MCSCPM -Chapter 125 Golden Needle Acupuncture

“Mei’er, go to the Imperial Medical Academy. I need golden needles—have them prepare them,” Yin Qingyue said.

“Yes, Miss. What are the golden needles for?” Mei’er asked curiously.

“Notify the Imperial Medical Academy as soon as possible. You’ll know once you’ve delivered the message,” Yin Qingyue replied with a smile. This time, she wanted to see how long the Empress could hold out. The golden-needle acupuncture method would surely meet strong opposition from the imperial physicians. If the Empress could endure such pain, she might as well give it a try.

“Understood, Miss. This servant will go at once.” Mei’er hurriedly left Xiyang Courtyard and headed toward the Imperial Medical Academy.

In fact, as early as last night, Yin Qingyue had noticed Nanny Lai, who served at the Empress’s side, wandering near her residence. Suspicion immediately arose in her heart.

Feeling that there must be something amiss, Yin Qingyue took advantage of going out under the pretext of using the restroom.

“Nanny Lai, it’s already so late. Why haven’t you gone to rest yet?” Yin Qingyue said as she yawned and walked toward her.

Nanny Lai let out a long sigh, her expression sorrowful. “This old servant is worried about Her Majesty the Empress’s condition. She’s been unconscious for several days now.”

“If that’s the case, why isn’t Nanny Lai staying by Her Majesty’s side? Why are you here instead?” Yin Qingyue asked with a smile. Nanny Lai was no simple figure; wandering here late at night surely meant there was some hidden agenda.

“I’m afraid of disturbing Her Majesty’s rest. Walking around here won’t arouse suspicion. But Miss Yin, why are you still awake so late?” Nanny Lai deliberately changed the subject to avoid raising Yin Qingyue’s suspicions.

“I’m worried about the Empress’s condition as well. If I can’t wake Her Majesty, I fear my own life won’t be spared either,” Yin Qingyue said, staring straight into Nanny Lai’s eyes. She wanted to know what Nanny Lai was really thinking. Given Nanny Lai’s temperament, she wouldn’t act like this unless something urgent had happened to the Empress.

Step by step, Yin Qingyue probed into Nanny Lai’s inner thoughts. It turned out that what Nanny Lai feared was not the Empress’s coma itself, but that the Empress’s feigned coma would be discovered. The initial coma had been real—used to eliminate Consort Sun. Only after uncovering all this did Yin Qingyue’s confusion finally clear.

“Miss Yin, this old servant still needs to attend to Her Majesty. I’ll take my leave now,” Nanny Lai said hurriedly, her voice trembling slightly.

The few seconds during which Yin Qingyue stared intently at her had made Nanny Lai extremely uncomfortable, afraid that something might be seen through.

“Qingyue respectfully sees Nanny Lai off,” Yin Qingyue said, a faint, elusive smile flashing across her face. Now things were about to get interesting.

“Reporting to the imperial physician, I have come under my young lady’s orders to convey a message,” Mei’er said expressionlessly. She had never had a good impression of these physicians—everyone here combined probably wasn’t as capable as her own Miss.

“May I ask what the Divine Physician requires?” the imperial physician replied with a smile. Though he was a palace physician, he still had to curry favor with a mere maid.

“In reply, my young lady requests that the physicians prepare golden needles.”

“What did you say?” The book in the physician’s hand dropped to the ground, veins bulging on his forehead.

“Miss intends to use the golden-needle method,” Mei’er said firmly. She would not misremember her young lady’s words.

“Golden needle acupuncture…” the physician repeated over and over.

According to ancient medical texts, golden needle acupuncture was only used on those at death’s door. Any slight mistake could cost the patient their life. To apply this method to the Empress was nothing short of gambling with her life.

“Where is your young lady?” the physician asked anxiously, worried that the maid might have misunderstood the Divine Physician’s instructions.

“In the side courtyard of the Yangwei Palace,” Mei’er replied calmly, paying no attention to his agitation.

“Please convey to the Divine Physician that golden needle acupuncture must be considered with utmost caution!” the physician said nervously. Her approach was truly unexpected.

“Yes, Physician.” Mei’er turned and left the Imperial Medical Academy. She only wanted to report this back to her Miss as soon as possible. Just from the physician’s panicked expression, she knew that golden needle acupuncture was extremely dangerous.

“Everyone, come quickly! The Divine Physician says she wants to use golden needle acupuncture on the Empress!” The physician who had spoken with Mei’er hurriedly gathered all the imperial physicians to discuss the matter.

“Golden needle acupuncture—hardly anyone has confidence in that,” several physicians said. Since ancient times, few dared to attempt such a method. One misstep and the patient’s life would be lost. And this was the Empress—if her life were lost, the entire Imperial Medical Academy would likely be buried with her.

