Chapter 87: Fire-Reducing Tea

In the evening, Xiao Jin finished his meal with Yun Zhao's meticulous service.

Yun Zhao thought he would need to stay and take care of it, but Xiao Jin waved his hand and said slowly but without question, "The Sixth Bureau is busy with many things. There's no need to linger here. Go and do your business."

She was slightly startled, then bowed and said, "I obey your order." Then she hurried out, with her skirt bringing up a barely perceptible breeze.

At this moment, the candlelight in the bedroom of Zichen Palace was bright, and a figure had quietly come through the secret passage and had been waiting for a long time.

Xiao Jin came back in a sedan chair.

The palace door closed heavily behind him, almost sending away all the outsiders. He took Zhang Fuan's arm and walked inside step by step.

Zhang Fuan was so nervous that his official robe was soaked with sweat on his back. He lowered his voice to a very low level, and every step was like walking on thin ice: "Your Majesty, be careful, there is a threshold ahead... Lift your foot... Okay, steady. There are three steps ahead... Go slowly... Turn right, and you will reach the dragon bed..."

Xiao Jin did as he was told, his steps a little slow, until he sat down steadily beside the couch, but his imperial majesty did not diminish in the slightest.

A man slowly stepped out from the shadows and bowed respectfully, "I, Yan Huichun, pay my respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well and safe."

Xiao Jin sat upright, facing the source of the voice. "Stand up. I'm sure you're aware of my situation. Since last night, my vision has suddenly become difficult, and now I can only see blurry lights and shadows..."

Yan Huichun responded by standing up, head bowed, and said respectfully, "Yes. Your Majesty, please allow me to take your pulse."

Xiao Jin extended his wrist and placed it on the pulse pillow. Yan Huichun placed three fingers on it, concentrating his mind and breathing, his fingertips feeling every beat of the supreme ruler's pulse. The hall was silent, only the occasional crackling of the candlelight. After a full cup of tea, he slowly withdrew his hand.

"How is it?" Xiao Jin's voice was emotionless.

Yan Huichun didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, were you furious last night? Have you been worried and stressed lately, staying up late? Or... have you suffered any unknown injuries to your head or eyes?"

Xiao Jin was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I was indeed angry last night, and also...thinking about some old things. I didn't suffer any external injuries."

Zhang Fuan quickly added, "Your Majesty has been busy with government affairs recently, and memorials have piled up, often reviewing them until late at night."

Yan Huichun understood what was happening and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's condition is caused by liver qi stagnation, which has transformed into fire and is now burning the eye vessels. The liver opens up to the eyes, and anger causes qi to rise, and fire rises with the qi, blocking the eye orifices and causing your vision to become blocked. I will immediately perform acupuncture on your majesty, and supplement it with herbal medicine. If your majesty follows the doctor's instructions, your eyes will gradually clear up within five days."

His tone was firm, yet also full of warning, "But within these five days, Your Majesty must remain calm, eat a light diet, and absolutely do not get angry again, otherwise the medicine may not be effective."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin only said a faint "hmm," as if he had expected it. "Five days, I can wait."

The meaning of this statement is unclear and no one dares to think deeply about it.

This young emperor is so cunning and thoughtful that few can truly see through him.

Yan Huichun didn't hesitate, pulling out the silver needles he carried with him. With precise and experienced technique, he slowly manipulated the needles at acupoints like Taichong, Xingjian (for relieving liver fire), Guangming (a key acupoint for treating eye diseases), Jingming, and Tongziliao (for localized acupoints to clear meridians and improve eyesight). Half an hour later, Xiao Jin's frown softened slightly.

"...It seems that I can see some vague outlines." He spoke, and the frightening darkness in front of his eyes finally receded. Although it was still blurry, it was no longer an abyss of despair.

Yan Huichun breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Thank you, Eunuch Zhang. Starting tonight, you can use a decoction of chrysanthemum, mulberry leaves, and other heat-clearing and eye-improving herbs to fumigate your eyes once a day before bed. I will write down the precautions in detail."

Zhang Fuan nodded repeatedly: "Then... the internal medicine?"

Yan Huichun looked embarrassed and replied cautiously, "My Lord, I need to personally return to the medicine furnace to prepare your majesty's medicine, select authentic herbs, and prepare them into honey pills overnight to ensure their effectiveness and ease of consumption. The earliest I can get them to the palace is tomorrow morning."

Zhang Fuan was anxious, but he didn't dare rush. Going to the Imperial Hospital to get medicine was absolutely impossible. Now that Yun Zhao was no longer directly in charge of the Imperial Food Bureau's medicinal materials, if someone else handled it, news of the emperor's eye disease would spread throughout the court in an instant. How could those treacherous officials who were eyeing it pass on such a good opportunity?

"Present it tomorrow morning. Fumigate it with medicine tonight." Xiao Jin made the final decision, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"I obey your order."

"Reward." Xiao Jin uttered a single word, then ordered, "Zhang Fuan, personally escort Mr. Yan away. Hand the resulting prescription over to Yun Zhao for safekeeping."

"I obey your command." Zhang Fuan bowed and responded, watching Yan Huichun blow dry the ink on the written prescription and precautions, and then carefully led the miracle doctor to disappear quietly into the secret passage again.

Silence returned to the hall. After an unknown amount of time, a series of very light footsteps approached from afar. Xiao Jin sat still, his blurred vision revealing a slender figure in palace attire slowly approaching and stopping.

He did not ask, but waited for the person to take action.

The maid quietly placed a cup of clear golden tea on the table beside him, her voice soft and gentle, "Your Majesty, Consort Yun is concerned about your hard work today and has sent this maid to bring you some soothing tea."

Xiao Jin raised his hand, precisely touching the slightly warm wall of the cup, picked it up, and slowly brought it to his lips. He took a sip, feeling a refreshing sensation accompanied by a faint sweetness flowing into his throat. The slight fatigue from the acupuncture and the restlessness in his heart seemed to be slightly soothed.

"What kind of tea is this?" he asked, his tone softening a little.

The palace maid replied softly, "Your Majesty, this is a brew carefully prepared by the Imperial Food Bureau using the tribute of chrysanthemums delivered this spring, along with a little honeysuckle and wolfberries. Concubine Yun said that chrysanthemums can clear the mind and brighten the eyes, while wolfberries can nourish the liver and improve essence. This brew is perfect for Your Majesty, as it can dispel dryness and reduce internal heat."

Xiao Jin took another sip. The slight bitterness was followed by a sweet aftertaste, and the inexplicable irritability seemed to dissipate a little with the aroma of tea. He put down the teacup and asked casually, "Did Yun Zhao mix this himself?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the maid replied respectfully, "Empress Yun personally selected the herbs and watched me prepare them."

"May I have your name?"

"My name is Xiaotao."

"Back off."

"Yes." Xiao Tao bowed and quietly left the bedroom, leaving the room filled with the faint fragrance of chrysanthemums and a deep-minded emperor.