002. If you pay me, I’ll heal anyone.

The Empress declared, “Consort De, plotting to harm Prince Zhan is a grave crime! Even you will not escape my justice. And now Le Qianxue has struck out—though she is a princess, I will not tolerate such behavior!”

Turning to Le Qianxue, the Empress continued, “If you confess, I may show you mercy!”

Le Qianxue smiled coolly. “I have done nothing to confess to. How could I admit guilt?”

If the Imperial Guards dared seize her, she was ready to fight them here in the palace. She would not stand idly by, falsely accused after finally being granted a second chance at life.

Consort De continued to defend Le Qianxue, “Indeed, Your Majesty, it is possible that the maid poisoned herself to frame Le Qianxue. Why is it so certain that she was the culprit? Your Majesty must be getting forgetful with age.”

The Empress’s fingers whitened as she snapped, “Consort De, do not think that the Emperor’s favor gives you license to behave without restraint!”

Consort De shrugged. “Is it wrong to speak the truth? Where is the maid? Bring her here and question her thoroughly—Le Qianxue must not be slandered so carelessly.”

Le Qianxue felt a surge of appreciation for Consort De. Though her words were sharp, her loyalty was clear.

At that moment, a eunuch rushed in, dropping to his knees. “Your Majesty—the maid Xiao Cui has just been killed in the Imperial Prison!”

Consort De’s smile only deepened. “Oh my, such things can happen even within the palace? Who killed her?”

Le Qianxue watched the Empress’s expression shift—she too seemed genuinely surprised. Clearly, the Empress was not behind the maid’s death.

The eunuch stammered, “It was... it was Haoyue, the maid serving Prince Zhan.”

The Empress and the other concubines gasped. Haoyue had killed someone inside the palace?

Le Qianxue, too, was shocked.

In the Tianlong Dynasty, there were only three princes of foreign lineage, among whom Prince Zhan was the most ruthless. Every war he commanded ended in victory. Her own father commanded a hundred thousand troops, but Prince Zhan, Zhan Lianjing, held the power of three hundred thousand soldiers—his authority such that even the Emperor deferred to him. The Emperor regarded him with deep wariness, and had recently been trying to weaken his power.

Yet Prince Zhan showed no fear, and the Emperor could do nothing to him.

So was it any surprise that a maid of Prince Zhan would dare kill within the palace walls?

Now she wondered if Haoyue’s next target would be herself.

The Empress let out a cold laugh. “Le Qianxue, have you never heard the saying: ‘Better to kill the wrong person than let the guilty go free’? Haoyue may come for you next. That maid accused you, and though you protest your innocence, there is little proof. I will not spare anyone who threatens the crown prince! Guards, seize Le Qianxue and execute her at once!”

Le Qianxue’s fists clenched. Haoyue was a formidable fighter—she was no match. The Empress was eager to be rid of her; what trouble she had brought on herself by attending this flower viewing banquet!

Consort Xian, who had been silent, hastened to flatter, “Elder Sister Empress is right—an example must be made!”

The Imperial Guards moved in on her. Narrowing her eyes, she prepared to defend herself, but just then, a cry rang out from outside the hall.

“Prince Zhan has arrived!”

Everyone in the Phoenix Hall was stunned. Hadn’t Prince Zhan been poisoned, deemed beyond saving by the imperial physicians?

The Empress told herself this must be a mistake from the eunuch—how could that cripple come here?

Yet at the entrance, a man appeared in a wheelchair, his ink-black hair flowing over his shoulders, dressed in dark robes. His face was so pale it seemed almost ethereal, and his beauty could have sparked envy in any woman.

His eyes, especially, were remarkable—pale brown, always tinged with an icy indifference.

Le Qianxue was momentarily entranced. She had glimpsed Zhan Lianjing from afar before, but never so close—he was truly an extraordinary man.

Alas, such exquisite features were wasted on a cripple.

Zhan Lianjing entered the Phoenix Hall, his maid Haoyue pushing his chair. He did not bow—he owed no courtesy to the Emperor, much less to the Empress or the other consorts.

“Prince Zhan, you are well?” Consort De was the first to speak. “Thank heaven—some must be grieving that their wicked schemes failed.”

With that, she glanced meaningfully at the Empress.

Zhan Lianjing reached the center of the hall, and the Imperial Guards, intimidated by his presence, withdrew.

Only Le Qianxue remained where she was, exchanging several glances with him.

He only nodded slightly, never wasting words on those he disliked—not even the Empress.

