Chapter 70
As soon as Princess Chun'an finished her sword dance, several other noble ladies followed suit and performed.
Whispers began to rise among the guests, mostly discussing which young lady's talent was more outstanding and whose figure more graceful. Among them, another voice whispered to the person next to her, asking why Qiu Qing was also holding back and not showing off her best zither skills. In the past, she was the one who loved to show off the most, afraid that the Crown Prince's attention would be diverted to someone else.
"What's so hard to understand? Didn't you see that young Marquis Xie sitting right next to her? How could she flirt with another man in front of her husband? If you ask me, she's been kept in check by young Marquis Xie. No matter how formidable a woman is, once she's married, she becomes a paper tiger..."
By sheer coincidence, Xie Chengnan overheard these words. He then turned to Lin Yi and teased, "I'm actually quite magnanimous. If you wish to play a tune for His Highness the Crown Prince, that's not out of the question..."
Lin Yi turned her head to the side, feigning annoyance, and looked at him reproachfully, but she couldn't hide her smile, which shone through her eyes like a glint of light: "What's the rush? I'm going now."
Lin Yi lowered her eyelids, downed the half-cold tea in her cup, and then stood up and said, "This humble woman is not talented, and does not possess the skills that my sisters have. I have recently learned some basic medical skills from my father. If Your Majesty does not mind, I am willing to make a fool of myself by showing them off." Her voice was not loud, but it was just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
Consort Shu glanced at her knowingly and chimed in, "Your Majesty, Qingye recently opened a clinic in the city, and it has a very good reputation."
I've heard plenty of elegant songs and refined sentiments today, but using medical skills to present treasures is something I've never heard of before.
Emperor Zhaowen raised his hand and said, "Then let me and the Imperial Concubine see what's so special about your medical skills."
"Yes." Lin Yi nodded in agreement, and then said, "This humble woman dares to ask if I may begin with Consort Shu?"
Consort Shu naturally agreed, and took Emperor Zhaowen's arm, saying, "Your Majesty, why don't we let her show herself to me first, so that we can see her abilities? If she's just a pretty face, then we should take her away, lest we bring shame upon my mother's family."
Knowing she was joking, Emperor Zhaowen laughed heartily and said readily, "Very well, not only the Imperial Concubine, but everyone present today is free for you to choose and treat. Just don't embarrass your aunt!"
Lin Yi thanked the emperor and went to the Imperial Concubine's side. He took her pulse through a handkerchief, examined her carefully for a moment, and asked, "Your Majesty, have you been sleeping little lately? Even when you do sleep, you are not restless and often have something on your mind?"
Consort Shu sighed inwardly, her eyes glancing at the Emperor sitting beside her. "Recently, Your Majesty has been very busy with state affairs, often staying up late in the Imperial Study to review memorials. I am worried about Your Majesty's health, but I can't help you, and I often can't sleep well at night."
Emperor Zhaowen patted her hand reassuringly: "I am fine, but I have made you worry."
Lin Yi nodded: "Your Majesty is concerned about His Majesty's health, but you must also cherish your imperial dignity. I dare to offer you a gentle and calming prescription. It does not need to be decocted or taken orally. Simply fry it and put it in a sachet, which can be hung on your bed curtains every day."
"I usually dislike drinking those herbal soups, so this is perfect!" The Imperial Concubine Shu had just received a word of concern from the Emperor, and now her niece had made her look so good. Her joy was almost overflowing.
However, some people were dissatisfied and whispered among themselves to their companions, "Everyone knows about Qiu Qingye's relationship with Consort Shu. They probably conspired together from the beginning..."
The speaker's voice wasn't loud, but there was no attempt to muffle it, and a few words still reached Lin Yi's ears.
She glanced at the person, pointed in the distance, and asked, "Does Your Majesty know who is sitting there?"
Consort Shu glanced around and saw that the person sitting there was none other than Imperial Censor Xiao's grandson.
Lin Yixin understood immediately. "Your Majesty, I noticed that Young Master Xiao's complexion doesn't seem to be very good. I would like to examine him."
Emperor Zhaowen's curiosity was piqued by her words. "Oh? What's wrong with him? Xiao Liang cherishes his grandson very much. You should go and give him a good look."
With the emperor's permission, Lin Yi went straight to the young master of the Xiao family. This time, she didn't even bother to take his pulse. She looked him up and down and diagnosed, "This young master's face is pale and weak. He is obviously lacking in the energy of winter, and his body is like a withered tree with dry water."
Young Master Xiao was clearly taken aback by her talk of winter and spring, and water and wood, and asked, "What do you mean?"
Lin smiled and explained, "The kidneys correspond to winter in the four seasons and belong to water, while the liver belongs to wood. Young master, you should take good care of yourself, otherwise your kidneys will be weak and your muscles and bones will become feeble, and you may suffer from erectile dysfunction during sexual intercourse."
"you--!"
Upon hearing this, someone in the room chuckled softly, and it seemed to trigger a chain reaction of laughter that never stopped. Everyone in Mingzhou knew that Xiao Xun, the grandson of Imperial Censor Xiao, was a notorious playboy, spending his nights philandering as if it were nothing unusual. So, it was hardly surprising that he was suffering from such health problems.
Xiao Xun was furious that she had exposed him in public, but he didn't dare to lay a hand on her openly. His face turned red with embarrassment: "Nonsense! I am perfectly healthy! You...you dare to slander me in public and ruin my reputation!"
Lin Yi, unfazed by his anger and embarrassment, said calmly, "Actually, this illness isn't difficult to treat. It only requires a few common medicinal herbs: Atractylodes macrocephala, Angelica sinensis, Cistanche deserticola, Aconitum carmichaelii..."
