Chapter 261: Seeing the Light of Day Again (2)

"Is she very ill?" Yan Hongtian looked impatient. Huang Jiao withdrew his hand and replied respectfully, "Concubine Qing is not very ill; she is very seriously injured. This injury looks like an internal injury, and it has been some time. The Heavenly Prison is cold and damp, the food is improper, and she probably didn't take the medicinal soup I sent over. Now?"

"Save her." The deep voice interrupted Huang Jiao's words. That palm strike that day, although he didn't use his full strength, must have been very heavy when it hit the woman, right? He had actually forgotten about this palm strike.

Yan Hongtian's face was cold and heavy, and Huang Jiao could only reply, "This subject will do my best."

Do your best? Yan Hongtian laughed lowly, "Entrusted by others, loyal to their affairs. It's rare for him to open his mouth to you, so don't let him down." Only Lou Xiyan dared to invite an imperial physician to treat the person he personally threw into the Heavenly Prison. Was he really that fond of Qing Ling, loving the house and its crow to such an extent?

Although Yan Hongtian was laughing, Huang Jiao still broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, he didn't say anything else and walked out of the hall with a smile.

"I want her to live." Leaving behind this sentence, Yan Hongtian strode away, and Huang Jiao was terrified again.

Darkness thicker than ink always surrounded her. This was the color of the Heavenly Prison. Qingfeng had gradually become accustomed to this dark color. The pain that had been tormenting her for many days seemed to have lessened a bit. Qingfeng almost wanted to fall asleep peacefully like this. The faces of her eldest sister and younger sister flashed before her eyes, and Qingfeng opened her eyes abruptly.

Everywhere she looked, there were pink and purple gauze curtains. Under her body was no longer the cold stone brick. The faint sandalwood fragrance was refreshing, and she even felt the soft morning light was piercing. Qingfeng rubbed her aching temples in a daze. Before she could come back to her senses, a sigh came from not far away: "Finally awake."

Qingfeng propped up her body halfway and looked up, only to see a thin figure carrying a porcelain bowl, lifting the curtain and walking over. That long white beard made Qingfeng recognize him at a glance—Huang Jiao, the imperial physician who took her pulse in the prison. The brain that had just been chaotic became clear instantly. Everything that happened last night surged into her heart. Qingfeng's face turned pale, and her eyes searched the room nervously. Not seeing Yan Hongtian's figure, Qingfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then self-deprecatingly thought, she was really too self-righteous. How could Yan Hongtian wait here for her to wake up? Inviting an imperial physician for her could already be considered benevolent, right?

"The medicine is brewed. This medicine is only effective if drunk while hot." Huang Jiao stopped at a distance of one zhang from the bed. A palace maid greeted her, took the medicine bowl, walked to the bed, knelt on the ground, and carefully sent the medicine bowl in her hand to her. Another palace maid also came to her side, carefully supporting her shoulders so that she could sit up comfortably.

Only then did Qingfeng discover that apart from Huang Jiao, there were two other women in the room. She didn't have time to look at their faces clearly, but the familiar fishy smell of the medicine made Qingfeng frown.

"Your injury, if not treated, will be incurable within three days." This woman was fierce and suspicious. If she had been willing to drink the medicinal juice sent over those days, her injury wouldn't have been so serious. Fearing that Qingfeng still had concerns and wouldn't take the medicine, Huang Jiao comforted her, "Since you have already left the Heavenly Prison and are now Concubine Qing, you don't have to be too panicked about some things."

Qingfeng snorted coldly and smiled, "Living in this magnificent palace, one might die even faster." Qingfeng grabbed the medicine bowl indifferently and drank it in one gulp. As he said, she wouldn't live for three days if she didn't take the medicine. She had no choice.

The medicinal juice was a bit hot, and Qingfeng drank it too fiercely. The result of pouring it down in one gulp was imaginable. The palace maid brought tea for her to rinse her mouth, but she just frowned tightly, didn't make a sound of bitterness, and didn't even drink a drop of water. Huang Jiao shook his head. This girl's temperament would be difficult to live in the palace.

After the bitter medicinal fishy smell in her mouth faded, Qingfeng looked at the two women who were busy serving her tea and water. Their fair faces, exquisite features, and graceful figures, dressed in light blue palace dresses, made them look elegant and pleasant. They were not old but could already be seen as rare beauties.

Qingfeng stared at them. The two looked at each other, hurriedly stood up, retreated to the front of the bed, knelt down, and saluted, saying in a low voice, "This servant Lan'er, Xia Yin, greets the concubine."

"Are you palace maids arranged by Gao Jin?"

Qingfeng didn't tell them to get up, so the two still knelt and replied obediently, "Yes."

"Get up." Considerate and sensible, they could be seen to have been trained with rules. Qingfeng didn't make things difficult for them and looked at the slightly older woman, saying, "Xia Yin, go and pass a message, I want to see Gao Jin."

Xia Yin hesitated for a while, but didn't say much, and replied respectfully, "Yes." Xia Yin walked out of the hall, and Qingfeng waved her hand at Lan'er beside her, saying, "You withdraw too."

"Yes." Lan'er retreated quietly behind the screen. Huang Jiao packed up the medicine box and bowed, saying, "Your injury is very serious, you must not be too tired or catch a cold. Take the medicine on time and regulate your mind, and the injury can slowly heal." Although he was an imperial physician, he should still avoid being alone with a concubine. She deliberately pushed others away, probably because she had something to ask.

