Chapter 518: Staying Behind

Chapter 518: Staying Behind

Ji Yuntang stepped into Cining Palace and gave a slight nod to Empress Dowager Yuan.

"This commoner greets Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."

Hearing this, Empress Dowager Yuan slowly opened her eyes and sat up from the soft couch.

Her expression was gentle and kind, a far cry from how she was yesterday.

"Doctor Yun, you've arrived. Come, sit beside me."

She beckoned Ji Yuntang to sit next to her and instructed the attending maid, "Someone, bring tea for Doctor Yun."

Ji Yuntang didn't know what Empress Dowager Yuan was up to. She didn't sit down but instead said, "Your Majesty, let me do your acupuncture first."

Seeing how diligent Ji Yuntang was, Empress Dowager Yuan felt even more satisfied with her.

She smiled and said, "Very well. After your acupuncture yesterday, my head felt so relaxed. For over a decade, I've never slept as well as I did last night."

"Doctor Yun, after today's acupuncture, will I feel even better than yesterday?"

Ji Yuntang replied truthfully, "Of course. Yesterday eased Your Majesty's headache, but it wasn't fully cured. After today's acupuncture, not only will your tinnitus go away, but your appetite will also improve a lot."

Empress Dowager Yuan was overjoyed and said eagerly, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and do the acupuncture!"

Ji Yuntang pulled out silver needles from her medical kit and was about to stick them into Empress Dowager Yuan's scalp when Hua Feixue's voice echoed in her mind.

"Stab her, stab her hard, stab that old witch to death."

Ji Yuntang: "..."

The corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily. The sudden voice made her hand jerk, and she accidentally pricked Empress Dowager Yuan's scalp, drawing blood.

Ji Yuntang expected Empress Dowager Yuan to get angry, but she acted like she hadn't felt a thing, her expression completely unchanged.

Empress Dowager Yuan felt a sharp sting on her scalp and thought to herself that Doctor Yun must have had her reasons for doing this.

But Hua Feixue wouldn't drop it. "Use more force! Her face is so thick, the needle won't go through. See, she didn't even react just now."

"Hey, can you even do this? If not, I'll do it for you..."

Her head buzzing with noise, Ji Yuntang gritted her teeth and, unable to take it anymore, sent her a telepathic message, "Hua Feixue, shut your mouth!"

With that, she immediately cut off her connection to the space.

Ji Yuntang finally had some peace and quiet.

This acupuncture session lasted longer than yesterday's did, lasting nearly three hours. Empress Dowager Yuan sat there, starting to doze off.

When Ji Yuntang removed the needles, she woke with a start, and she heard a woman's voice: "Your Majesty, how are you feeling?"

Empress Dowager Yuan closed her eyes and felt her body, feeling completely relaxed, as if her meridians had suddenly been opened up. A comfort she couldn't describe washed over her.

Compared to yesterday, she really did feel even better.

She smiled and praised, "I feel excellent. Doctor Yun truly has a healer's heart, and your treatments work wonders."

"It's my honor to help Your Majesty."

Ji Yuntang was modest. Of course there would be results—if there weren't, all her hard work would have been for nothing.

At that moment, Empress Dowager Yuan spoke up, looking at Ji Yuntang and saying, "With your medical skills, Doctor Yun, it would be a waste for you to stay a simple wandering doctor among the common people. Why not stay in the palace and be my personal imperial physician?"

"If you agree, I definitely won't treat you badly."

Ji Yuntang turned her head and met Empress Dowager Yuan's gentle, kind gaze.

However, she sharply detected a hint of scheming in the other woman's eyes.

Logically, Empress Dowager Yuan's condition could be fully cured after tomorrow's acupuncture. There was no reason for her to keep Ji Yuntang around.

Yet she was determined to have her stay.

If it was just to treat her own illness, Ji Yuntang didn't buy it.

She suddenly thought of the new Crown Prince, Yuanchao.

Could it be that Empress Dowager Yuan wanted to keep her here to cure Yuanchao?

She wondered if Xie Liuzheng would manage to pull out the illegitimate son's hair today, and whether the person buying the Dendrobium officinale would end up being Yuanchao.

Ji Yuntang felt this might be a chance to get close to Yuanchao, so she agreed without a second thought.

To avoid making Empress Dowager Yuan suspicious, she deliberately acted overwhelmed and flattered.

"Your Majesty, are you serious? I can really stay and be your personal imperial physician?"

Seeing her look so naive, Empress Dowager Yuan felt she already had Ji Yuntang in the palm of her hand.

She smiled and said, "Of course. Stay by my side, and whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Isn't that better than being out there treating commoners in all kinds of weather?"

Ji Yuntang lowered her head and stayed quiet, pretending to think. Empress Dowager Yuan added, "How about this—since it's getting late, why don't you stay in the palace for the night? That way you won't have to make another trip tomorrow."

"As for your brother and sister-in-law, don't worry about them. I'll send someone to the General's Mansion to let them know."

With that, without waiting for Ji Yuntang to agree, Empress Dowager Yuan directly arranged for someone to deliver the message to the General's Mansion.

Ji Yuntang's eyes flickered with a hint of cunning. The old witch was dead set on keeping her in the palace!

Well, that was fine—it saved her from having to sneak over the palace walls tonight to give her a scare.

Ji Yuntang lowered her eyes submissively and obediently agreed, "Then I thank Your Majesty for your kindness!"

Empress Dowager Yuan had the maids arrange a quiet palace for Ji Yuntang to stay in. It wasn't lavishly decorated, but it was clean and neat.

She also assigned Ji Yuntang a maid, saying it was to take care of her daily needs.

Ji Yuntang knew this was just a way to have someone spy on her.

Back in her quarters, Ji Yuntang called the maid over and asked, "What's your name?"

The maid, with an arrogant look, said proudly, "This servant is called Xin Yue, a second-rank maid serving the Empress Dowager."

Ji Yuntang sneered inwardly but pulled a hairpin from her hair and gave it to her.

"Xin Yue, since the Empress Dowager arranged for you to take care of me, it means we're destined to be mistress and servant."

"I don't have much to give you, so let me give you this gold-inlaid-jade hairpin as a welcome gift. I hope we can be of one mind in the days ahead."

Xin Yue's eyes lit up; she could tell at a glance that the hairpin was exquisitely crafted and worth a fortune.

Having served Empress Dowager Yuan for six years, she had never received such a valuable reward.

She never expected that Miss Yun, whom she had only just met, would be so generous.

She immediately took the hairpin and showered her with thanks, saying, "Thank you so much, Miss Yun, for your generous gift."

A subtle, enigmatic gleam flickered in Ji Yuntang's eyes as she said, "I'm not big on rules here, and I don't need you to keep watch at night. Go back to sleep; I'll call you if I need anything."

Xin Yue acknowledged her and left beaming with joy, clutching the hairpin.

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