Chapter 2: Imperial Medicine Hall

When Wei Qingchen truly awoke, it was broad daylight. Occasionally, birds chirped cheerfully in the icy winter morning. Listening more closely, there were also faint human voices mixed with the flurry of footsteps. If not for the wounds on her body throbbing with pain, she would almost suspect those scenes of flashing blades and shadows of swords were merely the stuff of dreams.

Wounds on… her body? Wei Qingchen reacted abruptly and raised her hand, pulling at her numerous injuries. The pain made her face pale, but she couldn’t care less. She stubbornly moved her arm, slowly reaching her chest… The inside of her clothes was empty; she could even feel the slight rise and fall of her own form… Her face flushed red and then paled. The chest bindings… were gone. Realizing her identity had been exposed, her heartbeat quickened, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.

The room door creaked open. A nimble young girl stepped in. Seeing her eyes open, staring blankly this way, the girl was also startled for a moment, then immediately yelled, “Miss! Miss! That boy’s awake!!” She said this and ran out.

Wei Qingchen instinctively bit her lip, her mind racing through possible questions and how she should answer them.

Before long, light footsteps approached from afar. A slender, graceful figure gradually arrived at the bedside. This woman… she had seen her in a dream…

Wei Qingchen lay dumbly on the pillow, watching her reach out a hand and briefly touch her forehead. The scent of medicine clung to her sleeve, curling gently into her nose. Wei Qingchen couldn’t help but inhale softly. The woman had already withdrawn her hand and nodded. “No more fever.” The cool, clear voice suddenly made Wei Qingchen aware of her own forwardness. She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at her, two cheeks blooming with a faint, involuntary blush.

Chu Mingxi was just about to take her pulse when she saw her face flush for no apparent reason, and couldn’t help frowning. This child just woke up; could her condition be relapsing already?

Standing nearby, Qingdai’s eyes curved. “Finally better! My Miss has been watching over you for two whole days!”

Upon hearing this, Wei Qingchen raised her head, her dark eyes bright and clear. Her lips were still pressed shut, but anyone could read the gratitude in her eyes at a glance.

“Go and bring today’s medicine,” Chu Mingxi glanced at Qingdai.

Qingdai obediently left, closing the door carefully behind her, just as she’d done the past two days. Chu Mingxi turned back to the person on the bed and said flatly, “Let me see the wound.”

Wei Qingchen’s palm clenched under the blanket, but Chu Mingxi had already lifted the quilt and loosened the loosely tied fastenings of her clothing.

There was a blade wound under the ribs, deep enough to see bone. Fortunately, a suitable medicinal patch had been applied, and over the past two days, the wound was visibly healing. Chu Mingxi gently pressed around the edges of the wound; it was faintly red. Her elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Wei Qingchen lay back on the pillow, watching her. Her brows and eyes were like a painting, her expression focused, as if this one task were the entire world at hand.

“You should count yourself lucky it’s winter now. If it were the height of summer, a wound like this could have killed you,” Chu Mingxi said as she tidied her clothing and rose to wash her hands at the side.

Voices came from outside, and then a young maid pushed open the door. Qingdai came in carrying the medicine. Chu Mingxi dried her hands with a cloth and glanced back. “Can you take the medicine yourself?”

“I…” Wei Qingchen finally spoke, only to find her voice terribly hoarse as soon as it came out. She couldn’t help but cough, which pulled at her wounds, covering her forehead with painful sweat.

Chu Mingxi walked to the bedside and stroked down her chest. Where exactly she pressed, Wei Qingchen didn’t know, but the pain gradually subsided. Chu Mingxi put an arm around her shoulders and slowly helped her sit up, letting her lean against her body. Qingdai automatically offered the medicine bowl, but Chu Mingxi said, “First, bring a cup of warm water.”

Once the water was brought, she raised the cup and brought it to her lips. “Moisten your throat.”

Wei Qingchen leaned against her shoulder and turned her head to look at her, a hint of turbulence in her eyes.

Qingdai was aghast. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her Miss had already slowly fed the boy two sips of warm water, bringing it to her lips. Qingdai’s face flushed as she watched, all the while determined that once they returned to their chambers, she must remind Miss: Men and women should not touch hands when they give and receive!!!

After Wei Qingchen drank the warm water and took the medicine, Chu Mingxi instructed Qingdai to prop open the window a bit, gave a few more instructions, then rose and left.

Wei Qingchen only managed to utter an “Eh” before Chu Mingxi turned back. “You just woke up. Rest more. If there’s anything to say, we can talk tomorrow.”

From beginning to end, she did not ask a single question about her identity, not even giving a suggestive look.

The bleak winter wind and rare warm sun leaked in together through that small gap. Wei Qingchen leaned against the pillow, tilted her head, and looked around the room. Its furnishings were very simple; by its appearance, it seemed to be a study converted into a wing room, unclear if it connected to the mistress’s bedchamber. That maid just now called her Miss. So is this her residence? Oh yes, I forgot to ask her name earlier, so I might repay her someday.

But if I ask her, and she asks me back, how should I answer?

Wei Qingchen idly pondered this and that. Her eyelids grew heavy. Just as she closed her eyes, the door opened again, startling her awake. She looked towards the newcomer—it was an unfamiliar maid.

So it wasn’t that young lady. She lowered her eyes, feeling a faint stir of disappointment.

