Chapter 387: Not So Easy to Leave
“Wasn’t it said that everything was fine? How could this—”
“Your Majesty, you must not get angry now. Your health is the priority.”
Seeing that Emperor Han Yuan was fuming with rage, his personal eunuch hurriedly tried to calm him down. Meanwhile, Ye Jiamei couldn’t shake the feeling that something about this situation wasn’t right.
Although her expertise in traditional medicine wasn’t extraordinary, she was more than capable of diagnosing a pregnancy through pulse reading.
And she clearly remembered that when she had checked Consort Xi’s pulse earlier, the fetus had been perfectly stable. Even if the cold she caught from falling into the water later affected the baby, it wouldn’t have been severe enough to cause a miscarriage within just an hour.
This reeked of conspiracy.
Ye Jiamei quickly realized that this was likely a trap—one that had been set specifically for her.
If there was anyone in the palace who would frame her, the Empress was the most likely suspect. After all, she had only been in the palace for a short time and had not made many enemies, except for the Empress, who had opposed her from the beginning.
The only other possibility was the imperial physicians. Those physicians had been unable to treat the emperor and had endured endless scolding from the Empress Dowager. Now that she had successfully healed him, their jealousy was inevitable. However…
Upon careful consideration, Ye Jiamei dismissed the imperial physicians as suspects. Even if they bore resentment, they wouldn’t dare to extend their reach toward the emperor’s consort. That was beyond their capabilities.
With that possibility ruled out, Ye Jiamei’s suspicions once again landed on the Empress.
“Doctor Ye, explain yourself. What exactly happened?”
Just as she was deep in thought, Emperor Han Yuan, looking for someone to vent his anger on, directly questioned her.
“Your Majesty, this humble woman has spoken nothing but the truth. When I examined Consort Xi earlier, the fetus was completely stable. I cannot say whether something else happened in the past hour, but it is certainly possible.”
“Father, given Doctor Ye’s medical expertise, she would not have made a mistake.”
Before Ye Jiamei could finish explaining, the Crown Prince had already arrived at the side chamber. Ye Jiamei turned to look and saw that the Empress Dowager and the Empress had followed behind him.
Seeing this group of people, Ye Jiamei’s heart sank.
With such a grand lineup, anyone would think she was about to be put on trial!
The depths of palace intrigues were unfathomable—Ye Jiamei was experiencing this firsthand.
Emperor Han Yuan lay on his dragon bed, too weak to sit up due to the pain in his abdomen. When he heard the Crown Prince’s voice, he raised his head slightly, looking toward them with a hint of surprise.
“You’re all here?”
His gaze swept past the Crown Prince, lingering briefly on the Empress before flickering away.
“Your Majesty,” the Empress greeted, lowering her head in a bow.
“Son greets Father.”
After the two paid their respects, the Empress Dowager, supported by her attendants, walked to the bedside with a look of solemn concern.
“We had not intended to trouble Your Majesty with news of Consort Xi’s tragedy, but unfortunately, loose tongues spread the word quickly. Since we were concerned about Your Majesty’s health, we came together to check on you.”
With that, the Empress Dowager turned her gaze to Ye Jiamei, her expression unreadable.
“How is His Majesty’s condition?”
“Your Majesty, His Majesty’s recovery is progressing well. Today, with the assistance of palace attendants, he has been able to take a few steps within the chamber. By tomorrow, he can gradually extend his activity time.”
“That is good to hear. Doctor Ye, you have worked hard these past few days.”
The Empress Dowager then looked at the Crown Prince and continued, “Since His Majesty’s health is improving, I believe it is time to let Doctor Ye leave. After all, she is a married woman, and it is not proper for her to remain in the palace tending to His Majesty any longer.”
Hearing this, Ye Jiamei was slightly taken aback.
She hadn’t expected the Empress Dowager to be so perceptive—or even to take her side.
“I see now that I was inconsiderate. The Empress Dowager is right,” the Crown Prince respectfully agreed.
The Empress Dowager then turned her attention to the emperor. “Your Majesty, what do you think? Doctor Ye was originally supposed to leave after three days, yet she has stayed longer. Her family must be worried.”
Naturally, Emperor Han Yuan was reluctant to let Ye Jiamei go. He had noticed his own rapid improvement—besides the pain from his wound, his overall condition was much better.
But those in power fear death more than anyone else.
As an emperor, his life was more valuable than anyone else’s, so he did not want to lose a physician as skilled as Ye Jiamei. However, since the Empress Dowager had already spoken, Han Yuan was not a fool—he knew better than to let Ye Jiamei become a pawn in political schemes.
A physician like her was a rare find. If he let her go now, she might still be useful in the future.
“The Empress Dowager is right. Since that is the case, I will leave the arrangements to you—let Doctor Ye return home.”
Listening to their conversation, Ye Jiamei was inwardly relieved, though she dared not show it.
However, the Empress remained expressionless, though inwardly, she sneered.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid Doctor Ye cannot leave just yet.”
Her voice was calm, but her words made Ye Jiamei’s heart sink again.
“I am currently investigating the cause of Consort Xi’s miscarriage. The imperial physicians who treated her have already been taken for questioning. Although Doctor Ye is not an official palace physician, this is a matter concerning the imperial lineage. It is only appropriate that she stays to assist in the investigation. Otherwise, the detained physicians might feel unjustly targeted.”
As expected.
Ye Jiamei had known the Empress wouldn’t let her off so easily.
Her words were carefully crafted, leaving no room for rebuttal.
If Ye Jiamei protested, it would appear as though she had a guilty conscience, making her seem even more suspicious.
But she wasn’t about to let herself be so easily trapped.
The moment the Empress finished speaking, Ye Jiamei dropped to her knees with a loud thud, her face filled with exaggerated grievance—she even tried to squeeze out a few tears.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, this humble woman was summoned to treat His Majesty. I was under no obligation to examine Consort Xi, nor have I ever had any contact with her before today.
In fact, apart from a few nobles, I know no one in the palace. Why would I, a mere physician, have any reason to harm the child in her womb?”
The Empress Dowager was about to speak when the Empress stepped forward, smiling down at Ye Jiamei.
“Doctor Ye, there’s no need to be so frightened. This is merely a formality, nothing more. It is simply to reassure the other physicians.”
Damn it.
If she really agreed to this “investigation,” the Empress’s people would surely fabricate evidence against her.
Once she was locked in their trap, even the Crown Prince might not be able to get her out.
After all, the Empress wasn’t just targeting Ye Jiamei—this was a move against the Crown Prince himself!
