Physician, Not A Consort

Chapter 130: She Is My Woman

Lin Haihai helped Keqing settle down before sending for Li Junyue. He came to find her after finishing the tasks at hand.

Stupid Bear, do you remember Gold Caterpiller Du? Lin Haihai asked seriously.

Is that a real thing? Li Junyue was stunned. I read about it in an ancient text, but Ive never encountered it in real life!

Keqing has been poisoned with that particular gu, Lin Haihai explained in a grave tone. The poison will come into effect in two months. However, we have only a month to deal with it!

Li Junyue looked at Keqing in disbelief, at a loss of words. Lin Haihai continued, I remember reading about the way to cure Gold Caterpillar Du in one of Grandpas travel journals, but I was too young to pay attention to it. Have you read it?

Li Junyue thought for a moment. Does it have a yellow cover with the drawing of an orchid?

Thats right. Thats the one! Lin Haihai exclaimed in excitement. Youve read it, havent you? It details the method to resolve a Gold Caterpillar Gu. Can you still remember it?

Li Junyue shook his head in frustration. Ive read it, but just like you, I didnt commit the cleansing method to mind.

Lin Haihai was disappointed. You dont remember either?

Noting the frustrated look on their faces, Keqing smiled faintly and said, Dont worry for me. Life and death are predetermined by fate. I dont care too much about my survival. You shouldnt let it burden you, either!

Can you find the travel journal? Juanzi asked anxiously. Please save the empress dowager!

The empress dowager? Li Junyue was shocked. What empress dowager?

Keqing is the empress dowager of Rong, Lin Haihai explained. This is Li Junyue, my elder brother. You can place your trust in him!

Its fine, I believe you. Keqing huffed out a self-deprecating laugh. Those who were chasing after me have given up already because its close to the day Ill die of this poison. No one will put in the time and effort to look for a dying person!

How about you go back to look for the travel journal, Stupid Bear? See if you can find it? Lin Haihai didnt want him to be away at a moment like this, but there was no other option.

What about you then? Li Junyue said, his unspoken words clear.

Lin Haihai smiled. Ill be fine. Ill move out after Mid-Autumn Day. Besides, youll return soon. Its not a big deal!

Im afraid it wont be easy to find the journal, Li Junyue talked about the worst-case-scenario. Its been more than a decade. Youve moved houses a few times, and the books are all over the place. Im afraid that it might have been lost already!

Then youll have to seek grandpa out, Lin Haihai said. Hes a living medical textbook. He may remember!

Whos a living medical textbook? Yang Shaoluns voice came from the outside. As soon as he said so, a number of handsome men appeared at the door.

Lin Haihai rose to her feet to smile at his warm face, her eyes shining with joy. Yang Shaolun was reminded of his conversation with Yang Hanlun, which weighed him down and made his gaze on Lin Haihai gain a trace of ruefulness. Those who were in love were the most sensitive. Lin Haihai sensed the change in his mood immediately, and her heart sank. Did something go wrong?

She shot Chen Luoqing a questioning glance, but he averted her eyes and bowed to Keqing. Chen Luoqing of Daxing greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager of Rong!

As the emperor of a nation, Yang Shaolun forewent the formal etiquette and took the initiative to greet Keqing, The emperor of Daxing greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager of Rong!

Keqing hurriedly returned the gesture. Youre too kind. Your Majesty is the emperor of Daxing. It should be this Empress Dowager who bowed to Your Majesty. This Empress Dowager has been impolite!

Lin Haihai chuckled. Stop bowing to each other. Have a seat!

There are a lot of patients outside, Li Junyue interjected. Ill get back to work!

Lin Haihai nodded. Do you need my help?

Stay here with them. The imperial physicians and I will handle it. Li Junyue reminded her before walking away, Remember to get your pills from me when youre leaving the hospital!

Lin Haihai responded without thinking, I still have folic acid. Just give me some calcium supplements. Im not taking more pills!

Yang Shaolun turned to Lin Haihai, Are you seriously ill?

Nah, Lin Haihai diverted his question. Just a loss of appetite!

She wanted to tell him the truth, that she was pregnant with their child. However, it wasnt time yet. She would let him know after Mid-Autumn Day.

Give her a thorough checkup, Li Junyue! Yang Shaolun hurriedly stopped Li Junyue from leaving.

Shes a physician herself. She knows her body well. Dont worry, shes not going to die! Li Junyue snarked. He wasnt trying to curse her, but it irritated him that she was unable to let the father of the child know about her pregnancy.

Listen to yourself! Yang Shaoluns expression darkened. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Li Junyue, who shot Lin Haihai an exasperated look before marching outside. He sighed inwardly. How am I going to return to the modern day given the circumstances?

