This country, sick as you are
Mo Li quietly climbed over the palace wall, instinctively pressing back the sand mouse that tried to poke its head out of his collar.
Because there was a cat in the Eastern Palace.
The night was thick, and the palace was brightly lit, bustling with people coming and going. Perhaps for this reason, the spotted cat had hidden elsewhere, and Mo Li did not see it.
The deeper he went, the more Doctor Mo’s brows furrowed.
He originally thought the noise was limited to the vicinity of the palace gate, but to his surprise, the sleeping quarters were also unsettled. With the crown prince being so seriously ill, it was not easy for him to fall asleep. What were these people doing?
Whole boxes of precious brocade and antique jade were displayed in front of the palace.
The patterns on the brocade shone brilliantly under the light.
The eunuchs and palace maids of the Eastern Palace lowered their heads, as if they couldn’t see these things, quickly passing by the steps. Steward Chen of the Eastern Palace had a livid face, angrily scolding the treasurer who had brought things over: “Who allowed you to come here? Without the crown prince’s permission, how dare you barge in with people?”
The treasurer was accompanied by several officials of the sixth or seventh rank, who did not speak, but their expressions were not pleasant.
Although the ranking system within the imperial court was different from the outer court, these officials in charge of the royal treasury spent their days dealing with the inner eunuchs, lacking the presence to disdain the inner court.
“Look at what Steward Chen is saying, this is the emperor and the Third Prince’s intention. The crown prince must review it, right?”
The treasurer’s tone was respectful, but his expression was sarcastic. In the past, he would have greeted the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace with a smile, welcoming him properly. Now it was different, with the crown prince gravely ill, Steward Chen was like a dying man, still trying to put on airs in front of him?
“The two prime ministers said we should come and see if the Eastern Palace lacked anything, and we should take from the treasury to replenish. Now not allowing us in, nor to look, how are we to perform our duties?”
The voice was loud, audible from afar.
Steward Chen was furious, nearly punching the treasurer in the face.
The other palace servants and guards of the Eastern Palace showed the same anger, subtly surrounding the people from the treasury.
The treasurer then realized the danger, stepping back, asking in a panic, “What are you trying to do? Are you also planning to…”
Before he could finish saying “rebel,” a shadow flashed before his eyes, and he screamed while covering his face. Blood streamed down his face, his hand trembling uncontrollably, his expression terrified, wildly swinging his other hand in front of him.
“Meow.”
The shadow stopped at a distance on the stone steps, its tail flicking lightly.
“Catch that cat!” the treasurer said, both shocked and angry.
If the injury did not heal properly, leaving scars, he might even lose his current position. Whether it was ministers of the outer court or eunuchs of the inner court, any disfigurement meant the end of all prospects, only generals were not so particular.
“Damn it, catch it…”
“Ah Hu!”
Hearing the palace servants’ call, the cat ran even faster.
Steward Chen said with a forced smile, “Treasurer Hu is startled. That’s the crown prince’s pet civet, naturally timid. Today, suddenly so many people came to the palace without notice, everyone was in a flurry, and the cat was scared. Animals don’t understand anything, they can’t be taught manners, they just run wild.”
“You—”
Treasurer Hu was so angry he stumbled backward.
The other officials also understood the implied criticism, yet they were unable to retaliate.
As long as the crown prince was alive, he remained the crown prince. They could disregard the crown prince in their minds and look down upon him in their hearts, but outwardly, they had to adhere to the loyalty between sovereign and subject, unable to chase after the cat raised by the crown prince.
The civet cat was very agile, not giving anyone the chance to hit it with anything, and in a few moments, it had jumped onto the eaves.
The steep, narrow eaves seemed like flat ground to the cat.
Suddenly, it stopped, looking around as if searching for something.
The people below could only watch as it crossed the eaves and flipped to the other side of the palace.
—Mo Li held his breath, silently watching the cat approaching him.
This cat, named Ah Hu, arched its back and slightly raised its claws, as if it saw Mo Li as a rival for food.
The so-called “food” was snugly tucked inside Mo Li’s embrace, a warm and soft bundle that didn’t move at all. Mo Li couldn’t help but use his internal energy to drive the civet away, wishing to keep it at a distance from himself.
The cat was flipped over three times by an invisible force, almost rolling off the roof unsteadily.
