Yue Wei’s collision broke the delicate balance that had been achieved due to the Empress Dowager’s critical illness.
In the aftermath, the imperial censors bit down on the Prince of Yizhou with a ferocity, and not just the Emperor but even Wei Zhi knew this matter couldn’t be delayed any longer.
Several senior officials covertly looked towards Lord Tang.
Lord Tang: ...It wasn’t , I didn’t do it!
However, at this point, no one believed him, nor did they probe into this any further.
The Empress Dowager’s condition worsened, with the Emperor and Empress staying up all night attending to her illness. Then, on the next morning before the court eting, a palace maid reported that the temporarily detained Prince of Yizhou had fled with his two sons.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor flew into a rage, and imdiately sent the imperial guards on a pursuit towards the southwest. The Prince of Yizhou would surely head back to Jiannan, where his base was located.
When Minister Feng received this news, he glanced at his confidant, Tao Yi, and after pondering for a mont, he ordered, "Take so n and visit the Bai Family. Instruct them to stay ho and not to go out these next few days."
Even though it was only two young n, the incident started with them, and nobody knew whether the now-fugitive Prince of Yizhou might take advantage of the situation to harm them.
The Prince of Yizhou’s escape ant he was bound to rebel; even just to establish authority, he wouldn’t allow Bai Shan and Zhou Man to live.
So there was a significant difference between escaping and being caught.
As the Minister of Justice, Minister Feng never held much hope for human nature.
Tao Yi accepted his order and left.
Since he was sent to notify them, it certainly wasn’t just about passing on a ssage; he had to bring protection.
Minister Feng watched his retreating figure and sighed softly, wondering how they let soone slip away.
Wei Zhi and Lord Tang also felt that, with the Prince of Yizhou’s escape, the Bai Family and the Zhou Family, as well as the Xiang Family, would probably not be spared.
So after a mont of consideration, they too dispatched n, "Find all of them, confine them to the Bai Residence in Changqing Alley, and inform the capital prefecture to pay special attention to the situation in Changqing Alley."
Their subordinates responded and set out to carry out the orders.
Lord Tang frowned and said, "I thought there would be more of a struggle; I didn’t expect him to run so quickly."
Wei Zhi speculated, "Your subordinate must have scared him off, no?"
Lord Tang took the opportunity to defend himself, "It wasn’t my instruction for him to bump into the pillar and remonstrate."
Wei Zhi actually believed this; Lord Tang was not that sort of person, but...
Wei Zhi said with a faint smile, "It’s indeed a display of talent; otherwise, who knows when this standoff would have broken?"
"Once we discover the other hidden military forces, the situation will naturally resolve itself."
Wei Zhi shook his head, "With the Empress Dowager critically ill, even if we find more military forces, His Majesty would have to turn a blind eye, unless, as it is now, the people are not in the capital."
Wei Zhi gently placed the lid back on his cup, causing a clear ring, and said aningfully, "After all, when a general is in the field, an emperor’s orders may go unheeded."
And Yin Li is a dedicated official; in his heart, there’s only the Emperor’s best interest, so the choices he makes are bound to prioritize the Emperor’s benefit.
Lord Tang looked at Wei Zhi and said nothing.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then hearing a commotion outside, he waved over a servant and inquired, "What’s happening outside?"
The servant bowed and said, "My lady plans to take the young master to Xiangguo Temple to pray for blessings; they are preparing the carriages and guards now."
Lord Tang casually remarked, "It’s neither the first nor the fifteenth of the lunar month, so why think of offering prayers at the temple today?"
No sooner had he finished than he stiffened, suddenly lifting his head to ask, "Is today the fifth day of the month?"
With a smile, the servant replied, "Yes, my lord, it is indeed the fifth day."
Wei Zhi also rembered in an instant, "The fifth day of the tenth month, is it the birth anniversary of Bodhidharma?"
Lord Tang exclaid, "Oh my," and stomping his foot, said: "I had forgotten that because His Majesty is devout to Buddhism, the Imperial Academy observes rest every fifth day of the tenth month. Quick, quick, send soone to Xiangguo Temple to find Bai Shan and Zhou Man, tell them not to join this bustle, and hurry ho."
But this was impossible.
For where the superior loves, it will be followed with greater enthusiasm below.
