Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

These days, my mind has been buzzing like a train during the Spring Festival travel rush.

The cold poison, the bed, the prince, the princess, and the prince's words "there is someone behind the scenes"... Oh my God, I really came to the ancient times to be a doctor, not to play "Ancient Version of Detective Conan"!

But there is no way, now that the thing has happened, we can't just sit back and watch.

What's more, I am now the royal physician. With this title comes responsibility.

In the early morning, the sun shone through the small window of the clinic. I rubbed my sore shoulders and was just about to make myself a cup of tea to relieve my fatigue when I heard hurried footsteps at the door again.

Before I could react, the door was pushed open with a bang.

"Imperial Physician Xiao Yang! Something's wrong!" The young eunuch Xiao Lizi rushed in with a look of panic on his face, not even able to catch his breath.

My heart sank, but I pretended to be calm on the surface. "Oh, what happened again? Could it be that the emperor is sleeping on that cold ironwood bed this time?"

When Little Li heard this, his face turned even paler with fear. "Don't joke like that! It's the Crown Prince... He's suddenly got a high fever and the doctors are helpless!"

High fever? How did this cold poison suddenly turn into a high fever?

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly grabbed the medicine box and followed Little Leo all the way to the East Palace.

The atmosphere in the Eastern Palace was even more tense than usual. The entrance to the Crown Prince's chambers was filled with guards and palace maids, all looking panicked. As I entered, I saw the Crown Prince lying on his bed, his face flushed, his forehead beaded with sweat, and he looked so weak he might faint at any moment.

A group of imperial doctors gathered in a circle nearby, all with serious expressions, but it was obvious that none of them had any good solutions.

"Imperial Physician Yang!" The Crown Prince spoke weakly when he saw me, his voice as if squeezed out of his throat, "I... I'm afraid it's really..."

I hurried forward to check his pulse and immediately made a judgment in my mind: this is a typical symptom of alternating cold and heat.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. You're just experiencing a high fever because the cold hasn't cleared up yet. Plus, the medicine you took yesterday temporarily stimulated your yang energy, which is why you're experiencing this." I quickly explained, feeling more confident. "As long as you continue to recuperate and expel the cold, your fever will naturally subside."

The prince's expression softened a bit after hearing what I said, but he still had a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Really... everything will be fine?"

"Of course I'll be fine!" I rolled my eyes secretly in my heart. These ancient people were so fragile that they thought they were going to die just by having a fever.

I immediately ordered the imperial physicians to prepare new herbs and gave the prince a few injections to help regulate his qi and blood.

Although the prince's situation is urgent, fortunately it is not beyond my control.

After the prince's high fever stabilized, I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the prince beside me.

Sure enough, he had been observing silently from the side, with a mysterious expression on his face.

"Your Highness, did you know that today's situation would happen?" I asked tentatively.

The prince smiled faintly, his tone calm, "I just had a premonition. Your Highness's cold poison is not a one-day cold. If it is not completely eradicated, I am afraid it will recur in the future."

I nodded. "Your Highness is right. However, the source of your Highness's cold poison has been found. From now on, you just need to take the medicine on time and slowly recuperate. There shouldn't be any problems."

The prince seemed quite satisfied with my answer and nodded slightly. "That's very good. However, Imperial Physician Yang, have you found out the true origin of that bed?"

My heart tightened. This prince was indeed not so easy to deal with. "The cold ironwood used for the bed did come from the north, but we need to further verify who sent it."

The prince nodded, his eyes deep. "Don't worry about this matter. I will investigate it myself. Just focus on taking good care of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Yo, I like this ending!

I was secretly delighted and nodded quickly: "Yes, Your Highness, rest assured, I will do my best."

Back at the clinic, I finally had time to catch my breath.

Although the prince's condition is temporarily stable, I still have a lingering sense of unease in my heart.

I'm afraid the things in this palace are far more complicated than I imagined.

Just when I was about to put my worries aside and take a good rest, I heard familiar footsteps at the door again.

My heart tightened. Could something happen again? Why are the people in this palace so fragile?

