Chapter 30 Difficulties in Seeing a Doctor
“I’m young and strong, I don’t need to see a doctor. It’s Your Highness who was wounded by an arrow yesterday and needs to be examined.” Lu Wensheng backed away, trying to run away, “I have some business to attend to at the Hanlin Academy, so I won’t disturb Your Highness’s medical treatment!”
Shen Hegui sat upright in his original position and tapped the table twice with his hand.
Two tall, burly Imperial Guards appeared in front of Lu Wensheng instantly, blocking his path.
Shen Hegui said, "Just take a pulse for peace, and not a single word will be passed on." He knew Lu Wensheng would run away.
Lu Wensheng glanced at Zhang Chanyi's white beard, feeling uneasy. He'd heard that men's and women's pulses were different; if the head of traditional Chinese medicine took his pulse, wouldn't he be exposed?
Thinking of this, she turned back and stole a glance at Shen Hegui.
Upon discovering that the talented woman he had painstakingly recruited three times was a rebellious and disobedient one, would Shen Hegui be so angry that his face would turn as black as charcoal? If he could just print a crescent moon, he could go to the courtroom of the Prefect of the Capital and become a transmigrated version of Bao Zheng (a legendary upright official).
How can I escape this disaster?
Don't panic, stay calm!
Lu Wensheng turned his head rapidly.
Seeing Lu Wensheng standing motionless, Shen Hegui got up and walked towards her, his steps light and silent, like a leopard hunting in the jungle.
She couldn't beat the strong man, and Shen Hegui meant well, so she couldn't confront him directly. She could either admit she wasn't good enough, or she'd be refusing to admit her weakness—a fool! But what if Physician Zhang made her take off her pants for the examination?
No, no, we still have to run! Lu Wensheng's gaze fell on the window to the side.
The door is blocked, but that doesn't mean the window can't be climbed out! Let's get out of the way for now. She could have taken a gamble even if it were just an ordinary imperial physician, but it's the one-in-a-million chief physician. It's like a chicken falling into boiling water—it's certain to die!
Once he figured it out, he did it. Lu Wensheng darted to the window and was about to climb over it.
Hey! Why does this dress feel a bit tight around the neck?
She raised her hand and tugged at it.
Her cool neck touched a patch of burning hot skin that didn't belong to her, and she slowly turned her head.
Lu Wensheng: "?" When did Shen Hegui stand behind her? This person walks without making a sound!
Shen Hegui grabbed Lu Wensheng by the back of his collar and said with his eyes down, "I keep my word. If a single word is leaked today, everyone here and their families will be executed. You don't need to be afraid." He understood Lu Wensheng's reluctance to see a doctor, but he could not tolerate his refusal to seek medical help.
Lu Wensheng felt a chill run down his spine.
Fine, Shen Hegui is going to kill her! If all else fails, I'll give him the imperial edict later and then lie to him that I'm planning to go home and retire.
Lu Wensheng resignedly put his leg down and sat back down in his seat with a solemn expression.
The food provided by the government was indeed terrible. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have come to eat here.
However, looking at it from another angle, as long as she has a life-saving charm, she dares to do anything. As long as she doesn't get involved in a romantic relationship with Shen Hegui, her little disguise is no big deal.
Having unexpectedly witnessed a cat-and-mouse game, Zhang Chanyi chuckled and placed the pulse pillow under Lu Wensheng's wrist, his expression kind: "It seems His Highness likes you very much, even willing to spend a fortune on medicine powder for you."
Lu Wensheng bent his injured thumb, instantly stopping his thoughts, and exclaimed in disbelief, "So expensive? What kind of formula is this? Why don't you just rob someone!"
His fingers, thin and aged, but with white crescent-shaped nails, pressed against Lu Wensheng's wrist: "Your Highness used to be frequently injured, so the medicine had to be gentle and fast-acting. A person can make money while alive, but once dead, they have nothing left. A life-saving medicine is worth even a fortune." His goatee trembled as he spoke.
Lu Wensheng curiously stroked it.
It looks great! It's even better maintained than her hair.
Shen Hegui interjected, "Too talkative."
