When the Imperial Physicians arrived, Xiao Changyi ordered them to examine An Jing and figure out what was wrong with her.
One of the physicians, trembling as he took An Jing’s pulse through a brocade handkerchief, couldn’t believe his eyes. He immediately looked up at her, but promptly remembered that she was the Princess and should not be stared at. His heart pounding with fear, he quickly lowered his head.
Xiao Changyi asked, "What illness has befallen my Princess?"
The physician thought to himself that An Jing couldn’t conceive. If he were to say that she wasn’t ill but instead indicated a slippery pulse, pregnant, with slight signs of a threatened miscarriage, and needed medication to stabilize the pregnancy, wouldn’t the King of Eternal Victory be enraged?
Fearing he had misdiagnosed and might cause the King of Eternal Victory to be so angry that the Emperor of Xiyun would order his beheading, the physician dared not tell the truth. Instead, he said, "Prince, I have not been with the Imperial Hospital for long, and my experience is limited; I cannot discern what illness the Princess has."
"Incompetents! What use is there in my maintaining an Imperial Hospital if it’s filled with such fools?" Xiao Changyi hadn’t even spoken when the Emperor of Xiyun, sitting to the side, began to scold.
The physician immediately knelt before the Emperor of Xiyun, thinking to himself: As long as my head isn’t chopped off, you can scold me however you want, Your Majesty.
Xiao Changyi didn’t even glance at the Emperor of Xiyun and promptly ordered the other Imperial Physicians to examine An Jing quickly.
These physicians also detected a slippery pulse and the need for medication to stabilize the pregnancy, but none dared to speak out. It was well known that the Princess An Jing could not bear children. If they misdiagnosed, they might very well lose their heads. So, like the first physician who took her pulse, they all said they could not determine what illness An Jing had contracted.
Xiao Changyi’s face grew very unsightly.
The Emperor of Xiyun, on the other hand, was furious: "Is my Imperial Hospital just nourishing a bunch of incompetents?!"
All the physicians knelt down, trembling, begging for forgiveness, fearful of having their heads chopped off by the Emperor of Xiyun.
"Where is Fang Shicai? Why hasn’t the Chief Assistant of the Imperial Hospital come?"
Just as the Emperor of Xiyun noticed his absence, an aged and anxious voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, I am here, I am here. My legs are weak, and I couldn’t walk fast."
Hearing this, the Emperor of Xiyun looked toward the doorway, only to see Meng Zhuqing carrying Fang Shicai in quickly.
As soon as An Jing heard the surname Fang, she knew that this old Imperial Physician must be the one who had treated Li Wuyu’s legs back then.
Meng Zhuqing carried Fang Shicai to the bedside and then hurriedly paid his respects to the Emperor of Xiyun and Xiao Changyi.
Fang Shicai also intended to pay his respects, but was coldly stopped by Xiao Changyi: "What’s more important, the formalities or my Princess? Examine my Princess without further delay!"
The Emperor of Xiyun also said, "Quickly examine the Princess, and tell us what illness she has. If you can’t determine, I will have the heads of everyone in the Imperial Hospital! They’re all useless! I don’t want to maintain them any longer! There’s no use!"
Imperial Physicians: "..." Could it be that they still couldn’t escape death, despite everything?
Fang Shicai was also startled by the words of the Emperor of Xiyun, but having lived through so many years and seen all manner of situations, he quickly regained his composure. Sitting down, he took An Jing’s pulse while subconsciously stroking his white beard.
After a long while, he widened his old eyes and immediately looked up at An Jing, who was being held in Xiao Changyi’s arms.
Then, with calm resolve, he lowered his head, took the pulse of An Jing’s other hand to confirm, and finally stood up. With respectful reverence, he knelt down and said to both the Emperor of Xiyun and Xiao Changyi, "Congratulations to Your Majesty, congratulations to the Prince; the Princess is not ill, she is with child."
Those Imperial Physicians who dared not tell the truth: "..." Doctor Fang, you truly are our Boss!