Chapter ninety-seven: The female physician

Three months later, all the physicians had been assigned to a place of work according to their scores. The first two were assigned to the emperor's palace, second two went to the empress's palace.

Every night, a black painted palanquin blending with darkness comes in through the palace gate straight to Myung Ok's courtyard before arriving at the emperor's palace.

"Master, you are here", she slightly bowed out of respect and deep reverence. This master is her teacher, the man that taught her medicine in the hinterlands.

The emperor had shown her the biggest secret of his life and daring not to take matters into her own hands, she suggested that the emperor summon her master who is presently residing in the hinterlands. Alas, it was someone he knew.

Someone cleared his throat to gain her attention.

"Jae joon!", she screamed excitedly as another popped out from behind the palanquin waving slyly at her.

"Ajusshi! Hiroshi Ajusshi!", she screamed again. The Panja guerrilla soldier who had totally recovered from his injuries and pledged loyalty to his new master stepped out and gave a low bow. "Agassi".

"You all came?", she asked excitedly but stopped at the thought of something.

"What happened", she looked at them carefully as she asked in low voice.

"An assassin tried to pry out some information from master yesterday, but he escaped when he felt my presence. I think someone has gotten suspicious so we had to tread carefully".

She looked at all the palanquin bearers and found them to be her men and assassins . They all bowed and she returned the gesture.

The outspoken man among them asked her a question. "Miss, how does it feel to be misunderstood as the emperor's woman pending your continuous visits?".

"I feel nothing, and I'm not misunderstood by the main person that matters... Consort Ki. She's always with us on each visit". She took her medicine bag and sat with her master in the palanquin. At the emperor's gate, the face they will see inside the palanquin will be hers due to the sensitivity of the emperor's ill health.

During the examination, the question she picked was a case concerning the emperor's sickness and that's why the emperor picked an interest in her. But nobody knows, even the examiners.

They finally arrived and after showing the royal seal and her face, they were allowed in.

"They are here?", the emperor lifted his face from the tea his consort poured for him.

"Let them in", he drank the remaining tea and laid down on his bed, his consort holding him tightly.

...

The next morning at the break of dawn.

The morning breeze full of fragrance brought fresh health and vigour to the pregnant lady. The music of crickets sounded ever beautiful in her ears, she gave herself up to the joy of motherhood.

"My child, don't be sad. Your father will soon know of you. But I'm sorely afflicted with the thought of him abandoning you too... I don't care what he will do to me but not you, my precious baby". She rubbed her slightly swollen belly lovingly. "Should I sing for you?". Then she sang a lovely tune full of maternal love and longings.

You are my light.

My life.

My joy.

You are my everything.

You bring me hope.

You belong to me.

May heavens protect you.

Till you come to me.

"Bingu, it's been so long I heard you sing".

She stood startled at the ringing voice of premonition.

"Cho... Choha!", she stammered, as she tried to shove her guilt down her throat. The crown prince stood rooted at her franticness.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you". She composed her manner as she bowed.

"You didn't scare me, I was momentarily lost in my world". He chuckled but didn't say anything further.

"Imperial mother said I should accompany you to breakfast", he said but was a little bit annoyed at her. Why would she ask him to speak a lot of soft words and even sing to her.

What he didn't know was that the soft words and song was for his child not for the crown princess. The empress felt that while the mother hides 'him', 'he' should hear 'his' father's voice.

"Let's go ", he finally said before marching to the pavilion with his servants.

She looked at his back and sighed. "I hope I don't give myself away at the dinning table".

Once she reached the pavilion, the aroma of sea food breezed in through her nose making her nauseous.

The crown prince saw her paled from his seat and got up to help her sit. "Bingu, are you sick?", he asked concerned.

She shook her head vigorously and said in a not too loud voice," I'm fine, don't mind me... just mind your food".

Both of them froze at her impulsive words but she apologized and kept mum not bothering to see his raised brows.

All her favourites were there, especially her roasted shrimp and pickled fish but she felt they presented poison to her.

She picked up a spicy chicken breast and munched them happily. 'Oh my god! this is divine', she thought.

As she made to pick up another, her eyes landed on the tangerine the crown prince was peeling. "Can I have one of those?", she asked meekly her eyes shining brightly.

"Sure". He passed the already peeled one as he watched her suck the juice like the true nectar of the gods.

"Oh ! this is so nice!", but it came out 'nishe' because of her stuffed mouth.

Amused at her display of love, he popped in a little into his mouth but spat it out. "Bingu, did you lose your sense of taste?".

"No ", she answered sharply as she saw him spit out her tasty tangerine.

"Then are you crazy? how dare you lie to me?, this is sour and bitter!", he roared.

"You are the crazy one!", she whined as tears streamed down her eyes. "You peeled two tangerines and gave only one to me, how dare you spit it out if knew you weren't going to eat it".Her tears burst out freely making the spectators dumbfounded including the crown prince.

