Chapter 181 Treating the Empress Dowager and Encountering a Scheme [1]

The most important thing was that Liu Ruixue had complained to Zi You that she was unhappy with the marriage and didn’t want to marry Taizi so early. But she did not tell Zi You that she never wanted to marry Taizi. So, how could Zi You help her?

It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her friends and sisters, but the human heart was too complicated and changed too much. A few months ago, Liu Ruixue had come to be a lobbyist for Taizi. Although she didn’t want to be a lobbyist, it couldn’t be denied that she was tentatively testing Zi You. When it came to one’s own interests, friends and sisters would turn into enemies.

The Yu Lanxuan in the previous life had made her life miserable. In this lifetime, Zi You wouldn’t care about anyone if she didn’t treat her wholeheartedly and had even a tiny bit of selfishness.

So, Zi You had sent a letter to comfort Liu Ruixue. Then she had gone back to focusing on military training. On April 9th, she, Old General Mu, and Mu YingYi returned to the capital to attend Liu Ruixue and Taizi’s wedding.

After leaving the mountain, Old General Mu and Mu YingYi naturally needed to go report to the Emperor in the Palace about the military training. As the female medical team’s commander, Zi You also entered the Palace.

After reporting on the female medical team and the military training, the Emperor suddenly said, “Yatou, you are one of the Empress Dowager’s doctors. Since you’re back, come with Zhen to take a look at the Empress Dowager’s condition.”

Zi You could not defy the Emperor’s will, so she obediently followed him to Jingyang Palace.

The first thing she saw was Shangguan LingRan. Zi You could feel her heart seize up and immediately started to hurt.

She immediately realized that the Empress Dowager was really ill. Shangguan LingRan looked very haggard and thin. His complexion wasn’t good either. His phoenix eyes brightened for a second when he saw her. Then he pretended to be angry, turned away, and ignored her.

Zi You could only go over and indifferently curtsy. She then went to read the Empress Dowager’s pulse. She was shocked. The Empress Dowager was pale and clearly wheezing. She was also very thin. She was completely different from the Empress Dowager whom Zi You had seen before she went into the mountains. She slept deeply, but was sometimes restless because of the difficulty in breathing.

Zi You hurriedly went over to put her finger on the Empress Dowager’s pulse. The imperial doctors there looked displeased. Isn’t the Emperor slapping us in the face? How long has this little yatou been learning medicine? And she studies external trauma. How can she cure the Empress Dowager’s illness?

Zi You could naturally feel the displeased and contemptuous gazes of these doctors. She couldn’t help but think, ‘It’s not me who wants to treat the Empress Dowager. It’s the Emperor’s orders. If you are displeased, vent at the Emperor. Why are you glaring at me?’

She was inwardly black belly, but she still looked calm and confident. She seriously read the Empress Dowager’s pulse for more than a quarter of an hour. She got up and curtsied to the Emperor, “Emperor, can Chennu look at the Empress Dowager’s medical record?”

The Emperor really wanted to test her. He didn’t answer, but asked instead, “Why is Muhou ill?”

Zi You looked at the imperial doctors looking contemptuously at her. She replied calmly and slowly. “Her tongue is red and coated in moisture. Her pulse is in disarray. Phlegm has blocked her lungs and thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities. She should boil and drink four grams of ephedra; ten grams of almond, tangerine peel, Scutellaria, faban pinellia; fifteen grams of mulberry peel, Ophiopogon japonicus, Pseudostellaria; thirty grams of dandelion and gypsum; and six grams of Glycyrrhiza. Then acupuncture should be performed too.”

At this time, Wang Yiping’s lover Imperial Doctor Qin shouted, “Emperor, this prescription has been used. The effects aren’t great.”

Zi You didn’t panic, but looked up at the Emperor. She continued, “Emperor, can Chennu see the Empress Dowager’s medical record?”

It wasn’t that she wanted to insist, but it must be known that with different amounts of medicinal herbs, the effects would naturally be different. These imperial doctors weren’t seeking merit, but were seeking to be faultless. They didn’t dare to blindly prescribe medicine. As such, of course Zi You wanted to see the medical record.

Besides, she had long wanted to deal with this Imperial Doctor Qin. Since he dared to jump out now, he must certainly want to seek revenge for Wang Yiping. He really didn’t know how to die. As such, Zi You naturally wouldn’t let him down.

