Chapter 52 The Imperial Physician Presents a Chair
Perhaps because of the calming incense, Xiao Qing slept very soundly and peacefully, and even the pain from her injuries seemed to have subsided.
So when she woke up, she started to feel hungry.
This was a sign that she didn't have a good appetite before bed.
Mingxiu was overjoyed as she prepared some light meals and the daily essential herbal soup for her, saying with relief, "Your Majesty's complexion is better than yesterday, so Your Majesty should get more rest."
Xiao Qing glanced at the sunlight streaming in through the window, then at the spot where she was sleeping, and couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.
"You just let His Majesty sleep here for the night?"
Mingxiu stuck out her tongue. "There's no other way. His Majesty wasn't feeling well yesterday, and he insisted on waiting here for the Prime Minister. If he moves around too much, it will hinder His Majesty's recovery."
Xiao Qing liked Mingxiu's relaxed and carefree demeanor, and every time she saw her, she hoped that she wouldn't be changed beyond recognition by this glamorous yet suffocating cage.
"It has to be you. If it were Mei Shu..."
Xiao Qing paused for a moment, then asked, "How is she? Who is taking care of her? When will my leg get better?"
It's really inconvenient to do anything.
If someone tries to kill her again, she won't even be able to run away. How insecure she feels.
Xiao Qing felt that it must be because she had rested well that, although she felt that there was a great crisis before going to sleep and that there was no one she could entrust her life to, she now felt a fighting spirit that refused to admit defeat.
Even if reality is this bad, should she just give up and sit and wait for death?
This is definitely not her style.
It will be dawn soon, and it's time for the morning court session.
The events that occurred at the South Military Parade Ground yesterday have probably spread throughout the court and the public. Although she is an emperor whose professional skills are lacking, logically speaking, given how much she talked with the prime minister yesterday, he should know how to preside over the morning court session today.
Therefore, she only needed to focus on one question: what kind of plan could the ministers come up with to save the Grand Tutor?
Actually, there's something else she should have mentioned to Wang Xiang yesterday because she was so preoccupied with the Grand Tutor.
What happened to the refugees who fled south and were not allowed to enter Jiangzhou City?
Wasn't that why the soldier was trying to assassinate her while simultaneously cursing her as a dog emperor?
After finishing his meal, Xiao Qing stretched his arms and legs and could clearly feel that his thighs were recovering rapidly.
She tried to prop up her unbroken leg, leaving her other leg bound in a splint, and then hopped forward two steps, delighted to realize that she no longer had to lie in bed all day.
Fortunately, she is young and her bones are flexible, so her injury was not serious. In addition, she received timely treatment and had a good recovery beforehand. She was able to hop on one foot a couple of times and still be able to withstand it.
"Let's go see Mei Shu." Xiao Qing was happy, so she jumped two more steps, thinking that it would be convenient if she had a cane.
This startled Mingxiu. "Your Majesty, you're not fully recovered yet, please don't jump like that!"
Mingxiu's heart leaped into her throat, and she reached out to grab Xiao Qing's arm, stopping her from jumping any further.
"Furthermore, Your Majesty, the Imperial Hospital sent over an adjusted chair today. Do you think it would be more comfortable to sit than to lie down once you feel better?"
This is what is meant by providing timely help.
Although it's not a cane.
So Mingxiu quickly got to work and had someone carry in a chair.
To be honest, this chair is quite similar to the wheelchairs Xiao Qing has seen before, both having large wheels on the sides. However, this wheelchair is entirely made of wood, with only the wheels having refined iron parts, to ensure the wooden wheels are sturdy and durable.
Iron casting technology wasn't as advanced in this era, and steel bars hadn't yet appeared. Xiao Qing herself only had a slight understanding of this area and wasn't an expert, so she couldn't see anything particularly special about those parts.
But she understood one thing: the emperor always uses the best.
Therefore, these parts can basically represent the highest level of iron casting technology in this era, or rather, this dynasty.
She felt that this level was not low.
Look at those iron wires connecting the shaft; they are thinner than her little finger and are crafted to be perfectly round and symmetrical. It takes a lot of effort to make them.
"Who built this? When did they start preparing for it?" she asked curiously.
Mingxiu smiled and said, "There's a story behind this chair."
Xiao Qing became even more curious, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Mingxiu.
Mingxiu couldn't stand Xiao Qing looking at her like that. Her eyes were naturally very bright, with long eyelashes that curled slightly at the ends, making them look like bright pearls or autumn water, and extremely captivating with every blink.
Mingxiu had thought several times that the Grand Tutor was doing such a bold thing, how could he not have considered that if His Majesty were to be exposed, it would most likely be through his eyes.
She slightly averted her gaze before saying, "There was an old physician in the Imperial Hospital who had difficulty walking, and being a bit overweight, he always felt tired when walking. So this physician searched far and wide for skilled craftsmen to make a means of transportation. He made many, but was not satisfied with any of them."
Xiao Qing jumped up and touched it, quite satisfied.
Mingxiu laughed and said, "I never expected to see a beggar selling goods on the street one day. He was selling chairs the size of a palm. It was a chair that had been shrunk down to the size of a palm."
Xiao Qing touched the large wheel and thought to himself: That's called a model.
"That beggar was strange. Although he begged, he didn't take money from just anyone. Yet he held up that small chair and said that a true man doesn't accept charity. He said that he would give him money, but he couldn't take it for free; he had to make a chair for him first."
They have quite a backbone.
"When the old imperial physician saw that the small chair had a seat and wheels, and could even turn the wheels in his hands to move forward, he was naturally delighted. So he asked the beggar to make one in the same shape, but on a larger scale. The beggar readily agreed, only saying that the imperial physician needed to prepare the materials, and that he was a beggar with nowhere to go, but he couldn't make chairs on the street every day, so he needed the imperial physician to arrange a place for him."
Xiao Qing smiled; this beggar was quite shrewd in business.
"Speaking of which, this man isn't a beggar at all. He must be a craftsman who fled from disaster, which is why he has such pride." Mingxiu looked at him with admiration.
"So it took several days to make the chair. However, the imperial physician was too big to sit in. The physician asked the beggar to make a larger one, but the beggar said: 'The silver you gave me is enough to make one this big, sit or don't sit!'"
Mingxiu changed her voice and even waved her hand, mimicking the gesture perfectly, which made Xiao Qing laugh out loud.
"Later, the beggar walked away triumphantly, which made the imperial physician so angry that he almost fell to the ground."
"Then how come this chair is here again?"
Mingxiu smiled. "Your Majesty, look at this chair. No ordinary craftsman could make such a fine chair. Although the imperial physician was angry, he recognized its value and thought of keeping it. Just then, Your Majesty's leg injury came up, so the old imperial physician presented it to you, saying it was a token of his goodwill and asking Your Majesty not to blame him."
Xiao Qing was baffled. "This is a timely act of kindness, what's there to blame? It should be rewarded."
Mingxiu leaned closer and whispered, "My grandfather said the same thing. I don't think His Majesty would mind who made this chair. However, the old imperial physician insisted on not mentioning his name to His Majesty, probably because he was afraid of offending him."
Xiao Qing quickly understood.
She leaned closer and said, "I guess this old doctor has probably retired long ago, hasn't he?"
The two looked at each other and laughed heartily, sweeping away much of the gloom that had been building up for days.
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