Chapter 240 Posthumous Conferment
With irrefutable evidence, the emperor's face darkened further. He slammed his fist on the table and rose to his feet: "You unfilial son! You wicked woman! How dare you join forces to frame loyal officials and disrupt the court!"
Consort An was terrified and kept kowtowing to the ground, crying, "Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty! I've fallen for the Second Prince's treacherous scheme!"
“A treacherous scheme?” Ye Wanning took two steps forward, her tone icy. “You’re jealous of the Empress Dowager’s trust in me, so you’re openly trying to harm me, and secretly trying to harm me.”
"This time, you've even joined forces with the Second Prince, gambling with the safety of the court. Do you really think His Majesty will let you off the hook?"
The emperor was furious and immediately issued an edict: "Throw Consort An into the Cold Palace and await further orders to execute her!"
"Depose the Second Prince and reduce him to a commoner, confine him to the Imperial Clan Court, and for life he shall never leave the court!"
"The censors who impeached Ye Wanning, if found guilty of accepting bribes, will all be investigated and punished!"
As soon as the decree was issued, the Golden Palace fell silent. The Prince of Runan opened his mouth, wanting to plead for the Second Prince again, but ultimately dared not speak.
Ye Wanning watched as Consort An was dragged away, her face devoid of any pity. These people had repeatedly driven her to the brink of despair; today, she was simply reaping the consequences of her own actions.
It was already dark when the court session ended. Ye Wanning followed Pei Zhi along the palace path, the palace lanterns casting long shadows of the two of them.
"Thank you for saving me," Pei Zhi said softly.
“No need for thanks between us,” Ye Wanning replied.
Pei Zhi suddenly stopped and turned around. In the darkness, his eyes shone with an astonishing light: "Wan Ning, I..."
Before she could finish speaking, he had already taken her hand in his. His palm was warm, with a few calluses, and his grip was just right, holding her hand firmly.
Ye Wanning's heart skipped a beat, and her ears turned red instantly, but she did not break free.
Several patrolling guards passed by on the palace road. The two tacitly kept quiet, their hands still clasped, and the warmth of their fingertips slowly spread to their hearts.
As they neared the palace gates, Pei Zhi released her hand, his fingertips tracing the warmth of her palm. "If you are well, I will see things through to the end," he said, looking at her with a firm and solemn tone.
Ye Wanning nodded gently; she understood his concerns. Although the political turmoil had subsided, undercurrents remained, and their relationship could not yet be made public.
Back at the Heritage Hall, Ye Wanning lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. She could almost still feel the warmth of his touch in her palm. That brief moment of holding hands was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, keeping her tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The autumn wind was bleak and the weather was gradually turning cold, but the Heritage Hall was filled with joy—the emperor had issued an edict to exonerate Lin Yuewei.
The Empress Dowager personally brought a secret letter, the dregs of the medicine, Cui'er's testimony, and the late Emperor's edict to the Golden Palace to plead for Lin Yuewei. After reviewing all the evidence, the Emperor, moved by Lin Yuewei's loyalty and medical skills, immediately issued an edict posthumously conferring upon her the title of "Benevolent Female Physician".
Not only was the Lin family's reputation restored and funds allocated to rebuild the mausoleum, but the Lin family's ancestral home was also returned to Ye Wanning.
Three days later, the grand ceremony for the exoneration was held at the Heritage Hall, and people from all over the capital came to witness this momentous event in which a wrongful conviction was overturned.
On the day of the ceremony, Ye Wanning, dressed in a plain white dress, carried her mother's memorial tablet and walked step by step up to the newly built mausoleum. The mausoleum was solemn and dignified, and the words "Tomb of Lin Yuewei, the Benevolent Physician" on the tombstone were strong and powerful.
The Empress Dowager, Pei Zhi, and the common people who had received Lin Yuewei's kindness all came to see her off. Cui'er knelt before the grave, sobbing uncontrollably: "Miss, you can finally rest in peace! Miss Wanning has grown up and can protect herself now!"
Ye Wanning placed the memorial tablet in the grave, bowed deeply three times to her mother, and finally couldn't hold back her tears. "Mother, the injustice you suffered has been redressed. From now on, I will run the heritage center well and protect your life's work..."
