nucmednet Chapter 427 Welcoming at the City Gate
Chapter 427 Welcoming at the City Gate
Lin Yiyu nodded slightly, but his fingers clenched even tighter.
He was always by her side and knew that the seemingly gentle woman was not only clever but also had a resilience that was beyond the reach of ordinary people. The fact that the Crown Prince used the word "perilous" in his letter showed how serious her injuries were.
He looked up at the sky. The morning mist was gradually dissipating, and the rising sun shone through the clouds, casting golden rays. Dew still clung to the grass and trees on both sides of the official road, and the air was filled with the chill of autumn. Yet, a thin layer of sweat had already seeped from his back.
"Judging by the distance, we should be there by now."
He spoke in a low voice, his voice carrying a barely perceptible anxiety.
The Crown Prince said in his letter that he would arrive at noon today, so he and the imperial physician waited here before dawn, afraid of missing even a moment.
Although Chuzhou is an important town, its medical skills are still somewhat inferior to those in the capital. These two imperial physicians were invited from his residence overnight. They are the most experienced veterans in the palace, and he only hopes that they can give Miss Shi a chance to live.
As they were talking, a cloud of dust suddenly rose from the end of the official road in the distance. At first, it was just a wisp of yellow smoke, but as the sound of horses' hooves grew closer, the dust became thicker and thicker, and the outline of the caravan could be vaguely seen.
Lin Yiyu's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously took half a step forward, his gaze fixed on that direction.
"coming!"
The imperial physician behind him let out a low cry, and the two imperial physicians simultaneously straightened their backs and gripped their medicine boxes tightly.
Amidst the billowing dust, the convoy became increasingly clear.
The lead vehicle was not a carriage, but two fast horses. The riders were tall and straight, and even from a distance, Lin Yiyu recognized the person on the left at a glance.
His dark cloak fluttered in the wind, and his figure was as sturdy as a pine tree; it was none other than Cui Zhihao.
The man beside him, whose bright yellow robes stood out in the morning light, was not wearing court attire, yet his innate majesty was undeniable. He was none other than Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou.
Lin Yiyu was slightly taken aback.
The Crown Prince is of noble status. When he travels, he usually needs a retinue of officials, let alone riding a horse. Why is he riding a horse in front of Cui Zhihao today?
His unease deepened—he imagined they must have been rushing along the way, with even the Crown Prince disregarding formalities; his sister's condition was probably even more dangerous than described in the letter.
The sound of horses' hooves grew closer, clattering on the bluestone pavement with a rapid rhythm.
The caravan followed closely behind, with more than a dozen carriages linked together. The sound of wheels rolling over the road and horses' hooves mingled together, conveying a sense of urgency and haste.
The carriage at the front had its windows closed and the curtains drawn, making it impossible to see what was inside. Yet, Lin Yiyu had a strange feeling that Miss Shi was inside that carriage.
In the blink of an eye, the horse had reached the city gate. Shen Yanzhou pulled on the reins, and the horse reared up, letting out a long neigh.
He dismounted, his bright yellow cloak slipping off his shoulders to reveal his plain everyday clothes underneath. His forehead was still damp with the light sweat from his journey, and the bloodshot veins in his eyes were clearly visible.
Choi Ji-ho also dismounted at the same time. His black robes were covered in dust, and his jawline was taut, clearly indicating that he had not had a proper rest along the way.
"Your Highness! Brother Cui!"
Lin Yiyu quickly stepped forward, followed by the two imperial physicians behind him.
He straightened his clothes, knelt down, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Your humble servant Lin Yiyu welcomes Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
Shen Yanzhou helped him up, his tone urgent and devoid of his usual composure: "No need for formalities! Has the imperial physician been brought?"
"Miss Shi is still in the car, and her condition... is not good."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the two imperial physicians, his anxiety almost overflowing.
Cui Zhihao chimed in from the side, his voice hoarse: "Young Master Lin, the young lady woke up once on the way, but quickly fainted again, and her breathing has been very weak."
He had been waiting by the carriage all night, listening to the faint breathing inside, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles every moment. Only when he saw Lin Yiyu and the imperial physician did his tense nerves relax a little, but his fingertips were still icy cold.
Lin Yiyu's heart sank, and he quickly turned to the two imperial physicians: "Imperial Physician Li, Imperial Physician Wang, please treat me immediately!"
"Yes!"
The two imperial physicians dared not delay and, carrying their medicine boxes, headed toward the tightly closed carriage.
Shen Yanzhou stopped them and looked at Lin Yiyu: "Go back to the villa in the city first. The carriage can go straight in without disturbing anyone."
The extent of Miss Shi's injuries is still unclear, so it is best not to publicize this matter to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Lin Yiyu immediately understood: "Your Highness, rest assured, a quiet room has been prepared in the manor, and no one will dare to disturb us."
He turned to the captain guarding the city and said, "Open the side gate and lead the convoy directly into the manor. All irrelevant people along the way must give way!"
Seeing that it was the Crown Prince himself who had come, and following Lin Yiyu's instructions, the captain dared not be negligent and quickly directed his men to open the small door on the side and clear a passage.
Shen Yanzhou gave Cui Zhihao a wink, and the two walked together toward the carriage.
Cui Zhihao reached out and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain. The light inside was dim, and he could only vaguely see Yuan'er carefully supporting Miss Shi. When she saw someone outside the carriage, she quickly looked up, her eyes full of expectation: "Young master, have we arrived?"
"We've arrived in Chuzhou. The imperial physician will be here soon."
Choi Ji-ho spoke very softly, afraid of disturbing the people in the car.
Looking at Shi's still pale face, he felt a surge of bitterness welling up in his heart again.
He barely slept a wink the whole way, asking about her condition every half hour, but she remained in a daze, her occasional groans filled with pain, which tore his heart apart.
Shen Yanzhou patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down, and then said to Lin Yiyu, "Lead the way."
Lin Yiyu responded and stepped forward, leading the carriage toward the side gate.
The morning light shone on the dust kicked up by the convoy, refracting into tiny specks of light. The hustle and bustle under the city gate gradually faded away, leaving only the sound of wheels rolling.
Two imperial physicians followed closely behind the carriage, occasionally conversing in hushed tones about the medicinal herbs that might be needed, their expressions solemn.
Lin Yiyu walked at the front, listening to the sounds behind him, and silently prayed.
The carriage slowly entered through the side gate and headed towards Lin Yiyu's residence.
The hustle and bustle of Chuzhou City was left far behind, and a race against time to save lives had just begun.
Lin Yiyu glanced back at the closed carriage and clenched his fists—no matter what, he had to wake her up.
The air in Chuzhou City was still filled with the damp smell that came with the receding water, and the silt left at the base of the walls outlined the traces of the flood that had ravaged the city not long ago.
Occasionally, children would pick up floating pieces of wood amidst the broken walls and ruins, only to be hurriedly pulled back to their makeshift thatched huts by their mothers.
The flood that swept across the Yangtze and Huai Rivers had receded for half a month, but the damage inside and outside the city had not yet been healed, until the news spread like a spring breeze throughout the streets and alleys—Lord Shi had returned.
The message came in from the north gate.
The old soldier in charge of guarding the city saw the slightly bumpy carriage with his own eyes, and could vaguely glimpse dark red bloodstains on the plain cloth through the gap in the curtain.
Cui Zhihao's usually resolute face was now etched with fatigue, yet he could not hide his eagerness to return home.
"It is Lord Shi's carriage!"
The old soldier's cracked lips trembled, and his hoarse shouts instantly ignited the deathly silence of the city gates.