Forensic Imperial Concubine

Harper's eyebrows knitted. She tapped on the table as usual and Zack said nothing. He suspected that regular ways of
communication might expose the news. Whenever some important news came up, they always chose this way of
communication, because no one could decrypt their behaviors.
Zack translated Harper's message and memorized it. The army in the north domain was the most important part of their plan. If
the army in the north domain was in trouble, the Black Flag Army would have a hard time dealing with it on its own. Now the
forces in the court, under the leadership of Jason and Francis, were divided into two factions. The force that used to support the
deposed Felix had shrunk and soon, the hidden force of the court would be in the light.
"Your Highness, Lord Zack, we arrived at Prince Francis' mansion." Andy's voice came from outside the carriage. Harper and
Zack shared a look at each other. The latter then jumped down from the carriage and helped Harper get off.
"Let's check on Francis. He's always ill. It's rather worrying."
Harper thought Francis might have been poisoned again. He had been in and out of the palace, and it wasn't difficult for the
emperor to poison him there. Harper checked his pulse, but his condition was much worse than expected.
"Harper, how is His Highness?" Zack asked at once upon seeing her frown.
Harper shook her head and asked, "Where is Owen?"
"Your Highness, I'm here," Owen answered quickly.
"Tell me. What did he eat and what did he do recently?" Harper felt the situation rather tricky, and reproached Francis wildly in
mind. 'You bastard! It is difficult for me to detoxify you. It is also extremely hard to treat you and bring you back to normal. You
acted so carelessly, ruined all my efforts and almost got yourself killed.'
"My master didn't eat much and even had no appetite. He just read books, made some sugar figurines, and did nothing else.
Your Highness, please save my master's life," Owen pleaded in an innocent tone.
Harper was stressed. "Run to the palace at once and request His Majesty for the thousand-year-old Ganoderma."
"Your Highness, I'm afraid Ganoderma is too potent for Prince Francis' current condition. He is too weak now. I don't think his
body would endure its strong effect..." one of the imperial physicians said hesitantly

"Fine, then I'll leave him to you. Maybe you can come with a better idea to treat him." Harper moved away and the imperial
physician stepped back immediately. Without uttering another word, he sent someone to the Imperial Palace to get the
Ganoderma.
"Why do you all gather here? Do you have nothing else to do?" Harper asked in a soft voice, looking at the group of imperial
physicians standing behind her. "Go back to your respective homes if you have nothing else to do or say. Don't crowd here."
"Your Highness, we are here to help cure Prince Francis," said another imperial physician.
"Well, since you are all here to cure Francis, I believe he doesn't need my help anymore. I'll go back home then." Harper was
about to leave, but no one dared to let her leave. The physicians' survival depended on Francis' recovery. If anything happened
to Francis, then they too wouldn't survive.
"Your Highness, we will leave right now!" The imperial physician scurried out, afraid that it would be too late. They would be in
trouble if Francis was not treated properly.
Looking at the imperial physicians who were scrambling to leave, Harper disdained them. "When Francis' condition was good,
they all wanted to boast about their achievements, and when it was bad, they all ran faster than rabbits."
Hearing that, Zack laughed and covered his mouth. "They did nothing for Francis, but still were unwilling to leave. It just happens
that you are here. If anything happens to Francis, they would put the blame on you. But, if you cure him, they can take
advantage of it."
"Am I really that easy to be bullied?" As she spoke, Harper sat down on the bedside, took out a silver needle, and skillfully took
off Francis' clothes. Zack coughed as a reminder to Harper, but soon he realized that Francis was only a patient in her eyes, and
that there wasn't any distinction between a male and a female. He suddenly felt sympathy for Matthew. No wonder that every
time he mentioned Francis, Matthew got jealous.
Harper took out two small porcelain bottles from the medicine kit and put the needles in. Then, she administered the acupuncture
on Francis' body, while he was still in a coma. Halfway through the procedure, she felt something wrong suddenly. Francis' body
temperature was rising. She then measured the temperature on his forehead.
"He has a fever. That's not good." Harper had a serious look on her face. "Owen, quickly prepare some wine. I need it to rub his
body and relieve his fever."
"Yes, Your Highness."

