Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 495 - 494: Great Priest Mansion

"If the Prince were to ask me, my opinion is indeed the same." Yan Daoxin remained indifferent, just as he had been these past days, rarely giving King Fan a decent expression, "In my view, that can hardly be called a tonic elixir. The malice in the medicine is so severe it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s meant to summon spirits from Yama Hall."

King Fan probably didn’t expect Yan Daoxin to speak so bluntly. After a brief silence, he sighed: "To be honest with the Divine Doctor, in terms of medical skill, no one in our Fan Country surpasses the High Priest.

For so many years, I’ve held great trust and regard for the High Priest, and he has earned considerable prestige both up and down the hierarchy.

Now, all of a sudden, to hear that the elixir he prepared for me caused my current condition, especially coming from a foreign Wandering Divine Doctor...

Of course, I trust the Divine Doctor. After all, the decoctions you’ve been preparing for me and the daily acupuncture treatments have made me feel increasingly revitalized.

But... what about those outside? Many of them hold a deep trust in the High Priest, yet haven’t had any dealings with you, Divine Doctor.

So, I find myself in a difficult position. If I were to send subordinates to ask the High Priest to come out of seclusion for an explanation, I’m afraid those deeply connected might tip him off, allowing them to conspire in advance..."

"If I were to let my two attendants visit the High Priest, it would, firstly, be inappropriate, and secondly, make people suspect that the Prince has found new favorites, trying to replace the old with some excuse." Yan Daoxin glanced at King Fan, pulling out the few hair-thin silver needles from his head and packing them back into his cloth pouch, "Did I just complete the words Prince was hesitant to express?"

King Fan smiled, neither admitting nor denying, and only said, "The Divine Doctor doesn’t seem like someone who likes to meddle in worldly affairs, so I refrain from speaking too plainly to avoid putting you in a difficult position.

But if the Divine Doctor feels weary from wandering and seeks a place to rest temporarily, I’d be happy to offer refuge.

Although our Fan land isn’t a bountiful place, I can assure you there are rare medicinal herbs and exotic plants you won’t find elsewhere.

As for mundane things like gold and silver, they’re hardly worth mentioning."

Yan Daoxin smiled faintly, nodding in understanding, "Since the Prince has spoken so sincerely, I must reciprocate in kind.

How about this: I have a plan that could achieve two goals at once. Let me propose it, and see if it pleases the Prince."

"I’m all ears." King Fan saw Yan Daoxin was quite perceptive, and his expression showed a hint of satisfaction.

"How about the Prince arranges for trustworthy personnel to go with my junior fellow apprentice, to bring the High Priest over for questioning?" Yan Daoxin turned to look outside the bedchamber, "The junior fellow apprentice who came with me that day, the Prince has met him.

He is different from me. While I’m obsessed with medical skills and herbs, he’s adept in both medicine and martial arts, and he has grown up with me, sharing the same heart.

This way, there’s no need for the Prince to worry about the High Priest causing any disturbances, nor concern that those sent might have personal ties with him, making them reluctant to disturb his seclusion or conspire in advance.

As for whether there’s anything amiss with the High Priest, the Prince can determine for yourself once he’s brought over, and others have no right to intervene."

This proposal clearly satisfied King Fan, as he deliberated for a moment, then called for a few of his confidants, all sturdy protectors dressed in authoritative attire, clearly well-fed and sheltered in the Prince Mansion, unlike the ordinary citizens of Fan Country.

"You, accompany the Divine Doctor’s junior fellow apprentice to the Great Priest Mansion and invite the High Priest over, stating that I have important matters to discuss and he mustn’t refuse, and should come promptly." King Fan instructed the men.

It was unclear whether these men were routinely obedient to King Fan, or if, in recent days, any suspected of divided loyalty had met swift ends, thus imparting a serious lesson.

Once King Fan finished speaking, these burly men immediately responded decisively, turned, and went to find Lu Qing and the others.

Yan Daoxin remained in the Prince Mansion while Lu Qing, accompanied by Zhu Yu and Fu Lu talisman, followed the protectors out of Fanwang Mansion, heading straight for the Great Priest Mansion.

In the past, perhaps Zhu Yu would have been left in the Prince Mansion with Yan Daoxin, but after the unexpected incident at Little Mountain Building, Lu Qing preferred to keep her by his side no matter what.

Among the few people, Zhu Yu was the smallest in stature, and she had to walk briskly, following closely behind Lu Qing, step by step.

The further they walked, the more familiar the route felt to her, as if it was a place she had wandered through the day after arriving in the capital city.

This familiar sensation persisted until the burly men led them into a narrow alley, confirming Zhu Yu’s suspicion that they had indeed been here before!

Back then, they had arrived, finding the alley seemingly unremarkable, but upon venturing inside, quickly felt as if they were being watched, and the sensation intensified the further they went, prompting them to backtrack to avoid trouble.

Judging by this setup, it seemed the Great Priest Mansion truly was located here!

Those feelings of being watched made sense now—it was a place not meant for casual visits, and due to its status, it couldn’t be guarded as openly as the King Fan did by ordering tight security at the entrance, so they resorted to more discreet surveillance.

Indeed, despite being led by the Prince Mansion’s protectors, they hadn’t walked halfway through the alley when a figure leapt over from inside a wall.

When the figure landed and stood steadily, Zhu Yu saw that it was a young lad looking about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in simple white narrow-sleeve attire with a child’s top knot on his head.

The boy raised his arm to block their path, and said to the protector in front of him, "The High Priest is in seclusion, no one is allowed to disturb!"

The protector ignored him, simply shoving the boy aside with a strong hand.

Zhu Yu expected him to possess surprising martial skills, but to her amazement, the protector’s shove sent him crashing into the wall, the impact alone enough to make anyone feel the pain.

The boy was instantly dizzy from the collision, collapsing to the ground, and the protectors paid him no heed, merely marching on.

Quickly, Zhu Yu hurried to follow Lu Qing and the others.

A few steps further in, another boy, similarly dressed, emerged from behind the wall, appearing even younger than the first, blocking their way and repeating the same words: "The High Priest is in seclusion, no one is allowed to disturb!"

Predictably, before the boy could finish speaking, the advancing protector gave him a strong push, causing the boy to fall backwards, rolling twice on the ground before lying still, possibly unconscious.