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墨書 Inktalez
Zhao Zheng was momentarily taken aback, but then slowly raised his hand and placed it on the table, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Then I will trouble you, Wife."
Qin Yaru raised an eyebrow and smiled. It had been many years since anyone had called her Wife. Although she was no longer young, she was pretending to be a Lady-in-Waiting this time, dressed in a delicate manner that made her look similar to a girl of fifteen or sixteen.
The person before her was indeed, as her father and brothers had said, a very gentle emperor, though he seemed to have a bit of a tendency to ramble.
Qin Yaru focused intently on taking his pulse. He furrowed his brow and continued to speak softly with Bai Yunsheng, "I didn't expect that after not coming to the palace for so long, you would notice that I am unwell. It's been over half a year now; I often feel fatigued, have headaches, palpitations, and sometimes when I'm walking, my vision goes dark. Those court physicians have examined me and only said it was due to overwork and weakness, prescribing some nourishing soups and medicines, but nothing has worked."
Zhao Zheng clearly looked somewhat displeased. "Most of the state affairs are managed by the Empress Dowager; how could I be exhausted? Those quack doctors are just making excuses."
Bai Yunsheng was visibly taken aback, his heart tightening as he suddenly turned to look at Qin Yaru.
However, Qin Yaru remained silent, her eyes closed as she devoted herself to taking his pulse for quite some time, examining both wrists.
After about half a tea's worth of time, Qin Yaru finally let out a long breath and sighed, "Official, this is the first time I've encountered someone who can use the principles of food compatibility so skillfully without drawing attention."
Her words carried deep implications. Zhao Zheng blinked in surprise and asked, "From what Wife says, my discomfort is man-made?"
He had not thought much about his poor health in recent years; after all, not many members of the Zhao family lived long lives while many suffered from health issues. Moreover, as an emperor—even one without real power—poisoning him would be extremely difficult.
Everything he consumed went through several layers of inspection. Although Zhao Zheng often felt displeased that his food was checked repeatedly until it was cold by the time it reached him, he still obediently ate what was served without making things difficult for his subordinates.
Qin Yaru squinted her eyes and nodded. It was Zhao Zheng's luck that when she entered earlier, she happened to see two Ladies-in-Waiting leaving with trays. She was skilled in cooking and also understood medicine. More importantly, in her previous life at County Horse Manor during her last few years, she had eaten foods that were compatible and incompatible daily.
At first, she did not understand until she fell seriously ill. The Lady-in-Waiting who had served her all her life could no longer bear it and revealed this matter to her.
At that time, Qin Yaru had lived safely at County Horse Manor for many years. People gradually forgot that she was originally the legal wife of County Horse. Once her purpose was achieved, the Gentle Blue Princess would never allow someone like Qin Yaru—an eyesore—to live peacefully until death. Although she wore a gentle and virtuous exterior, inside she lacked any virtue at all; she possessed every ounce of jealousy that any woman could have.
Even though she knew that back then, Qin Yaru was powerless to do anything. She was confined in that courtyard, rarely seeing anyone, and how could she possibly seek revenge? Moreover, she was at the mercy of others; she couldn't even save herself from danger and could only watch her body weaken day by day until she fell ill and died in bed.
Now, however, in the depths of the palace, she caught a whiff of the familiar aroma of food that she often smelled back then. This unique scent had lingered for many years, and this special feeling was something she would never forget.
Thus, even before entering Funing Palace, Qin Yaru felt a sense of awareness.
"I will prepare a prescription for the Official and list out dietary therapies, supplemented with acupuncture. Within half a year, the Official will surely regain health."
Although back then she had allowed the Gentle Blue Princess to bring about her own demise, she firmly remembered the true reason for her death. Over the years, she had diligently studied medicine without pause, almost always researching medical practices. Her skills had improved significantly; even compared to the renowned doctors of her time, while her experience might not match theirs, her knowledge far surpassed them.
Now, even when treating the emperor's complex ailments, Qin Yaru dared to boast.
Zhao Zheng was taken aback and sighed, "I never expected that those court physicians would be inferior to my Wife's capabilities. They truly deserve to be condemned!"
He was an honest man, but even the most honest person would feel anger when faced with a group of idle court physicians.
Qin Yaru said nothing but understood in her heart that all the court physicians were skilled masters in medicine with rich experience. It was impossible for none of them to notice the emperor's serious health issues. However, they all had families and careers; having spent too long in the palace, they had become cautious and conservative, afraid to speak out. One wrong word or careless mistake could easily turn them into one of the countless wronged souls within the palace.
Otherwise, why would renowned healers in the civilian world become indistinguishable once they entered the court? If they got caught up in palace intrigues, they would surely not live long.
Qin Yaru did not care how the physicians thought nor did she intend to engage much with the emperor; in fact, there was no need for her to do so. However, everyone values their lives. The physicians' behavior, though unreasonable, was understandable. Even the emperor could not hold them accountable simply because they were overly cautious.
Zhao Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and his eyes brightened. "Then I will trouble you, Wife... If I recover, I will surely reward you handsomely."
Before he finished speaking, Qin Yaru raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Official, what reward? I cannot accept such a thing. However, everyone knows your calligraphy is exceptional. My sister-in-law is aware that I have had the fortune to meet you and has specially written a piece in running script for you to critique. If you could offer any advice or comments on it, I would be truly grateful."
With that, she took out a scroll from her sleeve, holding it with both hands and presenting it before Zhao Zheng's eyes.
Bai Yunsheng gasped and lowered his head.
Zhao Zheng, however, was quite surprised and laughed, "I haven't even started yet." Despite saying this, he still took the scroll.
Qin Yaru watched as the young emperor unrolled the scroll, her initial smile fading into a stiffened body and widened pupils.
Even Qin Yaru couldn't help but feel worried and scared. It wasn't fear of the emperor, but rather a mix of emotions flooding her heart.
After all, the emperor was still young and known for his benevolence. Both the Pang Family and Xiangyang Wang were trusted ministers of his. Even with evidence right in front of him, he might not necessarily believe it.
Moreover, the one in charge of the palace now was the Empress Dowager, not him. Even if he believed it, it remained uncertain whether he had the courage and ability to handle this situation.
Additionally, given Xiangyang Wang's temperament and years of planning, he must have placed many spies within the palace. If they weren't careful and someone leaked the news, it would undoubtedly lead to failure and cause many unforeseen complications.
Unexpectedly, despite his young age, the emperor remained composed. After a brief moment of stiffness, he returned to his gentle and refined demeanor.
"Your brother's cursive script is truly impressive; it's even better than mine. Please leave it with me so I can take a closer look. I will return it to you in a few days."
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