Chapter 414: Happy Tidings

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In the backyard of the medical center, Du Juan and Ying’er were collecting herbs that had been drying all day.

Physician Fu went to the front courtyard to take a look. Chef Cao and Madam Yang were cooking in the kitchen. There were only the two of them in the courtyard.

Suddenly, a branch shook quickly on the wall of the Benevolence Hall.

Du Juan hurriedly said to Ying’er, “The hall is a little busy. Little Weizi can’t prepare the herbs alone. Go and help. I can prepare the herbs alone.”

“Can you do it?” Ying’er asked.

Du Juan said, “It’s not raining. It’s fine if I slow down.”

Ying’er thought for a moment and said, “Why don’t you go prepare the herbs? I’ll collect the herbs.”

Du Juan lowered her head. “I prepared the wrong one a few times… I was scolded badly… I don’t dare to get the medicine anymore… You should go.”

“Alright then.” Ying’er went to the lobby.

Du Juan looked around and picked up a dustpan to the back door.

When she passed by the kitchen, she glanced in and no one noticed her.

She came to the back alley and entered the Benevolence Hall through the back door.

Shopkeeper Wu was already waiting in the corner.

“Did you make any progress today?” Manager Wu asked.

Du Juan said, “Boss came to get some herbs to make medicinal cuisine for the Empress Dowager.”

Manager Wu asked, “You’ve already taken it home?”

“Yes,” Du Juan said in a low voice. “Boss prepared the medicine herself and took it away after preparing it. I didn’t have a chance to touch the herbs, but…”

Manager Wu’s eyes lit up. “But what!”

Du Juan said, “She left a prescription and asked Doctor Fu to brew an ointment for her. She’ll come and get it tomorrow morning.

Manager Wu said thoughtfully, “She’s getting it tomorrow morning… Looks like it’s for the Empress Dowager. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked her master to personally brew the ointment.”

Du Juan did not comment. She could not interrupt.

Manager Wu instructed, “Think of a way to get that prescription.”

Du Juan said awkwardly, “I’m afraid I can’t get the prescription. These special prescriptions are usually not placed in the lobby. They’re directly stored with the accountant on the second floor. I can’t enter.”

Manager Wu thought of how confidential the prescription was.

He frowned. “Then keep an eye on Imperial Physician Fu and see what herbs he used…

Du Juan said, “He won’t allow me to keep an eye on him.”

Manager Wu was impatient. “This won’t do, and that won’t do. Do you still want to redeem yourself? Do you really think the Number One Hall is a good place to stay in? Think about it, you were an official’s daughter back then. Are you really willing to be reduced to a lowly medicine girl?”

Du Juan bit her lip.

Manager Wu said coldly, “Or… can’t you bear to attack the Number One Hall?”

Du Juan struggled. “Boss… treats me well… Although she has a bad temper sometimes… she doesn’t mean any harm..

Manager Wu sneered. “If you’re unfaithful once, you won’t be used a hundred times. Du Juan, I’ve never forced you. Everything was voluntary. Don’t tell me you think your boss will still trust you as usual after I tell her about your collusion with me?”

Du Juan clenched her handkerchief. “Don’t tell Boss!”

Manager Wu smiled and said, “Actually, I’m not asking you to do anything too evil. I just want to teach that girl a small lesson. Don’t worry, this matter won’t hurt her. At most, it will make her retreat. I promise you that after you finish this last thing for me, we’ll forget about each other from now on. You take the silver you deserve, and I’ll disappear from your sight.”

A hint of conflict appeared in Du Juan’s eyes. “Do you keep your word?”

Manager Wu said, “Of course.”

Du Juan took a deep breath and went all out. “What do you want me to do?” Manager Wu returned to the accountant’s room on the second floor. Second Master Hu sat on the chair and took a sip of tea. “Is it done?”

Manager Wu smiled and said, “How can I not do anything?”

Second Master Hu said angrily, “You’ve already failed several times!”

Manager Wu promised, “Boss, don’t worry. This time, it will definitely be foolproof! ”

Second Master Hu asked, “Did you use that medicine?”

Manager Wu said, “That’s right.”

Second Master Hu was a little hesitant. “Isn’t this too risky? Big Brother said that the effect of this medicine is unstable… If it’s too strong… If we really cause something to happen to the Empress Dowager…”

Manager Wu hurriedly said, “No, Boss? Didn’t Eldest Master say so? The masters in the palace have precious statuses. As long as it enters the mouth, it has to be carefully checked. First, there are silver needles to test the poison, and then there are special eunuchs to test the poison themselves. They will be found out before they can reach the Empress Dowager!”

Second Master Hu asked, “What if… what if they are not able to detect it?”

Manager Wu said, “If they can’t find out and our master has the antidote, wouldn’t it be a coincidence for our master to obtain the Empress Dowager’s

attention again?”

Second Master Hu frowned. “Will this really not kill someone?”

“No!” Shopkeeper Wu patted his chest and promised.

Second Master Hu was persuaded and nodded. “That girl has repeatedly ruined my Hu family’s business. It’s time to teach her a lesson.”