Zhang Chanyi paused in stroking his beard, his smile vanished, and he said to Lu Wensheng, "Switch to the other hand."
Seeing his furrowed brows, Lu Wensheng could hardly help but feel a little smug: "What has Your Excellency discovered?" He must have revealed it.
Since she can't avoid it anyway, she might as well scare one person at a time; after all, she has a life-saving charm.
The white beard trembled above his eyes. Lu Wensheng raised his hand to stroke it again, but Zhang Chanyi dodged it.
Seeing Zhang Chanyi suddenly lose his smile, Shen Hegui asked solemnly, "How is his illness? Can it be cured?"
Zhang Chanyi carefully observed Lu Wensheng, who was leisurely blowing on his fingers, remained silent for a moment, and then withdrew his hand. Neither of them were easy to deal with; birds of a feather flock together!
"Your Highness, this... Lord Lu is just suffering from liver qi stagnation, insufficient qi and blood, and yang deficiency with internal cold. He doesn't have any serious illness for the time being. It seems that he has been under too much pressure recently and has caught a cold. He just needs to take some medicine to soothe the liver and relieve depression, regulate qi and strengthen the spleen, and nourish qi and blood. He just needs to relax."
Lu Wensheng looked up at Zhang Chanyi in astonishment.
What's going on?! The Imperial Hospital is full of shrewd people, and now their head is lying for her? Does he need something from her? Impossible!
Shen Hegui: "I'm entrusting him to you for recuperation. There's a medicine stove in the kitchen outside. Brew the medicine and watch him drink it before you leave."
Zhang Chanyi: "Yes."
Lu Wensheng's astonished gaze fell on Shen Hegui again.
When did Shen Hegui understand her so well? He knew that she liked to secretly pour out the bitter medicine.
Shen Hegui's long eyelashes fluttered: "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't see you off to your shift. The horse outside the courtyard is for you." It's good that you're not sick.
Lu Wensheng responded softly.
Shen Hegui was being too considerate; he took her out to eat, took her for a medical check-up, and even gave her a horse.
After watching Shen Hegui's carriage drive away, Lu Wensheng turned around and went to the kitchen.
The steam rising from the lid of the earthenware pot made a gurgling sound.
Lu Wensheng leaned forward and asked in a low voice, "Didn't Lord Zhang come up with anything else?"
Zhang Chanyi pulled a piece of firewood from under the pottery stove to lower the temperature of the flames. He whispered, "Does Lord Lu still remember last spring when you asked Prince Su for a pretty woman, intending to take her as a concubine? Later, you lied and claimed that she would rather die than submit and committed suicide at home!"
The bright flames brought warmth.
Knowing that Zhang Chanyi meant no harm, Lu Wensheng pondered for a while and finally had a vague recollection. She said, "It seems that there is such a thing. If such a gentle-looking and kind-hearted girl had fallen into the Prince Su's harem, she would definitely have been devoured without leaving a trace. I just helped her out."
Prince Su was a womanizer; his harem was like a palace, full of excitement every day, and every month a woman's corpse would be carried out.
Zhang Chanyi fanned the stove twice and added a thin piece of firewood: "That's my only daughter." He paused, then added, "One year older than Lord Lu. I'll help you this once, there won't be a next time. Remember to stay healthy."
The two understood each other without saying a word.
Lu Wensheng raised his hands and clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you! It is true that one should do good deeds and accumulate virtue."
...
When Lu Wensheng arrived at the Hanlin Academy on horseback, it was already late afternoon. She planned to stay until late afternoon to make do, and then go home on time.
Leading the horse to the stable, Lu Wensheng hummed a little tune as he walked along the corridor with his hands behind his back.
Compiler of the Hanlin Academy, a seventh-rank official, was a mid-level official in the Hanlin Academy. Above him were fifth-rank scholars, sixth-rank attendants and lecturers, and below him were eighth- and ninth-rank doctors of the Five Classics, classics, and scribes.
She used to think that her mediocre official position didn't matter much, but in the last half month, more and more people, both openly and secretly, wanted to step on her. Her superior, Chen Xin, was one of them, and he was the most prominent among them.
Thinking of Cao Cao, I saw Cao Cao.
