"Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" As soon as Serena Feng entered, she saw the Emperor seated at the head, with the Crown Prince and Adrian Dongling flanking him on the left and right.
The worry on the Emperor's face was genuine—far deeper than when Prince Rowan was injured. Serena lowered her head, hiding the scorn and contempt in her eyes from everyone.
"No need for formalities. Serena Feng, I order you: you must cure Young Master Liam. There can be no mistakes." The Emperor was blunt, wasting no words and making no calculations with Liam's life.
Yet precisely because of this, Serena felt all the more pity for Prince Rowan and the others. She was certain that if the Emperor's son's value ever fell below that of a tool, he would choose to keep the tool.
After all, the Emperor had plenty of sons, but talents like Liam were rare.
"I accept the order," Serena replied firmly, showing no sign of evasion. Her slightly trembling body betrayed a hint of carefully staged anxiety.
Prince Rowan's breath caught. Remembering how Serena had once saved him with her own blood, he feared she might use such drastic measures again. He stepped forward to plead her case: "Father, even the Imperial physicians have failed. Serena is just a young woman—her medical skills, though excellent, have their limits."
Huh? Serena glanced up, puzzled.
When did Prince Rowan start treating her so well? He was actually speaking up for her now, even though she'd refused to become his side-consort last time. Hadn't she offended him?
"What? Are you worried your father will punish Serena?" The Emperor had high hopes for Prince Rowan, but recent events had left him increasingly disappointed.
This son was excellent—just far too sentimental. In the eyes of an emperor, women weren’t even tools for carrying on the bloodline. Women were amusements used to bind officials, and to develop feelings for amusements was sheer folly.
"I only hope Miss Feng won't be too anxious," Prince Rowan said. "After all, Young Master Liam's life is of great importance. If Miss Feng can treat him with a calm heart, she'll have a better chance of success." His words were partly selfish, but his reasoning was sound—a doctor who is too tense is prone to mistakes.
The Emperor nodded. "That makes sense. Serena, just do your best."
"I accept the command." Serena’s tone grew lighter, as if she’d just breathed a sigh of relief. But only she knew that nervousness was nowhere near her today.
With Lance Quinn having tipped her off in advance, Serena was completely confident about 'treating' Liam.
Liam hadn’t been anywhere near the blast center. And as Lance Quinn had said, Liam was even wearing a blast-resistant suit. No wounds meant the explosion hadn’t touched him—the only ones who suffered were the maids and eunuchs of Serene Hall.
Hmph... Isn’t he supposed to be from the modern world, where everyone is equal? But when it comes to life and death, he still throws the innocent under the bus.
So what if he was raised with the rule of law? Selfishness is human nature, and Serena Feng has never bothered to hide that fact about herself.
Led by a palace maid, Serena stepped into the inner hall. The windows and doors were shut tight, and the room was packed with maids and imperial physicians. As she entered, a wave of stuffy heat hit her.
"Serena Feng, you’re finally here! Hurry, come see what’s wrong with this young man!" Sun Zhengdao, aware that the Imperial Medical Directorate staff disliked Serena, stepped forward to greet her as soon as she arrived.
Even the dignified head of the Imperial Medical Directorate greeted her warmly. No matter how much the other physicians disliked Serena, they had to step forward and pay their respects.
Offending Serena Feng was one thing, but offending the Director was sheer folly. If he decided to make things difficult for them, it could cost them their lives.
Serena wore a sincere, humble expression as she greeted everyone. Hearing their compliments, she repeatedly insisted she was unworthy, keeping her posture modest. After listening to their diagnoses, she responded as if she’d learned a great deal, and didn’t forget to return a few compliments herself.
In truth, medicine is a field that values seniority. Among these imperial physicians, Serena was definitely a junior, so her respectful attitude was appropriate.
In the past, she’d wanted to be respectful too, but no one had ever cared about a powerless orphan. Only by showing pride could she avoid being trampled.
But now her status was different. With William Wang’s fame soaring after his return to Eastlyn, Serena had become one of the hottest figures in the capital.
She now had every reason to be proud, but instead she couldn’t afford to be. If she acted arrogant like before, people would accuse her of bullying with borrowed power. The higher you stand, the more humility is required—this rule applies everywhere.
When you’re as lowly as dust, your humility is called cheap; your flattery is called groveling. But when you’re high above, humility is seen as magnanimity, and flattery as good breeding.
The same action produces different results depending on who does it.
Serena’s low profile won over the imperial physicians. With no one wanting to offend her, the discussion of Liam’s condition went smoothly, without any malice or concealment.
Sun Zhengdao nodded with satisfaction. He had always admired Serena Feng’s clear-headedness—she always knew her place and what could and couldn’t be done.
