Ever since that satisfying hot pot meal, Xiao Che has had absolutely no doubt about the dishes produced in the Kunning Palace's small kitchen.
He seemed to have completely let go of himself, no longer worrying about whether the food conformed to "imperial decorum," but wholeheartedly enjoying every meal Lin Wanwan prepared for him.
Lin Wanwan thus became increasingly adept at using her "mobile ordering machine." She could not only satisfy his immediate cravings, but also provide deeper conditioning for him through the occasional emojis about his physical condition that popped up above his head.
That day, an urgent report came from the southern border, indicating that some minor skirmish had occurred. As a result, Xiao Che stayed up late for several nights in the imperial study to handle state affairs and discuss countermeasures with several key ministers.
When he dragged his weary body to Kunning Palace, even though he tried his best to hide it, the dark circles under his eyes and the weariness between his brows were still clearly visible.
As usual, Lin Wanwan served him tea and snacks. She looked up and saw a pixelated figure above his head with two big dark circles under his eyes, his eyes were lifeless, and he walked forward with unsteady steps. Every two steps, he would yawn loudly, and behind him was a line of crooked words - "[Staying up all night is so tiring.gif]".
Lin Wanwan immediately understood.
"Your Majesty, state affairs are of utmost importance, but your health is even more so," she said with concern. "How can your body withstand such mental and physical strain?"
He waved his hand, his voice slightly hoarse: "It's nothing, just a small matter."
He said he was fine, but his listless appearance couldn't lie.
Lin Wanwan didn't try to persuade her any further, but silently kept it in mind before turning around and going to the small kitchen.
For the next week, she suspended all the development of new dishes and devoted all her energy to preparing nourishing soup recipes for him.
She searched through all the medical books and ancient texts she could find, and combined them with the hidden information she gleaned from his emojis, such as "stagnation of qi and blood in the heart and spleen" and "deficiency of both qi and blood," to create a seven-day treatment plan tailored to his individual needs.
From Astragalus and Angelica sinensis to replenish qi and blood, to Poria cocos and Polygala tenuifolia to calm the mind and strengthen the spleen, and Polygonatum odoratum and Ophiopogon japonicus to nourish yin and moisten dryness... she uses the dosage and combination of these medicinal materials with precision down to the millimeter, and then combines them with different ingredients, simmering them over low heat to make the soup with the mildest medicinal properties and the easiest to absorb.
Throughout the week, Xiao Che's daily meals included a bowl of soup personally prepared under the supervision of Lin Wanwan.
He seemed to understand her good intentions, and always finished his soup completely. Although he never said it, Lin Wanwan could see that after he finished drinking the soup, emojis like "[Warm and cozy.gif]" would occasionally float above his head.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
This day happened to be the monthly occasion when the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, along with several imperial physicians, would come to check His Majesty's pulse.
The head of the Imperial Medical Academy, surnamed Zhang, was over sixty years old and a veteran of three reigns. He possessed superb medical skills and was known for his prudence. He had examined Xiao Che's pulse for many years and was extremely knowledgeable about the emperor's health.
When examining Xiao Che's pulse, Imperial Physician Zhang's expression was always grave. This was because Xiao Che's pulse had always been weak and thready, carrying a persistent air of emptiness and deficiency. This was due to years of medication depleting his constitution, coupled with his heavy heart and pent-up emotions. The Imperial Hospital had exhausted all methods of tonifying and nourishing, but they could only barely maintain his condition, unable to cure it.
Today, as usual, Imperial Physician Zhang set up a pulse table in the side hall, and Xiao Che stretched out his wrist and placed it on the pulse pillow.
Dean Zhang held his breath and gently placed his three thin, yet exceptionally nimble fingers on it.
In an instant, his eyebrows shot up sharply.
wrong!
Zhang Yuanshi felt a chill run down his spine, and his expression immediately became extremely focused. He closed his eyes, immersing himself completely in the subtle pulse.
The pulse he felt was no longer the weak, sluggish one he usually experienced.
Instead, a steady, gentle, yet vibrant pulse emerged. The pulse was smooth and flowing, with a regular rhythm, like pearls rolling on a plate, full of strength. This…this was clearly a sign of robust health, with abundant blood and qi and harmonious internal organs!
How is that possible?!
