Chapter 60: Autumn Brings About Reckoning
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The hatred for killing one's father is irreconcilable.
When the Empress fell seriously ill, the Imperial Medical Bureau failed to cure her. As a result, the Emperor became furious and executed several court physicians on the day of the Empress' death.
The head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Shen Congyun, was also executed at that time.
If not for the ministers who wrote to the Emperor in a united front, risking their lives to advise him, even the families of those physicians might not have escaped that disaster.
Even though Shen Lingyun managed to survive, she lost her loving father and her mother, who died from a surge of anger and blood pressure. How could the still-young Shen Lingyun live in peace?
The pain of losing one’s family was something Shen Lingyun experienced in an instant that day. However, at that time, she wished she could follow her parents to the underworld and be reunited as a family.
If it were not for the coincidence of her master — the Miracle Doctor, Zhou Jinyi, still being in the capital, who saved her and took her away, Shen Lingyun might have ceased to exist in this world.
Shu Yao was certainly aware of those past events.
After Meng Chang'an carried Li Qiubai away, Shu Yao gradually regained her senses and looked at Shen Lingyun with guilt.
With that debt from years ago, it was indeed a bit unreasonable to expect her to help treat the Princess now.
Yet without Shen Lingyun's assistance, Shu Yao felt uneasy leaving the Princess' life solely in the hands of Young Master Meng, whose medical skills could only heal herself.
Seeing Shen Lingyun appear intent on leaving, Shu Yao hurriedly stood up and chased after her, grasping her wrist tightly before she could leave the corridor.
“Lingyun…”
When Shen Lingyun turned back and met her cold gaze, Shu Yao felt a wave of anxiety and said, “Revenge has its roots, and debts have their owners. The events of that year were all that person’s fault. She was only nine years old at that time, so she was unaware. You… need not hate her as well.”
Even knowing this was not the right time to say such things, even knowing she was merely an outsider to Shen Lingyun and had no right to advise her to let go of her hatred, Shu Yao still could not help but defend Li Qiubai.
She didn't even know whether she wanted to explain for the Princess or if she was trying to defend herself in advance.
After all, if one were to dig deeper, she could also be counted among the imperial family that this person hated.
If this person knew that the daughter of her father’s murderer was by her side day and night, what would she do?
Thinking of this, Shu Yao felt even more anxious. The things she originally wanted to confess were once again swallowed back down.
She cautiously observed Shen Lingyun’s expression. When she did not see Shen Lingyun turn hostile, Shu Yao suppressed her feelings of guilt and unease. She tightly grasped Shen Lingyun's hand and explained nervously, “I do not want to force you to take action. I only do not want you to be blinded by those past events and forget your original intention. If you remove her identity as a member of the imperial family, she is just an ordinary person. Since you believe that a doctor should save anyone in need, why should you forget your true purpose because of her status?”
After saying this, Shu Yao could not help but sigh. “I do not want you to act out of hatred and seek momentary satisfaction, only to regret it for the rest of your life.”
Only then did Shen Lingyun show a slight change in her demeanor.
When she was young, she had also hated that high and mighty Emperor, wishing to take his head to avenge her father's murder.
However, as she gradually grew up, she understood that some grievances could not be avenged just because she wanted to. Some hatred was not useful merely by remembering it.
A ruler of a nation was not someone she could simply kill.
Killing one person might relieve her anger, but the suffering would fall upon countless citizens.
Shen Lingyun did not want to let her personal grudges lead to the destruction of more families, so she chose to silently swallow her resentment.
Over time, the hatred of her childhood was gradually overshadowed by other emotions that filled her heart.
However, even though her hatred had faded as she grew older, the resentment that had taken root in her heart could not be easily erased.
After listening to Shu Yao’s words, Shen Lingyun calmed down slightly and turned her head to mutter, “That is why I did not take her life. I just do not want to pull the arrow for her.”
