From inside the room came the terrified shout of the Young Prince Sima, laced with unmistakable sobs.
"It's alright, don't be afraid," Qi Yue said, placing her hand gently on the young prince's abdomen.
The young prince was genuinely on the verge of tears.
"What are you—what are you doing..." he gasped out, his voice trembling.
"Listen to me, cough," Qi Yue instructed, pressing her hands toward the center.
The young prince yelped in fright but managed a successful cough.
A Ru wiped the sweat from his brow.
Young Prince Sima lay back, his face pale, clearly shaken to his core.
"How old are you? Stop crying like a child," Qi Yue said, re-examining the incision, changing the dressing, securing the abdominal binder, and then rising to look at the young prince, smiling as she clapped him lightly on the arm.
The young prince instinctively flinched, a flicker of fear crossing his face.
This impossibly beautiful woman now seemed like a demon incarnate in his eyes.
When he woke yesterday, he had a split second of confusion about what had happened. All he remembered was a deathly stomachache, but was he alive now? Yet, the sensations flooding his body felt like a near-death experience. Then he heard his retinue and concubines weeping and screaming the details.
He... had... his... stomach... cut open!
Young Prince Sima nearly died of fright in that instant. He lacked the courage to look at his own belly, yet he could distinctly feel the edge of the incision...
Then he saw the strange glass bottles hanging from his arm, and the figures around him, cloaked in white gowns, their faces masked...
Everything was utterly surreal.
The vision flashed in his mind: that woman, knife in hand, a savage grin on her face as she plunged it into his gut...
The sound of that woman sharply reprimanding her retinue drifted over from where she stood.
If I cure it, it is my skill; if I don't, it is your fate...
It was terrifying—how dare she say such a thing!
But the crucial point wasn't just that she dared to say it; it was that no one dared stop her when she did!
This was the Empress Dowager's palace. Hearing the sounds of the Emperor coming and going outside, it meant this woman had already received authorization!
No one would stop her!
Even if she killed him outright, it wouldn't matter!
Someone pushed the door open, the wheelchair squeaking as it rolled in.
Normally, seeing this person and hearing this voice would ignite a hunter's excitement in the young prince, but now he only shuddered uncontrollably.
"There is some abdominal distension," the Old Physician An stated. "Master, do you have any effective remedies?"
Qi Yue waved a dismissive hand.
"I have none. You handle it as you see fit," she said.
Young Prince Sima watched this old man, the one who had supposedly caused his elder brother's death, wheel himself to his feet, open his medicine box, and retrieve acupuncture needles. A chill instantly shot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
Father! Save me!
"The critical period has passed preliminarily. Young Prince Sima is recovering very well, and his gastrointestinal function is improving; he has begun taking food. Family members may now visit and provide care," Qi Yue announced, flipping through the case notes in her hands.
The Emperor, seated before her, was looking over a memorial, his focus unclear as to whether he was truly listening.
"Your Majesty, this commoner has finished speaking," Qi Yue said, closing the book.
"When you are done, wait. Don't prompt Us," the Emperor replied coolly, his gaze never leaving the memorial.
Qi Yue pouted internally. After a moment of apparent thought, the Emperor picked up his brush and wrote a few characters on the memorial. Since he was so focused on the state papers, she supposed he would inquire about the patient's condition later.
Qi Yue simply lowered her head and returned to studying her own notes.
Silence reigned in the chamber.
A eunuch entered with lowered head, glancing at Cai Zhong, who stood to the side as if he were invisible.
Cai Zhong glared at him and shook his head.
The eunuch looked troubled and could only stand quietly to the side.
The Emperor set down the memorial, reached for his tea, and glanced over at the woman.
She was standing, head bent over the notebook in her hands. Her posture wasn't perfect; she was slightly lifting one foot to rub her opposite calf, the hem of her skirt shifting to reveal a tiny embroidered shoe. She swayed slightly, then steadied her feet, her gaze never leaving the book—focused, intent, yet casual.
