Chapter 1212 - 889: Unsure Whom to Choose
The next day, a unfamiliar figure followed Eunuch Yu into Qianqiu Palace.
Eunuch Yu stood before Shang Ruyi, beaming. After clasping his hands in salute, he said, "Princess, this is Imperial Doctor Du Ruoming. From now on, he will attend to the health of you and the Young Master."
"Oh."
At his words, Shang Ruyi slowly lifted her head, and saw a man of about thirty, thin of build, with a small goatee, standing before her, bowing with clasped hands. Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "So it is Doctor Du. I’ll be in your care from now on."
"I wouldn’t dare."
"Just as well, I haven’t been sleeping too well these past two days. Come take my pulse."
"Yes."
Du Ruoming was considered an old hand in the Imperial Medical Bureau. Though he seldom came to Qianqiu Palace, he had always been in charge of treating the consorts in the harem, so he was quite practiced. He took out a soft cushion and placed it under Shang Ruyi’s wrist, then covered her wrist with a clean silk handkerchief. After that he pressed his fingers to her pulse gate and began to take her pulse.
After a while, he put away his things and said softly, "Princess seems to have caught a bit of wind chill some days ago. Fortunately the medicine was timely, so there is no major harm. But this humble servant finds your pulse thin as a blade—this is from excessive worry, heart and spleen both deficient, leading to blocked emotions and stagnant qi."
"Then what should be done?"
"This humble servant will prescribe two medicines for Your Highness—Heavenly King Heart Supplement Pill and Gui Pi Pills. They will help replenish qi and nourish the blood, strengthen the spleen and calm the heart."
"All right."
"But medicine works as medicine does; the Princess must also ease her mind somewhat, then she may find peace."
Shang Ruyi smoothed her sleeves as she smiled and said, "Easy to say. With the snow and wind like this lately, I’m often awake the whole night. It’s not so easy to set my mind at ease."
"This—"
He seemed to hear the complaint hidden in her words, and he also knew that Qianqiu Palace’s ’confinement’ had only just been lifted yesterday. So Du Ruoming and Eunuch Yu both only accompanied her with polite smiles and said no more. Du Ruoming glanced around, then said, "May I ask where the Young Master is?"
Shang Ruyi had just picked up the cup on the table and taken a sip of water. Hearing this, she raised her eyes to him. "Why is Doctor Du looking for my son?"
Du Ruoming immediately smiled flatteringly. "Your Majesty has decreed that this humble servant is to attend to the health of the Princess and the Young Master. And I have heard that the Young Master has been somewhat unwell of late, so this humble servant thought—"
"He’s fine."
Shang Ruyi waved her hand and slowly put down the cup. "The Chief Imperial Doctor already came yesterday. He said we only need to carry him around more and let him move, and he’ll be fine."
Du Ruoming smiled and said, "Yes."
With that he tidied his things and said, "Then this humble servant will not disturb the Princess’s rest."
Eunuch Yu also bowed to Shang Ruyi. The two then took their leave and withdrew from Qianqiu Palace. Not long after, the Imperial Medical Bureau sent over the Heavenly King Heart Supplement Pill and Gui Pi Pills prescribed by Doctor Du. Shang Ruyi took them for several days in succession, and at night she did sleep much more soundly.
That day, the weather was rarely clear, and Yu Wenquan was in good spirits. He had someone pass on a message, summoning Princess Qin to bring Yuanyuan to Liangyi Hall.
Shang Ruyi naturally knew Grandpa was missing his little grandson, so she immediately took Yuanyuan to Liangyi Hall. As soon as he saw Little Yuanzi, Yu Wenquan broke into smiles, taking him into his arms, kissing and cuddling him. Little Yuanzi had not seen his Grandpa for several days; at first he felt a bit unfamiliar. His little mouth pouted, as if he were about to cry. But when he met Yu Wenquan’s smiling face and carefully studied the man before him, he suddenly seemed to recognize him, and broke into a happy grin.
"Miss."
Hearing the child’s clear laughter, Yu Wenquan was even more delighted. "In just this short while, he’s grown again. Mm, and gotten chubbier."
Shang Ruyi laughed. "Yes, this child eats well and sleeps well."
"Does he still spit up milk like before?"
"These days the wet nurse carries him out walking every day. It hasn’t happened again."
"That’s good then."
Yu Wenquan played with the little grandson in his arms as he casually asked, "And these past two days, what has King Qin been doing?"
Shang Ruyi said, "King Qin still goes to the barracks to drill the troops."
"Drill the troops?"
Yu Wenquan didn’t lift his head, but because his brow ridge was high, one could still see him frown slightly. He said in a low voice, "He’s not even being sent out to war—what is he drilling for? He ought to spend more time with you and the child."
Shang Ruyi quickly smiled. "That is what your daughter also thinks."
As she spoke, she said cautiously, "Father, your daughter has another request that may be presumptuous."
"Hm?"
Perhaps because Shang Ruyi seldom took the initiative to ask for anything, Yu Wenquan raised his brows slightly and looked up at her. "What is it you want?"
Shang Ruyi said, "Your daughter would like to leave the palace again, to visit her uncle and aunt."