Nine years ago, when the Empress was gravely ill, the Emperor held prayer services in various Buddhist temples for the Empress, and eventually the Empress indeed recovered. Hence, the Emperor beca even more devout to Buddhism.
And that year’s main prayer service took place at Xiangguo Temple. In order to express his devotion, every year on the birth anniversary of Bodhidharma, the fifth day of the tenth month, the Emperor would fast, bathe, and invite high monks to the palace to expound on Buddhism.
It’s just that this year the Empress Dowager was seriously ill, and she did not believe in Buddhism but in Taoism, hence no high monks were invited into the palace this year, and no one was in the mood to attend to it.
However, the Imperial Academy had already grown accustod to taking a day off on the fifth day of the tenth month every year, and moreover, most of the scholars would join the lively crowd at Xiangguo Temple.
Bai Shan and Zhou Man naturally went too, and they did not know that the Prince of Yizhou had escaped in the wee hours today; even officers like Yin Huo, Feng Zongping, and so on were unaware, to say nothing of the general public.
Therefore, on the sunny morning, they called upon friends and together arrived at Xiangguo Temple. Carriages couldn’t even enter the street entrance and had to stop far away to proceed on foot.
There were constables maintaining order at the street entrance. Bai Shan dismounted from the carriage, turned to help Manbao up, and then called to Yin Huo, Feng Zongping, and others to follow suit.
Daji handed the carriage over to Liu Gui and followed closely behind the group.
Feng Zongping walked beside Manbao and asked with a smile, "How co I’ve heard that you are timid and have not gone back to sit in Jishi Hall? Bai Shan has returned to his studies, what are you still afraid of?"
Manbao replied, "Recently I have been collating a few dical cases and haven’t had the ti to return."
Bai Shan also nodded and said, "She’s not ; besides studying, she also has to learn dicine."
Ji Hao sohow squeezed up to their side and upon hearing this, asked, "I heard you’re preparing to perform surgery on an Xiang Family assassin, intending to reconnect his tendons?"
Manbao was surprised and asked, "Who told you that?"
"Imperial Doctor Liu. When he ca to diagnose my grandmother, who’s been unwell recently, he brought it up," Ji Hao replied.
Bai Shan then said, "It must have been Imperial Doctor Zheng who told him."
Manbao asked Ji Hao, "Is Imperial Doctor Liu interested in performing the operation with ?"
The reason she inford Imperial Doctor Zheng was because she felt she couldn’t perform the surgery alone and needed assistance.
Unfortunately, doctors like Doctor Ding and Doctor Tao, after deliberation, rejected her offer. Doctor Tao felt his expertise lay in pediatric diseases and gynecological issues, and the idea of performing bone-setting surgery was too challenging for him.
And after reviewing her treatnt plan, Doctor Ding felt the likelihood of healing was low, not to ntion the risk of infection, which might ultimately lead to the need for amputation of the patient’s limb, so he too declined.
Having no alternative, Manbao then, through Shopkeeper Zheng, found Imperial Doctor Zheng, hoping to brainstorm with him.
Imperial Doctor Zheng has now agreed to her request, but still thought that just the two of them were not enough, so the two decided to continue seeking likeminded physicians, especially those from the Imperial Hospital, to join them.
Thus, she didn’t mind at all that Imperial Doctor Zheng was spreading the word about this matter to everyone under the heavens.
Ji Hao brought up this topic with the intention to remind her, yet to his surprise, she didn’t mind and instead beca even more enthusiastic, leaving him temporarily without words.
Feng Zongping turned his head to glance at him and couldn’t help but slightly smile.
Bai Erlang, who was squeezed behind by the crowd and feeling quite angry, grabbed Yin Huo and pushed his way forward, looking at the crowded street and asked, "Why must we co to worship Buddha? Don’t we believe in the Heaven Master?"
Manbao and Bai Shan retorted in annoyance, "Wasn’t it you who wanted to co?"
Even Yin Huo couldn’t bear with him, shaking off his hand and said, "Yesterday after class, you clearly said you wanted to check out the grand Buddhist celebration and join in the fun."
Bai Erlang, feeling squeezed almost to the point of questioning his life, asked, "Was it ?"
The three answered in unison, very firmly, "It was you!"
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