Chapter 3: The Art of Medicine

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Wen Qiao smiled at her and lightly touched the Empress Dowager’s pulse. “Your Majesty, I know a little medicine.”

“You’re just a young girl. What is it? The imperial physicians are at a loss, and you think you can cure me?” The Empress Dowager smiled faintly, teasing Wen Qiao as she held her palm.

“Yes, I can.”

Wen Qiao lowered her gaze to the wrinkled hand in her palm. “May I have your permission to try, Your Majesty?”

Those eyes were beautiful, and they resembled the eyes in her memories.

The Empress Dowager seemed unable to refuse.

“Very well. I want to see what you intend to do.” She extended her hand, signaling Wen Qiao to treat her.

She truly did not believe it.

Yet, Wen Qiao was the child her beloved daughter had cherished most. Facing Wen Qiao, she could only feel endless affection.

Wen Qiao raised her hand, placing her fingertips on two acupoints on the Empress Dowager’s body, applying a slight pressure.

Her hands were scorching hot and strong.

After the two points were pressed, the Empress Dowager suddenly felt a refreshing clarity before her eyes, and the fatigue that had weighed on her vanished completely.

“Your Majesty, do you feel better? Although this is of limited use.” Wen Qiao could not bring her silver needles.

The palace guards were strict, and all visitors were searched before entering the hall. If discovered, she would be doomed.

“Girl, you are no ordinary child! You…” The Empress Dowager was so surprised she nearly lost her words.

Xiao Zheng also sensed something unusual and turned his gaze from Wen Qiao. “Mother, what is it?”

“I was feeling so weary, but now… this girl has taken the weariness away.” The Empress Dowager held Wen Qiao’s hand tightly, as if she had found a treasure.

Tears welled at the corner of her eyes. She felt Wen Qiao was a gift from heaven.

When Princess Changle passed away, she had been heartbroken for a long time.

Xiao Zheng looked at Wen Qiao in astonishment. “You can cure the Empress Dowager?”

Those words shifted everyone’s attention from Wen Qiao to her.

The music abruptly stopped.

But the dance was only halfway through.

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That dance had been specially learned by Wen Qiao, hoping to impress Xiao Zheng and the Empress Dowager, making them admire her more.

But unexpectedly, Wen Qiao had stolen the spotlight.

“Your Majesty, when I was in the countryside, I learned some medicine from my grandmother, and among the methods she taught me, some can treat Your Majesty’s condition.” Wen Qiao stood and replied respectfully.

In truth, the illness was not difficult to cure.

Not at all for Wen Qiao.

Her grandmother had a book recording various medical techniques.

Wen Qiao began learning to read at five and studied medicine with her grandmother from six. She was intelligent and understood things after just one reading. Having studied for ten years, she had mastered even what her grandmother could not treat.

“If that’s the case, how about you often come to treat the Empress Dowager’s headaches in the future?” Xiao Zheng often suffered headaches because of the Empress Dowager’s ailments.

Those incompetent imperial physicians always claimed they were helpless.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Wen Qiao bowed in gratitude.

“By the way, do you know calligraphy? Would you like to study with the princes and princesses?” Xiao Zheng thought a talented woman like Wen Qiao should be cultivated well.

He worried about letting Wen Congqing teach her.

He even suspected that his sister's death, which he was told was from a difficult birth, might not be true.

“Really?” Wen Qiao’s eyes brightened.

Being able to interact with the princes would be even better.

Her objectives were not only the Marquis’s household but also another person.

Wen Qiao’s gaze fell on Crown Prince Xiao Minghe sitting not far away.

Seemingly sensing her gaze, Xiao Minghe slightly nodded with a gentle, courteous look and raised his wine cup to acknowledge her.

Yet, despite appearing mild and polite,

In her previous life, he had gripped her neck, humiliating her word by word:

“Wen Qiao, are you truly so foolish? I only beckoned with my finger, and you fell for it.”

“I can also tell you that I never liked you even a bit. Every time I met you, I felt utterly disgusted!”

Each word pierced her heart like a dagger.

He had looked into her lifeless eyes and, in madness, stabbed her abdomen with a knife.

He ruthlessly cut her open and pulled out the earring she had secretly swallowed.

Xiao Minghe held the earring, commanded the cavalry, and ascended the throne.

He had never loved Wen Qiao.

And Wen Qiao would never give him a shred of true affection.

In her previous life, she was foolish enough to fall for Xiao Minghe’s trap, allowing him to collude with the Marquis’s household to trick her into acquiring the earring and securing that position.

But this lifetime, Wen Qiao vowed to prevent Xiao Minghe from ever sitting on the throne.

The more pain he suffered, the greater her joy.

“Since that’s the case, starting tomorrow, you will enter the palace to study with the Crown Prince and other princes. After finishing your lessons with the teachers, you will go see the Empress Dowager to check on her health. How does that sound?” Xiao Zheng smiled as he spoke.

“Thank you again, Your Majesty.” Wen Qiao expressed her gratitude once more.

A cold gleam flashed in her eyes.

Heh… Xiao Minghe, this time it’s my turn to play with you.

She wondered if Xiao Minghe could see clearly through it.

“Your Majesty, what about the dance...” Wen Congqing stepped forward to speak.

Xiao Zheng waved him off, “I saw it just now. You may step down.”

“…Yes.”

Wen Qiao was forced to return to her place, while Wen Congqing’s eyes shot a resentful glare at her.

Today was supposed to be the day when Xiao Zheng and the Empress Dowager favored her.

How could it have been stolen by Wen Qiao?

Unwilling!

Wen Qiao did not care. After accompanying the Empress Dowager to eat a little, she felt the wound on her arm wasI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.