THE EMPEROR'S EMISSARIES

"Your Highness Zhou Wang, I have to thank you for your great help. Xiang Wang has forgiven me! He doesn't disturb me anymore!"

Chen Xinyi's face gleamed in delight. His eyes shone brightly, not glazed and wet by tears as they used to. His voice was cheerful and energetic. The expression of anxiety had completely disappeared from his face.

Zhu Su nodded. He smiled broadly, "You're welcome, Mr. Chen. To tell you the truth, I almost gave up at that time. I'm neither a Daoist priest nor a monk who is an expert in veneration relating to the spirits of a dead person. I'm very grateful that it can be resolved properly."

"Yes, Your Highness. Now I can work as usual again!"

Chen Xinyi's eyes sparkled. His facial expression turned serious, and his eyes flashed sharply. Seeing him this time, Zhu Su was fully convinced that Chen Xinyi did not lie about his status. This hard and fierce expression was indeed the expression possessed by Jinyiwei. Chen Xinyi should have become weak and timid because of his psychological illness. And deep down, it must be the same with all members of Jinyiwei, they must have feelings of fear, helplessness, and weakness, however for the sake of the work professionalism they must conceal all of those emotions tightly. He just revealed his own nature when he was ill and could be spoiled freely to his helper.

"Then... can you help me now?" Zhu Su asked excitedly.

Chen Xinyi nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you investigate about Xie Wang?" In the next moment, Zhu Su told him everything about Xie Wang as detailed as he could.

Chen Xinyi nodded again. "That is an easy matter. I will give a report to you about him at the earliest."

"That's good. I really hope for your help, Mr. Chen."

Wu Qi ran towards them in a hurry. "Your Highness... bad news, Your Highness!"

Zhu Su immediately stood up. "What bad news, Wu Qi?"

"The Emperor's Emissaries has come from the capital, requesting to meet with you!"

***

Zhu Su swallowed his saliva. "Emperor's Emissaries... requesting to meet with me?..."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Finally... no matter how hard I've tried to avoid... but the worst still has to come..." Zhu Su was about to leave this room.

"You can't, Your Highness!"

Hu Nayin shouted. She blocked Zhu Su's path. "Your Highness! You have the right to refuse the emissaries as you have often done so far! If His Majesty knows that you are the head of this medical center, he may immediately have you executed!"

"This is different, Nayin. I know very well about Yunwen's character. Moreover, it relates to the fate of many people. Just for that reason, he will have the heart to send soldiers to arrest all of us and even set fire to this entire mountain." Zhu Su took a deep breath. "It's okay Nayin, it's useless to make excuse. Besides, by running a medical center transparently, moreover we have healed many people, then sooner or later this matter will reach Yunwen's ear, right? This is a risk I must bear from the start."

And, ignoring Hu Nayin who kept calling him to return, Zhu Su stepped outside. To meet with the emissaries who were waiting for him in the waiting room.

From distance, Zhu Su could see the emissaries. Consisting of seven people, they were a group of men in their forties to fifties wearing the official attire of Ming high-ranking officials. Getting closer, Zhu Su began to recognize their faces, which were very familiar and often seen by him everytime he visited Yingtian palace at the previous time.

The emissaries also knew Zhu Su very well. As Zhu Su guessed, that was what their expression showed when they saw him. Those shocked faces, as if they just saw a corpse rising from the grave.

"Your Highness... Zhou Wang?!?" They shouted in unison.

Zhu Su smiled. "It's been a long time since our last meeting, the Honored Sirs. So strange that we can meet again right now, also in a place like this."

Those seven officials now looked at each other in anxiety and confusion.

Zhu Su took a chair and sat down. "Alright, Sirs, please sit down! All of you must be very tired since you just come from a distant capital, mustn't you?"

They did not sit down. One of them, the most senior officials, cleared his throat and said, "Your Highness... eerrr... it... it is beyond our expectation, the famous and legendary physician is apparently you..."

His colleague retorted, "Ah... no, no! We should have thought of it! Your brilliance in medicine is well known throughout Ming! If there is a question, who is the most talented medical expert in Ming, then everyone will not point at the royal physicians, instead, they will directly mention your name!"

"Don't flatter me. I'm not that great."

"I agree with Mr. Hong, Your Highness. You are very genius. And... eerr... your genius is what His Majesty the Emperor needs right now..."

Another official whispered, "Hey, is that okay?! What has happened is beyond all expectation, would His Majesty accept him?!"

"Well then. Will the Emperor still want to accept me after knowing whom actually the physician he is looking for is?" Zhu Su said calmly. "You should consider it more thoroughly. If you bring me without careful concern, the Emperor will possibly sentence you to death."

They fell silent, it was obvious that they were topsy-turvy. Then they started to discuss in whisper. Zhu Su waited for their discussion while folding his arms. He showed a cool, cynical, and offensive face, as if he was unafraid of them, yet actually, his mind said the opposite. For so many times he almost raised his legs, ready to run away from here as far as he could.

At last, the discussion of those seven officials reached the final conclusion. The most senior official turned around, said in an uneasy voice, "Your Highness... we have decided to carry out the order as the Emperor has commanded us. To bring the Outstanding Physician to Yingtian Palace and have the meeting with him."

***

On his way to the capital, Zhu Su's mind was really in a tumult. Soon he would be face to face with Zhu Yunwen, and he doubted Zhu Yunwen would spare his life even though the nephew knew that he would be of use to the young emperor. And then, let he say that Zhu Yunwen spared his life, but still, he had to carry out the task of eradicating that deadly epidemic, while the epidemic was designed at Zhu Di's request. It meant, he would became a traitor to Zhu Di, stabbing his elder brother at the back by choosing to join with Zhu Yunwen.

This was a very difficult task. And his mind became more and more tumultuous since he did not stop blaming himself; Why did he accept this task? Why did he not run away? Or, why did he not act ostentatiously like Liu Ku always did - rejected them with the reason "The Outstanding Physician refused to deal with dirty politics and hypocritical emperor"? He had the right to do that anyway?...

Liu Ku?...

"... Ah... You royals are indeed very fond of menacing and threatening. If somebody fails to do his job, you will kill him. I tell you, as healers, we also want to gain success in healing. Well then... it's up to you. If you don't believe me, it's okay, kill me right now! But I tell you... it's you who will get the loss if you kill me. But if you let me boil the antidote, there is 50 percent of chance His Majesty can be cured. Which is better, then?..."

The flash of memory suddenly passed through his mind, the moment when Liu Ku tried to heal his father eleven years ago. Instead of being afraid of the death penalty which threatened him, Liu Ku even threatened them back, made him despondent, and forced to relent.

Just at the moment, the knot inside his brain that had been entangled intricately and almost impossible to be released, suddenly was released by itself. His brain turned silent, and tranquil.

He knew very well, what he had to do in dealing with Zhu Yunwen. As well as the way to solve the problem of that deadly epidemic.

Even more, he was instead very grateful as he was willing to accept this task.

This was the best opportunity to realize his dream. To take revenge towards his ruthless nephew!

They finally arrived at Yingtian Palace. Zhu Su looked out of the carriage window. Yingtian Palace was still the same as before, nothing changed. It was just the inhabitants who had now changed... and of course, he was one of those inhabitants who made the changes.

Zhu Su smiled cynically. He balled his fists.

Zhu Yunwen... now I am not your former Fifth Uncle. As well as Brother Di, who isn't the same as the past. The show will soon begin. The good will be rewarded with the good, and the evil will be avenged by the evil. You will soon pay back for what you've done all this time!