Chapter 74 Reaching an Agreement

“Your Majesty!” Deputy Director Chen took a few steps forward, intending to treat Xia Hourui.

Concubine Qin stepped forward from behind the screen and stopped Deputy Director Chen.

“Deputy Director Chen has treated Your Majesty for so long, but no improvement has been seen. Miss Su has excellent medical skills and has just defeated your apprentice. Let Miss Su come to see Your Majesty!”

Xia Hourui was already a little unconscious at this time, half-lying on the dragon throne.

Xia Houmo stood up and stepped forward. “Your Majesty is feeling unwell. Ministers, you may retreat.”

Knowing that their presence was no longer welcomed, the ministers got up and retreated.

Obstructed by Concubine Qin, Deputy Director Chen was a little annoyed. “Your Grace, Your Majesty has always been treated by me. Please step aside. Your Majesty’s illness treatment can’t afford to be delayed!”

Deputy Director Chen dared to quarrel with Concubine Qin so bluntly because he knew that Xia Hourui would never allow others to treat him.

Looking at Deputy Director Chen, Concubine Qin refused to give in and sneered. “I’ve said that Your Majesty hasn’t improved after being treated by you for so long. Since you aren’t capable to cure him, you have to make way for others.” After that, she turned to Su Muge. “Miss Su, come here. If you can cure Your Majesty’s illness, you’ll certainly be greatly rewarded.”

Su Muge frowned slightly, realizing Concubine Qin’s purpose of insinuating her before!

Nobody in the palace would show their favors for no reason. The Emperor had always kept his condition from everyone else, and Concubine Qin wanted to use Su Muge to investigate into his condition. Once she went forward, Xia Hourui would naturally regard her as the partisan of Concubine Qin after waking up. Su Muge didn’t want that to happen.

“Deputy Director Chen has been treating Your Majesty for a long time, so he knew Your Majesty’s condition better than I do. Please excuse me, Concubine Qin.”

Xia Houmo glanced at Concubine Qin deeply and stepped forward, but was stopped by Xia Houkun.

“Ninth brother, it’s none of your business. You don’t want father sick like this, do you?”

“Step aside.” Xia Houmo directly pushed Xia Houkun away.

Xia Houkun was almost stumbled; he glared at Xia Houmo’s back and gnashed.

“Xia Houmo!”

Xia Houmo glanced at Concubine Qin coldly, making her trembling at the sight of the chill from his dark-black pupils.

“Ninth Prince, haven’t you heard what I said just now?”

Xia Houmo directly pulled Deputy Director Chen to Xia Hourui.

“What are you waiting for, Deputy Director Chen?”

Deputy Director Chen came to his sense and went to treat Xia Hourui.

Concubine Qin was extremely angry; after so many schemes, she had neglected Xia Houmo!

She didn’t believe that Xia Houmo took no interest in Xia Hourui’s physical condition; he may have known, so he hindered her in every possible way!

Su Muge noticed that Deputy Director Chen’s first-aid approach was still the same as the last time. After all, it was a solution to deal with the symptoms but not the root cause, so it would only make Xia Hourui linger on in a steadily worsening condition.

After the first aid of Deputy Director Chen, Xia Hourui’s complexion gradually turned better and his breath gradually stabilized. But his eyes were still closed with no sign of waking up.

Xia Houmo glanced at Eunuch Yi, who was extremely worried. “Send Your Majesty back to his chamber.”

“Yes.”

Getting out of the hall, Su Muge saw many ministers lingering outside, including Su Lun.

At the sight of Su Muge, Su Lun hurried forward.

“How is Your Majesty?”

Looking at his face, Su Muge was reminded of the scene in the hall; she was about to be chopped off her hands, but Su Lun had no intention to stand out to intercede for her. Although she had no such expectation for him, she still felt disappointed at this time.

“Deputy Director Chen has treated the Emperor.”

Just as Su Muge was about to leave the Palace, the palace people ran towards her.

“Miss Su, wait a moment. The Emperor has been awake and wants to see you. Please go with me.”

Xia Hourui was awake?

“Please lead the way.”

Su Lun, not surprised, just told Su Muge not to offend the Emperor in a whisper.

The Emperor’s chamber was very quiet; the palace people and maids were all careful not to make a noise.

“Miss Su, Your Majesty is inside. Please go in by yourself.”

Not everyone was allowed to enter the Emperor’s chamber.

Su Muge walked into the room with a faint fragrance of medicine floating inside.

After bypassing an octavo screen patterned with plum-blossom in snow, Su Muge immediately saw Xia Houmo sitting in a chair.

Lying on the rosewood bed was Xia Hourui who was supposed to be awake.

After Su Muge’s entry, Eunuch Yi, who was serving beside, bowed slightly and retreated.

Su Muge was slightly surprised, wondering what Xia Houmo intended to do. She stepped forward calmly. “Your Royal Highness.”

“When did you recognize me?”

His abrupt words may be absurd for others, but Su Muge understood his meaning.

Previously, he had always appeared as “Lord Xia” in disguise and had never revealed his identity before Su Muge.

Xia Houmo was in disguise, but his followers around him were not. How hard was it to recognize!

