Peach Blossom.

One afternoon, the imperial procession finally returned to Jiankang Palace. Chen Ji was in so much pain that he could barely stand it. He had already sent someone to summon the imperial physician and his daughter to wait at Xuanji Palace.

Upon arriving at the Xuanji Palace, at the bedside, to show her concern, Taoye personally unbuttoned Chen Ji's shirt, revealing the wound on his back.

Chen Ji originally didn't want Tao Ye to see it, but now he couldn't avoid it.

Tan Yue also stood quietly watching from a short distance away.

Chen Ji lay on the bed, and Tian Yuan examined him carefully. He saw that the wound left by the arrow had completely healed into a scar, but it was still very red and swollen.

Taoye then asked Tianyuan, "Why is it still swollen even though it's all healed?"

“Your Majesty need not worry, it is nothing serious. The swelling and bruising will subside.” Tian Yuan bowed respectfully, took a few steps back, faced Tan Yue, and said, “Write down the prescription for the ointment you prepared before and let me see it.”

Tan Yue accepted the order, went to the table next to him, wrote down the prescription, handed it to Tian Yuan, and pointed to two of the ingredients, saying, "These two ingredients ran out during the journey, so I left. I stopped taking the medicine three days ago."

Upon hearing this, Tian Le quickly came over and asked, "Which two medicines went first?"

After reading the prescription, Tian Yuan ignored Tian Le and wrote a new prescription.

Tian Le then asked Tan Yue, "Which two medicines are they?"

Tan Yue simply pointed at something on the paper without saying a word.

Chen Ji, feeling puzzled and annoyed, sat up from the bed and impatiently asked Tian Yuan, "Don't rush to prescribe medicine. Explain this to me first. I've been wounded by arrows many times before, but I've never experienced anything like this before."

Tian Yuan had no choice but to put down his pen, walk up to Chen Ji, bow and reply: "Your Majesty, this is due to the poor medical skills of the physician. The types of medicine he used were not bad, but the proportions were not right. There was not enough medicine to clear the blood stasis and the medicine to promote healing was too much, so Your Majesty's wound healed but the blood stasis and toxins were not cleared, which is why the swelling arose from the inside."

Your Excellency comes from the countryside, and it was because of your extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs that I appointed you as the Assistant Pharmacist. The duties of the Assistant Pharmacist and the Chief Physician are quite different, and Your Majesty may be somewhat confused. The Assistant Pharmacist is only skilled in collecting and preparing medicines, not in treating illnesses and prescribing remedies.

Previously, it was because he encountered a woman in the common people who suffered from amnesia and was unable to control herself that my daughter recommended him to Her Majesty. However, he may not be able to cure other ailments, and while accompanying Your Majesty on the road, he may inevitably make mistakes in handling unexpected situations. Please forgive him, Your Majesty.

Tao Ye couldn't believe Tian Yuan's words at all, because after she secretly took musk to abort her last time, the medicine Tan Yue prescribed for her was extremely effective, and her body recovered very quickly after she stopped taking the musk.

In her mind, Tan Yue's medical skills were no less than those of the physicians and doctors who were specifically responsible for treating patients. Since Tian Yuan had taken Tan Yue as his apprentice, he couldn't possibly be unaware of Tan Yue's level of expertise.

But Chen Ji clearly believed Tian Yuan's statement, only finding it unbelievable: "He has at least passed the threshold of becoming an imperial physician, how could his medical skills be so poor? Can't he even treat common external injuries?"

Tian Yuan bowed again and said, "Your Majesty's arrow wound is very deep, close to the heart, so it cannot be considered an ordinary external injury. I have prescribed two medicines for Your Majesty, one for internal use and one for external application. Given time, you will be able to recover."

Chen Ji felt slightly relieved and then asked, "How many days will it take?"

Tian Yuan replied, "A full recovery will take at least six months."

"Half a year?" Chen Ji's eyes widened in astonishment. "How can it take so long?"

