The guards stationed outside the door rushed in at the sound, and upon seeing the scene, they dared not delay and hurried off to summon the imperial physician.
Xiao Jinyao, struggling against the intense pain, shook off Su Yunzhao’s attempt to support him and said coldly, “Get away. This Shizi is fine.”
This body truly was failing—just the effort of getting married had pushed it to its limits.
Seeing Xiao Jinyao’s suffering, Su Yunzhao thought that since she had just become the Consort of the Heir Apparent and hadn’t yet secured a way out, she couldn’t let him die like this.
She took Xiao Jinyao’s hand and pressed lightly, quickly reaching a conclusion.
“Internal injuries throughout the five viscera, toxins accumulated and stagnant, years of damage to the body—it’s indeed a difficult case.”
Though Su Yunzhao’s voice was soft, the two were close enough for Xiao Jinyao to hear clearly.
Having been ill for a long time, Xiao Jinyao had some understanding of his own condition, and it matched Su Yunzhao’s words exactly.
“You understand medicine?”
“I read medical books as a child.” This was the truth—the original host had clumsily studied medical texts to prepare medicinal meals for the Su family, only to have Su Yunxiu feed them to dogs right in front of her.
“Heir Apparent, it will take time for them to fetch the imperial physician. Why not let me give it a try?”
Xiao Jinyao looked at Su Yunzhao with cold eyes, and after a long pause, asked, “What are the odds?”
“One hundred percent!”
Xiao Jinyao’s eyes grew even colder. This woman seemed to have transformed overnight, and this change even stirred a hint of killing intent toward Su Yunzhao.
Fortunately, at that moment, the guard rushed in again: “Shizi, Elder Mo has arrived…”
Elder Mo was the foremost figure in the Da Xia Imperial Hospital, personally invited back by The Emperor with the utmost courtesy.
If it weren’t for Elder Mo’s efforts in regulating Xiao Jinyao’s health, the heir apparent’s grave would likely have been overgrown with weeds long ago.
After entering the room, Elder Mo nodded to Su Yunzhao before heading straight for Xiao Jinyao.
Su Yunzhao stood quietly to the side, observing Elder Mo’s techniques with humility.
Times were different; perhaps there were things in this world that she couldn’t have learned in her original one.
“Consort of the Heir Apparent, Elder Mo doesn’t like others present while he examines patients…” the guard reminded her.
Su Yunzhao glanced at him and asked, “Since you know, why aren’t you leaving?”
The guard was stunned—this consort’s temperament was truly unique…
Seeing the guard about to speak again, Su Yunzhao added in an unwavering tone, “The Shizi is my husband. What does ‘others’ even mean?”
Elder Mo was startled by this shocking statement and coughed once. To cover his embarrassment, he said without looking up, “Since she is the Consort of the Heir Apparent, she naturally has the right to know her husband’s condition.”
This indicated he didn’t mind Su Yunzhao staying. With Elder Mo’s approval and seeing Xiao Jinyao’s expression, the guard didn’t press further and retreated to the doorway.
Elder Mo felt Xiao Jinyao’s pulse in silence for a long time, his expression unusually grave, and finally sighed.
“Years of chronic illness, compounded by reliance on medication, have led to this sudden and severe attack. This old man can alleviate the Shizi’s pain, but the illness has progressed to this point, and the situation will only worsen…”
His words didn’t dishearten Xiao Jinyao. Instead, he looked at Su Yunzhao and asked, “Didn’t you just say you were confident you could treat me?”
Hearing Xiao Jinyao’s words, Elder Mo turned to Su Yunzhao with curiosity. “The Consort of the Heir Apparent understands medicine?”
"I have only a superficial understanding, which is naturally nothing compared to Elder Mo's expertise." Su Yunzhao modestly replied, then got straight to the point: "My husband's body currently requires medicinal treatment, but the medicine itself would further burden him, leading to more severe dependency and causing qi stagnation and blood stasis. Since medicine is not the solution, has Elder Mo considered acupuncture?"
