Chapter 191 – A Cry Of Pain
“Get up, child. You left your studies to visit the palace. We are the ones indebted here,” the empress dowager said with a smile.
“It does not matter what I do. I can always make up for it,” Ye Zhen said solemnly. The little prince’s condition had tugged her heart, to say nothing of this helpless mother. “Your Highness, you also need to take care of yourself. His Highness will be fine.”
At the mention of Mo Rongyi, the empress dowager frowned in sadness. “Aijia also hopes that Little Prince’s illness can be cured soon.”
“Empress Dowager, may this official’s daughter make a bold suggestion?”
The sight of a forlorn empress dowager had steeled Ye Zhen’s previous fleeting thoughts into a resolve. She decided she would stay in the palace for a few days and tend to Mo Rongyi. This would be a great opportunity to administer in the lingquan1. It may perhaps prove useful to his illness. Since she did not know for sure, she could at the least try.
The empress dowager looked at her and said, “You may speak freely.”
“Your Highness, I wish to stay and take care of the little prince for two days,” Ye Zhen said in a low voice… Not to repay the empress dowager’s kindness, not to compensate the little prince on behalf of the Ye Family, but to support him as he had in the academy that day. She could not just watch Mo Rongyi in this condition.
Besides, as long as Mo Rongyi was still sick, Mo Rongzhan would not spare her. That bastard had tied her life to the little prince’s.
“Why?” The empress dowager did not immediately agree, but looked at Ye Zhen with careful eyes, taking measures of her reasons.
Treachery and deceit were a norm in the life of royals. Those vicious hearts would not spare anyone. As such, the poisoning incident was ample proof. Although Ye Zhen was several years older than Mo Rongyi, who knows what she could do if she bore ill-motives? The dowager could not just entrust her son to anyone but given the circumstances, she would want someone close to her son to take care of him. Yet, she still felt skeptical…
She was finding it difficult to place her trust in someone who had appeared out of the blue. Someone, her child liked. But he was just that, a child. What would he know of the web of deception intricately woven around him?
Seeing how the surroundings had quieted down, Ye Zhen looked at the empress dowager calmly. She understood the latter’s concern and was not in the least bit offended by her mistrust. She decided to be forthright and breached the silence.
She said in a sweet voice, “Your Highness, ever since I came to the capital, many people looked down upon me. They all think that I am unworthy of the identity of an official’s daughter, that I am unworthy of entering the Academy for Women and the School of Medicine for that matter. Little Prince is the first one who thought that I would succeed, and even wagered on me regardless of my identity.”
“In ancient times, some people even died for their confidants. This official’s daughter is grateful to the little prince’s regard for me. I always felt that… I am not worthy of His Highness’ recognition, I do not know how to repay it. Now that he is ill, and this official’s daughter has learned medical skills, I dare not say that I can cure his illness, but would take good care of him.”
In the quiet hall, only Ye Zhen’s voice resounded. Her face was calm, eyes were clear. She did not say anything sensational, but the empress dowager felt a little moved.
“You are a good child. How can a child who knows how to repay kindness be called unworthy?”
Ye Zhen raised her head and looked into the loving eyes of the empress dowager. “Little Prince is also a good man. And a good man shall have a good reward. He will certainly get better.”
Although there were physicians and maidservants who could take care of the little prince, the empress dowager did not want to reject Ye Zhen’s heart. Besides, the little prince really likes her.
“What do you think of Little Prince?” The empress dowager asked in a low voice.
Ye Zhen thought for a moment. “Friend.”
Not a king, not a lord, but a friend.
The empress dowager nodded. “You shall temporarily reside in the palace maid’s room of the little prince’s chamber for two days. Aijia will also ask Madam Nuan to tidy up the room for you.”
Perfect! Ye Zhen gratefully bowed. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
The empress dowager smiled. “No one will look down upon you again.”
Such a girl must have a bright future ahead of her. Those who despise her may not be better than her.
Ye Zhen smiled and said, “I will make them dare not look down upon me.”
Before she could say a few more words, the palace maid from the little prince’s chamber came. She said that the little prince had woken up after a short sleep and his whole body was writhing in pain. She was ordered by Qi Jin, who was already in Mo Rongyi’s chamber, to speak to the empress dowager.
As soon as the empress dowager heard this, she was flustered. She immediately set off to the little prince’s chamber.
Ye Zhen followed her.
As soon as they entered the little prince’s chamber, they heard Mo Rongyi screaming in pain. The empress dowager suddenly went weak in her legs and almost could not stand stably.
Aunt Cheng supported her. “Your Highness… ”
Ye Zhen was worried that Mo Rongyi would hurt himself if he went on like this. She said to the empress dowager, “Your Highness, I will go first and have a look.”
The empress dowager nodded. Ye Zhen immediately ran into the bedchambers where she almost hit people along her way.
She looked up and saw a person with a pair of dark eyes deeply looking at her. Ye Zhen looked faint and gave a silent bow.
“Ah ah…” Mo Rongyi cried out in pain.
Ye Zhen could not care about Mo Rongzhan who was standing in front of her at this moment. She walked past him and went to Mo Rongyi’s bed.
Afraid that the little prince would hurt himself, four eunuchs held his hands and feet while Qi Jin tried to let Mo Rongyi take his medicine.
“Your Highness, this is a painkiller. As long as you take it, it won’t hurt.” Qi Jin was sweating all over her head. Having a patient who refused to take medicine always distressed her.
Mo Rongyi did not want to take medicine. If he took it in, it would make him want to die of pain. He did not even want to eat. He did not want to take in the medicine at all.
Ye Zhen looked distraught and could not help but ask Qi Jin, “Imperial Physician Qi Jin, can you use acupuncture to relieve pain?”
“Acupuncture was already used a few days ago. It cannot be used to relieve pain anymore.” Qi Jin said helplessly.
“I will give it a try!” Ye Zhen thought for a moment and went over to untie Mo Rongyi’s clothes. “Your Highness, you have to bear with it.”
Qi Jin looked at Ye Zhen in surprise and did not continue to feed Mo Rongyi.
Ye Zhen clenched her hands into fists, gently pressed on Mo Rongyi’s body with her knuckles. This technique was very complicated and fast, the people around were dazed.
Others could not see the composition of the movement, but Qi Jin saw it clearly.
She looked at Ye Zhen in shock.
This pain-relieving acupoint massage technique… how could she know about it?