Chapter 51: The Princess Consort’s Special Patient
She couldn’t really blame them. After all, she was the wife of a prince. In their eyes, she had probably never treated a wound or even touched medicinal herbs before. They were simply being polite while lowering their expectations.
Physicial Liu finally opened his mouth. "Princess Consort will mainly help me sort and prepare the herbs, hand medicine to the patients when needed, and observe how we diagnose and treat injuries. It will be a good opportunity for her to learn."
He paused before adding with a warm smile, "The battlefield is no place to rush into things. Medical knowledge takes years to master. Starting with the basics is the safest approach."
There wasn’t a hint of mockery in his voice. He genuinely didn’t want Lin Xueyi to push herself too hard.
After all, the injuries they dealt with every day were far more gruesome than what most people could handle.
The older physician nodded in understanding. "I see. That sounds much more suitable."
The young female physician smiled apologetically at Lin Xueyi. "Please forgive my assumption, Princess Consort. I was worried you would insist on helping with the wounded right away."
Lin Xueyi smiled back. "It’s alright. I know I still have a lot to learn."
Inside, however, she sighed. [Well... they’re not wrong.]
[I may have some modern medical knowledge, but I’ve never actually treated anyone in real life. I should learn from the experienced physicians first instead of acting like I know everything.]
After the introductions, the atmosphere inside the tent gradually became more relaxed. The older physician walked over to a long wooden shelf lined with rows of drawers.
"These are the herbs we use most often," he explained patiently. "Fever medicine is on the left, herbs for pain and inflammation are in the middle, and bandages, needles, and other supplies are kept on the shelves behind you."
Lin Xueyi listened carefully, making a mental note of everything.
Soon, wounded soldiers began entering the tent one after another.
Most of them had only minor problems; a headache from standing guard in the cold, sore muscles from training, or a slight fever after spending the night outside.
Physician Liu treated each patient one by one while explaining his reasoning to Lin Xueyi.
"This soldier’s pulse is steady," he said as he checked a young man’s wrist. "His headache is likely caused by exhaustion and the cold wind. He doesn’t need strong medicine."
He quickly wrote a prescription before handing it to Lin Xueyi. "Please prepare these herbs for him."
Lin Xueyi accepted the paper and carefully gathered each herb from the drawers she had just learned about. After checking the prescription twice, she handed everything back to Physician Liu.
"Very good," he said with an approving nod.
As the day went on, Lin Xueyi helped grind herbs, wrapped small packets of medicine, and handed bowls of freshly brewed medicine to the soldiers after Physician Liu finished examining them.
She also observed how he checked their pulse, looked at their tongue, and asked about their symptoms before deciding on a treatment.
The more she watched, the more fascinated she became.
[Traditional Chinese medicine is even more detailed than I imagined.]
Just then, the flap of the medical tent was lifted open and afamiliar figure rolled inside in a wheelchair.
Every physician in the tent immediately stood up. "Greetings, Your Highness."
Rong Shuyan gave a small nod in return before his gaze naturally settled on his wife. "Xueyi, I have a headache."
Lin Xueyi blinked several times before immediately walking toward him. "Your Highness, if you have a headache, why didn’t you ask Physician Liu to come to your tent instead? Or I could have accompanied you there."
[Did he get a headache because he woke up too early? I knew it! I knew being a morning person isn’t good for everyone!]
In truth, Rong Shuyan didn’t understand why he had come to the medical tent either.
Did he have a headache? Yes.
But headaches had become a normal part of his life. He had lived with them for years because of the cold poison in his body. Most of the time, he would simply lie down in bed and wait for the pain to fade on its own.
"No need," Rong Shuyan said. "I came here because it’s just a mild headache. That’s why, I decide to just come here instead."
Physician Liu smiled knowingly. "If it’s only a mild headache, then there’s no need to worry too much."
He walked over to a nearby shelf and took down a small pouch of dried herbs. "I’ll prepare a pot of herbal tea for you. It should help ease the pain."
After handing the herbs to the young female physician, he turned back to Rong Shuyan. "Your Highness, please have a seat on the bed over there."
He pointed to a simple wooden bed in the corner of the tent. "You’ve been sitting in your wheelchair for quite some time. Stretching your legs for a while may help you feel more comfortable."
Rong Shuyan nodded. "Very well."
Eunuch Shen carefully pushed the wheelchair toward the bed before helping Rong Shuyan transfer onto it.
Once seated, Rong Shuyan slowly stretched out his legs.
The movement was small, but it was enough to ease some of the stiffness that had built up from sitting in the wheelchair since early morning.
Lin Xueyi walked over to him. Without saying a word, she crouched beside the bed and gently placed the back of her hand against his forehead.
Her sudden movement caught him slightly off guard, but he kept his composure.
"Your forehead doesn’t feel hot..." Lin Xueyi murmured.
A moment later, she gently pressed two fingers against his temples. "Does it hurt here?"
Rong Shuyan looked at her for a long moment before answering softly, "A little."
Without thinking, Lin Xueyi gently began massaging his temples with her fingertips. The movement was soft and careful, just enough to ease the tension without causing discomfort.
Rong Shuyan’s eyes widened ever so slightly. He had expected her to ask a few more questions before stepping aside.
Instead, she stayed by his side, patiently rubbing his temples as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Even Physician Liu smiled faintly at the sight. "It seems," he said with a chuckle, "the Princess Consort’s treatment may work even before the herbal tea is ready."