Chu Ruoyan was startled and reached out to stop the person. However, the commotion had already been heard inside. Chu Jing nearly ran out as she asked, "What did you say?!"
The servant trembled as he pointed outside. In the next moment, Cao Yi directed guards to carry in a stretcher. On it lay Cao Yang, his head covered in blood, half of his court robes soaked crimson.
Chu Jing nearly lost her breath at the sight. Xue Ling quickly supported her. "Mother, don’t panic! Father will be alright!"
Old Madam Cao, who had followed closely behind, was also horrified. "How could it be this severe? Quick, take him inside!"
"Wait!" Old Divine Doctor Qin jumped out, circling the stretcher twice before exclaiming excitedly, "Good, good! He certainly looks like he’s about to die!"
The Cao family nearly fainted. Cao Yi roared, "Where did this mad old man come from? Get out of the way!"
But Old Divine Doctor Qin chuckled. "No, no! If you won’t let this old man examine a dying man, I simply can’t resist!" He pulled out a needle pouch, ready to act. Cao Yi angrily drew his sword, but Chu Ruoyan intervened. "Wait! He’s a divine physician I invited. Let him treat Uncle!"
Cao Yi hesitated and looked at Old Madam Cao. After a moment of silence, she said, "Even if he’s to be treated, we can’t do it in the courtyard. Take him inside first—"
"If you take him inside, he’ll die!" Old Divine Doctor Qin said coldly. "His head and organs are severely injured, with blood clots accumulating. You’ve already carried him all this way—it’s a miracle he’s still alive. If you move him again, just prepare for his funeral!"
His words were so confident that everyone grew frantic. Old Madam Cao waved her hand decisively. "I trust Chu Ruoyan. Let the old physician try!"
Yet as soon as she spoke, a voice rang out from outside: "I don’t trust him!"
Everyone turned to see Princess Qingping storming in with a group of imperial physicians. Leading them was Chief Physician Zhang, sweating profusely as he carried his medical kit. Seeing Cao Yang still lying in the courtyard, he scolded, "Why is the patient still outside? Take him inside at once!"
The Cao household paled. Cao Yi shoved Old Divine Doctor Qin aside. "You quack! If my lord dies because of you, I’ll take your life!"
The old man stumbled back two steps. "Hey, you blind fools! You can’t move him!" Though eccentric, he grew serious when lives were at stake.
Chu Ruoyan steadied him, her gaze darkening. "Don’t move him!"
The courtyard fell silent. Princess Qingping snapped, "You dare defy the Chief Physician of the Imperial Hospital? Are you trying to kill him?"
Cao Yang’s breathing grew weaker. Chief Physician Zhang urged, "County Princess Changle, I would never harm Lord Cao! The ground is freezing in winter, and with his severe injuries, exposure could be fatal. Let us take him inside for treatment!"
Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together and turned to Chu Jing. "Aunt, I would never harm Uncle or you. Please trust me just this once!"
Chu Jing’s face was deathly pale, swaying unsteadily. After a long look at Cao Yang on the stretcher, she whispered, "Fine. Listen to the old divine physician."
Princess Qingping’s face twisted in fury. "You poisonous woman! You’re trying to kill Cao Lang!"
Chu Jing ignored her, kneeling before Old Madam Cao. "Mother, if my husband dies, I won’t live either. Please believe me!"
At this life-or-death moment, Old Madam Cao showed her resolve. "Step aside! Let the old physician treat him! If he fails, we’ll deal with it then!"
The moment the order was given, Princess Qingping sneered. The imperial physicians, led by Chief Physician Zhang, stamped their feet in frustration. One young physician even spat, "Where did this country bumpkin come from, daring to show off in front of us?"
Old Divine Doctor Qin paid no heed, simply spreading his needle pouch. "Lift his upper body!"
No one moved. Chu Ruoyan stepped forward. "I’ll do it!"
In this emergency, propriety was forgotten. She carefully lifted Cao Yang as the old man barked, "Hold him steady!"
Then, with lightning speed, he inserted several silver needles around Cao Yang’s head.
"Masterful technique!" Chief Physician Zhang gasped.
The old physician then moved behind Cao Yang, precisely inserting needles into critical points like Fengchi and Dazhui. With the final needle, Cao Yang lurched forward, vomiting a mouthful of black blood.
The imperial physicians were stunned. Old Divine Doctor Qin exhaled lightly. "Good. Half his life is saved. Now you can take him inside."
Princess Qingping, unable to comprehend, snapped, "Chief Physician Zhang, what are you waiting for? Go save him!"
But Chief Physician Zhang approached cautiously, bowing. "Esteemed divine physician, was that… the legendary Qin Family Needle Technique?"
"Enough with your flattery, you quacks!" The old man rolled his eyes. "Girl, get your uncle inside. He’s not out of danger yet. Any longer, and you’ll be hosting a funeral feast!"
This time, without Chu Ruoyan’s prompting, Cao Yi immediately carried Cao Yang inside.
The Cao family and even the imperial physicians, eager to witness the divine physician’s skills, followed. Princess Qingping snorted and turned to leave, but Chu Ruoyan called out, "Princess, wait!"
She stopped. Chu Ruoyan asked, "May I ask, how did my uncle meet with this accident today?"
Princess Qingping raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"My family didn’t even know about the incident, yet you arrived with imperial physicians. So I must ask—was my uncle truly hit by accident?"
Her gaze was sharp as an eagle’s. Princess Qingping scoffed. "You suspect I harmed him?"
Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "You love Cao Lang too much to hurt him. But you must know something."
Princess Qingping’s expression darkened. After a pause, she spat coldly, "You’re clever. The root of Cao Lang’s misfortune lies in the Grand Secretariat." With that, she stormed off.
Chu Ruoyan froze, murmuring, "The Grand Secretariat…"
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice had rushed to the scene.
Outside the Orchid Terrace, a crowd of onlookers gathered.
A coarse-cloth carriage lay overturned on the steps, blood trailing across the ground. Cao Yang’s official hat rested in a pool of crimson, a testament to the violence of the incident.
"Did you hear? A high-ranking official was hit!"
"Thrown clear off! Wonder if he’s still alive!"
"Ha! Maybe he did something shady and got payback?"
"Shut your mouth! He’s a good official—gave my family rice during the famine years ago!"
The crowd buzzed with speculation until Ministry of Justice officers barked, "Disperse! Move along!"
They reluctantly parted as Meng Yang pushed Yan Zheng forward. Both were stunned at the sight. "Heavens, this was attempted murder!"
An officer dragged over a drunken man. "Deputy Minister, this is the coachman. He seems to be…"
He hesitated. Meng Yang scowled. "He nearly killed a first-rank official! Out with it!"
The officer finally admitted honestly, "I recognize him. He seems to be... someone from Prime Minister Gu's household..."
