Chapter 372: Your Awareness is Commendable
As soon as Ye Jiamei finished speaking, the entire hall fell into silence.
After a long pause, the Empress Dowager finally narrowed her cold, piercing gaze on Ye Jiamei. Her voice was icy as she asked:
“How long can His Majesty endure in this condition?”
“If he continues without food or water, he can last another three days. However, I have already administered some medication, so he should be able to endure for another seven to eight days.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress discreetly clenched her fists, just as she was about to order Ye Jiamei’s immediate arrest for her audacity, the Empress Dowager unexpectedly spoke again.
“Since that is the case, then bring two death row prisoners for a trial.”
“If you can open their abdomens, treat them, and ensure they survive for at least three days without complications, then I will believe you.”
Ye Jiamei: …!
She had already been shocked by the Empress Dowager’s ruthlessness, but the Crown Prince’s next words truly left her speechless.
“Why not use pregnant women instead?” The Crown Prince suggested calmly.
“After all, they have children in their wombs. I’ve heard that Doctor Ye is renowned for performing caesarean sections on women with difficult labor. If she can ensure both mother and child survive, then we can trust her to operate on the Emperor. Death row prisoners have nothing inside them to extract, making them poor test subjects.”
Ye Jiamei was stunned.
She had already mentally prepared herself for the brutality of the imperial family, but she hadn’t expected that even pregnant women—among the most vulnerable of society—would be treated as expendable tools without hesitation or remorse.
Her expression shifted from calm, to disbelief, to restrained indignation.
She wanted to refuse outright, but did she even have the right to refuse?
A moment ago, the Empress had been secretly worrying that Ye Jiamei might actually have the ability to cure the Emperor.
She had even considered interfering to ensure Ye Jiamei never had the chance to succeed.
But now, seeing the clear shift in Ye Jiamei’s expression, she suddenly realized—
Perhaps, she had overestimated this so-called miracle doctor!
Indeed.
Every renowned physician across the land had failed to cure the Emperor.
How could a mere village woman possess the skills to succeed where they had failed?
Hah! She had allowed herself to be shaken by the Crown Prince’s schemes.
Perhaps even the Crown Prince himself had been deceived by his own advisors, thinking this Ye Jiamei possessed miraculous medical skills.
In reality, she might be nothing more than a fraud.
Thinking this, the Empress felt immensely relieved.
She had nothing to worry about anymore.
Let this Ye Jiamei perform her “miracle.”
If the Crown Prince brought two pregnant women and she failed to save them, both mother and child would die—and so would Ye Jiamei.
In the end, the Emperor would still remain untreated, and the Crown Prince’s foolish gambit would crumble.
At that moment, the Empress no longer felt the need to act.
She would simply wait and watch Ye Jiamei fail spectacularly.
“This is against natural law,” Ye Jiamei finally spoke, forcing herself to remain calm. “The only reason I have ever performed caesarean sections was to save women in critical conditions. If they can naturally deliver their children—”
“Enough.”
The Crown Prince coldly interrupted her.
“Doctor Ye, no matter the circumstances, if your skills are truly as remarkable as rumored, then a woman who is not in distress should have an even greater chance of survival. What do you have to hesitate about?”
Ye Jiamei fell silent.
Before she could respond, the Empress finally spoke again, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“The Crown Prince is absolutely right. If you are truly as skilled as they say, why hesitate?”
Ye Jiamei clenched her teeth.
“I am not afraid,” she stated, “I only feel that these women are innocent. They could have delivered naturally—”
“Hah! Innocent?”
The Empress scoffed, stepping closer.
“Doctor Ye, do you even hear yourself? They are mere subjects of the Lan Yue Dynasty. Even if they must endure this procedure, it is a great honor—for they have the privilege of serving their Emperor.”
Ye Jiamei felt utterly disgusted.
But she knew that no matter what she said, these people would always justify their actions.
To them, the Emperor’s life was worth more than thousands of ordinary lives.
She took a deep breath and bit back any further protests.
Seeing Ye Jiamei finally fall silent, the Empress smirked.
“Empress Dowager,” she said smoothly, “why not leave this matter in the Crown Prince’s hands? Since he went through great trouble to find Doctor Ye, let’s allow her to proceed with the operation as soon as possible, so His Majesty may be treated sooner.”
The Empress Dowager nodded approvingly.
“Agreed. Crown Prince, arrange for two near-term pregnant women to be brought to the palace immediately.”
“Yes, Imperial Grandmother.”
The Crown Prince acknowledged his orders and swiftly left the chamber.
Then, the Empress Dowager turned back to Ye Jiamei.
“Doctor Ye, what preparations do you require?”
“Your Majesty, please prepare a quiet and undisturbed chamber where I may sterilize my instruments,” Ye Jiamei responded.
The Empress Dowager immediately summoned a senior attendant to make the arrangements.
Soon after, Ye Jiamei was escorted to a secluded side chamber near the Emperor’s quarters.
She sealed all windows and doors, ensuring that no one could peek inside, and hung thick curtains to further obscure visibility.
Before long, the Crown Prince returned—with two pregnant women in tow.
“Doctor Ye,” he called out just as she was about to enter the chamber.
Ye Jiamei turned around.
“I hope you will not disappoint me.”
The Crown Prince’s words were laced with warning.
Ye Jiamei remained expressionless.
Then, she smiled faintly.
“Your Highness worries too much. Our Yu family still relies on your favor, after all.”
The Crown Prince’s gaze sharpened, then softened.
“Your awareness is commendable,” he said approvingly.
“If you truly succeed in curing my father, I guarantee that your family will be freed from exile. Not only that, I will restore your family’s former glory and grant your husband a high position in court. Your skills, if proven, will be invaluable to me.”
Ye Jiamei smiled lightly.
“Then, I shall thank Your Highness in advance.”
Then, her expression turned serious.
“However, if Your Highness does not wish for any interference, I strongly suggest deploying heavy guards around this chamber.”
“There are those who would see me fail.”
“And should anything go wrong, both the pregnant women and their unborn children could die.”
“If that happens, I will lose my qualification to treat the Emperor.”
