Feng Aici revealed a faint smile and reassured her, “Your Highness, please rest assured. The princess is not in any serious condition. It’s just that residual toxins in her body have not been cleared, and combined with internal heat from emotional distress, she is temporarily unable to speak.”
Consort Chen let out a long breath upon hearing this.
“In that case, I’m relieved.”
Feng Aici nodded. “As long as I administer acupuncture to the princess once and prescribe a few doses of medicine, she will recover very quickly.”
“However, I didn’t bring my medical kit this time…”
She had not expected that Consort Chen’s summons to the palace was actually for medical treatment.
Consort Chen immediately reacted and ordered, “Qingping, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and fetch a set of silver needles.”
“Is there anything else Miss Feng needs?”
Feng Aici replied gently and calmly, “Just some paper and writing brushes will suffice.”
A nearby maid quickly responded and brought a full set of the Four Treasures of the Study.
Feng Aici rolled up her sleeves slightly, her expression serene. She wrote on the paper with flowing, elegant strokes.
Before long, she handed the sheet of paper—written in beautiful “hairpin-style” calligraphy—to Consort Chen.
“This is the prescription I’ve written. Twice a day, for three days, and she will be cured.”
Shangguan Sui blinked.
【Wow! Sister Feng’s handwriting is amazing! And she’s so impressive too!】
Consort Chen fully agreed with Shangguan Sui’s inner voice.
She couldn’t help but praise her as well: “Miss Feng truly has excellent handwriting.”
Feng Aici curved her lips into a faint smile. “Your Highness flatters me.”
At that moment, Qingping returned from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
She handed the silver needles to Feng Aici.
Feng Aici accepted them and said softly, “I will be applying acupuncture to the back of the princess’s neck.”
Consort Chen turned Shangguan Sui in her arms around and pulled down the small garment covering her back.
Shangguan Sui immediately clutched tightly onto Consort Chen’s clothes.
She shut her eyes tightly, her body trembling slightly.
But she knew that in order to regain her voice soon, the needles were unavoidable today.
Even so, she was still terrified, and could only scream internally.
【Ahhh! It’s time for needles!!】
【I hate needles the most!!!】
【I wish all needles would disappear from this world! I am sworn enemies with needles!】
【Waaah I’m so pitiful!!!】
The soft, childish voice in her mind made Consort Chen’s head ache.
In the end, she couldn’t help but pat Shangguan Sui.
“Sui-sui, it’s already done.”
Shangguan Sui: Huh?!
She slowly opened her eyes and realized her clothes had already been put back on.
Feng Aici had also finished putting away the silver needles.
She opened her mouth. “How was it so fast?”
Her soft voice echoed through the hall, shocking everyone.
Even Shangguan Sui herself was stunned.
She… she could speak?!
Ahhh! Yay!
Consort Chen was overjoyed. “Sui-sui! You can speak now!”
Shangguan Sui nodded vigorously. “Mm-mm! Mother, I can finally speak! I can finally make a sound!”
Feng Aici also looked at her gently.
Shangguan Sui turned to her, eyes sparkling, dimples showing faintly as she smiled.
“Thank you, Sister Feng! You’re so beautiful, kind-hearted, and your medical skills are amazing!”
Consort Chen also said gratefully, “Thank you so much, Miss Feng!”
Feng Aici quickly waved her hands, a faint blush rising on her usually calm face, a little embarrassed.
“It is already my greatest honor to be able to help the princess. Your Highness need not be so polite.”
Consort Chen shook her head with a smile.
“You don’t know how long I’ve been worried about the princess’s throat. You’ve helped me tremendously.”
She then removed a jeweled bracelet from her wrist and placed it into Feng Aici’s hand.
“This is my token of gratitude.”
Feng Aici hurriedly refused. “No, Your Highness, this is far too valuable!”
Shangguan Sui chuckled. “Sister Feng, just take it. Otherwise my mother will get angry.”
Consort Chen immediately cooperated by pretending to frown.
In the end, Feng Aici had no choice but to accept the bracelet and smiled.
“Then I thank Your Highness for the gift.”
“It should be us thanking you instead,” Shangguan Sui said quickly.
She walked up beside Feng Aici and looked at her with bright, blinking eyes.
“Sister Feng, would you stay and have lunch with us today?”
Feng Aici initially wanted to refuse.
But when she saw Shangguan Sui’s clear, watery eyes, the words somehow got stuck in her throat.
In the end, she nodded. “Then I will impose upon Your Highness.”
Perhaps she had been silent for too long, because at the lunch table Shangguan Sui kept chattering nonstop.
Both Consort Chen and Feng Aici looked at her gently.
“Sister Feng, your medical skills are so good. Have you ever thought about opening a clinic and treating patients?” Shangguan Sui asked, blinking.
Upon hearing this, Feng Aici and Consort Chen both couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sui-sui, you’re joking. How could a woman open a clinic and be a doctor?”
But as they laughed, Feng Aici’s smile gradually turned a little bitter and helpless.
How could she not want to? She simply couldn’t…
After lunch, Consort Chen rewarded her with more gifts, and Feng Aici then took her leave.
Watching Feng Aici’s departing figure, Shangguan Sui couldn’t help but sigh.
“What a pity…”
Consort Chen asked in confusion, “What’s a pity?”
“It’s a pity that Sister Feng has such extraordinary medical skills, yet she can only be confined within the inner quarters…”
Shangguan Sui continued, “Mother, does the Great Yue Dynasty forbid women from doing business?”
Consort Chen shook her head. “There is no explicit law forbidding women from engaging in trade. However, most women would not choose to appear in public.”
“Moreover, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants rank the lowest. The Feng family is a scholarly household of upright literati; they would absolutely not allow their daughter to practice medicine outside. It is considered improper etiquette and extremely shameful.”
Shangguan Sui pouted and said nothing more, but inside she was already complaining furiously.
【What’s so shameful about it?! Helping people is shameful?! Healing people is shameful?!】
【It’s all this stupid etiquette! In the end, it only traps women!】
【So annoying! And I can’t even say it out loud—if I do, no one will understand! I can only complain to myself!】
Consort Chen: …
Actually, she had heard everything.
But what Sui-sui said did make some sense.
Shangguan Sui rolled her eyes and leaned close to whisper in Consort Chen’s ear.
Consort Chen’s brows moved slightly. “Is this really possible?”
Shangguan Sui blinked and acted spoiled. “Let’s try it, Mother! Please agree! You’re the best, Mother!”
“Alright, alright. We’ll try it tomorrow.”
Consort Chen looked at the prescription Feng Aici had left behind, her lips pressing slightly.
In ancient times, men could study, serve in the military, and engage in commerce—but women ultimately seemed to only have marriage as their path, living under their husband’s family and confined to the inner courtyard.
As a woman herself, if possible, she was willing to help Feng Aici.
Soon after, Shangguan Lin also received the good news that Shangguan Sui could speak again.
He immediately put down all official matters and rushed straight to Bihua Palace.
Striding into the hall, he said:
“I heard Sui-sui can speak now. Quickly, call me ‘Father’ and let me hear it.”