Upon hearing this, Shu Yao could not help but pull at the corners of her mouth. She looked up at Shen Lingyun and asked helplessly, “If that is the case, then why did you just seal her heart meridian*?”
*In Traditional Chinese Medicine, sealing the heart meridian (by acupuncture)means creating a blockage that prevents the normal flow of qi (vital energy) and blood. Might be done to prevent a patient from experiencing pain or to stabilize their condition. However, it can also have negative consequences if not done carefully.
It was indeed not an easy task to ask a doctor to turn away when a patient’s life was at stake.
After Shu Yao pointed it out, Shen Lingyun's face could not hold on anymore. She turned back to Shu Yao and retorted, "I do not understand. What is your relationship with her? Why do you care so much about her life and death?"
Shu Yao pondered for a moment and then sighed softly, "She got shot because she saved me, not to mention..."
After pausing slightly, Shu Yao continued vaguely, "Furthermore, she is my... close friend from childhood. I cannot just watch her face disaster right in front of me."
Shen Lingyun frowned but did not respond. The resentments in her heart gradually dissipated after she calmed down.
Seeing that she did not leave immediately, Shu Yao added a bit of hope and looked at her again, cautiously asking, "So can you..."
Before she could politely express her request, Bai Shuangyan, who had originally entered the room to help Meng Chang'an, hurriedly ran out and directly grabbed Shen Lingyun's hand, pulling her inside. She rushed, "You are still here dawdling? Her Highness is about to bleed to death! Look at you, you are so grown up, yet you are acting like a child and throwing a tantrum! Hurry up and come help; do not let her die in Chang'an's hands!"
Seeing that Shen Lingyun did not resist despite being treated so roughly and allowed Bai Shuangyan to pull her inside, Shu Yao felt somewhat relieved and quickly followed.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
While Shen Lingyun and Shu Yao were arguing, Yuechu had already gone to fetch hot water. At this moment, she was waiting beside Li Qiubai, nervously watching Young Master Meng's trembling hands.
At this moment, the Princess' face had turned even paler. Meng Chang'an did not dare to casually pull out the arrow. She could not continue to delay with Shen Lingyun, risking the Princess losing the chance for timely treatment.
Gritting her teeth, she cut off the sharp arrowhead that had pierced through the Princess' body, then held onto the shaft of the arrow behind her.
Before she could use force to pull the arrow from the Princess' body, Shen Lingyun, who had been dragged into the room by Bai Shuangyan, stopped her, "Pulling the arrow out like this, are you trying to let her die by your hands?"
Meng Chang'an's wrist paused, and she turned her head in surprise, looking at Shen Lingyun, who had appeared in the room.
Before she could ask, Shen Lingyun had already walked to the bedside, took out the needle pack she carried with her, spread it out on the empty space of the bed, and gestured, "First, loosen her clothes. I will apply the needles."
After speaking, without giving Meng Chang'an a chance to express thanks, Shen Lingyun coldly continued, "Let me make this clear, I just do not want her to die in your hands, causing the leader and others unnecessary trouble. It is not because I am willing to save her."
Meng Chang'an was overjoyed. Even though Shen Lingyun said those words, she knew Shen Lingyun's personality well. She was never someone to be forced into submission. To her, it did not matter what reason made Shen Lingyun compromise. As long as Shen Lingyun was willing to take action for the Princess, that was enough.
She had already forgotten the earlier argument with Shen Lingyun and quickly cooperated, moving her free hand to the blood-soaked belt of the Princess' clothes.
Before she could finish removing the Princess' inner and outer garments, she glanced up and noticed Bai Shuangyan, Shu Yao, and the others still standing there, staring intently at the Princess. Recalling their earlier intimate behavior with the Princess, the Young Master could not help but furrow her brows and said seriously to Shu Yao, "Maybe it is better if you all leave first. The two of us can handle this."
Okay, it seems like I have managed to become the bad guy no matter what.
