Chapter 103
Upon seeing the Imperial Physician diagnose Duke of Dingguo's illness, Xiao Chuchu finally closed her eyes peacefully in Wei Zhenghuai's arms.
"It seems everything will be alright."
Xiao Chuchu breathed out a long sigh of relief. She had been through a long day, and now fatigue overtook her. In no time, she fell into a deep sleep.
Xiao Yunzhou and Concubine Liu, seeing her worry-free, innocent little face, finally put their worries aside.
Only Duke of Dingguo, with his beard bristling and eyes glaring, still struggled on the bed, "Nonsense! Impossible! You, Imperial Physician, stop talking nonsense! Bring another Imperial Physician for me! I can kill you with one punch. How can I be ill?"
Head Imperial Physician Hu: "......"
"Your Majesty, I will go and write the prescription now."
Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand, "Write it, and have someone run to prepare the medicine immediately! It must be quick!"
Wei Zheng took the sleeping little princess to the warm chamber to be looked after by the nursemaid.
Now, Xiao Yunzhou could finally drop his pretense.
Duke of Dingguo, still not feeling anything wrong with him, tried to climb up from the bed.
But Head Imperial Physician Hu, after finishing the prescription, immediately opened his acupuncture bag and started to undress Duke of Dingguo.
"You scoundrel! You're forcing this on me. I feel perfectly fine!"
"It's clearly the emperor who has something..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Duke of Dingguo felt a sudden intense pain in his abdomen.
His Qi and blood surged, his chest felt tight and his ribs hurt, he was almost out of breath.
Thankfully, Head Imperial Physician Hu had already removed the needle, perfectly puncturing Duke of Dingguo's Tianchi acupoint.
Puff-!
Duke of Dingguo coughed up a mouthful of stale blood on the spot!
Everything in front of him turned dark, and finally, he gained a bit of clarity.
Duke of Dingguo, still in shock, heard the emperor whispering on the side.
"I knew it, it can't be wrong. If they said you're going to get ill, you're definitely going to get ill..."
"!"
Duke of Dingguo felt weak all over, and was shocked at the Emperor's words. He struggled to turn his gaze towards Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, who seemed more composed than the Imperial Physician.
Head Imperial Physician Hu was sweating profusely and extremely anxious.
But the Emperor still calmly stood there, hands behind his back.
"Don't panic, stay calm," Xiao Yunzhou still had the strength to comfort Duke of Dingguo.
"Listen to Head Imperial Physician Hu, Duke of Dingguo, you will be fine."
"If treatment is delayed, the damage to your body might be too great, and it will be impossible to recover your morning boxing fitness."
"But it shouldn't be life-threatening."
"Duke of Dingguo, there's no need to worry too much. If we treat it early, the damage will be minimal, and there's a good chance of recovery."
Duke of Dingguo, too weak to speak, just stared at the Emperor.
The prince who used to be carried onto his horse has now grown into an emperor, standing tall and straight at his bedside.
For the first time, Duke of Dingguo felt a bit reassured.
Now, the Emperor seemed to have an odd ability to soothe people's hearts.
Because, everything the Emperor said seemed to be right.
"How is Duke of Dingguo's stomach disease? Can it be controlled by medication?"
"And the knee pain, it's windy today. Someone, bring hot wet cloth to apply heat to Duke of Dingguo's knees!"
Duke of Dingguo was shocked.
How did the Emperor know that his knees were aching like a bug bite after standing for so long tonight?
Today, because of the wind and standing for a long time, his old knee problem had flared up. It was nothing serious, so he had been enduring it without saying a word.
"Your Majesty, how did you..."
When the warmed towel arrived, Xiao Yunzhou personally applied it to the Duke of Dingguo's old knee injury. The Duke felt such a delightful sensation that his pores hummed with pleasure.
How perfectly on point!
How did the Emperor know exactly what to do?
"Did you forget, Duke?" Xiao Yunzhou noticed the returning color in the Duke's face and the unusual expression it held, and he lightly cleared his throat.
"Long ago, after archery practice, you took me to bathe the horses and had rolled up your trouser leg."
The Duke stared in disbelief.
He did not fear pain, nor death.
But he never imagined that the Emperor, at the tender age of seven or eight, had seen his old scar and remembered it for over twenty years?
Even the Duke himself had almost forgotten.
What did the Emperor look like when he was the Crown Prince?
Yet, the Emperor remembered an old servant's scar?
"I naturally remember," Xiao Yunzhou affirmed.
He stood beside the Duke's bed, his face slightly flushed as he turned his gaze to the moon outside the palace.
