Chapter 494 Take the Bait
The palace was buzzing with people, but inside the hall, there was only the sound of sizzling barbecue. The noble princes and princesses, who usually indulged in delicacies, now watched intently as Catherine enjoyed the barbecue in front of her. It was truly tempting and mouth-watering.
Catherine leisurely leaned back on the soft chair specially prepared for her by the king, holding a fork in one hand and eating barbecue while administering injections to the patients beside her with the other hand. Sometimes, without even looking, she could insert the needle into the correct acupuncture points of the patients.
Despite Catherine’s arrogant attitude, no one dared to question her. After all, she even dared to scold Queen Lina.
Who would dare to provoke her?
The princes who had received the acupuncture treatment looked refreshed and rejuvenated. It was unclear whether Catherine’s medical skills were truly remarkable or if there was a psychological factor at play.
These princes spread the word about Catherine’s miraculous healing abilities. They said she could cure strange illnesses with ease. The news spread quickly, and soon, the entire palace knew about it.
Outside the hall, a servant named Adams observed the flushed faces of the princes as they came out after receiving the acupuncture treatment. He furrowed his brow.
Adams was a lowly and inconspicuous servant in the palace. He had been observing everything for a long time. The fact that every prince came out with a smile on their face made him wonder if the doctor brought in by the king was indeed that skilled.
Although Adams had doubts, seeing the same expression on all the princes reassured him. He kept his head low and quietly left, unaware that Withal had been observing his every move from the doorway.
After Adams left, Withal returned to the hall and glanced up at Catherine. Both of them understood each other without words. The trap had been set, the bait had been thrown, and now they just had to wait for the big fish to take it.
After leaving the hall, Adams sneaked to a secluded spot where no one was around. Once he confirmed no one was nearby, he took out his cell phone and dialed a mysterious phone number.
As soon as the call connected, Adams’s expression turned serious. “Boss, I have important information to report!” He proceeded to tell the person on the other end about everything happening in the palace.
Anxious, Adams eagerly awaited the boss’s response. “Boss, please think of a solution. I heard that the doctor plans to teach her mysterious acupuncture technique to the physicians in the palace. Soon, anyone who falls ill can be easily cured with just a few needle pricks.”
The man on the other end of the phone said in a low voice, “Don’t panic, just keep an eye on her. I’ll arrange for someone to handle it!”
After speaking, the man hung up the phone. Adams’s face was filled with worry as he looked at the dark screen of the phone. What if his boss’s plan failed?
It took Catherine half a day to administer acupuncture to over sixty members of the royal family.
After treating the last prince, Withal approached the chief attendant with a serious expression. “The doctor is exhausted from all the needling and needs a break. Have all the servants leave. I’ll call for them when needed!”
The chief attendant didn’t dare to defy Withal’s orders and quickly ushered the people away. Once everyone was gone, Withal approached Catherine.
“Catherine, what’s our next move?”
“Wait for the fish to take the bait!”
Catherine leisurely enjoyed the fruits provided by the chief attendant, looking content.
There was no point in rushing. Besides, there were people hiding in the shadows who were more anxious than her. This trip to Ravenloth had already taken up a lot of time, and her patience was wearing thin.
Although Catherine had treated all the patients, she had no intention of leaving the palace. She was still waiting for the big fish to take the bait.
On the other side, after spending an afternoon using all means possible, Paxton had gathered all the information about Prince Harry.
“Boss, here’s the document. Please take a look. Prince Harry has quite a complicated background. He was diagnosed with congenital autism at a young age and has below-average intelligence. After the queen’s death, he was exiled for many years and suffered greatly due to offending Queen Lina. It’s already quite a feat for him to return to Ravenloth alive.”
As Branden carefully examined the information, Paxton thought of something and immediately reported it to him.
“Boss, I know who the last owner of the Passam Stone was. It was the queen of Ravenloth. However, with the queen’s mysterious death, the Passam Stone has completely disappeared! Do you think Prince Harry, who was fostered under the queen’s care since childhood, could have been given this treasure by the queen?”
Branden’s sharp eyes stared intently at the document in his hand. Every word on it left an impression in his mind, and he had a feeling that things weren’t so simple.
“Where is he?”
Paxton paused for a second and then realized Branden was asking about Prince Harry. He immediately found the surveillance footage on his phone and handed it to Branden.
“He’s still lying in the room, and our people are guarding in the shadows at the door. There shouldn’t be any problems!”
Even so, every half an hour, Paxton would personally check Prince Harry’s whereabouts to avoid anything unexpected.
Branden suddenly stood up and grabbed his coat from the side, instructing Paxton, “Prepare the car. I’m going to the palace. You stay here and watch that kid!”
Paxton originally wanted to follow along. In his opinion, nothing was more important than the safety of his boss. However, his boss had ordered him to stay and watch the person, so he couldn’t leave.
“Alright, I’ll prepare the car right away. Paxton knew Branden was worried about Catherine’s safety and wanted to find her in the palace.
Paxton believed that nothing would happen to Catherine even if she was alone in the palace, considering her skills and strength. However, he dared not disobey Branden’s decision.
He arranged a car for Branden and personally kept an eye on Harry. The task assigned by his boss must not be taken lightly.
It took nearly half an hour to drive from the manor to the main hall of the palace. By the time Branden arrived, it was already dark.
The palace attendant knew Branden was Catherine’s assistant, so he allowed Branden to drive his car into the main hall.
“Sir, the doctor is having dinner. I’ll take you there right away!”
Guided by the palace attendant, Branden arrived at the palace where Catherine was temporarily staying. At this moment, Catherine was being personally served by the chief attendant.
Due to the special nature of Catherine’s identity, her dinner was prepared according to the king’s standards. The large table was filled with various delicious dishes, allowing Catherine to choose freely.
“Doctor, your assistant is here!” the palace attendant announced. Catherine looked up from her meal, noticing Branden standing beside the palace attendant.
It seemed that she had been here for too long. Branden became so anxious that he came directly to the palace. Catherine greeted him graciously and invited him to sit down.
“Perfect timing. Come on. Let’s eat together!”
Branden had initially been worried that she might be at a disadvantage in the palace, but he didn’t expect her to be living more comfortably than anyone else.
It seemed that his worries were in vain. Seeing Branden still standing there, Catherine personally approached him, took his hand, and led him to sit down.
Although Branden had a serious expression, he allowed Catherine to pull him along. Once she asked him to sit down, he complied obediently, surprisingly well-behaved.
Catherine handed him a fork and raised an eyebrow at him, saying, “No matter what the matter is, let’s eat before discussing it!”
