Grass-Insect Decoction

Before Hua Meng reached the small courtyard her family had set aside for her grandmaster, she saw her father and Wei Fugui standing guard together at the gate.

When they saw her approaching, one grew excited, while the other bowed.

When Hua Meng told them that her mother, Lu Shi, had regained consciousness, Father Hua exclaimed, "She's awake! Thank goodness she's awake!"

As he spoke, Hua Meng saw several glistening tears at the corners of his eyes.

She clenched the hand hidden in her sleeve, then suppressed the ache in her heart and said, "Mother sent me to attend to His Majesty." Only then did she turn to Wei Fugui. "Does His Majesty not want anyone attending him inside?"

No sooner had Hua Meng finished speaking than Lin Ming's voice came from the courtyard.

"Someone come in."

Hearing her grandmaster's voice, Hua Meng nodded to her father and Wei Fugui, then pushed open the gate and entered.

The elegant little courtyard contained only three main rooms and two side rooms. In the middle room of the main building sat two old physicians with graying beards, speaking quietly together about something.

Lin Ming had been talking to Emperor Jing'an. Not knowing that Hua Meng had entered, he was about to hand over the paper in his hand when he caught a glimpse of a smile in Emperor Jing'an's eyes as the emperor looked up before he did.

"Why is it you?"

"Is your mother awake?"

Emperor Jing'an and Lin Ming spoke at the same time. Hua Meng nodded to Lin Ming. "Mother has regained consciousness." Then she looked at Emperor Jing'an and said, "Mother sent me to attend to you, Master."

"Even so, you can't obtain everything needed on this paper by yourself," Lin Ming said, handing the paper to Hua Meng. "Find Fugui and have him accompany your father to purchase the supplies."

Hua Meng nodded, took the paper, and turned to leave.

Outside the courtyard gate, Wei Fugui and Hua Tengfei took the paper and hurried away.

Once the two men had gone some distance, Hua Meng turned and returned to the courtyard.

Inside, the two old physicians who had been together earlier had separated. One took out a porcelain bottle, and the other silver needles, though it was unclear what they intended to do.

"After discussing it, the two of us suspect that someone has poisoned you."

As soon as one old physician finished, the other continued, "But we can't yet determine exactly what poison it is." He added, rather embarrassed, "We may need some more time."

Emperor Jing'an was not surprised.

Today, he had only wanted a few more physicians to examine him and then have Imperial Physician Jiang discuss the matter with them. He had not expected them to discover the cause of his illness today.

Imperial Physician Jiang arrived quickly, and the two old physicians pulled him over as soon as he got there.

Imperial Physician Jiang had never encountered anything like this. Weren't physicians outside the imperial court supposed to guard their knowledge closely? Why did these two have no such reservations?

The two old physicians naturally had no reservations, because Emperor Jing'an had just said that whoever discovered the cause of his illness would receive a generous reward.

Besides, they were fellow disciples who had studied under the same master.

Imperial Physician Jiang had also consulted many ancient texts in recent days. Although he likewise could not determine exactly what drug had been administered to Emperor Jing'an, he had prepared a pill.

Now, in front of Emperor Jing'an, he took out the pill he had prepared and held it out to the two old physicians.

"This is an Essence-Producing Pill I prepared. Please take a look, both of you. Can my master take it?"

Because Imperial Physician Jiang's family was not skilled at treating men's ailments of this kind, he too was feeling his way across the river by stepping on stones.

When he brought out the Essence-Producing Pill he had carefully prepared, the two old physicians smelled it, then tasted it, and pointed out its shortcomings.

"Schisandra should be added to this pill. Schisandra replenishes qi and produces essence. Then the four ingredients would complement each other, enhancing the treatment's effectiveness."

"My senior brother is right. I also have a prescription for Grass-Insect Decoction that suits this master's symptoms."