“Master has woken?” The young maid looked even younger than her appraisal, carrying a food box. Seeing her awake, she showed no hesitation at all, her eyes curving as she muttered to herself, “Good thing I listened to Sister Qingdai and kept it covered with a lid. Otherwise, this bowl of congee would be cold by now, coming all the way from the kitchen.”

“Qingdai?”

“Ah. The one who brought you the medicine earlier, that was Sister Qingdai.” The young maid helped her sit up a bit more, tucked a soft cushion behind her back, and stirred the rice congee with a spoon.

The aroma of fresh rice congee mixed with a hint of minced meat drifted through the air. Having not eaten for a long time, Wei Qingchen’s stomach rumbled shamelessly, and her cheeks instantly turned red.

The young maid laughed out loud, scooped half a spoonful of hot congee, blew on it until it was cooler, and fed it to her.

“You’re really lucky. I’ve never seen Miss treat anyone this well. The two or three days you were unconscious, Miss did everything personally. Sister Qingdai wanted to help, but Miss wouldn’t even let her in.”

“Personally…?”

“Applying the medicine and changing the dressings. And your clothes have all been changed too—didn’t you know?” The young maid glanced at her, saw her face redden slightly, and suddenly realized her gaffe. She mentally kicked herself twice and hastily tried to salvage it. “I didn’t mean it that way, don’t overthink it. My family’s Miss is a doctor! She applied poultices to save your life!”

“Mm.” Wei Qingchen answered softly. Looking up, she showed an innocent, harmless smile. “So, Sister, could you tell me just who exactly my lifesaving benefactor is? I’ve been awake for a while now and still don’t know my benefactor’s name.”

The young maid’s face was full of pride. Watching her take another sip of congee, she then said boastfully, “My family’s Miss is the eldest young miss of the Capital Medicine Hall! My master’s surname is Chu. I can’t tell you Miss’s maiden name, but ah, people from around here who come seeking medical help all call our Miss ‘Doctor Chu’.”

“Doctor?” Wei Qingchen murmured thoughtfully. “Your master is an Imperial Physician?”

People of this era often called a medical practitioner ‘Yi Shi’. ‘Dai Fu’ was originally a court title, but now, those of great ability could also be respectfully addressed as ‘Dai Fu’. That’s why Wei Qingchen asked further.

The young maid, entirely without guile, shook her head. “Though not an Imperial Physician, she has a deep connection with them. My master is an Imperial Medicine Supplier.”

“Imperial Medicine…”

“Yes! Last year, I was lucky enough to accompany my father to escort medicinal herbs back to the Capital. I saw the plaque hanging in our Medicine Hall, personally inscribed by His Majesty!”

“His Majesty’s own handwriting?” Wei Qingchen vaguely recalled something her mother had once mentioned and probed tentatively, “Could it be the Capital’s foremost Imperial Medicine Hall?”

“Exactly!” The young maid’s eyes curved, her face overflowing with pride!

A small bowl of rice congee finished, the young maid efficiently packed the bowl and food box. As she stepped away, she saw Wei Qingchen leaning against the soft cushion, her expression distant, her handsome face showing a touch of melancholy that seemed beyond her years—wondering about heaven knows what. The young maid mentally reviewed what she had just said, and a cold sweat broke out on her back. This boy is asking so carefully… could he be coveting my Miss? I, I, I… how could I be so loose-lipped?

“Uhm… Master, ah, my family’s Miss, she’s already been betrothed to someone.” So you don’t need to think about it!

“Mm?” Wei Qingchen blinked, looking even more bewildered.

Not waiting for another question, the young maid picked up the food box and left the wing.

Turning past a corridor led to the mistress’s bedchamber. The door was left slightly ajar. Qingdai poured a cup of scalding hot tea and placed it beside her Miss’s hand.

Chu Mingxi was just writing a prescription. After finishing, she considered it and adjusted the dosage of two herbs before handing it to Qingdai. “Have the dispensary recapture the medicine according to this prescription tomorrow. The previous prescription is no longer needed.”

“Why? Isn’t that boy getting better?” Qingdai took the prescription and waited for the ink to dry. Having followed Miss for a long time, she knew a bit about medicinal properties; the strong medicinal components in this prescription had been reduced significantly.

“The previous prescription was too aggressive. Long-term use harms the body. Now that the person is awake, we’ll change to another one.”

Such potent medicinal properties… for a man it might be fine, but this was clearly a girl in her early teens. Thinking this, Chu Mingxi placed her brush on the landscape brush rest, washed her hands, and finally picked up the teacup for a sip.

“Miss…” Qingdai folded the prescription, unfolded it, then hesitated.

Chu Mingxi gave her a sidelong glance. “Something else?”

“Miss, haven’t you been… a little too good to that boy?” Qingdai stammered, finally saying what was on her mind.

“It’s merely a physician’s duty. How is it ‘too good’?” Chu Mingxi put down the teacup and looked directly at her. “Am I not devoted enough to other patients who seek treatment?”

“That’s not what I meant!” Qingdai twisted her hands nervously whenever she was anxious. Chu Mingxi pointed at her. “I just wrote that prescription!” Qingdai quickly let go and carefully folded the prescription into her sleeve.

“I… this servant just thought, you and that… that boy, after all, you are a grown man and woman, and there will inevitably be improprieties. Matters like changing clothes and medicine, perhaps it’s better left to us servants to do.” Qingdai said this, curtsying to Chu Mingxi, and added worriedly, “Because you are observing mourning for the Old Master, your marriage to Lord Li must be put off for another two or three years. If any unsavory rumors spread throughout the Capital later, what will you do?”