Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Imperial Palace Pursuit, Uncovering the Conspiracy

In the morning, Liang Xin, who hadn't slept well all night, got up early to practice Tai Chi in the courtyard of the Imperial Academy of Medicine. To the eyes of the imperial physicians, this slow-motion martial art was even less aesthetically pleasing than a shamanic ritual. If an ordinary person practiced such a style, the physicians would naturally sneer at it, but seeing Liang Xin perform it had become somewhat commonplace.

In the eyes of the imperial physicians, Liang Xin was a freakish genius with extraordinary talent; having followed Chen Yuding for less than half a month, his medical skills were already no inferior to those of an average imperial physician. Furthermore, whenever he was happy, he would flail his limbs and shout "Ye!" loudly, and when angry, he would flip people the middle finger, or habitually mutter sarcastic nonsense like "San ke yo wei ni ma chi" or "Ai men sou wen rui" under his breath. Thus, the physicians categorized Liang Xin as a "eccentric genius."

Having just finished a set of Tai Chi, Liang Xin walked to the side of the courtyard to put on the clothes draped over the railing. Just as he finished dressing, he saw Chen Yuding rushing in in a frantic manner. He ignored everyone who tried to greet him and walked straight to Liang Xin's side, saying, "Follow me."

Feeling somewhat bewildered, Liang Xin followed Chen Yuding. After several turns and twists, Chen Yuding quickly brought him to the Imperial Pharmacy. Seeing Chen Yuding and Liang Xin, Xiaochunzi immediately stepped forward to greet them, but Chen Yuding spoke coldly without hesitation: "Open the medicine store immediately. Do not let any unauthorized personnel enter."

"Yes!" Seeing Chen Yuding's grim expression, Xiaochunzi didn't dare say more and immediately turned to run into the Imperial Pharmacy to open the store doors.

Led by Chen Yuding, Liang Xin entered the medicine store. At this moment, Liang Xin finally couldn't help but ask, "Master, what has happened?"

Chen Yuding walked to a corner of the store and brought out a specialized acupuncture dummy used for TCM training, saying, "Xin'er, I don't have time to explain what is happening, and there are some things that are safer for you not to know. For now, do not say a word. Listen intently as I pass down our family's 'Yuding Thirteen Needles' to you."

As Chen Yuding spoke, he pulled out a row of silver needles of varying lengths and began to teach his world-renowned Yuding Thirteen Needles technique. While the technique was being taught, a profound sense of unease rose in Liang Xin's heart...

Sure enough, not long after, Liang Xin heard Xiaochunzi shouting loudly from outside the medicine store, "This is the medicine store! Unauthorized personnel are not permitted to enter!"

Chen Yuding looked up at the medicine store doors, his eyes filled with a deathly gray hue as he sighed gloomily, "In the end, there is no time." Chen Yuding pulled a book from his sleeve, pressed it into Liang Xin's hands, and said, "Xin'er, I am very happy to have a disciple like you. I have only taught you nine of the Yuding Thirteen Needles; you must slowly comprehend the remaining three through the book. Remember, in the future, you must be careful in everything and cautious in every step while walking through the palace..."

Bang! The medicine store doors were kicked open. Xiaochunzi was the first to tumble into the store, clearly having been beaten severely. A squad of Imperial Guards armed with blades rushed in, and one of them shouted loudly, "Chen Yuding, you are suspected of poisoning and harming the Imperial Noble Consort. You are to be taken into custody now!"

The guards charged forward aggressively. Liang Xin's brow furrowed, and he instinctively took a step forward to block Chen Yuding. Chen Yuding pulled Liang Xin back and spoke calmly, "When the birds are gone, the good bow is stored; this has happened throughout history. I and you..."

A guard reached out to grab Chen Yuding, but suddenly the man was flung backward. The guard hit the ground and shouted loudly, "He dares to resist arrest! Everyone, attack together! Kill him on sight!"

Liang Xin's eyes widened as he saw over a dozen guards draw their blades and slash toward Chen Yuding. Chen Yuding closed his eyes in a posture of resignation. Liang Xin finally couldn't hold back; how could he stand by and watch Chen Yuding, who had treated him like a strict teacher and a kind father, be hacked to death by a flurry of blades?

Liang Xin pulled Chen Yuding aside and kicked a guard away. In his previous life in the modern era, he had practiced authentic Chen-style Tai Chi since childhood, and his kung fu was quite decent. Since transmigrating to this Northern Song Dynasty, Liang Xin had been negligent in his training, and this morning was his first time practicing Tai Chi. However, to his surprise, his physical constitution was exceptionally strong; that single kick, using only seventy percent of his strength, sent the burly guard flying backward.

The success of his strike boosted Liang Xin's confidence. He immediately executed a "Sparrow Picks Its Tail" move, sending another person flying with the released force, and then seized a large saber from a guard's hand.

With a saber in hand, Liang Xin's saber techniques were seamless. After repelling several men with a horizontal slash, Liang Xin grabbed Chen Yuding and shouted, "Master, run!"

Chen Yuding instinctively followed Liang Xin out of the medicine store. Once they exited the Imperial Pharmacy, Liang Xin led Chen Yuding toward the Yingyang Gate, because the Yu Han Palace was located there, and Liang Xin wanted to take Chen Yuding there to take temporary refuge.