By the time it climbed back up, Mo Li had already slipped into the sleeping quarters under the cover of night.
Yu Lan turned around and was startled to see a person in front of her, almost pulling out a hairpin to strike. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, avoiding shouting out about an assassin and alarming people outside the palace.
Curtains fell on all four sides of the sleeping quarters, and with the screens and furnishings providing cover, even the palace servants waiting inside could not see what was happening in this corner.
Mo Li gestured for Yu Lan to be silent, and she understood, quickly assigning the nearby servants tasks to do, then she bowed respectfully, her expression filled with joy and anticipation.
“Have you come to visit His Highness?”
Mo Li did not speak, merely nodding slightly.
Because the prescription was effective, Yu Lan wished she could worship Mo Li as a Buddha or Bodhisattva. She hurried to inform the crown prince, and soon, the people in the sleeping quarters gradually left, leaving only a few palace servants.
These were the stewards of the Eastern Palace and the confidants of the crown prince.
The last time Mo Li came, they had been laid out flat, and this was the first time they had seen this divine physician who appeared mysteriously with Master Meng.
Upon seeing Mo Li, the crown prince was invigorated, slightly rising to say, “I have been graced by the divine physician’s favor, yet I still do not know the divine physician’s name or who you were taught by…”
“Names are not important. What you need is the prescription, not the background of the doctor.”
Yu Lan, standing by the side, happened to watch Mo Li walk past her. She noticed something bulging under Mo Li’s outer robe.
Yu Lan knew martial arts; she was the crown prince’s personal maid and also acted as a guard. She made sure that anyone the crown prince was to meet did not conceal any weapons.
Since she often couldn’t physically search them, she had to rely on her eyes, and Yu Lan was sure she hadn’t seen wrongly – there was indeed a small bulge under the divine physician’s clothes, too small even to be a purse.
And who would stuff a purse inside their chest?
Now that it was spring, people wore more layers than in winter but less bulky than cotton clothes, and not as loose as summer robes, so a slight bulge was very noticeable.
“…”
Wait, it seemed to be moving!
Yu Lan was shocked and quickly signaled the palace servants to pay attention.
The others, not understanding the situation, thought there might be something wrong with Mo Li and cautiously moved closer.
Mo Li ignored the wary and scrutinizing gazes of the people. He walked to a spot five steps away from the crown prince’s bed, raised his hand in a saluting gesture, his demeanor calm. He showed no extra deference due to the crown prince’s status, nor did he act unrestrainedly because of his martial skills.
Steward Chen, who had rushed over upon hearing the news and wanted to scold him, hesitated.
Mo Li only cared about the sand mouse in his embrace; as long as the rat wasn’t snatched by the cat, he didn’t mind what others thought.
“Please, sit down, Doctor.”
The crown prince’s expression changed, using a closer form of address.
Mo Li indeed did not like being called a divine physician.
The servants were about to move a cushioned stool over, but Mo Li stopped them.
“No need, I can take the pulse from here.”
Mo Li acted like an ordinary doctor visiting a common household to treat a patient, focusing solely on taking the pulse of the crown prince who extended his wrist. After a while, he asked to check the other hand.
No one spoke in the sleeping quarters, only the low coughing of the crown prince could be heard.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Mo Li finally released his hand, deep in thought.
Doctors often appear this way when faced with complicated diseases, unsure of the prescription to give. The crown prince’s condition was even more serious; the imperial physicians would change their expressions dramatically upon checking his pulse, unable to hide their shock and afterward, they would be evasive, not daring to speak directly.
Mo Li’s hesitation stemmed from never having tried to treat a patient in such critical condition before. The crown prince’s body could not even handle strong medicines, let alone ordinary doses.
There was no existing prescription; he could only ponder and adjust by himself.
A slight mistake in dosage could have unimaginable consequences.
Mo Li was somewhat anxious, though it didn’t show on his face, only his thoughts were turbulent. If there were another doctor equally skilled in medicine present, deliberating on the prescription together, Mo Li would have been more confident.
“Did I see some imperial physicians when I came?”
This was Mo Li’s guess, for in the palace, those with white hair and beards not wearing crimson or purple robes were typically imperial physicians.
“All who came were of no use…”
“Yu Lan!”
The crown prince interrupted, then asked Mo Li, “Doctor, do you wish to discuss the prescription with them?”