Tian Yuan said, “Your Majesty, if the illness relapses, treatment will inevitably be slower. However, the swelling and pain will subside in just a few days. After that, during the months of recuperation, as long as one avoids excessive exertion, the pain will subside and will not affect normal life. Please do not be impatient, Your Majesty.”

"You can't use too much force, and you call that not affecting your normal life?" Chen Ji was speechless. No wonder he was anxious.

He glared at Tan Yue and angrily rebuked him: "If your medical skills are so bad, why don't you just follow the prescriptions of the famous doctors in Qiao County? What are you doing treating him like this?"

Tan Yue could only bow down and plead guilty: "Your Majesty, I know I am guilty. I adjusted the medication according to the changes in Your Majesty's injury, thinking it was appropriate, but I did not expect it to go wrong."

"If I need to support you for six months, I will deduct six months' worth of your monthly salary!"

Chen Ji was restless and felt that the punishment was too lenient. However, as a king, he had to be reasonable. Tian Yuan had already said that the duty of the medicine clerk was not to treat patients, so the responsibility for the dereliction of duty of the benefactor was not great and could not be severely punished.

Tan Yue silently accepted the punishment.

"Get out! Don't stand in front of me, it's annoying to even look at you!" Chen Ji cursed again.

The guest then bowed and took his leave.

Tian Yuan hurriedly bowed and said, "Your subject will go back and prepare the medicine immediately, and send it over as soon as it is ready."

Chen Ji nodded slightly.

Tian Yuan then hurriedly took Tian Le and went out.

Tao Ye exchanged a glance with Cai Wei, then glanced at Tan Yue, Tian Yuan, and the others.

Caiwei understood and quietly slipped out, following the three imperial physicians.

Not far from the Xuanji Palace, Caiwei heard Tian Le ask Tian Yuan in confusion, "How can it take six months to clear up bruises and reduce swelling?"

Tian Yuan didn't answer Tian Le, but just walked quickly outside.

Tian Le continued muttering, "A six-month recovery period is too long. How can the Emperor not be angry? I don't think it should take that long..."

Tan Yue followed behind the Tian family father and daughter, simply walking.

Caiwei secretly followed them, dodging and weaving all the way until they left the royal inner courtyard.

The Department of Medicine was under the jurisdiction of the Secretariat, whose offices were mostly located outside the third palace wall but inside the second.

At the crossroads, Tan Yue stopped, cupped his hands and said to Tian Yuan, "Master, I am too tired from traveling for days and want to go back to rest as soon as possible. I will not go to the Medical Department today."

Tian Yuan turned around, but did not immediately approve Tan Yue's leave. He asked in a low voice, "Tell me first, besides the prescription you wrote down, what else did you use?"

Caiwei hid behind the corner of the wall, listening intently.

Tian Le was startled and asked, bewildered, "What? What do you mean?"

Tan Yue calmly replied, "The only medicine for students is the one listed in the herbal plaster."

"You still dare to lie? If I don't cover for you, you'll lose your head today! What do you want to do? Are you going to drag the entire Department of Medicine down with you?" Although Tian Yuan was angry, his voice was still very low.

Tian Le suddenly understood and flew into a rage: "How dare you add medicine arbitrarily outside the prescription?"

Tian Yuan hurriedly tugged at Tian Le's sleeve.

Tian Le glanced around a few times, and seeing that no one was around, lowered her voice and continued to berate Tan Yue: "He is the Emperor! How could you do this?"

"Does the Emperor's fate make him superior to others?" The voice behind the mask carried a hint of contempt.

Tian Le was even more furious and questioned, "Doctors are supposed to have the hearts of parents! We study medicine to save lives, what are you studying medicine for?"

Tan Yue said, "I really didn't add any medicine without authorization."

Tian Yuan then asked, "If you didn't add any medicine, then what else did you add?"

“Nothing was added.” Tan Yue’s tone remained as certain as at the beginning.

