Ling Jingshu helped Ling Xiao out of the inner hall.

Princess Fumin, who had long been restless and impatient with waiting, rose the moment she saw Ling Jingshu’s party emerge and strode over at once.

As they passed each other, a soft, contemptuous snort from Princess Fumin reached Ling Jingshu’s ears with unmistakable clarity.

She was deliberately looking for a quarrel — hoping to stir up trouble at some opportune moment.

Ling Jingshu gave a cold inward laugh and took no notice whatsoever, not so much as moving an eyelid.

Princess Fumin was in a hurry to see Imperial Physician Wei and had no mind for picking quarrels anymore. She strode hastily into the inner hall.

Imperial Physician Wei was still seated at the table. Upon hearing footsteps, he raised his head slightly. Every trace of impatience and aversion was concealed with remarkable skill: “Princess Fumin, what brings you to Huichun Hall today?”

The moment Princess Fumin laid eyes on Imperial Physician Wei, all her willful arrogance was cast aside, and her lovely face was suffused with radiant joy: “I came, naturally, to see you…”

Imperial Physician Wei’s expression cooled slightly, and his voice dropped in temperature: “Huichun Hall is a place for treating patients. If Princess Fumin is seeking amusement and diversion, you have come to the wrong establishment.”

“No, no, I misspoke,” Princess Fumin conceded without the slightest trace of her usual temper, and immediately changed her words: “The truth is, I have been feeling unwell these past two days, and I came today to Huichun Hall to seek treatment. Huichun Hall admits any patient who seeks treatment — that is a rule you yourself established. You cannot send me away.”

Feeling unwell to seek treatment?

Look at that full-bodied, energetic bearing — glowing complexion and starry, bright eyes — where did she look unwell. More like an attack of infatuation.

The medicine boy Tian Dong silently registered his thoughts, while keeping his head lowered in apparent concentration over the cleaning of the golden needles, ears stretched to their full length.

Just as expected, he heard Imperial Physician Wei say coolly: “Since you are here seeking medical treatment, you ought to follow the rules of this establishment. Why have you come in without taking a numbered token?”

Princess Fumin was both aggrieved and indignant: “I am a princess — a princess graciously lowering herself to come to Huichun Hall. What numbered token do I need? Besides, those Ling family people just now — did they have a numbered token? And they still managed to come in before me!”

Imperial Physician Wei replied evenly: “Young Master Ling came with a name card from His Highness the Crown Grandson, and his name had been specifically registered several days prior. Furthermore, his eye ailment has persisted for six years now — it is genuinely serious.”

Princess Fumin was somewhat startled. The words burst from her before she could stop them: “What? The Ling family — how could they come to have a name card from His Highness the Crown Grandson?”

The Crown Grandson was known far and wide for his cold, aloof temperament and near-total lack of warmth toward others. Even she, his paternal aunt, felt a certain apprehension in his presence. How on earth had the Ling family managed to move the Crown Grandson to act on their behalf?

The impatience gathering in Imperial Physician Wei’s eyes built steadily: “I have no knowledge of the specific circumstances. If you are curious, you may go and ask His Highness the Crown Grandson yourself in due course. You said you have an ailment requiring treatment — where is it that you feel unwell?”

Princess Fumin promptly seated herself before Imperial Physician Wei and, feigning coyness, said: “These past two days I have had no appetite, my heart has been in a flutter, and I have been unable to sleep at night. I do not know what the matter is. Please take my pulse for me.”

As she spoke, she extended her right hand, pushing back her sleeve to reveal a stretch of fair, white wrist.

At the thought of Imperial Physician Wei’s slender, elegant fingers about to rest gently upon her wrist, her heart trembled with pleasant agitation…

What a pity. The romantic scene she had pictured never materialized.

Imperial Physician Wei glanced at her briefly, then picked up his brush and swiftly wrote out a prescription. He then handed the prescription to the maid standing beside Princess Fumin: “Go out and fill it.”

