Though Qi Yuan had spoken calmly, Divine Physician Xue’s expression didn’t waver. He expressionlessly packed up his medicine chest and said,
“Miss Qi has quite the endurance. Even after I struck your acupuncture points yesterday, you didn’t react. I deliberately tested you by knocking on your knee, and still, you endured it.”
He tugged at the corners of his mouth, letting out a cold chuckle:
“But cleverness can backfire. Even a corpse, when struck on the knee, will reflexively move. Miss Qi, your acting was a little too perfect.”
Qi Yuan gave a light “oh,” showing no trace of shame or anger at being so bluntly exposed. She didn’t even try to hide it. Instead, she asked mildly:
“Is that so? Then since you saw through it yesterday, why didn’t you tell Qi Wang right away?”
Physician Xue’s movements paused. He gave her a cold glance.
He had wanted to say something. He had even hinted at it. But Qi Wang, with that impossible temper of his, would he have listened?
Qi Wang was like a mad dog. It was impossible to reason with him.
Physician Xue’s face darkened: “I’ll go tell him now.”
Qi Yuan smiled and gave him a “go ahead” look, completely unbothered, showing not a hint of fear at being exposed. Instead, she shook her head slightly:
“What a pity, Divine Physician Xue. Truly, such a pity.”
He instinctively knew that wasn’t a compliment, but still asked,
“What’s so pitiful about me?”
Qi Yuan leaned against the embroidered pillow and yawned lazily:
“What’s pitiful is that all your medical skill never benefited the people. What’s pitiful is that despite your talents, you’ve never done anything that brought you true recognition.”
Her tone was light, but her words landed like slaps to the face, or like needles, jabbing directly into the softest part of his conscience.
What she said were precisely the things that had tormented him these past days and nights.
He suddenly felt like someone had seen straight through him and his shame turned to anger.
“What do you know?!”
“I may not know everything,” Qi Yuan replied coldly, “but I know this much, you’re unworthy of the title Divine Physician, and you’re certainly not a good doctor.”
“You’re skilled, yes, but how could you possibly compare to the likes of Hua Tuo, Bian Que, or Sun Simiao? What legacy have you left behind? Any prescriptions? Any classic texts or writings?”
Her eyes were filled with mockery.
It was like telling a scholar he wasn’t worthy of studying Confucius and Mencius.
An enormous insult.
Physician Xue finally lost control: “What do you know?!”
Qi Yuan stared straight at him: “I know Duke Chu’s household once saved you, and they promised you precious medicinal ingredients like rhino horn and tiger bone, that’s why you’ve stayed with them until now.”
“But do you really not know what they’ve done?”
Physician Xue’s face twitched. He was clearly shaken, unable to answer.
Qi Yuan continued: “Even if you didn’t know before, after coming to Jiangxi, do you still not see how Qi Wang treats the people?”
“Even the most ordinary village doctors have a shred of compassion. When they see officials burning villages, they at least try to save who they can. But you?”
“You obey Qi Wang’s every command like a dog. You’re a physician, but you let countless people die. Are you still worthy of calling yourself a doctor? Are you worthy of your master, your peers, your lineage?”
“One day, when people speak your name, ‘Divine Physician Xue’, will you truly be able to respond without guilt?”
—
Physician Xue’s face turned ghostly pale.
These were the very questions that had haunted him for countless sleepless nights.
He too had asked himself, was Qi Wang truly worth following?
He too had thought of the sick commoners plagued by disease.
But Qi Wang would rather keep him locked in the manor doing nothing than let him interact with those “lowly peasants.” As if, once he touched them, he’d become unfit to treat the prince ever again.
In Qi Wang’s eyes, the people were filth.
Physician Xue opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a word.
Qi Yuan smiled coldly: “What did you spend your life studying medicine for? Just so one day you could be reviled for eternity? So everyone would curse your name?”
“No!” Physician Xue snapped, unable to contain himself. “Of course not! What do you know?!”
He shook his head, about to retort, when suddenly, a voice came from outside.
“Your Highness!” called Qiu Mama.
Qi Yuan immediately lay back down and shut her eyes, face blank and still.
Physician Xue froze where he stood, rigid, until Qi Wang entered with Qiu Mama at his side. Only then did he close the lid on his medicine case.
Qi Wang glanced at Qi Yuan, then at Xue: “Well? Thought of a method yet?”
Physician Xue shook his head. His expression returned to normal as he furrowed his brow: “The illness is quite unusual. I’ll need more time to study it.”
Seeing he wasn’t outright refusing anymore, Qi Wang’s tone eased: “Take your time. If you need any medicinal ingredients, name them. I’ll get them for you.”
Physician Xue nodded, suppressing the turmoil in his chest. He gave Qi Yuan one last glance before turning and walking out with his medicine chest on his back.
Qiu Mama silently let out a breath of relief.
She had thought she was done for, that Physician Xue would expose Qi Yuan’s act.
But he hadn’t.
Why?
Qi Wang stepped quickly to Qi Yuan’s bedside, smiling as he sat down.
“Sometimes, looking at you like this, so gentle, so obedient, I almost don’t want you to wake up.”
“If you could just stay by my side like this forever, that would be fine too. Better than when you’re baring your claws.”
As he spoke, he stroked her face and said gently: “But don’t worry. I’ll find a way. Once you wake, you’ll be just as obedient. Qi Yuan, you’ll never escape my grasp. I will make sure you’re mine, forever.”
He held her hand.
Even though it wasn’t soft and delicate like a typical noble lady’s, calluses covered her palms, he still lifted it and kissed it softly: “Even if you die, I’ll bury you in the same coffin as me. Qi Yuan, don’t even think about getting away from me.”
Qiu Mama was frozen in horror.
No wonder Qi Yuan would rather die than be with him.
If she heard this kind of “love confession,” she’d go limp from fear too.
Who could be moved by a lunatic like this?
Completely unaware, Qi Wang gently tucked her hand back under the quilt: “Qi Yuan, I’m going to kill your precious Xiao Yunting. If you can hear me…” “Then wake up quickly.”
He enunciated each word clearly: “Otherwise, you’ll never see him again.”
