My Cold-Hearted Wife Chapter 79

A bowl of tangyuan, a pearl hairpin, a handkerchief, a pattern book, and an embroidered sachet.

These were the gifts Cheng Danruo received as tuition. After Ji Qiu and the Medicine Manager, three female historians and a female scholar had also come to sit in on her lessons.

They could all read and write and had some basic knowledge of medicine. They were ideal students.

During the day, Cheng Danruo treated patients. In the evenings, she returned to the Ganxi Office to teach them.

She began with theory.

“Of the four methods of diagnosis, inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation, the first thing to learn is what questions to ask. Generally, there are several things to cover: chills and fever, sweating, bowel movements and urination, and diet. When treating women, you should also ask about their menstrual cycles.”

After teaching them inquiry, inspection, and listening and smelling, she moved on to pulse diagnosis.

This was the most difficult part.

She taught them the cun-kou method of pulse diagnosis. Each wrist had three positions: cun, guan, and chi, making six positions in total that needed to be examined.

This was almost the only skill Cheng Danruo had managed to learn from her father.

She had transmigrated to a three-year-old child’s body and was not allowed to study medicine until she was over six. She continued learning until the age of ten, when both her parents died. It had taken nearly three years of practice and experimentation before she could distinguish between different pulse patterns.

Yet this was precisely the one thing she could not teach through words. The only way was to feel more pulses and learn to recognize their subtle differences.

In between lessons, it was inevitable that they would indulge in a little gossip.

The biggest news in the palace these days was undoubtedly the arrival of the princes’ children.

In the first month of the year, Princess Consort Lu had burned herself to death. The Emperor had subsequently issued an edict declaring that any commandery prince willing to send his children to the capital could have them educated under the imperial court’s care. Now that April had passed, the time had more or less come.

The princes had reacted differently. Some had declared that their sons were too stupid to be worth sending to the Emperor, while others had sent all their children.

There were now three more children in the palace.

Commandery Prince Cheng was debauched and dissolute, so his Princess Consort had brought their legitimate son to the capital herself. Prince An, meanwhile, had sent one daughter and one son. He had no legitimate children; both were born to concubines.

Together with Prince Lu’s grandson, Commandery Prince Feng, and Commandery Princess Jianing, the daughter of Prince Qi, six more imperial relatives had arrived in the capital in one fell swoop.

The Emperor issued another edict, ordering Commandery Prince Feng, Prince Lu’s grandson, the Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir, and Prince An’s son to take up residence in Ciqing Palace, where lecturers from the Hanlin Academy would teach them every day.

Prince An’s daughter had not yet been granted a title, so for the time being, she would stay with Commandery Princess Jianing in Xiefang Palace, keeping Princess Rong’an company.

Ciqing Palace was the residence of imperial princes.

Whoever heard this edict would not repeat the same thought to themselves: His Majesty has no sons.

“For the next few days, it would be best if we avoided leaving the Inner Court,” the Medicine Manager advised solemnly. Having served in the palace for many years, she knew better than most how things worked. “The affairs of the Outer Court are complicated. If you get yourselves into trouble, no one will be able to save you.”

Everyone readily agreed.

Cheng Danruo shared her view and decided to stop borrowing books from the Library Pavilion for the time being. It was too close to Ciqing Palace. Beyond that, however, it had never occurred to her that any of this might have anything to do with her.

That was until May, when the Emperor went to Longevity Hill to plant willow branches before the Dragon Boat Festival. On a whim, he ordered the young descendants of the imperial clan to compete in horseback riding and archery.

The Dragon Boat Festival was an ideal time of year for such activities. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, and the young men were dressed in their light spring robes, making it perfect for outdoor pursuits.

In previous years, the Emperor had either gone to the Western Park to watch dragon boat races or visited Longevity Hill to watch horse racing and equestrian performances. But after repeating the same activities year after year, he had grown thoroughly tired of them.