“The Divine Physician wants to use golden needle acupuncture—this is absolutely unacceptable! Not only would we oppose it, even His Majesty would never agree. This concerns the Empress’s life!” the physicians argued back and forth.

“Physician Zhang, what you say is true. But the Empress remains unconscious, and even the Divine Physician has no other solution. At this point, we can only take this desperate gamble,” another physician explained. He wasn’t speaking on Yin Qingyue’s behalf, but the Empress’s condition left no other option—though only a few supported this view.

“You—you’re playing with the Empress’s life!”

“There’s no point arguing here. We still need to discuss this directly with the Divine Physician,” said a younger physician.

With just one sentence from Yin Qingyue, the Imperial Medical Academy was thrown into chaos.

“Miss, the physicians say that golden needle acupuncture is too dangerous and advise you to consider carefully,” Mei’er said worriedly.

“I knew those physicians would say that. The Imperial Medical Academy must be in an uproar right now, right?” Yin Qingyue said, a faint smile appearing on her face.

“Miss, since you already knew they wouldn’t agree, why did you have Mei’er inform them?” Mei’er asked, puzzled.

“If I didn’t tell them, I wouldn’t get the result I want,” Yin Qingyue replied with a smile. Only by informing them could she alert the people around the Empress. Otherwise, there would be no show to watch.

“Miss, why is it that I don’t understand what you’re saying?” Mei’er looked utterly confused.

“In a few days, you’ll know why. This is just a bit of prelude,” Yin Qingyue said softly. After all, she was scheming within the Empress’s palace. If the Empress’s people found out, she certainly wouldn’t have an easy end.

Yin Qingyue shot Mei’er a look, and Mei’er immediately understood, falling silent.

“Mei’er, go check whether the herbs in the kitchen are done simmering,” Yin Qingyue said lightly, wary of eavesdroppers. In the Yangwei Palace, aside from Mei’er, everyone else was under the Empress—she had to be on guard at all times.

“Miss, rest well,” Mei’er said with a wink before her pale-pink figure quickly disappeared.

Outside the room, several palace maids kept craning their necks. They hadn’t caught a single word of what Yin Qingyue had said.

“What are you doing here?” Mei’er’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Nothing. We just wanted to check on the Divine Physician, see if she’s recovered. Only then can the Empress recover as well,” one maid said sarcastically. She saw no need to be polite to a mere maid by the Divine Physician’s side.

“My young lady has her own way of treating the Empress. She doesn’t need your concern,” Mei’er snapped angrily. She had long been fed up with these people gossiping behind her Miss’s back. Today, she might as well teach them a lesson.

“You’re just a maid from the Luocheng Courtyard. What right do you have to speak here?” the young maid retorted, frowning. At least she served the Empress—speaking to someone like this was beneath her.

“Even if I’m a maid from the Luocheng Courtyard, I’m here taking care of my Miss. That’s better than you standing around doing nothing,” Mei’er replied word by word, feeling bitter inside.

Suddenly, Mei’er remembered her Miss’s instruction—to endure if possible. She quickly covered her mouth.

“I still need to prepare medicine for my Miss, so I won’t argue with you. What I said just now was in jest,” Mei’er said with a smile, quickly heading into the kitchen. The maids were left stunned, having been ready to quarrel, only for her attitude to change abruptly.

“There’s no need to argue with that little maid anyway. She is the Divine Physician’s subordinate, after all,” the maids said ingratiatingly. If the Divine Physician later cured the Empress and used her authority against them, it would be too late for regret.

“That’s true.”

Before long, Xiyang Courtyard returned to calm.

Back at the Imperial Medical Academy, the physicians were still arguing endlessly.

“How about this: since the Divine Physician needs golden needles, we’ll prepare them. We’ll report this matter to His Majesty and let him decide. That way, the responsibility won’t fall on our Imperial Medical Academy,” one physician suggested.

“That’s a good idea.”

“Yes, I agree.”

In the end, the physicians unanimously approved this plan.

“Then we’ll send a representative to His Majesty to explain the dangers of golden needle acupuncture. If His Majesty agrees to try, we’ll have nothing more to say—the responsibility will be entirely the Divine Physician’s. If His Majesty forbids it, and the Divine Physician fails to find another solution within three days, then it has nothing to do with us,” one physician said, voicing what nearly all of them were thinking.

“Send the most senior physician. That will be more convincing.”

“Agreed. Let Physician Li go.” Physician Li was older and among the most skilled of the group.

“Surely Physician Li will gain something from this trip.”

“Shall we also send someone younger along? It might help smooth things over,” another suggested. Most of the physicians understood that their chances weren’t great—after all, the Divine Physician was quite formidable with words as well.