Chapter 50

After saying this, both of them were stunned for a moment.

Pei Muheng had slight discomfort on his face, but he quickly adjusted. He didn’t like seeing her getting close to other men, which was understandable. He was a perceptive person, and he knew exactly what his words meant. He looked at Xu Yunqi.

Xu Yunqi was stunned for a long while. She wasn’t unfamiliar with being pursued by young men. Over the years, many young suitors had knelt before her, wishing to keep her, but she had never lingered. Apart from feeling awkward the first few times, she eventually adapted, and her heart remained unmoved. However, the person in front of her now was Pei Muheng, who had made a pact with her on their wedding night and kept a respectful distance from her.

Xu Yunqi lowered her gaze and held the teacup in front of her, the one Pei Muheng had prepared for her earlier. The cup was still warm, and the clear water inside gently rippled.

Seeing her like this, Pei Muheng felt a bit awkward as well. He gripped the porcelain cup tightly, his throat somewhat dry, and instinctively wanted to take a few sips. He looked down and saw that the cup was empty, so he put it down again.

The atmosphere was a bit delicate.

During this pause, Xu Yunqi came to her senses. Whether it was due to possessiveness or genuine feelings for her, Xu Yunqi didn’t delve deeply into it, nor did she need to. Sometimes, emotions don’t need to be probed too deeply. They were already husband and wife, and spending their days together naturally fostered closeness. For example, she now felt that Pei Muheng was a very good person. Through the ups and downs of their arranged marriage, they had come this far, and they were both fortunate.

In response to her husband, Xu Yunqi softly said, “I understand. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Pei Muheng looked at his gentle wife, wanting to say something several times, but ultimately remained silent.

Xu Yunqi thought that for a person like him, saying this much was already his limit, and he wouldn’t say anything more directly.

“Should I return the bow to the Twelfth Prince?”

Pei Muheng chuckled, “No need, just give it to me, and I’ll find a good bow for you later.”

Since it was still early, Pei Muheng planned to go to his study and said before leaving, “I’ll make time to teach you archery in the future.’

Back in his study, Pei Muheng quietly reflected on the earlier scene for a long time. He hadn’t expected to feel this way, but now that he had expressed his thoughts, she could no longer be so careless.

Pei Muheng was a man of his word. That night, he set a target in the Qinghui Garden’s courtyard, personally arranged the shooting distance, and chose a good bow for Xu Yunqi to practice with. After dinner, Xu Yunqi practiced a few more times and gradually got the hang of it.

However, the incident made the couple more silent and less at ease with each other that night.

The little maid was in the small pharmacy room preparing medicine, humming an unknown tune. The crisp melody occasionally drifted in, making the eastern side room feel especially quiet. Xu Yunqi was flipping through medical cases while Pei Muheng sat opposite her with a book titled ‘Treatise on Food and Money.’

When Pei Muheng looked at Xu Yunqi, she was writing. When Xu Yunqi looked over, he lowered his eyes to read.

It was awkward and ambiguous.

Everything they said seemed redundant. Xu Yunqi simply stayed silent, pouring herself tea when she was thirsty and also bringing him a cup. Pei Muheng watched her place the cup in front of him without saying a word and sighed lightly, rubbing his forehead.

“Yunqi, I’m going to bathe first.” He stood up, breaking the silence first.

Xu Yunqi raised her eyes and said, “Oh,” then added to make it less dry, “I’ve made some more of the soap you like; it’s on the high shelf; you can take it yourself.”

Pei Muheng paused for a moment. He noticed that Xu Yunqi liked using mugwort soap, while he preferred the one with pine resin. After hesitating, Pei Muheng decided not to use the new soap and continued using Xu Yunqi’s mugwort soap. When Pei Muheng came out, Xu Yunqi quickly smelled the familiar scent of the soap.

Their eyes met.

The atmosphere was inexplicably awkward.