The Emperor looked up and surveyed the room. Yes, this was indeed his palace, not the woman's private sitting room.
"What is it?" the Emperor asked, looking at Cai Zhong.
Qi Yue snapped back to attention and looked up.
She saw a eunuch approach.
"Please withdraw, Lord Zhou requests Companion Qi's presence. He says there is something urgent regarding the patient's condition..." the eunuch whispered.
Seeing Qi Yue quickly excuse herself and leave, the Emperor waved a hand at Cai Zhong.
Cai Zhong understood and swiftly exited. Moments later, he returned.
"Your Majesty, Lord Zhou was lying," he chuckled softly.
The Emperor looked at him, fiddling with his brush.
"He was speaking about Young Master Chang's matter," Cai Zhong reported.
The Emperor nodded.
"He left?" he inquired.
"Yes, he departed yesterday," Cai Zhong confirmed.
The Emperor remained silent.
"Truly, Companion Qi doesn't know. She will surely be very sad," Cai Zhong added.
"I know," Qi Yue said with a smile, looking at Zhou Maochun.
Zhou Maochun froze.
"You know?" he asked.
"I saw him the day before yesterday," Qi Yue replied, smiling. "We agreed, so I didn't see him off."
"And what about the marriage arrangement?" Zhou Maochun pressed.
"No rush, we'll discuss it later," Qi Yue said lightly.
"Later? When is 'later'? You foolish girl, don't waste your time over this unreliable man!" Zhou Maochun glared. "He only dares to sweet-talk you. Why doesn't he dare come speak to me? If he did, I'd break his legs!"
Qi Yue smiled and gently pushed him along.
"Godfather, when he comes to propose, he will certainly come to see you," she said sweetly.
"That damned man! He only cares about his pride! Wait? Wait until when? Who has time to wait for him?" Zhou Maochun grumbled indignantly.
"No rush, no rush, there's still time," Qi Yue placated him with a smile.
"Who does he think he is? Who is waiting for him! I won't wait. Yue'niang, I'll find you a good family tomorrow..." Zhou Maochun fumed.
Qi Yue laughed, pushing him away as they walked off.
Early July, the weather remained stiflingly hot. Two eunuchs entered the Ning Xiu Palace carrying a basket of candles; their clothes were soaked with sweat.
"Is this enough?" they asked.
The two palace maids glanced over and nodded.
"It will have to suffice for now," they replied.
"Is the Empress Dowager still unable to sleep at night?" one eunuch couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
The two maids nodded grimly.
"She must have lights on, and several people must stay with her," they whispered back.
The eunuchs looked astonished.
"This has been the ninth night; how can she endure like this? Have a physician examine her..." they suggested.
The two maids quickly shushed them.
"Don't mention a physician here," they urgently warned, waving their hands. "Go, go quickly."
The two eunuchs quickly bowed their heads and retreated.
The maids carried the basket inside.
The Empress Dowager lay on the couch, neither fully asleep nor awake, while a female official spoke to her softly in front of her.
"I saw it with my own eyes, he was walking in the room," the official reported.
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes.
"Walking on his own?" she asked.
"Two people were supporting him," the official quickly clarified.
The Empress Dowager let out a breath, her expression returning to sorrowful.
"That was just to show you, wasn't it," she murmured. "From what you said, Peng'er has been so frightened these last few days, silent and afraid to cry or speak, only doing what he's told..."
The official tried to comfort her quietly.
"It seems he is genuinely much better," she said, recalling something she'd overheard elsewhere. "They said they might remove the... the sutures today."
"Remove the sutures? What are sutures?" the Empress Dowager asked, confused.
This official knew; she had managed to overhear a few extra details at the time.
"It means taking out the thread used to stitch the wound," she replied quickly, demonstrating with her hand.
The Empress Dowager looked at her—wound, stitching, thread, knife...
She reached up to steady her chest and turned to retch into the white porcelain spittoon beside her.
A flurry of worried activity erupted in the room.
Amidst the chaos, a servant announced the arrival of the Prince of Julu from outside.
