A look of satisfaction flashed in the Emperor's eyes, and he nodded.
"Go on," he said.
Duoduo stood up, curtsied to Xiao Yi once more, and then slowly walked out.
Seeing this, Prince Ling and Prince Rui both looked embarrassed.
They were all children, yet Duoduo knew to bow to the Emperor before leaving.
Their own children, however, had left without even a word of greeting.
It was a resounding slap in the face!
Prince Ling was the first to speak up.
"Father, it is because I have not taught them well. Once we return, I will be sure to discipline them properly!"
Not to be outdone, Prince Rui added, "Father, considering Danyang is still young, I usually leave her discipline to her mother."
"From now on, I will pay more attention to this and discipline her strictly."
The Emperor, seated above, looked down at his three sons.
"I know you are busy. Is that not why I had them brought into the palace to learn proper etiquette?"
Prince Ling and Prince Rui's faces turned deeply red, almost purple.
"Yes, we have caused you to worry, Father. It is all our fault," Prince Ling reflected with bitter remorse.
A flash of disdain crossed Prince Rui's eyes. "Father, I will definitely make Danyang study hard from now on."
The Emperor noticed that his second and fourth sons were eager to show their loyalty, while his eldest son had not said a single word from beginning to end.
He waved his hand dismissively, losing interest.
"Enough. Your mothers are waiting for you in the palace. Go to them now."
Hearing the Emperor dismiss them, Prince Rui and Prince Ling cast somewhat reluctant glances at Xiao Yi.
"Yes, Father. We shall take our leave!"
Prince Rui and Prince Ling bowed to the Emperor and withdrew.
Xiao Yi also bowed, preparing to leave.
"I did not tell you to leave!" the Emperor said coldly.
Xiao Yi stopped. "Yes, Your Majesty."
The Emperor looked at his equally cold son and said nothing.
Xiao Yi did not ask any questions either; he simply sat in his wheelchair, staring blankly into the air ahead.
Looking at Xiao Yi, an image suddenly flashed in the Emperor's mind—the spirited young man riding on horseback just a few years ago.
His throat tightened slightly.
"I have found a miracle doctor who possesses the skill to regrow flesh on bare bones. Let him examine you."
"Xiao Lizi," the Emperor ordered, and Eunuch Li immediately went out in response.
Xiao Yi swiftly raised his head and glanced at the Emperor seated above.
He clearly saw the look in the Emperor's eyes.
Pity, regret, and unwillingness...
Xiao Yi lowered his eyes. "I thank you, Father!"
The Emperor had been staring at Xiao Yi, and the moment Xiao Yi looked up, he too saw the look in his son's eyes.
Surprise, excitement, and yet disappointment...
The Emperor fell silent.
He understood all too well the feeling of falling into despair after experiencing countless disappointments.
Father and son sat in silence until Eunuch Li walked in, leading a little old man with white hair and beard, who looked like a transcendent sage.
The old man entered, bowing first to the Emperor and then to Xiao Yi.
"Examine him," the Emperor ordered with authority.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the old man replied, reaching out his hand toward Xiao Yi.
"Please extend your hand, Your Highness."
Xiao Yi seemed to be trying hard to control his agitation.
However, his slightly trembling hand betrayed his true feelings.
The old man placed his fingers on Xiao Yi's wrist.
After a long time, the old man finally withdrew his hand.
He then squeezed Xiao Yi's legs and asked a few questions.
Finally, he cupped his hands in a bow to the Emperor.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I cannot cure His Highness's legs."
"What did you say? Can you not bring the dead back to life?"
"How can you not even cure broken legs!"
The Emperor suppressed his anger.
The old man was not terrified like others would be.
"To answer Your Majesty, His Highness cannot stand because his spine was injured."
"Furthermore, there are residual toxins in His Highness's body that are slowly devouring his meridians."
"It is already a blessing from heaven that he is in his current condition."
Xiao Yi, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly looked up at the old man.
"What did you say? There is poison in my body?" he asked, his face full of disbelief.
"Yes! This poison has been festering in Your Highness's body for a long time."
"If I had met Your Highness two years ago, I definitely would have had a way to cure your legs."
"But now, the toxins have already eroded your meridians. It is beyond remedy!"
The Emperor seated above slammed his hand hard on the dragon desk.
"Nonsense! Two years ago, the Prince of Pingyang was being treated in the palace!"
"With so many imperial physicians, if someone had poisoned the Prince of Pingyang, how could they not have found out!"
As the Emperor finished speaking, his expression suddenly changed.
He recalled the past.
When Xiao Yi was first injured from his fall, the Emperor had been extremely anxious. He ordered the imperial physicians to treat him daily, demanding that Xiao Yi's life be saved no matter what.
Later, Xiao Yi's life was saved, but his waist could not be healed.
The Emperor had been very disappointed upon learning this.
Afterwards, he became busy with state affairs and neglected Xiao Yi.
It wasn't until Xiao Yi requested to return to Xianyang to recuperate that the Emperor threw a massive fit of temper.
The Emperor remembered that at the time, the inner palace was being managed by Noble Consort Li.
Could it be...
The Emperor frowned.
"Father, when the imperial physicians were prescribing medicine back then, they did mention this matter to me."
"They said that in order to find a better treatment method, they used a prescription that fought poison with poison."
Xiao Yi seemed to recall the past, speaking up in defense of the imperial physicians.
The old man showed a surprised expression.
"What kind of method to fight poison with poison?"
Xiao Yi recalled for a moment. "The physician said that by using poison to stimulate the meridians, the human body might produce a positive effect under self-preservation."
"That makes sense, but it is usually only applied when the patient is in good physical condition."
"If Your Highness was in poor health at the time, using poison would only have made things worse!" the old man said with a look of regret.
A look of confusion appeared on Xiao Yi's face.
"After I heard that at the time, I fell into a coma..."
Hearing this, the old man sighed.
The face of the Emperor seated above turned ashen.
What else was there for him not to understand?
Smash!
An inkstone was hurled fiercely from above, smashing onto the ground.
The old man was startled and involuntarily dropped to his knees.
Xiao Yi also lowered his head, his hands clenching into fists.
"Please quell your anger, Father. Back then, the imperial physicians also wanted to cure me, which is why they took such a risk."
"I am deeply grateful that they saved my life back then, allowing me to still be alive."
At that time, Xiao Yi's condition had indeed been very critical.
The Emperor seated above held back his temper again and again before finally speaking.
"I command you, from this day forward, you are responsible for the health of the Prince of Pingyang."
"You must nurse the Prince of Pingyang back to health. If there are any mistakes, I will have your head!"
"This commoner obeys the decree!" The old man kowtowed.
"I kowtow to thank you for your immense grace, Father!" Xiao Yi's voice was choked with emotion and gratitude.
"Go take a walk around your palace, and then come back to have lunch with me before you leave!"
The Emperor ordered in a gentle tone.
"Yes, I obey the decree!" Xiao Yi raised his head, his face full of excitement, with unshed tears seemingly glistening in his eyes.
