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Zhang Qing’s father was even a hidden famous doctor, a marvel of his time some twenty or thirty years ago with the reputation of a "Divine Doctor." He later retired and disappeared without a trace, which were all findings from Cao De’s investigation.

The Huang family had an excellent family tradition.

Huang Zude’s father was an upright and uninterested-in-fame individual who devoted himself to the medical craft and saving lives.

It was rumored that this Divine Doctor retired because he was forced by others, unwilling to be corrupted, and hence withdrew from the sight of those in centers of power and the nobility.

To train Huang Zude’s medical skills, the Divine Doctor often took him out since he was a child, practicing medicine and saving lives in the streets like an itinerant doctor, covering Baoding Mansion, Yanqing Mansion, and Kaifeng County.

Huang Zude himself was obsessed with medicine. After his teenage years, he started practicing medicine alone and had been an itinerant doctor until he entered the Imperial Medical Bureau.

All these were reasons why the Emperor trusted him.

Huang Zude, suppressing his admiration, tried to calm himself down, "Your Majesty, it is common for a woman to feel sick due to pregnancy.

Using medicine to stop vomiting might harm her body instead and should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

If the sickness becomes too severe in the future, it will not be too late for me to prescribe something.

In the meantime, avoiding things that make Master Lian uncomfortable can alleviate the symptoms."

The Emperor felt relieved and asked no more.

After Huang Zude stepped down, Zhang Qing led him to inspect the meals he had examined before; there was nothing wrong with them.

Zhang Qing, feeling assured, then instructed to take extra care with Master Lian’s meals. Ordinary people must not come near, and if someone suspicious was discovered, they were to be detained and questioned, no matter who they were.

It’s better to be safe than sorry, and being overly cautious is preferable to negligence. His title as Imperial Chief Steward was only temporary, and he would lose it if he were not more careful.

On his way back, Huang Zude felt joyous. His Majesty had spoken to him today, which made him happier than curing a difficult disease.

He thought about the irregularity he noticed in Master Lian and fell deep into thought. The pulse was rapid and slippery, a sign of pregnancy, strong and robust, yet there was an occasional irregular beat in a single breath cycle, which was hard to detect without focusing.

How strange, with her abundant and unobstructed qi and blood, why should this be?

Whenever Huang Zude encountered dubious or difficult cases, he would easily enter a state of self-forgetfulness, his feet following his subconscious, while his mind was immersed in the art of medicine.

Even when a palace maid fell in front of him, he had little reaction, simply walking around her. It seemed someone said something, and he even responded absent-mindedly.

Anyhow, it was of no importance; he had to hurry back to check the medical canons for any traceable clues.

It wasn’t until he sat down at the Imperial Medical Bureau that he remembered someone vaguely mentioning a sprain, wasn’t it?

Ah, trauma. The case of Master Lian didn’t seem like one caused by an injury. He’d better check the "Yin Yang Eleven Meridians" just to be sure.

Huang Zude completely put this matter out of his mind and began carefully reading through the medical canons. He was on night duty tonight, having the whole night of Shichen to delve into research.

Not far from the Imperial Medical Bureau, Cai Xia was not having a good time!

Consort’s migraines had flared up again, and she was ordered to go to the Imperial Pharmacy to get Consort’s medicine for soothing the migraines. On the way there, from afar, she saw the recently arrived Dr. Huang walking from a distance towards the Imperial Medical Bureau.

The Imperial Pharmacy was not far from the Imperial Medical Bureau, and she happened to meet him halfway.

She observed the direction from which he came, wondering why he would come from the west side of the Imperial Garden.

The harem was on the east side, and the proper way should be from the east. Unless...

Cai Xia had a sharp intuition about something. From that direction, she dared to guess that Dr. Huang must have been called to Canglan Court for a consultation.

This Dr. Huang was the new favorite of the Imperial Medical Bureau before His Majesty, designated by His Majesty to check Nanny Qi’s and Beauty Lian’s Pulse of Peace, overshadowing even the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau who had returned from recovering from an injury.

According to Concubine Fang Pin, who once had a consultation with him, this physician officer might not hold a high rank, but he sure carries himself with no less posture. After examining her once, he bluntly told her she had no illness.

Concubine Fang did not believe it—the previous Imperial Doctor Wang always comforted her after examining her and would prescribe her a tael or two of medicine.

Fearing that Doctor Huang would decline, Concubine Fang Pin specially had someone bring the prescription for him to see.

Who knew that Doctor Huang merely glanced at it hurriedly, his face started to stiffen, saying the medicine was nothing more than a common tonic, it cured nothing and wasn’t necessary to take.

As he spoke, he was ready to leave.

Concubine Fang Pin would not have it, she twisted her handkerchief and wiped her tears, crying and wailing about pain in her chest, liver, head, and everywhere.

Usually, Concubine Fang Pin was the same, pretending to be sick even when she wasn’t, everyone in the palace knew about her character, trying to mimic Xi Zi clutching at her heart.

But normally, whoever heard her complaints would give her some face, comfort her with a few words, then find an excuse to leave.

But Doctor Huang was different, utterly oblivious to the cues, he rudely declared it was a case of affectation, something he couldn’t treat, and from then on, if the Consort had no illness, she should not summon him again, after which he walked off carrying his medicine box.

An infuriated Concubine Fang Pin went to complain bitterly to the Noble Consort.

After Concubine Fang Pin left, the Consort led the servants in the hall in laughter.

Somehow, the incident got out, making the rest of the Consorts aware, and they all treated it as a joke.

However, after that, no mistress dared to summon Doctor Huang, fearing he would not give them face and that they would become the next Concubine Fang Pin.

As Cai Xia watched the figure approaching, her mind filled with recent news, she became more certain, it was almost certain, he was coming back from a visit to Canglan Court!

She just didn’t know whether it was for Nanny Qi or Beauty Lian.

She had to ask Nanny Chen later to confirm this, to inquire whether any mistress in the harem had called for this Doctor Huang today, as Nanny Chen would surely know this, so she could report back to the Consort.

Now she and Nanny Chen faced a common significant concern, and their relationship had grown closer, making it easy to ask about inconsequential matters.

As soon as Cai Xia spotted the person, she started strolling slowly, paying attention as she walked, waiting for Huang Zude to come closer.

Her mind raced with thoughts, noticing Doctor Huang’s solemn expression and furrowed brows as if he had encountered some difficulty; could it be there was some issue at Canglan Court?

Such a coincidence?

Beauty Lian had just left Huaqing Palace, and soon after, they had to summon the Imperial Physician...

The more Cai Xia thought about it, the more wrong it seemed to her; she could sense something unusual.

Suddenly, she considered a possibility; could Beauty Lian be plotting against the Noble Consort?

With the realization of this possibility, Cai Xia hurriedly covered her mouth, which had fallen open in astonishment.

Given that deceitful and shameless nature, the likelihood was too great!

Good heavens, she had uncovered a terrible matter. This could be bad; who knew what Beauty Lian was planning against the Consort!

The Little Palace Maid serving in the hall mentioned that when Beauty Lian came to Huaqing Palace, she had neither eaten nor drunk anything, so if something happened, the Consort couldn’t be blamed, could she?

But still, it was best to be cautious; she would have to advise the Consort to be on guard.

The more Cai Xia thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and she became a bit anxious; she had to go back and tell the Consort, to ensure the Consort was fully prepared.

But this was only her speculation; what if it was not the case? Might it make the Consort think she was falsely alarming her, causing a bad impression of her in the Consort’s mind?