Jinyi Spring

Ming Shanyue was so busy that she didn't return home until early Hai hour.

Yinhe helped him change into ordinary clothes, and Guo Hei brought a copper basin for him to wash his hands.

As Ming Shanyue wiped his fingers, he asked, "How was Miss Feng's birthday today?"

Guo Hei laughed and said, "Six tables were set up for the banquet, it was very lively... I sent two boxes of Xigui Zhai pastries as a congratulatory gift. Duan Yan not only prepared a gift himself, but also sent one on behalf of Young Master Shangguan."

The implication is that you didn't send anything yourself, but instead, I've lost out.

Yinhe then reported, "Manager Wei has been waiting for you for quite some time, sir."

Ming Shanyue immediately said, "Please let him in. You may all leave now."

Steward Wei quietly entered and said in a low voice, "Master, today the aunt took her cousin to the Jokhang Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings. Apart from worshipping Buddha and adding incense oil in the various halls, and resting for a while in a quiet room behind the temple, she spent most of the time accompanying her cousin to pick out trinkets at the stalls outside the temple. She was extremely cautious and there was nothing unusual about her behavior."

Ming Shanyue pondered for a moment, then lightly tapped her fingertip on the table. "She risked displeasing her grandmother by insisting on taking Kong Xiyan, who is still under house arrest, with her. She's bound to make a move today. The key... probably lies with those vendors."

Manager Wei looked troubled. "There are many vendors, and none of them have a fixed sign. Apart from spending a relatively long time in front of a stall selling lanterns and another selling bamboo wares, there was nothing else unusual."

Ming Shanyue's gaze narrowed slightly. "She can't possibly rely on just this one day a year to contact the outside world. If there's an emergency, she must have other means of communication..."

He paused, then looked up and said, "Lanterns and bamboo ware... the manor wouldn't buy these things from stalls; there must be a fixed source of supply. Go and find out which shops they mainly purchase from."

"Yes." Steward Wei bowed and quietly withdrew.

The next day, a light autumn rain fell from the sky.

Feng Chuchen was busy in the clinic when a eunuch holding a whisk barged in with a stern face.

The old woman guarding the door dared not stop them, and followed behind tremblingly. The patients waiting outside the door were also frightened and hurriedly got up.

Feng Chuchen put down the pulse pillow in his hand, stood up and greeted him, "May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

The eunuch flicked his whisk and said in a shrill voice, "You are Doctor Feng?"

"Exactly."

"I am Eunuch An, serving His Highness Prince Zhao." His voice was shrill and urgent. "Princess Zhao is unwell, and the imperial physicians are at a loss. They have specially ordered me to invite Doctor Feng to the residence to examine the princess."

Feng Chuchen's heart sank. She instinctively didn't want to set foot in the Zhao Prince's residence, yet she had no choice but to go.

Since they specifically requested her treatment, it was most likely a difficult gynecological condition, most likely an unstable pregnancy or threatened miscarriage. Even the imperial physicians found it challenging, which is why they sought out this "folk healer."

She could only reply, "Please wait a moment, sir, while I fetch some emergency medicine and bring my medicine box."

"Hurry up! The Princess can't wait!" Eunuch An urged impatiently.

Feng Chuchen took off his outer robe from the clinic, quickly walked through the side door back to the courtyard, and had Shaoyao prepare the medicine box.

Given the unusual circumstances today, she dared not bring too many people with her.

He then whispered to Peony, "Do not act rashly, and do not speak recklessly."

Zheng Hua, who was watching the hibiscus and peony plants being worked in the yard, saw this commotion and quickly ran home.

Feng Chuchen and Shaoyao followed Eunuch An into the carriage waiting at the entrance of the alley.

The carriage curtain fell, and the carriage sped through the increasingly dense rain.

The driver kept cracking his whip and shouting, "Make way! Make way, all of you—"

The plaque of the Prince Zhao's Mansion hanging in front of the car swayed in the damp air, and pedestrians hurriedly made way for it.

