Chapter 71 Competition

“With so broad and profound medical knowledge in the world, nobody can be a master in all aspects. I just know more about a few aspects of them.”

Su Muge was not humble or overbearing, which attracted Concubine Qin’s attention.

As Xia Houxi was about to speak, Xia Hourui who was sitting behind her suddenly gave a heavy cough and then gasped violently.

“Eh-hem.”

The gasping sound was like the sound of playing rusty accordion bellows, which gave people goosebumps.

“Your Majesty, how are you feeling! Hurry up, call the imperial doctor!” Concubine Qin made a quick reaction and stepped forward to support Xia Hourui with anxiety in her eyes.

Eunuch Yi was terribly frightened and hurriedly asked the palace people to find the deputy director of the Imperial Institute of Medicine.

Standing there at a loss, Xia Houxi and Xia Houyin were also terrified by this sudden accident.

“Father, what’s wrong with you? How could you suddenly …”

“Miss Su, hurry up, hurry to see my father!”

It was not a joke to see the Emperor after all. In spite of hesitation, Su Muge stepped forward.

However, as she was about to walk up, the somewhat unconscious Xia Hourui suddenly opened his eyes and stared at Su Muge.

“Don’t come here!” The hoarse voice was resolute.

Su Muge slightly froze, stopped her steps and stood aside spontaneously to observe Xia Hourui’s look.

His pale face was lifelessly grey; his dark red lips and swollen lower eyelids made him look like a puffy dead body.

Xia Houxi was surprised by Xia Hourui’s rejection of Su Muge. The only reason she could think of was that Xia Hourui didn’t believe in Su Muge’s medical skills. She wanted to persuade him; but seeing Xia Hourui’s face, she gave up.

“Lord Chen is here, Lord Chen is here.”

Two guards were running over, carrying a man in their arms.

The man’s black official uniform had been crumpled and his high-bound hair had collapsed and tilted to one side, making him look quite awkward.

He was Lord Chen, deputy director of the Imperial Institute of Medicine.

After being carried outside the gazebo, Lord Chen didn’t dare to delay and promptly stepped forward.

“Lord Chen, come to see the Emperor. He has a relapse again!”

After shortly checking Xia Hourui’s condition, Doctor Chen fed him with a black pill from his medical kit, and then pierced a silver needle into the point between the thumb and forefinger of Xia Hourui.

Su Muge looked at Xia Hourui’s hand and found a slight bruise between his thumb and forefinger, which seemed to be caused by constant piercing.

After half a quarter, Xia Hourui, who was just out of breath, gradually caught his breaths, and his complexion looked much better than before. Su Muge couldn’t help glancing at Lord Chen’s medical kit out of curiosity.

Although she hadn’t taken Xia Hourui’s pulse or inquired about his conditions, judging from his symptoms, she could confirm that his illness had been quite severe, which was impossible to recover so quickly.

This medicine was surprisingly effective, but it must have great side effects.

“I’m fine.”

Xia Hourui recovered, glanced through the gazebo and said in a low voice.

“Your Majesty, I was so frightened just now.”

Su Muge couldn’t believe the words of Concubine Qin. She seemed to be anxious then, but her manners showed incredible calmness.

She seemed to have been accustomed to such a situation, or seemed to … be looking forward to something…

“Yes, Father, I was startled.” Xia Houxi came to Xia Hourui anxiously; it was the first time for her to encounter such a situation.

“Why didn’t you let Miss Su see you, Father?”

Instantly, the gazebo quieted down again.

Su Muge felt deeply struggled; she couldn’t say anything at this time. Otherwise, she might be thought to feel resentful to Xia Hourui’s behavior just now!

Hearing this, Xia Houyin almost didn’t hold back her laugh!

Xia Houxi was so inconsiderate that her words were actually pushing Su Muge into danger!

“Sister, what are you talking about? It’s certainly because Miss Su’s medical skills are not as good as Deputy Director Chen’s. Father was the sovereign Emperor of our country. How could anyone be allowed to touch him so casually?”

Obviously, Xia Houyin was deliberately misinterpreting Xia Houxi’s words. If Xia Houxi was sensible enough to think it through, she should have let it go.

But the girl had been a bit simple-minded after years of studying medicine.

“Nonsense! Miss Su saved me last time and cured the plague in Zhou County. Her medical skills are very good!”

“How good? Even better than the medical skills of Deputy Director Chen?”

“Of course…”

The two girls neither gave way to the other, making it hard for Su Muge to interject. Having seen that Xia Hourui’s face turned gloomy, Su Muge had to say something.

“Your Majesty…”

“Father, let Miss Su compete with Deputy Director Chen, and then we’ll see who is better.” Xia Houyin suddenly walked to Xia Hourui and gently pulled his sleeve with a smile.

“Fine!” Xia Houxi promised for Su Muge without a second thought.

Su Muge silently glanced at the box of medical books aside, which turned out to be the root cause of troubles made by Xia Houxi…

Seeing that the arguing was almost over, Concubine Qin said softly. “Your Majesty, don’t be angry. These two naughty children are just joking; don’t take it seriously.”

