Chapter 181 Haozhi, I might have lied to you
That afternoon, Meng Yan woke up from a nap and went to the main room of Chunze Zhai as usual to sit and read medical records and prescriptions.
Bai Yuxin hurried over from outside, placed a stack of medical records on the table, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said, "Sister, the symptoms of the patients in Liluo Hospital after taking the medicine yesterday are all recorded here."
Meng Yan raised her eyes and smiled at her. "It's so hot outside, and you're in such a hurry to leave. Come sit down and have some cold tea."
Bai Yuxin did not refuse and sat on a round rosewood stool with a marble surface on the ground. Ruizhu brought her a cup of tea.
She took it, took a sip, and said in surprise, "Why is this cold tea? Didn't my sister tell me earlier that I can't eat raw or cold food anymore?"
Meng Yan smiled and said, "This was boiled and then cooled, so it's okay. The weather is so hot, and eating hot food all the time will make people feel uncomfortable." As she said that, she picked up the pile of medical records that Bai Yuxin put down and began to look at them carefully.
After reading a few pages, she smiled with satisfaction and said calmly, "The medicine I prescribed this time is very effective. The patients have stopped vomiting and diarrhea after taking it for three days. Some of the patients with mild symptoms will soon be able to leave Liluoyuan." As she spoke, she looked up and smiled at Bai Yuxin, "Thank you for your hard work these days."
Ever since she took charge of the Shangheyuan epidemic, Bai Yuxin had been running around for her, handling all sorts of chores for her, taking care of many things she had no time to attend to. In just a few days, Bai Yuxin had become much darker and thinner, and her chin had become even more pointed.
Bai Yuxin shook her head and said, "This is nothing, just some trivial matters, it's not as hard as my sister's worry and hard work day and night. I don't know any medical skills, so I can't help my sister, so I can only do this."
At this point, she looked at Meng Yan and said reluctantly, "Sister, why don't you just let it go and take a break. The Imperial Hospital has Dr. Xiahou, and there are so many other doctors here. The epidemic will eventually pass. Sister, you...you are really worrying everyone."
Sister Yan's complexion was visibly getting worse. Even the finest Hangzhou gouache couldn't hide her underlying sickness, and rouge only made her look even paler.
She didn't understand medicine, but she knew just by looking at her eyes that Sister Yan must be in very poor health.
Meng Yan glanced at her and smiled faintly, "It's okay, I know my body well."
Yunxiang came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Xiahou is here and waiting outside."
Meng Yan nodded in agreement.
After a while, Xiahou Yu walked into the room, greeted the two masters, and stood aside. His dark eyes only reflected Meng Yan's figure.
Meng Yan handed him the stack of medical records and said with a faint smile, "Xiahou Yu, the prescription I wrote earlier is very effective. The symptoms of the patients in Li Luoyuan have been alleviated a lot. How is your clinic doing?"
Yanxia Hall, where Xiahou Yu opened a school in Beijing to recruit disciples, also took in many patients during this epidemic. They were all from poor families who could not afford medical treatment, and there were even many refugees.
Originally, the imperial court would provide subsidies to medical clinics that were willing to take in poor patients. However, Xiahou had been practicing medicine for many years and was financially strong, so he was not bothered by this and did not take a penny.
Meng Yan admired this.
Putting aside the personal grudges from his previous life, Xiahou Yu can indeed be considered a benevolent doctor.
Xiahou Yu replied, "I have also asked my apprentice to test this recipe in the clinic for a few days, and it is indeed very effective. Therefore, I have come to ask Your Majesty for permission to promote this recipe among the people."
Meng Yan nodded, "I have the same idea. When the emperor comes tonight, I will tell him."
After a few words, someone came outside to ask Bai Yuxin to go and check on the distribution of autumn clothing materials, so Bai Yuxin got up and left.
After she left, Xiahou Yu lowered his voice and asked, "My Lady, have you been using your spiritual veins again recently?"
Like a child who had made a mistake and was caught, Meng Yan turned away uncomfortably, her gaze wandering.
"So what...what does it have to do with you?"
In order to test out the appropriate dosage and combination as quickly as possible, she has used her spiritual veins several times recently, and this has indeed made things much faster than before.
Xiahou Yu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Yan... Imperial Concubine, do you know what your health is like right now? You don't take care of yourself. Aren't you really afraid that the Emperor will worry?!"
Now, without taking her pulse, he could see with his eyes that Meng Yan's illness was getting worse and worse, and she was already exhausted and at the end of her life.
Recently, he had been having nightmares. In his dreams, sometimes he was dreaming of his younger sister Yan, who made a fever-reducing soup for him when he was a teenager and fainted after forcibly activating his spiritual veins. In other dreams, he was dreaming of Concubine Meng, who risked her own life to save patients as an adult.
