The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 178 The Queen Mother is Unwell

When Yinzhen and Nian Shilan arrived at Yonghe Palace, Ulanara had already received the news and arrived there first.

"I have seen the emperor, and the emperor is blessed."

Ulanara paid her respects to Yinzhen, and Nian Shilan also bowed to Ulanara.

Yinzhen waved his hand and asked the imperial physician Hu who was treating the empress dowager.

"The imperial physician just felt the Queen Mother's pulse. What does he have to say?"

Doctor Hu knelt down hurriedly and said.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager's pulse is weak and feeble, and her face is pale, which indicates blood deficiency. I have prescribed some medicine for the Empress Dowager, which may provide temporary relief. To be cured, she needs to eat more blood-producing foods on a daily basis."

Nian Shilan understood from what she heard that it was not a serious illness, but it was uncomfortable and the patient would not die but would not live well either, and he might faint at any time.

But she felt strange. Empress Dowager De was the emperor's biological mother, and she had the best food, clothing, and other necessities. Not to mention the rich daily diet of delicacies from land and sea, she also had a bowl of precious blood swallow's nest every day. How could she be suffering from anemia?

Yinzhen was also confused, so he asked the imperial physician.

"The Queen Mother has always been in good health and takes supplements every day. How could she have this blood deficiency? Please check again and invite all the doctors from the Imperial Hospital to come to me."

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Doctor Hu's forehead.

"Your Majesty, as far as I know, the Empress Dowager eats little every day, and I think the tonic is not strong enough. This matter needs to be further examined by colleagues in the Imperial Hospital, and we will discuss and prescribe a prescription for the Empress Dowager. This way, it will be more cautious."

Ulanara spoke.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, Doctor Hu is someone the Empress Dowager is used to, and he has decades of experience here, so I believe he has done his best. It is also the old practice to invite other doctors from the Imperial Hospital to diagnose, but the Empress Dowager is weak now. If the doctors take the pulse and diagnose in turn, it will be tiring for the Empress Dowager, and it will make her even weaker. It is better to let Doctor Hu discuss with the other doctors to draw up a prescription and slowly recuperate first. I heard that blood deficiency should be treated slowly, because blood production is a long and slow process. It is most appropriate for the Empress Dowager to rest at this time."

Doctor Hu quickly agreed.

"Your Majesty is right! People with blood deficiency need to rest."

Yinzhen thought for a moment, then sent Doctor Hu away to discuss a prescription with everyone in the Imperial Hospital, while he went into Empress Dowager De's bedroom to visit her.

Ulanara and Nian Shilan followed behind Yinzhen.

"Your son is here to pay his respects to mother. As soon as he heard that mother was not feeling well, he rushed over immediately. I wonder how mother feels now?"

Yinzhen knelt down on one knee and saluted Empress Dowager De.

Empress Dowager De was half leaning against a soft gold-thread pillow. Her usually rosy cheeks were pale today, and the color of her lips was a little lighter. The hair accessories on her head had been removed, and she simply tied her hair into a bun.

"Get up. The emperor is very busy with government affairs. He must have come here after the morning court session and before he had his meal. I just felt dizzy for a while, it's nothing serious."

Yinzhen stood up, and immediately a young eunuch moved a round stool to the front of Empress Dowager De's bed and asked Yinzhen to sit down.

Yinzhen lifted his robe and sat down, looking at Empress Dowager De before speaking.

"Mother is not feeling well, and I am worried about her. All the people in the world believe that filial piety comes first, and naturally I should be a role model for all the people in the world."

Empress Dowager De forced a smile and looked at Ulanara and Nian Shilan who were standing behind Yinzhen. They had just paid their respects to her.

"I have been feeling weak these days, and I thought it was because of the bad weather and my laziness. Today, the imperial physician came and found out that it was actually a blood deficiency. I am still feeling uncomfortable. The Queen and Hua Fei are still young, and with my experience as a lesson, you two must take good care of your bodies. The six palaces are busy with trivial matters, so don't be careless about daily tonic. Especially Hua Fei, I heard that you had a headache before you got married, and now that the autumn rains are continuous, you must pay more attention to prevention."

