MCSCPM -Chapter 44 The Ugly Divine Physician

Early the next morning, Nanny Lai returned to the Buddhist hall with dark circles under her eyes and found Yin Qingyue already washed, groomed, and having breakfast.

“Miss Yin, Her Majesty the Empress has decided to agree to all of your conditions,” Nanny Lai said coldly, enunciating each word. “However, Her Majesty also has one request of you—she hopes you will serve her earnestly and harbor no second thoughts.”

At the moment, Yin Qingyue was holding a piece of osmanthus cake. Hearing Nanny Lai’s words, she did not grow angry. Instead, she calmly finished the pastry and carefully brushed away the crumbs from the corner of her lips.

Only after that did she look up at Nanny Lai with a smile. “Nanny, since yesterday I’ve repeatedly reminded you that while I am a physician, I am also a merchant. I am not Her Majesty’s subordinate, and I cannot simply follow her lead unquestioningly.”

Seeing Nanny Lai’s expression darken, Yin Qingyue added with a conciliatory smile, “But as a merchant, I learned from a young age that while profit matters, trust matters even more. I do not speak of personal feelings with Her Majesty—the inner palace has always been a place where feelings are thin. Whether gratitude or affection, none of it is reliable. Her Majesty and I are merely conducting a transaction. As long as Her Majesty can provide what I need, I will provide what she wants.”

By now, Nanny Lai’s expression had eased. Yin Qingyue’s words were cold and unsentimental, yet they were strangely reassuring. Without personal feelings involved, a purely利益-based transaction felt all the more dependable.

Yin Qingyue smiled at Nanny Lai. “Buying and selling has always been a timeless enterprise; sending off and welcoming in wins the hearts of thousands. I’ve troubled Nanny for quite some time—shouldn’t it be time to take me to meet my client?”

Nanny Lai bowed slightly, treating Yin Qingyue almost as a mistress. “This old servant will lead the way. Miss Yin, please.”

Inside Weiyang Palace, Empress He Minmin had been waiting, her thoughts in turmoil.

Today, she wore a bright red spring robe of brocade embroidered with peonies and phoenix patterns, paired with a pale green sash and a moonlit skirt of light-yellow satin subtly embroidered with plum blossoms. Her jet-black hair was arranged in a phoenix chignon, a begonia hairpin slanted at her temples, and atop it the imperial-bestowed peony hairpiece of clustered jade, its tassels falling by her ears and complementing her southern pearl earrings. She was resplendent and dignified.

Yet, despite her beauty, He Minmin was a middle-aged woman who had borne children. No matter how lavishly she dressed, she could not match the lightness and vitality of a young girl; instead, there was an unbidden hint of age about her.

Palace attendants stood silently on both sides of the hall, heads lowered. He Minmin sat alone on the brocade seat. After a while, a soft sigh escaped her lips.

Earlier, Consort Sun and Consort De had just come to pay their respects. Consort Sun was slightly younger than her, with a petite and delicate figure. Though she had given birth to a daughter, she was well maintained—well into her thirties, yet she looked like a woman in her twenties, with no trace of aging, instead exuding a mature charm.

Consort De, on the other hand, remained as serene as drifting clouds. Perhaps because she had few worries in her heart, despite having borne a son and a daughter, she showed no signs of plumpness or age. Instead, her features were gentle and tranquil, lending her an ethereal beauty.

One was mature, the other serene—each with her own allure. No wonder Nangong Lin could never forget them.

He Minmin looked at her slender yet slightly wrinkled hands and sighed again.

Back then, among the three great beauties who had dominated the harem, why was she the only one whose beauty had been stolen by time?

Heroes and beauties are never allowed to grow old together. In her heart, He Minmin felt resentment and sorrow. Neither Consort Sun nor Consort De had aged—only she, He Minmin, was destined to grow old?!

Unconsciously, her hand clenched the tassels at the hem of her skirt, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lower lip.

She would not allow herself to age like this and eventually be forgotten by Nangong Lin! No matter the cost, she had to keep this divine physician—this was her only chance to regain her youth!

“Your Majesty, Nanny Lai and Miss Yin have arrived,” announced Han Wu, the Empress’s ceremonial lady-in-waiting, bowing as she reported.

He Minmin’s heart leapt. She stood up excitedly. “Summon them—quickly, summon them in!”

When Nanny Lai led Yin Qingyue inside, He Minmin felt her heart—and even her blood—turn cold. She stared wide-eyed as the two stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

Trembling, He Minmin raised her hand and pointed at Yin Qingyue, asking Nanny Lai, “She is the divine physician you spoke of?”

Nanny Lai nodded. “Yes. This is Miss Yin.”

He Minmin nearly shrieked, “She herself looks so ugly—how could she possibly restore my beauty? Nanny Lai, have you gone mad?!”

“Doesn’t Your Majesty know a saying—‘one who can heal others cannot heal oneself’?” Yin Qingyue’s calm voice suddenly rang out, clear and melodious like an oriole leaving the valley or spring water striking stone.

Her light, lucid voice soothed He Minmin’s agitation. Taking a deep breath, the Empress calmed herself. “But Miss Yin, judging by your appearance alone, I truly find it hard to trust your medical skills.”

