Half an hour later.
The Imperial Palace.
The guards watched the carriage enter, looking puzzled. One asked the guards beside him, "Do you recognize the two people that Young Master Xie brought in? In all my years on duty, I don't recall seeing them among the young masters of noble families who have entered the palace. They seem quite unfamiliar."
"We haven't seen them before either. Those two are truly exceptionally handsome!"
"Indeed."
"Don't speculate about their identities. If they can be brought into the palace by Young Master Xie to see the Emperor, and the Emperor would send Eunuch Liu to personally escort them, they must be no ordinary people."
"That makes sense!"
The guards stopped talking. Working in the palace, they understood one thing: sometimes disaster arises from speaking too much. Prudence in speech is key.
Soon.
The group followed Eunuch Liu to Zhan Tianhong's sleeping quarters.
Several palace attendants stood guard at the entrance. Upon seeing Eunuch Liu arrive with Young Master Xie and two unfamiliar youths, they were all somewhat surprised.
Whose esteemed sons were these two unfamiliar youths?
They were truly too unfamiliar.
However, Eunuch Liu was even more respectful to them than to Young Master Xie, which was quite odd.
Because of Eunuch Liu's attitude, the palace attendants dared not show any negligence towards Zhan Xiaoli and Zhan Xiaofeng. They all bowed respectfully.
Xie Jin glanced at the palace attendants at the door, then looked at the imperial physicians waiting nearby. He raised an eyebrow, "Has His Majesty not shown any improvement?"
The imperial physicians exchanged glances, finding it difficult to speak, and could only shake their heads.
Xie Jin was left speechless. The Eastern Ning Kingdom had grown powerful in recent years. The Emperor had indeed employed some clandestine means to secure his throne in the past, but in recent years, as an emperor, he had been a wise ruler, a good emperor. Now, the Eastern Ning Kingdom enjoyed peace and prosperity, growing ever stronger, far surpassing the Western Xia Kingdom and Southern Zhao Kingdom.
Therefore, as a subject, he did not wish for anything to happen to the Emperor.
This was precisely why Zhan Tianye and Yun Shu had sent their sons to the capital.
Zhan Xiaofeng glanced at the imperial physicians.
As the imperial physicians met Zhan Xiaofeng's gaze, they couldn't explain why they felt a sense of timidity in front of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth.
They had lived long lives, their medical skills were highly praised, and as imperial physicians in the palace, their skills had never been questioned.
But with just a glance from the youth, their gaze was not mocking or dismissive, merely a normal look, yet it gave them an indescribable feeling.
What kind of feeling was it?
It made them instantly feel inferior.
It was like facing the Night Princess Consort back then. The younger generation had not seen the Night Princess Consort, many hadn't seen her, and even people in the capital had almost forgotten that exceptionally brilliant Night Princess Consort, the divine physician that everyone in the world wished to meet.
Two or three of the imperial physicians suddenly recalled years ago.
No one knew why, but why did they suddenly think of the Night Princess Consort from years ago?
Perhaps the youth bore some resemblance to the Night Princess Consort in his features?
No, no, they must be mistaken.
While the imperial physicians were murmuring to themselves, Zhan Xiaoli and Zhan Xiaofeng had already entered.
Zhan Xiaofeng could now hear anyone's thoughts. Well, not everyone. Those with sufficiently strong wills, like his parents and Uncle Jing Heng, and a few others, he could control himself from listening.
He had only listened to the imperial physicians because he saw their scrutinizing gaze towards his brother.
They were actually thinking of his mother.
They even felt that his second brother resembled his mother.
He hadn't expected that after more than a decade, these people could still remember his mother's appearance. And they were indeed correct.
Zhan Tianhong was leaning on his bed, watching Xie Jin enter first, followed by Zhan Xiaoli and Zhan Xiaofeng.
He could immediately tell who they were.
He had often seen Xiaoli when he was younger. If some events hadn't occurred later, their uncle-nephew relationship would have been very good if Xiaoli had stayed in the capital. But now, Xiaoli's gaze towards him was the same as Xiaofeng's, somewhat distant.
The children of yesteryear had now grown up, taller than him.
At such a young age, they were already very steady and calm.
In the two boys, Zhan Tianhong seemed to see the figures of those two people.
Time flew by, and looking at them now, it had passed so quickly.
It had been more than ten years.
Time had etched itself around his eyes, and even a white hair or two could be found in his hair.
He was actually only a little over ten years older than them.
"Are your father and mother well?" Zhan Tianhong asked them softly.
Zhan Xiaoli replied, "Reporting to His Majesty, they are well."
Seeing Zhan Xiaoli's reserve, Zhan Tianhong suddenly felt a pang of sadness. He had often regretted his actions over the years, but there was no such thing as a reversal pill in this world. He nodded gently, "That's good, as long as they are well."
"You must be Xiaofeng? You are a good child. You traveled all this way. Why didn't you rest for a day before entering the palace?" Zhan Tianhong then looked at Zhan Xiaofeng and asked warmly.
Zhan Xiaofeng shook his head. "I am fine, not tired. Now, let me examine His Majesty."
After entering, he had been subtly observing the Emperor's complexion.
He had a rough idea in his mind.
He had traveled the jianghu over the years, treating countless people and encountering all sorts of patients. His medical skills had progressed rapidly. If he hadn't suddenly received a message from his parents, he would have already returned to see them, and would not have come to the capital midway.
Zhan Tianhong wanted to ask more about his fifth brother and Yun Shu's situation, but seeing the demeanor of his two nephews, he knew they did not wish to discuss it in front of others.
"Alright."
There was still one imperial physician in the sleeping quarters who hadn't had time to withdraw.
At first, he hadn't thought much of it, but after hearing the Emperor inquire about the two unfamiliar youths, he felt even more that something was amiss.
The Emperor's attitude towards them was extremely gentle.
Who were the parents of these two youths?
And one of the youths was going to examine the Emperor?
A young man daring to examine the Emperor at such a tender age?
And the Emperor actually agreed?
It was too unexpected.
And baffling. What was more, Young Master Xie and Eunuch Liu, they all seemed to think it was nothing. This only deepened their curiosity about the identities of the two youths.
If the Emperor did not trust them immensely, he would never have acted this way.
The youth then sat directly on the chair by the bedside and very skillfully took the Emperor's pulse.
Despite his young age, the youth made one unable to doubt him. Instead, one was captivated by his composed demeanor, and an unbelievable thought emerged: perhaps the youth could cure the Emperor!
As soon as the thought arose, he dismissed it.
How could that be possible?
At this age, he must have only recently begun studying medicine. How could he be more skilled than them, imperial physicians who had studied medicine for many years?