Free Web NovelChapter 1063: Chapter 1054: One Step (4)
Yes, self-preservation.
Chief Chang hurried over to help the Emperor dismount: "Really scared the servants to death." He said and then checked to see if the Emperor was injured: "...Fortunately, His Highness the Eldest Prince’s arrow saved us in the nick of time, or the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor saw Min running over from afar after dismounting his horse.
Practicing martial arts was Rui’s suggestion; others may not know the relationship between Tong Quanzi and Rui, but he knew in his heart. Today happened to be an unusual visit, and the Second Prince’s horse went crazy unexpectedly.
How could all this be so coincidental?
Thinking of this, he shook his head secretly again. He came to the racetrack today on a whim, even if Rui had plans, he couldn’t have anticipated that he would come to the racetrack today.
Yet, in an instant, the Emperor had contemplated many possibilities.
"Father." Min and the Third Prince ran over and looked at him, their eyes clear and full of concern for his safety.
The doubts from before were dispelled, and the Emperor waved his hand and said, "I’m fine, go and see how the Second Prince is doing."
Only then did everyone recall the Second Prince, who had fallen to the ground. He was currently being helped up by the nearby eunuch, his face had scraped the skin but luckily the injury wasn’t severe. He walked over and kneeled in front of the Emperor: "Your son is guilty for frightening you, Father. Please punish me."
The Emperor glanced at him briefly and said indifferently, "It was just a false alarm, as long as you’re okay." He then instructed Shi Shengjie to look into the matter of the horse. Meanwhile, Min went over to support the Second Prince, saying worriedly: "Second brother, you’ve been injured, it would be best to have the Imperial Physician take a look!"
The Second Prince’s gaze froze, stunned as he looked at Min, he refused coldly without thinking: "I’m fine, I’ll just apply some ointment when I return."
Min was taken aback, an awkward expression appeared on his face, and his hand supporting the Second Prince loosened.
"Listen to your older brother." Fathers naturally wish for harmony between their children: "Have the Imperial Physician come."
Chief Chang and Chief Su supported the Second Prince to rest outside the racetrack, five or six Imperial Physicians hurriedly arrived.
The Second Prince’s heart began to race, his palms sweating nervously, he looked at Min, trying to decipher anything from his face.
But there was nothing, he saw nothing.
Why did the horse suddenly go mad? And why did it charge only towards Father without hitting anything else? Was it a coincidence, or had someone tampered with it secretly?
If someone tampered with it, why did he have no prior knowledge of it?
The Imperial Physician placed his fingers on his left wrist, startling the Second Prince into awakening, causing him to instinctively push the physician away. Immediately, the Emperor’s expression darkened, and the Second Prince awkwardly replied: "Father, I’m really okay."
The Emperor said nothing, the Second Prince nervously looked around, he couldn’t let the physician take his pulse; if he did, he would certainly detect the issue with his arm, which wasn’t permissible, absolutely not.
Min glanced at Chief Chang, who smiled and advised: "Your Highness, you should let the physician have a look, otherwise the Emperor won’t be at ease." He said and then went over to support the Second Prince: "Falling from such a height, if it’s just an external injury, that’s one thing; but if there’s an internal injury, it’s better to treat it to avoid a chronic condition!" He sat the Second Prince down.
The Emperor held his teacup, still pondering the events at the racetrack.
The Second Prince’s earlier performance resurfaced in his mind.
Just then, a eunuch from the Empress’s side hurried over and saluted the Emperor: "The Empress has just vomited blood, fearing she won’t make it, she wishes to see the Second Prince one last time." His eyes held profound meaning as he looked at the Second Prince.
The Second Prince stood up once again.
The Emperor looked at him expressionlessly, causing him to pause, and Chief Chang helped him sit down again, the physician’s hand had already settled on his pulse.
His arm had been injured for many years, the pulse in his hand was different from that of a normal arm; anyone taking the pulse could detect something unusual.
Indeed, the Imperial Physician was taken aback, quickly supporting the Second Prince’s arm: "Your Highness, please move it back and forth."
Upon this, the Emperor looked at the Second Prince too, asking the physician: "What is the matter?" The physician, familiar with palace life, already had some insight, upon the Emperor’s inquiry he knelt and replied: "Your Highness’s pulse is abnormal, I can’t be sure." He looked up at the Second Prince: "Please move it."
If he could move, the Second Prince wouldn’t be so tense, he looked at the Emperor, his heart pounding.
Under the scrutiny of all those present for quite some time, the Second Prince stammered: "It... it can’t move." He paused and continued: "Perhaps... perhaps it’s because I hurt it during the fall."
"Help him back to rest well." Could it be he was trying to excuse his earlier recklessness? The Emperor concealed his thoughts and instructed: "Rest well."
The Second Prince let out a sigh of relief, immediately knelt to offer thanks and was helped away, upon walking some distance, he halted and looked back, seeing Min still standing with his head bowed, he smirked coldly, feeling surprisingly safe today.
What he didn’t know was, the Emperor summoned the Imperial Physician who had taken his pulse that afternoon, and asked: "What’s really wrong with the Second Prince’s arm, tell me the truth."
"Replying to the Emperor." The physician responded, with a frightened look: "The Second Prince’s arm is indeed injured." After saying that, seeing the Emperor’s face change, he quickly added: "But judging by the pulse, it doesn’t seem like a recent injury, it indicates an injury from several years ago."
Several years? The Emperor’s gaze turned cold: "How long is several years?"
The physician replied: "At least three to five years, the arm can no longer move freely." He was also shocked, no one in the palace knew of the Second Prince’s left arm being crippled.
Three to five years? Could it have resulted from the injury outside the border?
The Emperor laughed coldly, truly his good son, concealing such a major matter for so long, was he planning to keep it hidden forever if not for today’s incident?
The Second Prince helped the Empress up, comforting her: "Mother, today’s events were just a false alarm, there’s no need to worry." He paused and continued: "At the right time, I’ll insist it was injured today... Shi Shengjie has gone to investigate why the horse suddenly went mad today, I not only avoided this disaster, but might also be able to turn the tables on him."
"Foolish." The Empress, thin and worn, gasped: "They handled this matter so thoroughly without any oversight, even the Emperor is likely to deem it an accident, they must have prepared comprehensively, you must not underestimate them." They would not stop so easily.
The Second Prince was taken aback and asked: "Then what should we do?"
The Empress remained silent, after a long while she firmly gripped the Second Prince’s hand: "Go and invite Princess Consort Ying, no matter what method, you must get her here!"
"Mother, what do you intend to do?" The Second Prince didn’t like Princess Consort Ying, her character was lacking and she was hard to trust, he wouldn’t collaborate with someone like her unless forced.
The Empress displayed a determined expression, she said: "Don’t worry, Mother knows what she’s doing."
