Chapter 36: Nice Knife

"She's the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jingnan."

Illegitimate daughter!

The most common side character in historical novels!

But this identity didn't seem to matter to Grace. She decided to just steer clear of her in the future.

She thought for a moment and then said, "Aren't you curious why the emperor showed up at Doctor Chen's clinic in the middle of the night?"

This question left everyone speechless. Curious, of course, but currently, all they could say was that Doctor Chen's important guest was the emperor. As for why the emperor was there, why Doctor Chen left him to go out, and where she went, these were secrets between them that no one present knew.

"Oh no!" Grace suddenly exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"The emperor said he wanted me to come back for a follow-up in ten days. Who am I supposed to see then?"

This time, she accidentally got treated by the emperor. It's impossible to have him treat her again, right? That would mean showing him the wound again. If not him, she'd have to see Doctor Chen. Wouldn't Doctor Chen ask who treated her the first time?

The medical tools used were from the clinic. This might arouse suspicion. If she saw her wound, a doctor as skilled as Doctor Chen would surely figure out what happened.

Grace, who had just felt relieved, was now worried again.

"…Is the lady asleep?" 

Just then, a muffled voice came from outside the window. Xiaolan peeked outside and saw a figure at the gate, with a light flickering.

She came back and said, "It looks like Nanny Qiu from Mei Ying Zhai. It's rare for her to come so late."

"Since Caiyun is gone, she has to come herself," Xiaojun scoffed. "The old lady at the side gate switches flowers every other day, taking bribes from Mei Ying Zhai. When the lady went out, the news must have been passed on. Nanny Qiu is here to check things out."

Thinking about Aunt Ning, Grace felt she should find a time to investigate. But with the light still at the gate, it wasn't a good time to linger. She said, "You all should go back to your rooms. We can talk tomorrow."

Yunhua and the others stood up, gave some instructions to Xiaolan and Xiaojun, and left.

Grace lay in bed, the worry about the follow-up still festering in her mind.

The crescent moon rose, and the capital was quiet.

In Doctor Chen's clinic, the doors were closed. The emperor was carefully examining some medicinal herbs. "If these herbs about to be sent to the imperial hospital are indeed old, then this involves more than just a few people. Are you certain?"

"These were carefully identified by my father. I stake my life on their authenticity. The reliable imperial physicians can surely tell."

The emperor kept looking at the herbs, frowning deeply.

Doctor Chen paused and then said, "The collusion between the imperial pharmacy and the herbalists started only in the past two years. Previously, I had heard about it from the herbalists. But since it's a short time and the amounts are small, it hasn't caused much harm, as they avoid life-threatening old herbs. Nonetheless, this concerns the safety of palace medicine, and the emperor must investigate and punish severely."

The emperor put down the herbs. "Are you still resentful about your husband's early death?"

Doctor Chen was silent for a moment, then said, "My late husband was always strong, and he knew some medicine because of me and my father. If it weren't for a problem with the herbs, he wouldn't have succumbed to minor injuries.

"Frankly, the reason I chose to practice medicine after his death is to help the common people and prevent such cases."

"Didn't you open the clinic because the Empress Dowager blamed you skilled doctors for not serving the people, despite your achievements, and relying on men?"

Doctor Chen fell silent, lowering her head.

The emperor didn't press further. After sitting for a while, he stood up and paced, then said, "Si Xi, wrap up the herbs. We're going back to the palace."

Si Xi came in and wrapped the herbs in a cloth bundle.

"Farewell, Your Majesty!" Doctor Chen bowed to see him off.

The emperor reached the threshold, glanced back at the knives on the table, and said, "I looked at your medical tools earlier."

Doctor Chen looked up.

The emperor continued, "Nice, very sharp."

With that, he nodded slightly and stepped over the threshold.

Doctor Chen didn't come to her senses until he had left and gotten into his carriage.

…

The next morning, Doctor Chen rushed to the Marquis's residence to visit Grace as soon as the gates opened.

"Sorry for the delay last night. Please forgive me," she apologized as soon as she entered. "What's troubling you?"

Grace had slept well after the pus was drained, so despite her worries, she hadn't figured out a solution. Faced with Doctor Chen's question, she hesitated and couldn't come up with an answer!

Doctor Chen was puzzled, "What exactly is bothering you?"

Grace had a sudden inspiration. "I had a boil, but another female doctor looked at it last night."

"Oh." Doctor Chen nodded, then said, "Since I'm here, let me take a look and see if the wound needs dressing."

Since she was so kind, Grace couldn't refuse outright. Hesitating a bit, she lay down on the couch.

Xiaolan and Xiaojun came up and lifted her skirt, revealing the cross-shaped wound on her left hip. The cut was clean and precise, and though the technique wasn't very mature, a blunt knife couldn't have made such a good cut.

Doctor Chen's heart skipped a beat, recalling the emperor's praise of her knives last night…

She looked at Grace. "Did the doctor who treated you leave any medicine?"

"No."

Grace had nearly fled the clinic last night and didn't bother to get any medicine. The emperor, though he treated her, probably didn't know what medicine to use either.

Doctor Chen opened her medical kit, looking at Grace. "That doctor… doesn't seem very competent."

"Exactly!" Grace agreed. "Not very skilled, but strong, squeezing me till it hurt so much!"

Doctor Chen said no more, quickly changing and applying medicine to her wound.

The emperor's words last night had puzzled her. Even if he was bored waiting, he wouldn't just play with a knife. Considering Grace had sent someone for her before the emperor arrived, and then hurried out of the room when she returned, she had a suspicion.

So she came early in the morning, and seeing the wound now, and Grace's hesitant responses, there was no need to ask what happened last night or how she got the wound.