Mo Li thought of the prescriptions he had seen in the Eastern Palace and shook his head: “No need.”
Among these imperial physicians, there might be those skilled in medicine, but their prescriptions are overly cautious, essentially curing nothing, aiming only to preserve the patient’s life. It’s less about curing disease and more about recuperation, relying on the patient’s own recovery rather than the efficacy of the medicine.
Faced with the crown prince’s deteriorating condition, the imperial physicians were helpless.
“…This country, sick as you are.”
Both precarious as a pile of eggs, both daunting to address.
The foundation exists but is riddled with flaws, beyond repair or replenishment.
The civil and military officials of the Qi dynasty are like those imperial physicians, never considering treating the root cause, only wanting to preserve the existing structure, hoping this already decaying state can somehow rejuvenate and return to the prosperity of the Chu dynasty.
“Doctor?”
Mo Li was brought back to reality by this call, he untied his medicine pouch and took out silver needles.
The side halls were occupied by imperial physicians, who had all the necessary items. Yu Lan quickly brought moxa and a small lamp specially used for heating silver needles.
The crown prince, watching the flickering lamp light, suddenly asked, “Is my second brother well?”
Mo Li paused, not answering.
“Second brother escaped the palace, and the imperial guards have not caught him yet. I guess he was taken away by the imperial teacher.” The crown prince struggled to take out a piece of glossy, beautiful jade from under his pillow and handed it to Mo Li.
Mo Li didn’t take it, but his fingers touched the jade.
It was warm.
“What is this, Your Highness?”
“This is warm jade, a rare treasure. It’s a waste in the hands of someone about to die. I’m giving this to you, Doctor. If there are children with cold constitutions in the future, it can be of use.” The crown prince said intermittently, then added with a bitter smile, “I give you this jade as a reward, hoping the imperial teacher and Doctor can take my second brother out of the capital. After that, his fate is in the hands of the heavens.”
The sand mouse, hearing this, pressed its paws against Mo Li’s chest twice.
Doctor Mo: “…”
No, he wouldn’t say that the sixth prince was also right under their noses, then take an extra piece of warm jade!
This country, sick as you are
Mo Li quietly climbed over the palace wall, instinctively pressing back the sand mouse that tried to poke its head out of his collar.
Because there was a cat in the Eastern Palace.
The night was thick, and the palace was brightly lit, bustling with people coming and going. Perhaps for this reason, the spotted cat had hidden elsewhere, and Mo Li did not see it.
The deeper he went, the more Doctor Mo’s brows furrowed.
He originally thought the noise was limited to the vicinity of the palace gate, but to his surprise, the sleeping quarters were also unsettled. With the crown prince being so seriously ill, it was not easy for him to fall asleep. What were these people doing?
Whole boxes of precious brocade and antique jade were displayed in front of the palace.
The patterns on the brocade shone brilliantly under the light.
The eunuchs and palace maids of the Eastern Palace lowered their heads, as if they couldn’t see these things, quickly passing by the steps. Steward Chen of the Eastern Palace had a livid face, angrily scolding the treasurer who had brought things over: “Who allowed you to come here? Without the crown prince’s permission, how dare you barge in with people?”
The treasurer was accompanied by several officials of the sixth or seventh rank, who did not speak, but their expressions were not pleasant.
Although the ranking system within the imperial court was different from the outer court, these officials in charge of the royal treasury spent their days dealing with the inner eunuchs, lacking the presence to disdain the inner court.
“Look at what Steward Chen is saying, this is the emperor and the Third Prince’s intention. The crown prince must review it, right?”
The treasurer’s tone was respectful, but his expression was sarcastic. In the past, he would have greeted the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace with a smile, welcoming him properly. Now it was different, with the crown prince gravely ill, Steward Chen was like a dying man, still trying to put on airs in front of him?
“The two prime ministers said we should come and see if the Eastern Palace lacked anything, and we should take from the treasury to replenish. Now not allowing us in, nor to look, how are we to perform our duties?”
The voice was loud, audible from afar.
Steward Chen was furious, nearly punching the treasurer in the face.
The other palace servants and guards of the Eastern Palace showed the same anger, subtly surrounding the people from the treasury.