Su Muge rolled her eyes secretly in her heart.

“Your Royal Highness has his own rules of doing things, which I shouldn’t ask or intervene.” By saying that, she meant she had recognized him at first sight back then; but since he had no intention to reveal his identity, she had to pretend to be ignorant. After all, he was the Ninth Prince and the King of Jin.

Xia Houmo suddenly laughed in a low voice.

His pleasant voice, like the sound of striking the cello strings, swept gently across her heart.

“Your Royal Highness, I wonder what you want me to do?”

“As Concubine Qin says, a doctor with better medical skills is indeed needed for the treatment of father’s disease.”

Su Muge frowned; Xia Houmo asked her to treat Xia Hourui who was still unconscious, so it was surely not the Emperor’s intention to let her take over.

Thinking of Xia Hourui’s resistance to her last time, Su Muge hesitated for a moment without reply.

If Xia Hourui blamed her after waking up, she would be doomed.

Seeing her concern, Xia Houmo said in a low tone, “Rest assured. I’ll keep you safe.”

Su Muge knew that as long as she did as Xia Houmo said, she would be regarded as Xia Houmo’s partisan in the eyes of others, even if she didn’t think so.

She would prefer to believe in Xia Houmo rather than Concubine Qin. But since this was the case, Su Muge felt it necessary to clarify something with Xia Houmo.

“I have two requirements.”

Xia Houmo raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking that she even dared to negotiate with him.

“Tell me.”

“First, I won’t violate medical ethics and do wicked things. Second, I hope you can ensure the safety of my mother and younger brother, Your Royal Highness.”

“Well, I promise you.”

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness.”

Agreement was reached, and Su Muge went to Xia Hourui.

Xia Hourui’s complexion was even worse than he was in the hall, with unconcealable lifelessness appearing on his face.

She couldn’t help wondering what was wrong with Xia Hourui.

She took the pulse of Xia Hourui.

Judging from his pulse, she found that Xia Hourui had a very weak renal sound. She sensed lung noise, fast heartbeat, hyperactive heart-fire, deficiency-cold in kidneys, dryness-heat in heart, and upper body heat and lower body cold. It was totally a mess!

If his condition kept going on like this, the Emperor couldn’t survive this month.

“Your Royal Highness, when did the Emperor start to feel unwell?”

“Half a year ago.”

Xia Houmo asked Donglin to bring in a booklet, which had clearly recorded Xia Hourui’s medical history.

At first, Xia Hourui just felt tired easily and he thought it was because of the heavy state affairs. So Deputy Director Chen just prescribed him some warm tonics.

These tonics were like temporary stimulants which could work for a certain period. However, Xia Hourui’s health condition was actually getting worse and worse.

Until these two months, he would suddenly fall into a coma from time to time.

Tonifying kidney-Qi to treat kidney deficiency, and detoxifying the deposited toxins in the lungs; the prescription of Deputy Director Chen had no problem.

Su Muge took out a silver needle from her medical kit, pierced Xia Hourui’s fingertip, and squeezed out a drop of blood.

When she was about to open the porcelain bottle to collect the blood drop, she found the drop of blood shimmering with dim light.

Su Muge thought her eyes dazzled. She took out a handkerchief and dripped the blood onto it. After the blood was dripped, it instantly disseminated on the white handkerchief.

She went to the window with the handkerchief to take a closer look.

She frowned, immediately pierced the silver needle into her fingertip, and squeezed a drop of her blood onto another handkerchief.

Upon seeing her movements, Xia Houmo stood up.

“What are you doing?”

Su Muge held the two pieces of handkerchiefs in front of Xia Houmo.

“Your Royal Highness, please take a look at these two handkerchiefs. Can you find the difference between them?”

These two handkerchiefs were both dripped with blood. At first glance, there was no difference. But if observed carefully, a faint blue light on one of them could be discovered.

“Is there any problem with this handkerchief?”

“Normal people’s blood won’t have such a reaction. The Emperor is probably poisoned.”

Xiahou’s eyes darkened. “Poisoned?”

“Yes.”

Su Muge took out a detoxification pill from her medical kit and fed it to Xia Hourui.

“What’s that?”

“That’s a detoxification pill I made. It can alleviate the spread of any poison. If His Majesty wakes up within an hour after taking the detoxification pill, it means that his body contains harmful toxins.”

…

In the Zhaohe Palace.

Concubine Qin was wearing a grave look, making the maids in the room too frightened to breathe.

“Pay my respects to you, Second Prince.”

Xia Houkun lifted the curtain and entered the room. With a wave, everyone knowingly retreated.

“Mother, I heard that father has wakened up and summoned Su Muge.” Xia Houkun sat down and said.

Hearing this, Concubine Qin frowned. “So soon?! What we have done today is bound to irritate the Emperor. Let’s go and confess to him.” While speaking, Concubine Qin stood up.

“Mother, you are also considerate of father’s health. How could father blame you?”

Princess Qin sneered. “He has been guarding against us! Come with me. Don’t make anyone take this opportunity to drag us down.”

Xia Houkun could do nothing but nodded. “Okay.”