A dark cloud so thick that it could not be dissolved hung over his heart, and it seemed that this time it would not be so easy to get over.
Meng Yan pressed her lips into a line and said stiffly, "I know exactly what I'm doing. Xiahou Yu, instead of being so concerned about me, why don't you devote all your energy to curing the patient? The sooner this epidemic is over, the sooner I can rest assured."
Xiahou Yu didn't say much this time. He looked at her deeply, turned around and strode out.
Walking out the door, he looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
He knew that he had no chance to be with her in this life, but... he could not bear to watch her walk towards her end step by step, but was powerless to stop her.
As early as when he knew that she had such a physique, he had been studying the prescription that could change her physique over the years. However, the pills that he had painstakingly prepared over the years could only help her maintain her health but could not fundamentally change her.
However, even if she had taken the pill early, she would have to stop using her spiritual veins for the rest of her life to extend her life.
This so-called spiritual vein constitution is better described as a kind of destiny.
Throughout history, all medical geniuses with this kind of physique have died young.
To save the world, and burn oneself out.
Xiahou Yu only felt a bitter taste in his throat and a pain in his heart like a knife.
He learned a lot of medical skills and saved so many people, but he couldn't save his little sister Yan, who had been in his heart since childhood...
In the room, Meng Yan lowered her head and remained silent, lost in thought.
Ruizhu was clearing away the tea bowls nearby and whispered, "Your Majesty, I see that this Imperial Physician Xiahou is genuinely concerned about your health. Why do you always treat him with such a bad face..."
Meng Yan remained silent for a long time before she smiled faintly, "That's better."
These days, she always couldn't sleep at night. When she finally fell asleep, she always had strange dreams.
In the dream, there was a courtyard that seemed strange yet familiar. There was a handsome young man standing tall like a bamboo. His originally cold face was now covered with a warm smile. He called out softly, "Sister Yan..."
Meng Yan roughly understood something and vaguely guessed why he hated her so much in his previous life.
But, so what.
Since it was a dream, it would be better to wake up early.
Ruizhu continued, "Besides, what Miss Bai said is correct. Although the Empress is in charge of the epidemic, there are still so many imperial physicians. Why do you have to... torture yourself so much? Historically, the masters of the harem have done this just to save face."
Meng Yan looked at her puzzled face and smiled slightly, "You think that I am doing this just to win the emperor's favor, right?"
Ruizhu hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "I believe that Your Majesty has done these things well and earned a good reputation, and that the Emperor may one day crown you Empress. But... there's no need to go to such lengths."
The corners of Meng Yan's lips curled up slightly, "I'm not doing this for those false names...I just want to do more meaningful things."
Whether it's being virtuous or respectful, or even having many children, that's what a woman can do.
But this one thing must belong to her, Meng Yan.
She tried her best, not just for Lu Haozhi, but also to do something for the land and water that nurtured her and the people who provided for her.
Meng Yan touched the small purse hidden in her sleeve, stood up and said, "Prepare the ceremonial procession and go to Zhonghe Hall."
No conversation along the way.
When she arrived at Zhonghe Hall, Rong An was guarding the door. When he saw her, he quickly greeted her and said with a smile, "Your Highness is here. The Emperor is reading memorials inside. There are no outsiders here. Please go in."
After the two of them talked it out, Zhonghe Hall allowed her to come and go as she pleased, and there was no need to inform anyone unless there were outsiders present.
Meng Yan stepped into Zhonghe Hall. On the wall in front of her hung a painting of the country and its people by a famous calligrapher and painter of the previous dynasty. Below it were two mahogany armchairs, and below that were two rows of chairs on the left and right. On the table at the top was a colorful enamel clock and a pot of orchids. The hall was naturally empty.
She walked to the right with ease, passed through the moon-shaped door, and saw Lu Haozhi sitting behind a rosewood desk with cloud patterns carved on the four corners.
He leaned against a soft lake green pillow with gold weaving, looking at the memorials on the table, his brows slightly furrowed, and he sighed for a long while.
"What is troubling the Emperor?"
Meng Yan smiled and walked forward slowly.
Lu Haozhi suddenly looked up and saw her coming. He couldn't help but smile, "Why are you here now? I ordered the imperial kitchen to stew wild ginseng and old duck soup today. I originally said that I would come over to enjoy it with you during dinner."
Meng Yan smiled faintly.
Recently, Lu Haozhi seemed to think she was too thin, and ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare various medicinal foods every day and forced her to eat them.
She smiled and said, "I always say that those things are actually not very interesting, but the emperor still enjoys them."
