Just because Zhao Ji couldn’t see through Lao Ai’s ferocious ambitions didn’t mean Zhao Yuanxi was equally blind.
Putting herself in others’ position, Zhao Yuanxi didn’t think she could have handled things better than Ying Zheng. If someone wanted her life or sought to take what was hers, she would fight them to the death too.
Ying Zheng: “……”
He had expected this woman to be like the Empress Dowager, never imagining she would actually take his side.
This left him with nowhere to direct his anger, making him respond with extreme hostility, “Do you think saying these things will make the King forgive you?”
Zhao Yuanxi remained perfectly calm, “Whether the King forgives me is his concern. I’m merely voicing my thoughts. Of course, if Zheng’er were willing to forgive me and call me Mother Empress again, I’d be even happier.”
“Don’t even dream of it!” Ying Zheng retorted without hesitation.
This woman who had taken over his mother’s body truly had audacity – she actually wanted to become his mother!
He, Ying Zheng, needed no mother. Not in the past, and even less so in the future.
“I wasn’t asking you to call me that. Why are you so angry? Juniors should behave like juniors – no disrespect allowed. After all, I’m still your aunt by marriage.” Zhao Yuanxi, considering herself the elder, lectured him thoroughly.
“You—” Ying Zheng fumed. He never should have claimed to be Lord Changping. But if he admitted now that he was actually Ying Zheng, this outrageously bold woman might even grab him and force him to call her Mother Empress!
This thought made him even angrier!
He should have just killed her outright.
“Just moments ago I was praising how having you around Zheng’er put me more at ease, but now I see your temper is too volatile. What if you negatively influence Zheng’er?”
One takes on the color of one’s company. Who knew if his cheap son’s terrible temper hadn’t been influenced by them!
Zhao Yuanxi shook her head in disapproval, patting Ziying’s head, “When you grow up, you mustn’t learn from your Uncle Mi.”
Ziying giggled happily.
Hmph, little brat!
Ziying shrank back in fear, hiding himself behind Zhao Yuanxi.
Da Mu was right – Uncle Mi’s temper was too fierce! Alas, it seemed adults could be troublesome too.
Ziying straightened his back, feeling he was already more mature and steady than the adults.
As the three continued talking, they heard noisy commotion nearby and turned to look.
A spotted pig half a person’s height suddenly burst through a doorway, startling all three.
The crazed pig charged toward them.
Zhao Yuanxi quickly scooped up Ziying while Ying Zheng reacted even faster, drawing the sword from his waist and stabbing the pig.
The wounded pig squealed in pain, turned around and fled, running straight into a trap Physician Yu had set.
With trembling hands, Physician Yu tightened the sack, about to apologize when he looked up to find a long sword pressed against his neck. He collapsed to the ground in terror.
“How dare you! Who ordered you to attack—the Empress Dowager?” Ying Zheng glared coldly at the man, knowing the slightest pressure could easily end his life.
Only then did Yu Jiao notice the Empress Dowager present and hurriedly cried for help, “Your Majesty, I’m Yu Jiao!”
Zhao Yuanxi’s expression was complicated. Why was a proper imperial physician engaged in pig-catching? Looking at the hoof prints covering his body, had he been fighting with the pig?
“Lower your sword! This is an imperial physician from Yongcheng.”
Ying Zheng’s expression softened slightly, though he still frowned and scolded, “If you’re an imperial physician, why aren’t you properly stationed at the Imperial Hospital preparing medicines instead of running around catching pigs? What improper behavior!”
“I was ordered by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to raise these pigs to treat illnesses and save lives. Are you questioning the Empress Dowager?” Under Zhao Yuanxi’s protection, Yu Jiao stood up and straightened his robes, no longer afraid.
The Empress Dowager had him raising pigs? Ying Zheng fell into deep confusion.
Zhao Yuanxi hadn’t expected to be involved in this matter. Her eyelid twitched – she had only told him to experiment on small animals first, not to raise pigs in the Imperial Hospital!
