Although the palace maids and eunuchs of Fenghua Palace were initially too afraid to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau, they still yielded under Ethan Foster's almost murderous gaze. No one knew exactly what had happened to this frail and sickly prince, but one thing was certain: the Seventh Prince had changed. This realization made everyone much more cautious. Although Ethan Foster was a prince who was not highly regarded, the difference in status still gave him absolute power over life and death within Fenghua Palace. The dignity he now displayed was already worthy of his noble birth.

Dr. Brooks had no idea what had actually happened in Fenghua Palace. Ethan Foster's illness was clearly no longer a serious concern, so why was he being summoned in person? The little eunuch leading the way was obviously terrified, unable even to speak clearly. He shook his head slowly—forget it, no point in thinking about it. If it’s a blessing, it’s a blessing; if it’s a curse, you can’t escape it. Better to leave it to fate.

The little eunuch did not lead Dr. Brooks to the prince’s usual bedchamber, but instead brought him to a side room, only then signaling for him to enter. As he stepped through the door, Dr. Brooks saw Ethan Foster's calm face, and his heart involuntarily skipped a beat. He had never seen such a scene before—why did he actually feel a bit afraid? After kneeling to pay his respects, he finally noticed, on the bed behind Ethan Foster, a familiar young girl in red lying there. “What happened to Emily Clark?” Dr. Brooks blurted out. Over the past three years, this clever girl had left a deep impression on him, as considerate as his own daughter. Now, seeing her like this, his heart ached.

“Dr. Brooks, Emily Clark's injuries shouldn’t have been treated by you,” Ethan Foster glanced at the unconscious Emily Clark, the pity in his eyes unmistakable, “but since her injuries were caused because of me, I must trouble you. The same goes for Grace. Both of them suffered external injuries. Although this is not your specialty, I still ask you to do your best. In this palace, besides you, probably no one else would care about the fate of Fenghua Palace.”

These were words that the old Ethan Foster would never have spoken. Dr. Brooks knew that the troubled prince used to keep everything bottled up, never saying much to anyone. Now, hearing such words, he had to accept the fact that the Seventh Prince had truly changed—a great deal, in fact. In the past, when the wet nurse who had served him for over a decade passed away, he had only said, without a trace of emotion, “Someday I’ll go to accompany you too,” not shedding a single tear. But now, he had summoned him for Emily Clark… Forcing these chaotic thoughts from his mind, Dr. Brooks began his diagnosis.

Although he was already old enough to be the father of two girls, facing two beautiful young women, Dr. Brooks still felt a trace of inappropriate thoughts. Lifting the inner garment, even he, usually so composed, found the sight unbearable—bruises and welts covered the area between the thighs, the wounds completely untreated, bloodstains everywhere. Grace's condition was even more serious than Emily Clark's. Because her cries for mercy during the beating had been so desperate, the eunuchs administering the punishment had been especially ruthless, and she had not regained consciousness since.

Seeing Dr. Brooks's grave expression, Ethan Foster's heart tightened. “Your Highness, their injuries are quite severe, and since they weren’t treated in time, I’m afraid…” Dr. Brooks looked as if he wanted to say more but hesitated. “In any case, I will do my best!” he said through gritted teeth. It seemed he would have to offend some powerful people this time.

In the days that followed, Fenghua Palace was thrown into chaos. To treat the injuries of Emily Clark and Grace, all the palace maids and eunuchs were set into motion under Ethan Foster's strict orders. Such a commotion naturally caught the attention of Noble Consort Yu of Lingbo Palace, but she had no time to quarrel with this son she had never liked, not over two palace maids. Her mind was entirely occupied with her elder brother’s promotion, and thus a storm was averted.

Emily Clark finally woke up three days later. Perhaps because she was physically stronger, she regained consciousness before Grace. The moment she opened her eyes, she realized she was no longer in that dark little room, but in the familiar prince’s bedchamber. This realization left her flustered and at a loss.

“You’re finally awake.” That familiar voice by her ear made her whole body tremble. “If you keep lying there, Fenghua Palace might just die forever.” Ethan Foster's haggard face showed he hadn’t slept well these past few days.

“Your Highness!” Emily Clark had never felt so fragile. “You…”

“Don’t say anything!” Ethan Foster said a bit domineeringly. “Getting well is the most important thing! I still have many things that need your help, so you must recover as soon as possible!”

Watching Ethan Foster’s departing figure, Emily Clark felt a strange emotion arise. The young man before her was so gentle. She knew it was a feeling of home—a feeling she could never experience in the palace. She, a humble palace maid, was actually being treated so sincerely by a prince. She wondered how many lifetimes of good fortune it had taken to deserve this.