The steward in Huangfu Chi’s courtyard saw the Crown Prince’s discomposed appearance and didn’t dare to interrupt. Until the Crown Prince, with bloodshot eyes, asked in a deep voice, "Everyone in the Crown Prince Mansion has been confined, how did the Second Young Master appear outside?"

Everyone inside immediately knelt down.

Huangfu Chi’s personal guard cautiously said, "Young Master was troubled by the confinement in the mansion. He had originally arranged to drink at the Moon Full Building with someone and went quietly to not break the appointment."

"Moon Full Building?" The Crown Prince’s expression turned extremely grim.

The personal guard hurriedly continued, "Originally, Second Young Master brought me, and we were about to reach the Moon Full Building. But he said, considering everyone knew about the confinement, going out would surely attract gossip and unpleasantness. Instead, he decided to go to Man Ting Fang for flower wine. Upon reaching Man Ting Fang, he called for their three top courtesans. When they went to bed, he sent me out. When he didn’t rise early today, I thought he was exhausted from last night. It wasn’t until lunchtime that I found he was still absent, so I broke the door; the three courtesans were there, but the Young Master was gone."

Upon saying this, the personal guard swallowed; the scene on the bed when he broke the door was excessively revealing. Recalling last night, with the Young Master and the three courtesans, he found it amusing, believing the Young Master had merely gone to the toilet.

Later realizing something was wrong, more people were sent to search.

He didn’t even know when the Young Master disappeared.

Moreover, they searched all through Man Ting Fang without finding the Young Master, eventually locating him in an alley behind the side of the Crown Prince Mansion.

The personal guard looked ashen; as the Young Master’s guard, failing to protect him signaled impending doom.

"Who? Who dared to do this to my Chi’er?" the Crown Prince roared, filled with vengeful anger.

Huangfu Jing’s death in the Crown Prince Mansion was clear, and the Crown Prince believed killing Huangfu Jingchen avenged him. He had many sons, one deceased was not worth dwelling on, and was buried after three days of mourning!

But Huangfu Chi was different; he was still alive.

Having already lost one son, losing another was unthinkable!

Especially when he’s grown and can lend substantial help!

The steward finally seizing a chance anxiously spoke, "Your Highness, when changing the Second Young Master’s clothes, we discovered this on his chest."

The Crown Prince looked over; it was an envelope.

The Crown Prince snatched it up.

Although Huangfu Chi had been beaten to vomit blood, the envelope was clean.

The Crown Prince opened it.

There were just a few simple words:

"Does your heart ache?

The murder of a son, an irreconcilable vengeance!

Every day from now, will only bring you more pain!"

There was no signature.

But seeing these short twenty-odd words made his complexion even uglier. Clenching his teeth, he said, "Old Fifth! It’s Old Fifth after all!"

Each word louder, each more hateful, but gradually each became more timid.

The faint cowardice in his voice was hard to miss.

Steward Du Li instinctively felt something amiss, quietly reminding, "Your Highness, Prince Cheng is in Yunzhou. How could he possibly get the news so quickly? Even if he did, could he reach the Capital City so swiftly? Besides, a Vassal King cannot return to the capital without a royal decree. It’s unlikely him."

It’s only been a few days since the banquet in the Imperial Palace, just eight days.

From Yunzhou to the Capital City, even an express military report of eight hundred miles wouldn’t be this fast!

The Crown Prince, with a stern face, said, "Others cannot, but they can!"

Other Vassal Kings were cautious, fearing mistakes because they harbored aspirations for the Capital City, desires, and dreams. But Prince Cheng did not!

The mention of "they" instead of "he" startled the steward.

Could it be that both Prince Cheng and Concubine Cheng were in the Capital City?

If so, wouldn’t the Capital City become lively?

The incident within the Crown Prince Mansion happened last night, coincidentally the seventh day after Huangfu Jingchen’s death.

Previously mere speculation, combined with this timing now, it seemed likely the only possibility! Even if not Prince Cheng and his wife, certainly someone avenging Prince Cheng’s Heir.

The Crown Prince realized this as well, muttering, "The seventh day, Old Fifth choosing to exact revenge on this day, utterly infuriating!"

Du Li promptly said, "Your Highness, this is now our opportunity. Prince Cheng returned to the capital without a decree, lawless, committing arson and assault, causing chaos. Assaulting an Imperial Grandson, threatening the Crown Prince. Each accusation is a major crime, enough to punish him severely!"

The Crown Prince gave him a cold look, "Evidence?"

Du Li glanced at the letter in his hand, "Isn’t this white and black enough to be evidence?"

The Crown Prince gave a cold glance, saying, "Fool!"

Then the Imperial Physician arrived.

The Crown Prince, still worried about Huangfu Chi, allowed him in to thoroughly examine Huangfu Chi.

Those sent by the Crown Prince Mansion, hearing the Second Young Master was injured, naturally took it seriously; it was Dean Meng Zhang from the Imperial Hospital who came.

Meng Zhang took Huangfu Chi’s pulse and checked him over before saying to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, the Second Young Master’s primary injuries are external, but there is internal damage, the spleen is injured, and I will now set the bones for recovery!"

Dean Meng’s medical skills were excellent, diagnosising accurately; Huangfu Chi had three broken ribs, multiple dislocated joints, but with proper bone setting and rest, they could heal. However, injuries to bones and muscles take a hundred days; without rest for a year or two, he won’t fully recover.

Listening to the chilling sound of bone setting, watching Huangfu Chi wake from unconsciousness from pain, the Crown Prince’s fury burned higher, calling Du Li aside to instruct coldly, "Given the Second Young Master’s accident at Man Ting Fang, it’s unnecessary for it to remain, see to it!"

"But... the Crown Prince Mansion is under confinement..."

The Crown Prince’s cold gaze swept over him, prompting Du Li to immediately respond, "Yes!"

They were confined but that didn’t mean messages couldn’t get out, nor that they had no one outside to utilize.

Clearly, the Crown Prince intended to deploy those outside the mansion.

Du Li pondered, since His Highness suspected it was Prince Cheng’s doing, why not address Prince Cheng rather than Man Ting Fang?

Yet he dared not voice this thought, swiftly departing to handle it.

Meanwhile, Meng Zhang focused on setting Huangfu Chi’s bones; only by aligning the broken bones and properly resetting the dislocated joints could medicine be applied and rest permitted, else, even healed, crooked bones would render a person useless!

Huangfu Chi awoken by the pain cried out loudly, the courtyard resembling a pig slaughter.

In unbearable agony, he cursed Meng Zhang, "Quack, get out! I’ll have Father behead you!"