To be more precise, it was awkward for Xu Yunqi. For someone who loved cleanliness, he was using the soap she had used again. Last time, there was no other choice, but this time, he did it openly.

In the dim light, the man wore a white robe, his sash meticulously tied as he calmly walked toward the bed.

Xu Yunqi’s face felt hot as she realized this. She gently rubbed her cheek, then turned to instruct Yin Xing to rest before extinguishing the lights and heading to the bed. She climbed into bed with a rustle, and once settled, she heard Pei Muheng’s deep breaths.

Xu Yunqi’s arms were aching terribly from practicing archery today. Without saying a word, she went straight to sleep.

In the middle of the night, a sudden rainstorm woke Xu Yunqi with its loud pattering. As she moved, she realized that someone was very close to her, his long arm reaching around to hold her. He came from behind her, and all the previous silence turned into a storm as fierce as the raging rain outside, overwhelming her with fervor.

For three consecutive days, Pei Muheng returned punctually in the evenings to practice archery with her. He only taught her for half an hour, but Xu Yunqi practiced for three whole days. Her arms were extremely sore, and she felt exhausted without significant progress.

Pei Muheng, seeing his dejected wife, squatted in front of her and asked, “Do you actually like archery, or is there another reason?”

He realized that Xu Yunqi wasn’t particularly skilled at archery; her aim was off. Someone whose hands were remarkably steady when performing acupuncture was struggling to grasp the essence of archery.

Xu Yunqi, holding her cheeks, sat on the brocade stool, her eyes dull as she looked at him, “I just want to defend myself.” She wasn’t comfortable entrusting her safety to others.

Pei Muheng was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, I understand.” With that, he left the residence without waiting for dinner.

Xu Yunqi waited all night without seeing him return and felt worried, not knowing where he had gone. By the next dawn, there was still no news, so Xu Yunqi decided not to worry about it.

Two days later, Pei Muheng finally returned. This time, he brought something with him to give to Xu Yunqi.

Xu Yunqi looked over and saw that he was holding a crossbow made of bronze with a smooth and lustrous texture. Curious, she took it and weighed it in her hands. Although it was made of bronze, it wasn’t heavy. She easily held it on her wrist and tested the trigger, which was very smooth. Her eyes lit up as she looked at her husband, “Is this for me?”

Pei Muheng noticed the excitement in her eyes and smiled. It was worth the two nights he spent at the Armory crafting this custom-made crossbow for her. “These are the bolts. Try it out; it should be very lightweight.”

Xu Yunqi excitedly took the bolts. Pei Muheng showed her how to load the bolts into the crossbow and demonstrated how to use it.

Xu Yunqi aimed the crossbow at the wall and started shooting. The sound of ‘swoosh, swoosh’ echoed as the bolts flew like silver needles toward the courtyard walls, tree branches, and ground. It gave her an unparalleled thrill, much like the satisfaction she felt when performing acupuncture.

While the range of attack with silver needles was limited, the crossbow could ensure the safety of a larger area.

A smile gradually spread across her face. She repeated the action several times, playing with it like a child with a beloved toy, unable to put it down.

It was the first time Pei Muheng had seen such a lively side of her, and he was surprised for a long time. They had been married for almost a year, and she always seemed like a treasure, endlessly fascinating.

When she finally got tired, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead, she shyly and happily returned to him, holding the crossbow, “This crossbow is excellent, Third Master. Thank you, I really like it.” Xu Yunqi smiled warmly.

She wondered how she should reciprocate such a wonderful gift. She honestly had no idea what Pei Muheng lacked.

Pei Muheng saw through her thoughts. In the past, he would have told her that there should be no distinctions between husband and wife, but now, he wanted to see her slowly come towards him. The elegant man stood tall in the slanting sunlight, smiling with his hands behind his back, “As long as you like it.”

The two stood silently for a moment, and Pei Muheng pointed outside, “I am on duty tonight and cannot come back. You should rest early.”

