The cruel little princess

The sun set, the night deepened, and dinner time quietly arrived. When Shen Youyou was lifted off the horse by His Royal Highness Prince Jin and gently placed in front of the general's tent, she still felt a little dazed and confused.

The horse's rapid galloping gave her the thrill of modern racing, but this did not dispel the heavy weight of worry in her heart. After thanking the prince, she rushed into the tent impatiently.

"Dad! Dad!" She rushed to the area behind the screen in a panic. However, what she saw made her stunned - Chuntao was sitting quietly on a low stool, holding a pair of emerald green embroidered shoes in her hands, threading the needle quickly, concentrating and carefully sewing new shoes for her.

Seeing this, Chuntao quickly raised a finger and pressed it to her lips, signaling her to lower her voice: "Shh!" She said softly, "The master has been worried all day, worried about the lack of staff around the young lady. He finally took the medicine and just rested for a while."

Shen Youyou suddenly realized what was going on, and a trace of guilt welled up in her heart. She patted her forehead and blamed herself, "Yes, yes, I was too excited and forgot my limits for a moment." She reached out and gently stroked Chuntao's pink cheek, sighing, "Our little Chuntao is still sensible!"

When Chuntao heard the young lady's praise, she smiled with ecstasy, as if she was about to float. This simple yet sincere joy filled the entire tent with a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Shen Youyou walked over to the bed, gently held Shen Duanfang's wrist, and took his pulse again. "My dear daughter is back!" As soon as her fingers touched Shen Duanfang's pulse, he woke up immediately due to his martial arts sensitivity. When he opened his eyes, he saw his daughter sitting in front of the bed with a smile on her face, taking his pulse.

"Are you tired after a long day out today? Did you encounter any danger along the way?" He didn't even ask if he'd found his son. As soldiers on the frontier, they were always determined to fight and sacrifice for their country; it was only a matter of time! But his darling daughter was different. She should have been a flower in a greenhouse, raised with meticulous care. However, because he was constantly at the border, unable to care for her, he had no choice but to place her in the care of his younger brother. Every year, he gave his younger brother an extra 1,000 taels of silver for her needs. But today, he heard from Chuntao that, due to her innocent and foolish nature, she was coaxed by her aunt and received no special care other than three meals a day. In contrast, his younger brother's three nieces and two nephews all attended school, dressed in fine clothes and served by servants. Even Chuntao stayed to care for her because she was saved by his daughter during a famine. Even the food at that time was described by his younger brother and his wife as being in a famine, and an extra person in the family meant more food, but there wasn't enough rice at home. It was because the daughter always divided her own meal into two portions and left one portion for Chuntao that she managed to survive like this! Moreover, those nephews and nieces would always come back to show off to the daughter what they learned in school, and laugh at her for not having a father who loved her and not being able to go to school! The daughter knew that she was stupid and couldn't learn, so she begged her aunt to let Chuntao go to school. As a result, the aunt mocked the daughter, saying, why should a servant go to school? What should she learn? It's good enough to be able to serve good people! Later, she couldn't resist the daughter's pleading and let those nephews and nieces teach the two of them casually when they came back to pass the time.

When thinking of this, Shen Duanfang's heart ached like a knife. His precious and darling daughter! Although his family was not well-off, and most of the surplus money at home was used to subsidize the brothers who had been through thick and thin with him, it was still not too shabby. His darling daughter should be like other young ladies in Beijing, with servants and carriages to go in and out, enjoying flowers and strolling in the streets when she was free, and having nothing to do when she was busy... just playing innocently. Instead of being coaxed into saying that she and Chuntao ate too much, and going to the mountains to dig wild vegetables every day to supplement the family income! But this was also the girl's fate, otherwise she would not have saved her master and learned such good skills!

He regretted it! He truly regretted it! Once his injuries stabilized in the next few days, he would definitely send his daughter back to the capital. Most of the servants in the mansion were soldiers who had followed him through life and death in the military camp, but had unfortunately lost limbs. Although they looked a little scary, they were all brothers who could trust each other with their lives. They should have no problem protecting their daughter.

