How confident are you?
Consort Liang tried to maintain her pregnancy for more than five months, but her illness worsened.
Large clumps of hair began to fall out, the body became swollen, and patches of redness and bruising appeared on the skin. The most unbearable thing was the bones; the joints were red, swollen, and painful, the pain reaching deep into the bone. Headaches also occurred.
There weren't many people in the acupuncture department to begin with, and after Fang Gongfeng left, Xu Qingyan came to give Consort Liang acupuncture to help her have a safe pregnancy.
Consort Liang's head was throbbing with pain; she could barely see, her hands flailing wildly as she wailed, "What's wrong with me? Tell me what's wrong with me! Am I going to die? Give me a quick death, let me die..."
Xu Qingyan's fingertips trembled, and she almost lost her grip on the silver needles several times.
At night, Chen Gongfeng came to relieve Bai Shu from her shift. Bai Shu, carrying a lantern, walked with Xu Qingyan along the long and winding Yongxiang Lane towards the Imperial Medical Academy.
Xu Qingyan's hands were still trembling. She held Bai Shu's arm and said in a low, nasal voice, "Xiao Shu, I think we are... killing people."
“No,” Bai Shu grasped Xu Qingyan’s hand and told her firmly, “We are treating patients and saving lives.”
“But she should have had an abortion, she should have had an abortion long ago,” Xu Qingyan said. “We all know that if this continues, it will only result in the death of both mother and child.”
Bai Zhu's palms were sweaty as he said, "We must trust our masters."
Murder? Or rescue?
Atractylodes macrocephala also doesn't know.
But the cold moon shines on the palace alley.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded behind them. Bai Shu and Xu Qingyan turned around and saw a female official from Consort Liang's palace.
"Quickly!" The female official stopped when she saw the two of them and said, "Your Majesty, it's starting!"
Bai Shu's heart skipped a beat; Consort Liang's pregnancy... was less than seven months along.
The female official then went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to summon all the female physicians and midwives. Bai Shu and Xu Qingyan hurried towards Consort Liang's palace.
Inside, the midwife and the head priestess were in the inner room, while the head priestess and Pan Cheng were outside. Consort Liang's wails echoed from within, accompanied by the stench of blood. Bai Shu panicked, breaking out in a cold sweat, and rushed to the head priestess, crying, "Master..."
"Stay calm." Wan Gongfeng patted Bai Shu to calm her down and said, "Go wash your hands and go inside to assist Shen Gongfeng."
"Yes!" Bai Shu nodded emphatically.
This is a tough battle.
Wan Gongfeng then said to Pan Cheng, "Go next door and keep an eye on the people who are burning charcoal. Make sure it's warm."
"yes."
Bai Shu and Xu Qingyan both rolled up their sleeves, washed their hands, and went into the inner room, where the smell of blood was even stronger.
The scent of burning mugwort wafted in, slightly masking the smell of blood. Bai Zhu knew that Chang Zhifang had also arrived.
Bowls of life-sustaining tonics were brought in, but Consort Liang was already delirious and couldn't swallow them even when they were fed to her. While pressing on Consort Liang's stomach, Shen Gongfeng said to Bai Shu and the other two, "Pour it down her throat! Qingyan, Shuigou and Baihui, administer acupuncture."
The female official who served the Empress also arrived. She asked a few questions and instructed Shen Gongfeng, "Make sure that both mother and child are safe."
Suddenly, Consort Liang coughed twice. Bai Shu was overjoyed and shouted to Shen Gongfeng, "Her Majesty is awake!"
Shen Gongfeng stepped forward and grabbed Consort Liang's hand. In the instant her consciousness returned, he commanded her, "Your Majesty, you can only live if the child is born! Push!"
...
The child was pulled out by Shen Gongfeng's tiny hands.
The child was only the size of a palm, a tiny little bundle, breathing so weakly it sounded like a kitten's murmur, and his body was red as if covered in a layer of wax.
With blood on his hands, Shen Gongfeng handed the blood-stained child to Bai Zhu, saying, "Go out and give it to Wan Gongfeng."
