Han'er

While waiting in the silent room I laid in the stiff, cold, foreign bed listening to the rustling of the lone willow tree in the courtyard, and the crickets that kept chirping non stop. 

That I couldn't help but wonder about his courtyard. I mean isn't it far to silent? I can literally hear crickets and nothing else, seriously is this courtyard meant to be a part of the cold palace? I feels so deserted and distant from the rest of the palace. 

The only benefit to this courtyard was that there was a willow tree here. It was always my favorite tree besides a bonsai tree not to mention the secret meaning it held for being here. It was really quite a relief for me.  

As I waited, a quarter of an incense had passed by before I heard the quick shuffling of footsteps approaching the room just before the door creaked open and Doctor Yun stepped in. 

He's back already! Didn't it take Imperial physician Fei at least half an incense to arrive earlier? This old man was so quick, did he jump over walls or something? 

I mean is it possible that Doctor Yun is one of those very few people who practiced martial arts? Is that why he's so fast? I mean if he did practice martial arts then he probably flew over the walls like the drama back home right? Either way Doctor Yun, you have earned the applause of this old lady for your speedy return. A great thumbs up in this lady book.  

Upon entering the room and noticing that the empress was giving him a strange look Doctor Yun could only let out a dry cough before speaking. 

"Your majesty, here is the medical porridge. Please drink this while it is still hot." Doctor Yun stated as he bowed once more.

You really have to applaud the man for being so concerned about his patient's health that he had left and came back within a quarter of an incense. To top it off he acted as though he had not seen the strange look on my face when he first entered. 

I quickly tried to sit up to receive the bowl of medicinal porridge and replied, "Doctor Yun, there really is no need for you to bow to me unless you are in the presence of his majesty for this lady is nothing but a mere captive. Besides the concern that you are shown this lady is more than enough to excuse you from bowing before me " 

Anyways I don't doubt that even in the presence of the emperor, Doctor Yun probably doesn't have to bow to me, unless it was in public. 

I mean so far that man has been giving me the cold shoulder, not that I mind. In his eyes I probably really am nothing but a hostage or worse garbage that will eventually be thrown out once I've served my purpose. 

"This servent can not comply with your request" stated Doctor Yun with his stern voice instantly bringing my attention back to the man.

"Sigh" I could only look helplessly at Doctor Yun, "Very well, do keep in mind that should there come a time in the future where you wish to not bow in front of this empress i shall allow you to." 

"Of course this servant shall hold your majesty's words in mind." Doctor Yun stated as he finally handed over the medicinal porridge over. 

As I finally made it up into a sitting position and reached out my hands for the bowl of porridge from Doctor Yun, I couldn't help but tremble at every movement that I made. With the slightest movement came the sensation of fire ants biting me all over. 

But to make matters worse every bite also had a stinging sensation followed by a burning sensation. 

I really have to admit that no matter how mentally tough a person's mind was, i was on the very edge of raising a white flag. 

It really felt as if my insides were being boiled and my body was just beginning to feel heavier and heavier. 

By the time I finally received the bowl from Doctor Yun my hands were shaking so bad that i started to spill the porridge and it just had to land on my wrist. 

Doctor Yun noticed that my hands were shaking, he quickly reached out and supported my hands with his and said, " Your Majesty, please excuse this servant for his imprudent manners but you must quickly drink this porridge." He quickly brought the bowl to my mouth and started to tip the bowl slightly to allow the porridge to slowly slip into my mouth in small amount of quantity until the bowl was empty. 

As soon as I finished the porridge Doctor Yun took my hands and started to apply medication on my hands for the spill earlier to avoid leaving any scars.

"Your majesty, should rest now that you have taken the medication. I shall return every few hours to give you another bowl of medication." Doctor Yun solmy said as he looked over at me. 

When I looked over at Doctor Yun I can see concern reflected in his eyes.This man was really a caring old man, I mean I barely know the man but I can tell that the look he had given me was one of pity and concern. 

I guess after witnessing the whole ordeal that I was in, had given him a sense of pity towards me. Who wouldn't be tough? I mean even I had this sense of pity and concern for Chen Mu Lan, after all she was nothing but a young girl who had been thrown into the turmoil of the palace. 

Sigh, I really can't help but lament over the fact that this is now my situation since I had been reborn into Chen Mu Lan's body. 

As I was deep in thought Doctor Yun started to speak again bringing me back to reality again.

"Your majesty, as I had stated earlier to Imperial physician Fei I have never seen this kind of poison before thus there is no cure at the moment. The most that this old man can do is hold this poison at bay for only for a few hours then the poison will be active again attacking your majesty's organs. Therefore every few hours I shall return with the medicinal porridge for you to drink till I can find out how to cure this poison." 

"I understand Doctor Yun, this lady shall now rest. This lady is extremely tired now." I replied as I slowly let myself back down on the bed. 

I closed my eyes and listen to Doctor Yun's footstep quietly drift further away. The silence slowly fills the room as I lay in bed. 

After waiting in the dark for half an incense I quietly got up and walked towards the table and looked towards the window, "Han'er I know you're there. Come in." 

"Miss, I was simply making sure that you're safe," a soft childish voice said as the door creaks open. 

I turned to look at the young man who was in his early teens enter the room, I couldn't help but be shocked. I mean he was just so young.. 

From the memories I received from Chen Mu Lan the last time that she had seen him, he definitely did not have this kind of face. 

At that time Han'er was dressed as a dirty beggar who had been starving on the side of the road. HIs face then was malnourished and did not look like the handsome young man who stood in front of her now. 

Despite all the different faces that he wore, from what I recall from Chen Mu Lan's memory is that Fang Han was a young man in his early twenties who was skilled at disguising himself that no one had really never seen his face. 

Even Chen Mu Lan, herself had never seen his face neither but she knew one thing and it was that Han'er was an imperial physician. 

Not only that Han'er wasn't just an imperial physician he was also Doctor Yun's prized disciple the youngest physician in history. 

Due to certain hardships in his life he had little faith in people but for some reason he had agree to Chen Mu Lan's plans, even Chen Mu Lan did not know the reason she only knew that Fang Han had sworn loyalty to her. 

But even then you gotta give props to the man for his disguise. If we back in the 21st century he would have made a great con artist.