Chapter 40: A Ruthless Heart

This question was asked in a rather subtle way.

Tan Qingjiu lowered her gaze, bit her lip gently, and shook her head. “Prince Duan’s illness is not a physical malady, but an affliction of the mind. We call such a condition post-traumatic stress disorder.”

“It occurs when a person suffers a great shock, and the mind cannot come to terms with what happened, resulting in illness. Perhaps if it is treated promptly after the trauma, there are ways to manage it.”

“But if there is no proper guidance after the incident, and the distress accumulates over time, it festers into a chronic illness that only grows worse.”

Her voice was heavy. “Prince Duan has suffered from this for nearly twenty years. It has simply gone on too long. Not only has he not received any proper treatment in all these years, but it seems he’s been repeatedly subjected to further shocks, worsening his condition.”

“With things as they are now, it’s almost impossible to cure him.”

Tan Qingjiu lifted her eyes to look at Shen Yanhua, who stood at the pinnacle of power. Shen Yanhua pressed his lips tightly together, his brows deeply furrowed, the wrinkles on his face gathered into a single knot.

“In the past, I have used acupuncture and given Prince Duan some medicine, but none of it was truly curative.”

Only then did Shen Yanhua look back at Tan Qingjiu. “Not medicine for the illness?”

She nodded. “Not medicine to cure, but rather to relieve pain and calm the nerves. The acupuncture was also to alleviate pain and soothe agitation. His illness is a long-standing, deep-rooted one. When it flares up, the reason he becomes so frenzied, uncontrollably attacking others—even killing—is because the pain in his head becomes unbearable.”

“When the pain strikes, he loses all rationality, unable to control himself, desperate for an outlet for his agony. If his pain can be relieved quickly, he will be somewhat better, a little more lucid. But this is only a palliative, not a cure, and it cannot lessen the frequency of his attacks. It merely grants him some relief and preserves a small measure of reason when he is ill.”

Tan Qingjiu spoke simply. Shen Yanhua nodded. “I understand.”

He paused, then sighed deeply. “It is I who have wronged Prince Duan.”

Finishing, Shen Yanhua turned his head to look at her. “Prince Duan wishes to marry you, likely believing you can cure him and ease his pain. Would you be willing to wed him?”

Tan Qingjiu took two hurried steps back. “Your Majesty overestimates me. Healing the sick is my duty alone. I am unmarried, yet pregnant, and care for two children. I am unworthy of the position of Princess Duan. I beg Your Majesty to find another suitable match for him.”

Shen Yanhua narrowed his eyes. “Very well, I understand. I will give it careful thought. As for Ah Jue’s illness, I must trouble you, Doctor Tan.”

“Yes, I take my leave.”

When Tan Qingjiu exited the main hall, she saw Shen Yingjue still waiting in the side chamber. It seemed something unpleasant had occurred there while she was inside, for his expression was grim as he stared coldly at a kneeling palace attendant not far away.

“Get out. Thirty strokes with the rod. Were it not for my tolerable mood today, I’d have taken your life.”

The attendant hastily bowed. “Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you for sparing my life.”

Only then did Shen Yingjue look at Tan Qingjiu. “Are you an ant? Why do you walk so slowly? Hurry up and get over here!”

She hurried over, her demeanor timid.

“The medicine? Where is my medicine?”

Tan Qingjiu fumbled to produce a medicine bottle. Before she could remove the wooden stopper, Shen Yingjue snatched it away, hastily uncorked it, and poured out two pills, which he quickly swallowed.

In his rush, two pills fell to the ground.

After taking the medicine, Shen Yingjue took a deep breath, steadied himself somewhat, then turned—brow furrowed—to Tan Qingjiu. “Why are you still standing there? Move!”

She replied meekly, following him in quick steps as he strode out the palace doors. He walked so swiftly that she had to trot to keep up.

After they left, a nearby attendant glanced out the door, then hurried to where Shen Yingjue had been sitting. He squatted and searched the floor for some time before finally finding the two dropped pills. He then brought them to the main hall and reported the matter to Shen Yanhua in full.

“You’re saying that just now, Xiao Lin deliberately provoked Prince Duan, and as he was about to have an episode, Tan Qingjiu brought him this medicine, which he took?”

The attendant nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. After taking those two pills, Prince Duan seemed much calmer, though likely still fearful of a true attack, so he left in great haste. These pills, I retrieved from the floor myself.”

Shen Yanhua fixed his gaze on the pills. “Summon Imperial Physician Wang. Have him examine these pills and tell me their contents.”

Physician Wang arrived promptly. He carefully broke open the pills, sniffed and tasted them, and his expression grew grave. “Your Majesty, where did these pills come from? They are forbidden medicine.”

“Forbidden medicine?”

“Yes. This is the Five Stones Powder, made from cinnabar, realgar, alum, azurite, and magnetite. It relieves pain and gives a sense of clarity and increased strength, making one feel as if one’s body has improved. Yet in truth, it is a slow-acting poison. All its benefits are fleeting, and with prolonged use, it is addictive.”

“Once addicted, one cannot go a day without it. Excessive use… leads to death.”

Physician Wang pleaded anxiously, “Your Majesty, this medicine must never be used!”

“It is not I who use it.”

Shen Yanhua turned the pills in his hand, his gaze somber. After a long pause, he waved Physician Wang away.

A nearby attendant lowered his voice. “No wonder Prince Duan felt so much better after taking it. So it was such a dangerous substance. That so-called divine physician is far too audacious, daring to give Prince Duan this medicine.”

“You saw with your own eyes that he took it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I saw it myself, and I am certain he truly swallowed the pills.”

The attendant glanced up at Shen Yanhua. “Your Majesty, should we arrest that so-called divine physician?”

Shen Yanhua’s hand clenched tightly around the pills. “Arrest her for what? Prince Duan’s illness grows ever more severe. Though this medicine is fierce, if it can improve his condition, then so be it.”

“Let him keep taking it.”

Shen Yanhua narrowed his eyes, his face clouded. “This so-called divine physician is indeed something. No wonder—she’s the Tan family’s daughter, once unmarried and pregnant, thrown into the pond, and in just six years has become a famed healer. No wonder… this woman’s heart is ruthless indeed.”