Liu Pucheng, carrying an authorization slip specifically granted for disciples of the Qiānjīn Hall, entered the Empress Dowager's chambers alongside Old Man An. Qi Yue, who had been peering anxiously outward, finally let out a breath of relief, while the tense and uneasy members of the Sima family sprang abruptly to their feet.

"Hey, why is this old man here?"

"Throw him out!"

They shouted in chorus, mostly the younger members among them.

"Logically speaking, even if this incident happened over a decade ago, how do these people all recognize Old Man An? They wouldn't have even been old enough to remember back then, would they? And surely they weren't all present at the time?" Qi Yue couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Zhou Maochun let out a soft cough.

"Back then, King Julu spared Old Man An's life, but he swore an oath never to see anyone from the Sima clan for the rest of his life. If he did, he was to be beaten. To ensure this was upheld, King Julu circulated Old Man An's portrait, ensuring every soul in the household, young and old, recognized him—even the dogs were made to sniff his clothing..." he murmured quietly.

Qi Yue flushed with shame. He certainly took the trouble.

Seeing that the Sima family members were indeed making a move to act right there, Qi Yue stood by the curtain and called out to halt them.

"This is my senior disciple," she stated.

The Sima men who were about to move froze mid-action.

"Whatever it is, discuss it later," the Empress Dowager spoke from above. Lest that woman use any supposed interference as an excuse if she fails to cure Peng'er.

Since the Empress Dowager had spoken, the Sima faction had no choice but to desist, but this didn't mean they would let Old Man An off the hook.

"This jinx arriving means even the living will be cured to death!"

"You quack, you idiot, you’re done for today!"

"How dare this old dodderer show his face!"

"To scrape by, he even ropes women into being his master!"

The Sima family members spat out these curses, pointing at Old Man An, who was being pushed in his wheelchair by Liu Pucheng. If not for the presence of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, their words would have been far more venomous.

Old Man An remained silent, offering no defense. This time, he did not lower his head; instead, he looked straight ahead, advancing through the barrage of insults.

Qi Yue watched from the edge of the curtain, refraining from further intervention. She simply observed Old Man An wheeling closer, then she raised her hand.

"Sterilize," she commanded. "We are proceeding with an exploratory laparotomy now."

A moment of silence fell over the grand hall.

"What did she say?" the Empress Dowager asked those beside her. "Laparotomy? What does laparotomy mean?"

The court ladies certainly didn't know. If taken by its literal meaning... it sounded like cutting open the stomach? But how was that possible! What kind of treatment was that? When in doubt about an answer, shaking one's head was the best recourse.

"For treating an illness, the spectacle is quite grand. A divine doctor, perhaps, but more likely a charlatan," the Empress Dowager huffed.

"It is said that truly capable masters behave this way; they generally don't bother with minor ailments," Consort Xian, seated nearby, whispered softly.

The Empress Dowager glanced at her. "How many masters have you actually met?" she inquired.

Consort Xian managed a forced smile and lowered her head.

While they conversed, others in the hall began to chat. Everyone looked toward the brightly lit area, which held an air of relaxed ease. They saw four or five individuals in unsightly white gowns standing by a strange-looking bed, upon which lay the young Prince Sima, covered by a surgical drape.

"Oh my, how has the Young Prince been laid out like this?"

"It looks like he's completely undressed..."

"You can see that? Then they must be seeing even more over there... so many women... truly... truly scandalous..."

"Even acupuncture and moxibustion wouldn't require such undress..."

During this time, maids were serving tea, and different teas at that.

"...I just received a rare new tea in my palace; let me fetch some for the sisters to taste..."

"...Yes, His Majesty only gave this one to me alone; we are fortunate to try it through your blessing..."

Soon, everyone's attention drifted away from the treatment. Where the Emperor was present, who would pay attention to others?

"Your Majesty, Lian'er has learned a new poem and is eager to recite it for Father Emperor," a concubine stepped forward with a smile, addressing the Emperor.

The Emperor, leaning back in his chair, seemed to gaze toward the operating area absently. Hearing her, he hummed in acknowledgment.

The concubine was overjoyed. "Then shall I have someone call her over now?" she asked eagerly.

Only then did the Emperor look at her, smiling as he shook his head. "No need. Don't frighten the child," he said.

"How could that be? Lian'er is never afraid when she sees Father Emperor," the concubine laughed, glancing at the empty space beside the Emperor, then at the tea set displayed on the nearby table. She bent down to pick up a cup. "Your Majesty, please have some tea..." she said, preparing to sit down naturally.

It was precisely at this moment that a scream pierced the air.

The sound erupted suddenly, sharply, like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, making everyone jump. The tea in the concubine’s hand tilted, the saucer and cup clattering with a clear sound, spilling tea onto her clothes. Before she could even apologize, the screaming started again.

This time, it wasn't one voice, but two, three, four... Eunuchs and maids nearest the curtain tried to recoil as if they had seen a ghost, faces contorted in terror, bodies trembling.

"Are you certain it’s here?" Qi Yue asked, her eyes visible above the headscarf and mask glancing towards Old Man An opposite her. The blade in her hand caught a faint glint.

"I am not only certain it is here, but I can confirm it is a piece of bone," Old Man An replied, his expression firm.

"Good heavens, your sense of touch is better than X-rays," Qi Yue chuckled.

