"Come in!"
The Prince of Pingyang adjusted his clothes.
The door opened, and Ling Feng walked over briskly.
"Your Highness!"
"Attend to my washing."
"Yes." Ling Feng pushed the wheelchair toward the side room.
Once everything was settled, Ling Feng pushed the wheelchair back to the bedside.
He lifted the Prince of Pingyang onto the bed and helped pull up the covers.
"Your Highness, I will be guarding right outside the door. Call for me if you need anything."
Ling Feng bowed to the Prince of Pingyang, retreated, and closed the door.
Only then did the Prince of Pingyang let out a long breath.
He stared at the canopy of the bed, wondering to himself: when did his legs start getting better?
It seemed that the last time the doctor administered acupuncture, he had felt a faint sensation.
Later, when Duoduo applied the needles again, the feeling became even more obvious.
But the imperial physicians had clearly stated otherwise.
His waist was injured, and he would never be able to stand up again in this lifetime.
If the imperial physicians in the palace had been hinted by someone to say this...
Then what about when he returned to Xianyang, and the doctors here gave the exact same diagnosis?
Could it be that these doctors were also arranged by some noble figure in the palace?
If so, just how many enemies were lurking around him?
And how many people were actually worthy of his trust?
The Prince of Pingyang had grown up in the palace, a place that ate people without spitting out their bones.
If it weren't for the vigilance and defensiveness he developed from a young age, he would not have survived to adulthood.
Let alone marry, have children, and gallop across the battlefield!
The Prince of Pingyang thought back to that battle two years ago.
His horse had always been guarded by his personal attendants.
From the stables to him, the horse was led by Ling Feng.
And Ling Feng was someone who had followed him since childhood.
For two years, the Prince of Pingyang had suspected more than once that the incident was the doing of someone close to him.
He had already found a fault with the guard watching the horse, had him beaten with a dozen heavy strokes, and left him at the border.
Only Ling Feng—he had never doubted him.
The Prince of Pingyang unconsciously twisted the jade thumb ring on his hand.
Suddenly, his movements stopped.
Duoduo's words echoed in his mind.
The Prince of Pingyang took the jade thumb ring off his finger.
This jade thumb ring was bestowed upon him by his imperial father when he first learned archery.
At first, the ring was too big to wear.
He had treasured it, carrying it in a pouch attached to his belt.
Later, when he grew a little older and could wear it, this jade thumb ring had never been taken off again.
The Prince of Pingyang caressed the jade thumb ring.
Having accompanied him for many years, the ring had long been polished by his touch to a glossy shine.
When he pondered over problems, he habitually stroked it.
Because his imperial father had the exact same habit.
Back then, whenever he encountered a problem, he would subconsciously imitate his father's mannerisms.
As if he were his imperial father, thinking about how to solve the issue.
By the candlelight at the head of the bed, the Prince of Pingyang looked at his own hand.
The finger that wore the jade thumb ring clearly bore a deep, ring-shaped indentation.
The skin color there was also much paler than the rest.
It seemed that this object had truly become one with him.
Steeling his heart, the Prince of Pingyang took a handkerchief, wrapped the jade thumb ring inside, and placed it by his pillow.
He remembered the first lesson his imperial father had ever taught him.
That was how to be a qualified sovereign!
Not to show emotions on one's face, not to show preference for any single thing, to be neither overly joyous nor overly sad...
Reminiscing about the past, the Prince of Pingyang slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next day, at the hour of Mao, the Prince of Pingyang woke up.
Lately, his sleep had been getting better and better.
He didn't know if it was because of the fresh air in the countryside.
For the past few days, he had been sleeping soundly until dawn.
The Prince of Pingyang propped up his upper body and sat up.
He imitated the techniques the imperial physicians had taught him and massaged his two legs.
He had a good memory; he remembered everything after the imperial physician said it just once.
Moreover, Ling Feng had been massaging him for two years. Even with his eyes closed, he knew exactly where to press.
After pressing back and forth a few times, the Prince of Pingyang felt himself breaking a slight sweat.
Knock, knock, knock. The sound of tapping on the door rang out.
The Prince of Pingyang lay back down on the bed and steadied his breathing.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open from the outside, and Ling Feng walked in carrying a washbasin.
"Your Highness, you are awake. Do you need to use the chamber pot?"
"Mm."
The Prince of Pingyang responded softly.
Ling Feng placed the basin on the washstand, wiped his hands, and then walked over to the bed.
"Your Highness, this subordinate will carry you to the side room."
After speaking, Ling Feng bent down and lifted the Prince of Pingyang.
The Prince of Pingyang hooked his arms around Ling Feng's neck, and Ling Feng carried him up.
By the time the Prince of Pingyang came out again, Ling Feng helped him dress and then carried him onto the wheelchair.
Then, he pushed the wheelchair to the washstand.
Ling Feng wrung out a cloth and handed it to the Prince of Pingyang.
"Your Highness, where has your thumb ring gone?"
Ling Feng noticed at a glance that the place where the Prince of Pingyang usually wore his thumb ring was completely bare.
Leaving only a white indentation.
The Prince of Pingyang unfolded the cloth and wiped his face.
"It's by the pillow. Pack it away safely in the chest."
Ling Feng was a bit surprised.
"Your Highness, are you not going to wear it anymore?"
"Mm, it's too big. It would be a pity if I lost it. Put it away carefully; it is a gift bestowed by my imperial father."
"Yes."
Ling Feng took the cloth back from the Prince of Pingyang, washed it, and hung it on the washstand.
Ling Feng pushed the Prince of Pingyang to the table. The Prince usually read a book first.
Ling Feng found a book and placed it on the table.
Only then did he go to make the bed.
Sure enough, by the pillow, he saw the handkerchief wrapping the jade thumb ring.
He tucked the handkerchief into his breast pocket and continued to tidy the bedding.
The Prince of Pingyang held the book in his hands but was secretly observing Ling Feng's every move.
Ling Feng felt the Prince of Pingyang's gaze and turned his head.
"Your Highness, is there something you need this subordinate to do?"
The Prince of Pingyang put down the book in his hand.
"Once you finish up here, go about your duties. We will depart for the manor at the hour of Chen."
"Yes."
Ling Feng bowed and left the room.
The Prince of Pingyang pinched the bridge of his nose.
He still couldn't believe that Ling Feng could possibly be a mole.
In the middle of the hour of Mao, Duoduo was woken up by Lüzhu.
"County Princess, it is the hour of Mao."
Duoduo opened her eyes with great difficulty.
"Mm!"
"County Princess, get up quickly. Don't you still have to exercise?"
"Mm!"
"County Princess, you can't sleep anymore, or you'll oversleep soon."
Disregarding etiquette, Lüzhu pulled Duoduo up.
Lvluo walked in carrying a basin.
"County Princess, Guard Ling is already waiting for you outside."
Duoduo shuddered and instantly woke up completely.
"Quick, Lüzhu! Clothes, clothes, shoes!"
Duoduo quickly put on her socks and shoes, haphazardly wiped her face, and ran outside.
Lüzhu and Lvluo looked at each other and smiled.
"The County Princess is so lively now!"
Duoduo ran out of the second gate and, sure enough, saw Ling Feng standing at the entrance.
"Sorry, I'm late."
Ling Feng bowed and took Duoduo to exercise.
Because Duoduo was young, most of it was just building a foundation.
Like holding a horse stance, running, jumping over obstacles...
"Guard Ling, is Father up? How is his health? Has he gotten any better?"
