Volume 1, Chapter 8: Stud Fee

Su Yi'an’s expression softened. "Please go ahead, General Wu."

"This box of gold melon seeds is my personal savings. I must trouble you, Doctor Ling, not to mention this to the Prince. If he asks, just say that I told you of his wartime exploits, and you were so moved that you reduced your fee to just one thousand taels."

"Understood."

Seeing that she was a straightforward person, Wu Er continued, "Also, our Prince is a man of few words and dislikes those who talk too much. Just treat his illness and keep conversation to a minimum—preferably none at all. If anything comes up, communicate with me instead."

"Understood."

"And one more thing: you are not to reveal a single word about the Prince’s condition to anyone."

"That is basic medical ethics. Rest assured, not even a blade to my throat would make me speak."

Observing her sparkling, spirited eyes and recalling her composure in the reception hall, Wu Er concluded that she must be a perceptive and sensible person. He felt he could trust her. "Thank you, Doctor Ling. Please sit here for a moment while I go speak with the Prince again."

"Very well."

As Wu Er turned to leave, Su Yi'an, feeling bored, began counting the gold melon seeds. She placed them on the table one by one, counting a total of one thousand and one. Underneath the seeds in the box lay a note. Curious, Su Yi'an unfolded it to find bold, sweeping calligraphy: *This is the payment for the seed. Keep the child for me; I shall come to collect them in a few years.*

Instantly, Su Yi'an’s heart burned with gossip. *To think that the burly General Wu Er had such a side hustle! If he could earn a box of gold for that, was my price of one hundred thousand taels to save the Prince of Northern Zhen too low? I have regrets! Still, he’s willing to spend his "selling" money on the Prince—it must be true love!*

As she mused, footsteps approached. She quickly tucked the note and the gold back into the box. *Wu Er surely didn't notice the note. I mustn't let him know I discovered his earth-shattering secret, lest he kill me to silence me.*

Thanks to Wu Er’s careful maneuvering, Xiao Beiming agreed to the treatment. After taking his pulse, Su Yi'an said calmly, "I understand the situation. Prince, find a place to lie flat. I will perform acupuncture, and then I shall write a prescription. I guarantee the illness will be cured within three months."

Xiao Beiming’s deep pupils dilated, and his long lashes trembled. *Cured? In all these years, every doctor who examined him was trembling and grim-faced, only daring to say they would "do their best." Who would dare promise a cure?*

Wu Er, standing to the side, wept with joy. *If the Prince can be saved, my death would have been worth it. I only hope the Prince doesn't act out and scare Doctor Ling away...*

Xiao Beiming went to his bedchamber and sat on the daybed. Su Yi'an said casually, "Lie down and take off your clothes."

These four words, both in their flippant tone and the scandalous content, struck a nerve. A vein throbbed on his forehead. *What an audacious rogue!* However, realizing he had no other choice—and that one should not hide illness from a physician—he suppressed his irritation and began to undress.

Wu Er, who had been holding his breath, finally let out a sigh of relief. *At least the Prince didn't lose his temper.*

As Su Yi'an leaned in to perform the acupuncture, Xiao Beiming caught a glimpse of her scarred cheeks through the gap in her veil. He felt a chill in his heart. *Her disfigurement is so severe. It seems the shopkeeper was right; she bought medicine for wounds but could not afford the ice for swelling and pain. So, that is why she came to steal from my ice cellar... What kind of person could be so cruel to a woman?*

Su Yi'an glanced down at Xiao Beiming and noticed the dark circles under his eyes—the mark of chronic sleep deprivation. "It will take half an hour before I can remove the needles. You didn't sleep well last night, Prince; you might as well take a nap."

"I do not have the habit of sleeping during the day."

"You don't sleep well at night either, do you? I will write a prescription for incense that will ensure you fall asleep immediately."

"Are you trying to drug me?" In Xiao Beiming’s experience, anything that induced immediate sleep could only be a sedative.

Su Yi'an found him ridiculous and teased, "I am a doctor, not a kidnapper. Why would I drug you?"

Wu Er, standing nearby, broke into a cold sweat again. *How dare she speak to the Prince like that? She has completely forgotten all my warnings...*

After finishing the acupuncture, Su Yi'an stood up, picked up a brush, and wrote two prescriptions, which she handed to Wu Er. "One is for a sleep-inducing incense, and the other is a decoction to clear heat and toxins."

Wu Er looked at the detox prescription first. Seeing that the primary ingredient was a century-old rhinoceros horn, he frowned. "Doctor Ling, to be honest, let alone a century-old one, one cannot buy even a single rhinoceros horn in the entire capital right now."

Su Yi'an was surprised. "How is that possible? While a century-old one is rare, rhinoceros horn itself is not that uncommon. One that is three or five years old would also suffice; taking the medicine for two years would clear the toxins completely."

Wu Er looked resentful and sorrowful, pleading, "Someone found out the Prince needed rhinoceros horn for his treatment and bought up the entire city’s supply. We can't buy even one. Can you use another ingredient instead?"

Su Yi'an looked incredulous. "If not in the capital, what about elsewhere? Rhinoceros horn is common for reducing fever. Is it really that difficult for the Prince's estate to obtain a few?"

Wu Er looked ashamed and worried. "Even the horns from the palace have been brought over, and only half a one remains. I have sent word to the Northern Frontier, but it is far and the journey takes time. I..." He choked up. He feared the Prince could not wait that long, for the Prince had already begun making arrangements for his funeral.

Su Yi'an immediately understood. "It can wait. The age of the horn does not matter; as long as there is some, it will suffice. As long as the Prince follows these acupuncture points daily, keeps his mind at ease, and eats and sleeps well, he will live for a year or two even without my medicine."

Overjoyed, Wu Er rushed out to find the medicine. Su Yi'an stood up and wandered over to a wall covered in swords and blades. Before she had traveled through time, she had been an enthusiast of blades; her specialty was the BC-41, which was the same length as the short blade on the wall. She reached out instinctively.

"Don't touch that!" Xiao Beiming snapped from the daybed. He hated others touching his belongings, especially his weapons. These were his comrades-in-arms that had lived and died with him. He had intended to take them to his grave. Seeing this woman touch his favorite short blade, his heart ached—his precious, iron-slicing treasure was now tainted!

"Just take it," Xiao Beiming said, clenching his fists to suppress his fury. Since she had lowered her fee from one hundred thousand taels to one thousand, it was only fair to compensate her. He had defended the Northern Frontier to protect the nation, not to trade his service for a discount on his own life.

Su Yi'an paused for a moment before smiling. "Thank you for the gift, Prince."

She snatched the blade without hesitation and tucked it into her sleeve. *So, you have a germ phobia and think my touch is dirty? I actually quite like that quirk. Let's see what other valuable things I can "accidentally" touch to recoup my fee.*