Ning Wanwan, barely holding herself up, shook her head, her lips pale: “…Nothing.”
Fu Yi, concerned, said, “You’re saying nothing when you can barely stand. I must inform the old madam.”
“Don’t go!” Ning Wanwan spoke sternly.
Fu Yi insisted, “Young mistress!”
Ning Wanwan grabbed her arm firmly, “Go directly to the Imperial Medical Bureau and find an imperial doctor.”
Fu Yi considered it and agreed that finding a doctor was better than alerting the old madam. She helped Ning Wanwan into the carriage and they headed to the palace.
*
Ning Wanwan’s gaze flickered slightly as she casually remarked, “A few days ago, when I went to Baoci Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, I saw the Prince of Yi. A court physician was there, who took the Prince’s pulse and was praised by the Empress Dowager. I thought I might invite him to check on my grandmother’s headache.”
Liu, the imperial physician, said: “The lady is referring to Xu Fengyu, right? He serves the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Empress, and the Crown Prince. He has been granted the title of Imperial Physician and wears gold and purple robes. His status is noble, and he generally does not leave the palace.”
The imperial physician who treated Si Zhan was Xu Fengyu. However, with her current status, Ning Wanwan could not get close to him and wouldn’t know where his medical records were kept, making her task difficult.
Fu Yi carried the medicine and left the Imperial Medical Bureau with Ning Wanwan. She looked up at the sky; it was already the hour of the Snake. Due to her condition, she could not attend classes at Zishantang, so they returned to their residence.
At night, Fu Yi brought the freshly decocted medicine.
“Miss, it’s time to take the medicine,” he said.
Ning Wanwan, lying sideways on the bed reading, glanced at the steaming medicine and replied, “Put it there, I’ll drink it after it cools down.”
Fu Yi placed the medicine on the small table by the bed and turned to make the bedding.
Ning Wanwan glanced at Zhan Xiang and pointed to the plum flower in the vase, saying, “Zhan Xiang, the plum flower is no longer fresh. Go pick a new one from the tree.”
“Yes.” Zhan Xiang happily went out.
