Chapter 342 - Unable to Complain (1/2)

The imperial physicians were also quite skilled as the little prince's conditions quickly stabilized. However, the empress was still worried and decided to make Yu Xiaocao stay in Jingyang Palace for a few days until the little prince recovered from his illness. In her heart, although Yu Xiaocao was young, she was still experienced in certain complex and difficult illnesses.

Take this case for example: it seemed like it was poisoning, but even with the involvement of all of the imperial physicians, they still could not identify the disease. When Yu Xiaocao came, she knew with only one look that it was not a case of poisoning, but instead was pediatric dysentery. Even in surgery there were specialized departments—perhaps she was more knowledgeable in aspects to pediatric conditions.

The imperial kitchen was falsely alarmed, and the concubines that had been suspected by the empress all let out a sigh of relief. If anything went wrong with the little prince, they would have to suffer the consequences! Although their conscience was clear, they still would not be able to pass their days peacefully if the empress hated them.

Once his son's condition stabilized, Zhu Junfan immediately began investigating into the cause of his illness. The little girl of the Yu Family had already said that the digestive tract symptoms only showed after 24 hours. If he thought back a day…his son seemed to have left the imperial palace for the maternal home of the empress—the Meng Residence.

He called over the people of the Meng Residence to be questioned and found out that when the little prince was there, the direct nephew of the empress, Meng Shuhuan, had brought him to visit the temple fair and they ate quite a lot of street food. Meng Shuhuan often practiced martial arts with the master at home, so his body was healthier and stronger. He was fine after he ran to the toilet twice after going home, but the little prince was brought up too carefully, so he immediately fell ill after returning.

As it was her own nephew's fault, even though the empress's heart ached for her son, she didn't punish the Meng Family. However, the empress's older brother, Meng Shuhuan's father, did. He beat him up and locked him in the ancestral hall to starve for 2 days. In the end, the matter was allowed to pass because the old madam pitied her grandson and pleaded for his pardon.

Since then, every time the little prince visited the Meng Residence, everyone would serve him with extreme care, especially in aspects to the food that he ate—it must be tested and tested again before they dared to serve it to the little prince.

Zhu Junfan felt that his son was too protected even though he was already 5 years old because he was brought up at the empress’s side. As the future emperor, he should not be brought up by a woman alone, so when the little prince recovered, he was moved into Zhongcui Palace, which was next door. Two bodyguards skilled in martial arts were also placed by his side to teach him the ways to strengthen his own body. In order to cultivate the little prince’s interest in martial arts, Zhu Junfan also got him a few companions of the same age to practice with. But this was all afterwards.

Back to Yu Xiaocao, who had been made to remain in the imperial palace. After she had bid her godmother farewell, she followed tiredly behind Chunhong, the maidservant that had been assigned by the empress to serve her. Zhu Junyang thought that she might be unfamiliar with the environment of the imperial palace, so he hurriedly said, “Don’t worry! You’re the honored guest of the empress, if the servants dare to neglect you, just tell me. I’ll seek justice for you from the emperor!”

Chunhong, the maidservant, looked oddly at Royal Prince Yang. This well-known cold-faced royal prince of the capital even had such a considerate side to him. She then looked at the small Yu Xiaocao beside her who held a childish aura and thought, ‘So Royal Prince Yang favors this type...isn’t she a bit too young?’

Yu Xiaocao’s gaze was filled with gratitude as she nodded, “Many thanks to the young royal prince! The little imperial prince’s condition has already stabilized, so he should be able to wake up tomorrow! I can then leave the imperial palace when he’s about recovered...Older Sister Chunhong, would you happen to know an abandoned courtyard in the imperial palace that’s full of weeds?”

Chunhong stopped in her steps and looked at her weirdly, asking, “Miss Yu, whatever for do you ask for this place? This servant will daringly advise you, it’s better to be ignorant of the matters of the imperial palace’s inner court.”

Royal Prince Yang was also puzzled, “Xiaocao, what do you want to do with a courtyard full of weeds?”

Yu Xiaocao smiled, “I remember there’s a prescription that helps in treating pediatric dysentery, and one of the ingredients is a kind of common wild herb. There’s a high possibility that I can find this type of wild herb in a courtyard full of weeds, that’s why I asked.”

Chunhong was one of the empress’s most competent maidservants. Once she heard it was to find an ingredient that could aid in the treatment of the little prince’s illness, she naturally did not dare to delay, “Miss Yu, this servant will go and inform the empress. I will bring you there once I get the entry plate!”

As long as it was beneficial towards the little prince’s condition, there was nothing the empress would not agree to. Chunhong obtained the entry plate and led Yu Xiaocao in the north-west direction. The further they went, the more remote and desolate the surroundings became. Since the founding of the nation, there had been successive years of war which had emptied the treasury, so how could there be money for the renovations of the palaces? The imperial palace of the Great Ming Dynasty was still the same one as the previous dynasty, and as the concubines in the imperial harem were only so few, there were still a lot of palaces that were empty, even though some eunuchs and maidservants were left to take care of the cleanliness. But as they proceeded further north, they saw fewer people, until eventually there was almost no one around.

“Older Sister Chunhong, where are we going?” Yu Xiaocao saw that more and more weeds grew in the cracks between the bricks under her feet, and the nearby courtyards seemed more and more dilapidated. Even the imperial palace had such a run down side!

Zhu Junyang whispered, “The cold palace of the previous dynasty is in front. The emperor emeritus and the emperor have been merciful, so it has always been empty…”

Chunhong found the old eunuch, who looked after the cold palace, to open the rusted, copper padlock. Once they pushed open the door, their view was immediately filled with overgrown, waist-high grass. Half of the house had already collapsed while the other side was crumbling. It looked as though they had arrived at a ruin!

Zhu Junyang pulled out a sturdy stalk of grass and swept it about in the weeds to chase away all creepy-crawlies. Yu Xiaocao followed behind him arduously, trying to identify the wild herb amongst the weeds. Chunhong was filled with fear seeing the cold palace in such a state of disrepair, so she only led Yu Xiaocao to the doors of the cold palace before she stopped in her tracks.