MCSCPM -Chapter 43 Three Conditions

Nanny Lai drew in a sharp breath. Yin Qingyue’s words clearly emphasized how extraordinary her medical skills were—an illness she could cure at a glance required the imperial physicians to go through inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry and palpation, followed by joint consultations among three departments? It turned out this ugly girl wasn’t ignorant at all—she was too perceptive!

At this thought, the expression on Nanny Lai’s face instantly turned solemn. She gave a cold smile. “Miss Yin truly lives up to being from the Yin family of Shuiling, the wealthiest household there. You grasp the ways of business very well.”

Yin Qingyue also withdrew her smile, the corner of her lips lifting into a faintly mocking curve. “I have no choice. Right now, I possess nothing—no capital at all—so I’m doing business by leveraging what I have. Naturally, I must be cautious, again and again. I hope Nanny can understand.”

Nanny Lai snorted coldly. “So Miss Yin knows she’s doing business empty-handed?”

She deliberately stressed the words empty-handed, then let out another faint sneer.

Yin Qingyue raised her brows unhurriedly. “I may lack capital, but I don’t lack ability. As the saying goes, the more skills one has, the fewer worries one faces; craft does not burden the body. With skills in hand, one can travel the world—let alone a small imperial palace. Surely Nanny understands this principle?”

Nanny Lai narrowed her eyes, her expression growing colder. “Miss Yin’s goods may be fine, but don’t be overly confident. No matter how good the goods are, without buyers, they’re nothing but useless trash!”

Yin Qingyue looked at her with a half-smile. “Then I return Nanny’s words to you unchanged. Who gave Nanny the illusion that my goods would go unwanted? Isn’t His Majesty the living signboard for my services?”

Nanny Lai’s heart jolted. Indeed—rumors in the palace always spread at terrifying speed. It wouldn’t take long before news that Yin Qingyue had cured the Emperor’s illness merely by observing him would spread throughout the harem. By then, this wretched girl would become a hot commodity!

Although Nanny Lai understood this clearly, she refused to concede verbally and stiffened her neck. “So what? Forgive this old servant for spoiling the mood, but Miss Yin shouldn’t be too pleased. The Emperor’s illness is a long-standing one—it may not be so easily cured!”

Yin Qingyue lifted her eyes and glanced at Nanny Lai, fixing her with a half-smile. “Then why does Nanny think the Crown Prince’s illness suddenly recovered?”

Nanny Lai’s heart leapt. Nangong Xiao’s ailment of over twenty years had indeed suddenly been cured in recent days—but how did Yin Qingyue know? When Nangong Xiao went to fetch her, his illness had already been completely cured. By rights, she shouldn’t have been able to tell!

Nanny Lai stared at Yin Qingyue in shock and uncertainty, thinking rapidly. Suddenly, an idea exploded in her mind like thunder. In her astonishment, she stood up, her aged hands—like cracked tree bark—trembling as she pointed at Yin Qingyue.

“The Crown Prince’s illness—was it you who cured it?!” Nanny Lai exclaimed, eyes wide, voice shaking with panic.

“It was nothing more than a trivial trick,” Yin Qingyue said with a sly smile. “I’ve made Nanny laugh at me.”

“Miss Yin truly hides her depth well,” Nanny Lai said through clenched teeth, her smile dark and gloomy.

She had never expected this ugly girl’s medical skills to be so exquisite. No wonder she was so at ease, even daring to disregard both Nanny Lai and her mistress. If Yin Qingyue had the Crown Prince as her backing, there truly was no need for her to bow and scrape before the Empress.

“It seems Miss Yin already has a better buyer. This old servant underestimated you,” Nanny Lai said after staring at her for a long while, letting out a light snort.

“So what if there are many buyers? What matters is the price,” Yin Qingyue replied with a gentle smile, calmly lifting her teacup for a sip. “Nanny also knows that I come from the Yin family. Merchants, after all, always pursue profit.”

By now, Yin Qingyue had successfully suppressed Nanny Lai’s lofty attitude and self-assured tone. At this moment, Nanny Lai would no longer dare to look down on her. Thus, even if the conditions Yin Qingyue proposed were difficult, Nanny Lai would have to seriously consider them.

Sure enough, Nanny Lai no longer dared to underestimate her. On the contrary, sensing Yin Qingyue’s willingness to negotiate, she immediately became much more attentive.

“What Miss Yin says is right. People say goods should be compared among three shops—so naturally, offers should be compared as well. Miss Yin is clever and should understand that Her Majesty the Empress is the true mistress of the six palaces. If Miss Yin is willing to work for Her Majesty, there will be immense benefits in the future,” Nanny Lai said eagerly.

Her tone had softened considerably. No longer was she coercing or tempting with threats; instead, she sought to entice Yin Qingyue with benefits.

Yin Qingyue remained unmoved, merely lifting her gaze with a faint smile. “Nanny needn’t say more. I have only three conditions at present. If Nanny can agree to them, I will willingly serve Her Majesty the Empress. If not, then should I cast a bright pearl into the dark, Nanny mustn’t blame me.”

