Chapter 28: Awkward

When Song Jinning looked at the group of people kneeling in front of her, she felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead. 

The head imperial doctor, Zhou Yizheng, was kneeling on the front, and the white beard on his jaw trembled as he spoke. 

“Weichen¹微臣 (wēi chén)- This humble official. Used as an illeism by officials when speaking to those higher than them. didn’t know that Her Highness arrived and has disrespected Her Highness. Weichen asks Her Highness to punish weichen.”

How dare he let the Empress wait? If Liu Lanxi hadn’t seen Song Jinning accidentally, they would have made her wait even longer. 

Now that he thinks about it, Zhou Yizheng kind of blamed the little eunuch in his heart. 

How come he didn’t recognize the empress? If the empress becomes angry, wouldn’t it involve the entire imperial hospital? 

The little eunuch seemed to sense what Zhou Yizheng was thinking, and was trembling non-stop.

In his mind, he started thinking about what people have said about the Empress. 

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Rv kp pyke vbyv vbl Oxralpp oyp lmvalxlzu prskzle obld pbl oyp y nbkze. Xdnl, y rlapsd pvlrrle sd bla pjkav xyjkdt bla qyzz, yde kv oyp pyke vbyv vbl Oxralpp qklanlzu jknjle vbyv pyke rlapsd.&dcpr;

Xd ydsvbla snnypksd, vbl vly y xykeplahydv plahle oyp vss bsv, ps vbl Oxralpp yzzltlezu rswale vbl nwr sq vly shla vbl xykeplahydv’p qynl.

Mbkp vkxl, vbl zkvvzl lwdwnb eked’v alnstdkgl bla, yde lhld eyale vs pvsr bla yde zlv bla oykv swvpkel.&dcpr;

Mbl xsal vbl zkvvzl lwdwnb vbswtbv ycswv kv, vbl xsal yqayke bl oyp, yde bkp obszl cseu valxczle zkjl qyzzkdt zlyhlp kd vbl zyvl ywvwxd okde.

Ebld Fsdt Kkddkdt pyo bkx, pbl jdlo bl oyp pnyale.

Fbl fwpv oydvle vs byhl qwd. Fbl eked’v lmrlnv vs pnyal rlsrzl zkjl vbkp.

Ebyv’p ps tsse ycswv clkdt vbl Oxralpp? Rv’p vss nsze.&dcpr;

“Ebyv nakxl byp clld nsxxkvvle? Rv’p dsv ps plakswp. Qlv wr.”&dcpr;

Zhou Yizheng and the others got up, but the little eunuch was so afraid that he continued kneeling on the ground. 

Song Jinning felt sorry for him. So she walked over, held out her arm and personally helped him up.

This little eunuch looked like he was only thirteen or fourteen years old, and his face was pale with fright.

 “You-Your High-ness…”  

He even started to stammer.

Song Jinning raised her hand, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a pleasant smile: “Bengong is not a tiger, Bengong doesn’t eat people, don’t be afraid.”

After saying this, she turned her head and said to Zhou Yizheng: “Bengong was just joking with him, don’t punish him.”

If this little eunuch gets punished, wouldn’t it be her fault? 

Zhou Yizheng hurriedly bowed: “Weichen dare not.”

Song Jinning raised her foot and walked into the hospital while Zhou Yizheng and the others followed her from behind.

As soon as she entered, she noticed the faint smell of medicine.

When you drink medicine, it tastes very bitter, but Song Jinning found out that she liked the smell of medicine.

Song Jinning is not used to having so many people following her. She told Zhou Yizheng: “Bengong is just looking for medical books. What are you doing? Just do whatever you need to do, don’t follow bengong.” 

Zhou Yizheng responded with a yes. He waved to the people behind him to disperse, but he still followed Song Jinning respectfully.

“What book does the Empress want to read?”  

In the corner of Song Jinning’s eyes, she saw Liu Lanxi holding a piece of medicine, and Song Jinning felt that he looked really handsome when he faced sideways.

Sure enough, no matter what a beautiful man does, it will always be pleasing to the eye.

Retracting her gaze, Song Jinning smiled: “Bengong doesn’t know anything about medicine, and bengong has never read a medical book before. Bengong has to trouble Head Imperial Doctor Zhou to recommend two books to bengong.”

When Song Jinning was young, Zhou Yizheng was already working as an imperial physician in the palace. Naturally, he has heard about Song Jinning’s ‘bad’ personality. But he unexpectedly discovered that Song Jinning was actually a very approachable person.

While secretly thinking that rumors are not credible, Zhou Yizheng went to find two entry-level medical books and gave them to Song Jinning.

“Please read these two books first. If Your Highness has any questions, your highness can send someone to call weichen any time.”  

Song Jinning remembered what Empress Dowager Song had said. The imperial doctors in the imperial hospital are all awkward and unintelligible, and Liu Lanxi is the only one who can speak straightforwardly. 

Song Jinning didn’t understand it at first, but now that she thinks about it, this Head Imperial Doctor Zhou has an empty face while talking…

She thought that if her mentors were like this, it would dispel her enthusiasm to be a Xinglin Master. 

So she smiled and said, “The imperial hospital can’t be without the Head Imperial Doctor. How can Bengong bother you? Just assign someone instead.” 

She pointed her hand in the direction where Liu Lanxi was: “Bengong will just ask Imperial Doctor Liu.” 

How can Zhou Yizheng disobey? He immediately called Liu Lanxi over and ordered him to teach the Empress. 

When the goal was achieved, Song Jinning took the two medical books and was about to leave.

When she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something, so she turned around and asked Zhou Yizheng: “Are there any herbs that can repel mosquitoes?”

The last time Li Chengxuan stayed the night with her, he woke up with red spots on his face and neck. Song Jinning didn’t know how it happened at that time. She only understood when she was reading a book last night and heard the buzzing sound of mosquitoes flying.