Seeing the struggling piglet in Yu Jiao’s bag and the bloodstains on one corner, she interrupted their argument. “Royal Physician Yu, this pig is seriously injured. You should quickly return it!”
Yu Jiao looked at the bleeding bag with distress. “I will heal it. Would Her Majesty be interested in observing?”
The Imperial Hospital was nearby, and since they had come all this way, Zhao Yuanxi naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
She was also curious about what new progress Yu Jiao had made in his research.
The courtyard originally filled with medicinal herbs was now divided into two sections. One side remained unchanged, while the other contained several small cages housing many rabbits.
One cage door was open – likely the previous home of this escaped spotted pig.
Yu Jiao summoned two young assistants to restrain the piglet.
Zhao Yuanxi raised an eyebrow. Had he already developed restraints?
This wasn’t hard to understand though – animals weren’t human and couldn’t lie still on a bed to be handled.
Looking at Yu Jiao’s dark eye circles and increasingly sparse, graying hair, Zhao Yuanxi felt some sympathy, along with a twinge of guilt.
Making an elderly man nearing retirement work like this was rather embarrassing!
As the piglet squealed, Ziying covered his ears, his eyes full of curiosity.
While everyone was watching the pig, Ying Zheng stood out for watching Zhao Yuanxi instead.
Zhao Yuanxi turned her head, about to call her nominal nephew over to watch together, but met those pitch-black eyes. She paused slightly, wanting to say something, but her nominal nephew had already averted his gaze.
It must have been her imagination. Why did her nominal nephew’s gaze feel so strange?
Unfortunately, Zhao Ji had rarely interacted with Lord Changping, and Zhao Yuanxi couldn’t find anything valuable about him in Zhao Ji’s memories.
Yu Jiao was now pouring a bowl of medicine into the piglet’s mouth.
“What is this?” Zhao Yuanxi had a faint guess as she stared intently at the brown medicinal liquid.
Yu Jiao lifted his chin slightly, looking quite proud. “This is a secret medicine I’ve painstakingly developed with remarkable pain-relieving effects. Although the suturing method Your Majesty mentioned is good, living creatures generally can’t endure such pain. After taking this medicine, they won’t feel any pain.”
This was the legendary Mafeisan!
Zhao Yuanxi’s pupils contracted. Good heavens! This man truly had Bian Que’s talent!
In less time than it takes an incense stick to burn, the piglet had calmed down.
While explaining, Yu Jiao took out a complete set of surgical tools, with silver needles placed beside them.
Using silver needle acupuncture to slow the bleeding from the wound, Yu Jiao shaved the hair around the pig’s wound, rinsed it with brown medicinal liquid, then began suturing.
By the time the wound was perfectly treated, Zhao Yuanxi’s expression had completely changed.
She shoved Ziying into Ying Zheng’s arms beside her, excitedly clapping and cheering. Grabbing Yu Jiao’s hand eagerly, she exclaimed, “I once said you could become the Bian Que of our time! Seeing you today, you have far surpassed Bian Que! You deserve to be called the foremost medical expert throughout history!”
Yu Jiao was so overwhelmed by the praise that he grew embarrassed. “This humble physician does not deserve such commendation from Your Highness. Had it not been Your Highness’s guidance, how could I have delved into this field?”
“Physician Yu, not only is your medical skill remarkable, but your humility is equally commendable. For Great Qin to possess talents like you is truly a blessing!” Zhao Yuanxi lavished praise as if it cost nothing, practically turning the man into a fool with flattery.
Excited, Yu Jiao eagerly began introducing his recent research to Zhao Yuanxi, presenting everything from medical instruments and various medicines to the small animals he used for experiments, laying them before her like treasures.
Zhao Yuanxi, for her part, welcomed it all without refusal, engaging in conversation about each item, which made Yu Jiao feel even more that he had met a kindred spirit.
As for the two neglected figures nearby, Ying Zheng lowered his head to stare at Ziying in his arms with some disdain, while Ziying looked up at him and also pursed his lips.