The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 115

Chapter 115: Incurable

Xiao Jinyu had just stepped into the hall when she heard charming laughter. She couldn’t help but look towards the sound and saw a woman wearing an emerald green peacock feather dress with scattered flowers and a hairstyle known as “Gazing at Immortals with Nine Loops.” The woman was staring at her with wide eyes.

When she saw the woman’s face clearly, Xiao Jinyu’s heart felt as if it had been struck hard:

This woman’s appearance was actually seventy to eighty percent similar to her own in her past life, only she was more charming, with a pair of captivating phoenix eyes.

Seeing her staring intently, Consort Peng covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, “This Divine Physician Lady, could it be that you’ve seen something on my face? You’re so focused!”

“Lady, this is Consort Peng!”

The palace attendant hurriedly stepped forward to remind her, and then reported to the Empress, who was sitting at the head of the hall.

Compared to Consort Peng’s flamboyant attire, Liu Jingyan appeared more dignified and simple. She wore a golden floor-length robe without excessive adornment. Her “Five Phoenixes Facing the Sun” hairstyle highlighted her status as the Empress.

Liu Jingyan had always been gentle, virtuous, and uncontested, able to get along with anyone like sisters. It seemed she was still the same now.

Just to summon her into the palace for a meeting, she had even called so many consorts to be present.

Could it be that they considered her some kind of treasure, specially brought in for people to admire?

“You are Xiao Jinyu? The granddaughter of the Lanling Xiao Clan?”

“Your Majesty, she is also the daughter of the former female medical official, Xiao Luan, and the daughter of Han Zigao…”

Liu Jingyan turned her head and glared at Consort Peng.

“Don’t mention this matter again. Han Zigao is Han Zigao, and Xiao Jinyu is Xiao Jinyu. Even if they have a blood relationship, they are different people, and the paths they take are different. The path of a physician is a path of great virtue and kindness. To judge people based on their origins is not the righteous way!”

“Yes, Your Majesty is right!”

Xiao Jinyu also stepped forward to pay her respects.

“This commoner greets Your Majesty the Empress and all the consorts!”

“Someone, quickly bring a seat for this Divine Physician Lady!”

“Yes!”

The palace attendant responded and immediately brought a low table and cushion for Xiao Jinyu.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. May I ask why Your Majesty summoned me to the palace?”

“Lady, I’ve heard that your medical skills are exceptional. Our Majesty admires your reputation. It just so happens that we have someone here who would like you to take a look at their illness!”

Before the Empress could speak, Consort Peng spoke first.

Liu Jingyan didn’t seem to mind, only looking at Xiao Jinyu thoughtfully.

“Consort Peng, you’re actually not ill. Your heart disease is just your imagination and delusion. It’s like when you’re afraid of someone in your heart, you constantly think about them, dream about them at night, and then you imagine you have a heart disease…”

As soon as Xiao Jinyu finished speaking, the fake smile on Consort Peng’s face could no longer be maintained. Her face turned pale, and her charming laughter instantly turned cold and stern.

“What did you say? I haven’t even asked yet, how did you already know about my heart disease?”

“I heard that this Lady can not only treat illnesses but also read people’s hearts. It seems that when you were staring at my sister just now, you already saw her heart disease.”

The one who spoke at this time was He Shuyi, the mother of Prince Chen Shujian of Changsha. This He Shuyi was exceptionally delicate and beautiful, but upon closer inspection, one would find that her eyes were also very similar to hers in her past life.

Xiao Jinyu was shocked, and Consort Peng asked in surprise,

“You really just glanced at me and knew what I wanted to ask you?”

If there was such a skill to see through people’s hearts, wouldn’t all her disguises be superfluous?

Xiao Jinyu smiled and said, “Your Majesty is good at pretending. Even if you’re unhappy, you pretend to be happy. But whether a person is truly happy or not can be seen from their eyes. Your Majesty thinks too much, and there is already a gloomy color in your eyes. How can you hide it?”

With one sentence, she even revealed her ability to pretend. Consort Peng’s face turned pale and then flushed.

“You—”

“If you want to cure this heart disease, stop pretending. Say what you want to say, do what you want to do, and stop speaking in riddles!”

