Mu Qingyao gave an order, and Xiao Tian, who was guarding the palace gate, obeyed.
He was brought up by Chun Han, so he had some feelings. Seeing the chief eunuch's appearance, his eyes were already filled with tears. He respectfully responded and went to summon the imperial physician.
Mu Qingyao did not forget to instruct: "Do not alarm anyone else. Bring a reliable person quietly."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The matter was of great importance. Xiao Tian understood its criticality, nodded carefully, and retreated.
In the side hall, Mo Chou and Bing Xiao helped Chun Han onto a soft couch nearby and respectfully stood by their mistress's side. Mu Qingyao asked them caringly, "Did anything happen tonight?"
Bing Xiao shook her head, and a strange light flickered across her charming face. "However, something seems to have happened in Guangyang Palace. The lights were blazing, and the eunuchs and maids in the palace seemed to be searching for something. Your subordinates did not dare to delay and returned with their people."
"Hmm," Mu Qingyao's face became solemn as she carefully considered where something might have gone wrong.
However, after thinking for a while, she could not figure out what could have happened. At this moment, the imperial physician arrived. He first paid his respects to the Empress and then solemnly took Chun Han's pulse. He recognized Chun Han, the chief eunuch of Feng Luan Palace.
To his surprise, Chun Han had been beaten so badly. The elderly imperial physician shook his head, examined his pulse for a while, and then reported.
"He has lost too much blood. I fear it is beyond saving. It seems this is his fate."
The old imperial physician sighed and packed up his medicine box. Mu Qingyao's expression was calm, and she looked at the imperial physician. "Is there no other way?"
The imperial physician stroked his white beard and thought for a moment. He recalled something and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, there is indeed something in the palace that can save him. However, it is something the Emperor treasures and may not be able to produce."
"What is it?" An item left unused is dead. Saving a life is important. She believed the Emperor was not a heartless person.
Seeing the Empress's casual and indifferent demeanor, the imperial physician knew she underestimated the item. It was a treasure that was hard to obtain even with a fortune. The imperial physician's face softened as he thought of it, filled with a dreamlike expression.
"Your Highness, this is not ordinary medicinal material, but a priceless treasure that cannot be bought with money. It flowers once every hundred years, bears fruit once every hundred years, and ripens once every hundred years. It takes three hundred years in total to obtain just one plant. Some are even eaten by wild beasts, and only one in ten thousand can be obtained. That is why I say it is precious."
"Ah? What is it?"
Mu Qingyao became curious. A thing that took three hundred years to grow explained why the imperial physician's face was filled with a dreamlike, hopeful expression when he spoke of it.
For a physician, medicinal materials that were hard to obtain even with a fortune were certainly precious, just as people who practice martial arts would have shining eyes when they saw secret martial arts manuals.
"Blood Ginseng."
As soon as the imperial physician spoke, Mu Qingyao knew what Blood Ginseng was. It was a blood-tonifying medicinal material. Ancient people were easily impressed. Modern times had all sorts of blood-tonifying medicines.
There was ejiao, Xue Er, or even blood transfusions. However, these did not exist in ancient times, so Blood Ginseng became a precious blood-tonifying medicinal material.
"Prescribe some other medicine for him to take. I will find a way to get the Blood Ginseng later."
Mu Qingyao waved her hand dismissively. Saving a life was the priority. No matter how precious the Blood Ginseng was, it was still medicine. Its ultimate purpose was to save a life, and it was useless if it was kept idle.
"Yes, your humble servant obeys," the imperial physician took his orders, went aside to write out the prescription, handed it to Xiao Tian, who was waiting nearby, and instructed him to fetch the medicine. Then, he rose, paid his respects to the Empress, and left Feng Luan Palace.
Afterward, Qingyao ordered the eunuchs to take Chun Han to be cared for. As long as the Blood Ginseng was obtained, Chun Han would be fine.
Mu Qingyao pondered how to approach the Emperor about it tomorrow. Although Blood Ginseng was a very ordinary medicinal material in her eyes, she did not forget that this was ancient times, and blood-tonifying medicines were very scarce. Therefore, she feared the Emperor would be reluctant to part with it.
She would try tomorrow.
Mu Qingyao stood up and yawned. It was late at night, and it was important to get her beauty sleep.
"Your Highness, let's go back," Mei Xin reached out to support Mu Qingyao. The group of them left the side hall. Eunuchs and palace maids at the hall entrance softly called out, "Your Highness."
"All of you may withdraw."
The group walked along the long corridor towards the sleeping quarters. The night was cool, and the dew had moistened the flowers and grass beyond the railings. A gust of wind blew, rustling them.
Mu Qingyao's deep pupils flashed with a cold light as she looked up at the sky. She did not expect the Empress Dowager to be so impatient and to have already made her move?
She preferred them to act sooner rather than later. The palace was like a quagmire, and she longed to leave it as soon as possible.
"Bing Xiao, the Emperor sent you to protect me because of the matter with Prince Nan'an. Prince Nan'an is safe now. You can return and report. Thank you for tonight's assistance."
Bing Xiao was not obligated to do this, but since she had asked, Bing Xiao had done it. She was a rare subordinate.
However, she did not belong to her. She was the Emperor's hidden guard. If she remained by her side, the Emperor would know her every move at any time, because Bing Xiao would never betray her master.
"Your Highness?" Bing Xiao was stunned for a moment, not expecting the Empress to ask her to leave at such a time. Her expression in the dark night was slightly shocked.
The danger in the palace was not small. If the Empress Dowager truly had a master of high skill, it would be difficult for Mo Chou to resist. They could be ambushed by that person at any moment.
"This subordinate requests to remain and protect Your Highness."
"No need. Return and tell the Emperor that I will be fine and do not need protection. I am not that frail."
Mu Qingyao spoke with a cold, profound tone, her demeanor calm, but her voice firm. Her beautiful eyes held unrestrained arrogance.
She did not fear being bullied, but she feared not being challenged. She did not want to waste her precious time in this palace by being drawn out slowly.
Bing Xiao had wanted to say something more, but seeing Mu Qingyao's firm attitude, and knowing that her words could not be refused, she bid farewell and returned to Liu Li Palace to report.
After she left, Mei Xin spoke with concern.
"Your Highness, with the palace in such chaos, we should have kept her. Her martial arts skills are formidable and would surely be helpful."
"She belongs to the Emperor."
Mu Qingyao calmly reminded Mei Xin. Although they were on the same side as the Emperor now, it was impossible to guarantee that they would not become enemies at some point.
Should she keep an enemy's pawn by her side? Mei Xin and Mo Chou understood their mistress's meaning when they heard her words and said nothing more. From now on, they had to be even more careful.
"Your Highness, let's return to rest. It is getting late."
"Mm," the group wound their way around the corridor and headed towards the sleeping quarters.
In the main hall of Guangyang Palace, the imperial physician had already examined the situation and said that Miss Mu had been violated and was disoriented, shaking his head as he spoke.
Anyone would find such a thing unbearable, especially Miss Mu, who was the Prime Minister's daughter, a young lady from a prominent family. It was no wonder she could not withstand the shock and had become foolish.