Shen Yuxi had spent the entire night reading novels, too excited to sleep a wink.
The next day, she went to court in a daze, sporting a pair of panda eyes.
There was no gossip to feast on at morning court today, and everyone felt utterly bored.
Their gazes unconsciously drifted toward Shen Yuxi, who was sleeping soundly against a pillar, their eyes full of anticipation that she would wake up and feast on some gossip.
"Ahem, ahem, ahem."
Emperor Xuanzhao raised a fist to his mouth and pretended to cough softly twice, but Shen Yuxi did not wake.
Everyone could only withdraw their gazes in disappointment and resume discussing state affairs.
"Lord Little Shen, please wait!"
After court, Shen Yuxi was planning to hurry home and catch up on sleep when someone suddenly called out to her.
"Imperial Physician Han."
Director Han hurried to catch up with her.
"Lord Little Shen, there are some parts of that epidemic prescription you produced last time that this old man still cannot understand. Sorry for the trouble, but could you come to the Imperial Medical Academy with me and clear up my doubts?"
"Huh?"
Shen Yuxi hesitated for two seconds. "Then please lead the way, Imperial Physician Han."
Mo Xuanchen, who was following close behind, had intended to speak with Shen Yuxi alone.
But the moment he stepped out of the Hall of Supreme Polarity, he saw Director Han eagerly tugging Shen Yuxi toward the Imperial Medical Academy.
As she entered the Imperial Medical Academy, a faint herbal fragrance greeted her.
Everywhere she looked within the Imperial Medical Academy, all manner of medicinal herbs grew.
"Imperial Physician Han!"
Director Han introduced her with a smile. "This is Lord Little Shen, Minister Shen's youngest daughter."
Everyone was familiar with Shen Yuxi, and they all greeted her with smiles.
"Lord Little Shen, this way, please."
Imperial Physician Han led Shen Yuxi to a large table. The epidemic prescription had been copied onto an enormous sheet of paper that nearly covered the entire table and affixed to its surface.
This made it convenient to study and discuss.
The paper also bore inked notes and markings in different hands.
"Lord Little Shen, the ingredients in this prescription are ingeniously combined. We have spent several days studying it, but there are still a few points we cannot unravel."
Imperial Physician Han's graying beard tilted up slightly as he asked softly, "Lord Little Shen, duckweed is light and clear in nature and releases the exterior, so it is indeed appropriate for epidemic qi constraining the exterior. But pepperweed seed powerfully drains the lungs. Would pairing it with the deficiency symptoms at the onset of an epidemic illness not be too drastic?"
(For plot purposes; no scientific basis.)
Another imperial physician, Imperial Physician Tang, chimed in, his tone puzzled.
"And there is the dosage of kudzu root. Patrinia is bitter and cold in nature. If the patients are elderly, weak, women, or children, I fear they may be unable to withstand such a dose."
"This epidemic prescription specifically lacks dampness-transforming herbs such as patchouli and eupatorium. Many patients currently suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, and distension and fullness in the stomach and abdomen. Without herbs to transform dampness, how are we to resolve this damp stagnation? We have turned it over in our minds, but still cannot find an answer."
[System?]
Shen Yuxi knew nothing of medical principles, so she could only call upon the Omniscient Encyclopedia System.
[You finally remembered me. I thought you were planning to ignore me all day.]
The system's sour words rang out without warning.
The few people hearing Shen Yuxi's inner voice for the first time remained outwardly composed, but inwardly, they were deeply shocked.
The emperor had decreed that no one was permitted to discuss Lord Little Shen's inner voice. Violators would be executed immediately.
None of them dared reveal anything unusual, afraid Shen Yuxi would notice.
[How could I? You're my most, most, most... most beloved system. You might ignore me, but how could I ever neglect you? Right?]
With just a few words, Shen Yuxi coaxed the corners of the system's mouth upward.
The system gave what sounded like an extremely reluctant "Mm." [Will you dare lock me in the little black room again?]
[Never again.]
Shen Yuxi had been sleepy to death and found the system's incessant chattering annoying, so she had unilaterally locked it in the little black room.
The system had stamped its feet furiously.
It had decided not to speak to its host for three days.
Yet now, after Shen Yuxi coaxed it with kind words for a while, it tossed its lofty resolve to the back of its mind.
The system gave a soft huff, then said seriously, [This epidemic illness appears to be wind-cold constraining the exterior, but in fact, epidemic qi carries dampness, which stagnates and transforms into heat, obstructing the lungs and internal organs. The high fever and rapid, labored breathing at the onset all result from the lungs failing to disperse and descend.]
[Duckweed is light and clear, allowing epidemic qi to vent outward. Though pepperweed seed is drastic, it specifically drains the damp-heat obstructing the lungs. Paired together, one vents and the other drains. Rather than a forceful assault, they relieve the underlying obstruction in the lungs and internal organs.]
[Moreover, poria and white atractylodes have already been added to strengthen the spleen and fortify earth, precisely to prevent the drastic action from damaging the spleen. For elderly or weak patients, simply reduce the pepperweed seed dosage as appropriate, and there will be no major issue.]
[Kudzu root raises yang and releases the muscles. Used at double the dose, it both releases the exterior and generates fluids to quench thirst, relieving the suffering caused by high fever consuming the patients' fluids.]
[Though patrinia is bitter and cold, it clears heat, resolves toxins, reduces abscesses, and expels pus.]
[Blotches appearing on the patients' skin are precisely a sign that epidemic toxins have entered the blood. Patrinia can clear heat toxins from the blood. Supplemented by purple gromwell root and moutan bark, its blood-cooling effect becomes even stronger.]
Shen Yuxi repeated the system's words.
The imperial physicians could not stop nodding as they listened, marveling at every sentence and taking up their brushes to add annotations beside the prescription. Most of the confusion in their eyes dissipated.
When she finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment. Only the charcoal in the medicine stove crackled softly, while the fragrance of herbs lingered.
Imperial Physician Tang was the first to come back to his senses. Stroking his beard, he bowed deeply with his hands clasped, his eyes full of admiration and relief.
"Lord Little Shen, to think you could grasp the root of this epidemic illness and the pairing of medicinal properties so thoroughly! The tangled weeds blocking our minds have suddenly cleared. At last, we understand this prescription completely."
"Lord Little Shen, you have accomplished so much at such a young age. Your future prospects are boundless!"
Shen Yuxi wore a smile. [Stop praising me, stop praising me. I feel like such a fraud.]