Changyang Prince Mansion
The steward led the old woman and the child into the mansion, glancing back at them from time to time. 'This old woman from the countryside really has no idea what she's gotten herself into,' he thought. 'If she can't cure the Commandery Princess, given the Prince's temper, a good caning will be the least of her worries.'
'And then... sigh...'
He turned, his gaze falling sympathetically on Ye Qianning. 'Such a poor little girl...'
Ye Qianning saw him turn back and sweetly called out, "Grandfather."
Her call made the steward's heart ache even more. He offered a kind reminder, "Our Prince and Princess Consort have been losing sleep for days over the Commandery Princess's illness. If you can't cure her, you'd best prepare some pleasant, auspicious words."
"Yes, yes," Fourth Granny hurriedly agreed.
Prince Changyang and the Princess Consort were overjoyed to hear that someone had taken the notice and had rushed to the front hall to wait.
The steward led the two into the main hall and bowed. "Prince, Princess Consort, they have arrived."
Fourth Granny's heart was pounding. The threshold of the main hall was high, and she nearly tripped as she lifted her foot to cross it.
Ye Qianning was suddenly jerked along and also nearly fell. After steadying herself, she looked up and saw Prince Changyang seated in the place of honor. He looked to be in his forties, with handsome features. 'In the modern world, he'd be considered a prime silver fox.'
The Princess Consort beside him was the very picture of a classic beauty, so well-maintained she looked like a young woman in her twenties.
Prince Changyang and the Princess Consort were slightly taken aback when they saw the old woman and the young child.
"You're the ones who took the notice?" Prince Changyang was clearly skeptical that this old woman knew anything about medicine.
"Yes," Fourth Granny replied timidly.
"Where are you from?" Prince Changyang asked.
"Nanyuan." Fourth Granny didn't even dare to lift her head.
"You practice medicine?"
Fourth Granny nodded. "Yes, yes, I do. In Nanyuan, it's very common for children to get rashes. As long as you use the right herbs, the rash will naturally go away."
"If you fail to cure her, you will be caned," Prince Changyang threatened.
Fourth Granny trembled with fright and dared not speak another word.
"If she isn't cured, then the Prince can beat me," Ye Qianning said earnestly, looking up with her big, watery eyes.
Prince Changyang looked at Ye Qianning, his gaze scrutinizing.
But Ye Qianning wasn't afraid of him. She held her head high and met his gaze directly, the very image of a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger.
"That's enough," the Princess Consort said, giving the Prince a subtle nudge. "Since they took the notice, we should at least let them see her before passing judgment."
Only then did Prince Changyang retract his gaze and consent. "Then take them to have a look."
The Princess Consort nodded, rose, and walked out.
"This way, please," a maidservant said to the two of them.
Fourth Granny was so nervous that her hand, clutching Ye Qianning's, was slick with sweat.
Ye Qianning felt a pang of guilt. 'If it weren't so inconvenient to get things done in this small body, I wouldn't have had to put Fourth Granny through such a fright. I'll need to find a proxy from now on.'
The Prince Mansion was vast. They passed pavilions and verandas, wound through long corridors, crossed a huge garden, and walked for over ten minutes before entering a courtyard named Lanxuan Garden.
"Commandery Princess, don't scratch! You mustn't scratch..."
The group had just stepped into the courtyard when they heard a maidservant's anxious voice.
Hearing the voice, the Princess Consort quickened her pace, pushed open the door, and went into the room. "Xiang'er!"
"Princess Consort, the Commandery Princess has been scratching ever since she woke up. She's scratched herself raw all over..." the maidservant cried.
The Princess Consort rushed over and held the child's hands. "Xiang'er, be good. Just endure it for a little while, and it won't be so itchy anymore."
"Mother... it hurts, it's so itchy..." the Commandery Princess wailed incessantly.
"Be good, Xiang'er. It'll stop itching soon..." The Princess Consort's heart ached terribly. With tears in her eyes, she turned and said anxiously, "You, come take a look. How can we stop this itching?"
Fourth Granny's expression was worse than if she'd been crying. Steeling herself, she stepped forward.