Following the nocturnal meeting in the side room, Lin De Hall and even the entire palace descended into an eerie calm. The Imperial Medical Office Administrator swiftly tidied up the herb storerooms, disposing of several low-ranking clerks responsible for procurement and vague record-keeping related to the Eastern Palace medication, publicly announcing this as "a strict investigation of negligence and rectification of discipline." The news from the Eastern Palace remained tepid: "His Highness requires quiet convalescence," yet the frequency of physician visits seemed to have decreased.
The center of the storm was ironically a deadly calm.
Ling Zhao knew this was the oppressive stillness before the tempest. The Administrator's rectification was merely throwing out a few scapegoats to appease potential doubts; the true source of the poison remained hidden. Xiao Jin's condition had likely seen no fundamental improvement.
He continued his daily, monotonous work organizing the seemingly endless piles of old papers in Lin De Hall, his expression focused, as if he were oblivious to the outside world. Only he knew that the "Gold Needle Salvation" acupuncture method, along with the "Ling Tai" and "Shen Que" acupoints Physician Hu had mentioned, had been rehearsed thousands of times in his mind. In the dead of night, he had even used sharpened bamboo splinters to practice extremely light attempts on a few non-fatal acupoints on himself, to familiarize himself with the sensation and control of the needle's force.
This body was too weak. While his mental power could perceive things precisely, converting that into the stability and strength needed for actual needling still required practice. Every simulation was accompanied by subtle pricks of pain and minor disruption of his blood and qi, but he paid no attention.
Time was running out. Preparations for the Autumn Hunt Ceremony had entered their final stage, and the palace atmosphere grew increasingly tense. He could feel the mental fluctuation emanating from the Eastern Palace becoming more and more unstable, sometimes like a volcano about to erupt, full of violence and mania, and sometimes as weak as a candle flickering in the wind.
Xiao Luzi had not appeared again, and Eunuch Sun seemed to have vanished. The Eastern Palace's connection to the outside world appeared to be deliberately severed by an invisible hand.
He must find a way to get in!
A direct forced entry was the worst possible strategy, tantamount to walking into a trap. He needed a reasonable excuse that wouldn't arouse too much suspicion.
The opportunity arrived in an unexpected manner.
On this day, Steward Qian called him over, his face more haggard than usual, with heavy dark circles under his eyes.
"Lin Zhao," Steward Qian rubbed his forehead, his voice weary. "The main renovation of Lin De Hall is nearing its end, but the detailed ornamentation on several key caisson ceilings inside the hall needs final tracing and completion, based on the former dynasty's schematic drawings. It is said that a portion of the residual drawings… were collected and stored in the 'Thought-Recollecting Study' (Tuisi Zhai) storeroom on the Eastern Palace side, during the clean-up of the Crown Prince's old possessions."
He paused, looking at Ling Zhao: "The higher-ups specifically requested those drawings. But this errand… no one is willing to take it." Fear flickered in Steward Qian's eyes. The Eastern Palace was now a place everyone avoided like bad luck, let alone retrieving old items possibly connected to the 'Witchcraft Case.'
Ling Zhao's heart stirred, but he displayed a look of apprehension: "The Eastern Palace… I am of low status, how can I enter? Furthermore…"
"Grand Eunuch Sun has already been notified," Steward Qian interrupted him impatiently, handing over an official document stamped with the seals of the Internal Affairs Department and the Eastern Palace. "You just go, retrieve the drawings and return. Don't look around, don't ask questions, and absolutely do not linger!" He emphasized the words "don't ask questions" heavily.
Ling Zhao took the document. As his fingertips touched the cold Eastern Palace seal, an extremely subtle, familiar sense of Yin coldness transmitted from the seal, giving his spirit a slight jolt. Was it Xiao Jin? Or Eunuch Sun? Was this a trap, or… the last signal sent by Xiao Jin before his sanity completely faded?
"This humble one… obeys the order." Ling Zhao lowered his head, concealing the sharpness in his eyes.
The Thought-Recollecting Study was located in the most secluded northwest corner of the Eastern Palace, a forgotten courtyard used for storing old discarded items. The security here was relatively lax, with only two listless old eunuchs guarding the gate.
Ling Zhao presented the official document. The two old eunuchs verified it and waved him in, not even bothering to escort him, clearly unconcerne