Sitting opposite him, Eunuch An gripped his knees tightly, his voice low and urgent. “My princess is just over two months pregnant. Last night, she suddenly felt an unbearable pain in her lower abdomen. When she got up this morning… there was blood on her skirt. Several imperial physicians and female doctors have examined her. She has been given herbal medicine and acupuncture, but the abdominal pain comes in waves, and the bleeding… has not been relieved.”

He looked up at Feng Chuchen and said, "That's why Doctor Zhou recommended you. She said that Doctor Feng is a descendant of Doctor Feng and often has the ability to bring the dead back to life... If you cure him, the prince will definitely reward you handsomely."

The rain intensified, pattering against the car roof like a relentless drumbeat urging people on.

Feng Chuchen's mind raced: threatened miscarriage, bleeding not yet stopped... Prince Zhao's health was poor, and Consort Xue and the Xue family valued Prince Zhao's offspring the most.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, whether we like it or not, we must do our utmost today and cannot afford to be negligent in the slightest. Otherwise, we will lose our heads.

About half an hour later, the carriage entered the side gate of the Prince Zhao's mansion. Before the two could catch their breath, they transferred to a mule cart and traveled for a while through the winding lanes of the mansion before stopping in front of a quiet courtyard.

An old woman was already waiting under the eaves with an umbrella. When she saw Feng Chuchen, she didn't say a word, but hurriedly led her to the inner room.

The room was draped with heavy curtains that trailed on the floor, making the space feel deep and suffocating.

Several imperial physicians and two female physicians stood with their hands hanging down near the door, one of whom was Physician Fan. At this moment, she lowered her eyes and dared not utter a sound.

There was absolutely no room for her to make a difference here.

Sitting on a daybed was a richly dressed man. Feng Chuchen didn't have time to examine his features closely, but he knew that it was none other than the Prince of Zhao.

The room was filled with the strong smell of medicine, mixed with a faint odor of blood.

In the innermost part of the bedroom, on the canopy bed, Princess Zhao lay within the half-drawn curtains, her face ashen, her hair soaked with cold sweat, clinging damply to her face.

Two imperial physicians and female physician Zhou were by his bedside.

Feng Chuchen quickly stepped forward, washed her hands, and gently lifted a corner of the brocade quilt—a dark red bloodstain had already seeped into the hem of her skirt, a shocking sight.

The two imperial physicians immediately turned their backs.

Feng Chuchen held his breath and gently placed three fingers on Princess Zhao's wrist. Her pulse was thin and slippery, like pearls rolling on a plate, yet intermittent, a clear sign of a rapidly developing pregnancy and impending loss of vital energy.

She withdrew her hand and asked in a low voice about her recent diet and medication, and then carefully examined her tongue and eyelids.

A royal physician frowned and whispered, "Two doses of the prescription for stabilizing the pregnancy and consolidating the uterus have been given, all containing top-grade ingredients such as ginseng, donkey-hide gelatin, mugwort, and mulberry mistletoe. But the princess's condition... seems to have sunk without a trace, showing no improvement whatsoever."

Feng Chuchen leaned down and asked softly, "May I ask, Your Highness, is your abdominal pain a downward dragging pain, or a twisting, cramping pain? Does your lower back feel sore, weak, or cold?"

Princess Zhao was on her deathbed, her lips pale. She felt as if the sky were about to fall. The Imperial Concubine and the Prince valued offspring above all else; the child in her womb was her lifelong hope and reliance…

Her words trembled as she managed to say, “It’s a dragging pain, and my lower back is sore and cold, like a piece of ice is seeping into my spine… Dr. Feng, you must save my child.”

Feng Chuchen said softly, "This humble woman will do her best. Your Highness, please don't be too nervous, relax."

She did not change the medicine—the imperial physician was more experienced in this field than she was, and her specialty was "divine acupuncture."