Lu Haozhi said dissatisfiedly, "Who cares if it's interesting or not? It's always nourishing to eat it." As he said that, he pinched her waist with his palm, "Look, you're still so thin."
Meng Yan smiled and murmured, "I've gained some weight."
"Where did you gain weight? You're trying to trick me again. Yan'er, you're getting better at lying now."
Meng Yan smiled and explained her purpose, "Your Majesty, I, the imperial physician Xiahou, have already discussed a prescription for treating the epidemic."
"really?!"
This statement was like shocking good news, exploding in Lu Haozhi's mind.
He suddenly stood up and hugged her, "Yan'er, have you found the right medicine?!"
Meng Yan smiled and said, "Of course I am serious. How dare I tease His Majesty with such a thing? This prescription is not the work of me alone. Imperial Physician Xiahou also made great efforts. I have ordered people to test it in Liluoyuan, and the effect is very good. The palace maids with mild symptoms can go home now. Imperial Physician Xiahou said that he tried it in Yanxia Hall and the effect was also very good. I think we can promote it among the people."
"That's great, that's great!"
Lu Haozhi was so ecstatic that he actually laughed out loud a few times, and then kissed her deeply on the lips. "Yan'er, your coming here is truly a timely rain for me! The court has huge daily expenses to treat the patients, and even with the silver donated by various families, it is still quite stretched. Now that we have the right prescription, this epidemic can be dispelled! The people of Da Zhou are saved! Yan'er, you are truly my virtuous wife!"
Seeing his high spirits, Meng Yan couldn't help but feel happy in her heart, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing."
As she spoke, she took out the small purse from her sleeve and handed it to Lu Haozhi.
Lu Haozhi's smile still lingered as he asked in a clear voice, "Why, you made me another purse?"
Meng Yan glanced at him and said, "What is your Majesty thinking? I will never embroider a purse again in my life."
Lu Haozhi then stopped smiling and looked at the purse lying in his palm.
The purse is small and the embroidered pattern is also common.
He looked at Meng Yan with some doubts.
Meng Yan reached out to open it, and her nimble little hands danced up and down in his palm like lotus flowers.
After a while, she took out a square of letter paper folded into a square, flattened it and placed it in Lu Haozhi's palm.
Lu Haozhi picked it up and looked at it, then said nothing.
Meng Yan whispered, "This is probably the last letter. That girl has taken a big risk. The inner court of the Liang Mansion has always been sinister. I am afraid that if she does something again, it will be discovered."
Lu Haozhi said in a low voice, "I've uncovered a lot recently, but I never imagined he would go so far in his later years." He slammed the letter on the desk and angrily said, "What a scoundrel! As a minister of two dynasties, blessed by heaven and the people, yet he is so cruel and ruthless!"
Meng Yan said calmly, "Your Majesty, there's no need to be angry about these dirty things. Now that their deeds have been exposed, they will be dealt with according to the law in the future. This will also be an explanation to the people of the world."
Lu Haozhi nodded and said, "Yan'er is right. I will definitely give an explanation to the people of the Great Zhou." As he said that, he carefully put the letter into his writing case.
After putting away the secret letter, he turned around and hugged Meng Yan again, smiling brightly.
"Yan'er, it's only a matter of time before the epidemic is eradicated, and the Liang family's affairs are finally resolved. Once these two major issues are resolved, I will announce to the world that I will crown you Empress! Then... then, you will have the power to issue memorials to the Empress, and we will rule this country together."
The so-called imperial edict can be compared to the emperor's edict, which is the highest power that women in the world can have.
He willingly handed this authority to her.
Meng Yan stared into his eyes, raised her little hand and gently stroked his cheek, carefully touching his eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth.
After a long moment, she smiled sweetly and said, "Okay."
The two hugged each other for a moment, and then Rong An came to inform the Minister of Revenue that he wanted to see him.
Meng Yan then took her leave and left.
As he stepped out of the door, he saw a court official standing by the door with his hands hanging down.
Seeing her come out, the old minister hurriedly bowed and called her "Empress", with his eyes lowered. His attitude was more respectful than before, which was rude at first but respectful later.
Meng Yan smiled brightly, walked down the stairs, and got on the sedan chair to return to Chunze Zhai.
On the way back, she felt dizzy and her hands involuntarily grasped the handrails.
Ruizhu, who was following, noticed something was going on and asked hurriedly, "My Lady, what's wrong?"
Meng Yan took a few deep breaths before saying, "It's okay, go back quickly."
Ruizhu hurriedly urged the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair to speed up and return to Chunzezhai.
Meng Yan leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and rested, not realizing that her back was covered in cold sweat.
Haozhi, I may have lied to you.
She thought secretly in her heart.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
