Dingbei Hou's doctor brother

Chapter 163 Resentment

Xu Shizhang naturally took over Gou Dongxi's position, leaving the position of Right Court Judge vacant. Several old imperial doctors in the courtyard began to have no time to care about other things and focused on this position and discussed it.

Lu Ziqing was indifferent and continued to see patients in and around Zijing City as usual. Until the third day, the Minister of Justice Zhang Tong brought him news that Gou Dongxi died of a sudden illness due to the cold in prison.

Even though everyone in the Imperial Medical Bureau knew that Gou Dongxi was imprisoned, they still sighed when they heard the news. The old judge, whose neck was almost covered in yellow earth, ended up in a lonely and miserable end.

The wind and snow stopped for two days and then started again. In the woods thirty miles south of the city gate, a group of men in black rode their horses to chase a small group of people in front.

"Your Majesty, please leave."

A guard shouted to the man running in front, and then he threw the dart in his hand backwards, and two men in black fell off their horses and to the ground.

The man turned around and saw Chen Qi's face. Hearing the clashing of blades behind him, he whipped the horse's butt. The horse neighed and sped up.

After a while, the only five remaining guards caught up and ran out of the forest. However, the group of killers suddenly stopped their horses in the woods and watched them escape.

At the city gate, common people walked in and out with their shoulders hunched and their backs bent, braving the wind and snow. Chen Qi rode his horse into the city, and only felt relieved when it stopped in front of the palace gate.

The guard followed him into the palace gate. In the main hall, the maid immediately brought hot water. Chen Qi took off his cloak, dipped his hands in the copper basin to wash, picked up the handkerchief on the tray, wiped them, and threw it back.

After the maid left, the guard spoke, "It was really dangerous today. We almost couldn't come back."

"I don't know who this group of people are from?"

Chen Qi took a sip of the hot tea to calm his nerves. "Who else could it be other than the Crown Prince? He tried to kill me on the way here. He's a quick learner."

The guard sighed, "At least there was no danger."

Chen Qi finished his tea when the housekeeper came up and asked, "Did anything happen while I was away?"

The housekeeper's eyes flickered, and he hesitated to speak. Chen Qi turned his gaze and stared at him, questioning him: "Just say what you want to say."

The housekeeper looked embarrassed, "This..."

Seeing that he was hesitating, Chen Qi suddenly slammed the table. The housekeeper was frightened and trembled, bowing in panic to apologize.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. This... this... Alas, the Wan family has been imprisoned. Your Majesty forbade me to speak."

"What?" Chen Qi was startled and stood up. Several guards also stood up in shock. He grabbed the butler's arm and said, "Who did you say was imprisoned? Say it again!"

The housekeeper's old bones trembled with fear. "It's the Wan family. Except for Master Wan and the two sons who are still in prison, the rest have been exiled, and the women have been sent to the Imperial Music Bureau."

Chen Qi was furious and asked angrily, "What happened? Tell me everything."

"It's said that Master Wan is involved with the eldest son and the women trafficking case. Among the women imprisoned this time is... Princess Xining. The Crown Prince's men caught her red-handed."

Chen Qiru was struck by lightning and almost collapsed. He asked again, "Where is my mother? Did the emperor give her any trouble?"

The housekeeper said, "The queen was not implicated, but she was neglected."

Chen Qi nodded silently with a shocked expression, and slowly sat back in his chair, "I'm glad my mother is okay."

Seeing that he was a little relaxed, the housekeeper said, "There's more..."

Chen Qi frowned upon hearing this and glared at him, "What else? Say it all at once."

The housekeeper glanced at his expression and carefully told him what had happened in the Imperial Hospital.

Chen Qi listened to him pacing around the room and said, "In that case, Gou Dongxi can't be kept here. He needs to be dealt with immediately."

The housekeeper said, "The Queen has already taken care of it, Your Majesty, don't worry."

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Shengzhi was reviewing memorials, and Gao Jian bowed and came in to report.

"Your Majesty, Prince Zhao has returned and is outside the palace."

Emperor Shengzhi didn't even look up and said, "Let him in."

Chen Qi entered the hall with his arm wrapped in white cloth and kowtowed to Emperor Shengzhi. He observed the emperor's expression and took out a memorial from his sleeve.

"Father, the disaster relief work in Ezhou has been completed. Please review it."

Emperor Shengzhi took it, looked at it, and nodded silently.

"Well, you did a good job. The severe cold weather in Ezhou really made things difficult for the people, but at least we can celebrate the New Year. You have made an invaluable contribution."

