Tanxin Hall was in utter chaos.
Before they even entered, they heard Consort Xuan's incessant sobbing; she sounded on the verge of crying herself unconscious.
Imperial Physician Du faltered, gritted his teeth, then abruptly quickened his pace into a run. Jiang Tinghuai followed close behind, with a string of stumbling little dumplings trailing after him.
The moment Imperial Physician Du entered the hall, a palace maid waiting at the door ushered him into the inner chamber. The others followed them inside.
The situation was urgent, and no one paid much attention to etiquette. Jiang Tinghuai waved off the palace maid who was about to bow and reached Consort Xuan in a few long strides.
Consort Xuan was sobbing too hard to catch her breath, clearly in no state to hold a conversation, so he could only ask the palace maid supporting her, "What happened?"
Yuzhu hesitated a moment. When she spoke, her voice was thick with tears too. "This servant... this servant isn't quite sure either. His Highness went out for a stroll today, and not long afterward, Hanying, who had been following him, came rushing back. Sob... she, she said..."
"She said... His Highness the third prince missed his footing and fell from a height. His head struck the stone steps, and he lost consciousness on the spot..."
"Sob... there was so much blood coming from the third prince's head. Half his collar was... was stained red..."
Yuzhu's voice grew quieter and quieter until, in the end, she could no longer speak through her sobs.
Jiang Tinghuai's heart sank as he listened.
His third brother had been frail and sickly since childhood, so he always took extra care around him. Yet this brother was proud and headstrong by nature, unwilling to have too many attendants following him. Every time