The Emperor waved his hand at the imperial doctors. “Let her see the medical record.”

The imperial doctors didn’t have a choice and could only hand the medical record to Zi You.

Zi You looked through the medical record carefully. She saw that the Empress Dowager’s prescribed medicine was about the same as hers. But the dosages were a lot less, especially gypsum and dandelion. Such a little dose of ten grams was clearly not enough for such a severe case like the Empress Dowager’s.

If her illness wasn’t treated with gypsum, she could slip into a coma, become delirious, and get asthma, heat stroke, spontaneous sweating, headache, toothache rashes, and mouth sores.

Dandelion had a detoxification effect. But it was especially good for treating liver pain, red eyes, swelling, pain, and a variety of infections and purulent diseases. It also treated carbuncles, swelling, and fevers.

Zi You said to the Emperor with the medical record in her hands, “Emperor, Chennu’s prescribed medicinal herbs are the same as the imperial doctors, but the dosages are much higher. The Empress Dowager’s case is so severe that efficacy is difficult to guarantee with such small amounts of medicinal herbs.”

Imperial Doctor Qin immediately rebutted, “Emperor, it’s not that Chen doesn’t want to increase the amounts, but the Empress Dowager is older. Her constitution is too weak. She isn’t suitable to be treated with cold medicines. Instead, it will be counterproductive.

“Chen not only wants to cure the Empress Dowager, but we should also measure the Empress Dowager’s physical constitution.”

“Yes, please think twice, Emperor. The Empress Dowager hasn’t eaten anything for several days. Her body is already weak and deficient. It’s not appropriate to use large doses of antipyretic medicinal herbs. She won’t be able to withstand it.”

“……”

“……”

For a time, the imperial doctors quarreled. Shangguan LingRan was irritated. These darned old fools. They’re all a bunch of garbage! If you’re so powerful, why isn’t imperial grandmother getting better, but instead taking a turn for the worse?

He angrily shouted, “Shut up! You can’t do this. You can’t do that. Imperial grandmother’s illness has dragged on for more than two months. I haven’t seen you cure her. What use are you garbage?”

Then he plopped and knelt down to the Emperor. “Imperial uncle, let this yatou try! Chen knows that there is danger, but it’s still hope! If this keeps dragging on, imperial grandmother……”

He kowtowed and cried while speaking. He completely looked like the image of being filial to the Empress Dowager, while being an incompetent dandy.

But when he roared, the Empress Dowager drowsily woke up. She saw Shangguan LingRan kowtowing, pleading, and crying to her Emperor son. She was suddenly distressed and touched. It was this grandson who cared about her the most! This child didn’t go anywhere and stayed by her bedside when she had been ill intermittently for two months. He was so fond of playing and being idle, but he put away his mischievous heart for her!

The Empress Dowager immediately reached out and weakly called, “Ling’er, come here. Come to grandma.”

She was feeling loving. She didn’t even call herself “imperial grandmother” and instead called herself, “grandma.”

Shangguan LingRan immediately crawled up and ran over. He hugged the Empress Dowager and cried, “Imperial grandmother, get better quickly. Grandson doesn’t want you to feel bad. Grandson is distressed……”

The Empress Dowager’s heart broke into several pieces listening to his cries. Her desire for survival grew more intense. Aijia can’t die. If Aijia dies, others won’t care, but won’t this grandson die from sorrow. This child is pitiful! For brotherly love, his Fuwang ignores him and doesn’t care about him. His imperial uncle wants to kill him. If Aijia dies, the Emperor will immediately and unscrupulously target him.

A sharp light flashed through the Empress Dowager’s eyes, which were very similar to Shangguan LingRan’s. She glanced at her Emperor son and said to Zi You, “Yatou, Aijia will forgive your mistakes. Try…… to use your method to prescribe medicine for Aijia.”

“Yes, Empress Dowager.” Zi You immediately curtsied.

The Emperor was flustered by his Muhou’s glance. Does Muhou suspect that Zhen doesn’t want her to get better? The heavens can be Zhen’s witness! Zhen doesn’t want to kill you. Although Zhen dislikes you meddling in everything, the Xiongnus in the north are on the move. How can Zhen dare to let anything happen to you? If something happens to you, An Wang will resign and won’t guard the northern border for Zhen. When the Xiongnus wage war, who will Zhen talk to?

