Here, Prince Qing returned to his respective mansion and was attended to by servants, lying on the bed.
Prince Qing's gluteal wound suddenly began to itch.
"Ah, how did you people clean my wounds? Why do they become more painful and itchy the more you wash them? What are you doing?" Prince Qing exclaimed from his position on the bed, filled with exasperation.
Upon hearing Prince Qing's words, the young servants of the mansion trembled all over, their speech becoming stuttered.
"Your, your Highness, your servant, your servant simply used warm water to clean your wounds, I didn't do anything else?"
"Then why are my wounds so itchy?" Prince Qing asked, reaching out to scratch his wound.
Zuo Qing, who was standing nearby, quickly stopped him.
"Your Highness, you must not scratch your wound with your hands, as it will worsen the injury. I will send someone to invite the Valley Master of Ghost Valley to examine it for you," Zuo Qing said with a worried expression.
"Go quickly, go quickly! My wounds are really unbearably itchy," Prince Qing shouted urgently.
Hearing this, Zuo Qing quickly cast a meaningful glance at the guard behind him. The guard immediately understood Zuo Qing's intention, turned, and flew towards the courtyard where the Valley Master of Ghost Valley resided.
A moment later, the Valley Master of Ghost Valley was invited over by the guard.
"Your Highness Prince Qing, what is it now? I, the Valley Master, was in the courtyard researching a new herb when your men summoned me. Alas! It infuriates this old man!"
Upon seeing Prince Qing lying on the bed, the Valley Master of Ghost Valley immediately complained with impatience.
At that moment, Prince Qing's gluteal wound was already causing unbearable itching. He had no intention of listening carefully to the Valley Master of Ghost Valley's complaints.
To prevent Prince Qing from scratching his wounds, Zuo Qing swiftly moved and sealed Prince Qing's pressure points with a touch. He even answered the Valley Master of Ghost Valley's words on Prince Qing's behalf.
"Valley Master, ever since my Prince returned from his punishment in the palace, his wound has started to itch. We, his subordinates, do not know what is happening," Zuo Qing reported truthfully.
"You summoned me for such a trivial matter? Doesn't your mansion house two physicians? What are they good for?" The Valley Master of Ghost Valley immediately reprimanded Zuo Qing after hearing his words.
Zuo Qing, because his Prince needed the Valley Master of Ghost Valley's help, suppressed his anger.
Zuo Qing saw that Prince Qing, lying on the bed, was already sweating coldly, and his lips were bitten through.
"Valley Master, Zuo Qing's consideration was insufficient today, and I apologize. But since you are here now, please examine my Prince's wound," Zuo Qing said in a low, submissive tone.
"Hmm, then this Valley Master will take a look," the Valley Master of Ghost Valley replied haughtily.
He walked to Prince Qing's bed, lifted his clothes, and glanced at his wound. He shook his head and sighed, saying, "Your Prince's wound has been afflicted with Itchy Powder. It's no wonder he feels itchy."
"His Highness has been afflicted with Itchy Powder?" Zuo Qing thought he misheard.
"Yes, who knows who afflicted your Prince with Itchy Powder? Have you not noticed?" the Valley Master of Ghost Valley replied irritably.
Prince Qing, lying on the bed, also heard the Valley Master of Ghost Valley's words clearly. He gritted his teeth and said, "This Itchy Powder must have been administered by the Cold King. He's surely unhappy because I looked at his Consort a few too many times."
"You've become like this, almost comparable to a eunuch from the palace, yet you are still lusting after the Consort's beauty. You are truly asking for trouble," the Valley Master of Ghost Valley mocked him.
"Valley Master, my Prince's actions were unintentional. Zuo Qing begs you to help my Prince by curing him of this Itchy Powder," Zuo Qing said, cupping his hands in a gesture of supplication towards the Valley Master of Ghost Valley.
"Alright, since this Valley Master has already come, I will help Prince Qing get rid of this Itchy Powder," the Valley Master of Ghost Valley replied with resignation.
Then, he took a towel from a servant, dipped it in the dark red blood on Prince Qing's wound, and brought it close to his nose to smell it carefully.
After a long while, the Valley Master of Ghost Valley slowly spoke, "Your Prince has been afflicted with Itchy Powder, and this Itchy Powder is very difficult to resolve. This Itchy Powder contains several ingredients that even this Valley Master cannot identify."
"What? Valley Master, even you cannot resolve His Highness's Itchy Powder?" Zuo Qing asked with astonishment.
"This Valley Master only said that this Itchy Powder is difficult to resolve, but I never said I couldn't resolve it. Are your ears problematic, boy?" the Valley Master of Ghost Valley retorted with displeasure.
"Yes, Zuo Qing misheard! Valley Master, I have offended you." Although Zuo Qing said this, in his heart, ten thousand geese were stampeding. If the Valley Master of Ghost Valley couldn't even identify the ingredients of the Itchy Powder, how could he resolve it? Zuo Qing wasn't wrong, was he?
"Allow this Valley Master to study it thoroughly back at my residence. Once I have researched its ingredients, I will immediately prepare an antidote for Prince Qing. Please wait patiently."
The Valley Master of Ghost Valley sniffed the towel again, his brow furrowing. He was certain that this Itchy Powder must have been concocted by the Cold King's Consort. No one in this world could concoct a powder that he himself could not identify. At this moment, even he had to admit that the Cold King's Consort's medical skills were slightly superior to his own.
Subsequently, the Valley Master of Ghost Valley took the towel stained with Itchy Powder back to his courtyard to study it diligently.
—
Meanwhile, at the Lin State Duke's Mansion.
After Lin Zhenfei was escorted back to the Lin State Mansion by the guards, the wounds on his buttocks from the caning were just as unbearably itchy as Prince Qing's.
As soon as Lin Zhenfei was carried into his room by a servant, he couldn't help but reach out and continuously scratch the wounds on his buttocks.
Unfortunately, the guard beside him was not perceptive and did not stop his actions. This only worsened the condition of his already injured buttocks. In just a few minutes, Lin Zhenfei had scratched his buttocks until they were a bloody mess, causing him to wail in pain.
The Lin State Duke's wife entered his room and saw Lin Zhenfei's miserable state at a glance.
"Oh my heavens! My Lord, how did you end up like this after a trip to the palace?" the Lin State Duke's wife, Qin Minzhi, said with a distressed expression.
"Wife, quick, quickly find a doctor to examine me. My buttocks are really painful and itchy, it's extremely unbearable," Lin Zhenfei said with a mournful face.
"Alright, my Lord, bear with it. I will have someone fetch a doctor immediately." Seeing Lin Zhenfei's plight, the Lin State Duke's wife also became anxious.
Immediately, she turned around and rushed out of the room, only to collide with Lin Hongtao, who was running towards her. The Lin State Duke's wife's head was instantly sent reeling, and then, her footing slipped. She stumbled backward, falling completely onto the ground in a heap. The Lin State Duke's wife was almost knocked unconscious by the fall.