Chapter 390 – Suit Yourself
“Who said that Lu Yaoyao doesn’t need to do anything? She is skilled at differentiating and recognizing medicinal herbs, so she will stay in the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard to pick and cook medicine. Imperial Physician Huang, do you think there is a problem with this arrangement?” Gong Tang asked.
Imperial Physician Huang sneered. “If the chief wants to be partial to Lu Yaoyao, then there is nothing I can say otherwise.”
“Since you think that I am partial, then I won’t care too much about targeting you again. Let your student dry the medicine and tidy up the medicinal storage. If she can’t finish today, then she doesn’t need to eat or sleep today. If she is unwilling, she is free to leave the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard,” Gong Tang said.
“Chief Gong, how can you be so unfair?” Imperial Physician Huang’s eyes were filled with anger. Gong Tang used to have a different attitude towards her. But now, because Lu Yaoyao was a princess, he was going to work against her like this?
Gong Tang turned to speak to Ye Zhen. “Lu Yaoyao, return first to go rest. Arrive early tomorrow morning at the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard.”
Ye Zhen bowed. “Yes, Chief Gong.”
After Ye Zhen left, Gong Tang ordered Gao Xueping to organize the medicinal storage, “Imperial Physician Huang, come with me.”
Seeing that Imperial Physician Huang couldn’t help her either, Gao Xueping was angered. But she didn’t dare defy the orders of Chief Gong. If she was somehow actually banished from the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard, then she would never be able to enter the imperial palace again.
This is all Lu Yaoyao’s fault! She had definitely said something to Chief Gong. She must have used her status as a princess to force Chief Gong into this decision. Otherwise, how would he have displayed such a blatant disregard of Imperial Physician Huang? In the future, when she had the opportunity to be near the emperor, she definitely wouldn’t let Lu Yaoyao off easily!
Gao Xueping entered the medicinal storage, and upon seeing the state around her, her expression soured even more, endlessly cursing Ye Zhen in her heart.
Imperial Physician Huang, who was walking with Gong Tang to the side, didn’t look so happy either. “Chief Gong, has Lu Yaoyao used her status as a princess to pressure you? What reason do you have to be afraid of her? Seeing as she has entered the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard, then all she is is a female physician. Even if she brings this before the empress dowager or the emperor, I will not be afraid to argue over this matter with her.”
“You think that you are not wrong? That you haven’t worked against Lu Yaoyao because of your niece?” Gong Tang retorted, looking at Imperial Physician Huang. Inwardly, he wondered why she had turned so shrewd and cruel after so many years when she had clearly been a talented and kind girl when she had first entered the palace.
Imperial Physician Huang’s expression soured. “Chief Gong, you think that I’m bullying Lu Yaoyao on purpose?”
“Whether or not it is on purpose, I’m sure you know yourself. Don’t think that my decision is based on her status as a princess. Just then, when I came over, both the emperor and Huangfu Chen were here. Even if Lu Yaoyao were viewed as a regular female physician, there is no right in making a female physician do work like that!” Gong Tang stated sternly.
“The emperor and Huangfu Chen….” Only now did Imperial Physician Huang feel scared. She was bullying Lu Yaoyao, but she only did that out of the confidence that someone like Lu Yaoyao wouldn’t go complaining to the empress dowager and the emperor. But she hadn’t expected that the emperor would come to the medicinal storage alone.
“See for yourself!” Leaving those words for Imperial Physician Huang, Gong Tong turned and slowly walked away.
Imperial Physician Huang froze in place, her face greening, and paling. It seemed like she couldn’t deal with Lu Yaoyao for the time being. She could only find another opportunity. The next time, she definitely wouldn’t give Lu Yaoyao the chance to make a comeback.
Not long after Ye Zhen returned to the Imperial Physicians’ Courtyard, the rest of the people came back one by one. Chen Jinru and Xia Yaohua looked at her, and asked her with shock, “Yaoyao, how are you back? Did you finish drying the herbs so quickly?”
“I ran into Chief Gong, and he let me back.” Ye Zhen said with a smile, “There were a lot of molding medicinal herbs in the medicinal storage. I couldn’t finish on my own.”
“When I came over, I thought that I saw Gao Xueping cleaning the medicinal storage.” A female physician walked past, and hearing Ye Zhen’s words added this.
Chen Jinru couldn’t help but burst out in laughter. “Chief Gong made Gao Xueping clean out the medicinal storage?”
Ye Zhen had thought that Chief Gong was only saying that to scare her. “It seems that it’s true.”
“Sucker!” Chen Jinru laughed happily. “That’s karma!”
“Does Imperial Physician Huang know?” Xia Yaohua was a bit more mature. She was just afraid that Imperial Physician Huang would bully Ye Zhen even more.
Ye Zhen said, “She should be aware.”
“We should go see what’s happening with that Gao Xueping,” Chen Jinru said with excitement.
“Don’t go. What if Imperial Physician Huang sees.” Xia Yaohua stopped her. “With Chief Gong here, Imperial Physician Huang probably won’t work against Yaoyao again.”
Ye Zhen smiled slightly, but she didn’t know how to think. All that came to her mind was Mo Rongzhan’s figure as he helped her organize the medicinal storage. That sturdy and strong figure seemed like it could hold everything for her. She clearly could’ve refused him…
“Let’s go back to our dorms,” Ye Zhen said, trying to expel the image of Mo Rongzhan from her mind.