Xu Yunqi watched him leave and then called Yin Xing. The two of them devised various ways to use the crossbow for defense, such as coating the arrows with anesthetic. They were deeply engaged and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

This happiness continued until the following afternoon. Xu Yunqi had just finished lunch and was about to rest when someone from the palace suddenly arrived.

Judging from Prince Xi’s expression, the visitor must have been of high rank. The eunuch in purple robes bowed to her in the presence of Prince Xi and his wife, “Your Highness, Princess Consort, Imperial Physician Fan requested leave to return home for ancestral worship yesterday and is not in the capital. Unfortunately, His Majesty’s migraine has flared up, causing him great pain. The Empress has instructed you to follow me to the palace to treat His Majesty.”

The imperial order from the palace was irrefutable, so Xu Yunqi immediately called for Yin Xing to bring the medical kit, and the two of them boarded the carriage and left. Prince Xi and Princess Consort Xi stood on the steps, watching for a long time. Seeing her husband’s furrowed brows, Princess Consort Xi softly asked, “What’s the matter? Every time His Majesty’s migraine flares up, you look so anxious as if you’ve made a grave mistake.”

Prince Xi sighed deeply. Indeed, it was as if he had made a grave mistake.

Xu Yunqi, accompanied by Yin Xing, arrived at the Fengtian Hall. In the past, Yin Xing’s status would never have allowed her entry into the palace, but now, as Xu Yunqi’s medical assistant, no one dared to stop her. Upon reaching Fengtian Hall, Xu Yunqi instructed Yin Xing to wait outside while she entered the imperial study alone with her medical kit.

Following the eunuch’s instructions, Xu Yunqi entered the hall without raising her head and kowtowed. “Granddaughter-in-law pays respects to His Majesty. Long live His Majesty.”

At that moment, a hand reached out to help her up, and Xu Yunqi looked up to meet Pei Muheng’s calm gaze.

Pei Muheng took the medical kit from her and pointed to the bright yellow long couch, “Yunqi, come check on Imperial Grandfather.”

The emperor was half-lying, half-reclining on the couch, his brows deeply furrowed and veins visible on his forehead, clearly suppressing pain. Liu Xiwen attended to him closely. When he saw Xu Yunqi, he stepped aside and silently bowed.

Xu Yunqi approached the emperor calmly, without any fear or apprehension in the presence of a ruler, “Your Majesty, please lie down so that I may take your pulse.”

Her voice was exceptionally gentle, with a calming effect. The emperor slowly opened his eyes, glanced at her, and nodded slowly. With Liu Xiwen’s assistance, he lay down.

Pei Muheng stepped forward to help expose the emperor’s wrist and set up a brocade stool for Xu Yunqi. She sat down and began to take his pulse.

According to protocol, diagnosing the emperor required the presence of two imperial physicians and one cabinet minister. Today, the Minister of Rites, Zheng Yucheng, and Imperial Physicians He and Liu from the Imperial Medical Office were on duty.

The imperial study was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Liu Xiwen and the others all fixed their gaze on Xu Yunqi, trying to discern something from her expression. Unfortunately, the county princess’s face was as calm as water, revealing nothing.

After examining the left hand, she moved to the right hand and even checked the emperor’s tongue, carefully observing his complexion. She also inquired about the emperor’s diet and daily routine, spending a full quarter of an hour on diagnosis.

In the past, no one would dare to give orders to the reigning emperor. However, Xu Yunqi treated him like an ordinary patient, examining him without hesitation or negotiation, and even the emperor couldn’t do anything about it.

After her examination, Xu Yunqi determined that the emperor had liver stagnation, kidney deficiency, blocked meridians, and signs of exhaustion. No wonder there was so much turmoil in the court over the succession. Judging by the emperor’s current condition, he had few years left.

With this understanding, Xu Yunqi consulted with Imperial Physician He, “How did Imperial Physician Fan treat this in the past?”

