Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

As the warm spring sun gradually shone through the palace walls, the entire palace seemed to come alive.

The workload of the Imperial Medical Service did not decrease at all, but became even busier due to the change of seasons.

After all, spring is the peak season for various minor illnesses and pains, and the masters in the palace all rush to the Imperial Hospital at the slightest sign of trouble.

As the director of the Imperial Medical Service, which is the "vice president" of this dynasty, my life has been quite fulfilling recently.

What I hear most often every day is not "Your Excellency, I have prepared a plan for health care", but "Your Excellency! The Queen feels a little bloated in the stomach, please come and take a look!", "Your Excellency! The Emperor did not sleep well last night, should you prescribe some new medicine?"

I am an optimist by nature. Although the workload is heavy, I still maintain a good attitude.

After all, staying alive is the most important thing in this palace, and being funny and relaxed is my "life-saving formula".

That day, I had just returned from the Imperial Garden and was about to make a cup of tea and enjoy the rare quiet time when Zhu Yuan rushed into the Imperial Hospital in a hurry.

"Your Excellency the Judge! Something big has happened!" He looked serious, yet also a bit excited, as he had obviously heard some gossip.

I have become accustomed to Zhu Yuan's "crying wolf" style of reporting. The cup of tea in my hand has just been brewed, and the fragrance of the tea has only half wafted into the air.

I glanced up at him and asked slowly, "What's going on this time? Don't tell me another queen feels overwhelmed."

Zhu Yuan was so angry that his eyes widened. "No! This time, something serious is really happening! I heard that the Empress has been having nightmares every night recently and is very uneasy. The Empress Dowager is a little worried and is about to summon someone from our Imperial Hospital!"

When I heard that, I quickly put down my teacup.

The Queen's health has always been the focus of our Imperial Hospital, especially her sleep problems, which could lead to serious consequences if not handled with care.

"Her Majesty, did you have a nightmare again? What did you dream about this time?" I asked as I packed my medicine box.

Zhu Yuan came closer with a mysterious look on his face. "I heard that in her dream, there was a giant snake that kept entwining her, and in the end, it turned into... uh, a chicken?"

I almost laughed out loud. "A giant snake turning into a chicken? That sounds like some weird combination of ingredients."

Zhu Yuan said seriously, "That's right! This dream made everyone feel that something was wrong. The Queen herself said she was very nervous, afraid it was a bad omen."

My heart skipped a beat. It seemed that this matter was not simple.

The Empress's dream was definitely a sign of psychological stress, but dreaming of a giant snake transforming into a chicken was truly novel... However, as the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital, I had to remain professional.

"Okay, stop talking about this nonsense. I'll go see the Queen first." I quickly took the medicine box and hurried to the Queen's bedroom.

The atmosphere in the Queen's bedroom was noticeably more solemn than usual.

The queen sat upright beside the bed, looking a little haggard, with a hint of fatigue in her eyes.

Her maids stood cautiously by, obviously a little nervous because of her recent mood.

I walked in and bowed. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. I've heard you've been having a lot of dreams lately. Could I take a look at them?"

The Queen waved her hand, motioning me to sit down, forcing a tired smile onto her face. "President Yang, I've been feeling restless lately. I've been having strange dreams every night, and they've frightened me so much that I can't even sleep well."

I sat down and carefully felt her pulse.

Although the pulse is steady, it is indeed a little weak, especially the heart pulse which seems a little uneasy.

This is obviously caused by long-term insomnia and mental stress.

"Your Majesty, have you been troubled by anything recently? Or are you too tired from the affairs of the palace?" I asked tentatively.

The Queen sighed deeply. "Troubles? Alas, there are always troubles in this palace. But these dreams really make me feel uneasy."

She paused, as if hesitant, and then whispered, "I dreamed of a giant snake that was entwining itself around me... Is this a bad omen?"

I smiled faintly, trying to appear relaxed. "Your Majesty, dreams often manifest as a result of your daytime thoughts, and they aren't necessarily a sign of things to come. I believe you've been feeling depressed lately, which is why you had this dream. Snakes symbolize stress, and perhaps you have some unresolved worries."

After hearing this, the Queen's expression softened slightly, but she still felt a little uneasy. "But the snake finally... turned into a chicken. This dream is truly bizarre."

I stifled a laugh. "My Lady, this is probably just your mind playing tricks on you. Absurd plots in dreams are often a way for us to adjust our mood. The giant snake transforming into a chicken seems like a good thing, perhaps a sign that stress will be relieved."

When the queen heard this, she couldn't help but smile: "You are quite good at talking."

I said seriously, "Your Majesty, I will prescribe a soothing decoction for you. Combined with some dietary therapy, it should help you sleep better. Also, spring is here, Your Majesty, you can go to the Imperial Garden more often and breathe in the fresh air. Your mood will naturally improve."

The Queen nodded. "Okay, then I'll do as you say. I really should get out more often."

After returning to the Imperial Hospital, Zhu Yuan came over like a curious cat.

"President Yang, what exactly was the Empress' dream about? Is it related to the recent rumors in the palace?" He had a gossipy expression on his face and was obviously looking forward to my "diagnosis results".

I glanced at him helplessly: "You, you usually don't do your work, but you are particularly concerned about these palace rumors."

Zhu Yuan chuckled, "The more you know, the more life-saving you'll be! Don't take it lightly. Something seems to be amiss in the palace lately. Many concubines have been coming to the Imperial Hospital lately, and they look seriously ill!"

My heart skipped a beat. Zhu Yuan was right.

Recently, the "illnesses" of these concubines are indeed a bit abnormal. Concubines who usually don't come here often now come one after another, either with headaches or bloating, and some even say they suddenly suffer from insomnia.

The ward of the Imperial Medical Service became a place for "concubines to gather".

"You mean, the illnesses of these concubines are related to the queen's dream?" I asked tentatively.

Zhu Yuan nodded. "Who knows? Look, the Queen is having a nightmare, the Queen Mother is getting nervous again, and the concubines in the palace are suddenly sick. What if there is really some connection? You have to be careful and don't let these things implicate our Imperial Hospital."

I sighed inwardly. Although Zhu Yuan said it lightly, the affairs in the palace were really very complicated.

As the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital, I cannot get too involved in these harem disputes, nor can I ignore these signs of undercurrents.

In the next few days, the atmosphere in the palace remained somewhat tense.

Zhu Yuan was right. More and more concubines began to frequently come to the Imperial Medical Bureau for treatment, with all kinds of reasons. Some even came for "follow-up consultations" with the same prescriptions as last time, obviously looking for excuses to find out something.

"Yang Yuanpan, do you think I should add some more herbs to treat my insomnia?" Concubine Shu asked with concern, but there was a hint of inquiry in her eyes.

I already understood her intention and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, your condition is not serious. You just need to stay in a good mood and take your medicine on time. It's not advisable to change the prescription frequently. I suggest you go to the garden to relax more often, which is more effective than taking medicine."

Concubine Shu nodded, but was obviously not satisfied with the answer and seemed to want to say something more.

I quickly made an excuse that I had something to do and hurriedly sent her away.

Just when I thought this "Spring Crisis" was just a minor harem dispute, things suddenly took a dramatic turn.

Late one night, when I was about to close the door and rest, I suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside.

"Yang Yuanpan, something bad has happened! The virtuous concubine has suddenly fainted!"