Chapter 220: Jun Jun Yiyi's Sweet Dream

A newly arrived Imperial Physician stared in shock, his words so sour they could fill a large vat with vinegar; the physician shouted in disbelief:

"Can this be true? She is merely a young Miss, and we heard that concocting the smallpox vaccine before was already outrageous enough. Now she has produced such an extraordinary medicine; is this not just a blind cat hitting a dead rat, pure luck?"

The previously bustling Imperial Hospital instantly fell silent; the Imperial Physicians all stopped their work, turned their heads, and stared fixedly at him as if looking at an idiot.

The newly arrived Imperial Physician felt a chill run down his back under the gaze of the crowd of Imperial Physicians and asked, trembling:

"You... why are you staring at me? Do you not feel this matter is sinister?"

"Beat him!"

Someone in the crowd howled, and in that instant, the Imperial Physicians swarmed him like a pack of hungry wolves attacking prey.

The senior Imperial Physician Wang rushed to the front; he was so angry his beard bristled and his eyes bulged, his face flushed red, as he grabbed the new Imperial Physician's collar by the lapel and shouted:

"You ignorant whelp who knows not the height of heaven or the depth of earth! The Princess Jun has devoted herself to research, toiling day and night, to achieve these results, yet you speak nonsense here, slandering her hard work; today I must teach you a proper lesson!"

Having spoken, he raised his hand and struck down.

Imperial Physician Li did not hold back either, throwing a punch at the new Imperial Physician's eyes while muttering:

"The Princess Jun teaches us without fail every half-month, asking for not a single coin, giving her mind and strength. And you, you rascal, speak nothing but filth; if the Princess Jun stops teaching us because of your disrespect, just wait until I beat you to death, you little bastard."

Another young medical apprentice ran up, lifted his foot, and kicked the new Imperial Physician on the leg, cursing:

"When did our Imperial Hospital produce such a muddlehead as you! Sister Jun benefits the common people, yet you suspect blindly here; this kick is to make you remember!"

Everyone threw punches and kicks; the new Imperial Physician was beaten, clutching his head and running in panic, begging for mercy again and again:

"Ouch... oh my god... to all our Weizu Sect, I was wrong, isn't that enough? I dare not do it again!"

How could he know that such a light remark had provoked the anger of the crowd; these people full of benevolence and righteousness had now completely lost their civilized appearance.

But the Imperial Physicians, in their rage, would not listen, still surrounding him and refusing to let up.

Just as the new Imperial Physician was beaten until he lay paralyzed on the ground, unable to get up, Guo Guo Yuanzheng strode in; seeing the chaotic scene before him, his face darkened, and he shouted loudly:

"Stop it all! What kind of order is this!"

Hearing Guo Guo Yuanzheng's voice, everyone stopped their hands and reluctantly retreated to the side.

The new Imperial Physician lay paralyzed on the ground like a defeated rooster, his face bruised and swollen, covered in dust and grime, with a tattered rag hanging on his body.

Guo Guo Yuanzheng walked to the new Imperial Physician's front, looked at him coldly, his gaze full of disappointment and severity.

"Young man, if you do not understand, you can learn, but you should not question without cause. Princess Lady Qingping's medical skill and medical virtue are obvious to all; how much hard work did she put in to research these medicines? How can you slander her at will? The Imperial Hospital is a place for curing the sick and saving lives, for researching medical skills; it cannot tolerate a person with such a narrow mind like you!"

The new Imperial Physician lowered his head, his face full of shame, and said in a low voice:

"Guo Guo Yuanzheng, I know I was wrong; spare me this once; I dare not do it again next time."

Guo Guo Yuanzheng snorted coldly:

"Dare there be a next time? Do you believe I will beat your mouth to pieces... ahem... reflect well; as Imperial Physicians, what we must have is reverence for medical skills and respect for our peers."

After reprimanding him, he grew tired of looking at the new Imperial Physician curled into a ball, turned his head, and said to the crowd:

"Everyone, disperse."

————————

Inside the Prince Yi Wang Fu, a major incident occurred.

These past few days, Jun Jun Yiyi has been checking pulses every day.

Early this morning, in the warm pavilion, a brocade quilt embroidered with twin lotuses was casually draped over Jun Jun Yiyi's legs; she leaned lazily against a soft couch, backed by several fluffy cushions, and on the low table beside the couch sat a cup of tea still emitting curling steam.

Outside the window, sunlight filtered through the carved lattice, casting mottled shadows, coating the room in a warm glow, yet it could not dispel the hint of anxiety barely concealed in Jun Jun Yiyi's eyes.

The old Physician bent his back, his hands trembling slightly as he packed his medicine chest, the bottles and jars inside arranged neatly.

His fingers were dry as firewood; though his packing movements were skilled, they revealed a certain caution.

"Niangniang, congratulations; you are nearly one month pregnant."

The Physician's voice carried a hint of flattery, trembling slightly, echoing softly within the warm pavilion, the tail of the sound seeming to carry a lingering sycophancy.

Jun Jun Yiyi withdrew her hand; the slender fingers wore jade nail guards, tracing an arc with the movement.

Her willow brows furrowed slightly, displeasure flashed in her eyes, and her voice rose involuntarily:

"What did you say? I am clearly more than one month pregnant."

"But Concubine Niangniang, this humble one has practiced medicine for many years and would never make a mistake; it is indeed less than one month."

The Physician raised his head slightly; his face was wrinkled like gullies, his eyes full of panic, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks.

"Bold!"

Jun Jun Yiyi suddenly sat upright, unaware that the brocade quilt had slipped off.

"This Consort says it is more than one month, then it is more than one month!"

Her apricot eyes widened, her gaze full of unquestionable authority; her usually delicate face was now entirely ferocious.

The old Physician's legs went weak with fear; with a "thud" he knelt on the ground, his knees striking the floor heavily, pain making cold sweat pour from him.

He pressed his hands to the ground, his head bowed extremely low, his voice carrying a crying tone:

"Concubine Niangniang, please calm your anger; this humble one spoke wrongly; Concubine Niangniang is indeed more than one month pregnant."

Jun Jun Yiyi nodded in satisfaction, a smile returning to her face, and cast a glance at Yan'er beside her.

Yan'er hurriedly took out a packet of silver from her sleeve pocket, placed it on a handkerchief, and respectfully handed it to the Physician.

"Remember this well for this Consort; this Consort's pregnancy date is the sixth day of the first lunar month."

Jun Jun Yiyi held a smile at the corner of her mouth; her voice was gentle yet hid a threat.

The old Physician trembled as he accepted the glistening silver, his heart muttering to himself:

This great mansion is like a pot of soup full of hidden knots; all sorts of strange and bizarre things can emerge! He thought to himself that he must not struggle blindly here; if he continued to argue like this, who knows when the King of Hell would send someone to fetch him!

The old Physician shivered, and like a man chased by a ghost, retreated out with his hands and feet moving in unison.

After the Physician withdrew, Jun Jun Yiyi leaned against the couch, the corners of her mouth rising, revealing a smile of certain victory.

She raised her hand and gently stroked her flat lower abdomen, the movement as tender as if caressing a rare treasure.

Her eyes were filled with longing, and in her mind's eye appeared Quan Quan Tianyi's ecstatic expression upon hearing the news.

The smile at the corner of her lips grew even more intense, as if she could already see her future in Wang Fu, commanding wind and rain, unmatched by anyone.