Pei Zhi stood beside her, gently holding her shoulder, offering comfort through silence. He knew that Ye Wanning had waited too long for this moment.
After the grand ceremony, the emperor held a banquet in the palace to entertain Ye Wanning and relevant officials, and members of the imperial family were also present.
After several rounds of drinks, the Prince of Runan suddenly stood up, holding his wine cup, and said with a disdainful tone, "Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
The emperor grunted in acknowledgment, signaling him to speak.
"Although Lin Yuewei was a skilled physician, she was ultimately just a female physician. To posthumously confer the title of 'Benevolent Female Physician' and rebuild her tomb is not only overstepping the bounds but also violating ancestral rules." The Prince of Runan looked at Ye Wanning with disdain. "Moreover, isn't she probably trying to curry favor with the royal family by leveraging her mother's achievements?"
These words caused the atmosphere at the banquet to freeze instantly. Many members of the imperial family joined in the commotion, saying, "The Prince of Runan is absolutely right! It is indeed against the rules for a female physician to receive such an honor!"
Ye Wanning put down her wine cup, slowly stood up, and calmly looked at the Prince of Runan: "Does Your Highness mean that my mother, a mere female physician, is not worthy of being granted a title?"
The Prince of Runan looked displeased: "Isn't that right? The ancestral rules clearly stipulate that only those from prestigious families and meritorious officials are allowed to receive this reward." The members of the imperial clan cheered and the commotion grew even louder.
"May I ask the Prince of Runan, who was wounded by a bear during a hunt twenty years ago, and whose life was hanging by a thread?"
"It was my mother who risked her life to snatch you back from the jaws of death!" Ye Wanning's voice was not loud, but every word was firm and resounding. "And the Marquis of Ding'an and the Prince of Rencheng, back then, your family members were on the verge of death, and it was also thanks to my mother's treatment that their lives were saved!"
She turned to face the emperor and pulled out a thick stack of medical records from her sleeve: "Your Majesty, these are the medical records of my mother treating the members of the imperial family, a total of fifty-six."
“Each one bears the signature and fingerprint of the person involved. These are all people my mother saved!” She pushed the medical records in front of the emperor, then turned to the Prince of Runan, “Don’t people who have saved so many royal lives deserve a share of honor?”
"Me, using my mother's name to claim credit? I, Ye Wanning, have practiced medicine for many years and saved countless patients. The reputation of the Heritage Center is earned by me, stitch by stitch, herb by herb, and not by anyone else's!"
The Prince of Runan was stunned by the rebuttal, his face turning pale and then red, and he stood there with his mouth agape, unable to utter a word for a long time.
At this moment, a young gentleman stood up—it was Zhao Yan, the heir apparent of the Prince of Runan.
He bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, what Doctor Ye said is true. When my father was injured by a bear, it was indeed Physician Lin who risked her life to save him."
“My father has lived to this day entirely thanks to Physician Lin’s medical skills. Her medical ethics are noble, and she deserves this reward. It is by no means excessive!” Zhao Yan’s words were tantamount to slapping the Prince of Runan in the face in public.
Those members of the royal family who had received Lin Yuewei's kindness also stood up to speak for her, praising her medical ethics and character.
The emperor flipped through the medical records in his hand, then looked at the Prince of Runan who was bowing his head and remaining silent, and said in a deep voice, "Prince of Runan, you are too pedantic!"
"Lin Yuewei saves lives and serves the emperor loyally. What's wrong with bestowing upon her the title of 'Benevolent Healer'?"
"Anyone who dares to utter such sarcastic remarks again shall be punished as an insubordination!"
The Prince of Runan was startled and knelt down, stammering, "Your subject knows he was wrong, and will never dare to do it again!"
The emperor snorted coldly and told him to get up.
At the dinner table, everyone looked at Ye Wanning with more admiration—it turned out that this woman was not only skilled in medicine, but also had such great courage and eloquence.
Ye Wanning sat back down in her seat. Pei Zhi looked at her, his eyes full of approval, and raised his glass to toast her from afar. Ye Wanning raised her glass in response, smiling but not saying a word, her respect unspoken.
After the meal, Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi went together to pay their respects at Lin Yuewei's new grave.
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