Sure enough, as soon as his words fell, Qingfeng's slightly hoarse voice asked immediately, "There is one thing I want to ask you for clarification."

Huang Jiao smiled helplessly and didn't answer. Qingfeng pretended not to see his embarrassed expression and continued to ask, "Who invited you to treat my injury?"

Huang Jiao replied righteously, "Naturally, the Emperor summoned this subject to come."

The Emperor? "I'm asking about when I was in prison." Qingfeng didn't allow him to prevaricate. She was a person who repaid grievances with grievances and kindness with kindness. She didn't like owing others favors.

It seemed that if he didn't say it, this Concubine Qing wouldn't give up. Huang Jiao smiled frankly and replied, "It was the Prime Minister who invited this old man to the prison to treat you."

"Lou Xiyan?" Qingfeng was stunned for a moment. In such a chaotic and gloomy situation that night, he actually discovered her abnormality? Why did Lou Xiyan want to help her? Was it because of her eldest sister? Or? No matter the reason, he had taken her sister away from this terrifying palace, which was already a favor to her, and now he even helped her invite an imperial physician to treat her injury. She owed this favor, and she would definitely repay him if she had the chance!

Qingfeng fell into her own thoughts, and Huang Jiao took the opportunity to say, "This subject takes his leave."

"Wait." Just as Huang Jiao walked to the curtain, Qingfeng called him again. Huang Jiao sighed in his heart, was she too pestering?

Huang Jiao's back obviously stiffened. Qingfeng found it funny and shouted, "Thank you."

She called him just to say this? Huang Jiao looked back, only to see Qingfeng laughing heartily. Her pale complexion and ruined appearance didn't affect her hearty smile at all. What a straightforward girl, it was a pity for that hibiscus face.

Returning a salute, Huang Jiao walked out of Qingfeng Hall.

Her body was really not suitable for moving around, but after laughing wantonly for a while, her chest started to burn with pain again. Smoothing her breath, Qingfeng was about to lie down and rest for a while when Xia Yin's soft voice sounded outside the hall: "Concubine, Chief Gao is here."

Here? She thought it would take at least half a day or a day to see Gao Jin, but she didn't expect that it would only take the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Forcing herself to sit up straight, Qingfeng shouted, "Invite him in."

"Yes."

Xia Yin led Gao Jin into the hall. Gao Jin stopped outside the gauze curtain and bowed slightly. Qingfeng said in a low voice, "Those empty rituals can be omitted."

"Why did Concubine Qing summon me?"

Separated by the curtain, Qingfeng couldn't see his expression, and the neither light nor heavy, neither warm nor cold tone couldn't tell if he was happy or angry. Qingfeng stopped guessing and replied coldly, "I want to ask you for someone."

Ask for someone? Who?

"Move faster! Are you not wanting to eat by dawdling?"

Under the scorching sun, in the center of the empty courtyard, there were baskets full of clothes, curtains, and bed curtains. Beside the well, there were also various fabrics soaking in three large stone-built pools. More than a dozen palace maids were washing clothes under the scorching sun, not daring to raise their heads. Most of their hands were white and swollen from long-term soaking in water. Even so, the old nanny was still shouting in the courtyard. The women in the laundry bureau were low-level palace maids, and they could only silently endure such scolding and various punishments.

Carrying the newly brewed hot tea, Lanzhi said flatteringly, "Nanny, calm your anger. The sun is too fierce, you sit down and drink tea, just leave these people to this servant."

She was originally a low-level nanny, and being flattered and served by a small palace maid naturally made her feel good. Her face also looked better. Taking the tea sent by Lanzhi, the old nanny shouted, "Alright, you watch them closely, don't let them slack off. Another batch of clothes will be sent over in the afternoon."

"Yes." Lanzhi responded crisply, and the proud look on her face was undisguised. Coughing lightly, Lanzhi shouted lightly, using her power to bully others: "Listen well, be quick with your hands. Whoever doesn't finish these tasks today won't get anything to eat!"

Fu Ling shook her head lightly. They were all low-level palace maids, and no one was more noble than anyone else. Having a little bit of power, why be so eager to suppress and trample on others? Fu Ling smiled self-deprecatingly. It seemed that she was the one who was confused. Was it just here? Weren't all the women in the harem like this?

She had been here for ten or so days, washing clothes every day, and her two hands were already red and swollen. Every time she had to wring out the clothes, it stung painfully. Fu Ling picked up the freshly washed bed curtain, and her two hands shook so much that she almost dropped the bed curtain to the ground. Lanzhi glanced at her, took the bed curtain from her hand and threw it to the palace maid beside her, and said to Fu Ling with deliberate severity, "Look at how clumsy you are, go over there and collect the dry clothes."

Hanging clothes was much easier than washing. Lanfang gave Fu Ling a look. Fu Ling hesitated for a while, but didn't say anything, got up, and walked toward the drying field behind. The little palace maid beside Fu Ling was obviously unconvinced, but under Lanzhi's glare, she finally didn't dare to speak out.

Lanzhi withdrew her gaze with satisfaction. It wasn't that she pitied Fu Ling, but because Fu Ling was a medical maid and knew some medical skills. For these low-level palace maids, the imperial physician wouldn't bother to see them.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 262 =====