Old Man An took a deep breath. Although he tried hard to remain calm, he couldn't help but tremble slightly. "My wife, please reconsider. I don't know if what I say will help..." he hesitated.

Before he could finish his sentence, Qi Yue brought her blade down precisely where he indicated—cleanly, swiftly, without the slightest hesitation. Although it wasn't the first time he had witnessed Qi Yue performing surgery up close, the sheer intensity of cutting through flesh like that was still something hard to get used to. Old Man An instinctively looked away.

Liu Pucheng wiped the blood with gauze while providing traction, separating the layers of muscle.

"Murder!"

"They're murdering him!"

The screams were followed by hoarse shouts. The nearest eunuchs and maids finally retreated in a panic, bumping into the serving maids carrying tea, causing them to drop their trays and cups. Screams, the sound of trays hitting the floor, the shattering of teacups—a cacophony rose and fell throughout the hall.

The gossiping consorts were stunned into silence. Though they didn't know what was happening, everyone instinctively screamed along, and then instinctively turned toward the curtain.

The abdominal incision was complete. Qi Yue reached in and drew out the duodenum.

"...No ulceration in the duodenum..." she stated, as A Ru, standing nearby, furiously scribbled notes.

The smell of blood spread. The woman's hands were covered in blood as she pulled out something from the young prince's belly—something colorful, thin, and winding—bringing it close to her face, seeming to sniff it, examine it, and even bite it... Bite?

One consort rolled her eyes and fainted, collapsing onto the consort beside her. The screaming consort screamed again, then promptly fainted as well.

The men in the hall, only the few from the Sima family, were momentarily dazed by the succession of female shrieks. When they recovered, the scene, comparable to a slaughterhouse, stunned them again. The Young Prince... is being butchered.... The thought echoed repeatedly in their minds until it finally broke through their shock.

"Murder!" they shouted, lunging toward the curtain.

"Insolent!"

The Emperor, who had remained silent until then, suddenly roared. But his voice had little effect. The room was absolute chaos; everyone was screaming desperately, as if only noise could banish the terror gripping their hearts.

"Guard the Emperor!" The Emperor exhaled and leaned back in his chair, murmuring faintly. The sound was so soft only he could hear it.

It seemed in the blink of an eye, twenty to thirty Imperial Guards flooded in from outside, each man brandishing his weapon. The Emperor raised a hand, pointed in a direction, and said simply, "Block them. Kill any who dare approach."

The smell of blood, the Imperial Guard, flashing blades, and the woman over there peeling open a stomach...

It's unclear which consort led the charge, but they scrambled out in a desperate flight. Following her, maids and consorts alike poured out of the hall. Eunuchs, maids, and guards rushing toward the palace gate witnessed a scene unlike any they had seen before. Those noble ladies, usually radiant in their attire, poised and graceful, were now huddled, crawling, kneeling, sitting, or lying on the floor, their hair disheveled, hairpins askew, makeup streaked, weeping, screaming, and trembling violently.

A coup! This was the only thought that flashed through the minds of all witnesses. But as they rushed closer, they saw the guards standing resolute inside, and the Emperor still seated, appearing completely composed.

"Carry these people out," the Emperor waved his hand dismissively.

The eunuchs who regained their composure trembled as they obeyed, their limbs weak, occasionally dropping the unconscious consorts they carried. The grand hall finally quieted down.

The only ones who hadn't fled were the Sima men; they stood frozen, watching the other side. Those over there seemed oblivious to the commotion next door, as if a barrier shielded them from the surrounding noise. Their postures remained steady, their movements orderly.

"It's a perforation!" Qi Yue announced, letting out a sigh.

"Where?" Liu Pucheng and Old Man An hurried to look.

"Here in the ileum," Qi Yue said, pulling it out to show them. "Good heavens, it’s this close to the cecum." She finished speaking and reached out. "Scissors," she requested.

A disciple promptly handed her a pair.

By this time, most of the women had fled the hall, but the Empress Dowager remained seated, unmoving. She sat in her chair, staring intently at the area behind the curtain, her eyes unblinking.

"Hmm," the Emperor leaned forward, pointing with his finger. "Mother Empress, look, did she just cut off the intestine?" he asked, casually picking up a pastry from the table. The tea had been knocked over by the concubine, but fortunately, the pastries remained unharmed.

The Emperor chewed his snack. Hearing no response from the Empress Dowager beside him, he turned to look.

The Empress Dowager slowly turned her gaze toward him. The item the Emperor was chewing was a strip of red bean paste cake, soft and glutinous, a favorite small treat among the palace women.

"Mother Empress, would you like a piece?" Seeing his mother looking at him so earnestly, the Emperor smiled and offered. Red paste stained his teeth as he smiled.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes rolled back. She reached up to cover her mouth, issuing a dry retch, and without waiting for her maids, staggered out, vomiting.

Starting from June the eighteenth, red bean paste cake was banned in the Empress Dowager's palace until the day she passed away, with no exceptions.

Word Count 3136. This one is complimentary.

Thank you to Jin Qin, Yaya Qu Liulang, Xie Xuanhun, my8zg02, sugar082, yh_yh1166, Yizhen Qingfeng Ting Shuo You Gui, jojo8129, Lanyangyanghao, Aiyouwei0o, Dongfang Fengyun, Minbaoma, Yipian Fuyun, and Lide for the sachets; and thank you to Zhuzi De Mugua and md12 for the Heshibi. Mugua, did you receive the private message about the book? RS