Yin Qingyue raised her head and smiled calmly. “Your Majesty should also know another saying—‘long illness makes a good physician.’ Precisely because I was born with an ugly face, I have studied prescriptions for restoring beauty since childhood. When it comes to curing illnesses and saving lives, I would not dare boast; but when it comes to beautifying and preserving youth, I yield to no one.”

He Minmin was startled by the confidence in Yin Qingyue’s eyes. Though Yin Qingyue was indeed ugly, that confidence did not seem feigned, and it stirred He Minmin’s heart.

Seeing that He Minmin was already somewhat persuaded, Yin Qingyue carefully examined her face again and smiled. “May I ask, Your Majesty—have you long suffered from constrained liver qi, disharmony of the spleen and stomach, and pent-up worry in your heart?”

He Minmin’s expression changed instantly. She turned to Nanny Lai. “Did you show this wretched girl my medical records?”

Nanny Lai hurriedly waved her hands. “Your Majesty overthinks it. Your medical records are sealed in the Imperial Medical Bureau—how could this old servant possibly obtain them?”

He Minmin frowned and pointed at Yin Qingyue. “Then how could she so accurately describe my condition, matching the imperial physicians’ diagnosis exactly?”

Nanny Lai, shocked by Yin Qingyue’s skill, showed a trace of joy on her face—happy to have found such a divine physician for her mistress. She kowtowed to the Empress and said with a smile, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten? This old servant once told you that Miss Yin’s medical skills are extraordinary. Where imperial physicians need to observe, listen, question, and palpate, Miss Yin needs only to look to diagnose an illness.”

He Minmin stared at Yin Qingyue in shock and uncertainty. Could such a homely girl truly possess such ability?

Though doubts remained, the facts were before her, leaving her little choice but to believe. Pressing her lips together, He Minmin said, “Miss Yin, tell me—how did you determine my condition merely by looking?”

Yin Qingyue raised her head and smiled. “It is but a trifling skill, yet it startled Your Majesty—this humble woman is ashamed. Observing Your Majesty’s face, there are yellow-brown patches around the eyes and nose. Medical theory holds that the left face corresponds to the liver, the right to the lungs, and the nose to the spleen. Thus, Your Majesty must have constrained liver qi and disharmony of the spleen and stomach. As for the faint dark mark between your brows, it comes from frequent frowning—naturally, you harbor worry in your heart.”

He Minmin let out a long breath, her expression softening. Smiling, she took her seat and gestured lightly. “Just now, I was discourteous—please don’t take offense, Miss Yin. Rise, all of you. Have a seat.”

To think that this ugly girl truly had such ability—He Minmin immediately felt far more at ease.

Yin Qingyue did not demur. She rose with a smile and sat on the chair brought by a palace maid, adding, “Your Majesty should smile more often. Keeping a sour face makes one age faster.”

He Minmin frowned slightly and gave a bitter smile. “As Empress, how much time in a day can I truly be happy?”

Yin Qingyue replied solemnly, “Your Majesty is mistaken. Happiness isn’t some unreachable treasure. As long as you seek it yourself, you can always find it.”

A glimmer of hope ignited in He Minmin’s eyes. Yin Qingyue truly seemed capable—then let her make this bold gamble! She absolutely could not allow herself to waste away any longer!

Meanwhile, in Guan Ju Palace, Consort Sun was tugging her daughter, the Second Princess Nangong Mei’er, and chattering incessantly.

“Mei’er, you’re not young anymore. You really must put some thought into your lifelong marriage,” Consort Sun said earnestly after sipping her tea.

Nangong Mei’er sniffed the licorice in her hand and smiled faintly. “Mother, your daughter is still young—what’s there to rush? Besides, if I marry, who will help Mother seek formulas to preserve youth?”

Consort Sun was immediately rendered speechless. In her heart, she knew she was caught in a dilemma. On one hand, she wanted to find her daughter a good match and show off before the Empress; on the other, she wanted her daughter to remain in the palace and continue searching for methods to preserve beauty.

Thinking of He Minmin’s aged appearance during the morning’s audience, Consort Sun couldn’t help but shudder.

No—she absolutely could not become like that! She had no son and could only rely on her beauty to retain favor. If she lost her daughter’s formulas, wouldn’t she end up like He Minmin?!

When she lost her beauty, Nangong Lin would no longer come to see her, and she would be left to grow old alone in the palace.

Consort Sun’s heart tightened, her expression falling as she looked at Nangong Mei’er with a pained face. “Ah, Mei’er—your mother truly has no choice.”

“His Majesty arrives!” Suddenly, the shrill voice of a young eunuch rang out from outside the palace gates.

Consort Sun hurriedly stood up, smoothed her robes slightly, and put on a radiant smile as she went out to greet him. “This concubine greets Your Majesty.”

Nangong Mei’er followed, bowing. “Mei’er greets Father Emperor.”

Nangong Lin smiled and nodded, reaching out to help Consort Sun up, then gesturing lightly to Nangong Mei’er. “Rise, rise.”

With that, Nangong Lin stepped into Guan Ju Palace first, Consort Sun following closely behind. Nangong Mei’er was left standing at the palace gate, momentarily dazed.

After a while, Nangong Mei’er came back to herself. Tilting her head in confusion, she lifted her steps and followed them inside.