Chapter 449: Sharp Edge
Consort Rong stepped forward and looked her up and down, taking an immediate liking to her.
"I haven’t had the chance to thank you properly for what happened with Cheng Qi. Princess Qingyang has mentioned you many times, and now that I finally get to meet you, I see you’re just as remarkable as she said."
The corners of Ye Chutang’s lips curved slightly. "It was nothing worth mentioning. Ultimately, Prince Lie has fortune on his side."
But Consort Rong shook her head.
"My dear, there’s no need to be so modest."
Although she hadn’t been present during the autumn hunt, she knew from Princess Qingyang’s later descriptions just how critical the situation had been.
If not for Ye Chutang, Xiao Chengqi would have succumbed to the poison long ago. He certainly wouldn’t have survived long enough for them to find an antidote.
Consort Rong kept the pleasantries brief. Worried about Emperor Muwu, she quickly said:
"Second Miss Ye, please check His Majesty’s pulse."
Ye Chutang gave a slight nod.
Just as she was about to step forward, she heard a faint, cold snort from nearby.
Ye Chutang paused and glanced in that direction.
Consort Rong immediately explained, "This is Doctor Zhou of the Imperial Hospital."
Ye Chutang understood.
Zhou Kangxue’s attitude toward Ye Chutang was anything but polite.
He hailed from a long line of esteemed physicians—an "apricot family"—and despised those like Ye Chutang, whom he considered an un-credentialed upstart.
In his eyes, Ye Chutang’s previous successes had been nothing but dumb luck, fooling everyone into thinking her medical skills were extraordinary.
’A mere girl of seventeen or eighteen... how much real skill could she possibly have?’
’She might fool people for a time, but she can’t fool them forever!’
He didn’t even deign to look at her properly, merely shooting her a sidelong glance as he offered a perfunctory cupping of his hands.
"My skills are clearly lacking. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble Second Miss Ye with everything that comes next."
Consort Rong’s expression flickered. She glanced worriedly at Ye Chutang and tried to smooth things over. "Second Miss Ye, Doctor Zhou is just—"
"Of course."
Ye Chutang replied with a faint smile, her agreement so nonchalant it was as if she hadn’t noticed the provocation and resentment in Zhou Kangxue’s tone—or as if she simply didn’t care.
"The Eldest Princess herself asked me to come, so naturally, I must do my best."
Zhou Kangxue’s face instantly darkened. "You!"
’Her words clearly implied that the Eldest Princess had deemed him incompetent, and that’s why she’d summoned Ye Chutang!’
Of course, given the circumstances, that was more or less the truth, so he couldn’t find any words to refute her.
In the end, all he could do was snort coldly and flick his sleeves in a rage.
"Arrogant girl!"
’The Eldest Princess puts far too much trust in this Ye Chutang!’
’If anything happens to His Majesty, can she possibly bear the consequences!?’
Ye Chutang, however, paid these issues no mind and walked directly to Emperor Muwu’s dragon bed.
Emperor Muwu lay there, his eyes shut tight. His lips were pale, and his breath came in scorching gasps.
He was buried under a thick pile of blankets but still shivered intermittently, looking as if he were chilled to the bone.
Ye Chutang focused her mind and took his pulse.
Watching her, Consort Rong fell silent, her heart rising into her throat.
After a moment, Ye Chutang withdrew her hand.
Consort Rong asked urgently, "How is he?"
Ye Chutang said, "Consort Rong, please instruct the palace attendants to open all the doors and windows. It’s stifling in here, and the lack of airflow is not helping His Majesty’s condition."
Consort Rong was taken aback. "What? Open the windows? But it’s freezing outside, that—"
"Furthermore, piling all these blankets on His Majesty is not the answer. A single, thin blanket will be sufficient."
Consort Rong was even more astonished.
Before she could speak, Zhou Kangxue, who was standing to the side, let out a derisive sneer.
"Absurd! His Majesty’s fever is unrelenting precisely because he has been afflicted by a malignant chill. How could you suggest opening the windows to the cold air? In a situation like this, one must be bundled up to sweat out the illness! Yet you’re saying to remove all his blankets? That is preposterous!"
Ye Chutang moved unhurriedly to one side to wash her hands. She slowly dried them with a handkerchief before finally lifting her gaze and asking in a calm, level voice:
"Pray tell, am I the one examining the patient, or is Doctor Zhou?"