"Since you're so stubborn, then I must tell you that if the Emperor hasn't recovered in six months, I will no longer protect you. You'd better sever all ties with our Medical Department." Tian Yuan said this and turned to leave.

Tian Le was still indignant, pointing at Tan Yue: "How could you be like this? My father took pity on you because of your disfigurement, that's why he kindly took you in. How could you harm us like this? You..."

Before Tian Le could finish speaking, Tian Yuan turned back and dragged Tian Le away.

"From now on, you are not allowed to handle any of the Emperor's medicines!" Tian Le quickly gave this warning as he was being dragged away.

Now that they were far apart, Tian Le didn't dare to say anything more.

Seeing that the Tian family father and daughter had gone to the Department of Medicine and that Tan Yue had left the palace, Caiwei felt there was no need to follow them anymore, so she returned to Zhaoyang Palace.

Taoye stayed by Chen Ji's side until very late, and only after he had finished using all the external and internal medicines did she go to sleep and return to Zhaoyang Palace to rest.

When no one was around that evening, Caiwei reported all the information she had gathered from her investigation to Taoye.

Upon hearing this, Tao Ye felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't know what Tan Yue had done to make Tian Yuan, a highly skilled imperial physician, uncertain of even a six-month cure.

The next morning, Taoye sent someone to summon Tan Yue to Zhaoyang Palace to examine her illness.

Because of the difference between men and women, Taoye dared not be alone with Tanyue in a room, so she had Caiwei accompany her and summoned Tanyue to the flower hall.

After exchanging greetings, Taoye asked, "Yesterday, Physician Tian said that Pharmacist Tan is only skilled in collecting and preparing herbs, but not in treating illnesses. In that case, how can Pharmacist Tan cure my illness?"

Tan Yue replied, "Your Majesty's illness is too rare. Even the Imperial Physician is helpless. This is completely different from the common illnesses that the Assistant Physicians and Chief Physicians are good at treating."

Tao Ye smiled and nodded, then asked, "So, can Pharmacist Tan cure my illness?"

"I am not sure."

"Your medicine doctor Tan has made a mess of the Emperor's illness, and he might not be able to cure my illness either. So what use are you in the palace?" Tao Ye sneered, unsure how to evaluate this medicine doctor.

Tan Yue, however, remained calm and asked peacefully, "What use does Your Majesty hope I will have?"

Tao Ye thought for a moment and decided not to beat around the bush. There were only her, Tan Yue, and Cai Wei in the room. Although she had never admitted to Cai Wei that she was faking amnesia, given their old friendship, they should have understood each other implicitly.

She then said directly to Tan Yue, "I want to know your true identity, your origins, and your purpose in entering the palace. That is the greatest use you can have for me."

Tan Yue responded calmly, "I wish to know whether Your Majesty's amnesia is real or not. Don't say that my medical skills are inadequate; even the most skilled doctor cannot cure a non-existent illness."

Tao Ye frowned. The other party's identity was still unclear, so how could she casually reveal her own secrets?

“Amnesia is amnesia, how can it be fake? I already said it last time, you are not allowed to question it again.”

"Then I can only tell Your Majesty that I have no real identity; entering the palace to practice medicine is merely a job. What Your Majesty sees now is my true self."

Taoye felt very unhappy when she heard the expressionless bronze-masked man ask a question similar to her own and give a similar answer.

She stood up, walked up to Tan Yue, and coldly asked, "If you're 'real,' why wear a mask all the time?"

Tan Yue replied, "My face was burned by the fire, and I wear a mask so as not to frighten others."

"But I want to see your true face! Take off your mask!" Tao Ye's command was willful and domineering.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I cannot remove it."

"why?"

"If I were to frighten Her Majesty the Empress into something bad, I would not be able to bear the responsibility."

"I'm afraid the disfigurement is just a pretense, and the real reason is to conceal my identity, isn't it?" Tao Ye was indignant and her suspicions deepened.

Unable to suppress her thirst for knowledge, Taoye got right to it and ripped off Tan Yue's mask with a whoosh.