Some people had already secretly written down the recipe during the meal. Whether it was useful or not, they could try it when they got back or keep it for future use. In the end, it was a free recipe, and they didn't lose anything.
Xiao Xun's face flushed even redder: "This young master is... quite skilled in that area! I don't need your damn prescription!"
Lin Yi nodded with a hint of regret: "There are always people who are reluctant to seek medical help, and it will be too late to shed tears when they see their coffin. If Young Master Xiao ever regrets his decision, you are welcome to come to Xinglin Medical Clinic at any time, and we will definitely give you the most expensive medicine."
Xiao Xun was furious with her, but he couldn't resist the pointing eyes around him. He snorted and lowered his head to struggle with the carved radish on the plate.
Lin Yi remained calm and composed throughout, avoiding any argument. This only made her points seem more reasonable, inadvertently giving the medical clinic free publicity. If all went as planned, the Xinglin Medical Clinic would welcome even more distinguished guests after today. This young master Xiao might very well be among them.
Xie Chengnan took a sip of the imperial wine and chuckled softly. He had only realized today that his wife was somewhat vindictive. He would have to treat her even better when they got back.
Next, Lin Yi pointed out that a certain concubine suffered from burning pain in the soles of her feet in the middle of the night due to yin deficiency and excessive fire, a junior eunuch suffered from lumbar disc herniation, and even discovered that a high-ranking official's daily tonic soup was secretly poisoned by his personal attendant.
From then on, no one questioned Lin Yi's medical skills anymore, and they all praised Dr. Qiu for having a worthy successor.
"Chou Baekje has indeed given birth to a fine daughter. You are quite good too. Come and let me take a look."
Lin Yi's newly risen sense of smugness vanished instantly. Was Emperor Zhaowen joking, or was he serious? If he noticed something amiss, should she speak up or remain silent in front of so many court officials and noble ladies?
She was filled with trepidation, but she had no choice but to obey the imperial decree. After pondering for a moment, she walked a few steps to the throne.
After examining Emperor Zhaowen's pulse, Lin Yi said, "This humble woman's medical skills are shallow, and I cannot discern the truth. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
This time, however, no one whispered during the banquet; the entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Emperor Zhaowen did not speak, so Lin Yi knelt on the ground and dared not get up.
She wasn't oblivious, but even if she had, it would have been useless. This wasn't an illness, but rather diarrhea. A minor ailment is mild and acute; an illness is more serious than a minor one—this is a more common concept in medicine. And a minor ailment left untreated can develop into diarrhea. Emperor Zhaowen, suffering from severe diarrhea, probably didn't have much time left.
As an emperor, he had to oversee and decide on matters of state, both major and minor. He was burdened with the anxieties of governing and the constant vigilance against power struggles within the court and the harem—a truly exhausting undertaking. Excessive emotional exertion depletes the internal organs, leading to a complex and intricate illness, like a tangled mess. The imperial physicians dared not idly await his fate, consuming bowls of precious tonics. While he might appear healthy initially, the effects were temporary and never addressed the root cause. What he needed was not treatment, but rest. For a responsible ruler, the concept of rest was an insurmountable barrier.
He kept taking supplements when he needed rest, which damaged his health. Now, even rest is useless.
Even if Lin Yi said these words, would the emperor believe them? Perhaps. But the emperor's entourage is never short of highly skilled imperial physicians, so why would someone be suffering from chronic diarrhea? As the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Qiu Baiji is in charge of the emperor's health; would he not know about this? If even the head of the academy knows but doesn't report it, then how could she speak of this so casually?
These are all Lin Yi's concerns.
After a long silence, Emperor Zhaowen chuckled softly, "You're quite honest, child. You didn't try to appease me with some empty words about your good health. Your father also said he couldn't tell, but I don't know if that's true or not."
Lin Yi didn't dare to respond to these words, and instead lowered his head even further.
"Get up. Speak boldly, and I will not punish you." Emperor Zhaowen seemed very tired, or perhaps he was waiting for something.
Lin Yi bit down on the soft flesh of her cheek. The pain made her even more alert, and she realized that there was no other way out now.
Crown Prince Gu Shuan suddenly spoke up to stop him without warning: "Father, this concerns the Emperor's health. How can we allow an ignorant young woman to play such a game? If you have any doubts, I will find a renowned physician to come to the palace to examine you after the banquet."
Emperor Zhaowen narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing his most beloved son with a hawk-like gaze.
Lin Yi spoke up at the opportune moment, saying, "Your Highness is absolutely right. The health of the emperor is the foundation of the nation, and I dare not speak presumptuously."
"That's enough..." Emperor Zhaowen closed his eyes very lightly, and when he opened them again, the exhaustion seemed to have never happened.
"Qiu Qingye." The emperor called her name, emphasizing each syllable, and Lin Yi trembled upon hearing it. Then Emperor Zhaowen continued, "A good diagnosis. What reward do you desire?"
Lin paused for a moment. At this moment, she should perhaps ask for nothing in order to show her loyalty, but she did have something to ask for. Even if the emperor did not speak, she would find an opportunity to ask for it herself.
“Your Majesty is wise. Your humble servant… truly desires something and wishes to request Your Majesty to grant it to her.”
What do you want?
Lin Yi kept her head down, her gaze secretly sweeping towards the person closest to the emperor. "This humble woman wishes to take this opportunity of the palace banquet to offer His Highness the Crown Prince a cup of wine. I fear His Highness may not be willing, so I humbly request Your Majesty's permission."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com