Chapter 52: Diagnosis
From beginning to end, a faint smile remained on Gu Jue’s lips, calm and unflinching.
Only Chu Qianchen noticed that his little finger had returned to its original position.
She knew that his pain had eased. The corners of her lips, hidden beneath the veil, curled slightly, and her phoenix eyes seemed to shine brighter, as if holding fragments of light.
In her past life, he had always been like this, smiling with ease, never letting anyone know he was enduring immense pain. It took her many attempts to notice that whenever his old injuries flared up, not only would his chest hurt, but his left little finger would also cramp.
In her past life, she couldn’t save him. She could only barely extend his life.
Later, she specifically learned this method of acupuncture to stop his pain, and now she could finally use it!
Chu Qianchen was about to step back when she heard his familiar, cool voice from above her head: "Thank you."
Her nose stung.
After all these years, she had finally heard his voice again.
They were only half a foot apart, and she could faintly smell a clean, lingering fragrance coming from him.
Chu Qianchen instantly recognized it. It was Heng Wu incense, the treasure of the Imperial Fragrance Shop in Jiangnan, known for its century-long legacy.
The familiar scent entered her nose and quickly spread through every inch of her blood, calming her down.
A voice inside her whispered: This is real!
She had truly returned, back to fifteen years ago!
"It’s nothing." Chu Qianchen replied softly, the three words carrying double meaning.
She raised her hand again, this time to check Gu Jue’s pulse.
At that moment, Yun Zhan and Mo Chen also realized that Chu Qianchen had suddenly performed acupuncture on the prince because his old injuries had flared up, and she was easing his pain.
Yun Zhan looked at Chu Qianchen with even greater surprise, but now there was more admiration.
Even someone like him, who had been by the prince’s side for so many years, hadn’t noticed anything unusual. But this little divine physician, with just a glance, had immediately sensed something was wrong.
In that moment, Yun Zhan’s trust in Chu Qianchen increased from 80% to 90%. If anyone in this world could save the prince, it would be this little divine physician.
Chu Qianchen’s diagnosis took a long time.
The inner hall was silent, utterly quiet.
Yun Zhan and Mo Chen assumed that the prince’s condition must be complicated, which was why Chu Qianchen took so long. But they didn’t know that Chu Qianchen was repeatedly confirming something because of shock.
The prince had not been poisoned!
Chu Qianchen slowly withdrew her fingers, her gaze complex as she looked at Gu Jue.
In her previous life, the prince had been poisoned in addition to his internal injuries and old wounds, but now, the prince had not been poisoned.
This meant that the poisoning had not yet occurred!
Thump, thump, thump!
Chu Qianchen’s heart raced, and the blood in her veins seemed to boil. She gazed deeply at Gu Jue, her eyes burning with an intense fire.
"Miss..." Yun Zhan could no longer hold back and asked eagerly.
Chu Qianchen interrupted him, speaking gently: "The young master caught a chill."
Yun Zhan: "……"
Mo Chen's eyebrows twitched, and he glanced toward the door curtain. His gaze was sharp as a sword, and his entire demeanor radiated a cold, sharp aura.
Gu Jue smiled faintly, silently mouthing: Someone is outside.
That smile was like a spring breeze sweeping across the land, melting the coldness in his eyes and adding a touch of warmth and laughter to them.
Chu Qianchen continued, “Young Master has caught a cold and should rest properly.”
Her voice was both delicate and soft, and her clear pupils were as bright and intense as the midday sun, as if asking: Am I great?
Gu Jue: “…”
Gu Jue understood the look in her eyes and couldn’t help but pause, letting out a low chuckle.
Her eyes were beautiful, with the corners slightly upturned, reminding him of the Persian cat he had raised as a child. Sometimes it was haughty, proudly holding its tail high; other times, it was obedient, often looking up at him with its green cat eyes, waiting for him to pet its head.
Not receiving a compliment from Gu Jue, Chu Qianchen felt a little discouraged, but she quickly lifted her spirits and continued, “... I’ll prepare a prescription for you in a moment. If you take this medicine, the cold will be nothing to worry about.”
She didn’t lower her voice, and her words clearly reached the main hall through the curtain.
The person standing outside the door curtain was Marquis Zhongyong.
Marquis Zhongyong had come to Jishi Medical Hall seeking medical help for Yun Hao’s broken arm. He had just arrived.
Last night, after bringing the injured Yun Hao back to the Marquis’s mansion, he hurriedly went to the palace and requested the emperor to assign several imperial physicians, including the bone specialist, Physician Zhang.
However, after a consultation, the physicians told him that Yun Hao’s left wrist was shattered and it was difficult to set the bone. Even if they managed to set it, it wouldn’t heal properly, and his right arm might be useless.
Similar words had been spoken by Physician Liu at Jishi Medical Hall yesterday.
At first, he hadn’t believed them, but after hearing the same thing from several imperial physicians, he couldn’t deny it anymore.
Yun Hao was his legitimate son, who, despite being somewhat rebellious, didn’t deserve such a fate.
If they had to assign blame, Yun Zhan had his faults too. If Yun Zhan had backed down, Yun Hao wouldn’t have acted.
To take it a step further, Yun Zhan had been practicing martial arts since childhood and was skilled. Who would have expected him to be unable to avoid Yun Hao’s sword and get injured?
Now, Yun Zhan was fine, but Yun Hao had lost one of his hands!
And it was his right hand!
With his right hand gone, Yun Hao couldn’t write, couldn’t wield a sword, and would become a cripple!
Marquis Zhongyong thought long and hard, but he still didn’t want to give up. He came to Jishi Medical Hall, hoping for a miracle, to see if the little physician from yesterday could do something.
When he arrived, just as he was about to lift the curtain and enter the back hall, he caught a glimpse through the crack in the curtain of the little physician taking Gu Jue’s pulse.
His heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself: Could it be that Prince Chen is suffering from some serious illness?
If Prince Gu Jue really had a serious illness or an old injury, the emperor would no longer have to worry about Gu Jue’s military power. Once he reported to the emperor, it would be a great achievement, and perhaps Marquis Zhongyong’s title would be passed down for another three generations!
But…
It was just a cold!
Marquis Zhongyong was disappointed, feeling that his enthusiasm had been misplaced.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, deliberately raising his voice and saying, “Ah Zhan, are you feeling better today?”
As he finished the last few words, he lifted the curtain and walked into the back hall.
When his gaze met Gu Jue’s sitting in the armchair, his face showed just the right amount of surprise, and he cupped his fists and bowed, “So Prince is here as well.”
His exaggerated actions and expressions made Hu Po roll her eyes beside him.
(End of Chapter)
Comments
Post a Comment