Chapter 56

In the afternoon, Guo Taiyi was invited to Yangzheng Pavilion.

As soon as he saw the snow ginseng on the table, his gaze locked onto it: "This… this couldn't be… a snow ginseng over a thousand years old?!"

"Medical texts record that a thousand-year snow ginseng has a body like jade, with golden threads inside, exuding a rare fragrance that lingers. I have practiced medicine all my life and have only seen such a divine object in rare illustrated manuals!"

Guo Taiyi clicked his tongue in wonder, unable to put it down.

Tuan Tuan asked, "Grandpa, is this snow ginseng useful?"

"More than useful! It is a supreme treasure for prolonging life, unblocking meridians, and reinforcing the primordial essence!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, and she happily said, "Then can big brother eat it after he wakes up?"

"Wake up? No, no, little miss, you can give it to the young master now. Once taken, even a person on the brink of death can snatch some time from King Yama's hands."

His excited beard trembled, and he almost wanted to kowtow to the snow ginseng; after steadying himself, he bowed deeply to Xiao Yuanhang and Cheng Ru'an: "Prince, Princess Consort! Congratulations, congratulations!"

"With this divine object, I dare say the young master's awakening is imminent!"

Cheng Ru'an hurriedly asked, "How should it be taken?"

Guo Taiyi pondered: "This substance's medicinal nature is pure and strong, like a flood; since the young master is still young, we must absolutely not rush."

"It must be scraped with a gold knife to take a little powder of the ginseng filaments, each dose just a trace amount. Then place this powder in the young master's mouth for him to hold, letting saliva slowly dissolve the medicinal power to nourish the meridians."

"Remember, at most once a day, and the dosage must not be excessive! Increase gradually; only after the young master's condition improves should we slightly raise the amount. This way we won't harm his body while maximizing the snow ginseng's divine effect."

He took a delicate gold knife from the medicine box, and while speaking, carefully scraped off a bit of powder into his palm: "Each time this much is enough."

Cheng Ru'an quickly picked up a small dish on the table, received the powder from his palm, and carefully fed it to Xiao Ningyuan's mouth.

"Is this sufficient?"

"More than enough! More than enough!" Guo Taiyi sighed: "This snow ginseng arrived just in time; the young master needs it, and the Prince's Mansion was able to obtain it—truly a fortune as vast as the heavens."

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head: "Grandpa, I won this by betting!"

Guo Taiyi blinked: "Could it be, as the outside rumors say, that yesterday the child of Official Lu gambled at Xuanqiong Temple and lost his family's treasure, which is this snow ginseng? And he actually lost it to little miss?"

Tuan Tuan nodded vigorously: "Yes! It was me!"

Guo Taiyi laughed: "To admit defeat and pay the bet is only proper."

Cheng Ru'an furrowed her brows: "Guo Taiyi, has this matter already been rumored outside?"

Guo Taiyi hurriedly said: "I too only heard it through gossip; such rumors tend to become more exaggerated with each retelling. I originally thought it was a joke, never expecting it to be true."

Cheng Ru'an glanced at her husband and changed the subject: "I don't know how long after our son takes this snow ginseng he will wake up."

Guo Taiyi, being cautious, dared not speak rashly; he quickly took out a pulse cushion and placed Xiao Ningyuan's wrist on it: "Allow me to take the young master's pulse, consider it carefully, then report back to the Princess Consort."

After a while, he withdrew his hand: "Reporting to the Princess Consort, according to my diagnosis, he will wake in as little as three to five days, and certainly no more than ten days."

Tuan Tuan leapt into Cheng Ru'an's embrace: "Mother! Grandpa said it! Big brother will wake up in a few days!"

"Yes! Thanks to Tuan Tuan!" Cheng Ru'an hugged her tightly: "Go tell your second and third brothers; they're practicing swordplay in the Zhenzhen Pavilion."

"All right!" Tuan Tuan bounced out, and Liu PoPo hurriedly followed.

After Guo Taiyi left, Xiao Yuanhang knew what his wife was worrying about: "An'er, don't worry; didn't the Xuanqing True Person also say that Tuan Tuan has a clear spirit and bears an extraordinary endowment?"

Cheng Ru'an's brows knit deeply: "The more Tuan Tuan's abilities show, the more I worry someone will use her as material, to her detriment."

Xiao Yuanhang laughed heartily: "An'er, if I, as Prince Ning, cannot even protect my own daughter, then I might as well not be the prince!"

Cheng Ru'an thought it over, and her brow finally relaxed: "What the Prince says is indeed correct!"

An attendant outside reported: "Eunuch Zhang of the Chengui Hall has arrived outside the mansion, saying he bears an edict from the Eldest Princess."

Cheng Ru'an glanced at her husband and ordered: "Please invite him to the main hall; I will arrive shortly."

"Yes."

Xiao Yuanhang frowned slightly: "The Eldest Princess? Could she be here for Huo Wenxuan?"

Cheng Ru'an slowly rose: "Your Highness, please remain seated. I can handle these inner‑court matters myself; Tuan Tuan has done nothing wrong. If the Eldest Princess shows favoritism and shields the wrongdoer, even though she is the Eldest Princess, I will absolutely not allow her to bully my daughter!"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his wife and broke into a smile: "This is exactly my good Princess Consort! Go ahead; if anything arises, I will hold the fort for you!"

Cheng Ru'an arrived at the front hall, and Eunuch Zhang hastily bowed: "I pay my respects to the Princess Consort."

"Your courtesy is noted, Eunuch. I do not know what edict the Eldest Princess has brought."

Eunuch Zhang beamed: "The Princess has sent this servant to come, specifically regarding yesterday's incident at Xuanqiong Temple."

"The Princess said, 'Although Huo Wenxuan is cherished on her knees, she is lax in discipline, causing her temperament to become arrogant and licentious, daring to utter falsehoods and even collide with the Commandery Princess; this is my fault.'"

Cheng Ru'an's face showed surprise; the Eldest Princess is coming to apologize?

"Upon learning of yesterday's incident, the Princess was furious. She has already imposed a heavy punishment on Miss Huo: ordering her to copy the Jingxin Sutra and the Nüjie each one hundred times in the side hall of Chengui Hall, to reflect on her faults."

"The Princess also said, 'Prince Ning is the pillar of the state, and the Jiayou Commandery Princess possesses a childlike innocent heart, pure and lovable; we must never let the misconduct of juniors harm their harmony.' This minor punishment, major admonition—I hope the Prince and Princess Consort will bear with it."

Cheng Ru'an hastily replied: "Your Highness's words weigh heavily."

"Princess Consort, you are too polite." Eunuch Zhang waved his hand, and a few little eunuchs filed in, placing the food boxes one by one on the table and lifting the lids.

"The Princess said, 'Since the Jiayou Commandery Princess is still young, she must like sweets; I ordered the Imperial Kitchen to rush‑make these, and also presented several tribute honeyed candies, all to be given to her to taste, hoping to bring a smile to the Commandery Princess.'"

Cheng Ru'an quickly said: "Thank you, Eldest Princess, for the gift. Eunuch, you have worked hard; please accept this tea." A nearby maid hurried forward and handed him a sachet.

Eunuch Zhang received it, cupped his hands: "Many thanks, Princess Consort. The Eldest Princess holds the Jiayou Commandery Princess dear; if you have free time, please bring her to the palace more often. My errand is done; farewell."

Cheng Ru'an gave a slight nod: "Eunuch, walk slowly; please report back to the Eldest Princess on my behalf—tomorrow I, your humble wife, will bring the Commandery Princess to the palace to express my thanks."