Upon hearing these words, Elder Mo became even more attentive.
"Acupuncture is indeed a good method, once mastered only by legendary physicians. However, few needle techniques have been passed down to the present day, and there are no specific strategies for the heir apparent's condition."
Hearing Elder Mo's words, Su Yunzhao's expression shifted. It was good that the techniques were lost—it made it easier for her to fabricate, no, to handle the situation!
"Elder Mo, when I was young, I saw a medical text in the Su family that recorded the 'Eight Mystical Needles' technique, which could be useful for the Shizi's condition."
"Eight Mystical Needles?" Elder Mo pondered for a long while but had never heard of this technique. However, he dared not dismiss it outright and cautiously said, "Please explain it to me, Consort of the Heir Apparent."
"I wouldn't presume to explain, but I would like to ask Elder Mo to review the theoretical principles of the needle technique I learned." With that, Su Yunzhao elaborated on the theory of the Eight Mystical Needles.
After listening, Elder Mo's already bright eyes shone with a different brilliance.
"Marvelous! I never imagined such an exquisite needle technique existed in the world!"
Su Yunzhao remained calm. "My husband's condition cannot afford to wait. Why don't I perform the acupuncture myself, with Elder Mo supervising? This will also reassure my husband, lest he think I am deceiving him or applying the needles haphazardly."
Although Elder Mo was eager to witness the Eight Mystical Needles, acupuncture required Xiao Jinyao's consent.
He looked at Xiao Jinyao and asked, "Does the Shizi wish to try?"
Xiao Jinyao replied with a composed expression, "With Elder Mo present, I am naturally at ease."
Su Yunzhao took out a small medicine chest she had prepared beforehand, pretending to retrieve the Silver Needles from it.
Seeing such tools, Elder Mo's anticipation grew even higher.
Su Yunzhao held two needles simultaneously, her hands moving swiftly like a white snake flicking its tongue. With both needles piercing in unison, she advanced, retreated, lifted, and inserted them continuously into acupoints such as Ganshu, Guanyuan, and Quchi.
Xiao Jinyao felt a dull, swollen sensation at each acupoint where the needles were inserted. Once the procedure was complete, the debilitating weakness that had tormented him began to slowly dissipate.
Elder Mo couldn't stop praising, "Marvelous, truly marvelous! The younger generation is to be admired. With the Consort of the Heir Apparent's needle technique, the Shizi's condition is finally under control."
Su Yunzhao remained humble and said, "Elder Mo flatters me. As a junior, I naturally cannot compare to Elder Mo…"
After speaking, she calmly removed the needles and fetched a piece of white silk, waiting quietly.
Xiao Jinyao was about to ask what she intended to do with the white silk when he felt a sweet, metallic taste in his throat.
Noticing him turn to the side, Su Yunzhao immediately approached and covered his mouth with the white silk. Xiao Jinyao couldn't hold back and spat a mouthful of blood onto it.
After expelling that mouthful of blood, Xiao Jinyao felt much lighter, as if a waterway clogged for years had suddenly been cleared.
Before leaving, Elder Mo couldn't help but praise, "With such medical skills, the Consort of the Heir Apparent should not be buried in the inner chambers."
After seeing Elder Mo off, Su Yunzhao returned to the room and casually tucked the white silk stained with Xiao Jinyao's stagnant blood under the bed.
Watching her actions with great interest, Xiao Jinyao asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"
Su Yunzhao tilted her head, blinked her eyes, and said, "The heir apparent wouldn’t want others to say you’re incapable, would you?"
After saying this, she simply tidied up the bed, ignoring Xiao Jinyao’s livid expression, and lay down to sleep.
Having been busy all day, she was truly exhausted.
Xiao Jinyao narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Su Yunzhao beside him. Although this woman was quite mysterious, for some reason, being by her side gave him an extra sense of peace.