The child was so small, his five fingers clenched into a fist, and it wasn't even as big as a fingernail.
Bai Shu's heart skipped a beat as she took the child in her hands. She carried the child outside, where Wan Gongfeng was already waiting. He took the child, loosened his clothes, and tucked him close to his heart to keep him warm before running to the greenhouse that Pan Cheng had set up next door.
Consort Liang's placenta had not yet been expelled when she suddenly convulsed. The Imperial Attendant Shen called for Bai Shu, who rushed back to the inner room and placed a wad of soft cloth in Consort Liang's mouth.
After a while, Consort Liang calmed down and stopped moving. Bai Shu was afraid that she would roll her eyes and twitch as if she had gone crazy, and even more afraid that she would remain motionless like this. He nervously stretched out two fingers and probed under Consort Liang's nose.
There was still air.
Thank goodness, Bai Zhu breathed a sigh of relief; there was still a chance of life.
At the other end, Chen Gongfeng checked that the placenta was intact, washed his hands, and said to Consort Liang's maid, "It's ready, get ready."
It was already broad daylight. Next up was Consort Liang's "Yin-Yang Poison," and several senior physicians from the major medical schools took over. Senior Physician Shen told Bai Shu and Xu Qingyan to go back first, "You've been busy all night. Go back to the Imperial Medical Academy first. I still need to report to the Empress."
Bai Shu ran into Fang Lingshan when she returned. Fang Lingshan had been waiting for most of the night. When she saw Bai Shu and Xu Qingyan return, she asked, "How did it go?"
Bai Shu said, "The child has been born."
Fang Lingshan pressed further: "And then?"
Then?
Bai Zhu didn't know that the fetus, which was only six months old, was so small and light in the palm of one's hand, and was like a weightless ball of flesh that made people tremble with fear. How could it survive?
I don't know about Atractylodes macrocephala.
And Consort Liang...
Xu Qingyan said, "Liang Pin started convulsing right after giving birth. I felt that her condition had worsened."
Fang Lingshan invited Bai Shu and the others into the room, closed the door, and said, "I have an idea, can you give me your advice?"
Bai Shu asked, "What?"
Fang Lingshan said, “I have been reading ancient books these days. This Yin-Yang Poisoning is a condition of deficiency in the root and excess in the branch. The root cause is deficiency of liver and kidney yin, and deficiency of both qi and yin, while the branch causes are heat toxin, blood stasis, and wind-dampness obstruction. Tripterygium wilfordii is bitter, pungent, cool, and highly toxic. It enters the liver and kidney meridians, which matches the pathogenesis of this Yin-Yang Poisoning. Could we use Tripterygium wilfordii as the chief herb to fight poison with poison, eliminate evil and support the body’s resistance?”
"Are you crazy?" Bai Zhu was the first to object, saying, "Thunder Vine, that's Gelsemium elegans! This isn't saving lives, it's killing people!"
Xu Qingyan also said, "Although I am not as knowledgeable about medicinal properties as you are, I still know a little about them. This Tripterygium wilfordii should absolutely not be used."
“But Consort Liang’s illness has reached a critical stage,” Fang Lingshan said. “We have wasted too much time. Ordinary treatments are merely scratching the surface and are unlikely to be effective.”
Bai Shu said seriously, "Think it over."
Xu Qingyan said, "If Master were here, he would definitely stop you too."
Xu Qingyan brought out Fang Gongfeng, and Fang Lingshan stopped insisting and put the matter aside for the time being.
But as Fang Lingshan said, Consort Liang's pregnancy had dragged on for too long and was now in critical condition.
After doses of medicine were administered, the condition not only failed to improve but actually worsened. Meanwhile, the young prince, whom Wan Gongfeng was caring for, was also in poor condition. Wan Gongfeng and Pan Cheng stayed by his side day and night. Bai Shu wanted to go and relieve him, but Wan Gongfeng told her, "You can't."
They sent Bai Zhu back.
The imperial guards, without relying on anyone else, managed to keep the little prince alive for five days. On the morning of the sixth day, the tiny prince, barely the size of a palm, died.
