“When it comes to famous physicians, the capital is filled with them. The Imperial Medical Bureau alone gathers the finest medical minds in all of Dazhou.”
Ling Jingxian was in her element and began listing them one by one: “Imperial Physician Zhou specializes in children’s ailments — whenever the imperial princes and princesses fall ill, it is Imperial Physician Zhou who attends them. Imperial Physician Yu specializes in women’s ailments — when the consorts and imperial ladies fall unwell, it is most often Imperial Physician Yu. These two are celebrated figures within the Imperial Medical Bureau, and not easily summoned. Only the imperial family, the highest-ranking nobility, and first and second-rank civil officials can engage them for a house call. Yet even so, their skill pales beside Imperial Physician Wei.”
Imperial Physician Wei?
Something stirred in Ling Jingshu’s heart. She pressed eagerly, “What does Imperial Physician Wei specialize in treating?”
Ling Jingxian smiled. “Imperial Physician Wei’s greatest specialty is rare and difficult ailments. There have been many patients told their conditions were incurable who sought him out, and he healed them. Just two months ago, a patient who had been unable to walk for years after suffering a leg ailment was treated by Imperial Physician Wei, and after his intervention, the patient was able to get up and walk. Word is that with some months of exercise, he should make a full recovery.”
A physician of such extraordinary skill truly existed in this world?
Ling Jingshu pressed down the surge of joy and excitement welling inside her, and asked with studied curiosity: “An Imperial Physician of the Medical Bureau ought to serve the palace exclusively. How does he come to treat so many outside patients?”
“There’s a story to that, and since you’re not in the capital, of course you wouldn’t know.” Ling Jingxian’s enthusiasm was fully ignited now, and she continued with relish: “Most Imperial Physicians come from established medical families, having begun their training from childhood. Some are eminent physicians recruited from provinces across Dazhou. Imperial Physician Wei is the exception.”
“I have heard that Imperial Physician Wei lost his mother as an infant, and his father died of illness when he was three. He and his elder sister were left to depend entirely on each other. As a child he found work as an apprentice in a medicine shop. Because of his exceptional intelligence and talent, the attending physician took notice of him and accepted him as a personal disciple. He began formally studying medicine at the age of six.”
“Had things simply continued along that course, he might at most have become a physician of some local renown. But a person’s fate is truly unpredictable…”
Ling Jingxian paused here with deliberate effect.
Ling Jingshu felt a rare flicker of genuine curiosity, and could not help but ask, “What happened next?”
“I have been talking so long, my throat is parched.” Ling Jingxian made a show of coughing.
Ling Jingshu laughed despite herself, stood up, and poured her a cup of tea. “Jingxian jiejie has been talking until her mouth runs dry. Here, drink this first, then continue.”
Ling Jingxian was not truly thirsty — she was simply performing. She took a sip of tea and then carried on with great enthusiasm: “When he was ten years old, his elder sister had just turned sixteen. She was beautiful, like a flower in bloom, and a prince from an imperial household — a Prince of Second Rank — set his sights on her and attempted to take her into his household as a servant-concubine by force. Wei’s elder sister refused to comply and threw herself headfirst into the front gate of his manor, blood streaming down her face, nearly dying on the spot.”
“As fortune would have it, Imperial Consort Xu — who had not yet been elevated to Empress at the time — was passing by the prince’s manor at that very moment. When she heard what had happened, she was displeased, and ordered someone to tend to Miss Wei’s wounds. She then gave the prince a thorough dressing-down.”
“Miss Wei had disaster turned to good fortune. Once she had recovered from her injuries, she entered the palace as a maidservant. Because of her fine appearance, she soon caught the Emperor’s eye. The Emperor wished to give her a title, but she is said to have declined graciously, choosing to remain at Imperial Consort Xu’s side as a maidservant. Her only request to the Emperor was that her younger brother be admitted to the Imperial Medical Bureau, so that the two of them might see each other often. The Emperor agreed, and Imperial Physician Wei — only twelve years old at the time — became the youngest physician in the history of the Imperial Medical Bureau. He studied under the Director of the Bureau, who was renowned for his skill, and devoted himself tirelessly to mastering generations of medical texts and prescriptions. Within just a few years, he had made a name for himself throughout the capital as a physician of extraordinary precision and healing power.”
“Everyone in the palace knows that the Emperor holds her in special regard, and his favor for Imperial Consort Xu increased along with it. She was soon elevated in status, becoming Noble Consort.”
Hearing the name of Noble Consort Xu, Ling Jingshu’s eyes grew slightly cold.
This Noble Consort Xu later became Empress of Dazhou. She had a son and a daughter. Her son, Prince Yan, was later named Crown Prince and ascended the throne. Her daughter, Princess Changping, was the Emperor’s most cherished child.
And it was this very Princess Changping who had set her heart on Lu Hong and insisted on making him her royal consort.
Ling Jingxian, wholly unaware, continued: “Later, when Empress Jiang passed away, the Emperor naturally elevated Noble Consort Xu to the position of Empress. And Imperial Physician Wei’s elder sister was given the title of Wei Jieyu.”
“With Wei Jieyu favored at court, everyone in the Imperial Medical Bureau competed to curry favor with Imperial Physician Wei. The unpleasant task of treating consorts and nobles never once fell to him. Imperial Physician Wei, with all his exceptional medical skill, found himself with no arena in which to apply it, and felt a great deal of frustration. He therefore established a charitable clinic in the capital, specifically dedicated to receiving patients with conditions deemed untreatable. Because he cured so many patients who had been told they were beyond hope, he quickly became celebrated throughout the capital.”