To let a young girl, who had just won some fame in medicine, compete with an expert over 50 years old, who already had great authority in the medical field? Making such a proposal was already a humiliation for Deputy Director Chen!

Anyone with professional skills wouldn’t have a good temper. If it weren’t for Xia Hourui’s presence, Deputy Director Chen would have lost his temper. Even now, he wasn’t in a good mood.

Xia Hourui had kept silent from beginning.

Su Muge knew that Xia Hourui was waiting for her to speak.

“Eighth Princess and Ninth Princess, you must be joking. Doctor Chen is the head of the imperial doctors; his medical skills are certainly outstanding.” She acknowledged the excellent medical skills of Deputy Director Chen but didn’t say that she was inferior to him.

It made Deputy Director Chen look even more awful!

Huh, who was this arrogant little girl? Having learned some shallow knowledge, she dared to compete with him!?

“Your Majesty, I recently accepted a young apprentice who could exchange views and experience with Miss Su .”

Xia Hourui picked up the teacup and took a sip gently. When the porcelain cup was put back on the table, it gave out a slight clang.

“Miss Su, are you willing to compete?”

Xia Hourui said “compete” instead of “exchange”.

Since it was a competition, there should naturally be a winner and a loser, rewards and penalties!

At this point, she had no way back.

“Your Majesty, as you command.”

“Well, since that is the case, let’s make it tomorrow afternoon. As for how to compete, you’ll know by then.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m tired.”

Concubine Qin hurriedly helped Xia Hourui up. “Let me walk you back, Your Majesty.”

Xia Hourui nodded and headed out of the gazebo. Deputy Director Chen followed behind with no more look at Su Muge.

Xia Houyin also stood up and looked at Su Muge with a spurious smile.

“Miss Su, you’ll have to work hard. Don’t lose in a shame.”

After Xia Houyin left, Xia Houxi looked at Su Muge and said, “Miss Su, I believe in you.”

Su Muge’s eyes on Xia Houxi were a little alienated and indifferent. “Maojian tea is good, but I’ve never enjoyed drinking tea. It is getting late. Please excuse my departure.”

Until Su Muge was out of sight, Xia Houxi looked back at the tea on the table, lost in reflection.

“I … did I say something wrong?”

The palace maid behind Xia Houxi buzzed. Miss Su was blaming the Princess, but she couldn’t understand.

…

Xia Hourui didn’t return to his chamber for a rest but went directly to the Imperial Study.

“Your Majesty, Second Prince is asking to see you.”

“Let him in.”

“Yes.”

Xia Houkun, in a dark blue embroidered robe, strode into the study.

“Pay my respects to father.”

“Get up.”

“Thanks, father.”

Xia Houkun stood silently in the room with his head lowered for a while, and then said, “I’ve got some clues of the case.”

Xia Hourui exhaled heavily. “Tell me.”

“I’ve found that the assassins on the barge were nomads. They sneaked into the capital three months ago and have been waiting for opportunities to take actions.”

Then Xia Houkun stepped forward to hand in his evidence.

After taking a look at the evidence, Xia Hourui’s eyes turned sullen.

Since Xia Hourui kept silent, Xia Houkun continued. “It seems that the nomads are active in the fiefdom under the jurisdiction of third uncle. Can I send a letter to ask third uncle for investigation?”

“Your third uncle has been in his fiefdom for many years. Except for your grandmother’s birthdays, he has never returned to the capital. It’s fine to write and ask.”

Xia Houkun secretly observed Xia Hourui’s look, in hope of spotting some clues from his face. However, he could only see his sickly complexion.

“Yes, I’ll do it now.”

“Go ahead.”

After Xia Houkun left, Xia Hourui looked at the desk with a complicated expression.

On getting out of the Palace, Xia Houkun secretly exhaled a sigh of relief.

His trusted follower was waiting outside, who stepped forward and whispered, “Your Royal Highness, how’s it going?”

Only after the two got on the carriage did Xia Houkun reply with a sullen face. “Father seemed to have believed me.”

Xia Hourui had had dozens of brothers; but when Xia Hourui ascended the throne, there were only three left.

One was Xia Hourui who had already become the Emperor, then there was King Dingxi born by Concubine Ma, and the last one was King Nanyang who was Xia Hourui’s full brother.

These two kings had gone to their fiefdoms for many years and would never return to the capital without major events.

“Huh, how could father believe his throne stable if they stay in their fiefdoms? If it weren’t for my discovery this time, he would be driven out of the Imperial Palace without knowing anything beforehand.

“Your Royal Highness, now that King Dingxi has framed you up this time, shall we make some preparations?”

With a flicker of coldness in his eyes, Xia Houkun replied. “Huh, he should dare to take me as a tool? Does he think nobody knows what he has done? Father is getting sicker and weaker day by day, but he still postpones the establishment of the Crown Prince. Spread the message that private troops are being trained at the northwest border. Father can’t pretend to be ignorant.”

“Yes.”