Troublemaker Prince C22
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 22
The Crown Prince's sudden unconsciousness startled everyone present, and Zhang Luren had achieved his wish of gaining great notoriety—not everyone could manage to faint the Crown Prince by presuming to criticize the imperial family. The numerous students also hurriedly distanced themselves from Zhang Luren, fearing being implicated.
At the same time, the Crown Prince had also proven that his mother had truly been deceiving him, as the charges she had established for him essentially cut off his path to an official career.
Zhang Luren found it somewhat hard to believe. He couldn't accept that the path to success he had planned for himself had been severed by just a few short sentences from the Crown Prince, and that he would even have to spend several days in the interrogation rooms of the Dali Temple.
(TL: 大理寺 (Dàlǐ Sì) was a judicial office in imperial China. Despite the word “寺” (temple), it wasn’t a religious place. It functioned more like a Ministry of Justice / Court of Judicial Review, responsible for trials, appeals, and interrogations.)
If Li Yuan had been present at the scene, he would have deeply sympathized with Zhang Luren, because he felt that Zhang Luren, like himself, had been deliberately entrapped by the Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, on the other side, news of the Crown Prince's fainting had also spread, and the people of the First Prince and Third Prince were stirring restlessly, preparing to find an opportunity to send away those around the Crown Prince and create a scandal for him.
Of course, the busiest person following the Crown Prince's sudden unconsciousness was still Imperial Physician Cui Yan.
On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival, all officials in Chang'an City had a day of rest, and the imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Courtyard were naturally no exception.
However, just as Cui Yan was preparing to brew a pot of tea and properly appreciate the spring scenery for once, he was dragged away by the Crown Prince's people.
Cui Yan: ......
The estate hosting the spring banquet had long since cleared out a room for You Yusui to rest in. At this moment, You Yusui lay pale-faced on the couch, his brows tightly furrowed, his long black hair scattered across the entire bed sheet behind him. He looked fragile and delicate, as if enduring tremendous pain.
No one standing in the room doubted that You Yusui was seriously ill, except for Cui Yan, who had been forcibly dragged there.
Looking at You Yusui on the bed, Cui Yan only felt that the Crown Prince's skill at feigning illness had become increasingly masterful. If he hadn't already taken his pulse before, he too might have been fooled.
"Hurry and take his pulse," said Xie Tan, the Crown Prince's cousin and the youngest Minister of the Dali Temple in the Jing Dynasty.
Cui Yan: ...... Xie family sons are truly detestable.
The next moment, Cui Yan pushed aside Huo Xiling, who was half-kneeling beside the bed holding You Yusui's hand, then extended his own hand to begin taking You Yusui's pulse.
When Cui Yan's fingers touched You Yusui's wrist, he couldn't help but think to himself: "As expected."
As expected, His Highness the Crown Prince was feigning illness again. Who was he trying to entrap this time?
"How is His Highness?" Xie Tan asked coldly once more.
Upon hearing this, Cui Yan couldn't help but turn back to glare at Xie Tan, saying, "Either you take the pulse yourself, or if you can't, then shut up."
Hearing this, Xie Tan decisively fell silent. Huo Xiling beside them watched with concern, thinking that he should have acted earlier to drive away those students who had disturbed the Crown Prince's rest, so His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn't have to suffer like this now.
Meanwhile, Cui Yan, sitting before the Crown Prince, pretended to take his pulse thoroughly while pondering You Yusui's condition during the previous times he had examined him.
Cui Yan was an extremely intelligent person. He only needed to think for a moment to realize something was amiss—His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to believe his own health was very poor.
But from Cui Yan's diagnostic results over these several examinations, the Crown Prince's body appeared frail but was actually quite robust. He could even fight with the young male favorite around him without any problem.
But... should he tell these two people? Cui Yan inconspicuously glanced at the worried Xie Tan and Huo Xiling.
In the end, Cui Yan chose not to say anything. If he did, what reason would he have to prescribe a bowl of bitter medicine to the Crown Prince who was feigning illness?
"How is it?" Huo Xiling asked nervously.
"His Highness the Crown Prince has injured his heart meridian," Cui Yan said with a pained expression. "I've said before not to stimulate His Highness the Crown Prince. Why wouldn't you listen?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Tan lowered his eyes, and Huo Xiling clenched his fists. At this moment, Cui Yan still didn't know that his words had opened up a miserable life for Zhang Luren, whom he had never met.
Meanwhile, You Yusui lying on the bed almost wanted to give Cui Yan a thumbs up. Imperial Physician Cui truly had good sense.
"Let me administer a set of needles. You must be careful with his recuperation from now on." As his words fell, Cui Yan picked up the silver needles and began fabricating a pulse pattern for You Yusui.
After the acupuncture ended, You Yusui slowly opened his eyes.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" Huo Xiling nuzzled up to You Yusui's face like a big puppy.
Xie Tan beside them frowned deeply upon seeing this scene, while You Yusui also called out, "Cousin."