Francis' condition was unsteady. Unable to continue with the procedure, she quickly pulled out all needles. Francis had been the
most troublesome patient in her entire career as a physician.
"Is he alright?" Zack asked worriedly.
"He was too weak and stressed recently. Thus, he got seriously ill." Seeing that Owen had brought the wine, Harper immediately
wiped Francis' body to help control his fever. "I will prescribe a fever-reducing decoction. You need to ask someone to prepare
the decoction and bring it here quickly."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Harper wrote the prescription and sent someone to collect the herbs and prepare it. In the meantime, Ganoderma was brought
from the Imperial Palace, but Harper didn't have time to deal with it.
The decoction was finally done. Harper was so tired with her efforts that she asked Owen to feed the decoction to Francis. But
Francis' teeth were tightly clenched and despite Owen's efforts, Francis didn't open his mouth to drink the decoction. With no
way out, Owen turned to Harper for help.
Harper glanced at Francis and took the bowl from Owen's hand. She had a sip to check the temperature. When she was sure
that it wouldn't burn Francis' throat, she pinched his nose and poured it down to his throat without hesitation. Francis coughed,
which made Owen's heart ache.
Zack touched his nose and realized how gentle Harper was to him. Though earlier he was once forced to take the medicine, she
was not as rude as she was just now!
"Is that all?" Zack asked.
"Just turning the fever down!" Holding the Ganoderma, Harper said viciously, "When he wakes up, tell him that he owes me a lot.
It's with a lot of effort that I got the precious saussurea involucrata, and now I will force it down his throat!"
Owen stepped back and hid behind a pillar. He seemed to be timid and didn't dare to offend Harper. Harper ignored him. She
took out the pills she had prepared from the saussurea involucrata and then fed one to Francis. "You owe me a lot now. I won't
hesitate to sell you for money if you don't wake up and pay me back!"
"Your Highness, please don't! I'm sure His Highness will pay you back," Owen promised.

Harper looked at Owen, who was hiding behind the pillar. Then she gave up and looked at Zack. "Zack, you can go back now.
His condition is unpredictable. I have to stay here and monitor his condition. Matthew will come to pick me up later."
Zack maintained his silence. When he came to Francis' mansion with Harper, he made a promise to Matthew that he would send
her back safe and sound. He said, "I'll wait for you. I promised His Highness that I'll send you back safely."
"Lord Zack." As soon as Zack finished, Andy walked in, which made Zack frown.
"What's up, Lord Andy?"
"There's a Cabinet meeting. Prince Jason and all other officials are waiting for you to join," Andy said cautiously. Although the
emperor had got much better these days, he grew more irritable. Thus, when he ordered all the officials of the Cabinet to have a
meeting, Andy dared not to neglect and immediately carried out the order.
"What?" Zack was surprised.
"Go ahead. I'll stay in Francis' mansion. Nothing bad will happen," Harper said.
"Well, I'll go to the palace to attend the meeting. After that, I'll be back to pick you up as soon as possible," Zack said, and then
went along with Andy.
Harper continued concentrating on Francis. Suddenly, a figure flashed by outside the window. Harper looked back, but saw no
one. She became suspicious.
"Fred," Harper called out.
"Yes, Your Highness.
"Tell Matthew that I'll come back home late. Ask him to pick me up a little later."
After a brief silence, Fred said, "Your Highness, His Highness has gone to the military camp. There is some emergency in the
camp. Should I go there and inform His Highness?"
"All right. When Francis' condition gets stabilized, we can go back by ourselves," Harper said, as she dissuaded Fred from
sending her message to Matthew. Just at that moment, Francis was having a fever again.

Francis' condition was abnormal. In normal circumstances, his fever should have already subdued. The pills and the physical
cooling method should have helped him.
Harper put her hand on Francis' forehead and said, "It's strange. How come I cannot control his fever?"
"Mother." Suddenly, Francis grabbed Harper's hand and held her in his arms. "Mother, I'm afraid. Please don't leave me." Harper
tried to pull her hand back.
But he was gripping her arm. She looked around and found that Owen had disappeared and only she and Francis were left in the
room.
"Francis, you're mistaken. I'm not your mother. Let go of me!"
However, Francis didn't let her go. Instead, he pushed her towards him and made her fall on his body. Francis held her arm
possessively and murmured, "Mother, they are not playing with me."
Looking at Francis, who was still unconscious, Harper kept her body a little away from him. She was immersed in various
thoughts about Francis. He had been feeble since he was five years old, and other princes and princesses didn't want to play
with him at all. He lived alone in his palace, and no one cared about him except his mother, Sherry, who visited him every day.
No friends, no childhood. All his childhood memories were about medicine, pain and the sickbed.
"Okay, I am not going. You can go to sleep. I'll be here with you." Francis was relieved after hearing her soft voice. He stretched
his brows, but was still grabbing her arms as if he was worried that she would disappear once he loosened his grip.