Lu Wensheng raised an eyebrow and looked at Chen Xin, a fifth-rank scholar of the Hanlin Academy, who was sitting in the courtyard.
She saw Chen Xin, and Chen Xin saw her too.
Looking across the corridor, Chen Xin spoke first, saying sarcastically, "Oh! The sun is almost setting, and Lord Lu has finally remembered to go on duty."
Thinking about the trouble Chen Xin had caused her over the past half month, Lu Wensheng didn't hold back at all: "The sun is almost setting, and you're still sunbathing here. Are you afraid you won't have any more sun to sunbathe in the future? I was just forced to drink bitter medicine by His Highness the Crown Prince, and I really want to curse, but I won't curse you!"
Chen Xin obtained his official position through nepotism; he was not well-educated and not particularly intelligent, so he didn't realize what was going on.
Chen Xin sneered disdainfully: "I think you've had too much to drink and just woken up from your daydream!" Everyone in the Hanlin Academy knows that Lu Wensheng and His Highness the Crown Prince are sworn enemies. Now that Prince Su has run away and the Grand Secretary is on his last legs, Lu Wensheng is nothing but a fart!
"We loathe each other, Lord Chen! Speak your mind, or shut up!" Chen Xin is petty and jealous of talent; the Hanlin Academy will be doomed in his hands sooner or later. She finds him disgusting too, yet being an official means she can't easily resign!
"Although I cannot dismiss you, don't forget that I wrote your evaluation." Seeing that Lu Wensheng was showing no fear and had no one else in his eyes, Chen Xin stood up and walked towards Lu Wensheng.
Lu Wensheng glanced at the fat on his body and said, "Then write it now, and it would be best if the Censorate or the Ministry of Personnel could dismiss me from my post directly."
Tsk! The head of the Censorate was humiliated by Shen Hegui this morning. The newly appointed Minister of Personnel is also one of Shen Hegui's men. She doesn't know where this idiot got his courage from, his fat?
Seeing Lu Wensheng's smugness, Chen Xin's anger surged. He just couldn't understand why Lu Wensheng, who neither made friends with his colleagues nor flattered his superiors, still acted so arrogantly every day, even though all his backers had fallen.
Chen Xin, with a long face and an arrogant air, handed a slip of paper to Lu Wensheng and instructed, "Some old files in the archives have been infested with insects. You'll have to work hard tonight to rewrite them. There are also a few documents that need to be drafted. Submit them before 7 PM and remember to sign them with Editor Zhao's name."
Lu Wensheng raised his hand and rubbed his fingers together.
Chen Xin: "What do you mean by that?"
Lu Wensheng replied matter-of-factly, "Pay up! Do you expect to get something for nothing?"
"This is a task your boss gave you," Chen Xin said, pointing to the stamp on the slip of paper.
"Ha!" That's incredible. Apart from Shen Hegui, no one has ever gotten something for free from her. "Either pay her or find someone else to write it for you!"
Lu Wensheng and Chen Xin argued without keeping their voices down, and soon everyone in the room came out to watch the commotion.
Shang Lian and Huo Qian had recognized Lu Wensheng's voice long ago, but they were kept in the sight of their superior and could not come out to help. Now that the situation had spread, they were finally able to follow their superior out of the house.
Chen Xin: "Lu Wensheng, how dare you!"
The fat on Chen Xin's face jiggled, making her want to vomit.
It's disgusting that a fat, corrupt official has become a spirit and is now in office!
Lu Wensheng rolled up his sleeves and sneered, "I have even more outrageous tricks up my sleeve. Want to try them?!"
Two fair and slender arms suddenly caught Chen Xin's eye, igniting a burning jealousy within him.
Chen Xin sneered sarcastically, "Your arms are as white and thin as those of the women in brothels. How dare you show them off and embarrass yourself!"
Lu Wensheng licked his back teeth twice: "As the saying goes, kill the chicken to scare the monkey, knock the mountain to frighten the tiger. I think today, I might as well treat you as the chicken mountain and offer it to those who want to mess with me!"
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Author's note: I went out with my mom, so I'm late [covering face and peeking]
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