The Emperor first scolded Director Zhang, then ordered De An to fetch the elixir bottle.

Director Zhang’s expression turned unpleasant; did the Emperor mean that his skills were lacking? This was a slap in the face for someone who had spent decades researching medicine.

Though he seemed quite displeased with Director Zhang, the Emperor knew that Zhang’s medical skills were not poor.

If there really was an issue with the elixir, he would have guards and Hidden Guards bring the Tianji Taoist back.

Even though the Emperor greatly coveted the genuine Lifespan Extension Pill, he clearly sensed something off about Tianji Taoist’s timing for leaving this time. Therefore, he sent a guard to accompany him and dispatched three Hidden Guards to monitor him secretly.

If the Tianji Taoist showed any signs of running away, the Emperor would naturally not be courteous with him.

"Your Majesty, my skills are inadequate, so I suggest we seek top physicians among the common people to check your pulse!"

Director Zhang felt quite helpless; he was certain that the unusual pulse of the Emperor was due to the elixir. However, from the pulse analysis, he couldn’t diagnose anything wrong, so he might as well invite a physician from the masses.

The world is vast, rich with resources, and many talented individuals abound. Perhaps a doctor hiding in the countryside could identify the issue.

Gu Chengyu was moved upon hearing this. While his older brother, Gu Chengchi, was also a doctor, Gu Chengyu thought of Doctor Li first instead of his brother.

Although his brother had been studying medicine for several years, he was still relatively inexperienced. In contrast, Doctor Li’s skills were evidently exceptional, and he was not just a simple country doctor.

His gaze flickered across the Emperor’s face, and Gu Chengyu immediately dismissed his own thoughts.

It was not advisable to involve Doctor Li and his brother; getting entangled with the Royal Family was never a good thing, especially for someone like his fourth brother who was a commoner.

Moreover, Gu Chengyu had another concern. "Your Majesty, this is not appropriate! If word gets out among the common people that your health is failing, it will cause panic!"

"If uninformed folks start guessing wildly, spreading rumors, embellishing stories, it will encourage those with ill intentions to stir unrest. Then what?"

His fourth brother’s clinic was in the Capital, and Gu Chengyu did not want Gu Chengchi involved.

Besides, he spoke truthfully. Should those with ulterior motives learn that the Emperor had a serious illness, it would certainly trigger trouble.

Although the Crown Prince was now overseeing state affairs, the Emperor had not fully delegated his power, making actions cumbersome and inconvenient.

Therefore, before the Emperor’s health improved, maintaining the stability of the court was of utmost importance.

"But now the Emperor’s health must be prioritized; if collective wisdom is not sought, I have little confidence in curing the Emperor."

At this point, Director Zhang had no choice but to express his true thoughts.

If the Emperor faced any mishaps, how could he, as the official diagnosing the Emperor’s pulse regularly, bear that responsibility? It would be hard to avoid being buried along with him.

"Your Majesty! To prevent this matter from leaking out, why not temporarily confine all these doctors together? Once Your Majesty recovers, release them. What do you think?"

After thinking for a moment, De An finally came up with a good idea.

He couldn’t care about the doctors’ lives now; the Emperor’s well-being was the priority.

Gu Chengyu frowned, realizing that De An’s idea was actually the best approach. But people are selfish; he didn’t want his fourth brother and Doctor Li exposed to danger.

Over the past two years, his fourth brother’s clinic in the Capital had gained some fame, and many patients came seeking treatment.

Seeing the Emperor inclined towards this proposal, Gu Chengyu thought it likely that his fourth brother would be selected and brought into the Imperial Palace.

Gu Chengyu needed to urgently inform his fourth brother to close the clinic for a few days and go elsewhere for a while. Worried, Gu Chengyu realized the Emperor had indeed nodded his approval.

With this, Gu Chengyu lost interest in discussing matters and withdrew from Chengqian Palace.

Leaving the Imperial Palace, Gu Chengyu hurriedly headed toward the Hanlin Academy, deep in thought.

Only halfway did he recall that he had been transferred to Dali Temple, which made him laugh at his oversight.

"Sir! Lord Kuang has returned." As soon as Gu Chengyu entered the house, Yun Zemin stepped forward to report.

Gu Chengyu raised an eyebrow, calculating the hour; he had just visited the Eastern Palace and then Chengqian Palace, and it was probably time for dismissal.

He hadn’t seen Kuang Zhao Ying at the Eastern Palace, unsure if this was a deliberate snub or simply due to being too busy.

"More than an hour ago, Left Temple Minister Mr. Peng and Right Temple Minister Lord Jiang visited you. But you were not back, so they waited for about fifteen minutes before leaving, saying they’d come back tomorrow!"

Yun Zemin followed Gu Chengyu, swiftly offering him a cup of tea.

Hearing this, Gu Chengyu curled his lips in disdain; those people must have heard about the Crown Prince and Emperor summoning him and came to visit because of it?

They were foolish, as surely given his rate of promotion, he wouldn’t be out of favor with the Emperor, at least not for now.

Such a blatant show of intent was, frankly, disgraceful.

"Is Lord Kuang still at Dali Temple?" Gu Chengyu sipped his tea, realizing that despite Kuang Zhao Ying’s arrogance, he still needs to pay his respects.

This wasn’t servility; it’s because Kuang Zhao Ying held a senior position over him. A high-ranking official can pressure a subordinate, and working under someone requires tact and respect.

Kuang Zhao Ying could act without courtesy, but Gu Chengyu must abide by protocol and avoid mistakes.

"I just went to check; he is still there!"

Gu Chengyu nodded. "I shall first pay my respects to Lord Kuang!"

By 3:45 PM, Gu Wanqian had arrived in front of a small courtyard.

The courtyard was formerly rented by a tofu seller family, but they recently returned to the countryside, prompting the owners to rent it out to someone else.

Gu Wanqian approached and knocked on the door using the agreed signal; after only a few breaths, the gate was opened, and Gu Wanqian was quickly pulled inside by the person within.

He was led into the main room and was startled by the number of people present.

Before he could get a good look, the people immediately bowed. "We pay our respects to the Young Master!"

Having yet to be recognized officially, he was still addressed as Young Master.

Gu Wanqian was taken aback; he had traveled widely in recent years and gained quite a bit of experience. Otherwise, faced with such a scene, he would have been at a complete loss.

"Young Master! The Master has searched for you for eighteen years and has finally found you!" An elderly man spoke, excitedly stepping forward to assess Gu Wanqian before speaking emotionally.

"Had it not been for some issues along the way, we would have reached the Capital long ago!"

The Map Master’s eyes gleamed; the boy resembled the Empress more, not possessing obvious high-nose features of Da Xing people.

Gu Wanqian was thoroughly confused; wasn’t he supposed to be descended from the Imperial Family? They said the Empress who bore him had already passed away, so who then was this Master they mentioned?