The Eastern Palace study.
By now, everything was in utter chaos.
Zhu Di and Crown Princess Zhang were the first to arrive. When they saw Zhu Gaochi lying unconscious in a pool of blood, a black arrow lodged in his chest, both their faces instantly turned deathly pale.
"Gaochi!"
"My son!"
The Crown Princess's vision went black, and she nearly fainted on the spot. Fortunately, the wet nurse beside her caught her in time.
Zhu Di also shuddered, a surge of fury and dread flooding his heart.
He took three strides in two, rushed to his son's side, and felt for his breath. It was faint, but at least he was still breathing. Only then did Zhu Di let out a small breath of relief.
"Imperial physicians! Where the hell are the imperial physicians? Get over here!"
Zhu Di's roar rang throughout the Eastern Palace.
Several imperial physicians who had accompanied him came tumbling in. At the sight before them, they were so terrified that they nearly lost their wits.
The chief physician stepped forward on trembling legs and examined Zhu Gaochi's injuries. His expression grew even more grave.
"Your Majesty... the Crown Prince's injuries... are extremely critical."
He pointed to the arrow, his voice quavering. "It has penetrated very deeply, and missed his heart by no more than a hair's breadth."
"Moreover, the arrowhead seems to have barbs. If we try to pull it out by force, it may cause massive bleeding. By then... even the gods won't be able to save him!"
"And..." The chief physician hesitated, but finally forced himself to continue. "His Highness was already frail. Now, with such a severe injury, shock and fright have made his qi and blood attack his heart. He is already... at the end of his strength."
He did not finish, but his meaning was clear.
Prepare for the funeral.
"Useless! You're all useless!"
Furious, Zhu Di kicked the chief physician to the ground.
"What use are you to me? You can't even pull out an arrow?"
"Please calm your anger, Father!"
Just then, Zhu Zhanji arrived, supporting Hu Shanxiang, whose face was just as pale.
Seeing his father's grievous condition, he was frantic with worry, but forced himself to stay calm as he urged Zhu Di, "The most urgent thing is to save Father. This is no time to assign blame!"
The entire study was shrouded in an atmosphere of despair and panic.
The Crown Princess was already sobbing uncontrollably. Zhu Zhanji's eyes were bloodshot as he paced frantically. Zhu Di was beside himself with rage, while the imperial physicians knelt on the floor, trembling.
Amid the chaos, a voice rang out, so calm it seemed out of place.
"Everyone, move aside."
Zhu Zhanjun parted the crowd and strode in.
His expression was remarkably calm, his gaze sharp. He quickly swept his eyes over everyone present, then fixed them on his father, lying on the floor.
He did not panic like the others. Instead, he crouched down, examined the wound carefully, lifted his father's eyelids, then placed his fingers on his father's pulse.
"Zhanjun, your father..."
When the Crown Princess saw him, she clung to him like a drowning person grasping at the last lifeline and asked through her tears.
"He won't die."
Zhu Zhanjun spoke three words in a flat tone, yet with an undeniable force that instantly quieted everyone's panic.
He rose to his feet and glanced at the trembling imperial physicians, raising an eyebrow.
"The arrowhead has barbs, so you don't dare pull it out?"
"His qi and blood have attacked his heart, and he's at the end of his strength?"
He curled his lip in disdain. "My father's as strong as a young bull. Just a few days ago, he was hollering about having a third child. Who do you think you're fooling?"
"Pfft—"
A young eunuch nearby couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. He hurriedly clapped both hands over his mouth, his face turning white with fear.
At a time like this, His Highness Prince Zheng still had the nerve to crack jokes?
Zhu Di's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He was about to explode, but Zhu Zhanjun had already started issuing orders.
"Someone, bring me a basin of the hottest water you can find!"
"Then fetch the strongest liquor, scissors, tweezers, and clean cotton cloth!"
His orders were clear and decisive, carrying the authority of someone long accustomed to giving commands. Everyone instinctively wanted to obey.
Before long, everything was ready.
Zhu Zhanjun first disinfected the scissors and tweezers with strong liquor. The practiced ease of his movements left the imperial physicians staring in bewilderment.
Then, instead of touching the arrow, he unexpectedly pulled a delicate porcelain bottle from his robes and sprayed a few times across Zhu Gaochi's face.
A cool mist with a faint scent of mint sprayed over Zhu Gaochi's face.
"Mm..."
Zhu Gaochi, who had been unconscious, let out a comfortable groan. His eyelids twitched, and he slowly came around.
"Where... am I?"
He opened his eyes in confusion and looked at the tense faces surrounding him.
"Father! You're awake!"
Zhu Zhanji was both shocked and delighted.
"Gaochi!"
The Crown Princess wept with joy, too.
Zhu Gaochi felt as if he had just woken from a long nightmare. He moved his body, then suddenly felt a heaviness in his chest.
He looked down, only then noticing the terrifying arrow lodged in it.
"Ah! An arrow! There's an arrow!"
He screamed, rolled his eyes, and promptly... fainted again.
Everyone present: "..."
They all turned to stone.
So after all that, the Crown Prince hadn't fainted because his injuries were too severe. He had... fainted from fright at the arrow in his own chest?
Zhu Di's old face instantly flushed a deep liver-red.
Before you continue