Chapter 29: Research

Wen Qiao frowned and pondered for a long time, yet she could not reach a clear conclusion. With many imperial physicians waiting below, she decided to set the matter aside for now and speak to the Emperor later.

She realized that such matters were better left to the Emperor to investigate. Even if she racked her brains, she would likely not come up with much; she was unfamiliar with the members of the inner palace, knew nothing of their temperaments, and had no idea to what lengths their families might go to protect them. These things were outside her knowledge, and if the Emperor were to investigate, it would clearly be much more efficient than her doing it alone.

Having put the matter aside, Wen Qiao sat down and discussed it further with the physicians present. Eventually, they all agreed that her reasoning held merit. Forgetfulness could be trivial, but it could also be significant; while it was common for the elderly, the Empress Dowager had not yet reached an age where such memory loss was expected, making the situation quite suspicious.

"Since the Sixth Young Lady has reached this conjecture, she must have had some discovery to say so. We, your humble servants, do not know much about this, but if you require it, I shall check at home to see if there are any texts regarding gu-poison. However, I have never encountered it myself and lack knowledge in this area; I fear that if it truly is gu-poison, there is little we can do."

Imperial Physician Zhao was a man of integrity, but his words did not please Wen Qiao. If he lacked knowledge, he should simply study more; there was no need to claim helplessness now. Should they be needed later, they might try to shirk their responsibilities by claiming ignorance, which greatly annoyed her.

Originally, Physician Zhao was a skilled doctor of good character—upright, fair, and impartial. According to the Emperor’s investigations, he served no one in the palace, and Wen Qiao had intended to recommend him to replace the current head of the Imperial Medical Bureau. If he were in charge, she would feel more at ease regarding the health of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. The Emperor had his own doctors, but the Empress Dowager suffered from both chronic illnesses and long-term poisoning, which kept Wen Qiao constantly worried. If she were ever forced to leave the palace, she would struggle to trust anyone else with the Empress Dowager's care.

Though Zhao was a good candidate, his bluntness—whether due to rigidity or something else—often made his words difficult to hear. Wen Qiao felt a surge of irritation but kept her expression neutral.

"If you do not know much, then I ask that you go home and study more. The other physicians should do the same so that we are not left helpless when the time comes. The Empress Dowager’s health is of the utmost importance. If you can restore her, my uncle will certainly not be stingy with rewards, be it wealth or status. I suggest you all think carefully."

Just then, Nanny Li arrived to call Wen Qiao for breakfast. Wen Qiao acknowledged her and turned back to the physicians. "The Empress Dowager has sent for me. You lords should return and study the matter of gu-poison. The sooner we clarify this, the sooner we can be at ease. Leaving this hanging in our hearts is difficult for me, and I imagine it is no easier for you."

With that, Wen Qiao left with Nanny Li. The remaining physicians packed their things, intending to head to the Medical Bureau to consult their books. They knew she was right; the Medical Bureau existed to treat the women of the palace. If they failed to identify gu-poison in the Empress Dowager, given the Emperor’s devotion to her, they would surely face severe consequences.

***

Now that Wen Qiao had raised the possibility, she had turned their attention toward gu-poison. Privately, they agreed; otherwise, the Empress Dowager's symptoms were far too strange.

Physician Zhao, looking troubled, shouldered his medicine chest and headed to the Bureau. The others lingered, seemingly finding the task assigned by Wen Qiao too difficult. Zhao was a loner who rarely socialized, focusing instead on his studies, which made him the most skilled among them; the others struggled to keep pace.

"I don't know how the Sixth Young Lady linked the Empress Dowager's health to gu-poison," one physician grumbled. "In my opinion, it is unnecessary. We should treat it as chronic poisoning first, stabilize her, and then address other matters. If we follow her lead and the direction is wrong, what then?"

He was a conservative who favored gentle, nourishing decoctions. He found Wen Qiao’s prescription from the other day far too aggressive. Had it been him, he never would have prescribed such a thing. Yet, he had to admit her prescription was effective; the Empress Dowager had responded quickly, whereas his own methods would have taken years. He preferred his conservative approach because it minimized his own liability. If a concubine fell ill under his care, he could blame the illness, but if he used aggressive treatments like Wen Qiao, he would be held responsible. At his age, he valued his reputation above all else.

"But it is not just the Sixth Young Lady who says this; even Physician Zhao suspects it," another, younger physician spoke up. "I initially doubted it, but after thinking on the Sixth Young Lady's words, I find them reasonable. The memory loss came on too suddenly. I recall a type of gu-poison that lies dormant for three or four years before taking effect. Perhaps we only missed it because we relied on the previous records. Now, having taken her pulse, I felt something strange that I have never encountered before."

"If it is gu-poison, it is highly credible. Moreover, the Sixth Young Lady’s medical skills far surpass our own; her words must have a basis. Since she has provided the direction, we should follow it. If we cure the Empress Dowager, it is a great achievement. If the direction is wrong, at least the Sixth Young Lady is leading, and the Emperor’s wrath will not fall solely on us."

The older physician sighed, shook his head, and left. He did not share the younger doctors' penchant for risk.

Once he was gone, the remaining few looked at each other. "Very well, since the Sixth Young Lady has spoken, we shall research as she instructed. Even if we are wrong, we lose nothing but time. The Empress Dowager has been ill for years; the condition will not worsen drastically in the short term. Let us go study. We cannot afford to be ignorant if she asks for our help later."

They gathered their things and left. Although Wen Qiao was unaware of their discussion, the Empress Dowager’s palace had its own ways of gathering information. Nanny Song, hearing the reports, decided to keep the matter from the Empress Dowager for now and consult Wen Qiao later. She had come to rely on Wen Qiao as the backbone of the palace. The Empress Dowager was elderly and uninterested in palace intrigues, and Nanny Song had always been the one to navigate such waters for her.

Nanny Song instructed the maids to keep the discussion quiet and then entered the bedchamber. The Empress Dowager and Wen Qiao were sitting down to breakfast, the atmosphere warm and pleasant.

"Youming, you need not stand there. Go have your meal. With Qiao here, I am well cared for. You are not young anymore; take a rest," the Empress Dowager said with affection. Nanny Song felt a warmth in her heart.

Wen Qiao, meanwhile, kept her eyes lowered, lost in thought. In her previous life, she had not been allowed to treat the Empress Dowager often; her second brother had blocked her access, fearing her connection to the late Princess Changle. She had not known the Empress Dowager's true condition, only that she had died shortly after, leaving the palace physicians helpless.