Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Chapter 460: Rescue_1

Chapter 464: Chapter 460: Rescue_1

The moment the two men stepped through the gates of the residence, they bowed towards Yingbao, laughing jovially as they said, “Commandery Princess, the Emperor has a decree for you.”

Yingbao and Wei Zhan returned the bow, and welcomed the two men to sit down in the main hall.

The palace attendants hastily set up an incense table, asked the two hosts to purify themselves with a bath and burning incense, and finally all gathered in the main hall to receive the decree.

As it turned out, this decree from the Emperor was promoting her father’s rank from a ninth-rank county magistrate to a seventh-grade position, a sinecure that required no work but provided income. Furthermore, the emperor requested her to cure the Prince of Chu.

Yingbao was confused.

Promote her father’s rank and ask her to cure the Prince of Chu?

But wasn’t the Prince of Chu in good health under her care?

Suddenly, she thought of something and looked up at the nobleman.

The nobleman spoke in a low voice, “The Emperor also has a secret decree for you, which I was instructed to personally deliver.”

Understanding, Yingbao exchanged a glance with Wei Zhan and ushered the nobleman into the study.

Upon finishing reading the secret decree, Yingbao was speechless.

It turned out that someone had poisoned the child who had been impersonating the Prince of Chu. Although he was treated in time, he was still hanging by a thread.

To prevent any mix-up, the Emperor had instructed the nobleman to escort the faux Prince out of the Imperial Palace and openly announce to all that he was taking the child to Zhouhe County for treatment.

“Where’s the child?” Yingbao asked.

The nobleman replied, “In the carriage, I will have someone carry him in immediately.”

“Good.”

Next, Yingbao saw a tightly swaddled child carried into the study by a servant.

The child was placed on an Arhat Couch and Yingbao had the servants and palace attendants dismissed. She personally unswaddled the large cloak, revealing an extremely thin two-year-old child.

He had a sallow complexion and was gasping for breath.

Yingbao quickly took out a vial of medicinal potion and dripped it into his mouth.

The child swallowed unconsciously, not making a sound.

After seeing him consume one small vial of the potion, Yingbao was slightly relieved. She stood up and asked the nobleman, “Why is his body so weak?”

This child lived in the Imperial Palace; there should have been no shortage of food and drink. Given his age, he should have been three or a little older, but he looked merely two, which was infuriating.

The nobleman looked embarrassed, “I’m not sure. In the palace, the child has someone to look after him, and ordinary people cannot see him.”

Yingbao’s expression turned grave.

Ordinary people cannot see him? So, this child had been under house arrest somewhere, and was not allowed to see outsiders.

She looked at the frail child, reminiscent of her younger brother’s childhood. She couldn’t help but feel extremely distressed.

He was so young and had been used like a pawn from a young age. Probably in some invisible corner, he had also been mistreated.

Yingbao picked up the child and said to the nobleman, “I’ll take him to my courtyard. You all should wait here for now, it will not be too late to leave when he recovers.”

The nobleman bowed, “I indeed intended to wait here. Sorry to trouble you, Commandery Princess.”

Yingbao did not speak, she walked out of the study, cradling the child.

Wei Zhan led the two imperial envoys to their guest rooms for rest.

The accompanying palace attendants and servants were arranged in another courtyard.

Yingbao brought the child back to her room and placed him on a small wooden bed.

This bed was previously used by Chu Wuyang. Now, as he shared a room and meals with Wei Fanzhi and Jiang Bao, the small bed was seldom used.

She silently summoned Xuanwu and asked, “Do you think this child has a chance of survival?”

Xuanwu sniffed, “The chances are slim. The poison in his body has already penetrated his vital organs. It’s most likely slow-acting poison, administered over a year or so. Perhaps there was some treatment, but a continuous supply of poison led to his current state.”

Yingbao frowned.

That is to say, the child has been poisoned continuously and uninterrupted all this time.

His resistance this far is indeed admirable.

“How do we save him?” Yingbao felt desolate, looking at the child inexplicably sad.

Xuanwu: “The same as before, immerse him in the Holy Spirit Spring, but for at least three months. If there’s no improvement after three months, then there’s no hope.”

“Okay, bring a basin of Pupil Spring water.” She would start detoxification by soaking him in it right now.

This time Xuanwu did not hesitate to bring out a basin of Holy Spirit Water and handed it to the little master.

Yingbao stripped the child of his clothes and immersed him in the warm basin of water.

This soak would take an hour. Yingbao brought the bathing tools ordered last time, placed the child on top, immersing him in the water, his head was just above the water ensuring smooth breathing.

“Auntie!” Wuyang ran over quickly. Seeing his aunt bathing an unfamiliar child, he felt a bit jealous. He hugged Yingbao’s leg, looking up and asked: “Who is this brother? Let Auntie Mudan and Auntie Anrou bathe him.”

Every time he bathed, it was Auntie Mudan and Auntie Anrou who bathed him, so he didn’t want his aunt to bathe this child.

Yingbao patted his head: “This little brother is sick, we have to take care of him, just like when you were sick as a child, Auntie also took care of you.”

Wuyang seemed to understand, looking at the child who had his eyes closed and asked: “Auntie, what kind of sickness does he have?”

“He ate something given to him by a stranger and got poisoned,” Yingbao vaguely said.

Wuyang curiously surveyed the child in the basin, and asked: “What’s his name?”

Yingbao thought for a moment and said, “His name is Wumei.” She had just given him this name. No resentments, no regrets.

This name could not only be just a name, but furthermore a life-saving symbol, because there isn’t a king who likes to owe others favors, nor is there a king who hopes to have their stand-in living.

“His name is Wumei!” Wuyang didn’t understand what Wumei meant, he just felt that this name was similar to his own.

Yingbao nodded, patting his head: “Go out and play with Jiang Bao.”

Presumably, this child should be returning to Beijing soon, and the chances for him to play with Jiang Bao and Wei Fanzhi would be scarce.

Wuyang obediently nodded his head, ran out to play with Jiang Bao.

However, Jiang Bao and Wei Fanzhi were all attending lessons with their teacher, so he could only look through the door.

The teacher glanced at him, pretending not to see him, instructing the children to read on their own.

Wuyang, being a quick learner, began to follow along: “At the beginning of mankind, the nature is fundamentally good! While nature draws humans toward each other, their habits pull them apart…”

Sitting on the threshold, he had already recited a lengthy part.

The teacher marvelled silently but said nothing.

Because the Commandery Princess had said, to temporarily ignore him, to let him freeload at the door, so he could genuinely become interested in learning later.

Two hours later, their tutor finally rang a copper bell, bringing the lesson to an end.

Wei Fanzhi and Jiang Bao stood up, bowed to the teacher, then packed up their books, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, and put them back into their cloth bag.

“Brother Jiang Bao! Brother Fanzhi, you finally finished school!” Wuyang was overjoyed. He took Jiang Bao’s book bag and insisted on wearing it.

Jiang Bao had no choice but to tie a loop around the strap of the cloth bag and reluctantly let Wuyang wear it.

Wuyang, carrying his brother’s book bag, was gleeful and full of life as he trotted ahead. He urged, “Brother Jiang Bao, hurry up! Wuyang is hungry!”

“Alright!”

The trio ran into Yingbao’s courtyard and sat down next to the round table in the main room. Wuyang loudly said, “Auntie Mudan! Wuyang wants to eat cake!”

Mudan brought out the freshly made cake, smiling kindly, “You can each have one piece, lunch will be served later, too much will spoil your appetite.”

“Okay!” Wuyang nodded his head forcefully.

Overeating is uncomfortable, he did not want to be bloated.