Chapter 35 Curing the Empress Dowager
The moon hung high, casting a dim silver glow over the palace rooftops, perfect for Li An and Misha to stay hidden in the shadows. They lay flat on their bellies, peeking down through a crack between two roof tiles, their breaths shallow, their movements silent. Below, the emperor's mother lay pale and weak on her grand bed, her chest rising and falling with visible effort.
Li An narrowed her eyes. Her sharp mind analyzed the slight discoloration around the empress dowager's lips, the faint tremor in her fingers, and the faint wheeze in each strained breath. A condition like this could be caused by numerous ailments, but given her knowledge, she could already tell it was something severe, likely exacerbated by age and stress.
"Should we leave now, Miss?" Misha whispered, glancing nervously at their surroundings.
Li An gave a small nod. "Yes, let's go. I've seen enough."
They slid backward, preparing to descend from the roof in absolute silence, but a flash of movement caught Li An's eye. Two shadows approached the empress dowager's room with purpose and authority. It was the emperor himself, accompanied by his shadow guard. Li An's brows furrowed; this was unexpected. She'd planned to leave unseen, undetected. But now, she had to consider her escape route more carefully.
"Quietly, Misha. We need to—"
The air shifted. Li An sensed it, an instinctual feeling that prickled the hairs on the back of her neck, but she was just a fraction too late. The shadow guard had already leaped onto the roof, moving with the grace and silence of a predatory cat. He landed mere inches from them, his gaze piercing and dark.
Li An didn't hesitate. She sprang into action, drawing the small knife she always kept hidden in her sleeve, her body moving with a skill and agility far beyond her years. She is confident to win against anyone, even against an expert martial artist. Sensing the skill of her opponent, she now wanted to see if she could best this person.
The shadow guard moved to grab her, but Li An was quick, dodging with impressive speed. She aimed a swift jab at his wrist, forcing him to withdraw for a moment, his eyes widening slightly in surprise at her skill.
"You're good for a child," he muttered, circling her while the two stood on the roof.
Li An's lips curled into a small smirk. "Better than you expected, I assume."
He lunged again, faster this time, his movements blurring as he aimed a series of swift strikes at her. Li An managed to evade the first few but felt his strength when one of his blows connected, forcing her to stumble backward, her breath escaping in a gasp. She gritted her teeth, regaining her balance. This was the first time she'd encountered someone so much stronger, faster, more experienced than she was. The realization stung, yet it also excited her. She would have to grow stronger.
Just as she prepared to strike again, the shadow guard shifted his weight, and before she could react, he had caught her wrist in an iron grip. His gaze was hard, unyielding.
"Enough games, little one."
A flicker of pride sparked in Li An's chest. She is filled with the desire to fight, she wants to test everything she has learned on this person. However, someone did not want her to do something foolish.
Misha, who had been frozen in shock, finally found her voice. "Please, spare her! She's just a child!"
The guard's grip didn't loosen, but his eyes softened as he looked at Misha. "She may be a child, but she's also an intruder."
A stern, commanding voice broke through the night air. "Bring them down."
It was the emperor. Li An's heart sank slightly. She had hoped to avoid this.
The guard obeyed, lifting Li An effortlessly and descending from the roof with Misha following close behind, trembling. When they reached the ground, the emperor stood waiting, his posture regal, his face stern. In the moonlight, his gaze was piercing, and there was a slight edge of anger in his expression as he looked down at Li An.
The silence was thick and oppressive.
"Who are you," he asked coldly, "to sneak into the empress dowager's chambers at night? A spy? An assassin?"
Li An's head was covered by a hood along with her face when sneaking so the emperor did not notice who she was. But of course, the emperor has a strange feeling that he knew the little girl.
Li An met his gaze calmly, despite the storm brewing within her. "Your Majesty, I am neither. It's me Li An."
The emperor arched an eyebrow, his expression somewhere between disbelief and amusement. "You… What are you doing here?" He chuckled darkly.
Suddenly a thought pops in his mind and with a crafty smile he said, "And I suppose you expect me to believe that a child like you is here out of some noble desire to heal my mother?"
Li An was a bit taken aback, she seemed a bit confused by the emperor's words. But then suddenly she realized something.
Li An took a steadying breath. "I am young, but I have studied medicine extensively. My observations from the roof were enough to tell me that the empress dowager's condition is not ordinary. I came to see if there was anything I could do."
The emperor's eyes flashed with anger, yet a glint of curiosity lurked behind the fury. How dare a child sneak into the palace and spy on his mother.
He folded his arms, studying her with a hard stare. "Very well, little Li An… or should I call you little fairy doctor?," he said at last, a challenge in his voice. "If people outside claim such skills, I will give you a chance to prove them. You will treat my mother, and if you succeed, perhaps I will consider letting this little intrusion slide."