Imperial Physician He replied, “Acupuncture and medication, both methods were used.” He then handed her a prescription. “Here is the prescription.”

Xu Yunqi glanced at the prescription and set it aside. “Imperial Physician Fan’s prescription is precise and effective, but in my opinion, His Majesty has been taking medication for a long time. It might be beneficial to stop for now.”

Imperial Physician He agreed wholeheartedly. It wasn’t that the prescription was bad, but when a person takes medication for too long, they develop a tolerance, making it less effective. In the past, these ministers had no choice but to rely on medication when the emperor fell ill. Today, with the county princess taking on this responsibility, they were happy to follow her lead.

“Then we will follow the county princess’s recommendation.”

Liu Xiwen, who was standing nearby, asked, “County Princess, how do you plan to treat His Majesty?”

Xu Yunqi took out a bottle of medicinal oil from her medical kit. “Acupuncture once every seven days and massage every other day.”

It was evident that the emperor’s cervical spine was severely obstructed from years of bending over documents, making it no wonder he had headaches.

Liu Xiwen, unable to decide, glanced at Elder Zheng, who then looked at the emperor. The emperor waved his hand without raising his head, “Follow Henger’s wife’s instructions.”

People outside had praised this granddaughter-in-law to the skies, so he might as well try.

Thus, Xu Yunqi summoned Yin Xing inside, and the others stepped aside. The master and servant began administering acupuncture to the emperor. Throughout the process, Elder Zheng and others sat at the lower end of the imperial couch, occasionally exchanging whispers. They were more amazed by Xu Yunqi’s composure than her medical skills. Her calm and unflappable demeanor was unmatched in the entire court. Even her father, Xun Yunhe, didn’t exhibit such composure in front of the emperor.

Elder Zheng recalled the time he drafted the decree to marry Pei Muheng to Xu Yunqi, feeling a bit regretful. But now… he lightly patted his face, a gesture the emperor caught out of the corner of his eye, who then smiled contemptuously.

After the first round of acupuncture, the emperor sat on the imperial couch and took a deep breath, then instructed Elder Zheng, “Go, go, quickly summon Xun Yunhe.”

Xu Yunqi glanced at the emperor.

Elder Zheng responded with a smile.

After acupuncture on the face and front neck, the emperor’s headache was relieved. He drank a sip of ginseng soup and couldn’t wait to lie down for acupuncture on his back. This time, Xu Yunqi pulled his clothes back, almost fully covering the back of his neck and head, including acupoints such as Fengchi, and filled the shoulder area. The hot medicinal oil was applied, combined with acupuncture, and the emperor vaguely felt a warm stream moving through his head. It had been a long time since he had felt this way.

Imperial Physician Fan had been more conservative with acupuncture than Xu Yunqi. Xu Yunqi was daring and skillful.

This young lady was remarkable, the emperor thought to himself.

The entire acupuncture process lasted nearly half an hour. By the time Xun Yunhe arrived, the emperor, drenched in sweat, was being dressed by Liu Xiwen.

Xun Yunhe’s expression changed when he first saw his daughter. He collected himself and stepped forward to greet, “Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty…” He then coughed violently.

Everyone looked at him with complex expressions. Xun Yunhe covered his mouth, trying to hide his embarrassment, and stood farther from the emperor.

Xu Yunqi didn’t glance at Xun Yunhe, only instructing the emperor to lie on his side and handing the medicinal oil to Yin Xing.

Yin Xing uncorked the bottle and applied a layer of medicinal oil to the emperor’s neck. Xu Yunqi explained to Liu Xiwen, “From now on, every other day, you should follow this meridian and give His Majesty a massage.” She didn’t have the time to serve the emperor herself, so she delegated the task to someone close.

Liu Xiwen, not daring to be careless, summoned a nimble young attendant who had previously served the emperor with massages. Xu Yunqi demonstrated for a moment and then handed over the task.