Shu Yao helplessly tugged at the corners of her mouth. After sensing the faint hostility from the Young Master Meng towards her, she said nothing more. She directly pulled Bai Shuangyan and Yuechu to wait outside the beaded curtain.
Only then did Young Master Meng continue with her previous actions, half-embracing the Princess as she carefully avoided the arrow and undressed her inner and outer clothes.
Seeing the Princess' bare figure again, there were no longer the past fleeting desires in Meng Chang'an's heart, only an uncontrollable ache.
The arrow lodged in the Princess' chest felt as if it were piercing into the Young Master's own heart, causing her immense pain.
Thinking that the Princess was injured because of someone else, Meng Chang'an could not help but feel even more bitter. However, no matter how much resentment and anger she felt, at this moment, none of it outweighed the importance of the Princess' injuries in her eyes.
Once Shen Lingyun had prepared the medicine and temporarily sealed off the flow of blood with acupuncture on Li Qiubai, she noticed Young Master Meng's dazed expression and could not help but ask, "Since when did you start caring so much about other people's lives and deaths?"
After speaking, as if worried she had not been clear enough, Shen Lingyun added, "Why are you so concerned about her? Who is she to you? And do not give me that nonsense about her being your sister-in-law, I will not believe it. After all, I saw your elder brother get injured earlier, and you did not seem all that worried about him."
Meng Chang'an was stunned for a moment, unable to think of a response to Shen Lingyun's question.
Fortunately, Shen Lingyun did not press further. It was merely a casual question. Seeing the Young Master's troubled expression, she smiled knowingly and asked no more, continuing to focus on her acupuncture treatment for Li Qiubai.
Once everything was ready and it was confirmed that removing the arrow would not harm Li Qiubai's heart or cause uncontrollable bleeding, Shen Lingyun finally removed the arrow from her body, calmly applying medicine and bandaging her wounds.
With Meng Chang'an assisting, Shen Lingyun's speed was much faster than usual.
In just the time it took to burn a single stick of incense, Li Qiubai's bleeding had already stopped.
However, for Meng Chang'an, the process still felt far too long.
It was not until the Princess' body was wrapped in bandages to stop the bleeding and placed on the quilt that Meng Chang'an finally let out a sigh of relief. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and sincerely said to Shen Lingyun, "Thank you."
Shen Lingyun only glanced at the hand of Young Master Meng, which was tightly holding Li Qiubai’s and unwilling to let go, then she turned away from the bed, fetched the brush and ink in the room, and began writing the prescription. She said indifferently, “There is no need to thank me. I have already removed the arrow and stopped the bleeding. As long as she survives tonight and manages to keep her life, do not forget what you promised earlier. Just remember to go and beg my master for forgiveness.”
Meng Chang’an’s face stiffened for a moment.
Sure enough, this person agreed to help with something in mind.
She had always disdained Zhou Jinyi’s kindness, but now it was because of that woman that Shen Lingyun momentarily set aside her hatred to lend a hand, saving the Princess from the danger of dying from blood loss. Meng Chang’an’s heart was truly a mix of emotions.
“I understand.”
Meng Chang’an did not refuse. She only lowered her head and sat by the bed, carefully wiping away the remaining blood on the Princess’ hands as she softly said, “As long as she is fine, after returning to the sect, I will definitely do as promised.”
After that, no matter what storms brewed outside, Meng Chang’an did not leave the Princess’ side again. She simply stayed quietly by her, keeping watch.
Some debts still have to be settled once the Princess wakes up.
In just a few days, the news of Li Qiubai being shot in the chest with an arrow, her life hanging by a thread, quietly spread into the capital and all directions.
Author's Note:
This author said he wants to see your comments!
Princess: I am so miserable. I am the one who got hurt, the one who got tricked by my imperial sister, the one who is resented by my wife, and the one who is also resented by my sister-in-law...