Manager Wu smiled sinisterly. “Conspiracy to murder the Empress Dowager is a capital crime. Second Master, just wait for the happy tidings from the palace!

In less than three days, the Number One Hall will be ours!”

The next day, Su Xiaoxiao entered the palace with the ointment.

Hu Jiusheng packed up and was about to enter the palace. Just as he was about to get into the carriage, he bumped into Second Master Hu, who was setting off for the Benevolence Hall.

Second Master Hu was in high spirits when he encountered a happy occasion.

He was all smiles. “Brother!”

Hu Jiusheng looked at him strangely. “What’s making you so happy?

Second Master Hu smiled and said, “After today, that annoying Number One Hall will close down!”

Hu Jiusheng was puzzled. “Why do you say that?”

Second Master Hu told him about using Du Juan to drug the Empress Dowager.

Hu Jiusheng’s expression darkened. “You’re confused!”

Second Master Hu looked aggrieved. “Brother! I’m doing this for our Benevolence Hall! If that girl really cures the Empress Dowager, her medical center will trample on the Benevolence Hall! We can’t lose to a little girl from the countryside!”

Hu Jiusheng expected better from someone and said, “But you can’t do such a thing to the Empress Dowager!”

He stopped talking nonsense with his brother, got into the carriage, and entered the palace as quickly as possible.

Then, he went to the Yongshou Palace under the pretext of asking for his pulse. He casually stopped a palace maid holding a medicine bowl. “Is Physician Su here?”

The palace maid said, “She’s here. She’s treating the Empress Dowager inside.”

Hu Jiusheng continued, “Has the Empress Dowager taken her medicine?”

The palace maid asked, “What medicine are you talking about? She has already drunk the medicine. There’s also an ointment that needs to be heated before it can be used. It seems to be able to be taken internally and applied externally.” Hu Jiusheng heaved a sigh of relief. “Where’s the ointment?”

“In the little kitchhen—here, it’s here!” The palace maid pointed at a young eunuch who had brought the medicine.

Hu Jiusheng looked at the bowl of ointment. He only needed to pretend to accidentally knock it over to prevent a disaster.

Just as he was about to do this, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Is the Empress Dowager feeling better?”

It was, it was Fu Sheng!

Why was he here?!

Hu Jiusheng felt terrible.

He asked the palace maid, “Did Physician Su not come alone?”

“Oh, she also brought a physician. It’s said that he’s her master and is extremely good at acupuncture.”

“It’s a little looser than yesterday,” the Empress Dowager said. “Your acupuncture skills are not inferior to your father’s.”

“Empress Dowager, you’re too kind. I’ll come back tomorrow to perform acupuncture on you.”

Hearing this, Hu Jiusheng’s face turned pale.

“Court Commissioner Hu, is there anything else?” the palace maid asked him.

Hu Jiusheng looked at her and then at the young eunuch who entered with the ointment. “I’m fine.”

He said calmly.

He did not do anything as he watched the young eunuch brush past him.

The imperial physicians were busy with their work at the Imperial Hospital.

There were many nobles in the palace and they had to invite many people every day. Everyone was actually very busy.

“Court Commissioner, Court Commissioner!”

Imperial Physician Zhang waved his finger in front of Hu Jiusheng.

Hu Jiusheng came back to his senses. “Ah, I was thinking of a prescription just now. Imperial Physician Zhang, what’s the matter?”

Imperial Physician Zhang said, “There’s almost no more China Root and snow lotus. This is the shopping list. Please take a look.”

How could Hu Jiusheng take it in?

He took it and glanced at it before handing it back to Imperial Physician Zhang.

Seeing that he was acting strange, Imperial Physician Zhang couldn’t help but ask, “Administrator, are you feeling unwell today? You look very pale.”

Chief Physician Hu rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand and said nonchalantly, “No, I read too late last night and didn’t sleep well.’

Imperial Physician Zhang said, “Then go back and rest early. We’re at the Imperial Hospital.”

“It’s fine.” Hu Jiusheng took out a medical book and flipped through it.

He was distracted, his mind filled with the aftermath of the ointment consumption.

He had modified that medicine according to Imperial Physician Fu’s prescription. It was originally a prescription to fight poison with poison, but after he modified it, the medicinal effect was not stable.

It might be very poisonous, or it might not be poisonous. The effects varied from person to person.

If it was not poisonous… he would have drugged her for nothing.

If it was a strong poison… it was too dangerous…

Would she not be able to be saved with the antidote?

He could end up being the murderer who murdered the Empress Dowager..

Thinking of this, he felt a lingering fear.

He was impulsive after all. He shouldn’t have let jealousy and guilt swallow his rationality…

What should he do now?

“Not good!”

Imperial Physician Wan walked in with a terrified expression.

Hu Jiusheng stood up. “Did something happen to Yongshou Palace?”

Imperial Physician Wan nodded. “Yes.”

Hu Jiusheng said with a trembling voice, “What happened to the Empress Dowager?

Imperial Physician Wan said, “It’s not the Empress Dowager, it’s His Majesty!

His Majesty ate the Empress Dowager’s ointment and vomited blood and fainted!”

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