Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Three Young Masters of the General's Mansion

In a previous life, it was after Young Master Zhou had vomited blood for over half a shichen, and Old Doctor Chen was at his wits’ end, that the Second Prince brought her to the Zhou Residence.

By then, Young Master Zhou was nearly at death’s door, and since it was the Second Prince who brought her, naturally, she faced no obstacles.

Lord Zhou had already resigned himself to luck at that time.

The three young masters from the General’s Mansion hurried away, seeking other court physicians.

In this life, she arrived earlier, but not only did she fail to prevent Young Master Zhou from drinking that bowl of medicine, she was instead seen as having ulterior motives.

Recalling how Lord Zhou had listed the charges leading to the execution of a great general in her previous life, she had never held a favorable impression of him, but knowing what she did, she couldn’t stand by and watch a child die.

Moreover, if she wanted to help Jun Yuyan, she could not allow the Second Prince any opportunity to exploit the situation.

Just now, the three young masters from the General’s Mansion and Jun Yuyan had already bought her a chance, and she did not hesitate for a moment, plunging the silver needle towards the young master’s head.

“Hold on! Ah Jiu, what are you doing! You don’t know medicine; you’ll kill Young Master Zhou!”

A voice hurried from outside, and as soon as it sounded, the speaker had entered the room.

Who could it be if not the Second Prince?

But he was a step too late.

Murong Jiu had already inserted the silver needle into an acupuncture point on Young Master Zhou’s head.

The corners of Young Master Zhou’s mouth, from which blood had kept flowing, finally stopped bleeding.

A shadow flickered in Jun Haoze’s eyes.

Just as he was about to step forward, Jun Yuyan blocked him with an indifferent expression, “Second brother, my Princess Consort seems to have a not-so-poor grasp of medicine. Faced with Old Doctor Chen’s helplessness, her intervention stopped the bleeding.”

Jun Haoze’s fist clenched in his sleeve: if not for the informants in the Minister of War’s Mansion, he might not have known until now that Jun Yuyan had brought Murong Jiu here.

Previously, he had tried every means to see Murong Jiu, wanting to personally bring her here himself.

He had never considered that it was Murong Jiu who had asked to come; he only assumed that Jun Yuyan brought her to win over Lord Zhou after discovering her extraordinary medical skills.

“Imperial brother, I have known Ah Jiu for so long and have never seen her use medicine. Be careful that her good intentions don’t lead to disaster. Seeing how severe Young Master Zhou’s condition is, we cannot afford reckless treatment.”

Jun Haoze said loudly, his words intended for Lord Zhou and his wife.

“What? Princess Consort Ling doesn’t know medicine? No, this won’t do! We can’t let her treat Honghong!”

Madam Zhou said anxiously.

Murong Jiu’s expression darkened, and she coldly turned to look at her: “If you don’t want your youngest son to die, shut your mouth.”

Even the meekest clay figure has a limit to their patience, and she detested being disturbed while attending to her patients.

“You, you!”

Jun Yuyan said, “Madam Zhou, look at how much breath your youngest son has left. After being force-fed Old Doctor Chen’s aggressive concoction, his condition worsened—just as my Princess Consort said, right?”

Madam Zhou hesitated, “Yes, but the Second Prince said…”

“I am her husband; who understands her better, me or the Second Prince?”

How dare Madam Zhou say otherwise, of course she replied, “It’s you.”

“Then remain quiet and allow the Princess Consort to treat him. If anything goes wrong, I will personally present myself before the Emperor to atone.”

Jun Yuyan’s tone carried an authority that others found impossible to resist.

The Second Prince knew he was unable to intervene any further.

He watched Murong Jiu, who never once glanced at him, as if to deem him nonexistent.

Was this her way of holding a grudge against him?

Constantly undermining his efforts—was this how Murong Jiu chose to attract him?

He sneered inwardly.

At that moment, Murong Jiu inserted needles into several more points on Young Master Zhou’s body. Gradually, the flush faded from the young boy’s face.

“The fever has subsided?”

Old Doctor Chen, in disbelief, reached out to feel for himself, and indeed, the high fever had abated.

“Such a rapid reduction in fever. Princess Consort Ling, was the needle technique you just used the long-lost Mo Family needle technique?”

He was an Imperial Physician, skilled in medicine, and where ordinary people saw nothing amiss, he had already noticed that Murong Jiu’s acupuncture technique was somewhat unusual.

Initially, he had looked down on Murong Jiu because she was too young, and, confident in his own medical skills, he had thought her claims were preposterous.

But now, aged and near death, he had made a mistake and needed a young woman to come to the rescue.

Murong Jiu nodded and stuffed the medicinal pill she had purchased on the way into Young Master Zhou’s mouth.

“What kind of medicinal pill is this?”

Old Doctor Chen asked.

“Just an ordinary anti-diarrheal pill for stomach pain.”

Old Doctor Chen frowned, “Other Court Physicians have already given him better anti-diarrheal medications, and they have stopped.”@@novelbin@@

“They haven’t stopped, it’s just that he no longer has anything left to expel.”

She had barely finished speaking when the weak Young Master Zhou’s brow relaxed slightly.

Madam Zhou then realized that Honghong had been suffering from stomach pain all this time, but he had been too weak to express it.

How her heart ached for him.

“Medicine chest.”

Murong Jiu turned and said to Jun Yuyan.

Jun Yuyan opened the medicine chest for her, “Tell me what you need, and I will fetch it for you.”

“That small pair of tweezers, remember to only touch the handle.”

What did she need the tweezers for?

Everyone was a bit perplexed.

Jun Yuyan saw many strange and unusual items in her medicine chest and found a small pair of tweezers among them; these were specially made, different from ordinary tweezers, with a longer and sharper tip.

Just looking at it, its purpose was not immediately apparent.

Murong Jiu took it from him and then turned to address the Second Prince from the General’s Mansion, “Could you help me by prying open Young Master Zhou’s mouth?”

She had wanted to ask Jun Yuyan, but he was holding the medicine chest, and with his inconvenient mobility, she was afraid Young Master Zhou might struggle and injure him.

The Second Prince from the General’s Mansion, tall and strong, practiced in martial arts for many years, was the best choice.

“Of course.”

The Second Prince stepped forward and, following Murong Jiu’s guidance, pried open Young Master Zhou’s mouth.

She took the sharp tweezers and reached inside.

“What are you doing!”

Madam Zhou’s face turned pale as, unable to squeeze in, she anxiously clutched Lord Zhou’s arm.

“There’s a fishbone stuck in his throat; think about it, hasn’t he been silent from last night until today?”

“It seems like…”

Lord Zhou recalled that indeed, Honghong had not spoken, but they all assumed that Honghong was too weak to talk.

Madam Zhou also remembered several times Honghong had covered his throat with his hand, but no one knew what he meant.

But how did Princess Consort Ling know?

Murong Jiu’s tools looked frightening, and fear was evident in Young Master Zhou’s eyes. He attempted to struggle but was restrained by the Second Prince.

Murong Jiu spoke gently to him, “Don’t be afraid, close your eyes, and count to three silently in your head. One, two, and there, it’s done.”

Her movements were swift; she had barely reached in before she was done.

To everyone’s astonishment, there was indeed a fishbone on her tweezers!

Although not long, it was considerably thick, and being lodged in the flesh must have caused much discomfort.

“Princess Consort Ling, is Honghong all right now?”

Madam Zhou asked tentatively, her eyes red.

Murong Jiu looked at her coldly, “If it was that easy to recover, would he have vomited so much blood?”