The carriage of Prince Chang's mansion stopped at the palace gate.
A eunuch, Xiao Ruiz, who served Prince Chang, hurried down to ask the guards at the palace gate, "Has Imperial Physician Zheng come out yet?"
The guard shook his head, "In this heavy rain, Imperial Physician Zheng should be taking shelter at the Imperial Hospital."
Xiao Ruiz handed Prince Chang's visiting card to the guard, "Please be quick!"
Prince Chang had just returned to the capital and was the Emperor's most beloved son. The guard dared not delay.
Song Chaoyu also intended to get out of Prince Chang's carriage, but Prince Chang stopped her, "It's raining heavily outside, where are you going?"
Song Chaoyu had just gotten up and had to sit down again, "I thought it would be inconvenient to see Imperial Physician Zheng here."
"It's fine."
Prince Chang leaned against the carriage wall again, then closed his eyes, as if enjoying the sound of the rain outside, "With me here, Imperial Physician Zheng wouldn't dare to speak carelessly."
However, Song Chaoyu was still restless. Although Prince Chang wasn't looking at her, he chuckled softly, "What is it, something you don't want this prince to hear?"
Song Chaoyu's gaze involuntarily shifted to Prince Chang's legs.
Those legs, hidden beneath the brocade robe, showed no abnormalities.
If it weren't for the wooden wheelchair placed nearby, who would have thought that he was unable to move his legs at all?
Song Chaoyu was stunned for a moment before daring to say, "It concerns the private matters of the Zheng family. I'm afraid it's not appropriate to tell others."
"Others..."
Prince Chang murmured the word, then opened his eyes, "Under heaven, all land belongs to the king. There is nothing this prince cannot know. Just speak freely when Imperial Physician Zheng arrives."
For some reason, Song Chaoyu felt a sense of loss upon hearing this.
If the person before her were Han Xi Gege, he would never have said such cold words.
As she thought this, the sound of Imperial Physician Zheng approaching could be heard from outside.
In the pouring rain, Imperial Physician Zheng knelt outside the carriage and bowed, "Your humble servant Zheng Yi, greets Your Highness Prince Chang. May Your Highness be well!"
"Come in."
Prince Chang's voice was always indifferent, "It's raining heavily outside, and I've troubled Imperial Physician Zheng to make this trip. I am truly sorry to have inconvenienced you."
Imperial Physician Zheng hurriedly got into the carriage, "Your Highness Prince Chang flatters me. I am—"
Before he could finish, he saw Song Chaoyu sitting in the carriage and was also stunned.
Prince Chang said to him, "This is the fourth daughter of the Song family, the Minister of Rites. She is the one who needs Imperial Physician Zheng's help today."
"Fourth daughter of the Song family?"
Imperial Physician Zheng, who was quite renowned in the capital, frowned and looked at Song Chaoyu, "So it's you who sought me out today, not Your Highness Prince Chang?"
"Yes."
Song Chaoyu didn't know how to speak in front of Prince Chang.
But Imperial Physician Zheng looked at Prince Chang and knelt directly in the carriage, "If Your Highness is unwell, I will do my utmost. However, I am only permitted to serve the Empress and the Empress Dowager at the Imperial Hospital. I'm afraid that for a mere concubine-born daughter of the Song family to request my assistance, I am truly powerless!"
"Imperial Physician Zheng... is truly noble."
Prince Chang sighed as he watched him, but it was impossible to tell if he was angry.
His expression remained unchanged.
Although Imperial Physician Zheng was somewhat afraid of Prince Chang, he insisted, "Your Highness, why don't you go to the Imperial Hospital and find another imperial physician?"
To disregard Prince Chang's presence, Imperial Physician Zheng was indeed a man of some integrity.
Song Chaoyu proactively looked at Imperial Physician Zheng, "Imperial Physician Zheng, I know you never treat anyone else's family. However, in urgent matters, I have sought you out, and naturally, I have something to exchange with you. I implore you to come to the Song mansion to help my grandmother!"
Imperial Physician Zheng frowned, and a subtle change occurred in his gaze as he stared at Song Chaoyu.
How could such a small concubine-born daughter speak to him in front of Prince Chang without any fear?
Imperial Physician Zheng frowned, but the carriage suddenly moved—
Prince Chang did not let Imperial Physician Zheng sit, and Song Chaoyu dared not sit either.
She could only bend her body to steady herself. Prince Chang then said to Imperial Physician Zheng, "Sit down and we can talk."
Imperial Physician Zheng wiped his forehead, unsure if it was rain or sweat, and could only sit tremblingly in the seat closer to Prince Chang.
After Song Chaoyu also sat down slightly, she looked at Imperial Physician Zheng again, "I know that the Zheng family has been passed down for three generations, and you, Imperial Physician Zheng, have only two daughters and no son, is that correct?"
In her previous life, the Zheng family had a major dispute over the matter of the family heir. Old Madam Zheng felt that Madam Zheng was too old to bear more children and wanted to take a young and beautiful secondary wife for Imperial Physician Zheng. However, Madam Zheng absolutely refused, even threatening to report it to the Emperor if Imperial Physician Zheng dared to take a secondary wife.
The matter caused a stir throughout the capital. Later, when Imperial Physician Zheng's illegitimate son, who had been born many years ago, was found, the matter was put aside—
Yes, it was still more than a year before that incident. And with the memories of her previous life, Song Chaoyu already knew where Imperial Physician Zheng's illegitimate son was!
This was her bargaining chip.
Upon hearing this, Imperial Physician Zheng immediately frowned, feeling that Song Chaoyu was presumptuous and offensive, "What do you mean by this? A mere concubine-born daughter of the Song family, you also want to inquire about the secrets of other families?!"
His voice was a little loud, and Prince Chang frowned slightly.
Imperial Physician Zheng glanced at Prince Chang, then lowered his head.
Song Chaoyu, however, was not in the least bit anxious. She patiently said to Imperial Physician Zheng, "It is for my grandmother now, and I will do anything. Imperial Physician Zheng, do you remember that thirteen years ago, when you went to Zhangzhou to procure medicinal materials, you met a woman from a medicinal family? You stayed at her home for a long time, didn't you?"
Imperial Physician Zheng was no longer annoyed with Song Chaoyu, but surprised, "You... how do you know?!"
Song Chaoyu smiled slightly, "Now, she has a child, a twelve-year-old boy. Imperial Physician Zheng, can you guess why she has remained unmarried for so many years, yet has such a grown son by her side?"
Imperial Physician Zheng's eyes suddenly narrowed, "You—you mean, that is my child?"
As if recalling something, he said, "No wonder... Mother always told me to find her. Perhaps Mother heard some rumors. Could that child truly be mine?"
"Yes."
The memories of her previous life allowed the current Song Chaoyu to look at Imperial Physician Zheng and nod with certainty, "He is your son. Your Zheng family will no longer be a family without heirs."
Seeing that Song Chaoyu was just a young girl, yet knew such things, Imperial Physician Zheng's brows were almost twisted into a knot, "How do you know? My mother couldn't find them, and I haven't met that child either. How do I know if you are lying to me?"