jdhmnovel Chapter 242 The Empress Dowager is Critically Ill
Chapter 242 The Empress Dowager is Critically Ill
In the Nanzhao Kingdom, the Grand Empress Dowager was the spiritual pillar of the royal family, and her every move was closely watched. On this day, the sun shone on the Grand Empress Dowager's villa. It should have been a leisurely afternoon, but the tranquility was broken by a violent cough.
"Cough, cough, cough..." The Empress Dowager leaned against the couch, her face as pale as paper, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, her hands tightly gripping the brocade quilt. The old nanny beside her looked panicked, her voice trembling as she cried out, "Someone! Quickly, go and fetch the imperial physician!"
Before long, the imperial physician rushed over. He quickly walked to the bedside and solemnly took the Empress Dowager's pulse. His brows were furrowed, and his worry deepened. He then wrote down a prescription and instructed the old nanny, "The Empress Dowager's illness has come on dangerously. She needs to take medicine and recuperate immediately. She must not overexert herself."
The news quickly reached the palace, and upon learning of it, Xiao Jingchuan immediately summoned his ministers for a discussion. The atmosphere in the court was heavy; the ministers whispered amongst themselves, their faces filled with worry.
"The Empress Dowager is a blessing to our Nanzhao Kingdom. Now that she is seriously ill, we must bring her back to the palace immediately so that we can take better care of her." Xiao Jingchuan's expression was serious, and his voice was deep but firm.
The prime minister stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty is absolutely right. However, the Empress Dowager is in poor health, and the bumpy journey may worsen her condition. We must make thorough preparations.”
After some discussion, everyone decided to arrange the safest carriage, with thick soft cushions inside, as well as various warm quilts and refreshing aromatherapy.
Meanwhile, Gu Liuli was also busy in the inner palace. She personally selected the snacks and nourishing ingredients that the Empress Dowager usually liked to eat, and arranged for the palace maids to tidy up the Empress Dowager's bedroom in the palace to ensure that everything was comfortable and cozy.
"Hang the landscape painting that the Empress Dowager likes best in a prominent place, and then set up the incense burner that she often uses." Gu Liuli gave instructions while carefully checking every detail.
When everything was ready, the procession to escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace set off in a grand procession. The carriage moved slowly, each step taken with utmost care, so as not to disturb the frail Empress Dowager inside.
Xiao Nan Yi and Xiao Nan Yao were very worried when they learned that the Empress Dowager was ill. They waited at the palace gate early, their eyes fixed on the distance, hoping for the Empress Dowager's arrival.
"Brother, will Great-Grandma be alright? I'm so worried." Xiao Nanyao held Xiao Nanyi's hand, her eyes full of concern.
Xiao Nanyi patted Xiao Nanyao's shoulder and comforted her, "Don't worry, Yao'er, Great-Grandma is a lucky person, she will definitely get better." But there was also a hint of unease in his eyes.
Finally, the carriage slowly entered the palace. Xiao Jingchuan and Gu Liuli quickly stepped forward and personally helped the Empress Dowager down from the carriage. The Empress Dowager leaned weakly against Xiao Jingchuan's chest, managing a weak smile: "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
The Empress Dowager was placed in her bedchamber, and the imperial physicians immediately surrounded her to examine her again. Xiao Nan Yi and Xiao Nan Yao were also allowed to enter the bedchamber to visit her. They walked to the Empress Dowager's bedside, and seeing her pale face, they felt a pang of sadness.
"Great-Grandma, you must get better soon. We still want to play with you in the Imperial Garden." Xiao Nanyao held the Empress Dowager's hand, her voice trembling with tears.
The Empress Dowager gently stroked Xiao Nanyao's head and said weakly, "Good child, your great-grandmother will get better."
In the days that followed, the entire palace was shrouded in tension. The imperial physicians treated the Empress Dowager regularly each day, and Gu Liuli personally supervised the preparation of the herbal medicines to ensure that every bowl was delivered precisely to the Empress Dowager.
"This medicine must be brewed to perfection for it to be effective for the Empress Dowager to drink it," Gu Liuli instructed the palace maid in charge of brewing the medicine.
Xiao Jingchuan would often set aside state affairs to visit the Empress Dowager in her palace. He would sit by her bedside, chat with her, and tell her interesting stories from court, hoping to cheer her up.
"Mother, please rest assured and recover. I have handled all the affairs of the court properly, so please don't worry about them," Xiao Jingchuan said softly.
Xiao Nan Yi and Xiao Nan Yao visited the Empress Dowager every day, bringing her paintings they had drawn themselves, as well as the freshest flowers they had picked from the Imperial Garden.
"Great-Grandma, look at my drawing. It's a picture of my family playing in the Imperial Garden." Xiao Nanyi handed the drawing to the Empress Dowager, his eyes full of anticipation.
The Empress Dowager looked at the painting and a pleased smile appeared on her face: "It's painted so well. Once Grandma is better, we'll go to the Imperial Garden together."