Li Chengxuan is really delicate, so something like a red spot on his body can easily be seen. 

Forget it, let’s give him a mosquito repellant pouch. 

Zhou Yizheng immediately said yes.

He picked up a few herbs, sealed them in a pouch, and offered them to Song Jinning with both hands.

Song Jinning reached out and took it.

As soon as she held the pouch, she noticed the faint scent of medicine. There was also the smell of mint inside the pouch, which made people feel cool.

She will put this mosquito repellent pouch next to the wooden couch near her bed, so that there will be no mosquitoes when Li Chengxuan comes to sleep in Weiyang Palace.

But Li Chengxuan usually stays in the imperial study…

Not only Li Chengxuan, but also Empress Dowager Song, Li Xiyan, and the servants in the palace need mosquito repellent pouches. After all, mosquitoes do not distinguish between Empress Dowager, Princess, and maid. They sting everyone that comes into contact.

So she told Zhou Yizheng: “Ask people to make more mosquito repellent pouches like this. Give one to the Emperor, Empress Dowager, eunuchs, mama’s, and others.” 

It’s good to not have mosquito bites. 

“As for the amount of silver needed to make these pouches, just ask a eunuch to go to Weiyang Palace and bengong will give the amount needed.”

“Your Highness has a kind heart.” 

Head Imperial Doctor Zhou kneeled down in thanks to Song Jinning. 

She not only thought about the emperor, empress dowager, and the princess, but also the servants who work tirelessly. 

An empress that can empathize with her servants is definitely good. In the future, if someone says that the Empress is not good, Zhou Yizheng won’t believe a word. He will also tell them how benevolent the Empress actually is. 

As a result, Zhou Yizheng was so excited that he took a few mosquito repellent pouches and went to the imperial study room to see Li Chengxuan in person, to tell him about Song Jinning’s visit to the imperial hospital.

When Li Chengxuan heard that Song Jinning was looking for a medical book, he sneered. But he didn’t expect that Song Jinning really wanted to study medicine.

When he heard that Song Jinning asked Zhou Yizheng to make a mosquito repellent pouch for him, he felt a gush of water in his heart. 

So Song Jinning was actually thinking of him in her heart. Knowing that he was bitten by a mosquito that night, she couldn’t wait to go to the imperial hospital to ask Zhou Yizheng to make him a mosquito repellent pouch?

He had good looks and was an emperor. Even if Song Jinning didn’t like him at first, and said nonsense about contract marriage, how could she not fall for him? 

He felt a little bit of sweetness in his heart for no reason. 

But at the next moment, he heard Zhou Yizheng excitedly saying that the Empress even ordered mosquito repellent pouches to be given to servants. 

Li Chengxuan: …

Li Chengxuan’s smile froze on his face.

What?

So Song Jinning didn’t go to the Imperial Hospital to get this mosquito repellent pouch especially made for him? 

Humph, he is the emperor, how come she didn’t send him more than one? Is he really not that special in her heart? 

Li Chengxuan felt like a big rock was blocking his heart. 

After telling Zhou Jing to take the pouch, he made Zhou Yizheng retreat with a calm face, and then continued to read memorials. 

Zhou Jing stood aside with the pouch in his hand. He stared at Li Chengxuan’s expressionless face, and was a little bit unsure of what he was thinking. 

Wasn’t there a smile on his majesty’s face just now? 

When Li Chengxuan raised his hand to ask for tea, Zhou Jing offered the tea, then said cautiously: “Her Highness is thinking of Your Majesty in her heart. Knowing that there are many mosquitoes now, she went to the imperial hospital and ordered someone to give your majesty a mosquito repellent pouch. Your majesty, where should this slave hang this pouch?”

He can’t hold this all day, right? 

Li Chengxuan paused, and then snorted softly.

Special? He also thought this was the case, but it turns out he’s just an extra!

After taking two sips of tea, he put down the cup and glanced sideways at the pouch that Zhou Jing was still holding in his hand.

“Take it away.”

 After saying the cold command, Li Chengxuan continued to look at Zhou Jing with a calm face.

Isn’t it just a few mosquitoes? He didn’t believe that he could be bitten to death by mosquitoes without this mosquito repellent pouch!

Although being bitten to death is impossible, a mosquito can still leave red marks on the skin and a scratchy and tingling feeling. 

But Li Chengxuan was angry, even if he is bitten by a mosquito, he will never use the mosquito repellent pouch. 

Zhou Jing was helpless when he saw this, but he could only follow Li Chengxuan’s orders.

As Li Chengxuan read memorials, Zhou Jing walked over carefully.

He held a translucent glass bowl in his hands. 

In the cup was a yellowish-brownish solid paste, and the entire paste seemed to be shining under the summer light. 

“Your Majesty.”

Because Li Chengxuan was in a bad mood these past few days, the people waiting by his side were cautious. They feared that if they said something wrong, they would be punished. 

“This is the dessert that the Empress sent. It’s called caramel pudding. Would your majesty like to try it?”

Li Chengxuan’s hand stopped. But he neither looked up nor spoke, as if he hadn’t heard Zhou Jing’s voice at all, and continued to stare blankly.

Zhou Jing: …

What is happening? 

In the past, every time the empress sent someone to deliver food, His Majesty would immediately put down the things in his hand and enjoy it. Why was he now staring blankly? 

Zhou Jing didn’t dare to ask. However, since Li Chengxuan didn’t say what to do with the caramel pudding, Zhou Jing did not dare to move.

He can only step aside while holding the tray.

He felt his wrist was getting sore when he finally heard the steady voice from Li Chengxuan beside him.

“Does zhen have this caramel pudding alone? Or does everyone else have it?”