“Hehehe… This Lady is really interesting. That’s true, Sister Peng. You asked Her Majesty to call this Lady here just to treat Prince Shixing. Just say it directly. Why waste so much breath and time?” He Shuyi chuckled, covering her mouth.

Consort Peng was once again rendered speechless with anger, and she looked at Liu Jingyan at the head of the hall with a grievance.

“Your Majesty—”

Her tone was actually somewhat coquettish.

He Shuyi couldn’t help but roll her eyes: His Majesty wasn’t even here, who was she being coquettish for!

✿✿✿

Liu Jingyan looked at Xiao Jinyu.

“Since your medical skills are exceptional, can you treat headaches?” she suddenly asked.

Consort Peng and He Shuyi’s faces instantly darkened.

“That depends on what kind of person it is and what kind of headache it is?”

Liu Jingyan nodded, not continuing this topic, but instead asked, “Then are you willing to treat Prince Shixing? I heard you have rules when treating illnesses now?”

“Yes!”

“What are the rules? Tell me about them!”

“Those who are unjust, I will not treat! Those who indiscriminately kill innocent people, I will not treat! Those who are not critically injured, disabled, or dying, I will not treat!”

“You—” Consort Peng understood her meaning and couldn’t help but feel ashamed and angry!

“You want me to treat Prince Shixing, but you don’t ask why he got this illness?” Xiao Jinyu retorted, “Your Majesty, do you know?”

Liu Jingyan looked at Consort Peng. She really didn’t know about this. She wasn’t someone who liked to inquire about things outside the palace. She heard a lot of things from Consort Peng, but if Consort Peng didn’t say anything, Liu Jingyan naturally wouldn’t know.

At this time, He Shuyi spoke, “I did hear my son Zi Cheng mention this. He said that Prince Shixing wanted to abduct a young boy for pleasure, but unfortunately, this boy was skilled in martial arts and extremely strong. His Highness did something, and then the boy kicked him back, so he was kicked into a state of disability, serious illness, and an incurable condition!”（Note: Chen Shujian, courtesy name: Zi Cheng）

“Absurd!”

“This consort misspoke, Your Majesty, please forgive me!”

“I wasn’t talking about you!” Liu Jingyan turned her gaze back to Consort Peng, “Prince Shixing did such a thing, how can we ask this Lady to treat him? Moreover, she is an unmarried young woman, how can she treat such an illness!”

“But Your Majesty—”

“Did Imperial Physician Yao say it was incurable?”

“No!”

Consort Peng shook her head, but Yao Boshen’s tone clearly indicated that it couldn’t be cured, he just didn’t dare to say it directly.

Consort Peng didn’t dare to speak directly. If she really said it couldn’t be cured, wouldn’t it be admitting that her son would be impotent from now on? A disabled prince who couldn’t produce an heir would be even more destined to have no chance at the throne, and it would become a joke.

“Then since he didn’t say it’s incurable, let Imperial Physician Yao treat him. Why bother this Lady any further!”

“Let’s end it here today. Everyone, you are dismissed!”

“Yes!”

The other consorts, led by He Shuyi, bowed and left. Consort Peng was still unwilling to give up and called out again,

“Your Majesty—”

“Let’s go! I still have something to say to this Lady!”

Liu Jingyan was already impatient to listen to her any further. Consort Peng knew it was useless to say more, so she tactfully left. However, as she turned around, the resentment in her eyes deepened.

After Consort Peng left, Liu Jingyan carefully looked at Xiao Jinyu.

“You look very much like your mother!” she sighed, “Speaking of which, your mother and I are somewhat related as cousins. But it’s a pity that she passed away at such a young age!”

“Your Majesty, do you want to talk to me about my mother?” Xiao Jinyu interrupted her faint melancholy.

“No—” Liu Jingyan smiled sheepishly, “I want you to treat His Majesty!”

Xiao Jinyu raised her head in astonishment.

“To be honest with you, the person I mentioned earlier who has headaches is His Majesty. He has been suffering from this illness for many years. Although the imperial physicians have prescribed some medicine, it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause, so…”

She looked at Xiao Jinyu again and said solemnly, “I want you to cure His Majesty!”

“But what if I say I won’t treat him?”