After finishing the willow-planting ceremony, he looked around at the open grounds and beautiful scenery of Longevity Hill. It was an excellent place for horseback riding, and he naturally thought of the young members of the imperial clan. Thus, he ordered them to compete.

The Emperor had his own considerations as well. These young men were all members of his own family and could not afford to embarrass themselves. Therefore, he instructed Xie Xuanying to accompany them, but not to crush the others’ confidence by showing them up. He then added, “This is merely an opportunity to stretch your limbs. Do not feel constrained. There will be rewards for the winners, and those who lose can try again another day.”

At this, Prince Lu’s grandson looked somewhat troubled. Commandery Prince Feng remained composed, Prince An’s son appeared rather nervous, while Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir was carefree and brimming with confidence.

But the Emperor intended this as an assessment of their abilities from the outset. He was hardly going to let them refuse, and immediately ordered the attendants to set up the archery targets.

“Who will go first?” he asked.

Commandery Prince Feng immediately stepped forward. “I would like to try, Your Majesty.”

“Very good.” The Emperor looked at him approvingly.

Commandery Prince Feng drew his bow and nocked an arrow. It flew swiftly through the air and struck the target squarely.

Xie Xuanying, who was watching from the sidelines, said nothing. He had noticed that although the target was supposedly a hundred paces away, the actual distance was shorter. It was no more than fifty meters.

Even so, Commandery Prince Feng’s accuracy was commendable. No wonder he was so ambitious. The man was clearly accomplished in both literary and martial pursuits.

Next was Prince An’s son.

His first arrow missed the target.

His second arrow missed as well.

For the third shot, a young eunuch quietly moved the target a little closer. At last, the arrow grazed its edge.

The Emperor shook his head.

Next, Prince Lu’s grandson and Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir began politely deferring to each other.

“Brother, you go first,” Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir said. “Don’t mind me.”

Prince Lu’s grandson assumed he was saving himself for a spectacular performance, so he had no choice but to go first.

He couldn’t even draw the bow.

“Why don’t you try this one?” A eunuch beside him handed him a bow with a lighter draw weight, though its appearance gave no indication of the difference.

Prince Lu’s grandson strained until his face turned red, managing to shoot the arrow with considerable difficulty. But forget missing the target; the arrow fell to the ground long before it even reached it.

The Emperor took pity on his predicament and refrained from criticizing him too harshly.

Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir was the last to take his turn. After picking through the bows, he chose the largest and most imposing one. He tested its draw weight and found that he could pull it back. His face immediately lit up with delight.

With an air of supreme confidence, he planted his feet, nocked an arrow, and drew the bow.

Xie Xuanying frowned slightly.

That posture, that shift in weight as he planted his feet… No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like the stance of someone who…

The arrow flew from the bowstring.

A finely crafted bow stored considerable energy, propelling the arrow through the air until it slammed into its target – no, into the young eunuch standing beside it.

The moment the arrowhead sank completely into the flesh, its fletching was still trembling, its momentum not yet spent.

The young eunuch’s eyes widened in astonishment. He had not even begun to comprehend what had happened.

Silence fell over the scene.

With a thud, the young eunuch collapsed to the ground. He tried to cry out, but it was as though his throat had been clamped shut; not a sound escaped him.

Only when one of the Emperor’s personal attendants made a discreet gesture behind his back did two strong young eunuchs hurry over. They carried the wounded eunuch aside and ordered someone to remove him at once, so as not to spoil the festivities.

“An accident, an accident,” Commandery Prince Cheng’s heir said shamelessly. “Let me try again.”

The chief eunuch who had handed him the bow remained all smiles as he passed him a fresh arrow.

Xie Xuanying gave the guards a glance. They each shifted a few steps, discreetly adjusting their positions to form a protective barrier around the Emperor, ensuring that no matter how terribly the next arrow was shot, it would not so much as graze His Majesty.

Everything proceeded in perfect order, as though the accident had never happened.

