It was evening.
Physician Yue, accompanied by a woman, each wearing a veiled hat and carrying a bamboo basket for gathering herbs on their backs, slowly appeared at the back gate of the Prince of Qin's residence.
Upon seeing him, the guards at the gate greeted him from afar: "Imperial Physician Yue, what brings you here? It's almost dark, why are you going out at this hour?"
He was still a little nervous, and whenever he saw someone, Physician Yue would unconsciously shield the woman behind him.
At this moment, he removed his veil and said to the guard, "I suddenly remembered that when I went into the mountains some time ago, Dingxiang found a very good Dendrobium officinale. That Dendrobium officinale is very helpful in curing the Empress Dowager's serious illness. However, at that time I saw that it was not yet the best time to pick it. I only just remembered it and was worried that if I went too late, someone else might pick it. So I had no choice but to go out now."
Upon hearing this, the guard couldn't help but worry for him: "But in this freezing weather, the roads in the Western Mountains are not easy to travel, and it's so late, it's probably extremely unsafe!"
Physician Yue remained calm and said, "It's alright. I know the four seasons of West Mountain like the back of my hand over the years. I can do it even with my eyes closed. Besides, I have Dingxiang with me now. She has been accompanying me into the mountains every time recently, and she is now very familiar with the mountain path. I will be fine!"
Even so, the guards were still uneasy.
On a winter evening, visibility was already poor. Suddenly, the guard looked around and his eyes glanced at the face of the woman hidden behind Physician Yue, as if he was looking at her intentionally or unintentionally.
The woman, her head hidden by her veil, immediately lowered it when she met the guard's face.
At the same time, Physician Yue realized where the guards were looking and deliberately stepped in front of them again.
With his view blocked, the guard had no choice but to look away and suggested, "How about we ask Physician Yue to wait here for a moment while I report this to General Cheng and ask him to send two people to accompany you for protection!"
As he spoke, he was about to move to report.
Physician Yue was immediately filled with panic and hurriedly blocked the guard's path to refuse him.
"No need, no need, it's just a small matter, how could I trouble the general? Besides, the general has more important matters to attend to at the moment, as instructed by the prince, so it's best not to disturb his important business!"
It was clear that even with Dingxiang by his side, it wouldn't be easy for him to go out.
Physician Yue glanced at the woman behind him, pondered for a moment, and then made a desperate decision to take a risk and try to advance by retreating.
So he sighed, then suddenly said, "Let it go. Although rare and precious herbs in this world are hard to come by, it would be even more unacceptable to delay Your Highness's important matters because of this!"
With that, he turned and led the woman back.
"Alright, Dingxiang, let's go back! It seems we're destined to be without that Dendrobium officinale! If we want to save the Empress Dowager, let's think of another way!"
At this point, the guards were caught in a dilemma.
Although she was still somewhat hesitant, under the pressure of Physician Le's forceful insistence, she finally gave in as he turned to leave: "Physician Le, please wait!"
The guard took two steps forward and said, "Ever since the Princess Consort's accident, the Dowager Consort has been ill and has not recovered. If there is truly a way to cure Her Highness, we must not give up. We will have to trouble Physician Le. Physician Le, please be careful and return quickly!"
Physician Yue's scheme succeeded, and he secretly felt a surge of joy.
He then turned to thank him, saying, "Thank you! Come to Xinglin Pavilion another day, and I'll treat you to a drink."
The guard said, "Physician Yue, you're too kind!"
At this point, the heart that had been hanging in mid-air finally settled down.
Physician Yue quickly led the woman across the threshold, and they walked out one after the other.
This scene was witnessed by Lu Tianjiao, who had just been escorted back to the mansion.
She slowly stopped, thoughtfully recalling the figure that had been following closely behind, and muttered to herself, "That figure... it looks so much like someone..."
So he came over with his maid and asked the guard, "Who went out just now?"
Upon seeing that it was Lu Tianjiao, the guard, though extremely unwilling, had no choice but to turn around and bow to her: "Reporting to the Princess Consort, it is Physician Yue and Miss Dingxiang. They are going into the mountains to gather herbs."
Lu Tianjiao was also puzzled upon hearing this: "It's so late, are they going into the mountains?"
The guards explained, "They did this so that the Empress Dowager could recover as soon as possible."
Lu Tianjiao thought about it carefully again: "That's not right. I heard that Dingxiang has been poisoned with an addictive drug for a long time, and she's already skin and bones, looking like a withered tree. But that figure just now, although she also looked somewhat thin, didn't seem to be the sickly person described in the rumors!"
As he pondered, he suddenly seemed to realize something: "Could it be... the Apricot Grove Pavilion..."
So he hurriedly urged the maid beside him, "Hurry up..."
He then quickly turned around and hurried toward Xinglin Pavilion.
Inside Xinglin Pavilion.
The gate was locked.
Dingxiang was burning incense alone in the room where a statue of a deity was enshrined.
Afterwards, kneel down, put your hands together, and bow your head in devout prayer to the statue in front of you.
"Please, Medicine King Bodhisattva, bless Her Highness the Princess, so that she and Imperial Physician Yue may leave the mansion safely, and that she may be safe and sound wherever she is in the future!"