The treasurer then realized the danger, stepping back, asking in a panic, “What are you trying to do? Are you also planning to…”
Before he could finish saying “rebel,” a shadow flashed before his eyes, and he screamed while covering his face. Blood streamed down his face, his hand trembling uncontrollably, his expression terrified, wildly swinging his other hand in front of him.
“Meow.”
The shadow stopped at a distance on the stone steps, its tail flicking lightly.
“Catch that cat!” the treasurer said, both shocked and angry.
If the injury did not heal properly, leaving scars, he might even lose his current position. Whether it was ministers of the outer court or eunuchs of the inner court, any disfigurement meant the end of all prospects, only generals were not so particular.
“Damn it, catch it…”
“Ah Hu!”
Hearing the palace servants’ call, the cat ran even faster.
Steward Chen said with a forced smile, “Treasurer Hu is startled. That’s the crown prince’s pet civet, naturally timid. Today, suddenly so many people came to the palace without notice, everyone was in a flurry, and the cat was scared. Animals don’t understand anything, they can’t be taught manners, they just run wild.”
“You—”
Treasurer Hu was so angry he stumbled backward.
The other officials also understood the implied criticism, yet they were unable to retaliate.
As long as the crown prince was alive, he remained the crown prince. They could disregard the crown prince in their minds and look down upon him in their hearts, but outwardly, they had to adhere to the loyalty between sovereign and subject, unable to chase after the cat raised by the crown prince.
The civet cat was very agile, not giving anyone the chance to hit it with anything, and in a few moments, it had jumped onto the eaves.
The steep, narrow eaves seemed like flat ground to the cat.
Suddenly, it stopped, looking around as if searching for something.
The people below could only watch as it crossed the eaves and flipped to the other side of the palace.
—Mo Li held his breath, silently watching the cat approaching him.
This cat, named Ah Hu, arched its back and slightly raised its claws, as if it saw Mo Li as a rival for food.
The so-called “food” was snugly tucked inside Mo Li’s embrace, a warm and soft bundle that didn’t move at all. Mo Li couldn’t help but use his internal energy to drive the civet away, wishing to keep it at a distance from himself.
The cat was flipped over three times by an invisible force, almost rolling off the roof unsteadily.
By the time it climbed back up, Mo Li had already slipped into the sleeping quarters under the cover of night.
Yu Lan turned around and was startled to see a person in front of her, almost pulling out a hairpin to strike. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, avoiding shouting out about an assassin and alarming people outside the palace.
Curtains fell on all four sides of the sleeping quarters, and with the screens and furnishings providing cover, even the palace servants waiting inside could not see what was happening in this corner.
Mo Li gestured for Yu Lan to be silent, and she understood, quickly assigning the nearby servants tasks to do, then she bowed respectfully, her expression filled with joy and anticipation.
“Have you come to visit His Highness?”
Mo Li did not speak, merely nodding slightly.
Because the prescription was effective, Yu Lan wished she could worship Mo Li as a Buddha or Bodhisattva. She hurried to inform the crown prince, and soon, the people in the sleeping quarters gradually left, leaving only a few palace servants.
These were the stewards of the Eastern Palace and the confidants of the crown prince.
The last time Mo Li came, they had been laid out flat, and this was the first time they had seen this divine physician who appeared mysteriously with Master Meng.
Upon seeing Mo Li, the crown prince was invigorated, slightly rising to say, “I have been graced by the divine physician’s favor, yet I still do not know the divine physician’s name or who you were taught by…”
“Names are not important. What you need is the prescription, not the background of the doctor.”
Yu Lan, standing by the side, happened to watch Mo Li walk past her. She noticed something bulging under Mo Li’s outer robe.
Yu Lan knew martial arts; she was the crown prince’s personal maid and also acted as a guard. She made sure that anyone the crown prince was to meet did not conceal any weapons.
Since she often couldn’t physically search them, she had to rely on her eyes, and Yu Lan was sure she hadn’t seen wrongly – there was indeed a small bulge under the divine physician’s clothes, too small even to be a purse.
And who would stuff a purse inside their chest?
Now that it was spring, people wore more layers than in winter but less bulky than cotton clothes, and not as loose as summer robes, so a slight bulge was very noticeable.
“…”
Wait, it seemed to be moving!
Yu Lan was shocked and quickly signaled the palace servants to pay attention.