The current Emperor detested aristocratic families and simultaneously forbade the princes from having overly close relations with their maternal relatives. With the former Empress having long passed away and no longer serving as a bond, You Yusui's relationship with the Xie family had grown increasingly distant. Their interactions were limited to annual festival gifts, and even when they met, they would merely nod to each other before passing by. They were both restraining themselves to avoid violating the Emperor's taboos, making their already indifferent father-son relationship even more precarious.
Now You Yusui had thought it through—what did it matter to him whether his Father Emperor was happy or not? If he wanted his cousin, he would have his cousin; if he wanted his maternal grandfather, he would have his maternal grandfather. So You Yusui obediently called out "cousin" several times, causing the indifference in Xie Tan's brows to dissipate and take on a hint of a smile.
"Your Highness is very good like this now," Xie Tan said, handing over the white jade pipe that You Yusui had dropped.
Xie Tan was very clear that You Yusui had previously been constantly catering to the current Emperor's preferences, even deliberately modifying his appearance to look refined and elegant. However, the Xie family naturally possessed gorgeous looks, and such behavior couldn't help but make Xie Tan feel heartache. If he had been born into the Xie family, as a Xie family son, why would he need to watch others' expressions?
"After facing life and death, naturally there are changes," You Yusui said with a smile as he took the white jade pipe. "Please ask cousin to convey a message to maternal grandfather—when Yusui has time, he will come to pay a visit."
Upon hearing this, Xie Tan's lips curved upward. "That would be excellent."
He had never expected that coming to this spring banquet would bring such unexpected joy. If grandfather knew, he would surely be especially happy.
Cui Yan beside them blew on the prescription he had just finished writing, then said, "Good medicine tastes bitter, Your Highness the Crown Prince must remember to drink it, and don't use it to water the flowers."
As his words fell, Xie Tan's gaze swept toward You Yusui.
You Yusui: ...... Coming out once had actually added another person to watch him drink medicine.
Meanwhile, the black-hearted Imperial Physician Cui Yan continued, "Brother Xie, you don't know how many flowers and plants in the Eastern Palace His Highness the Crown Prince has killed by watering them with the good medicine I prescribed."
As his words fell, You Yusui felt Xie Tan's gaze fixed on him become several degrees more serious. Before he could even open his mouth to defend himself, You Yusui heard Xie Tan say, "My little brother is at an age where he doesn't yet have an official position. The Crown Prince's Chamberlain in your palace is all managed by Eunuch Fubao, which is ultimately not good. Little brother has also reached an age for some experience, so going to serve as your Crown Prince's Chamberlain would be just right."
The Crown Prince's Chamberlain managed the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace, assisted the Crown Prince in handling documents, and conveyed imperial edicts, holding a position equivalent to that of Minister. While Fubao only managed the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace, he dared not assist the Crown Prince in handling documents and such matters. That Xie Tan dared to let his little brother serve as Crown Prince's Chamberlain proved that the Xie family's youngest son, Xie Ling, had this capability.
You Yusui had never expected that by falling ill once, Xie Tan would actually stuff his little cousin into his service. However, he indeed hadn't decided on a person for the Crown Prince's Chamberlain position, and if it were entrusted to his little cousin, he could feel at ease.
"As for whether His Majesty will allow it, I'll think of a way to get him into the Eastern Palace."
Xie Tan spoke these words lightly, as if it were just a small matter.
Upon hearing this, You Yusui couldn't help but cough once, saying, "Father Emperor has already agreed that I can decide all the Eastern Palace officials myself."
Upon hearing this, Xie Tan was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "That's also good."
Hearing this, You Yusui also smiled. It truly felt good when someone cared about him.
Just then, Cui Yan took a bowl of black medicinal soup from a young eunuch outside and said with a smile. "We've chatted for so long, it's time to drink the medicine."
As his words fell, two pairs of eyes focused on You Yusui, making him feel his scalp tingle.
"Drink it," Cui Yan said with a smile. This was revenge for ruining his day of rest.
You Yusui: ......
After draining the bowl of medicine, a servant from the Xie family outside presented Xie Tan with a cup of tea.
"Young master, your tea," said the servant offering tea, placing the tea cup on the small table.
Cui Yan glanced at the tea cup and said, "Why is there ginseng added as well?"
"To sustain life," Xie Tan said indifferently.
Cui Yan immediately said with a smile, "Strong tea with ginseng—life-sustaining and spirit-lifting. Worthy of Assistant Minister Xie who handles myriad affairs daily."
"Would Your Highness like some?" Xie Tan looked toward You Yusui.
You Yusui looked at the tea in Xie Tan's hands and was directly stunned. Had his Father Emperor's exploitation of his ministers reached such an extent? Then he absolutely would not get better!
Thinking this, You Yusui weakly collapsed into Huo Xiling's embrace.
Huo Xiling: ???
"Your Highness?"
"I need to rest and cannot handle even the slightest bit of official business," You Yusui said with an air of fragility.