"Dad, I'm fine! I have some good news to tell you! My brother has been found!" She happily held her father's hand and announced the good news to him! "I came here to tell you that my brother was seriously injured this time. I need the military doctors to help me with my rescue!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Shen Duanfang cheered repeatedly! It was great! His daughter was no longer stupid. After coming here, she cured herself and found her brother! Before his daughter came, he was seriously injured and unconscious, and his son's whereabouts were unknown. After his daughter came, all these problems were solved! She even found the spy in the army! His daughter was simply the reincarnation of Little Lucky Star! She was their Guanyin Bodhisattva! However, Shen Duanfang would never dare to say these words openly. After all, he was afraid that the emperor would punish him for spreading rumors and misleading the people...

As the father and daughter were talking behind the screen, His Royal Highness Prince Jin also welcomed someone: Xu Weizheng, the youngest head of the Imperial Hospital. "Your humble servant greets His Royal Highness Prince Jin!"

"Doctor Xu, there's no need to be so polite!" Prince Jin raised his right hand slightly to support him. Doctor Xu stood up straight. "Your Highness has been here for four days. Could I please take your pulse?"

"No need. I am fine. Has Doctor Xu visited General Shen?" His Royal Highness Prince Jin changed the subject.

"Your Highness, I've been there. I wonder which doctor sutured General Shen and saved his life? It was truly ingenious, and his medical skills were unparalleled! I've also read the prescription, and it's impeccable! I never imagined such a combination of medicines could be used! Your Highness, I beg you to introduce me to him. I'd love to learn from him!" Imperial Physician Xu couldn't stop praising him when he spoke of this. Prince Jin initially thought the words were quite flattering, and suggested that Imperial Physician Xu was a man who knew how to praise people and should praise them more. But when he heard the latter part about Imperial Physician Xu wanting to meet Shen Youyou and learn from her, he felt it wasn't appropriate for a single man and woman to be in the same room together, especially since Imperial Physician Xu was obsessed with medicine, was already 23 years old, and still unmarried, and hadn't heard of anyone he admired. It would be better not to introduce Shen Youyou to Imperial Physician Xu... right?!

Before they could even think it through, a soldier from General Shen's side came to ask for Doctor Xu, saying that General Shen had been found and asked him to come with them to help treat him. Doctor Xu knew immediately that the master who had saved General Shen was about to come back to help. This opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it would never come back again! He happily agreed and trotted off to General Shen's tent, fearing that he would miss out if he was late!

When Doctor Xu trotted to General Shen's tent, he didn't see the expected military doctors. "Where are they? Where did they go?" he asked the guard at the tent door.

"I wonder who Doctor Xu is asking about?" The guard didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Senior! Didn't you ask me to help you treat your young general?!" Doctor Xu felt that these guards were so stupid...

"Senior? What senior? But my young lady took other military doctors to the young general's tent, saying that they were treating him there..." Before the guard could finish his words, Doctor Xu asked for the direction of Shen Zijin's tent and rushed over.

The little medicine boy who was helping Doctor Xu carry his medicine box was running out of breath, "Master! Master, wait for me! Your medicine box is still with me, what will you use it for when you get there?!" He stomped his feet and continued to run helplessly.

Doctor Xu followed the direction pointed by the guard who was asking the question and came to Shen Zijin's tent. He saw that it was heavily guarded. "The young lady has ordered that no one except the military doctor is allowed to enter!" Two red tasseled spears crossed together, blocking Doctor Xu's steps.

"I am the imperial physician, and I just arrived this afternoon! General Shen just sent someone to ask me to assist you in treating your General Shen! I am not some random person!" he said righteously.

The two guards looked at each other. "You're a doctor, so where's your medicine box?" one of the guards asked. "Other military doctors come with their medicine boxes on their backs!"

"Here, here!" The little medicine boy came running over with a medicine box on his back.

"Wait, let's go in and report." One stood guard while the other went in to report.

After waiting for just a few moments, the guard came out with his hands clasped together, "Doctor Xu, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. Please come in!" The guard opened the curtain of the tent and invited Doctor Xu and the medicine boy in together.