The Emperor immediately went over and softly comforted his Muhou. “Okay, Muhou. Don’t be anxious. I will have the yatou treat you.”

Zi You quickly wrote out a prescription. At this time, Taizi and Third Wangzi had heard the news that Zi You had returned and had rushed over. After a while, even Second Wangzi came. They all brought palace servants. For a time, Jingyang Palace was crowded.

Zi You handed the prescription over to and explained what should be done to a palace maid. Then she went over to curtsy to Taizi, Second Wangzi, and Third Wangzi. Then she said to the Emperor, “Emperor, the Empress Dowager is already having difficulty breathing. So many people in the room will be more unfavorable to the Empress Dowager’s condition. Please leave only one or two people to serve the Empress Dowager, Emperor.”

The Emperor saw his three sons stare at Zi You ever since they came in. So how could he not understand what his sons were thinking? Even his second son couldn’t bear it and secretly looked at Zi You from time to time. The Emperor immediately felt uncomfortable, as if his treasure was being coveted.

He was about to kick all of his sons out when he heard Third Wangzi say, “Fuwang, Erchen is willing to stay and serve imperial grandmother.”

The Empress Dowager was wise. She immediately understood what Third Wangzi was thinking. She couldn’t help but sneer. Serving Aijia? Aijia has been ill for so long, but why didn’t you serve then? Now, you want to serve? Don’t you have an ulterior motive?

She thought that and felt that Shangguan LingRan’s sincerity was even more valuable. She panted and gasped, “Emperor, don’t…… Don’t delay government matters for Aijia. You all leave. Leave behind…… Just leave behind the yatou and Ling’er.”

Since the Empress Dowager had spoken, whether it was the Emperor or the wangzis, they could only obediently leave. But they looked at Zi You’s beautiful face that was like a flower in the water and thought her more and more capable of overturning a country. The unspeakable unwillingness and determination to obtain her became more resolute.

When the Emperor and the wangzis left, Shangguan LingRan immediately waved to the imperial doctors and said, “You all leave too. You’re all garbage!”

The imperial doctors were scolded and retreated unwillingly. But they were displeased and thought, ‘Huh. You’re the garbage. The true garbage!’

Zi You looked at their unwilling expressions and secretly sneered. This group of arrogant narcissists, including the two imperial doctors who had taught the female medical team and were later sent to the free clinic, all disdained women.

Today, I will shut you all up and make you no longer despise women. Zi You was secretly ruthless and contemplated how to use this matter to drag Imperial Doctor Qin down.

She knew that that old man must certainly know about her and Wang Yiping’s grudges. He couldn’t wait to jump out earlier with so many people and even the Emperor around. In the future, he certainly wouldn’t stop and would target her.

Zi You immediately generated her spiritual power to inform spirit mouse Xiaohui to follow Imperial Doctor Qin and the palace maid who went to decoct medicine.

Then she secretly told Shangguan LingRan, “I want to get rid of that Imperial Doctor Qin. I also want to use my spiritual power to treat the Empress Dowager. Help me guard the Empress Dowager’s bedroom. Don’t let anyone come inside.”

Shangguan LingRan replied without moving. “Wait until the nighttime. People are coming in and out now. It’s not safe. YouYou, I missed you. Did you miss me?”

Zi You couldn’t help but look up to glare at him. But she saw Shangguan LingRan looking unabashed at her. The brilliance pouring out of his phoenix eyes were hot like fire as if it wanted to roast her.

Even the Empress Dowager could detect that something was wrong with her grandson. She looked at Zi You and then looked at her grandson. She couldn’t help but sigh.

Mu Xiaojie was already engaged to Duke Yongnan Shizi. If her grandson liked her so much, wouldn’t he end up dejected?

But don’t do anything improper! No. When she gets better, she needed to find a match for her grandson.

The Empress Dowager immediately panted and said to Shangguan LingRan, “Ling’er, you…… haven’t had a good rest…… in two months. Now…… Mu Xiaojie is here…… You should go rest.”

These two months for Shangguan LingRan felt like a year! That was because he and Zi You’s relationship had taken a big leap forwards. It could be said that they had pledged their love.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep