When the Deposed Crown Prince Was Reborn as Troublemaker - Chapter 78

“Can His Highness truly eat that much?” One of Magistrate Li’s subordinates held the bill, his hands trembling slightly. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t imagine that such a delicate person as His Highness the Crown Prince could possibly consume that much bird’s nest.

Just then, Cui Yan, who was sitting nearby, set down his teacup after taking a sip and shot them a sidelong glance. “What’s so strange about that? When he was in the palace, the Crown Prince ate centuries-old, even thousand-year-old ginseng whenever he pleased.”

The consequence of eating whatever he pleased was overindulgence in tonics — nosebleeds that wouldn’t stop until everyone was forced to admit he was too weak to absorb such supplements.

“This, this, this…” Magistrate Li’s subordinates were left speechless. Could it really be that Cui Yan had been taking kickbacks and pocketing silver while they weren’t watching?

However, after meeting Cui Yan’s calm, unruffled gaze, Magistrate Li’s subordinates couldn’t help but think inwardly: He truly lives up to his name as one of the Twin Corrupt Officials of the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace. All this talk of buying medicine for the Crown Prince — it’s just another scheme to line his own pockets.

“This sum is far too large for servants like us to decide on our own. We ask that Imperial Physician Cui wait here while we return to inform our master,” one of Magistrate Li’s subordinates said to Cui Yan.

“Of course,” Cui Yan replied with a smile. “Go quickly and return quickly — I’ll select a few more medicinal herbs in the meantime.”

“Still selecting!?” The two Li family servants who had accompanied Cui Yan exclaimed in unison.

“Don’t worry,” Cui Yan reassured them with his gentle smile. “These aren’t any precious herbs — just some common medicines to stock for the attendants traveling with the Crown Prince’s convoy.”

“Please do as you wish, Imperial Physician Cui. We’ll go back to report to our master first.” With that, the two Li family servants filed out of Qin Ji Medicine Shop one after the other.

Once they had gone, Cui Yan asked Shopkeeper Qin to bring out paper and brush, and wrote out a prescription. “This prescription best suits the condition,” he said. “Keep it safe.”

Earlier, while the two servants had been suffering from stomach trouble, Cui Yan had already used the jade pendant on Xie Tan’s person as proof of identity to meet with the person hidden inside the medicine shop. The man’s mind was still fairly clear, but his injuries were severe — and though he had medicine, there was no skilled physician. Cui Yan feared he would be left with a permanent disability.

After learning the whereabouts of the ledger, Cui Yan had personally examined the man’s wounds, adjusted the medicines he had been taking, and left behind a wound salve that could only be found in the imperial palace.

“Many thanks, Imperial Physician Cui,” the shopkeeper of Qin Ji Medicine Shop said, his gratitude boundless.

“No need for thanks — take me to look at the medicinal herbs,” Cui Yan said.

The shopkeeper was visibly taken aback. He looked at Cui Yan. “You’re still buying?”

Cui Yan nodded. Of course he was going to buy medicine. From the Crown Prince’s demeanor, he could tell that this time they were likely to face a fierce battle. Strong alcohol and hemostatic wound medicines needed to be prepared in advance to deal with the aftermath. Besides, someone else was footing the bill for this outing — it would be foolish not to take advantage of that.

“Of course, of course, right this way, right this way.” The shopkeeper quickly came to his senses and led Cui Yan to the storeroom to select herbs.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the two Li family servants took the bill back to Magistrate Li.

At that moment, Magistrate Li was in a pleasant mood, lying beneath a sweet osmanthus tree, drinking tea and humming a tune. He had just reached the line “the garden is full of spring’s splendor” when he spotted the two servants he had sent to follow Cui Yan returning.

“Why have you come back?” Magistrate Li quickly sat up and asked.

“Master, we’ve returned to deliver the bill,” one of the servants replied.

