Wei Qing also stood up abruptly, her face pale, and looked anxiously at the soldier who brought the news, wishing she could question him closely about the Second Prince's condition.
The soldier dared not conceal anything and truthfully reported, "The Second Prince has injured his leg. We dare not move him carelessly. Please send an imperial physician immediately."
Such a tense, exciting, and dangerous activity as a royal hunt naturally had more than one imperial physician accompanying them.
The Emperor immediately ordered one imperial physician to go with the soldier, while the others were to await orders at the temporary palace.
Consort Wei's legs felt weak, and her face was pale. She had to be supported by her maids to stand.
"Your Majesty..." she looked at the Emperor with reddened eyes.
The Emperor took her hand and comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Our son is blessed by heaven; he will surely be alright!"
"Mmm," Consort Wei nodded, her voice choked with sobs.
The hunt could not continue. Everyone returned to their accommodations. The Second Prince was directly carried to Xiānsōng Garden, where many people stood inside and out.
Wang Qingyao followed and indeed saw Xiao Yun among the group escorting the Second Prince back.
Several princes were also present.
The Second Prince lay on a makeshift stretcher, his face contorted in unbearable pain, sweat beading on his forehead from the agony.
Wei Qing had been waiting by the entrance. Seeing the Second Prince return, she rushed to the stretcher, anxiously asking, "Your Highness, how are you? Are you in great pain?"
The Second Prince had no time to attend to her, and she was quickly pushed aside by a group of eunuchs and guards who rushed to help.
The Second Prince was carried inside.
Wei Qing stood outside, lost and dazed, staring blankly at the door. Wei Yu stood beside her, whispering words of comfort.
Xiao Yun saw Wang Qingyao. Their eyes met. Xiao Yun walked over and said softly, "You go back first. I'll return later. His Majesty might want to question me."
Minutes before the Second Prince's accident, several princes were present, as was Xiao Yun, and even Wei Yu.
Everyone wanted to hunt that tiger.
However, there was only one tiger, and disputes were inevitable.
It was said that the Second Prince and Prince Qi had a verbal altercation. Prince Qi mocked the Second Prince for being infatuated with romance all day and unfit for responsibility. He then declared his determination to hunt the tiger and would propose to the Wei family once he caught it.
The Second Prince was furious, not at Prince Qi's arrogance, but at his intention to propose to another woman so soon after his fiancée's death.
Prince Qi called him meddlesome, and the Second Prince challenged him to a race to see who could hunt the tiger first. Prince Qi agreed.
The two rode towards the sound of the tiger's roar in the forest. As people were about to follow, Prince Wu laughed, "Why don't we not compete with Second Brother and Fourth Brother? Let's see who is more capable!"
He was his usual innocent and lively self. Others didn't know his true nature, but Xiao Yun did and immediately felt something was amiss.
He laughed heartily, "I don't care about others, but I've boasted to my Princess that I'll hunt that tiger and make a cushion for her!"
Saying this, he spurred his horse and chased after them. Prince Wu wanted to stop him but had no valid excuse, so he also whipped his horse and followed.
Seeing this, everyone else followed suit.
However, it was too late. A scream from the Second Prince echoed from the depths of the forest. He had come face to face with the tiger and was so startled that he fell directly from his horse.
That night, no one slept soundly. Xiao Yun indeed returned very late.
The Second Prince's condition was dire. He had broken his right leg and needed immediate treatment back in the palace. Any delay could result in permanent damage to his leg.
The Emperor questioned several people who were nearby at the time of the incident, and their accounts were largely consistent.
Prince Qi even confessed his fault before the Emperor and Consort Wei, saying he shouldn't have made a bet with the Second Prince.
It was all his fault for harming the Second Prince.
With both his sons dear to him, the Emperor and Consort Wei found it difficult to blame him.
The hunt could not continue. The five-day autumn hunt ended on the third day.
A large group arrived, and a large group departed, with an added injured member.
The imperial physicians from the palace were summoned to Huayang Palace, where they took turns examining and discussing the case, ultimately concluding that the Second Prince's leg was crippled.