The palace maid bent over to pick up the medical box and said, "I'll carry it for you. It's getting late. Please follow me, young doctor. The senior doctor will be taken care of by the eunuchs."
Left with no choice, Yingbao had to follow this palace maid to the side hall.
The side hall had partitions, but there were no doors or curtains to cover them and there was only a screen obscuring the view from outside.
Now it was already dark, and Yingbao didn't know what time it was. A palace maid was holding a lamp, lighting the way for her.
Inside the partitioned area, there was a bed and a small table with two chairs.
In the corner of the room, there was a chamber pot just behind the bed, separated by a curtain.
Once Yingbao finished washing up, a palace maid brought her some tea and food.
The meal was straightforward: a bowl of white porridge, two steamed buns and two small dishes of side dishes.
The side dishes were shredded pickled vegetables and a dish of cooked greens.