Magistrate Li scolded them: “If you’re just delivering the bill, one person is enough. Why did both of you come back together? What if something comes up with Imperial Physician Cui and neither of you is there beside him?”

Magistrate Li felt these two servants were hopelessly dim-witted — they hadn’t even thought to leave one person behind to keep an eye on Cui Yan.

“Master, what is there to worry about?” the servant said. “The entire street is filled with our people.”

To keep up appearances, Magistrate Li and his associates had placed most of the merchants and passersby on the few presentable streets there — all of them were their own people in disguise, intended to prevent the Crown Prince from taking it into his head to suddenly venture outside.

Magistrate Li let out a cold snort at this, then took the bill from the two servants’ hands.

Ordinarily, Magistrate Li wouldn’t have paid much attention to the figure on the bill, but the moment he carelessly glanced down, his eyes practically glued themselves to the number two hundred thousand coins written there.

“Is this the kind of medicine quantity a person can possibly consume?” Magistrate Li’s eyes went wide.

Was Cui Yan feeding the Crown Prince tonics in place of actual meals? He must be out of his mind.

“Master, I actually think Imperial Physician Cui might be taking kickbacks,” one of the servants offered. “What ordinary person could consume that many tonics — and eat them like meals?”

Magistrate Li pocketed the bill and said, “He’s just taking kickbacks. He truly lives up to his name as one of the Twin Corrupt Officials of the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace.”

Just then, a voice came from outside the courtyard. “Master, a palace attendant from beside the Crown Prince’s Highness requests an audience.”

“Show them in quickly.” Magistrate Li thrust the bill into a servant’s hands.

A young eunuch walked in and bowed to Magistrate Li. “My master’s daily bird’s nest has run out. Might the Magistrate happen to have any fine bird’s nest to spare?”

At these words, Magistrate Li and his two servants all stared at one another. He couldn’t help but ask, “How many servings of bird’s nest does His Highness eat each day?”

The young eunuch suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at Magistrate Li, then replied, “His Highness rinses his mouth with bird’s nest. What do you think?”

Magistrate Li nearly lost his footing. He suddenly felt that even though he had embezzled so much money, the truly upper echelons of society were still far beyond his reach. It was all too refined — he could barely take it in.

The two servants beside Magistrate Li quickly steadied him, then murmured in his ear, “It seems the Crown Prince really does eat bird’s nest in place of meals.”

Magistrate Li: …He didn’t need them to tell him that. He already knew. These people were the ones who were out of their minds — and he was simply too sheltered to understand.

“The household has no fine bird’s nest on hand at the moment, but Imperial Physician Cui has already gone out to purchase some and will certainly deliver it to His Highness shortly,” Magistrate Li said.

“Very well. If not for the fact that the bird’s nest sent by Young Master Xie had already been finished, His Highness would never have had to make do with bird’s nest produced from such a remote backwater.” With that, the young eunuch turned and left.

Watching the young eunuch’s retreating figure, Magistrate Li’s face teetered repeatedly on the edge of cracking apart.

“Master! Master!” The servants frantically patted Magistrate Li’s contorted face.

“What are you doing?! What are you doing?! Hurry up and go send the money to Imperial Physician Cui!” Magistrate Li swatted away the hands the two servants had placed on his face.

Whether or not Cui Yan was taking kickbacks no longer mattered — Magistrate Li could now confirm one thing: the Crown Prince truly did eat medicine in place of meals.

On the other side, Cui Yan returned laden with medicinal herbs. Qin Ji Medicine Shop had earned an additional thirty percent on top of the original sale, and only Magistrate Li’s purse had grown lighter.

Inside the Li household, You Yusui lay on the daybed and looked at Cui Yan, who had returned, and asked, “How are Bai Yu’s injuries?”

During the first investigation, Bai Yu’s leg had ended up crippled for lack of a skilled physician. Now that Cui Yan was here, it should be possible to save it.

“Following my method, the leg will not be left with a permanent disability,” Cui Yan said.

