And she, too, devoted herself to learning.

After a little more than an hour, the last Golden Needle was removed from Ying.

His whole body relaxed considerably.

Although he hadn’t awakened yet, he seemed in better condition than in the morning.

Seeing this, Lin Xiruo finally felt relieved.

Beside her, Lin Zong, who had been guarding his brother, also let out a sigh of relief.

With Mr. Dong and his wife’s involvement, Lin Ying’s illness was no longer a matter of anxiety and concern for everyone.

Lin Xingzhi bore heavy responsibilities, so he couldn’t always stay by his son’s side.

Thus, Lin Ying’s injuries were cared for by Lin Zong, Feng Xun, and others in turn.

They were intimate brothers, so they took care of him very attentively.

On the third day, Lin Ying finally woke up.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw everyone gathered in front of him.

The Crown Prince, who led the group, set aside his usual playful demeanor and looked at him with considerable relief.

He had also been recovering from injuries these days.

But most of the time, he stayed in this room with him.

After all, if it weren’t for Lin Ying’s reckless rush forward at that time,

the one lying immobile in bed now would probably be him.

Thus, this life-saving gratitude was something he naturally remembered for life.

After the Second Madam administered acupuncture, she predicted Lin Ying would wake up.

In such circumstances, the Crown Prince stayed by his side even more.

Once Lin Ying awoke, he finally relaxed.

But he soon jested.

"You brat finally woke up; if you hadn’t, there wouldn’t have been time to find you a wife."

These words made Lin Ying’s head spin.

He had just woken up and was still bewildered.

Even though he’d used Yunjian Grass, his internal organs were injured.

Naturally, he needed time to recover.

Thus, when looking at the Crown Prince, there was a bit of confusion in his eyes.

This stunned the Crown Prince’s smile.

Immediately, he worriedly turned to the Second Madam.

"Second Aunt Grandmother, why doesn’t my cousin recognize me? Could his head injury have caused amnesia?"

As soon as he said this, everyone gathered around.

"Big Brother!"

"Ying!"

"Cousin!"

Everyone looked at Lin Ying with alarm, considering he had walked through Ghost Gate.

If he truly forgot everything, it wasn’t impossible.

The Second Madam quickly took his pulse and then examined him thoroughly.

"It shouldn’t be; he hasn’t injured his brain, so how could he have amnesia?"

She also appeared puzzled.

Fortunately, after being tormented like this, Lin Ying was thoroughly awakened.

He gave a weak smile and said to everyone.

"Don’t listen to the Crown Prince’s nonsense; how could I possibly have amnesia?"

Upon hearing this, everyone relaxed again.

Seeing this, the Crown Prince also let go of his tightly-held breath.

"That scared me; I thought you wouldn’t remember this Crown Prince, and then I’d lose my little cousin follower."

His words made Lin Ying laugh.

But this laugh pulled at his chest.

His back injuries were long healed, but the inside of his chest felt stifled and painful.

"Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. The matter of the black bear has been resolved. Take your time recovering; once you’re well, the position of Guard Commander of the Eastern Palace is still yours!"

Lin Ying weakly nodded.

At this moment, even if you gave him a hundred thousand taels of gold, it wouldn’t be enough to encourage him to get up.

With Lin Ying’s awakening, his recovery pace was swift.

After Mr. Dong checked his pulse, he felt it was partly due to the Yunjian Grass’s effect and partly because Lin Ying usually trained diligently, so his physical foundation was good.

It was also the end stage of the autumn hunt, so the Crown Prince had arranged for horses and carriages in advance, hastily sending Lin Ying and others back to Shengjing City.

Meanwhile, in the Capital City, Mrs. Dong and Mrs. Feng, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were also extremely worried.

They had just received news that Lin Ying had walked through Ghost Gate.

Almost causing them to faint from fright.

Thus, when Lin Ying was carried through the door in a soft sedan by several people, they couldn’t help but gasp.

"Ying, how are you?"

"Grandmother and mother don’t need to worry; I’m much better."

"That’s good, that’s good, quickly go back to your room to rest, everything is ready."

"Hmm."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law feared the child was exhausted from the long and tiring journey.

So they didn’t say much more.

Once Lin Ying was settled and asleep in his room, they dared to inquire.

Lin Zong explained everything one by one; upon hearing about the confrontation with the black bear involving him and the Crown Prince, they were frightened, their backs cold from shock.

"Luckily, the Crown Princess took Yunjian Grass; otherwise, Big Brother would indeed be in danger this time."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Dong took a handkerchief to wipe tears from the corners of her eyes.

Her father had sent the medicine into the palace years ago, fearing unforeseen circumstances.

Through the past decade, it hadn’t been used.

Thus, everyone had somewhat forgotten it.

Thankfully, heaven was merciful.

Though injured, at least Ying and the Crown Prince were safe.

Otherwise, losing anyone would be unbearable for this family.

"Big Brother will have to recover at home these days, while I have to stay near the Crown Prince and may not come back every day. Please forgive me, Grandmother and Mother."

"Child, what are you saying? Your grandmother and mother only hope for your daily well-being."

"Exactly, the black bear incident is quite suspicious, and it may not be over. You must be careful while staying near the Crown Prince, protect him, and ensure your own safety, understand?"

Mrs. Feng wanted to persuade but was helpless as both of her sons had entered the Eastern Palace.

They enjoyed the glory, yet naturally had to endure the hardships.

No choice; this was fate.

Lin Zong nodded, solemnly agreeing.

Then he stood up and left, heading to the Eastern Palace.

He still had tasks to complete, and had to return early.

Watching Lin Zong hurriedly depart, Mrs. Dong and Mrs. Feng, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were also helpless.

After a slight sigh, they focused all their thoughts on caring for Lin Ying.

The Lin Mansion was quiet, providing Lin Ying space for recovery.

Outside, however, it was bustling.

Among the noble families with the right to choose a concubine, every household was using all their effort.

Although most people aimed for the Crown Princess Consort position,

others chose strategic retreat, intending to enter Prince Pei’s Mansion, Lin Family, or perhaps Rongchang Marquis Mansion and the Feng family.

Naturally, some focus on Prince Pei, while others on Prince Xiao (Sixth Prince).

However, he was still young and mostly stayed with the Fourth Prince in Huazhou.

So people in Shengjing City concentrated their attention on those in the Eastern Palace.

After all, if they couldn’t reach the Crown Prince, connecting with those around him wouldn’t be a bad path.

Thus, they became coveted individuals.

Every time on their way home, they felt they were being tracked or surveilled.