When I looked up, it was indeed Aunt Zhang. She walked in with a serious expression.

"Imperial Physician Yang, the prince has something for me to tell you." Her tone was the same as usual, but I could see a hint of nervousness in her eyes.

"What?" I asked quickly.

Nanny Zhang handed me a letter and whispered, "The prince asked you to read it personally." After that, she turned and left.

What's going on? Another mysterious mission?

I quickly opened the envelope and found only a few lines of text inside:

Imperial Physician Yang, the matter of the cold poison in the Eastern Palace involves many people.

The investigation has recently yielded preliminary clues involving certain powerful figures in the palace, which we are unable to disclose for the time being.

Remember, act cautiously and don't draw unnecessary attention.

Boy, this is serious!

After reading the letter, I felt a chill in my heart.

The powerful people in the palace? This cold poison incident actually involves people at a higher level?

I originally thought this was just a minor palace incident, at most a problem with some clueless tribute, but I didn't expect there was such a complicated power struggle hidden behind it.

It seems that this time I not only have to be a doctor, but also a secret detective.

In the next few days, I took care of the prince's illness in the East Palace as usual. On the surface, everything was calm, but I was always alert in my heart.

After all, this is the imperial palace, and who knows when an "accident" will suddenly occur.

One evening, I was giving acupuncture to the prince when I suddenly noticed a little palace maid beside the bed staring at me furtively.

I became suspicious and pretended not to see it, continuing with the work at hand.

When I finished the acupuncture and was about to leave, the young palace maid suddenly came over and whispered, "Imperial Physician Yang, do you want to know more about the Crown Prince's condition?"

Hey? Why is this girl saying something with a hidden meaning?

I was startled, but I quickly remained calm and said calmly, "Just say what you want to say."

The little palace maid looked around and lowered her voice: "I know something about the origin of that bed..."

My heart skipped a beat and I quickly asked, "What do you know?"

The young palace maid gritted her teeth and seemed to have made up her mind: "That bed, on the surface, is a tribute from the north, but in fact, it was personally arranged by a certain lady in the palace to be sent here."

Sure enough, there is something fishy!

I secretly groaned in my heart, nothing in this palace is simple.

"Who arranged this?" I asked in a low voice.

The little maid looked around, seemed a little scared, and finally whispered, "It's...it's Concubine Wan."

Concubine Wan? Countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

Concubine Wan is one of the emperor's most beloved concubines. Why did she secretly arrange to send such a "cold poison bed" to the prince?

"Are you sure?" I didn't dare to believe it easily. After all, this was too big a matter.

The young maid nodded, her expression nervous: "I dare not tell lies! I saw with my own eyes the eunuch beside the imperial concubine, bringing the bed into the palace."

My heart was suddenly filled with turmoil.

Concubine Wan? Is she planning to attack the Crown Prince? Or is there something else going on?

This matter is becoming more and more complicated. I have to tell the prince these clues as soon as possible.

But in this palace, the slightest mistake can lead to big trouble, so I must come up with a foolproof plan.

That night, I quietly left the East Palace under the cover of darkness and headed for the prince's residence.

Along the way, my heart was in turmoil, and all kinds of possible conspiracies and solutions were running through my mind.

Finally we arrived at the prince's mansion, and the prince was already waiting in the study.

As soon as he saw me, he smiled slightly and said, "It seems that you have made a new discovery."

I nodded and lowered my voice to tell the little palace maid all the clues she had given me.

After hearing this, the prince's eyes grew darker, and he slowly said, "Concubine Wan? Humph, it seems the struggle in this palace is even more complicated than I thought."

My heart tightened: "Then Your Majesty, what should we do next?"

The prince pondered for a moment, then suddenly revealed a cold smile: "You will continue to stay in the East Palace and keep an eye on the Crown Prince's condition. I will make my own arrangements."

It seems that this cold poison issue is no longer just a simple medical problem.

Next, I not only have to continue to take care of the prince, but also have to carefully deal with the many crises hidden behind this.

The palace struggle is truly a war without the smoke of gunpowder.

And I unexpectedly became one of the key figures in this war...