She took out a three-edged needle and quickly pierced the ten acupoints on the princess's hands. Her technique was fast and steady, squeezing out several drops of dark red blood.

She then switched to fine needles and slowly inserted them into the princess's Zusanli and Sanyinjiao acupoints. She pursed her thin lips, focused her mind and calmed her breath, twisting her fingertips as if twisting silk, the needles following the flow of her breath, her intention guiding the movement.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Princess Zhao's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and she murmured, "The coldness that was sinking down in my abdomen seems to have dissipated a bit."

The imperial physician standing to the side looked on in surprise—the same prescription had not been changed, but with just this one set of acupuncture techniques, it seemed to directly address the root cause of the disease, warming the stagnant cold and unblocking the stagnant qi.

He couldn't help but take a half step forward, his gaze fixed on every subtle movement of Feng Chuchen's needles as she inserted and removed them, as if trying to discern the key to her acupuncture technique's ability to turn danger into safety. By the time all the silver needles had been removed, Princess Zhao had already fallen into a deep sleep.

A gentle male voice rang out, "Doctor Feng truly lives up to his reputation, I thank you. May I ask if the medicine... needs to be changed?"

Feng Chuchen looked up and saw a man standing beside her. He was about the same height as her, thin and pale.

This is the King of Zhao.

Feng Chuchen hurriedly curtsied and replied in a low voice, "Your Highness, there is no need to change the medicine. The imperial physicians are more skilled in this than I am. However, this acupuncture treatment requires several days of continuous treatment to strengthen the body's foundation."

King Zhao nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Feng."

The old nanny standing nearby said, "The princess is still unwell. Doctor Feng, why don't you stay at the manor for now and leave when the princess is fully recovered?"

The tone was almost commanding, leaving no room for discussion.

King Zhao waved his hand and said, "Doctor Feng still has patients waiting to be treated at his clinic. He can come to the palace every day to receive acupuncture. There are imperial physicians and female doctors on duty here in shifts, which is enough."

Feng Chuchen was taken aback. This Prince Zhao was neither as arrogant as the Xue family nor as spoiled as the rumored Consort Xue. He had a scholarly and refined air about him.

Legend has it that King Zhao was physically weak, yet he was the most popular candidate to become the crown prince among all the princes. This was not only because of his noble birth mother, but also because of his benevolence, kindness, diligence, and respect.

If it weren't for the late emperor's legacy, he would probably have been made crown prince long ago.

Previously, Feng Chuchen thought that most of the rumors were intentionally created by the Xue family, but now it seems that King Zhao is indeed outwardly peaceful and benevolent, and cares about the people.

I don't know if it's an act or just my true nature.

But no matter what, she and he were adversaries.

Feng Chuchen gave a few instructions on care to the female doctor Zhou, and then bowed to Zhao Wang Yingying, saying, "This humble woman will come again at the beginning of the morning tomorrow."

King Zhao nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Eunuch An and gave him a meaningful look.

Eunuch An escorted Feng Chuchen to the door, handing her a small brocade package with a genuine smile on his face. "This is a gift from His Highness. Doctor Feng, you've had a hard day."

Feng Chuchen accepted it and thanked him.

Passing through the winding covered walkway to the hanging flower gate, a mule cart was already waiting in the rain.

An old woman held an umbrella for Feng Chuchen, and she and Shaoyao bowed as they got into the car.

Upon arriving at the side gate, the two changed into the same carriage they had come in.

As soon as I got on the bus, I heard the two gatekeepers talking in hushed tones.

One of them said, "Lord Shangguan just arrived and went to the guest room in the outer courtyard. He has already sent Granny Xing to inform the Prince."

Another person said, "Everyone says that Lord Shangguan is carefree and undisciplined. Even when he's supposed to be at the yamen, he can still casually visit other people's homes."

The first person added, "Don't talk nonsense. Lord Shangguan is the imperial physician. Perhaps he heard that the princess is unwell and came to treat her."