“This is precisely what allowed the world to see the true depth of Imperial Physician Wei’s ability. Later, he became the Emperor’s personal physician. Beyond the Emperor himself, only the Empress and the Crown Prince — who had long suffered poor health — were able to summon him.”
“Yet the charitable clinic he had established in the capital was never closed. It continued to take in patients whose conditions had defied all prior treatment. However, since Imperial Physician Wei was on duty at the palace, his free time each month was extremely limited. He was only able to visit the clinic on the first and fifteenth days. Imperial Physician Wei has been called Wei the Divine Physician, and his clinic has come to be known as the Hall of Renewed Spring. Anyone living in the capital knows the Hall of Renewed Spring.”
“Wei the Divine Physician’s fame in the capital rests not only on the height of his medical skill or the distinction of his position. It also has a great deal to do with the fact that he is extraordinarily handsome and refined in appearance — he is counted among the capital’s celebrated beauties, and is only twenty-four years old this year. Countless daughters of noble families have privately harbored feelings for him, and some bold enough have made a point of waiting outside the Hall of Renewed Spring just for the chance to catch a glimpse of him. But Imperial Physician Wei is wholly absorbed in medicine and entirely indifferent to matters of romance. He has yet to take a wife.”
Ling Jingxian talked until her mouth was dry, then lifted her teacup and drained it in one go.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she looked toward Ling Jingshu with curiosity: “Jingshu meimei, why have you been asking so many detailed questions? Do you perhaps want to go to the capital and see this Wei the Divine Physician for yourself?”
Ling Jingshu made no move to deny it, which was as good as confirmation.
Ling Jingxian had only meant it as a passing joke, and was startled by this response. “What on earth would you want to see him for?”
Ling Jingshu did not conceal her reason, and answered plainly: “When A’Xiao was eight years old, he took a fall and injured his head. He has been blind ever since and can no longer read or write. I have always carried this regret in my heart. If there is any chance of having his eyes treated, I must try.”
Since she had already made up her mind to go to the capital, there was no longer any reason to hide her plans for treating Ling Xiao.
Ling Jingxian was taken aback at first, then sighed softly: “It is truly a pity about A’Xiao’s eyes. He was so exceptionally bright as a young child — he had the name of a prodigy. If not for losing his sight, he might well have passed the county and prefectural examinations by now.”
After a pause she continued: “Your wish to bring A’Xiao to the capital for treatment is a good one. But the journey is long, and once you arrive there is no guarantee of a swift cure — who knows how much time and effort it will take. Grandmother and Fifth Uncle may not be willing to agree.”
Ling Jingshu looked at Ling Jingxian with genuine sincerity. “I will not pretend otherwise — I have had this intention for some time, and I have thought out how to address the obstacles. Once Grandmother’s birthday has passed and you return to the capital, I would like to travel with you to Luoyang and stay at your home for a while. I would be counting very much on Jingxian jiejie’s hospitality.”
Ling Jingxian answered without a moment’s hesitation: “That is an excellent idea. If you travel with us, Grandmother and Fifth Uncle will surely have no objections to worry over. And you need not say anything so formal — when you and A’Xiao arrive in the capital, simply take up residence in our home, for as long as you need. There is no question of it.”
Such warmth and readiness from Ling Jingxian was genuinely unexpected.
Ling Jingshu had not had much in the way of goodwill toward Ling Jingxian at the outset, and now found herself moved despite herself. “Then I must thank Jingxian jiejie in advance.” She added gently: “I have not yet spoken of this to Grandmother, so I would ask Jingxian jiejie to keep this between us for now.”
Ling Jingxian agreed with a smile.
The two chatted idly for a while longer, and when noon drew near, Ling Jingshu specifically invited Ling Jingxian to have lunch at Qiushui Pavilion. She also sent someone to fetch Ling Xiao.
What she had not anticipated was that when Ling Xiao arrived, there were two more behind him.
When Lu Hong’s handsome and refined face came into view, Ling Jingshu’s brow furrowed almost reflexively, and her expression turned immediately cool.
Lu Hong had long since grown accustomed to Ling Jingshu’s coldness and was undeterred. He walked forward with a warm smile. “Jingshu biaomei, I happened to be going over examination essays with A’Xiao just now. When I heard that biaomei had prepared lunch here, I was unable to resist the temptation, and have shamelessly followed along. I hope biaomei will not take offense.”
And what if she did?
He was already here. She could hardly turn him away outright.
Much as she wanted to do exactly that, the thought of Old Madam Ling held her back. She pressed down the impulse and replied with cool indifference: “I had not counted on Biao-gege Lu and Qian Biaodi coming as well — the food has not been prepared with guests in mind, and I’m afraid the spread may disappoint.”
That Ling Jingshu had not turned on him outright, and was willing to exchange a few restrained words, was already enough to fill Lu Hong with quiet delight. He paid not the slightest attention to whether the food would be lavish enough, and laughed readily: “As long as biaomei does not find us too presumptuous for showing up uninvited, we are more than satisfied.”
Lu Qian could not find a gap to insert himself, and stood to one side smiling. But those eyes of his never left Ling Jingshu for a single moment.
Ling Xiao could not see what was happening, but Ling Jingxian’s eyesight was excellent, and she had taken the whole scene in without missing a detail. She could not help finding it quietly amusing.
Lu Hong’s admiration was so transparent that even a blind person could have seen it. That much was understandable. What she had not expected was that Lu Qian — who still had the look of a boy about him — had already learned the meaning of the gentleman pursues the lady he desires.