The royal palace of the Nanzhao Kingdom was shrouded in gloom. The Empress Dowager's condition worsened day by day, and the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital were all filled with worry. Inside the Empress Dowager's bedchamber, a strong smell of medicine permeated the air. She lay weakly on her couch, her face as pale as paper, her breath faint, each breath seeming like a struggle.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's pulse is growing weaker and weaker, and we are truly powerless to help." The head of the Imperial Medical Academy knelt before Xiao Jingchuan, his forehead covered in sweat, his voice filled with guilt and helplessness.
Xiao Jingchuan's face was terribly gloomy. He clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anxiety and anger: "You are all top doctors in the Imperial Hospital, don't you have any solutions? If anything happens to the Empress Dowager, you will all be held responsible!" His voice echoed in the palace, carrying the majesty and rage of an emperor.
The head of the academy trembled with fear and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. We will do our utmost, but... but this illness is really strange. We have never seen such a difficult condition before."
Xiao Jingchuan paced back and forth in his bedchamber, his heart filled with anxiety. The Empress Dowager was the elder he respected most, and the pillar of the royal family. Now that she was on the verge of death, how could he not be frantic with worry? After pondering for a long time, he suddenly stopped and loudly ordered, "Immediately post imperial edicts to seek out the most renowned physicians in the land. Whoever can cure the Empress Dowager's illness will be richly rewarded!"
Soon, the imperial edict was posted on the city wall outside the palace, attracting a large crowd. People whispered and discussed among themselves, but all shook their heads and sighed, and no one dared to step forward to take it down.
As the crowd discussed the matter, a woman dressed in plain clothes quietly approached. Her face was covered by a thin veil, revealing only a pair of bright and deep eyes, like stars twinkling in the night sky. She stood quietly before the imperial edict, gazing at the words on it, her eyes revealing determination and confidence.
Suddenly, she reached out and slowly tore down the imperial edict. Those around her stared in astonishment, gasping in surprise.
"Who is this woman? How dare she answer the imperial edict? Even the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital are helpless against the Empress Dowager's illness. Can she really do it?"
"Yeah, I hope he's not a scammer. This is no joke."
Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd, the woman, holding the imperial edict, arrived at the palace gate and said to the guards, "I have come to treat the Empress Dowager. Please inform His Majesty." Her voice was clear and melodious, like a babbling brook in the mountains, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.
The guards exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and then sent someone to the palace to report. A short while later, Xiao Jingchuan rushed over. Looking at the woman before him, his eyes were filled with doubt and expectation: "You are the one who answered the imperial edict? Are you confident you can cure the Empress Dowager's illness?"
The woman bowed slightly and said, "Although I cannot guarantee that I can cure the Empress Dowager's illness, I am willing to try my best." Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, which made people trust her more.
Xiao Jingchuan scrutinized the woman, his heart filled with doubt, but he had no other choice but to try anything at this point: "Alright, if you can cure the Empress Dowager, I will reward you handsomely; if you cannot, do you know the consequences of deceiving the emperor?"
The woman nodded gently: "I understand."
Led by Xiao Jingchuan, the woman arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace. She walked to the Empress Dowager's bedside, first quietly observing the Empress Dowager's complexion and expression, then reaching out to take the Empress Dowager's pulse. Her expression was focused and serious, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were pondering something.
After a long while, the woman released her grip and stood up: "The Empress Dowager's illness is due to long-term overwork, and the recent cold has exacerbated her condition. However, it is not incurable."
Xiao Jingchuan quickly asked, "What's your plan?"
The woman took out a small brocade pouch from her bosom and said, "This contains my specially made pills. After the Empress Dowager takes them, her condition will be stabilized. Then, I will prescribe a few more prescriptions. If she takes them on time, she will surely recover gradually."
Xiao Jingchuan was skeptical, but he still took the brocade pouch and ordered someone to immediately feed the Empress Dowager the medicine. After the Empress Dowager took the pill, her originally pale face gradually regained some color, and her breathing became much more stable.
Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan was overjoyed: "It seems your medicine really works!"
The woman smiled slightly: "This is only the first step; careful recuperation is still needed. Your Majesty, I will go and write up the prescription now."
The head of the Imperial Medical Academy, watching the woman's actions, was both surprised and impressed: "Young lady, your medical skills are superb; I am truly ashamed of my own inferiority."
The woman humbly replied, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. Doctors are benevolent, and it is my honor to treat the Empress Dowager."
Afterwards, the woman went to the Imperial Medical Academy and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, wrote down a prescription. Her handwriting was elegant and graceful, just like her, exuding an extraordinary and refined air.
"The ingredients in this prescription are somewhat rare, but I will try to find them as soon as possible," the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy said as they looked at the prescription.
The woman nodded: "These medicinal herbs are rare, but they are crucial to the Empress Dowager's condition. I hope you gentlemen will take the time to help."
With the woman's meticulous treatment and the cooperation of the imperial physicians, the Empress Dowager's condition gradually improved. Xiao Jingchuan was extremely grateful to the woman and repeatedly offered to reward her, but she politely declined each time.
"Your Majesty, I did not treat the Empress Dowager for any reward, but only wish for her speedy recovery." The woman's words were sincere and firm, which made Xiao Jingchuan respect her even more.
As the Empress Dowager's condition stabilized, the gloom in the palace gradually dissipated, and it regained its former vitality. The mysterious veiled woman became a beacon of hope for everyone; her medical skills and kindness became legendary both inside and outside the palace.