Ulanara smiled, took a step forward and bowed.

"I thank the Queen Mother for her concern. Although there are many things to do in the six palaces, I can take a break with my sister Hua Fei sharing the burden. But my sister Hua Fei has always been in poor health. She caught a cold and had a fever the night before. Fortunately, Doctor Wen is very skilled in medicine. He took a dose of medicine and she was well again yesterday morning."

Empress Dowager De said.

"I always hear people mention Doctor Wen. Although I have never summoned him to see a patient, I know that he has excellent medical skills. I wonder which concubine in the palace he sees more often right now." Nian Shilan was about to speak when Ulanara spoke before her with a smile.

"Reporting to the Queen Mother, Imperial Doctor Wen rarely sees any concubines. He only sees the Emperor and Concubine Hua more. Even when I have a headache or fever and go to ask for the Imperial Doctor, Imperial Doctor Wen rarely comes."

Yinzhen frowned slightly. He knew that Wen Xianqing was arrogant, but it didn't sound right that he couldn't even invite the Queen.

Before Yinzhen could think any further, he heard Empress Dowager De snort coldly.

"How ridiculous! It is only natural for Doctor Wen to treat the emperor, but you are the Empress, and you cannot afford to hire a mere doctor like him? Emperor, I am feeling really bad today, can you please ask Doctor Wen to treat me?"

Yinzhen replied.

"You are my son's mother. I will do my best to find you whatever you want, let alone a royal doctor."

Yinzhen turned and said to Su Peisheng.

"Su Peisheng, quickly go and ask Dr. Wen to come and see my mother."

Nian Shilan stood silently behind Yinzhen. She didn't want to get involved, but Empress Dowager De spoke again.

"Hua Fei, you are so lucky to have such a skilled imperial physician by your side."

Nian Shilan walked forward with her head lowered and bowed.

"I thank the Empress Dowager. I am weak and Doctor Wen is more helpful. The Empress Dowager is in good health and does not need a doctor to be by her side. The Empress Dowager is truly blessed. I cannot even dream of her."

Empress Dowager De didn't know why, but she disliked Nian Shilan from the first time she saw her, and she always wanted to say something whenever she got the chance. But Yinzhen was also here today, and it would be unpleasant for him to see his beloved concubine being embarrassed by his own mother.

Empress Dowager De suppressed what she wanted to say and leaned quietly on the soft golden pillow waiting for Wen Xianqing.

Yinzhen also remained silent, and Ulanara and Nian Shilan were even more silent. The atmosphere in Empress Dowager De's bedroom was stagnant for a moment.

Su Peisheng said outside the hall.

"Your Highness, Doctor Wen is here."

Empress Dowager De asked Zhu Xi to go out and welcomed Wen Xianqing into the bedroom. Wen Xianqing was very well-behaved. He walked forward with his head down, knelt on the ground, and still kept his head down to feel the pulse of Empress Dowager De.

After a while, Wen Xianqing bowed and said.

"Your Highness, you are suffering from anemia. You just need to take good care of yourself."

Empress Dowager De stared at Wen Xianqing and said.

"Everyone says that you, Doctor Wen, are very skilled in medicine. So what did you find out just now?"

Wen Xianqing lowered his head and answered respectfully.

"Reporting to the Queen Mother, no."

After saying that, he never spoke again.

Seeing that Wen Xianqing kept his head down, Empress Dowager De suddenly became curious. When others saw the empress dowager, they would secretly take a look at him, but Doctor Wen didn't even raise his head, as if he was very scared.

"Doctor Wen, don't be afraid. I'm just asking casually. Raise your head and speak."

Wen Xianqing slowly raised his head, and Empress Dowager De was stunned.

How come, they are so similar.
(End of this chapter)