Only her personal servants knew it was her hormones acting up.

He kept quiet as he peeled the rest of it and shoved them on her plate before picking his chopsticks to eat quietly wondering why she's turned childish.

She also lost interest in it as she slurped the beef sound poured inside the bowl by her lady-in-waiting. Soon , she held her tummy and screamed loudly, her face distorted with

pain.

"Why are you crying again!", the prince wanted to ask until he saw her hands filled with blood.

"Your highness!", her maids shouted as they circled her.

"Call the doctor!", lady Cha screamed.

"Hurry! Our Lady is having miscarriage!". She shouted forgetting that her lady's pregnancy is a secret.

Miscarriage? What's the meaning of that?. She's pregnant with who's child. Suddenly, the feeling of something missing in his memory washed down his body... I hope it's not...

He lifted her up and ran towards her room with the imperial order to summon the chief royal physician.

The room was thrown into solemn silence as the physicians and nurses ground one herb and another, poking one needle from place to place while the crown princess remained unconscious.

The physician taking her pulse paled before withdrawing his hands to report.

"Take this servant's measly life!", he cried as he knelt down on the ground kowtowing.

"What's wrong with her?", he asked disinterested in his pleas while hoping to find the courtmaid's earlier exclamation false.

"The royal child is barely holding on while her highness is unconscious. It's poison!", he sobbed.

The anger of someone poisoning her surpassed his anger for being drugged and kept in the dark. The memories of his mother drugging him flashed in his mind.

"What type of poison?", he asked suppressing his anger.

"Infertility poison, someone must have tried to make her highness infertile not knowing she's already pregnant... I'm afraid, with her highness pregnancy, she might lose her life".

"Save her!", he commanded. Notwithstanding her lies... She's still his wife.

"The dosage together with her highness fragile state, I'm afraid it's too late", he cried. "Take this servant's life your highness!".

"I know someone that might help", a voice echoed. "Very young, but talented".

His eyes lit up, "Then what are you waiting for call him!", the physician ordered. If Physician Dong says someone is capable then he is, not minding the status or identity of the person, he must be reliable.

"Myung OK! come in", He ordered at the door.

A female physician ran in gracefully inside the room not daring to look at the crown prince's face as she curtsied. He too , didn't tear his gaze away from the weak face of his princess.

"Hurry", the chief physician ordered clearly shocked at her age. Well, if anything happens to the princess, he would just blame it on the young girl.

She sat carefully in front like one unhurried and took her pulse. Frowning, she placed her hands on her tummy.

"How dare you!", the physician ranted quietly. How dare her carelessly touch the royal body but the girl remained unfazed, not once losing her concentration. Watching her seriousness, he clamped his mouth shut.

Suddenly, the door burst open as the empress ran in panting. They all stood up to bow except the crown prince who pretended not to have noticed.

"How is she?", she asked the head physician. Then she realized the head physician is idle beside her ... Who is this then? A female.

"How dare you touch her royal body?", she growled but was shaken by her son's word.

"If you want your precious crown princess to live then I suggest you desist from interrupting the session". For an absurd reason, he has full confidence that the female physician will make her live, as for the child he has not much hope.

When the voice spoke, she froze but couldn't lose her concentration. What's this? she asked herself. Why would the bastard's voice share some similarities with the crown prince's voice. Though the crown prince's voice is deeper than his but they are quite similar. She shook her shoulders to clear the thought but it was misinterpreted.

"What's wrong?" the physicians asked in unison but she ignored them.

The crown prince studied her back and almost froze. They are indeed similar but he dismissed the thoughts. Why would she be a physician and an imperial physician at that?.

He stood up abruptly and left the room for his palace.

The empress wanted to stop him but didn't dare in fear that he may shout at her in the presence of the servants.

Guilty soul.

The female physician finally spoke. "She's slowly waking up now... if this child is to be saved then the mother's will shall keep it".

"Who are you calling 'it'", she lashed out at her, "It's him", she corrected.

"Forgive this unworthy servant! your Majesty", she turned to kowtow then use that opportunity to see his face, but he was gone.

"It's alright, you are very young and endowed. If the crown princess and the grand prince lives, you and your family shall never lack in your lifetime", she promised.

"Yes your Majesty! I shall put my life on the line and save her highness and the grand prince!". She bowed before turning to continue her treatment on the awoken princess.

"Your highness, you will be fine. I shall do some acupuncture on you right now but you have to promise me you will never lose consciousness", she spoke softly, comforting her gently. She blinked her eyes weakly in acknowledgement of the instruction.

Looking closely at her, she found out that the crown princess resembles that young master she met at the former prime minister's entrance.

The world is quite small she told herself.

Half an hour later, with face full of sweats, she beamed at the empress and physician alike.

"Her highness is safe and his royal highness is also safe!".

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and congratulated the empress and crown princess and lastly the female physician.

Knowing her child is safe, she fell asleep comfortably.