"Quickly announce him, quickly announce him," the Empress Dowager cried out, clutching her chest.
Following her words, a tall, thin man, about fifty years old, entered. He wore a simple, jade-colored, wide-sleeved scholar's robe. Instead of a formal crown, he wore a scholar's kerchief on his head. His features were refined, scholarly, and refined—not at all like the immensely wealthy Prince of Julu of the present day, but more like a teacher.
The Prince of Julu entered, bowed deeply upon meeting her.
"I am deeply grateful for the Empress Dowager's care of Peng'er..." he said, his voice trembling.
The Empress Dowager cut him off.
"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it," she cried out, tears in her eyes. "Have you gone to see Peng'er?"
The Prince of Julu shook his head.
"Peng'er caused alarm to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager; I first come to beg forgiveness..." he said, performing another deep bow.
"Stop bowing, I cannot bear it," the Empress Dowager said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Go quickly and see him. Go quickly and see if Peng'er is alive or dead; I have no way of knowing."
The Prince of Julu looked up in astonishment.
What?
"The Master isn't here?" Old Physician An asked, looking at A Ru and the two disciples who were carrying trays laden with scalpels, scissors, porcelain bottles, and other instruments.
"Lord Zhou the Elder kept her talking for a while, something about Madam Chen having an issue, and the Mistress left in a hurry," A Ru nodded and explained.
Old Physician An nodded, a trace of worry on his face.
"Don't be afraid, Old Physician An," A Ru said with a soft smile. "Removing sutures is very simple; we all know how."
Old Physician An smiled and shook his head.
"I'm not worried about that; I'm worried about the Master," he said. "She seems absentminded lately, and her spirits are low."
A Ru laughed.
"That's because she is lovesick," she whispered confidentially.
Old Physician An finally understood, smiled, shook his head, and wheeled his chair, following A Ru and the others into the patient's room.
Just as A Ru had said, they performed the task with practiced ease.
Watching the last stitch being drawn out, Old Physician An couldn't help but lean closer to examine the wound.
"This local anesthetic is truly remarkable," he remarked with admiration.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.
"Who are you people? You cannot enter here..."
"Get out of the way!"
Accompanied by this shout, someone kicked the door open.
Everyone in the room jumped. The previously listless Young Prince Sima suddenly stirred, his eyes snapping toward the doorway, fixing on the tall, thin man who appeared there.
"Father! Save your son!" he screamed hoarsely.
As he shouted, he struggled to sit up.
The Prince of Julu caught sight of Old Physician An, and a shadow of grimness crossed his refined, scholarly face.
"Old thing, it's you again!" he said darkly.
Old Physician An looked back. Though his expression didn't change, his breathing faltered slightly.
"Your Highness, we are treating the Young Prince..." he managed to say.
Before he could finish, A Ru suddenly shrieked, and the scissors she hadn't yet set down clattered to the floor.
"It's splitting! It's splitting!" she cried out.
What was splitting?
Everyone rushed to look. There, on the abdomen of the half-sitting Young Prince Sima, the raw, healing incision violently burst open. Greenish-yellow loops of intestine spilled out from the rent.
Shrieks erupted in the room. Young Prince Sima, half-seated, instinctively glanced down at his own abdomen—this was the first time in weeks he had seen his belly...
So this is what intestines look like...
Young Prince Sima's eyes rolled back, and he fainted dead away.
Gratitude to Jin Qin, 24758882, Yijin Guanyi, josephine11, Lazy Sheep Hao, and Taohua Xie Le for the Peace Charms gifted on September 7th. Gratitude to okeeffe for the Sachet. Gratitude to Xia Xi, Wu Qianyu, Lazy Sheep Hao, Jiang Mou Feng Huo, Qing'er 20105, josephine11, jojo8129, Chen Xiang Ru Xie, and Jin Qin for the Peace Charms gifted on September 8th. Gratitude to Yuan Mu and Xie Bin Yu for the Sachets. Gratitude to baiyishang for the Shi Bi.~RS