But that was only how it appeared.

Being permitted to attend the Emperor personally was already an extraordinary mark of favor, let alone getting the chance to present oneself before the princes and their descendants. The unfortunate young eunuch was no nobody. His godfather was one of the chief eunuchs most highly valued by the Emperor.

With such connections, he was unlikely to be left bleeding to death in a corner after being struck by an arrow.

An elderly eunuch who knew him could not bear to see him suffer. Moving away from the Emperor, he instructed one of his junior subordinates, “Go to the Imperial Pharmacy and ask whether someone can come and take a look at him.”

The eunuchs of the Imperial Pharmacy also studied medicine, but their primary role was to work in conjunction with the Imperial Medical Institute, overseeing the Emperor’s medicines and medical care. Although they understood medical theory, they were more practiced in internal medicine, massage, and other treatments required for the Emperor’s everyday health.

Thus, the eunuch who had studied medicine did come, but the moment he saw the injury, he shook his head. “I can treat injuries caused by sticks and cudgels, but this…”

As a fellow eunuch, he could not help feeling a measure of sympathy for the wounded man. After hesitating for a long while, he could not bring himself to tell him to wait for death. Instead, he said, “How about I pull the arrow out for him? After that, his fate will be in Heaven’s hands.”

The young eunuch who had been struck by the arrow was writhing in agony, his body convulsing and his breathing faint. “Men like us… we were born with lives worth less than dirt anyway. We might as well try… But please, let me see my fellow villager one last time…”

The other eunuchs knew he had been caught up in an entirely undeserved misfortune. Some took pleasure in his suffering, while others felt the sorrowful sympathy of those who feared they might suffer the same fate one day.

One of the kinder eunuchs said, “You mean Xiaoping, the one who comes here often? I’ll go and fetch her for you.”

“Thank you, Brother.” Tears streamed down the young eunuch’s face.

Fifteen minutes later, Li Xiaoping hurried over. The moment she saw him, she burst into tears. “Mutou, how did you end up like this?”

“Xiaoping!”

The young eunuch’s full name was Li Youyi, and both he and Li Xiaoping came from Li Village. Their families were equally poor. Li Xiaoping had entered the palace as a maid, while Li Mutou’s own father had sent him to be castrated, exchanging his manhood for enough grain to keep the entire family alive.

They were five years apart in age, but they had always been as close as brother and sister, supporting each other through thick and thin.

When Li Xiaoping fell ill and was admitted to the Hall of Peace and Joy, Li Mutou had even slipped her his own savings. Otherwise, how could a palace maid whose only duty was sweeping the floors of a Buddhist shrine possibly have afforded enough silver to bribe the matrons?

“The silver I saved… give it to my father…” Li Youyi looked earnestly at Li Xiaoping. “Little Brother… don’t let him enter the palace again…”

“Don’t you dare say such things!” Li Xiaoping clenched her teeth. Having once stood on the brink of death herself, she had only grown more resilient. She tried to comfort him. “It’s just an arrow wound. Once we pull it out, you’ll be fine.”

But the eunuch who had studied medicine at the Imperial Pharmacy did not dare make any promises. “Arrow wounds are the hardest to treat. I can’t guarantee he’ll survive.” He added, “There are physicians at the Imperial Medical Institute who know how to treat them.”

Hope flickered in Li Xiaoping’s eyes, only to fade again. “For people as worthless as us, even an ordinary physician wouldn’t be willing to help.”

Then, suddenly, her voice brightened. “Wait! I remember that Auntie Cheng said she knew how to treat arrow wounds. Let’s go to the Hall of Peace and Joy!”

“A female physician?” the eunuch muttered, but he did not stop them.

He had no confidence in treating the wound himself. If the man died, he might only end up getting dragged into trouble. Why invite that sort of misery upon himself? He relented. “Very well. Hurry along, then.”

And so, the wounded eunuch was carried to the Hall of Peace and Joy, which stood in an alley off Yangfang Alley.