The others, not understanding the situation, thought there might be something wrong with Mo Li and cautiously moved closer.
Mo Li ignored the wary and scrutinizing gazes of the people. He walked to a spot five steps away from the crown prince’s bed, raised his hand in a saluting gesture, his demeanor calm. He showed no extra deference due to the crown prince’s status, nor did he act unrestrainedly because of his martial skills.
Steward Chen, who had rushed over upon hearing the news and wanted to scold him, hesitated.
Mo Li only cared about the sand mouse in his embrace; as long as the rat wasn’t snatched by the cat, he didn’t mind what others thought.
“Please, sit down, Doctor.”
The crown prince’s expression changed, using a closer form of address.
Mo Li indeed did not like being called a divine physician.
The servants were about to move a cushioned stool over, but Mo Li stopped them.
“No need, I can take the pulse from here.”
Mo Li acted like an ordinary doctor visiting a common household to treat a patient, focusing solely on taking the pulse of the crown prince who extended his wrist. After a while, he asked to check the other hand.
No one spoke in the sleeping quarters, only the low coughing of the crown prince could be heard.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Mo Li finally released his hand, deep in thought.
Doctors often appear this way when faced with complicated diseases, unsure of the prescription to give. The crown prince’s condition was even more serious; the imperial physicians would change their expressions dramatically upon checking his pulse, unable to hide their shock and afterward, they would be evasive, not daring to speak directly.
Mo Li’s hesitation stemmed from never having tried to treat a patient in such critical condition before. The crown prince’s body could not even handle strong medicines, let alone ordinary doses.
There was no existing prescription; he could only ponder and adjust by himself.
A slight mistake in dosage could have unimaginable consequences.
Mo Li was somewhat anxious, though it didn’t show on his face, only his thoughts were turbulent. If there were another doctor equally skilled in medicine present, deliberating on the prescription together, Mo Li would have been more confident.
“Did I see some imperial physicians when I came?”
This was Mo Li’s guess, for in the palace, those with white hair and beards not wearing crimson or purple robes were typically imperial physicians.
“All who came were of no use…”
“Yu Lan!”
The crown prince interrupted, then asked Mo Li, “Doctor, do you wish to discuss the prescription with them?”
Mo Li thought of the prescriptions he had seen in the Eastern Palace and shook his head: “No need.”
Among these imperial physicians, there might be those skilled in medicine, but their prescriptions are overly cautious, essentially curing nothing, aiming only to preserve the patient’s life. It’s less about curing disease and more about recuperation, relying on the patient’s own recovery rather than the efficacy of the medicine.
Faced with the crown prince’s deteriorating condition, the imperial physicians were helpless.
“…This country, sick as you are.”
Both precarious as a pile of eggs, both daunting to address.
The foundation exists but is riddled with flaws, beyond repair or replenishment.
The civil and military officials of the Qi dynasty are like those imperial physicians, never considering treating the root cause, only wanting to preserve the existing structure, hoping this already decaying state can somehow rejuvenate and return to the prosperity of the Chu dynasty.
“Doctor?”
Mo Li was brought back to reality by this call, he untied his medicine pouch and took out silver needles.
The side halls were occupied by imperial physicians, who had all the necessary items. Yu Lan quickly brought moxa and a small lamp specially used for heating silver needles.
The crown prince, watching the flickering lamp light, suddenly asked, “Is my second brother well?”
Mo Li paused, not answering.
“Second brother escaped the palace, and the imperial guards have not caught him yet. I guess he was taken away by the imperial teacher.” The crown prince struggled to take out a piece of glossy, beautiful jade from under his pillow and handed it to Mo Li.
Mo Li didn’t take it, but his fingers touched the jade.
It was warm.
“What is this, Your Highness?”
“This is warm jade, a rare treasure. It’s a waste in the hands of someone about to die. I’m giving this to you, Doctor. If there are children with cold constitutions in the future, it can be of use.” The crown prince said intermittently, then added with a bitter smile, “I give you this jade as a reward, hoping the imperial teacher and Doctor can take my second brother out of the capital. After that, his fate is in the hands of the heavens.”
The sand mouse, hearing this, pressed its paws against Mo Li’s chest twice.
Doctor Mo: “…”
No, he wouldn’t say that the sixth prince was also right under their noses, then take an extra piece of warm jade!