Chen Yuding grabbed Liang Xin and said, "We cannot run toward Yingyang Gate. That is the rear garden; if we go in there, we will be like turtles in a jar. We should run toward Xuanyou Gate. If we can break through Xuanyou Gate, perhaps we might still have a glimmer of hope."

Thinking it over, Liang Xin realized the rear garden was indeed not a good place, so he nodded immediately. "Alright, your disciple will listen to Master."

In the interval while Chen Yuding and Liang Xin were speaking, the dozen or so guards had already caught up. Liang Xin pulled Chen Yuding and ran toward Xuanyou Gate.

As they ran, Chen Yuding, being elderly, eventually stumbled and fell to the ground. Liang Xin turned back to help him, but Chen Yuding pushed him away, saying, "Xin'er, run! Don't worry about me. They only want my life; if you run now, you won't be implicated."

Liang Xin hoisted Chen Yuding onto his back and said firmly, "You are my master; how could I possibly leave you behind to run alone? Stop talking, Master. If I die, I'll just be reincarnated again." *I hope if I die, I can travel back to the modern era,* he thought. *With the medical skills I've learned, I could at least make a name for myself as a famous doctor back home.*

"Swish!" An arrow pierced into Chen Yuding's back. Chen Yuding's whole body shuddered, and he spat a mouthful of blood onto Liang Xin's neck. Liang Xin was struck with horror. After setting Chen Yuding down, he hurriedly used silver needles to seal several major acupoints on Chen Yuding's chest to ensure he wouldn't die from excessive bleeding.

Chen Yuding gripped Liang Xin's hand and said, "It's useless... the arrow has damaged the internal organs; there is no cure. Xin'er, take care of yourself..." After weakly uttering his last words, Chen Yuding breathed his last. Liang Xin was overcome with grief and let out a cry, "Master!!!"

Among the pursuing guards was a captain named Zheng Xiaoyao. Seeing that Chen Yuding had expired, Zheng Xiaoyao breathed a slight sigh of relief. Seeing Liang Xin clutching Chen Yuding's body in grief, Zheng Xiaoyao's eyes flashed with malice as he raised his right hand, preparing to signal the guards behind him to fire their arrows.

"Stop!" A sharp cry rang out, followed by a long announcement: "The Emperor arrives!"

Liang Xin looked back to see a man wearing dragon robes and a jade-beaded crown sitting upon a dragon sedan. Behind him was a long ceremonial procession, and standing beside the sedan was an eunuch dressed in dark red python robes. Without even guessing, one could tell that the two preceding calls had been made by this eunuch. And Liang Xin knew exactly who this eunuch was—the number one person in the palace, Yang Jian.

Upon seeing the Emperor, everyone's first reaction was naturally to kneel and shout "Long live the Emperor!" But Liang Xin was currently consumed by grief; he had no leisure to perform any formal kowtows. He simply held Chen Yuding's corpse, his heart filled with sorrow.

"I originally intended to take advantage of the good mood to go to Wansui Mountain to paint a 'Phoenix Landscape,' but I didn't expect to encounter such a mood-spoiling event. Fine, fine, proceed to Yanfu Palace."

Hearing that the Emperor was preparing to leave, a sudden inspiration struck Liang Xin. He set down Chen Yuding's body, abruptly stood up, and shouted toward the Emperor, "Your Majesty, this servant has a massive injustice to report!"

"A massive injustice?" Zhao Ji looked at Liang Xin's upright posture and felt a flicker of interest. Among the eunuchs he had seen, none had ever stood so straight before him. Thus, Zhao Ji asked, "Speak, what is this injustice?"

Liang Xin recalled the process of when he and Chen Yuding had gone to diagnose Noble Consort Qiao. At this moment, every scene and every word spoken by Chen Yuding, Noble Consort Qiao, and the maid Jin Yu flashed through Liang Xin's mind as clearly as a movie playing.

Clenching his fists, Liang Xin knelt on the ground and said word by word, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the wicked Noble Consort Qiao has been having an illicit affair and is secretly pregnant. After my master, Chen Yuding, discovered this, Noble Consort Qiao sent people to silence him. I beg Your Majesty to investigate the details!"

"Presumptuous!" Zhao Ji slammed his hand hard against the armrest of the dragon sedan. Rarely prone to anger, he now looked like a lion ready to devour someone.

The majesty of the Son of Heaven was indeed no joke, and Liang Xin was startled by Zhao Ji's demeanor. However, he had already steeled his heart to take a gamble. He immediately looked up, met Zhao Ji's gaze, and said, "Every word spoken by this servant is true. If Your Majesty has doubts, you may go to Noble Consort Qiao's quarters immediately to check. I believe Noble Consort Qiao has just taken abortifacients; a single look will reveal the truth."

Zhao Ji looked coldly at Liang Xin. It was only now that Liang Xin realized Zhao Ji was actually a handsome emperor; his slender face had soft lines, and his handsome features gave him a scholarly air, yet the imperial robes and beaded crown made him appear immensely majestic.

Zhao Ji gritted his teeth, practically spitting out every word: "Proceed—to—the—Yu—Qiao—Palace!"