Chapter 2442 - 2416: I’ll Sneak You Out

"Who can I ask for information?"

Manbao encouraged him, "Why don’t you ask Lord Gu? Your relationship with him is pretty good, isn’t it?"

Director Xiao immediately looked around nervously and lowered his voice, "Don’t talk nonsense, when did we have a good relationship?"

However, Director Xiao still paid attention.

He raised his head and saw Zhou Man was still here, so he waved his hand, "Alright, alright, you quickly go out and see how many people need medical attention today. Finish your work early so everyone can go home."

He said, "It’s rare for everyone in the Imperial Hospital to receive rewards. Today, they will definitely go home early to celebrate. The imperial decree will be issued in the afternoon and you need to return to receive it, right?"

Manbao heard this and immediately stopped dawdling. She went out to look at the requests submitted to the Imperial Hospital, with palace maids and eunuchs outside requesting imperial doctors.

When she came out, Imperial Doctor Zheng immediately gave her a space and said, "Noble Consort Yang is ill, and both Moral Consort Yan and Virtue Consort Zheng are feeling unwell. Which one would you like to see?"

Manbao directly chose Noble Consort Yang, "I can also visit the two princesses."

Noble Consort Yang lived close to the Empress and had a good relationship with the princesses. Visiting her meant she could also take a detour to see Princess Mingda and Princess Changyu.

Imperial Doctor Zheng took out a few more forms, "There are requests outside too. The young master of Minister Han’s house fell and broke his leg, requiring a doctor to set the bone. This isn’t suitable for you. Also, the State Duchess Pi is ill, and no one has visited her. Their residence is close to yours, do you want to check on her?"

Manbao asked, "Do I still have to handle external consultations?"

She had already taken palace assignments.

Imperial Doctor Zheng said, "We are short on imperial doctors. Director Xiao brought back a lot of data, you just summarized it, we still need to archive it."

Manbao thought about it and wasn’t keen on leaving the palace to go in and out.

Imperial Doctor Zheng probably knew, so he said, "You can visit today, and again tomorrow, and have the State Duke Pi’s residence submit another request so both records can be archived together."

Manbao secretly glanced at Director Xiao’s office, "Can we do that?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng said, "Yes, entering and exiting the palace isn’t easy, it takes a long time. Unless it’s a serious illness, taking an external consultation once is enough. Since you’ve already accepted external consultations, why not also take a case from the State Duke Zhao?"

Manbao asked, "Their State Duchess?"

"No," Imperial Doctor Zheng looked at her, "It’s their heir’s wife."

Manbao raised her eyebrows, "Oh," she exclaimed in a high tone, not sure why she did so.

Imperial Doctor Zheng laughed, everyone in the Imperial Hospital knew that last time Zhou Man was troubled at the State Duke Zhao’s residence, it was likely orchestrated by the heir’s wife. After all, the State Duchess Zhao was ill, and the heir’s wife was in charge of the household.

Manbao took two requests and nodded, "Alright, I’ll see them both."

First, Manbao went to see Noble Consort Yang, who had caught a cold. She followed the Empress, so she liked requesting Imperial Doctor Liu initially, and later joined in favoring Zhou Man.

Later on, as long as Zhou Man was in the palace, she would request Zhou Man, even more frequently than the Empress requesting Manbao, so Manbao was quite familiar with her.

Upon checking her pulse, Manbao realized why she had been sick from March until now; simply put, it was due to poor digestion, inadequate diet, and deficient yang energy.

Thus, Manbao suggested she go out early and late to bask in the sun, "The sun isn’t strong right now, especially in the morning when it feels warm and cozy. After breakfast, take a wooden bench out and lie down in the sun, it should mostly be on the back for four to five days, and you’ll be healed."

Noble Consort Yang and her maids listened in a daze, "No need for medicine?"

Considering her poor appetite, which made consuming medicine difficult, Manbao said, "I’ll prescribe some medicinal dishes for you, mostly porridge. No need for medicine now, I’ll also give you some acupuncture, and the rest just wait for the sunning."

She further reminded, "Remember, it’s the late morning sun, and in the afternoon, wait until after sunset to avoid tanning."

Manbao left prescription for medicinal dishes and meal plans, "Sometimes eating properly is more effective than medicine."

Noble Consort Yang nodded repeatedly, in deep agreement, she didn’t like medicine.

Manbao gave Noble Consort Yang acupuncture, and just after removing the needles, Princess Mingda and Princess Changyu arrived hand in hand after hearing the news.

Noble Consort Yang dressed up and upon seeing them, smiled, "Go play, don’t worry about me."

Seeing Manbao’s serious face, she became a bit guilty, saying, "I will eat well."

Only then did Manbao nod, pack up her medical kit, and go to chat secretly with Princess Mingda and Princess Changyu.

After exchanging greetings, the two princesses had only one purpose, "We heard from Bai Er that once Bai Shan passes the Ministry of Personnel exam, you will celebrate with a banquet for the title conferment? You have been conferred a title too, will you host a banquet with them?"

Manbao naturally nodded, "Of course."

Princess Mingda said, "Then invite us."

Manbao asked, "If I invite you, can you come?"

Changyu said, "Mingda and I will ask our mother, then Mingda will ask our father, we can definitely go."

Manbao was puzzled, "But aren’t you still observing mourning?"

With a strong desire to go out and play, Mingda and Changyu’s faces fell for a moment, remembering this, feeling disheartened and somewhat guilty.

They seemed a bit unfilial.

Manbao coughed lightly and whispered, "If you sneak out, I can secretly take you to my house."

She mentioned, "I just found out Grandma Liu built a garden room on the edge of the backyard last year. In winter, the windows are sealed tightly, making it very warm. Now, in spring, the wooden strips have been removed, and each window has been opened, making it especially beautiful and private. Usually no one goes there—when the time comes, I will have a table set there, just for us, no one will know."

Mingda hesitated while Changyu was quite tempted, tugging at Mingda’s sleeve, looking at her.

Manbao said, "We won’t drink, so it can’t be considered a banquet. Money is tight at my house, we definitely won’t hire performers, maybe just a storyteller to narrate, you don’t need to listen, just a regular meal, not really entertainment."

Mingda said, "I must ask my father and mother."

The Emperor agreed, he cared deeply for his daughters, believing they had become bored these past two years. Due to mourning, they had gone out less than five times in two years. In the past, they would invite a few friends over, but these two years, even friends weren’t invited.

The Emperor never mentioned it, but he felt it in his heart, afraid of stifling his daughters.

But observing the full twenty-seven months of mourning was his own decision, even the crown prince followed it these past two years, so he couldn’t make exceptions for his daughters.

So when he heard his daughters wanted to go out, the Emperor immediately said, "Go, this isn’t really a banquet, just a walk. Even if your grandmother knows, she will be happy."

The Empress gave him an eye-roll and told Mingda and Changyu, "Who goes visiting during mourning? It’s disrespectful."

Changyu said, "We went last time."

"And you didn’t even go to the Guardian of the Nation Temple, did you?"

Changyu clutched the Empress’s arm, "Mother, Zhou Man doesn’t mind this, and if we can go, she’ll be overjoyed."

"Exactly, princesses visiting her with congratulations, what could be said against that?" The Emperor defended his daughters saying, "My daughters are dragon girls, they bring blessings wherever they go, no matter the time."

Empress: ...

Mingda also looked hopefully at the Empress.