CHAPTER 1559: CHAPTER 1534: A MATTER OF FATE

But after listening to the diagnosis by Director Xiao and the others, and looking at their prescriptions, she realized her shortcomings.

However, due to the sudden change in weather, Director Xiao’s otherwise excellent prescription became unsuitable, while the prescription she felt wasn’t quite right might actually be effective.

This is why Zhou Man felt that the emperor was unlucky; it’s fate and destiny, and something doctors cannot remedy.

Of course, Manbao knew these internal causes, Director Xiao knew them, and other doctors in the Imperial Hospital also noticed them, but no one said it aloud.

Patients, especially the noble patient like the emperor, would not understand these; they would only think their illness hasn’t been cured, disregarding fate and destiny.

Manbao would not and could not tell the emperor these factors, so she could only imply to him that the doctors’ prescriptions had no problems, nobody wanted to harm him, he was just unlucky that he happened to encounter the southeast wind last night when the temperature sharply rose; amidst the alternating cold and warmth, the internal cold and heat didn’t dissipate, causing the illness to worsen.

The emperor, upon realizing this, felt even more dejected.

Manbao, unaware of this, continued to needle him from the side, "You shouldn’t have ignored the medicine I gave you that day. The weather was so good, the wind was blowing from the north, and it was cool at night. If you’d taken the medicine and slept under the covers, the cold in your body would have dissipated. Even if you later felt discomfort from heat, at most you’d have developed some heat rash or a couple of mouth sores..."

While nagging, Manbao finished administering the acupuncture.

Only then did the Empress Dowager learn of this backstory and got angry, wanting to slap him, but upon raising her hand, she noticed needles all over his body and controlled herself, yet still couldn’t help rebuking, "You’re already so old that even your grandchildren are running all over the place, and yet you still don’t listen to medical advice? The doctors prescribed medicine for you and you didn’t take it."

The emperor’s already dizzy head felt even more muddled.

He truly felt regret in his heart, but who at this moment could get the Empress Dowager or Zhou Man to leave?

Because the emperor was lying prone, Manbao couldn’t really see his expression, but upon hearing the Empress Dowager scolding the emperor, she nodded her head in agreement.

The Empress Dowager, seeing this, became even more vigorous in her scolding. Watching him lie on the bed saying nothing, and seeing her son’s haggard complexion, then touching his burning forehead, the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but cry again.

She wiped her tears and said, "My dear child, I only have you left, are you going to make me, a gray-haired old woman, bury a young one?"

The emperor, hearing this, couldn’t help but feel sad; his hands refused to move, he could only hoarsely comfort her, "Mother, please don’t worry, nothing will happen to me."

From the side, Manbao sees a chance to speak, "You must take your medicine on time."

Emperor: ...

The Empress Dowager stared at him.

The emperor could only respond in affirmation.

Finally, the Empress arrived to rescue him, stepping forward to support and reassure the Empress Dowager, "Mother, don’t let the illness spread to you, let me take care of His Majesty."

The Empress Dowager glanced at the needles on the emperor’s body, then looked at Zhou Man, and after wiping the tears at the corners of her eyes, she said, "Zhou Man, Director Xiao, treat him well, you’ll naturally be rewarded if His Majesty recovers, but if anything goes wrong, I won’t be courteous."

Director Xiao promised earnestly, and Manbao bowed deeply in acknowledgment, feeling like a heavy burden crashed on her back.

At this moment she finally felt the downside of being in office, sigh~

Sure enough, the greater the benefits one receives, the greater the risks one must bear. The books weren’t lying, pies certainly don’t fall from the sky; no wonder the emperor granted her a thousand mu of official land.

Manbao applied temperature-lowering acupuncture, making the emperor feel slightly better, though his fever remained high.

Manbao withdrew the needles just as Imperial Doctor Liu brought the medicine, the emperor drank, and Manbao proceeded with another acupuncture method to expedite the medicinal effects.

The prescription agreed upon indeed worked well for lowering fever, but the emperor’s fever was so severe that Director Xiao could no longer care about old injuries, otherwise, it might really scorch him to death.

This is considered potent medicine, and after taking it, the emperor frowned in discomfort, breathing somewhat rapidly.

Director Xiao couldn’t help but look at Manbao, whispering, "Proceed with your third acupuncture method."

This was also initially agreed upon by everyone; the prescription falters here, but if weighing between life and stability, the Imperial Hospital discreetly chose life.

Manbao silently pulled out several needles and switched acupuncture techniques...

Groggy, the emperor fell asleep, but indeed the temperature dropped.

The Empress saw him constantly sweating, knowing the fever was breaking, and began wiping his sweat with a dry cloth, intermittently testing the temperature on his forehead.

When the time was right, Manbao withdrew the needles, casually checked the emperor’s pulse, then silently stepped back, sternly frowning despite her youth.

Director Xiao stepped forward to feel the emperor’s pulse, then stood aside for Imperial Doctor Liu to also verify, reporting, "Your Highness, His Majesty’s fever has temporarily broken."

The Empress sighed in relief, gesturing, "Thank you hard-working doctors, please go rest."

They acknowledged and bowed out.

Director Xiao had matters to discuss with Manbao, so he pulled her along.

The other doctors were shrewd, no matter the actual situation, they maintained a solemn expression, an average person couldn’t discern much.

Thus, Wei Zhi, Lord Tang, and others waiting outside for news all focused on Manbao, noticing her furrowed brows and troubled expression, revealing bad news.

The Crown Prince, too, followed them out and straightforwardly asked Director Xiao, "When will Father recover?"

Director Xiao dared not assertively answer, "Your Highness, we still need to discuss the medication; although His Majesty’s fever is temporarily reduced, the root cause isn’t eradicated, and it’s possible for relapse."

The Crown Prince frowned, looking towards Zhou Man.

Seeing her gaze fixed on her toes, he realized the situation wasn’t good, he pursed his lips, stepping aside to let the doctors continue their discussion.

Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Liu avoided discussing in front of everyone, instead convening with the Imperial Hospital staff at the medicine brewing room, shooed the palace servants away, whispering, "Do you still have any suitable prescriptions?"

Upon hearing Director Xiao’s inquiry, Imperial Doctor Fang and Imperial Doctor Lu, who weren’t taking pulses, realized the situation was dire and couldn’t help but ask, "What’s the pulse like? That medicine didn’t work?"

Director Xiao glanced at Imperial Doctor Liu before exhaling, "While checking the pulse, I saw His Majesty’s old injury at the waist, it’s already red and swollen, even showing moisture."

Imperial Doctor Fang and Imperial Doctor Lu, upon hearing, were shocked and quickly turned to Imperial Doctor Liu.

Imperial Doctor Liu slightly nodded, heavily stating, "The old injury of His Majesty wasn’t treated well early on, leaving latent problems."

Then glanced at Zhou Man, adding, "If the Zheng Family’s miraculous Chinese ginseng plaster for hemostasis and reducing inflammation had been available twenty years ago, perhaps this wound would’ve been properly treated."

Director Xiao irritably replied, "Is now really the time to discuss this? There’s severe inflammation in His Majesty’s body, especially in the throat, it’s already suppurated, if not treated promptly..."