Acupuncture was extremely exhausting, so Xu Yunqi stepped back, giving space to Yin Xing and the young attendant. Yin Xing directed the young attendant to massage the emperor with a cool horn scraper. The emperor winced as his stiff meridians were severely blocked. The young attendant was scared to continue, so Yin Xing had to take over, “Please bear with it, Your Majesty. I promise it will stop hurting in half an hour.”

Being told this by a maid, the emperor felt humiliated but remained silent.

Half an hour later, the emperor noticed that the side of his head where the massage was done no longer hurt, which felt almost miraculous.

The emperor, being older, couldn’t bear prolonged pressure in one spot, so they soon switched to the other side. Another half-hour later, the other side stopped hurting too. The emperor felt refreshed and sat up, looking at the ministers in the hall, feeling as if he had come back to life.

Standing by Pei Muheng’s side, Xu Yunqi gently sipped her tea and smiled at him, “How does Your Majesty feel now?”

It couldn’t be better, but after all, the emperor is the emperor, so he maintained his demeanor. “Henger’s wife, you truly live up to the name of a divine doctor.”

The ministers who had served the emperor for a long time knew the weight of these words, but Xu Yunqi just smiled faintly and put down the teacup, “Your Majesty overpraises me.”

Her calm and composed demeanor exuded an aura of unwavering determination.

Elder Zheng looked at Xun Yunhe with naked envy, “Minister Xun, you are truly fortunate.” Unfortunately, this fortune was not his to have.

Xun Yunhe coughed violently again.

The emperor quickly waved him over, “Minister Xun, come sit here.” He pointed to the table beside Pei Muheng.

Xun Yunhe paused, understanding the emperor’s purpose in summoning him today. He slowly walked over but did not sit down.

The emperor then turned slightly towards Xu Yunqi, his tone serious yet gentle, “Yunqi, your father has been coughing for a long time and hasn’t improved. The state’s affairs cannot be delayed. Treat him for me.”

The imperial study fell silent for a moment, and Xun Yunhe’s palms broke out in a slight sweat.

Xu Yunqi, her gaze lowered, still spoke unhurriedly, “I will obey, Your Majesty.”

Xun Yunhe’s eyebrows and eyelashes clearly trembled. He suppressed his emotions and silently bowed to the emperor before slowly sitting at one side of the desk.

Pei Muheng glanced at his wife, who was calm and gentle, and felt a twinge of pity. He gently stepped aside, and Xu Yunqi walked over to sit opposite Xun Yunhe.

Xun Yunhe willingly lifted his official robe, revealing his wrist. Xu Yunqi placed her fingers on his wrist and began to listen to his pulse; her eyes closed.

Xun Yunhe quietly gazed at her. It had been fifteen long years, and this was the closest he had been to his daughter. The little girl who used to call him “daddy” with her childish voice had grown up to be so outstanding, making him both ashamed and proud.

Because her eyes were closed, he found it easier to look at her. Her face was extraordinarily fair, and the arch of her eyebrows was exactly the same as when she quietly slept in the crook of his arm as a child. Back then, she was so lively and energetic, and only when she slept could he glimpse a young lady’s gentle quietness.

More than one person had told him that Yunqi resembled him, and it was immediately apparent. He cursed himself for being blind and only having her childhood image engraved in his mind, preventing him from recognizing her at first glance. On that day at the Grand Tutor Qi’s residence, the scene of her slowly picking up a seashell and handing it to him kept replaying in his mind. He felt like a fool who had bought the case but discarded the pearl, missing the chance to reunite with her.

He couldn’t imagine how Yunqi felt that day. She recognized him so calmly and passed by him just as calmly.

Intense emotions surged within Xun Yunhe as if his chest were wrapped in lava, causing him such pain that he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t stop coughing, and everyone in the hall looked at him with pity.

Xun Yunhe leaned on the desk, struggling to catch his breath and forcing himself to calm down. Xu Yunqi opened her eyes calmly and instructed in a flat tone, “Switch to the left hand.”