Having stayed up for several nights without sleep, Wan Gongfeng stumbled and nearly fell when he got up. Pan Cheng helped him up, and Wan Gongfeng steadied himself by leaning on the table. He pushed Pan Cheng away and said, "I'm fine. I'll go report to the Emperor now."
An imperial edict was issued: Wan Gongfeng failed to effectively treat the prince and was fined.
The death of the young prince cast a shadow over the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Consort Liang, whose illness had reached its terminal stage...
The Imperial Medical Bureau convened another meeting to discuss difficult cases, and Fang Lingshan brought up Tripterygium wilfordii again.
The moment the words "Thunder Vine" were uttered, the entire room erupted in uproar.
Fang Lingshan became the target of everyone's criticism. Bai Gongfeng slammed his fist on the table and rebuked her: "You've only been promoted to Gongfeng for a few days, and you dare to propose such an audacious prescription?"
Bai Gongfeng had always been good-tempered, as evidenced by how much he spoiled Bai Shu, making her "good-for-nothing." Bai Shu had never seen her father angry before, and she was quite startled.
Xue Chengxu pressed his hand down, silencing a chorus of rebukes, and asked Fang Cheng in a kind and amiable manner, "Young Master Fang, how confident are you in using this Thunder God Vine?"
Fang Lingshan was not confident. She said, "This humble official only knows ordinary prescriptions, which cannot cure Consort Liang's illness."
Xue Cheng chuckled, neither confirming nor denying, and said, "They are young people after all, and they have ideas. It's a good thing to have ideas. You all discuss it and don't suppress the younger generation."
Bai Jia Dalang said that Consort Liang was weak and that the effects of Tripterygium wilfordii were too strong for her to handle. Fang Lingshan said, "The dosage can be adjusted."
Bai Jia Erlang said that the poisonous herb "heartbreak grass" was extremely toxic, but Fang Lingshan said, "It can be processed to reduce its toxicity."
After arguing for a while, Shen Gongfeng spoke up: "Lingshan, how confident are you?"
Fang Lingshan was silent for a moment, then said, "Only this method might be worth a try."
Shen Gongfeng then asked Bai Gongfeng and the others, "Besides Xiao Fang Gongfeng's method, do any of you gentlemen have a better plan?"
Bai Gongfeng wanted to say something, but then took back his words, sighed, and shook his head.
“In that case,” said Shen Gongfeng, “I agree with Fang Gongfeng; perhaps we can give it a try.”
Bai Gongfeng said anxiously, "How can you not understand the importance of things?"
Shen Gongfeng said, "How will we know it's not feasible if we don't try? I was the one who delivered Consort Liang's child, and I also took care of her illness. I'm willing to give it a try." After she finished speaking, she turned to Xue Cheng and said, "Please grant my permission, Your Excellency."
"Alright." Xue Cheng nodded and smiled. "Shen Gongfeng is indeed highly skilled. Haha, then we'll have to trouble Shen Gongfeng from now on. Gongfeng, don't let down the Emperor and the Empress's trust. If you save Consort Liang, I will reward you."
The meeting adjourned, and the clerk under Fang Cheng took the record and called on each of the officials to sign it. Shen, the official in charge, signed it, and Fang Chengshan encouraged him, "Go ahead, how will you know if you don't try?"
That night, all the female officials gathered to deal with Fang Ling.
Xiao Fu, with her fiery temper, rushed in and saw that Shen Gongfeng was there, along with Bai Zhu, Xu Qingyan, and Chang Zhifang.
Since the official Shen was of a higher rank, and there were so many people, Xiao Fu suppressed her temper and awkwardly closed the door. Shen, the official, said calmly and gently, "Now that everyone is here, let's discuss how to treat this Yin-Yang Poison. Let's talk behind closed doors, without any formalities. Everyone, please share your methods."
Xiao Fu's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. She glared at Fang Lingshan and asked, "What's going on? I heard you're going to give Consort Liang the Heartbreak Grass? You've got some nerve!"
Lin Shaoyin, who came with Xiao Fu, also asked, "It's already spread that the Medicine Master is afraid to give you a prescription. What's going on?"
Fang Lingshan said, "I want to give it a try."
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