Princess Fumin: “…”

Princess Fumin was mortified with humiliation. Under any other circumstance, or with anyone else, she would have long since lost her temper and made a scene.

But in the presence of the man she admired, she had no choice but to keep a fierce grip on herself: “Imperial Physician Wei — you have not taken my pulse yet. How can you write a prescription already?”

Imperial Physician Wei said in a languid, unhurried manner: “A minor complaint of this sort is evident at a glance. There is no need to take a pulse. The summer heat has brought dryness and agitation, with the heart-fire flaring strongly. A prescription to cool the fire and dispel the heat — two days of drinking it and it will be remedied.”

“But…”

“If the Princess does not trust in my medical skill, you are welcome to seek another physician in the future and need not come to Huichun Hall.” Imperial Physician Wei’s expression cooled, and for once his words carried an unusually sharp edge.

Princess Fumin: “…”

Her face alternated between red and white, cycling through expressions of remarkable drama.

Scenes of this variety played out every so often. One had to admire Princess Fumin’s persistence — she would always summon the courage to come again after a short while.

And Imperial Physician Wei truly had no appreciation for such things. A young woman this beautiful and of such exalted rank plainly showing her devotion to him, and he remained utterly unmoved…

Tian Dong watched the scene from the sidelines with great relish — until Imperial Physician Wei cast him a sidelong glance, at which point he hastily lowered his head and resumed his focused attention to cleaning the golden needles.

Princess Fumin still refused to leave, but Imperial Physician Wei had already instructed the attendant nearby: “Go call in the next patient.”

The attendant answered and stepped out briskly. Before long, the next patient was carried in.

This patient, afflicted with some unknown ailment, was ashen-faced and barely conscious, and emitted an exceedingly unpleasant odour from their entire body.

Imperial Physician Wei showed not the slightest sign of being put off, and crouched down to conduct a careful examination.

Princess Fumin had waited all this time, and Imperial Physician Wei had not spared her even a corner of his gaze. Seething with fury, she ground her teeth and stamped her foot inwardly, then turned and left with the greatest reluctance.

Princess Fumin walked into the outer hall with a dark expression and storming displeasure.

Yan Zhi, her personal maid, followed carefully behind and asked in a small voice: “Your Highness, shall we still fill the prescription from this prescription slip?”

A sharp crack rang out!

Five vivid red finger marks had already risen on Yan Zhi’s cheek.

“Is this a question that needed asking?” The full measure of Princess Fumin’s humiliated rage had finally found an outlet: “This Princess came to seek medical treatment. The prescription was written by Imperial Physician Wei himself — of course it is to be filled as written!”

The slap had been merciless. Yan Zhi’s face burned as though on fire, and tears welled in her eyes and circled her lids without daring to fall: “Yes, this slave was out of line. This slave will go fill it immediately.”

This scene happened to fall directly within Ling Jingshu’s line of sight.

What a domineering, unbridled Princess Fumin.

In future encounters with this person, she must absolutely avoid a direct confrontation, lest she suffer an immediate loss.

These thoughts quietly turned through Ling Jingshu’s mind as she swiftly averted her gaze.

“Miss, the medicine has been dispensed.” Bai Yu walked over with light, quick steps and murmured with a smile: “Three months’ worth of medicine has all been prepared, together with that vial of salve — fifty-four taels of silver in total. There are too many medicine packets to carry conveniently by hand, so the attendant has had them bundled into a parcel to be loaded onto the carriage.”

Fifty-four taels of silver!

Astonishingly inexpensive.

Imperial Physician Wei accepted no consultation fee — which was to say, aside from this expense, the subsequent treatments would require no further silver at all.

She had specifically brought over ten thousand taels of silver to the capital to treat A’Xiao’s eyes. She had not imagined only this small an amount would be needed… In this moment, Ling Jingshu could perfectly understand the feelings of the common people who revered and were deeply grateful to Imperial Physician Wei.