Chapter 289 Did Empress Zheng threaten Imperial Physician Zhou?

Xie Yun's mind raced: "It's not that I doubt Physician Zhou, it's just that I'm a little..."

Xie Yunyang paused, then, as if remembering something, asked, "My third brother is less than a year older than my fourth brother. I remember that eleven years ago, my third brother was less than two years old. My mother... right, I remember that my mother seemed to have said that she invited a master, who told her that there was a medicine that could cure all diseases—could it be the Rejuvenating Herb?"

Xie Yun was only four or five years old at the time. So much time has passed that Xie Yun herself can't remember clearly, only vaguely recalling that this happened.

As if a keyword had been triggered, upon hearing the word "master," Sheng Sheng reflexively thought of the figure in a long Taoist robe from her hazy memories, prompting her to ask another question.

"Master? What master?"

“I’m not quite sure either.” Xie Yun shook his head. “I was still young at the time, and my mother never told me about these things. She only told me a little because she was so happy that she thought my third brother had hope. However, although my mother was happy for a long time because of this, my third brother did not get better, so she became depressed again after a while.”

"Oh, oh." Sheng Sheng nodded.

Physician Zhou said, “That’s right. Although Her Majesty the Empress took the entire Rejuvenating Herb, it didn’t help the Third Prince’s illness at all. While the Rejuvenating Herb has miraculous effects, the Third Prince’s illness is different from the Fourth Prince’s, and it can’t be cured like this. The Rejuvenating Herb isn’t a true ‘cure-all.’ Actually, I reminded Her Majesty the Empress a long time ago that, from a medical perspective, having the Rejuvenating Herb wouldn’t change anything, but Her Majesty…”

But at that time, Empress Zheng was like a drowning person grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, regarding all hope as a ray of light in despair, and she would try anything if possible.

So even though Physician Zhou tried repeatedly, he couldn't prevent Empress Zheng from wasting this rejuvenating herb.

“I have always treasured that Rejuvenating Herb. At that time, it was right when the Fourth Prince was diagnosed with a congenital leg ailment. So, I originally wanted to leave that Rejuvenating Herb for the Fourth Prince to cure his illness, which is why I kept trying to dissuade Your Majesty.”

But he couldn't fight against the Empress's will; how could a mere imperial physician resist the Empress's wishes?

Back then, Physician Zhou was not like he is now. He was still a physician with limited qualifications, having only been in the Imperial Hospital for a few years. Physician Zhou refused to stay, so Empress Zheng pressured him to make it impossible for him to remain in the Imperial Hospital.

Later, they even used his parents' lives as leverage to force him to teach how to make the Rejuvenating Herb.

On one hand, he has to go against his conscience as a doctor, choosing to deceive patients when they are clearly curable; on the other hand, he has to go against his conscience as a son, ignoring his parents' life and death.

Having no other choice, Physician Zhou had no choice but to select the former.

Physician Zhou knew it wasn't his fault, but he was a doctor, so how could he not have a grudge about it?

Every time he thought of this matter in the dead of night, Physician Zhou felt regret. If he had been bolder at the time and told His Majesty or the Empress Dowager about it, he could have stopped Empress Zheng. He wouldn't have had to watch that precious Rejuvenating Herb go to waste, nor would he have had to watch Xie Yunwen suffer for so long.

He felt guilty and felt especially distressed and ashamed every year when he went to check Xie Yunwen's pulse for a proper diagnosis.

When little Xie Yunwen looked at him with those innocent eyes and asked if there was any hope for his legs and if he could ever stand up again, Doctor Zhou felt so ashamed that his eyes almost turned red.

Therefore, given this new opportunity, Physician Zhou put in more effort than anyone else, hoping to make up for his regrets and pain and do his best to heal Xie Yunwen's leg.

After hearing what Physician Zhou said, the two of them had mixed feelings.

"So there were such things back then." Sheng Sheng could almost imagine Xie Yunwen's expression every time he asked those questions with such anticipation.

How heartbroken one must be after receiving a negative answer.

However, Sheng Sheng could understand Doctor Zhou's situation.

Whether it was Zhou Taiyi's guilt or helplessness, it was all understandable.

"Imperial Physician Zhou, don't feel too guilty. Think about it. Even if you could have used this Rejuvenating Herb to cure the Fourth Prince back then, you didn't know how to cultivate it. Once you used up that one, there wouldn't be any left. So, at most, you could only cure the Fourth Prince a little bit, not completely, right?"

She patiently persuaded him, "Think about it from another perspective. Isn't it better to have the opportunity to completely cure your fourth brother than to be stuck in this limbo?"

Imperial Physician Zhou was taken aback, then suddenly realized: "That seems to make sense. How come I didn't think of that?"

Why didn't he think of that?

Sheng Sheng chuckled and said, "It's not that you didn't think of it, it's just that you never considered it from that perspective."

I was so busy feeling guilty that I didn't have time to think about anything else.

Generally speaking, it's the elders who guide the younger generation, but in Sheng Sheng's case, it seems like she's always the one guiding others.

Physician Zhou was a little embarrassed. He was already over forty years old, and yet he still needed a child to teach him principles.

Physician Zhou had an epiphany, but Xie Yun was feeling increasingly unwell.

Unexpectedly, behind his back, Empress Zheng had already begun to owe Xie Yunwen a debt so early on.

They even threatened him with the lives of Physician Zhou's parents. Such behavior was truly appalling!

But now is not the time to dwell on this. The reason why Physician Zhou would tell them about this at this time must be because this old story is related to what happened today.

Xie Yunyang steadied himself and asked Physician Zhou, "How does this matter relate to today's events?"

Imperial Physician Zhou immediately replied, "Your Highness, the reason I am informing you of this matter is because I suspect that today's events are also related to Her Majesty the Empress."

"Why would Imperial Physician Zhou have such doubts? Do you know that Her Majesty the Empress is the mother of the nation? If you slander her so casually, you will be thrown into the imperial prison."

Physician Zhou firmly stated, "I understand. My statement is not without basis."

Sheng Sheng and Xie Yun exchanged a glance and said, "Please speak, Physician Zhou."

“Five days ago, when I was on duty, Consort Liang sent a palace maid to the Imperial Hospital to get some medicine to soothe her throat and clear her lungs. After I got the medicine, the maid said that Consort Liang had a sore throat and was in a hurry to drink the medicine, so I took a dose and asked the medicine boy to decoct it so that the maid could take it back to Liuyun Pavilion for Consort Liang to take.”

Upon hearing Consort Liang's name, both Sheng Sheng and Xie Yun felt a sense of foreboding.

The reason was simply that the two had recently discussed the private correspondence between Empress Zheng and Consort Liang.

Now that Consort Liang's name has appeared here again, the two know that Consort Liang was probably behind the Rejuvenating Grass incident today.