

After a short while, Physician Zhao finished writing the prescription and gave a few more instructions. He was then respectfully taken away by the servants ordered by Xiao Lie.

As soon as he left, Old He urged Xiao Lie to lie down on the bed, giving him acupuncture and feeding him medicine.

After a stick of incense had burned, the young man lying on the bed turned pale and was covered in cold sweat, but he looked much healthier and no longer felt as weak as he had just been.

"Thank you...Mr. He."

"Your Highness, there's no need to thank me. I'll be grateful if you don't act so recklessly again."

Xiao Lie couldn't help but smile and instructed Sixteen to send Old He away, but then he couldn't help but worry when he thought of Physician Zhao.

"Old He, I wonder how credible your explanation is. If Physician Zhao returns to the palace and suddenly changes his story, I wonder if it will arouse suspicion?"

Old He waved his hand, his back view showing a carefree and unrestrained air. "Don't worry, these are all technical terms. Even if Physician Zhao changes his words, De Shun and the Emperor won't understand them."

"Besides, if he cures you, it will be a great achievement. Why not take the credit for nothing? Instead, he insists on changing his story, needlessly angering his superiors and leaving an impression of incompetence and lack of focus. What's the point of that?"

Having served in the Imperial Hospital for so many years, how could Physician Zhao not understand this basic principle? Even if he wanted to explain, after Elder He's thorough explanation of the pros and cons, he completely gave up the idea.

Since only the two of them knew about the prince's illness, and Old Master He was willing to go with the flow, keep quiet, and be a good person, why should Physician Zhao refuse?