Chapter 707: Chapter 708: Entering the Palace

"What time is it now?!"

Fan Chengzhuo hurriedly cut him off and asked anxiously.

The servant froze, baffled by his master’s panicked expression. "Uh, you’ve been unconscious for a full day. It’s just past seven in the morning..."

’A whole day has passed!?’

Fan Chengzhuo’s heart sank, and his anxiety intensified.

Without another word, he threw off the covers and got out of bed. But before he could take a single step, weakness and soreness washed over him, and he nearly collapsed.

The servant rushed forward to catch him. "My lord! My lord, you’ve only just woken up; you’re at your weakest. The doctor left instructions yesterday. He said you must rest well when you awoke and that you absolutely cannot neglect your health as you did before, otherwise—"

Before he could finish, alarm bells went off in Fan Chengzhuo’s mind.

He stared warily at the servant, his expression tense. "A doctor? What doctor!?"

The servant saw the color drain from his master’s face and could only explain cautiously, "It’s... it’s just... Well! You were unconscious yesterday, weren’t you? The coachman didn’t dare delay and rushed you to a clinic! But... but your condition was critical, so several doctors refused to treat you. We finally found a physician in the south of the city after much difficulty. He gave you medicine and had you brought back to the manor. That’s how you..."

The explanation sent another throb of pain through Fan Chengzhuo’s head.

’Normally, his cautious nature would have compelled him to investigate this thoroughly. But right now, how could he spare a thought for any of that?’

"Prepare the carriage!"

He had no patience to listen further. After a few coughs, he immediately commanded,

"I’m going to the Imperial Palace!"

The servant was stunned and stammered, "You... you’re going to the Imperial Palace? My lord, I... I don’t think you can! Your body can’t withstand such a strain!"

’After all, Fan Chengzhuo had already missed court for the past few days, so why be so anxious about today?’

’It wouldn’t be too late to go once he recovered his health.’

’Besides... Fan Chengzhuo was just a fifth-rank official now, a man with little power or influence. There was nothing he could do about the court’s affairs, so why drag his sick body there only to suffer?’

But Fan Chengzhuo was frantic. His brows knitted together as he snapped, "Just do as I say!"

Though he was ill and utterly weak, his voice was inexplicably harsh, laced with an uncontainable fury. It stunned the servant, who didn’t dare utter another word of protest. He just nodded repeatedly, bowing and scraping as he backed out of the room.

Fan Chengzhuo clutched his chest, gasping for breath.

’He knew his body couldn’t take it, but... he had to make this trip!’

...

「Imperial Palace.」

A faint scent of sandalwood drifted silently through the room.

It was a fragrance that should have been calming and centering, yet now, it only seemed to heighten the agitation in the air.

Xiao Jiayi knelt on the cold floor, her head slightly bowed, completely still.

Outside, palace attendants occasionally glanced back over their shoulders.

Though the heavy doors were shut tight, preventing them from seeing anything, it did nothing to quench their curiosity or their thirst for gossip.

’To think Xiao Jiayi would see the day she returned to the palace!’

’Ever since Consort Ru and the Second Prince fell from power and the Jiang family was ruined, everyone had assumed this once-glorious Princess would plunge into the abyss, never to set foot in this place again.’

’But against all expectations... she was back!’

Xiao Jiayi, of course, had no idea what the people outside were thinking. Nor did she care.

’The only thing she cared about now was...’

"You should get up."

The Eldest Princess sighed softly, her voice tinged with a faint sorrow.

"Your health is poor. How can you go on like this?"

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