Your Majesty… ” Physician Lady Cui said hesitantly as she glanced at the medical assistants, then the Head Physician and Assistant Physician.
Among the Physician Ladies, she was the most experienced but compared to the Head Physician and Assistant Physician, she still had much to learn. She knew that the Emperor was worried for Concubine Nian’s reputation but if her life was at stake, it was meaningless to worry over a taboo to keep men and women separated.
(t/n Both the Head Physician and Assistant Physician are both males, and so are the medical assistants.)
Long Fei Li waved his hand, motioning for the medical assistants to step down and said, “Speak!”
Physician Lady Cui glanced towards the Head Physician.
Long Fei Li’s gaze was fixed on Xuan Ji and he stated, “Speak freely.”
Clenching her jaw, Physician Lady Cui went to kneel in front of Long Fei Li and stated, “Your Majesty, Her Highness’s body is weak and frail, her blood flow had been sealed and she lost a lot of blood so the dragon fetus’ pulse has stilled.”
Long Fei Li’s feet were ice cold. He told her that he would not let anything happen to her and the child. He wanted them to stay with him…..But with her injury he knew it would be difficult to keep the child so he had only said those words to comfort her.
Though he was already prepared for the worst, the moment Physician Lady Cui confirmed his uncertainties, he was still overwhelmed with shock……This was his first child.
She had said to him, if there was a next life, let us go our separate ways.
In that moment, he was seized with panic. If the child was gone, then between them……His expression changed and he clenched his jaw. In a low voice he said, “Go on, I want to know of her injuries.”
Standing on the side, the Head Physician and Assistant Physician exchanged glances. To their surprise, Concubine Nian had actually been pregnant with the dragon heir!
“Your Majesty, the sword wounds in front of her chest are very serious. The first wound isn’t deep but the second sword wound is….” Physician Lady Cui’s face was beaded with cold sweat. She had cleaned the wounds for Concubine Nian and could recognize from the angle that it was actually self-inflicted.
Why did Concubine Nian try to take her own life? Was it because earlier on in the day the Emperor wanted to get rid of her child? But she was still carrying the child! Many secrets and dangers lurked within these palace walls, especially when it came to the Emperor and this concubine…..She knew way too much so how could she not be gripped with fear?
Physician Lady Cui’s words echoed in Long Fei Li’s head, the second sword wound is…
Sitting there silently, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles whitening as he tried to suppress his emotions as he stared at the woman lying listlessly on the bed. His voice sounded, coming from deep within his throat, “If she dies, everyone at the Imperial Academy of Medicine will be buried along with her!”
Physician Lady Cui’s back was drenched in cold sweat. Fearfully, the Head Physician along with the Assistant Physician fell to their knees and anxiously looked towards Physician Lady Cui in unison.
Physician Lady Cui trembled but she pressed on, “I have treated the sword wounds. I have also given Her Highness a heart protecting pill and used the best medicines bestowed by Your Majesty. If Her Highness can make it through the next several hours for the medicine to take effect, her life will no longer be in danger. It’s just that the dead fetus in her womb needs to be taken care of urgently otherwise it will aggravate her condition.This servant ……intends to use a method that will allow the dead fetus to turn to blood and pass through Her Highness’ womb……”
Listening to Physician Lady Cui, the other imperial physicians understood the implications of her words. However, when they chanced a glance at the Emperor, they saw that he was silently staring at the ground, the look in his eyes overcast, as if he had not heard what she had said…….
Kneeling in front of the Emperor, the Assistant Physician clench his jaw and added, “Your Majesty, fetal blood is filthy and putrid. Her Highness should be moved to a different place so as not to pollute Your Majesty’s palace hall.”
Hearing this, Long Fei Li was livid and he immediately raised his foot to kick aside the Assistant Physician.
“With her current condition, how can her body withstand being moved? She’s not going anywhere! I will accompany her here! Whatever must be done, will be done in this Chuxiu Hall!”
Once the fetal blood passes through the womb and discharges from the body, the resulting scene would be no different from childbirth. It was a filthy and disgusting sight to behold. No man would ever remain in the room to watch, not the noblemen who hailed from influential families nor the men among the common folks let alone the monarch of a nation. But who knew the Emperor did not care about such a taboo and actually allowed such a scene to unfold within his own palace hall.
The three individuals kneeling on the floor were stunned speechless.
The Assistant Physician suddenly recalled that the Imperial Academy of Medicine had slighted Concubine Nian in the past and though he and the Head Physician were not present at the time, it was still the fault of the academy. Coming to realize the precarious situation the academy was in, he couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
Still frozen in a state of shock, she suddenly heard the Emperor’s icy voice sounded. “Physician Lady Cui, begin immediately.”
Physician Lady Cui shivered involuntarily and hastened to give a reply. She then quickly made her way towards the bed only to see that the unconscious Concubine Nian was lying within the Emperor’s arms.
Concubine Nian’s breathe was shallow, her complexion pale. Yet the Emperor didn’t care and gently placed a kiss on her forehead as he whispered in her ear, seemingly words of consolation.
Physician Lady Cui exchanged glances with the two Imperial Physicians. A wave of surprise stirred their hearts. It seems this young emperor was not so cruel and ruthless, but should they fail to save Concubine Nian tonight…..
*****
When Xuan Ji finally stirred awake, she noticed that it was unusually quiet.
She moved to get up but inadvertently pulled at her wounds. Immediately, she grimaced in pain and fell back against the bed. Her vision was still somewhat hazy as she took in her surroundings. As her eyes landed on the man lying next to her, she was momentarily stunned. His eyes were closed and his brows were tightly knitted. His characterically handsome face was at this moment lined with fatigue, there were even bags under his eyes.
Ahhhh, this is usually how it’s written in those novels. She finally got a taste of what it’s like to have the female lead’s halo.
But unfortunately, time was running out and besides, she was never the female lead to begin with.
Hmm, she was still alive she thought and couldn’t help but silently laugh.
She looked down at herself, disregarding the bandage that was wrapped tightly around her chest, her gaze landed on her belly as her hand lightly hovered across it …..it must be gone.
Suddenly, a hand placed itself over hers gently.
To her shock, he was actually awake.
His hand was beautiful and slender yet big enough to completely envelope hers. They felt warm and dry as they always did, as she always liked, yet at this moment in time, she only felt repulsed.
She pulled her hand away and turned her head to the side. Her vision landed on the inner quarters of the bed and she saw the dragon engraved on the bed-frame. This was Chuxiu Hall? She let out a silent sigh.
From behind, his strong arms suddenly wound around her to envelop her body in his warm embrace, his movements particularly careful so as not to put pressure on her wounds.
Xuan Ji thought for a moment before she quietly asked, “The child, is it gone?”
“Hmm.” Behind her, the man slightly stiffened.
“Hmm.” Xuan Ji also sounded …..How could it have survived in that situation? Her suspicions had been confirmed and her heart pricked painfully.
“We can still have more children in the future. If you want, I’ll–”
There was a sliver of anxiousness in his voice as he spoke.
But Xuan Ji merely smiled, her soft voice cutting him off instantly as she said, “We won’t.”