Cheng Danruo was startled when she suddenly found herself faced with a patient who had been shot by an arrow. “Where did he come from?”

Li Xiaoping looked at her with desperate hope. “Auntie Cheng, can you treat him?”

“I can treat him, but I can’t say whether he’ll live or die.” Cheng Danruo put down her medical book and told her the truth. “Arrow wounds are very difficult to treat.”

“It hurts… Pull it out already…” Li Youyi was no stranger to hardship, but the pain of the arrow wound was unbearable. He was on the verge of breaking down. “Please… Ah!!”

His scream was utterly heart-wrenching.

“Carry him over there,” Cheng Danruo said.

She had been managing the Hall of Peace and Joy for two months and had already made changes to its layout. The inner room of one of the outer chambers had been kept empty for use as an operating room, and was cleaned and aired out every day.

“Press your thumbprint here.” She had already prepared a consent form outlining the risks, and explained them with complete composure. “Arrow wounds are difficult to treat and can lead to other complications. You could develop a fever, an infection with pus, or blood loss. Any of these could kill you. Do you understand?”

Li Youyi pleaded, “Auntie, please save me. I really can’t take it anymore.”

Cheng Danruo sympathized deeply with him, but a physician also had to protect herself. “If you understand the risks and still want me to treat you, then press your thumbprint here. Li Xiaoping, what is your relationship to him? Did you hear everything I just said?”

“I’m his older sister. Do I need to press my thumbprint too?” Li Xiaoping asked.

“Yes. Both of you must.” Cheng Danruo asked Ji Qiu to bring the ink pad, then instructed Huifang, “Bring the anesthetic.”

There were historical records of anesthetics being used in ancient China. One account described the practice of setting broken bones: “Whenever bones were set, an anesthetic was first administered to render the patient unconscious and insensible to pain. Only then could a sharp knife be used to cut open the flesh and remove the broken bone fragments.”

One example was Numbing Powder, whose main ingredients were Sichuan aconite, wild aconite, Arisaema, Pinellia, and Sichuan pepper. It was used to treat traumatic injuries. Datura flowers steeped in wine were also used for this purpose.

The anesthetic Cheng Danruo had prepared according to A Compilation of Traumatology had an even simpler formula: three qian of wild aconite, two and a half qian of Chinese angelica root, and two and a half qian of dahurian angelica root, taken with warm wine. It was specifically intended for setting bones and extracting arrowheads.

After being made to swallow the anesthetic, Li Youyi finally quieted down a little.

Cheng Danruo then restrained his arms and legs to prevent him from waking during the procedure and thrashing about.

Ji Qiu showed her the consent form, which now bore two thumbprints.

“Keep it safe,” Cheng Danruo instructed. “All of you wait outside. I’ll remove the arrow.”

“Would you like us to stay and assist?” Ji Qiu asked.

Cheng Danruo shook her head. “It’s too bloody. Huifang, where’s the water?”

Huifang brought over a basin of clean water, took a ladle, and poured water over Cheng Danruo’s hands as she washed them.

Cheng Danruo rolled up her sleeves and followed each step of the handwashing procedure meticulously. Then she entered the operating room alone.

For a clear view, she had left the windows and doors open, but a folding screen blocked the view from outside. She immediately took out alcohol swabs from her medical kit and disinfected her instruments.

She also put on a disposable mask and medical gloves.

The arrow extraction began.

To be honest, Li Youyi was extraordinarily lucky. The fact that he had managed to make it all the way to the Hall of Peace and Joy was proof enough that the arrow had not struck a vital area.

The wound was quite far from his heart, on the right side of his chest, and well away from his liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach. Only his lung had been injured.

Most importantly, the arrows supplied for the princes’ archery competition were brand-new, unrusted, and exceptionally clean. They were nothing like battlefield arrows, whose heads might have been soaked in filthy water or even sewage.

Lucky fellow, Cheng Danruo thought.