Keqing looked at Yang Shaolun curiously. The emperor was known for his wisdom and composure, but it seemed that the man wasnt as calm and collected as people said.

Yang Shaolun walked up to Lin Haihai and put his hand on her forehead. Lin Haihai grabbed his hand and said, Im fine. Li Junyue was just spouting nonsense. You dont have to worry about me!

Youre not leaving your residence from tomorrow on until youre fully recovered! Yang Shaoluns tone suggested that there was no room for argument.

Then Ill die immediately! She would die of boredom if she wasnt allowed to go outside. She was someone who couldnt stay idle.

Yang Shaolun scowled and levelled her with a piercing stare. Youre the one whos spouting nonsense!

Im fine. I just lost my appetite because of stomach problems. Ill be bored to death if you dont let me leave the residence! She hadnt stopped working since she came to this era. If she did, she would miss home terribly.

You said you were just a physician? Keqing asked with a smile.

Lin Haihai paused. They had been so busy flirting and bantering that they forgot they had an audience. She looked at Keqing awkwardly. How was she going to introduce herself? She was the sixth princess consort, but the one she loved was the emperor. What exactly was she then?

Shes mine! Yang Shaolun said coolly. Her indecisiveness wounded him. She would be his after a month. Might as well admit to the truth now.

Lin Haihai widened her eyes at him. She was touched and surprised that he would tell the truth to the empress dowager of another nation, but was it really the right time? She felt a sense of foreboding she couldnt explain.

Keqing chuckled. The emperor was a good man. The loving look in his eyes told her that he was truly in love with the woman before him. In an earnest tone, she gave them her blessing, Im glad to see how happy you are!

You two should talk, Lin Haihai said awkwardly .Ill go out to help!

Yang Shaolun didnt want her to leave, but she went off immediately after her parting words. He could only look at her from behind and shook his head with a smile.

There were a lot of patients, and Lin Haihai didnt have time to lament the situation she was in. She plunged into work immediately. She had already bought the storefront next to the hospital. All they had to do now was to renovate it.

The patient being treated now was a boy aged seven or eight. His eyes were reddened, and they had been tearing up and stinging. Lin Haihai examined him and concluded that he was suffering from infectious conjunctivitis. She turned to Imperial Physician Chen. How many red-eyed patients do we have today?

Twenty and some. Theres an increase in patients with acute red eyes, but there shouldnt be an outbreak. The imperial physicians sounded relaxed since there had never been a large-scale outbreak of conjunctivitis in the past.

Dont be so certain yet, Lin Haihai said. The condition is also known as conjunctivitis. Its caused by the human eyes coming into contact with infectious agents. Its highly contagious and shouldnt be underestimated!

Noting her seriousness, Imperial Physician Chen promised, I understand. Ill keep an eye on the number of patients and report to Master!

Lin Haihai nodded. After some thinking, she called out for the doctor in charge of prescriptions and asked, How much mulberry leaf do we have in stock?

Theres still a lot, he said. Itll be enough to last us a month!

Good, thats good, Lin Haihai said. Put an announcement outside the door that mulberry leaf, soybeans, and common selfheal can prevent acute red eye. Tell everyone to boil water with them and drink the water! Well supply everyone for free. Adults can drink water boiled with saffron as well. Thats also effective!

Im afraid we dont have a lot of selfheal in stock, the pharmacist said hesitantly.

Lin Haihai was confused. That cant be. Summer has just passed. There should be a large supply of selfheal!

I told you about the shortage of selfheal when we resupplied earlier. Although we acquired some from herb farmers later, there still isnt enough for us to give them away freely!

They must have been burned. Lin Haihai made a decision immediately. Contact the herb farmers and ask them if they have any selfheal. Im buying all of them!

We dont have any other option. Why dont we opt for other herbs instead of selfheal, though? asked the pharmacist. Many of selfheals properties were also shared by other herbs, including weeping forsythia, reed rhizome, and indigowoad root.

The other herbs are going to be even more difficult to find, arent they? Lin Haihai said with a sigh.

Ill contact the farmers first. Well buy as much as we can!

Ill entrust the matter to you! Lin Haihai still sounded troubled.

She gave the boys mother the prescription and said, Have the young helper fill your prescription. Remember not to share a towel or a handkerchief with your son. Dont go to crowded places either. And remember to drink a lot of water!

The mother thanked her before leaving.

There were a few more patients with conjunctivitis. The imperial physicians had been treating only members of the palace and didnt know much about the prevalence of conjunctivitis in the past. Lin Haihai had to ask the pharmacist once he returned. She hoped that these were merely individual cases and not an outbreak!