An unprecedented, incredulous expression appeared on Dean Zhang's face. He even thought that he was old and senile and had misdiagnosed the pulse.
He quickly withdrew his hand, then switched to the other hand and placed it on top again.
The result was the same!
The steady and powerful pulse clearly told him that His Majesty's health was developing in an unprecedentedly positive direction at an astonishing speed!
The ailment of "deficiency of both qi and blood, and stagnation of the heart and spleen" that had troubled His Majesty for many years seemed to have been easily swept away by an invisible hand!
Dr. Zhang opened his eyes in shock. He checked several times before finally confirming that he had not made a mistake in his diagnosis. His lips trembled slightly with excitement, and his old face flushed with emotion.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" He withdrew his hand, knelt respectfully on the ground, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy, "Great joy! Great joy! Your Majesty's pulse is steady and gentle, strong and powerful, it is... it is an unprecedented sign of good health!"
Xiao Che simply gave a faint "hmm," seemingly unsurprised.
Imperial Physician Zhang was so excited that he could hardly contain himself. He raised his head and asked eagerly, "May I ask Your Majesty, have you taken any miraculous medicine recently? Or has some reclusive master prescribed a divine remedy for you? Such miraculous effects are unheard of in my entire medical career! If we could obtain such a remedy, it would truly be a blessing for the medical community of our Great Xia!"
In his mind, such an immediate effect must be due to the discovery of some rare and precious medicine, or the intervention of some reclusive divine physician.
However, Xiao Che's answer once again shocked him.
Xiao Che didn't even lift his eyelids, but simply raised his hand and pointed at Lin Wanwan, who was standing quietly to the side.
"There are no miracle cures," he said calmly. "They are just some dietary supplement recipes that the Empress has been researching recently."
One sentence, like a thunderclap, exploded throughout the side hall.
The Imperial Physician Zhang and the imperial physicians behind him all suddenly raised their heads and looked at Lin Wanwan with eyes that looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Food...food therapy recipes?
With just a few dishes and a few bowls of soup, they were able to cure a stubborn ailment that dozens of top imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital had been unable to eradicate for years, in a short period of time.
This...this is impossible! This is simply a fantasy!
"Your Majesty...is Your Majesty truly telling the truth?" Imperial Physician Zhang's voice trembled; he couldn't believe his ears.
"I never joke." Xiao Che's tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.
The entire side hall fell completely silent.
Dean Zhang stared blankly at Lin Wanwan, his gaze shifting from shock to utter astonishment.
He suddenly remembered the recent rumors circulating in the palace, that the Empress was a lucky star sent from heaven, bringing His Majesty health and good fortune. He had initially dismissed it as mere idle speculation by the palace servants, but after personally examining his pulse today, he believed it! He was completely convinced!
What else could this be but a lucky charm? What else could this be but miraculous skill?
What does it mean that "food is better than medicine"? Today, he finally saw it for himself!
The next second, this highly respected head of the Imperial Medical Academy, who enjoyed the adoration of countless imperial physicians, did something that shocked everyone.
He bowed deeply to Lin Wanwan with utmost respect, his demeanor even more reverent than that towards an emperor.
"Your Majesty the Empress!" he said in a loud voice, his tone full of admiration and pleading, "This old minister was blind to Your Majesty's greatness! Your Majesty's dietary therapy is miraculous and its effects are extraordinary, truly leaving us medical practitioners in awe! This old minister humbly requests Your Majesty to bestow the prescription upon us so that our Imperial Medical Academy may study and research it. If we can carry it forward, it will surely benefit all people!"
After he finished speaking, he kowtowed deeply to the ground. The imperial physicians behind him also quickly followed suit and kowtowed, their expressions filled with excitement and awe.
The news that the Empress's "nutritional supplement recipes" were so miraculous that even the head of the Imperial Medical Academy was impressed and immediately bowed in admiration spread like wildfire.
It quickly spread to every corner of the harem, providing the most authoritative and "scientific" basis for Lin Wanwan's title of "lucky star".
When the news reached Cixi Palace, the Empress Dowager was holding a cup of ginseng tea.
After hearing the report from the nanny beside her, her hand holding the teacup trembled with anger.
A crisp "snap" sounded.
Another precious Jian kiln teacup was smashed to pieces on the floor of Cixi Palace.
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