Serena might seem socially awkward at first, but once you got to know her, you’d realize her methods were extremely deft. She always knew how to present herself and what to say to whom.
She was proud and aloof, but never flaunted it. When arrogance was called for, she was utterly unyielding; but when it was time to bow her head, she could do that too. This ability to read the situation and bend or stand tall as needed was something even most men couldn’t manage.
Having Sun Sihang apprentice under Serena Feng wasn’t just about medical skill. Sun Zhengdao hoped his protégé would learn Serena’s approach to life—how to be smooth and adaptable, and not always act like a clueless physician.
With Lance Quinn’s intelligence and the imperial physicians’ diagnoses, Serena was increasingly certain: Liam was faking it, pretending to be a living corpse.
Serena’s brows lifted slightly, but her face remained serious, exuding a subtle air of rigor, confidence, and professionalism. This bearing made the imperial physicians even more satisfied with her.
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She was a promising talent—given time, she would surely achieve great things. Ahem... Of course, none of the imperial physicians would ever admit that Serena already had the bearing of a famous doctor.
"So, it seems Young Master Liam is in a state of pseudo-death." Serena stepped forward to check his pulse, then summarized the imperial physicians’ diagnosis.
"Exactly. We’re certain Young Master Liam is in pseudo-death. We heard you once revived Leon Su from such a state in the morgue, which is why you were called here. We hope you can use the same method to bring Young Master Liam back."
The speaker was an elderly physician with a white beard. Judging by his status, he spoke with an unmistakably commanding tone.
Serena glanced at Liam, looking troubled. "Leon Su’s case was different from Young Master Liam’s. I doubt the same method will work."
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" The old physician didn’t know what had happened in the morgue—he only knew Serena had revived Leon Su from pseudo-death and assumed Liam’s case was the same.
Serena didn’t answer directly. Instead, she bowed slightly to the physicians and respectfully said, "Gentlemen, this room is stifling and noisy—hardly good for Young Master Liam’s health. Why don’t we step outside to discuss treatment?"
No way was she going to explain her plan in front of Liam. If she did, he’d drop the act and leap off the bed in a heartbeat.
"Serena’s right. Young Master Liam needs quiet rest." Sun Zhengdao, unaware of Serena’s true intentions, nonetheless supported her suggestion.
The few physicians who’d been dissatisfied fell silent after Sun Zhengdao spoke.
Just as everyone stepped out, a eunuch arrived: "His Majesty requests all physicians to report to the hall and discuss Young Master Liam’s condition before him. He wishes to hear your proposed treatments."
The Emperor’s concern for Liam was second only to his concern for himself.
But Liam had produced nothing—just acted like a living corpse. How could the Emperor be satisfied with that?
The Emperor still hadn’t discovered who was behind all this, and with Southern Lyn, Lyndaria, and Northlyn eyeing Eastlyn like wolves, his anxiety only grew.
He secretly resolved: once Liam woke, he would use every means to force out the secret of making thunder-blast grenades, then kill him to ensure Liam and his knowledge never fell into enemy hands.
Serena hid a smile. Heaven itself seemed to be helping her—no matter how loudly they discussed things in the outer hall, Liam wouldn’t hear a word.
"Greetings, Your Majesty…" Serena obediently knelt at the back of the group.
After the Emperor told the physicians to rise, he asked, "Well? What’s the diagnosis?"
"Your Majesty, according to our diagnosis, Young Master Liam is in pseudo-death," Sun Zhengdao replied for the group.
Standing at the back, Serena kept silent. Only she knew that Sun Zhengdao’s diagnosis was completely wrong.
Pseudo-death looked almost identical to real death: breathing and heartbeat were nearly undetectable. But Liam’s case was nothing like that.
Liam’s breathing and heartbeat, though weak, were easy enough to find. Anyone with basic medical knowledge wouldn’t think he was dead. If Serena hadn’t known he was faking, her diagnosis would have been deep coma.
Still, Serena understood why the imperial physicians did it. By exaggerating the severity, any cure would look more miraculous, and if they failed, the blame would be smaller—after all, the illness was too grave.
"Do any of you have a cure?" The Emperor’s gaze landed on Serena.
Everyone present knew Serena had once revived Leon Su from pseudo-death. With Liam in a similar state, they assumed she’d have a solution.
The other physicians parted to make way for Serena. Without any fuss, she stepped forward from the back. "Your Majesty, Young Master Liam’s case is different from Leon Su’s. The same method won’t work."
"Different? How so?" The Emperor looked genuinely interested, but Serena knew this was his way of showing trust—he wanted her not to let him down.
But she was destined to betray that trust. The Emperor had summoned her to treat Liam, and there was no way she’d let such a golden opportunity slip by. Liam was unlucky to have crossed paths with Serena Feng.
Liam, let’s see who wins today—will you fool me, or will I ruin you first?