Li Chengqian nodded in strong agreement.
Whether Li Shimin liked him as a son or not, he was the rightful Crown Prince, and Li Shimin had to maintain the Crown Prince’s dignity. Even if Ran Yan’s medical skills were mediocre, as long as an edict was issued for her to consult with the Imperial Physician, it would be considered giving face to the Crown Prince.
Li Shimin was not a careless person. If he truly neglected this matter, it would show that he no longer regarded the Crown Prince with importance.
"That is exactly why I am unsettled," Li Chengqian sighed.
Liu Pinrang knew that Prince Wei and Prince Wu were far more outstanding than the Crown Prince. Prince Wu, Li Ke, hardly ever deliberately ingratiated himself with the Emperor, but he was a man of action. No matter what he was like behind closed doors, in public, whether handling big issues or small matters, or in terms of personal integrity, he had the grand demeanor of a monarch.
At the age of seventeen, Li Ke had ventured alone into enemy territory to negotiate, resolving a military stalemate without bloodshed. At that time, he walked with such ease among the tens of thousands of enemy troops that a single arrow won their awe and respect. Such poise and spirit captivated both the enemy and the people of Great Tang.
As for Li Tai, he was brilliantly literate, knowledgeable in classics and history, and highly proficient in poetry and painting. Gentle and elegant in demeanor, he had been exceedingly filial from a young age, revered above all other princes.
In contrast, Li Chengqian seemed much less luminous. His glory days were all before the age of eighteen. When Li Shimin led campaigns himself, Li Chengqian managed state affairs very appropriately; control of the situation came naturally to him, even at a young age. Perhaps due to his mischievous nature, he was outwardly respectful but rebellious in secret, gradually losing dignity, up to the present, indulgent in pleasures and weary of state affairs. Aside from Li Shimin, Chancellor Zhangsun Wuji was probably the most disappointed.
"After all, Your Highness is the legitimate eldest son, the rightful Crown Prince. Until the Emperor makes a decision, if Your Highness is diligent and determined to govern well, the Emperor will surely not reject you," said Liu Pinrang. Although he had long understood the Crown Prince’s character, he had just been reassigned and it was not appropriate for him to advise further. After saying just that, he swiftly changed the subject, "Actually, there is a reason I have not yet recommended Pharmacist Su to Your Highness."
"Oh?" Li Chengqian was preoccupied with this matter and, upon hearing Liu Pinrang bring it up, he raised an eyebrow slightly, "Do tell."
Leaning forward, Liu Pinrang lowered his voice, "Pharmacist Su’s mother is a Hu lady, and Pharmacist Su himself is quite mysterious. There have been rumors that he was once an assassin. This claim can’t be verified, and if we rashly get involved, it may be detrimental to Your Highness. It would be safer to stick with Lady Xian Liang, even if her medical skills are not as miraculous as rumors suggest. The Emperor understands Your Highness’s affectionate concern for Princess Jinyang."
Li Chengqian’s eyes gleamed slightly before flashing with a sharp intensity, his thin lips pursing.
If he could expose Su Fu’s true identity, even if he couldn’t completely bring down Li Tai, he would certainly be able to deal him a heavy blow. Li Chengqian stared at the shadow of the grid window on the floor, the corner of his mouth lifting in anticipation.
The summer in Chang’an was exceptionally hot, with few pedestrians on the streets. The stifling noon sun made it feel like entering a steaming cage; only by staying in a room with ice could one slightly alleviate the heat.
Ran Yan was wearing a white folded cloth underdress, covered by a sheer overgarment as thin as cicada wings. The ancient craftsmanship was truly astonishing; the gauze was so thin that one could clearly see the texture of the skin beneath. However, Ran Yan could not understand why, if everything could be seen through it, one would bother wearing it at all.
Ran Yan lay on the mat, stiff as a corpse, finding the saying ’a calm heart is naturally cool’ to be perfectly true—the more tranquil the heart, the cooler it felt, with stillness being the coolest.
Those who really felt the heat wished they could die.
In the following days, the weather in Chang’an seemed determined to heat up until a few people died from it, with the temperature climbing higher and higher, causing heatstroke cases by the dozen, bringing indeed quite a bit of business to the medical halls.
Ran Yan, being someone who usually stayed in air-conditioned rooms, unsurprisingly suffered from heatstroke. Fortunately, she was a doctor herself. Through various means, she alleviated her condition, and it had not yet reached the point of unconsciousness, but her whole body felt weak as if her head was about to burst. Xiao Song attentively took care of her for six days.
Finally, a downpour quenched the heatwave. When the rain first fell, it felt like dropping onto a hot iron plate, sizzling and raising white steam. All of Chang’an was shrouded in a warm misty veil of rain.
The heavy rain lasted all day, and by evening, the temperature had just barely dropped, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Only Xiao Song’s brow furrowed...
A few days ago, the imperial court had closed for a heat holiday, and even the Ministry of Criminal Justice was no exception. Coincidentally, his period of mourning would end tomorrow, and those piled-up cases ah! The very thought gave him a headache.