Li An's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure. She did not say anything and just waited for the emperor's next words.
"If you fail," the emperor added, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone, "you will face the consequences of your actions. I do not need to spell out what that means."
Misha gasped, grabbing Li An's arm as if to pull her away from danger, but Li An gently shook her off, her mind racing. She didn't enjoy being cornered, but she knew she had little choice. She glanced briefly at the empress dowager's room, she could somehow imagine her looking frail and vulnerable. She had never let threats control her actions before, and she wouldn't start now. Yet, the emperor's gamble stirred something within her—a desire to prove herself not just to him, but to herself as well.
Li An lifted her chin. "I accept the challenge."
The emperor's lips quirked slightly. He inclined his head toward his mother's chamber, signaling her to proceed. The shadow guard followed her closely, but his previous aggression had softened into a watchful curiosity.
As Li An approached the empress dowager, she examined her more closely. She touched the woman's wrist gently, feeling her pulse, then inspected her eyes, mouth, and skin more closely than she could have from the roof. All the while, she could feel the emperor's eyes boring into her back, assessing her every move.
She spoke with the calm authority of a seasoned physician. "Her pulse is weak, irregular. Her breathing is shallow, and her skin is cold to the touch." She turned to the emperor, her voice steady. "The empress dowager's condition is worsened by stagnant blood flow and severe qi deficiency. I suspect this has been an ongoing issue that has now escalated… In her old age, she seems to have developed a disease affecting her body's control of sugar levels."
The emperor's face betrayed nothing, but his silence was a sign for her to continue.
"To stabilize her, I'll need specific herbs: ginseng to invigorate her qi, angelica root to promote blood circulation, and licorice root to harmonize the effects of the other herbs… Plus she needs to control her consumption of sweets," Li An said firmly. "And I'll need needles to administer acupuncture at specific points to release the stagnant energy."
The emperor frowned for a bit, feeling a bit confused at her words. After a while he gestured to one of the servants to fetch the herbs and tools she requested. Within minutes, they were laid out before her. Li An washed her hands and prepared her tools, her mind focused and calm.
She inserted the needles with a surgeon's precision, each one positioned to encourage the flow of qi through the empress dowager's body. She mixed the herbs into a medicinal tea, instructing Misha to cool it to the perfect temperature.
She then takes a few herbs in her pouch which makes the emperor frown. But he didn't say anything and just watched from the side. Soon, Li An began to grind the herbs and get their extract. She then began to compound them into tiny pellets.
The room was silent, the emperor, shadow guard, and attendants watching her every move with unblinking focus. Li An could feel the weight of their expectations, but she ignored it, pouring all her attention into her task.
After several minutes, she removed the needles and stepped back, motioning for Misha to bring the tea. She held it carefully to the empress dowager's lips, helping her drink in small sips. She then takes one of the tiny pellets she had made.
"This will help her control her blood sugar…" she explained briefly.
The emperor just nodded his head. With that confirmation, Li An put the pellet in the empress dowager's mouth and helped her swallow it with the help of the tea.
A tense silence filled the room as they waited. The empress dowager's breathing gradually deepened, her color improving as warmth spread across her skin. Her eyelids fluttered, and slowly, she opened her eyes, her gaze unfocused at first but growing clearer.
"Your Majesty," she whispered, her voice weak but audible. "You are here."
The emperor exhaled, a flicker of relief softening his features. He stepped forward and took his mother's hand, his expression tender. He looked back at Li An, his face a mixture of pride and lingering wariness.
"You may have saved my mother tonight," he acknowledged, his voice softer but still edged with caution. "But you are still young, bold, and a bit reckless."
Li An dipped her head respectfully, acknowledging his words. "I am young, Your Majesty, but I am committed to the art of healing. I did what I thought was necessary."
The emperor's gaze hardened slightly, but the respect in his eyes was undeniable. "You took a dangerous gamble. That's something few would dare to do." He paused, studying her as if seeing her for the first time. "Very well, then. I will allow you to continue your medical escapades under supervision. But do not attempt any more… hidden inspections."
Li An bowed deeply, a slight smile touching her lips. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
He inclined his head, dismissing her with a wave. She and Misha retreated from the room, and as they left the palace, Li An felt the tension in her shoulders ease. She had taken a risk, not just with her life but with her reputation. Yet, she had succeeded. She glanced at Misha, who was still trembling slightly.
"Miss… you were incredible," Misha whispered in awe. "But… weren't you afraid?"
Li An shook her head, her gaze steady. "There are things worth more than fear. We need to be courageous, Misha, even when the odds are against us."
Misha looked at her with admiration, and Li An felt a sense of accomplishment bloom within her chest. She had stood her ground against the emperor, a shadow guard, and an illness that threatened the empress dowager. But above all, she had gained insight into her own limitations and a glimpse into the challenges ahead.