Nanny Lai’s heart tightened. Though this ugly girl spoke arrogantly, she undeniably had the capital to do so. For now, only the Empress and the Crown Prince knew that the stubborn ailment troubling the Crown Prince for over twenty years had been instantly cured by this girl. As long as the Empress only had to compete with the Crown Prince, the pressure was still manageable.

But once the entire palace learned of this, would Consort Sun let the matter rest? Consort Sun had always been at odds with the Empress, and she had no son—she was precisely in need of a physician to tend and restore her health.

“Please speak, Miss Yin. Her Majesty the Empress will certainly take your matters seriously,” Nanny Lai said, having made up her mind. She absolutely could not allow this ugly girl to defect to someone else.

“First,” Yin Qingyue said with a smile, “when a physician treats illness, prescriptions must be prepared. But I don’t trust others to gather the herbs. Therefore, every prescription I write for Her Majesty must be personally prepared by me.”

Her claim of distrust was merely an excuse. What Yin Qingyue truly wanted was access to the Imperial Medical Bureau’s dispensary. When it came to medicinal herbs, the imperial stock was certainly the finest. If she could secretly bring some out, she could greatly nourish her own body.

Nanny Lai didn’t grasp her hidden intent and only found the request somewhat troublesome. The Imperial Medical Bureau was a royal domain—certainly not a place just anyone could enter. Yet she was unwilling to lose such a talent at the very first condition.

“This can be arranged,” Nanny Lai finally said through gritted teeth. “Though Miss Yin may have to follow this old servant’s arrangements.”

She thought that perhaps disguising Yin Qingyue as a palace maid might allow her entry. Still, she wasn’t fully confident—after all, there were no palace maids this ugly.

Yin Qingyue smiled faintly, folding her hands atop her knees, and calmly stated her second condition. “Second, it’s quite simple. While I am a physician, I am also a merchant. Nanny knows merchants value profit. Therefore, when I prepare medicine for Her Majesty, I hope Her Majesty will pay me some silver.”

So it was just about money. Nanny Lai felt relieved. The Empress lacked many things, but silver was certainly not one of them. Otherwise, how could a mere old nanny afford such a residence?

Nanny Lai once again broke into a smile full of wrinkles. “That’s easy to discuss. Miss Yin, just look at this room of mine—you should know Her Majesty is not a stingy person.”

With the matter of silver settled, Yin Qingyue also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear the Empress was generous. While she wasn’t a heartless doctor, she couldn’t ignore her future livelihood.

Now that her relationship with the Empress was transactional—money for medicine—it was fair and straightforward. Her future sustenance was thus secured.

Thinking this, Yin Qingyue’s smile grew brighter. She gracefully adjusted her skirt. “As for the third condition—it may be somewhat difficult. But I must state this clearly in advance: if the third condition cannot be met, then even if the first two are agreed upon, I will not be persuaded.”

Alarm bells rang in Nanny Lai’s heart. She quickly straightened her expression, looking as though she faced a formidable enemy. “Please speak, Miss Yin. This old servant will do her utmost.”

Yin Qingyue narrowed her eyes with a smile. “Nanny must not forget—I am from the Falling Dust Courtyard. Living there, my safety is uncertain, and I spend every day in fear. How could I focus on serving Her Majesty under such circumstances?”

Nanny Lai stared at her in astonishment. “You—you—you mean… you want to leave the Falling Dust Courtyard?”

Yin Qingyue nodded calmly. “Yes.”

“But didn’t you say it so well before His Majesty—that you were willing to enter the Falling Dust Courtyard?” Nanny Lai looked at her as if she’d seen a ghost.

Yin Qingyue gave a cold laugh. “Words and actions are two different things. I do hope the realm of Xize remains stable, but why should I gamble my life to verify some damn mystic official’s prophecy? If that so-called official is a fraud, am I to bury all my skills and talents for nothing?”

At that moment, Yin Qingyue’s eyes were filled with stubbornness and defiance. That intoxicating look actually left Nanny Lai—who had seen countless beauties—momentarily dazed.

Who would have thought this ugly girl, so ugly as she was, possessed such beautiful eyes—more captivating than even the palace ladies!

Nanny Lai frowned and fell into deep thought. This condition truly wasn’t easy to agree to. What kind of place was the Falling Dust Courtyard? Was it somewhere one could enter and leave at will?

Yet Yin Qingyue had made her stance clear: if this condition wasn’t met, agreeing to the first two would be meaningless.

With a sigh, Nanny Lai looked at Yin Qingyue with a complicated expression. “This condition… please allow this old servant to discuss it with Her Majesty the Empress. The matter is of great importance—I dare not decide it myself.”

“Nanny, do as you please,” Yin Qingyue said with a smiling gaze, utterly free of tension or anxiety. “As long as you make your decision before someone else gives me an answer.”

“Please rest, Miss Yin,” Nanny Lai said, giving Yin Qingyue one last deep look before standing up and leaving.

Yin Qingyue raised her brows slightly, guessing that Nanny Lai had gone to consult the Empress. She didn’t dwell on it, climbed into bed, rolled around for a bit, and soon fell asleep.