Chen Qi replied cautiously, "The people are in trouble, and your heart is uneasy. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs all day and is worried. Your son should share your worries and alleviate the people's suffering. I dare not slack off even a little."

Emperor Shengzhi put down the memorial and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Only by understanding the hardships of the people can one find peace of mind. As the old saying goes, 'The people are the foundation of the state; if the foundation is solid, the state will be at peace.' The people are the foundation of the state. If the foundation is unstable, it will decline. You understand how to put the people's concerns at your heart. That's very good."

"I have always kept my father's teachings in mind," said Chen Qi.

Emperor Shengzhi nodded in satisfaction, his eyes finally noticing his arm, and asked, "What's wrong with your arm?"

Chen Qi showed a bit of shame on his face and spoke in a half-concealed tone.

"When I was providing disaster relief, I was accidentally scratched by a few refugees who were looting supplies. It's a minor injury and will heal in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shengzhi pursed his lips and sighed with emotion, "You have suffered a lot. Go back and heal your wounds."

"Thank you, Father, for your consideration."

After Chen Qi finished speaking, he did not leave. Emperor Shengzhi saw that he was hesitant and asked him, "What else?"

Chen Qi mustered up his courage and pretended not to know before asking, "I just came back and wanted to go and pay my respects to my mother. It's cold out, and I don't know if she's okay."

Emperor Shengzhi's face gradually darkened, and he said calmly.

"Your mother has been in poor health recently. The imperial physician said she needs to rest and recuperate and should not be disturbed. When she feels better in a few days, you can go and pay your respects to her."

Chen Qi didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he gave up and left the Qianqing Palace. After getting on the carriage, he tore off the white cloth belt on his arm and threw it aside.

At noon the next day, Chen Qi was invited to Wangjiang Tower. As soon as he entered the building, the waiter inside greeted him warmly.

"Hey, sir, please come in. Which private room is this?"

Chen Qi rubbed his hands as he went upstairs and glanced at him casually, "Are you new here?"

The waiter was stunned for a moment, then naturally said, "Yes, I'm a new guy and don't know the rules."

Chen Qi didn't say anything else, went straight up to the fifth floor and walked into the top-notch private room. Yan Qian bowed to him and the waiter followed him in.

Chen Qi looked at him, "What are you doing here? Get out."

The waiter retreated to the outside with a playful smile. Chen Qi sat down at the table and Yan Qian poured him some wine.

"Did your trip go smoothly, Your Majesty?"

Chen Qi rested one elbow on the edge of the table. "They were just some troublemakers. We could have dealt with them in a few strokes. But when we returned to the capital, we encountered robbery and murder."

Upon hearing this, Yan Qian paused as he poured himself a glass of wine.

"Oh? Who is so bold as to rob and kill the prince?"

Chen Qi took a sip of his wine and said, "It's no one else but the Crown Prince. He's just copying the same thing."

"If it was done by the prince, it wouldn't be surprising." Yan Qian looked at him and said.

"It's just that the Wan Yushi family has just been imprisoned, and the queen has been neglected. Now he has murdered the prince. These things keep happening one after another. The prince really doesn't care about the slightest bit of brotherly love."

"Humph, he just wants me to die." Chen Qi said angrily.

Yan Qian glanced at his expression and sighed, "It's freezing cold right now, and Lord Wan is suffering in prison, which has made the Empress lose her appetite, and now she's even fallen ill."

Chen Qi became angry when he heard this. The Guo family, whom he had carefully cultivated, was eliminated, and he lost a lot of capable people in the Meizhou incident. Now even his grandfather's power has fallen, and he cannot meet his mother.

He slammed the table with an angry look, "If he has been unkind to me, don't blame me for being unfair to him. As long as my father still entrusts me with important tasks, I still have a chance."

"Your Highness is right. The most important thing is the Emperor's trust." Yan Qian said, "But Your Highness should still be careful. The Crown Prince was able to rob and kill so brazenly this time. There's no telling where he will be in the future, or how he will do it."

Chen Qi pinched the wine glass, his eyes filled with hatred, "Then I will strike first."

"boom--"

There was a sound of something heavy falling to the ground, and the two people at the table subconsciously looked outside.

"Who is it? Get out here."

Chen Qi walked over and lifted the bead curtain, looking into the corner and behind the cabinet, but there was no one there.

Yan Qian also followed and looked towards the other corner. He saw a table lantern lying on the ground in the corner, but no one was there.

The two of them looked at each other, then looked at the door on the side. Yan Qian hissed while holding the lantern, puzzled.

"Strange, there's no one in the room, why did the lantern fall down out of nowhere?"