Shen Qingyao had already gotten out of bed and was sitting at the table eating rice porridge. Mo Sen truly admired her recovery ability and felt fortunate in his heart.
When Imperial Physician Hua entered the room and saw this scene, he was quite astonished—it completely overturned his expectations from years of medical practice.
Had she recovered so quickly?
Shen Qingyao held her spoon and looked at him, already certain that this elderly man was her attending physician. She gave Imperial Physician Hua a polite smile.
Mo Sen hurriedly asked, “Imperial Physician Hua, Miss Shen has already woken up. Could you examine her to see if she has fully recovered?”
Imperial Physician Hua ignored him and instead walked to the table, placing his medical kit down as he looked at Shen Qingyao. His expression was gentle as he first observed her complexion, then smiled and asked, “Miss, would you allow this old man to take your pulse once more?”
“Of course,” Shen Qingyao replied, setting down her spoon and extending her hand to him.
Imperial Physician Hua felt her pulse for three breaths, and then his eyes lit up with amazement!
Although her pulse was faint, it was steady and strong.
He found it unbelievable and switched to her other hand to check her pulse again, only to find the same result.
Withdrawing his hand, he stroked his beard in surprise and muttered, “Heart meridian damaged, fear penetrating the marrow. According to common sense, it would take at least a month of rest for the pulse to gradually stabilize, yet she…”
Pausing briefly, he turned to Mo Sen and inquired, “Did you give her any other miraculous medicine?”
Mo Sen quickly shook his head. “No, I only brewed the medicine according to your prescription.”
Where would he get miraculous medicine?
Upon hearing this, Imperial Physician Hua was momentarily stunned, then turned his gaze to Shen Qingyao.
“Heh heh!”
He chuckled in amazement, already understanding how Shen Qingyao had recovered so quickly.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he praised, “In my decades of practicing medicine, I have seen many people suffer from stress reactions due to intense fear, but it is truly rare for someone to dissolve such intense fear through sheer mental fortitude in such a short time. This shows that the young lady’s mental stability far surpasses that of ordinary people!”
Shen Qingyao felt a bit embarrassed by the praise and replied modestly, “The imperial physician flatters me. It’s merely that I have a carefree nature.”
“Heh heh! A carefree nature is also a good thing.”
Imperial Physician Hua said cheerfully, then asked Mo Sen and Li Shun behind him, “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” the two nodded repeatedly like pounding garlic.
Then, a person appeared at the doorway.
This person wore black brocade robes, his expression stern. His gaze swept over the faces of those in the room before finally settling on Shen Qingyao.
The moment the people in the room saw him, except for Shen Qingyao, who was slightly taken aback, everyone else felt their hearts sink.
It’s over.
Mo Sen and Li Shun mentally lit an incense stick for themselves.
Imperial Physician Hua also felt a pang of guilt—he, too, was guilty of withholding information!
Ye Se walked toward Shen Qingyao, glanced at her a few times, and then asked Mo Sen, “What happened?”
He was also a personal guard, but due to a recurring wrist injury these past few days, he had not been attending to Song Jiuchen. However, he was aware of the situation between Shen Qingyao and his prince, as colleagues kept each other informed to better serve their master.
Mo Sen forced a dry, awkward smile. Now that he had no choice but to explain, he told Ye Se about how Shen Qingyao had been frightened by a yin spirit the previous night.
While listening, Ye Se kept his eyes on Shen Qingyao. After hearing the full story, his expression grew slightly grave. “Are you all right now?” he asked with a hint of concern in his tone.
Shen Qingyao shook her head. “I’m fine now, thanks to the excellent care of Imperial Physician Hua and Lord Mo.”
Ye Se nodded, then gave Mo Sen a look that clearly said, “How could you be so foolish?” and sighed softly. “Shall we go see His Highness together?”
Mo Sen quickly turned to Shen Qingyao. In a desperate bid to keep his position, he didn’t even mind Ye Se’s presence and pleaded directly with her, “Miss Shen, considering I didn’t do it on purpose, could you write a petition to His Highness on my behalf and plead for leniency? Otherwise, I—”
“Ahem!”