Only by doing this could he hide his guilt.
If the little princess hadn't mentioned the Duke's knee ailment, he would have long forgotten.
Now, remembering filled him with remorse.
"You are a valuable asset to the country."
"Each scar on your body symbolizes the peace of our kingdom."
The Duke opened his mouth, and the hot tears in his old eyes could no longer be held back, rolling down his cheeks.
"Your Majesty—"
"I am unworthy!"
After being fed three bowls of medicine and undergoing heated acupuncture, the Duke was sweating profusely, his complexion somewhat drained.
But his eyes were clear and full of emotion!
"I thought that you didn't want me to attend the morning court sessions because you found my breath foul, and that I was always cursing."
"So, it turns out, Your Majesty, you were worried about my health. I misjudged your kind intentions, I am ashamed…"
Xiao Yunzhou opened his mouth in surprise, his face turning red.
Actually, that wasn't the case...
But the Duke struggled to give Xiao Yunzhou a kowtow right there on the bed.
"My life today was given by Your Majesty. From now on, I will follow Your Majesty's commands."
"I believe that you will be a wise ruler, even if sometimes you are not very clever."
"…"
"But it's okay, I am here, along with all the civil and military officials to assist you!"
The Duke, panting heavily, was interrupted by Head Imperial Physician Hu before he could finish his speech and made to lie down on the bed again, not allowing the patient to continue exerting himself.
Xiao Yunzhou guiltily turned his head away, not noticing the gaze of respect and admiration from not only the Duke but also from Head Imperial Physician Hu aimed towards him, their Emperor!
*Ding.*
*Your father, Xiao Yunzhou, has gained the loyalty of two followers.*
*You need three more to unlock the attribute increase.*
The next day, Xiao Chuchu woke up on her small bed and was stunned by the message.
Huh?
Now she had two loyal fans? Apart from the Duke, who was the other one?
*
Imperial Physician's Office.
Head Imperial Physician Hu pondered all night and finally came to a conclusion.
"The Emperor's medical skills are truly… exceptional!"
All the Imperial Physicians were stunned.
"If it weren't for the Emperor's keen observation last night, the Duke of Dingguo would probably be confined to bed for ten days or more."
Head Imperial Physician Hu took a deep breath, "From now on, for the Empress Dowager's medical records, I will send them to the Emperor for review first."
"I am really… inferior to the Emperor."
All the Imperial Physicians were dumbfounded.
Is this for real?
The next day, Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was also stunned when he met Head Imperial Physician Hu for his audience.
Xiao Yunzhou, turning his head away from the Empress Dowager's medical records with a cough, gasped for breath and looked at the honest face of Head Imperial Physician Hu.
"How can I...cough...teach you how to do your work?"
"You need to strive on your own, can you really expect me to do the work of the Head of the Imperial Medical Institute for you?"
"Do I not have to manage other governmental affairs?"
"I have the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Revenue...there's never an end to the tasks."
"How can I only treat the illnesses of just one or two people?"
Head Imperial Physician Hu listened to this, his lips trembling.
"So, that's why His Majesty has been secretly learning medicine, but never put it into practice!"
Xiao Yunzhou: "......"
What?
"He chose to abandon his medical practice and ascend to the throne because His Majesty has the hearts of all people, and he wanted to save all the commoners."
Xiao Yunzhou: "......!"
Ah.
When Head Imperial Physician Hu looked up again, his eyes were full of reverence, as if he were looking at a deity. "I understand now."
Xiao Yunzhou leaned back tactically, his ears burning.
[Damn, so the second person who is absolutely loyal to the Emperor is Head Imperial Physician Hu!]
Xiao Chuchu finally solved the mystery early in the morning.
Wei Zheng brought her to the Imperial Study. Seeing that the Emperor was about to finish his meeting, he prepared to bring the little princess to the desk to amuse Xiao Yunzhou.
But the Imperial Physician Hu hadn't left yet, and the little eunuch serving tea to the Emperor, not paying attention as he stepped back, bumped into Xiao Chuchu's little arm!
"How dare you! You fool!" Wei Zheng shouted anxiously.
Xiao Yunzhou turned his head to look, and seeing his daughter grimacing, his heart ached and his brows furrowed.
Just as he was about to scold in anger, Xiao Yunzhou's expression froze.
[Damn, this tea-serving eunuch, not only is his intelligence higher than the fourth prince, but his combat power is 99, even higher than the Duke of Dingguo!]
Xiao Yunzhou's dragon-like eyes, which were about to explode with anger, suddenly widened, and he looked incredulously at the thin and weak little eunuch trembling on the ground.