Chapter 10: King Jin's Injury 2

Covered with a veil, Jiuling entered the inner hall unhurriedly, with Zimo quietly following behind her. Although they did not exchange a word, the sight before them caused Jiuling's delicate eyebrows to furrow slowly.

Passing through a screen partition, they arrived at an inconspicuous spot and silently observed the scene before them.

The person who had been cold and ruthless in the morning, the Ninth Prince, had now shed his torn red robes, which lay on the floor by the bedside. The owner of the red robes lay on the bed, pale and lifeless, with no trace of color on their exposed profile.

The scent of blood mixed with the aroma of medicine permeated the inner hall. The smooth and graceful lines of the back were marred by numerous bloody wounds, not from a blade or a sword, but from cruel and relentless beatings, leaving a shocking sight on the fair and smooth skin.

Jiuling could tell at a glance that these were the effects of a long, tough whip.

The crisscrossing wounds almost pierced through from the shoulders to the waist, each one bleeding, indicating the ruthlessness of the assailant.

A physician in his fifties was skillfully applying medicine to the prince's back, his movements fluent and composed, showing no signs of panic. It seemed less like a display of medical expertise and more like a routine task he had grown accustomed to.

Zimo's face revealed shock and confusion as she involuntarily looked towards her mistress, silently questioning how it was possible for someone to harm the prince, who was the most favored by the emperor.

The most favored prince of the court, the emperor's beloved son—how could someone dare to inflict such cruelty upon him?

Jiuling remained silent, but her eyes gradually hardened as she calmly gazed at the unconscious figure lying there, her mind racing with unspoken thoughts. Her gaze shifted to the physician who was applying the medicine.

As a prince, Yejin had attendants to care for him, and the court physicians were responsible for diagnosing and prescribing medicine, not for personally applying it to him.

However, at this moment, the only people left in the inner hall were the court physician and the unconscious prince. The others, including the maids who had been coming and going, all remained silently respectful in the outer hall.

The prince's medication would undoubtedly involve precious court medicines. The transparent ointment in the physician's hand was gentle in nature, suitable for application to the skin without causing further irritation or pain.

But...

Jiuling stared at the transparent ointment in the physician's hand, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, her delicate eyebrows subtly furrowing.

The physician's speed in applying the medicine was swift, not only due to his familiarity with the task, but also because Yejin was currently in a state of unconsciousness, offering no resistance.

After tending to the external injuries, another physician retrieved a bright red pill from the medicine box, emitting a fragrant aroma. Its vibrant color made it look more like a precious pearl to be admired between one's fingers than a medicinal pill.

Jiuling remained silent, watching as the physician placed the red pill into Yejin's mouth and skillfully tilted his chin, allowing the pill to slide down his throat.

Once everything was done, the physician who had applied the medicine turned around and calmly addressed the silent steward standing respectfully nearby.

"Steward Zhong."

The steward, who had remained respectfully silent, bowed. "Physician Yang."