Before he could finish, Ye Se cut him off with a cough.
But after coughing, Ye Se simply looked away without reprimanding him.
Mo Sen shifted his gaze from Ye Se back to Shen Qingyao, clasping his hands together with a pleading expression.
Shen Qingyao’s eyes darted nervously, her expression conflicted and troubled. “Well… I’d be willing to help you, but I’m a prisoner and have no relation to His Highness. I’m not in a position to plead for you, am I?”
She was telling the truth. She didn’t think so highly of herself to assume she had that kind of influence just because she had been told to receive special treatment.
Besides, this man’s offense was similar in nature to her uncle’s—could she really plead for him?
Upon hearing her words, Mo Sen’s face fell in disappointment.
Ye Se watched the scene unfold without a word.
It was Physician Hua who spoke up: “Miss, when commoners petition on behalf of officials, it’s not about qualifications but about presenting the facts. You only need to explain the situation from that standpoint and clarify a few things for Lord Mo.”
“Yes, yes, exactly,” Mo Sen hurriedly agreed, looking at Shen Qingyao with renewed hope.
Is that so?
Shen Qingyao hesitated. From that standpoint, it might be possible. “Alright, Lord Mo, could you bring me paper and a brush?”
“Of course, of course.”
Not long after, Mo Sen tucked away the petition Shen Qingyao had written, instructed Li Shun to prepare hot water for her bath, and left with Ye Se.
Back at the Hall of Heavenly Mandate, ever since Song Jiuchen returned from Xiao Che’s place, he had been sitting behind the jade desk, pondering how to draft the dismissal document for Liu Hui.
The dismissal had to state the reasons clearly—no fabrication, fair and just. Yet he didn’t want to involve Shen Qingyao or admit to the world that he had once wanted her as a mistress, as it would make him a laughingstock.
But without mentioning it, he couldn’t fairly explain Liu Hui’s wrongdoing, which would lead people to question his governance.
Thus, he was deeply conflicted!
Just then, footsteps approached. He looked up and saw Ye Se leading…
Mo Sen?
Instantly, his face darkened, and a sense of foreboding gripped his heart.
Ye Zhao and Ye Yu, standing on either side of him, also sensed something was wrong.
Could something have happened to Miss Shen?
Mo Sen didn’t dare lift his head. He walked to the center of the hall and knelt. “Your Highness, this official is guilty.”
At those words, Ye Zhao and Ye Yu’s pupils contracted, while Song Jiuchen’s heart leaped into his throat. He immediately demanded, “What happened to her?”
“Your Highness, last night…”
Mo Sen began his report truthfully, starting from when he took Shen Qingyao to witness the punishment.
As he recounted the events, Song Jiuchen’s expression grew darker and more sinister with each passing moment. Both his hands—one resting on the desk, the other on his knee—clenched into fists.
When he heard that Shen Qingyao had been frightened unconscious, convulsing all over, and was on the brink of death…
A surge of fear and overwhelming rage erupted within him.
“You’re seeking death!”
He grabbed the teacup beside him and hurled it fiercely at Mo Sen, who was still speaking.
[Crash]
The teacup struck Mo Sen’s forehead with a sharp crack. He gritted his teeth against the pain, not daring to move, letting the blood mix with tea as they streamed down his face.
Ye Zhao, Ye Yu, and Ye Se all kept their heads lowered, too frightened to make a single sound.
Song Jiuchen had already risen abruptly, his chest heaving slightly with anger. At that moment, he had only one thought: he must see that woman immediately.
He strode down the steps, and as he passed Mo Sen, Mo Sen hurriedly called out to him, “Your Highness, Miss Shen is safe and sound. She has fully recovered. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Ye Se. Imperial Physician Hua has already confirmed it.”
Song Jiuchen acted as if he hadn’t heard, determined to see with his own eyes that the woman was unharmed before he could rest easy.
However, just as he was about to step out of the hall, he suddenly thought of something and paused in his tracks.
Immediately, he turned around, casting an icy gaze toward Mo Sen. Mo Sen had already turned to face him on his knees and pulled out the letter of confession written by Shen Qingyao from his chest.
“Your Highness, this was written by Miss Shen.”