Chapter 230 Empty Cup Filled with Water

The voice was soft and sweet, like the sound of nature, but to Xiahou Yu it was like thunderbolt.

"The Queen?"

He suddenly raised his head, almost forgetting the palace taboos, and looked directly at the beauty in front of him. His clear eyes, which were clearly black and white, were faintly bloodshot.

"...Your Majesty, are you going to expel this humble minister from the palace?"

After using up all his strength, Xiahou Yu finally managed to squeeze out a dry word.

Meng Yan's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked directly at him with a faint smile. "That's not true. It's just that the opening of the Beijing Medical Clinic is imminent. This matter is of great importance, and I must entrust it to a reliable and competent person. Only then can I feel at ease. Since entering the palace, you have been trusted and valued by the Emperor. Although you are young, your experience is long, and your talent and character are obvious to all in the palace. During the reign of the previous emperor, the Imperial Hospital was plagued by frequent thefts. However, in this dynasty, with you as the judge, these petty thefts have disappeared from the Imperial Hospital. The flow of all financial resources in and out of the hospital is now in perfect order, which is a testament to your talent."

"Your Majesty, I am nothing but an ordinary person."

Despite all the praise, Xiahou Yu showed no sign of joy or excitement.

He knew in his heart that Meng Yan's praise of him was just a prelude to getting him out of the palace.

Xiahou Yu didn't understand why Meng Yan was determined to expel him from the palace.

She was now the queen, and all his fantasies and fantasies had vanished. It was painful, but he could still be with her under the same glazed tiles, and every now and then, when he checked her pulse, he could still see her.

He even swore in his heart that he would use all his life's knowledge to protect the child who was conceived in her belly and bring him into the world safely, and then stay by his side to watch him grow up healthily and inherit the throne.

Even though he could not marry her in this life, he originally thought that he could at least be her arm for the rest of his life, accompany her by her side, watch her raise her children, and obey her orders. The years in the deep palace, which were like a calm old well, could also show a faint sweetness.

However, Meng Yan was too stingy to give him even this little bit of hope.

But thinking that he would be isolated outside the red wall and would never see her again, Xiahou Yu felt suffocated.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for my presumption. The Vice-Director of the Imperial Hospital, Ou Shuyang, is a sincere and honest man. He is the fifteenth-generation descendant of the ancestor of medicine, Ou Daoyuan, and deserves to be appointed. The Imperial Physician, Zhang Nansong, is an old man from the previous emperor's time. He has extensive experience, is mature and reliable, and can also be entrusted with important tasks..."

He was still talking when he saw Meng Yan suddenly raise her right hand.

The fair and smooth little hand just shook gently, and Xiahou Yu's chattering stopped abruptly, and he couldn't utter another word.

Meng Yan smiled faintly, "There's no need to be so modest, Imperial Physician Xiahou. The two imperial physicians you mentioned are certainly trustworthy in both character and medical skills, but I've chosen you. Not only because of your personal qualities, but also because of... the connection between our families. For this reason alone, I trust you even more. Apart from you, I won't consider anyone else for the position of head of the Capital Clinic."

Although the words were light, they were like thunder.

Xiahou Yu's slender body like a bamboo couldn't help but tremble slightly, and his handsome face turned pale.

Yan...sister, does she know?

She remembered?!

Those old memories that had long been buried deep in the years, those... those years they spent together in the Xiahou family's backyard, did she remember them all?!

Did she, did she know that they had once... been engaged...

Xiahou Yu's heart was filled with bitterness, sweetness, and fear. It was a mixture of all kinds of emotions and he couldn't even describe how he felt.

"Yan..."

"...So, regarding this matter of benefiting the people, could Imperial Physician Xiahou lend me a helping hand?"

Meng Yan had a calm smile on her face, but she felt a little uneasy in her heart.

She had no idea what Xiahou Yu was thinking, nor did she know whether he would really obey her orders and leave the palace willingly.

But this is the only viable solution right now...