Xun Yunhe extended his left hand, and Xu Yunqi continued to take his pulse, this time glancing sideways sharply.

At that moment, the emperor suddenly heard a sob. He saw Yin Xing hugging the medical box and crying uncontrollably. “Why are you crying?”

Pei Muheng also turned to look at Yin Xing.

Yin Xing quickly wiped away her tears and lied, “Did I cry? It must be the wind blowing sand in from the imperial study.”

Emperor: “……”

Everyone felt a deep sense of pity for this father and daughter pair, except for Xu Yunqi, who remained calm. She raised her hand to call Yin Xing over, took a few silver needles from the medical pouch, and inserted them into several acupuncture points on Xun Yunhe’s hands. Then, she began writing a prescription.

Compared to the serious approach she took when treating the emperor, she appeared to be more perfunctory with Xun Yunhe.

Elder Zheng couldn’t bear to watch any longer and cleared his throat to ask, “County Princess, Lord Xun’s illness is in his lungs. Shouldn’t you be inserting needles in acupoints like Danzhong?”

However, Pei Muheng knew that Xu Yunqi was not someone who acted impulsively and defended her, saying, “Elder Zheng, you are overthinking. Yunqi always has a specific purpose in her use of medicine and needles. There’s no need for you to make unwarranted speculations.”

Without lifting her head, Xu Yunqi responded, “Lord Xun’s condition is caused by emotional stagnation, leading to blocked lung qi. The lung and heart meridians intersect at the hand. By inserting needles here, I can relieve the stagnation. Additionally, he originally fell ill due to a cold, and the imperial physician prescribed a treatment to dispel the cold and clear the lungs. However, his heart fire is strong, and the cold turns into heat. Using the same prescription would be ineffective, hence the prolonged illness.”

With this explanation, everyone understood.

“I see. It was my small-mindedness,” Elder Zheng said, stroking his beard, and the other physicians smiled in agreement.

Xu Yunqi finished writing the prescription and was about to hand it to Imperial Physician He when Xun Yunhe spoke up, “Nannan, give it to Daddy. Daddy will go get the medicine himself.”

Xu Yunqi glanced at him indifferently and pushed the prescription to him without hesitation.

Pei Muheng seized the moment and turned to salute the emperor, “Imperial Grandfather, what do you think about the matter I mentioned to you earlier?”

The emperor raised his eyebrows, finally realizing, and asked Xu Yunqi, “Henger’s wife, do you really want to work at the Imperial Medical Office?”

Xu Yunqi immediately knelt in the hall, hands clasped, and replied, “Your Majesty, your granddaughter-in-law indeed has this intention. I wonder if Your Majesty approves?”

The emperor was willing to keep Xu Yunqi in office but not in the capacity of his granddaughter-in-law. After a moment of hesitation, he glanced at Xun Yunhe, “Minister Xun, what do you think?”

At this moment, it seemed that if Xu Yunqi want to kill someone, Xun Yunhe had to hand her the knife. How could he possibly refuse? He quickly said, “Please allow her, Your Majesty.”

The emperor, in a good mood, laughed, “Your husband indulge you, and your father spoil you; what more can I say?”

Then he instructed Liu Xiwen, “Go to the Imperial Medical Office and add a plaque for Doctor Xun, allowing her to enter and exit the palace and see the ladies of the court.”

Upon hearing the words “Doctor Xun,” Xu Yunqi’s lips twitched.

The emperor did this for two reasons: first, to ease the father-daughter relationship, and second, to give Xu Yunqi more options. After all, she was a woman of the royal family. By practicing medicine under the name “Doctor Xun,” no one in the court would dare to criticize. Xun Yunhe was obviously willing to shield his daughter from the storms.

Xu Yunqi nodded expressionlessly, “I obey the decree.” As long as she could enter the Imperial Medical Office, get in touch with Imperial Physician Fan, and find out the whereabouts of her grandfather, everything else was irrelevant.