Another person laughed and said, "Oh, I forgot about that. I always thought this guy was the kind of person who loved listening to operas and liked to torment prisoners."

The carriage started moving.

A gentle warmth stirred within Feng Chuchen's heart. Shangguan Ruyu's arrival at this moment was no coincidence; someone must have delivered a message to him. He feared she might encounter trouble at the Zhao Prince's residence and rushed over.

Shangguan Ruyu may seem carefree and dissolute, but he is actually quite methodical. If she were in any trouble, he would definitely help her in his own way.

The person who delivered the message to him must have been Ming Shanyue—the Zheng family reported the news to Ming Shanyue, but Ming Shanyue couldn't come to the Prince Zhao's residence, so he relayed it to Shangguan Ruyu.

Feng Chuchen slowly let out a breath, the tension that had been building up finally starting to ease. A comforting warmth seeped into her heart.

One knew her identity, and the other did not; both were doing their best to protect her in their own ways.

The rain was still falling, and the car was completely silent.

Peony was much more composed. This was the carriage of the Prince Zhao's residence, and the driver was from the Prince Zhao's residence. She held the medicine box tightly and did not say a word.

When they returned to the Feng residence, it was already early afternoon. Feng Buji was preparing to go to the private school.

He was very worried when he heard that his sister had gone to the Prince of Zhao's mansion. Only when he saw that his sister had returned safely did he feel relieved enough to go to school.

Aunt Wang was also worried, so she personally brought the food up before going to the clinic.

After the meal, Feng Chuchen opened the small package, which contained four ingots, each weighing twenty taels.

She carefully put the silver away and hurried to the clinic.

There were more than twenty patients lined up outside the door, and they didn't finish until early in the evening.

Back at the residence, Feng Buji and the others waited for her to finish her meal.

Peony came up and said, "Uncle Wu is drinking with Master Guo in the back seat."

After Feng Chuchen finished eating, Guo Hei came over to say goodbye.

She knew this meant she had something to say, and she wanted to send the others away.

By candlelight, she whispered about what had happened at the Prince of Zhao's residence.

Guo Hei's expression relaxed, and he smiled, "Fortunately, Miss Feng's medical skills are superb, which saved us a lot of trouble. My master also meant the same thing and did his best to treat her. My master also said,"

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "If Miss Feng cures Princess Zhao this time, Princess Qin will have a legitimate reason to invite you to her residence in the future."

Because the Xue family was keeping a close eye on Prince Qin, Ming Shanyue had not been able to find a suitable opportunity to arrange for the siblings to meet.

Hearing about this benefit, Feng Chuchen was delighted.

She smiled and said, "Please thank Lord Ming on my behalf."

Feng Chuchen went to the Prince Zhao's residence for five consecutive days to administer acupuncture to the Princess Consort, and the Princess Consort's pregnancy finally stabilized.

In the past few days, the two imperial physicians, along with female physicians Zhou and Fan, have been staying at the Prince Zhao's residence day and night.

The imperial physician and the female physician Zhou treated Feng Chuchen with great respect, occasionally asking her for advice on acupuncture techniques. Prince Zhao and his wife were also very polite to her.

Only Doctor Fan didn't even glance at her, and she was extremely unhappy.

Feng Chuchen also treated her like she was invisible.

On the fifth day, after administering acupuncture, Feng Chuchen took the pulse of Princess Zhao again.

He smiled and said, "The princess's pulse has stabilized, and the pregnancy has been strengthened, so we can stop the acupuncture. However, since the blood and qi in the uterus have only just settled and the foundation is not yet solid, she must not have any emotional fluctuations for the next month."

"You may gently move your hands and feet while lying in bed each day to promote blood circulation, but you must not walk on the ground. Take the pregnancy-preserving medicine on time. The prescription can be slightly adjusted by the imperial physician based on the subtle changes in the princess's pulse each day, in order to nourish the blood and stabilize the pregnancy..." (End of this chapter)