Ever since she woke up, the spiritual veins in her body dissipated, and strange scenes would pop up in her mind from time to time.

At first, the scenes seemed shrouded in a white mist, with two shadows within it, one slightly larger, the other smaller, the larger always walking in front, the smaller chasing behind. She couldn't see clearly what they were doing or what they were saying, nor could she hear clearly.

Later, these people and things gradually invaded her dreams.

In dreams, it’s always the same scene.

A small and elegant courtyard, with the sound of cicadas in the summer breeze, lotus flowers in a small pond, bamboo curtains and flower shadows, and a spacious desk...

There is always a handsome and indifferent boy and a pretty little girl beside the desk.

The young man sat upright, staring straight ahead at the book spread out in front of him.

The girl lay on the side, her clear black eyes staring straight at the boy, her cherry pink lips opening and closing, her throat as sweet as lotus seed rock sugar water in summer.

What she called out was, "Brother Yu..."

This strange dream troubled Meng Yan for a long time.

She looked at the scene in her dream, feeling strange yet familiar and intimate, like a past event buried deep in the years, which was resurfacing in her heart bit by bit.

Meng Yan knew that although they were all characters in books, as living people in this world, they all had complete lives. And these scattered scenes must be the past hidden in her blank memories.

She originally wanted to ignore it, but every time she saw Xiahou Yu, she felt uneasy when she saw his flickering eyes and his hesitant expression. She was afraid that if she ignored him for too long, it would cause trouble.

Therefore, she asked her confidant to send a secret letter to the Marquis' Mansion to inquire about the matter.

These were early events during the war, so most of them are no longer verifiable. However, one thing we did learn was that her maternal grandfather, the Ning family, and the Xiahou family were old friends, and her maternal grandfather, Ning Zhonghuai, had entrusted her and her daughter to the Xiahou family to temporarily avoid the hardships of war.

Those fragmented memories are probably the stories that happened during that period of time.

However, she was still a young child at that time. Even if Xiahou Yu was a few years older than her, he was still no older than her. What difference would two children make?

But this obviously became Xiahou Yu's obsession.

Meng Yan didn't know whether Xiahou Yu had repeatedly opposed her in her previous life because he suffered from this obsession, but she had to put an end to it in this life.

It was both for himself and to free Xiahou Yu from this cage.

"With your artistic talent, are you willing to be buried in this deep palace, serving the emperor for the rest of your life? I believe that as doctors, our lifelong aspiration is to heal the world and benefit all living beings. As a woman, and married to the emperor, I deeply regret this matter. Could it be that Imperial Physician Xiahou doesn't share the same sentiments?"

Seeing that he didn't answer, Meng Yan smiled and said a few more words.

"...I entered the palace to fulfill an old wish."

After a long silence, Xiahou Yu finally spoke again. His tone was heavy, as if it carried a thousand pounds of weight, but his words made Meng Yan's heart skip a beat.

"Now, this wish has been largely fulfilled. Since it is the Majesty's decree, then I will obey it. Please rest assured, Majesty, I will do my best to take care of the affairs of the Capital Clinic and live up to your trust."

Xiahou Yu lowered his eyes, his handsome face was as calm as water, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

He leaned forward and bowed to the ground, as if saying goodbye.

"If your Majesty has no other instructions, I will take my leave."

Meng Yan saw that he just refused to do it no matter what, and was still considering what to say next. She didn't expect him to suddenly accept the order, which made her a little stunned.

Seeing that she had nothing to say, Xiahou Yu turned around and walked down the stairs without waiting for her instructions.

The rain continued to fall, and he strode into the rain curtain with his head held high.

Meng Yan looked at his back, her heart slightly moved, and she said loudly, "Imperial Physician Xiahou, at this age, it's time for you to find a spouse and start a family. You have served the royal family for many years..."

"An empty cup can hold water. This principle, I think Your Majesty should understand."

Xiahou Yu paused slightly, then strode forward again in an instant.