“Here — drink your bird’s nest.” Cui Yan handed over a freshly prepared bowl of rock sugar bird’s nest soup. “Or rather — rinse your mouth with it.”

You Yusui lifted the small gold-painted porcelain bowl containing the bird’s nest, picked up the spoon, and stirred it. “So you heard everything?”

“I doubt there is anyone in all of Chang’an more extravagant than His Highness the Crown Prince,” Cui Yan said with genuine admiration.

You Yusui laughed upon hearing this. “I’ve never actually rinsed my mouth with bird’s nest.”

Though he had said he would no longer stint on himself and live so frugally, he had never said anything about wasting food.

“Naturally, I know that about His Highness,” Cui Yan replied.

Most likely that young eunuch had been deliberately sent out by You Yusui to say those things — all to make Magistrate Li promptly open his purse and pay for the medicines.

“So where is the ledger?” You Yusui asked.

Cui Yan was silent for a moment, then said, “Beneath the floor tile under Magistrate Li’s bed — the one where he keeps his chamber pot.”

The moment he heard this, You Yusui’s expression turned to one of obvious disgust. He let out a sound of revulsion and said, “Then this prince won’t go.”

Cui Yan looked at You Yusui and couldn’t help but want to ask — now that His Highness knew he was in good health, was he growing bolder and more reckless by the day? To think he had been considering going to steal the ledger himself.

If Xie Tan or Huo Xiling found out, they would likely want to lock him in his room to stop him from doing anything dangerous again.

“Your Highness, this matter should be left to the shadow guards,” Cui Yan said.

The shadow guards given by You Fengyun — it would be wasteful not to use them. And they were professionals trained specifically for this kind of work, clearly far more reliable than having the Crown Prince go stealing himself.

“Then leave it to Shadow Three,” You Yusui said, taking a sip of the bird’s nest soup. “This prince has been feeling increasingly unwell of late. Tomorrow, I wish to go to Jinyun Temple to pray and seek the Buddha’s blessings.”

The moment Cui Yan heard the words “Jinyun Temple,” he had already guessed what You Yusui intended to do. He said only, “General Huo’s troops are already in position and lying in ambush. Your Highness may do as you please.”

Upon hearing this, the corners of You Yusui’s mouth curved up ever so slightly. It was plain that he was in very good spirits.

“Then let all the officials and powerful families of Dayang County accompany this prince to Jinyun Temple to burn incense.”

That night, Magistrate Li returned to his room to find his wife sitting before the dressing mirror removing her earrings. The moment she heard him come in, she couldn’t help saying, “When is that Crown Prince leaving? Don’t think you can hide today’s business from me.”

“The Crown Prince has moved into our home and we haven’t gotten a single benefit out of it — we’ve only been hemorrhaging money. And today was even worse — two hundred thousand coins, just like that!”

“Does our money grow on trees?”

Magistrate Li’s head throbbed at her words, and he quickly replied, “What would a woman like you understand?”

This was the glory of supporting the future emperor, do you understand? If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he could use this debt of gratitude to send their daughter into the palace. Once she bore him a son or daughter, they would become imperial relatives by marriage.

Madam Li glared at Magistrate Li, infuriated by that look on his face — the look that said women had long hair and short vision. She reached down from the bed and grabbed the first thing her hand found, then hurled it at him.

“Ow!” Magistrate Li was drenched in urine.

“How could you throw the chamber pot at me?! Put it back!”

“I won’t. Put it back yourself.” Madam Li turned her head away and ignored him.

Magistrate Li had no choice but to put the chamber pot back himself. But just as he had set it back in place, he noticed that the floor tile where the chamber pot sat had sunk down slightly.

In an instant, Magistrate Li’s expression changed. “Did you touch my things?” he demanded.

Madam Li said with contempt, “Who would touch your wretched chamber pot for no good reason? You make me empty it myself — anyone who didn’t know better would think you had some child’s urine in there to ward off evil spirits.”