As Marquis Qingyun and Xu An arrived at the teahouse one after another, it became impossible to keep Grace and Xu Chong's affair under wraps any longer.
The Xu family was thrown into chaos, and even Fang Qu, who had gotten into a senseless fight, was dragged home by his father for a beating.
Xu An was supposed to leave the capital to escort confiscated silver, but this incident changed everything. While waiting for Zhao Ying to return, Marquis Qingyun drafted new orders for the authorities and sent a copy to the palace.
However, the Emperor was at Cining Palace.
Ever since the Dowager Empress had that hotpot meal, she had created a list of dishes, filling up two whole pages. When the Emperor came to pay his respects, he saw the list on the table. The Dowager Empress quickly flipped it over, hiding it from his view.
The Emperor, thwarted, didn't even get to ask his question before an attendant from Qianqing Palace arrived with Marquis Qingyun's memorial.
After reading it, the Emperor noticed Si Xi standing outside the hall door. He closed the memorial and took his leave from the Dowager Empress.
As he walked out, he asked Si Xi, "What did Lady Chen say?"
"Lady Chen said the earliest she could have news is tomorrow night. She'll enter the palace the day after to report."
The Emperor stopped and frowned. After a moment, he said, "No need to wait. Send a message to Yu Qingping to prepare. I'll leave the palace tomorrow night."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And inform Marquis Qingyun that the matter of escorting the silver will proceed as he suggested."
Marquis Qingyun received the Emperor's response late at night.
Meanwhile, Grace was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep due to the painful boil. The faint noises from the front yard made her even more irritable, so she got out of bed.
But getting up didn't help; by dawn, she was still restless, and the boil had grown hotter and more painful. The swollen area was now as large as a coin.
Forcing herself to remember the childhood pains she endured, she managed to nap a bit. In the morning, she ate some light food and brewed a herbal soup she remembered from her childhood to cool her system.
Unfortunately, it didn't help at all. By the afternoon, the boil had swollen even more, turning bright red and hard as a rock, as if it were ready to burst out of her backside!
Grace, raised in an ordinary family, was used to handling her personal affairs with composure. She wanted to remain calm, but the pain was becoming unbearable.
"How about calling a doctor? There are important acupuncture points in the buttocks. A mistake could be serious!"
As night fell, Little Chrysanthemum suggested again, her tone growing more serious with each passing hour.
"A doctor to look at my butt?" Grace rolled her eyes.
"Miss, that's very unrefined," Little Chrysanthemum admonished. "There are female doctors, you know. You've met Lady Chen at the clinic near the gate. Why not have her take a look?"
Grace didn't object. Although it was embarrassing to have a boil in such a place, it was clear it needed treatment. A female doctor was certainly better than a male one.
Besides, she needed to recover quickly. The inner courtyard of the Marquis's mansion was still unsettled. If she didn't handle Aunt Ning, she couldn't build a relationship with Marquis Qingyun. Without good relations, there was no hope of her plans succeeding!
"Go see if Lady Chen is available," she instructed Little Flower.
"Got it!"
With her consent, the maids breathed a sigh of relief and rushed out.
Grace didn't waste time either. With Yun Xiangyi's help, she managed to practice her calligraphy, albeit awkwardly. Just as she was about to show Yun Xiangyi her work, Little Flower returned.
"Miss, Lady Chen can't come."
"She's asleep?"
"No. She has important guests tonight and can't leave."
"Who visits at this hour?"
"No idea. But she promised to come first thing tomorrow."
"How am I supposed to sleep tonight?"
The boil was already so big, who knows what it would be like by morning.
"Maybe find another female doctor?" Little Flower suggested.
"No," Yun Xiangyi said. "You all know the rumors about Miss. With the Xu family scandal still fresh, calling an unfamiliar doctor for a boil in such a place could be used against her. We can't afford any more gossip."
"Besides, none of the nearby female doctors are as skilled as Lady Chen. The lower back is full of important acupuncture points. We can't risk improper treatment."
Little Flower looked at her in surprise. "Why are you suddenly so cautious?"
Yun Xiangyi brushed off the calligraphy sheets in her hands. "Since Miss wants to turn over a new leaf, I must consider every detail. We must avoid any obvious risks to honor Miss's efforts to protect us."
Grace had never bothered to protect herself before, and Yun Xiangyi hadn't cared to intervene. But any teacher would want to see their student improve. Grace's determination to pick up her studies and her attitude toward Xu Chong yesterday had given them hope.
"What do you suggest?" Little Flower asked.
"Simple," Yun Xiangyi said, turning to Grace. "The clinic isn't far. The boil doesn't stop you from walking. If you can bear it, we'll go see Lady Chen tomorrow morning. If not, we can walk there tonight. If we show up at her door, she'll have to make time."
"Good idea," Little Flower agreed. "Shall I prepare the carriage?"
Grace couldn't think of a better plan. The clinic wasn't far, and though walking would be painful, it was better to endure a little now than suffer longer.
She waved her hand, signaling her agreement.
Lady Chen, the same doctor Grace had met when she first returned to the mansion, was the top physician of the Huayue Association's medical competition, the first woman to win the title. Her full name was Chen Han, daughter of a former imperial physician who had left palace service after a minor mistake.
Chen Han had shown a keen interest in medicine from a young age and, under her father's tutelage, had become a renowned physician in the capital. After her husband's untimely death in their fourth year of marriage, she opened a female clinic with the help of her family, first in the bustling South City, and later in the more prestigious Jianfang on a friend's suggestion.
The clinic usually closed after dinner, but tonight, the lights were still on.
Grace straightened up as much as she could and hobbled inside. She looked around, but Lady Chen was nowhere in sight. On the left side of the shop, behind a beaded curtain, a young man was engrossed in a medical book. He looked ordinary, but his tall, straight figure stood out.
Guessing he might be an apprentice, Grace asked, "Excuse me, is the doctor in?"
Her voice was loud enough that the man paused in confusion, then turned around. The light from behind him cast his features in a golden glow, making him look striking.
Yun Xiangyi gasped beside her, and even Little Flower seemed momentarily stunned.
Grace glanced back at them—sure, the man was handsome with a fine physique, but not so stunning that they should be starstruck just by a glimpse, right?