The Empress forced a strained smile. “How fortunate—you nearly had me faint with worry. Prince Zhan, this is the one who plotted against you. I will ensure justice is done for you.”

Zhan Lianjing glanced again at Le Qianxue. She felt her heart tighten—as if his gaze struck her chest with force. Though crippled, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s.

She could believe he was invincible on the battlefield.

He spoke only once: “The culprit has already been killed by Haoyue.”

That alone was enough to clear Le Qianxue’s name.

She was surprised—she and Zhan Lianjing had never interacted. Why would he speak for her?

The Empress frowned, unconvinced. “But that maid accused Le Qianxue—surely she remains a suspect.”

But Zhan Lianjing would not waste words. Haoyue spoke up, “Your Majesty, the Prince has said—the maid was the true culprit. There is no need to wrong the innocent.”

The Empress’s face stiffened. Even a mere maid now dared speak to her so brazenly.

Consort De could not help but quietly chuckle.

With Zhan Lianjing having spoken, it would be fruitless and humiliating for the Empress to persist.

She could only nod. “Since Prince Zhan has resolved the matter, so be it.”

He nodded slightly, and as he left, added, “Today’s events must have cost the Empress much effort.”

The Empress turned ashen, clenching her fists until her knuckles whitened.

She had planned for Le Qianxue to take the blame, knowing it would set Zhan Lianjing and Le Yongcheng at odds. Her own family could then profit from their conflict.

But it seemed Zhan Lianjing had seen through her plot, leaving her feeling utterly drained.

In the end, the Empress sent a maid to escort Le Qianxue from the palace. The girl dared not approach too closely, for Le Qianxue had just snapped Madam Zhang’s wrist in the hall.

In the corridor leading out, an eight-bearer sedan chair was waiting ahead—entirely black, its wood unknown but seemingly indestructible.

This special sedan could open at the rear to allow a wheelchair to be rolled inside. Only one person used such a vehicle: Zhan Lianjing.

“Quickly, Prince Zhan has fainted! Send for the imperial physician!”

A call came from within the sedan, and soon a maid ran off toward the medical bureau.

Prince Zhan had fainted?

She had noticed his pallor earlier—he must have been suppressing the poison with his inner strength, but now it had overcome him.

Recalling what had happened, Le Qianxue knew that although Zhan Lianjing had no wish to estrange himself from her family, she owed her escape from the Phoenix Hall to his intervention.

She had to save him.

Le Qianxue approached, but the guards at the sedan barked, “Who are you? Get lost!”

Prince Zhan’s men were arrogant, but with such a powerful master, who could blame them?

“I can save Prince Zhan,” Le Qianxue announced.

A guard sneered, “Who are you, little girl? If you could save him, so could I! Off with you!”

Her body was only fifteen—a mere slip of a girl. But in her previous life, she had lived thirty years and studied medicine for more than twenty—though she had remained a spinster...

Since they had refused her, Le Qianxue had no interest in forcing herself on them. She turned to go, but just then, a head poked out from the sedan—it was Haoyue.

Haoyue’s brow was beaded with sweat. She hesitated, then called, “Miss Le, wait!”

Le Qianxue turned back as Haoyue continued, “Miss Le, do you have a way to save the Prince?”

Having just been slighted, Le Qianxue was in no hurry to help. “I did a moment ago, but not anymore.”

She had always been one to act according to her moods, healing only those she wished.

Haoyue frowned. Was Le Qianxue making trouble?

She quickly pleaded, “Miss Le! We were rude just now. Please, save the Prince!”

Le Qianxue must truly have a way, or she would not have spoken so confidently. And if she failed, Haoyue would not hesitate to kill her herself.

Le Qianxue stretched out her hand. “Fine—but first, pay me three thousand taels as a consultation fee. Since the Prince helped me just now, I’ll give you a discount: one thousand taels.”

Haoyue was taken aback—this was little more than robbery by another name...

The guard protested, “A healer should act with compassion—how dare you demand payment?!”

“First, I’m not a physician. Second, I have to eat, too,” Le Qianxue replied. “Pay if you want him treated; otherwise, I’ll be on my way.”

Haoyue gritted her teeth and produced a banknote for one thousand taels. “Fine!”

The guard stepped aside, and Le Qianxue advanced, checked the note, and found it correct.

The interior of the sedan was quite spacious. Haoyue moved aside, making space for her.

There sat Zhan Lianjing, as pale as rice paper, his lips black as ink.

He was deeply and dangerously poisoned.