Recalling the incredible things Yi Shangyun had said, Dingxiang was convinced of only one thing.
She said with absolute certainty, "No matter who you are, or what time or space you come from, you are the only woman I admire most in my heart!"
Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate: "In this vast sea of people, to have met you in this life is truly my greatest blessing!"
But she longed even more: "If there really is an afterlife, could Dingxiang still learn medicine from the Princess Consort?"
After much deliberation, she finally couldn't hold back any longer.
With a thud, she fell heavily to the ground, hugged her knees, and started crying sadly.
She cried, making intermittent sounds.
"Your Highness..."
"actually……"
"In Lilac's heart..."
"I really hope you can stay..."
"I really want to, I really want to..."
"Lilac truly can't bear to be separated from you again..."
Just then, a sound suddenly reached my ears.
"clove……"
Upon hearing the voice, Dingxiang was startled: "It's Her Highness the Princess..."
For a moment, she actually believed it to be true, thinking that it was the Medicine King Bodhisattva who had manifested his power, causing Yi Shangyun to change her mind halfway and turn back again.
So he hastily wiped away the tears on his face and stood up abruptly.
As she ran outside, she exclaimed joyfully, "Your Highness, you're back?!"
But as soon as they entered the courtyard, illuminated by the dim light of a few candles in the yard...
Upon seeing the person approaching, dressed in fine clothes and adorned with numerous pearl hairpins, one could see that he was dressed in fine clothes and adorned with numerous pearl hairpins.
Her smile froze instantly, and she stopped in her tracks, asking, "Aren't you the Princess Consort?"
Lu Tianjiao, who led his men to break down the door, looked at the obviously sickly and emaciated body in front of him and tentatively asked, "Are you Dingxiang?"
Dingxiang was stunned and stammered, "I...I..."
"Just now I heard her calling out 'Your Highness the Princess,' but when she saw me, she said I wasn't the person she was talking about. If it's not me, then it must be that vile woman without a doubt..."
Lu Tianjiao thought to himself, and then looked at everything in front of him, and instantly understood: "So, she really has been in Xinglin Pavilion these past few days."
At this moment, Dingxiang realized what was happening: "You are the concubine that His Highness Prince Qin just welcomed into the palace?"
Seeing her slow reaction, only now recognizing her identity, he raised his voice and scolded her: "Fool, why don't you kneel before me, the princess?"
When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
Regardless, she was ultimately the mistress of this mansion.
Dingxiang had no choice but to kneel down and curtsy, saying, "This servant, Dingxiang, greets Your Highness, the Consort!"
Lu Tianjiao said dismissively, "Get up!"
After getting up, Dingxiang continued to ask, "Imperial Physician Yue is not here. May I ask what brings the Consort to Xinglin Pavilion at this time?"
Lu Tianjiao looked around the courtyard and said, "Why don't you guess what this princess just saw?"
Since she was vying with Yi Shangyun for a man, Dingxiang had no intention of speaking to her at all, so she said, "This servant is usually in the room, so I didn't know!"
"snort!"
Lu Tianjiao sneered and said, "This princess saw that Physician Yue just left with a woman!"
Upon hearing this, Dingxiang's eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed, "What?"
Lu Tianjiao was eager to confirm: "Why don't you tell me honestly who the woman who went out with Physician Yue just now was?"
Dingxiang vehemently denied it: "Since the Consort herself has already seen it with her own eyes, why is she asking me? I... know nothing..."
Lu Tianjiao immediately wiped the smile off her face, leaving not a trace, and sternly rebuked her: "You lowly servant, do you think that by saying this, I, the Princess Consort, will be powerless against you?"
Immediately afterwards, she summoned the maid who had come in with her and said, "Slap her in the face until she tells the truth."
The maidservant replied, "Yes, Your Highness!"
So he slowly walked towards the lilac.
Just as the maid raised a hard slap in the air, about to land on Dingxiang's face...
Another voice rang out in the courtyard: "Stop!"
Upon hearing the sound, everyone turned their gaze toward the direction from which it came.
It turned out that Xuanyuan Han had brought Cheng Liang in.
Lu Tianjiao was clearly dumbfounded, and could only stare blankly at the newcomer, saying, "Brother Han!"
The others knelt down and shouted in unison, "Greetings, Your Highness, King Qin!"
Upon entering, Xuan Yuanhan immediately reprimanded Lu Tianjiao: "Didn't I say that you are not allowed to appear anywhere else in the palace except for Xingyue Pavilion?"
Lu Tianjiao panicked for a moment, so he lied: "I... I just had a headache and wanted to come here to see Physician Le."
Xuanyuan Han could easily see her good spirits: "In front of me, keep your little schemes to yourself."
Although she was quickly exposed, Lu Tianjiao still wanted to explain something, but how could she tell him that she had come for Yi Shangyun? "Brother Han... I..."
Before he could even open his mouth, Xuan Yuanhan shouted sternly, "Get out of here with your men right now!"
Unfortunately, this time, Lu Tianjiao had no choice but to suffer in silence, unable to express his bitterness.
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