Vol 3 Chapter 7 (2/2)

As I turned around to look in front once more, Cao Cao’s room was in sight. The sleeping quarters were still lit and Cao Cao’s shadow was cast on the paper window shades by the candlelight.

That sagacious figure, was about to fall.

On entering the room, I was greeted with the picturesque sight of a beautiful white haired girl. She wore a plain sleeping gown and held a bamboo scroll on one hand while the other held a cup of steaming tea.

“Un?” She hurriedly put down the tea and scroll and got up to welcome us when she saw us come in. “You must be Ji Pong.”

“I am a palace physician– My name is Ji Tai Ji Ping.” I said as I respectfully bowed.

Cao Cao sized me up, before nodding, “I know I know, I’ve heard of you.”

I s.h.i.+vered as I heard those words, and then Cao Cao asked a servant in the room to receive my herbal pouch. “Go and brew the medicine and send it to me. Don’t just stand there, Physician Ji Ping and Hua Tuo. Come and have a seat.”

Cao Cao gestured us as she said so and we sat on 2 vine chairs. As we sat down, servants from Cao Cao Cao’s household brought us 2 cups of hot tea.

“Try it. It’s a fresh batch of oolong tea.” Cao Cao then returned to her bed and picked up the cup of tea from earlier which she gingerly drank from. “Un, this fragrance is not bad.”

I picked up the cup as well and blew on the steam that floated on top of the liquid. As I blew, some of the steam brought the fragrance of the tea leaves into my nose and warmed my body from within.

“*s.h.i.+ku*~~~~ Too hot!” Hua Tuo drank it a little too quickly and got scalded.

She really is a little kid…

I tested the temperature with my teeth before taking in a small sip of the slightly bitter tea. Un~~~ This is the first time I’ve ever had such good tea. It has the richness of black tea, and the aroma of green tea. The taste lingers in one’s teeth and lips, making one crave for more.

I probably won’t ever be able to buy such good tea leaves even with my lifetime’s wages as a physician.

“How is the Emperor’s health recently?” Cao Cao asked me, as she put down the cup.

“Ah, the Emperor is doing fine mostly. Thanks to the hard work of the Imperial Chancellor, the Emperor’s appet.i.te has also returned to normal.” I answered truthfully, as the bronze cauldron which Cao Cao had sent was highly praised by the Emperor.

“Un, that’s good. The Emperor’s health is more important than anything else.”

“… Ah, that’s right.” I went with the flow and replied as such. What right does someone like you, who is clearly trying to usurp the throne, have to talk about the Emperor? Though I am just a physician, I am still loyal to the Han. You, Cao Cao, have made the Son of Heaven your puppet, and ma.s.sacred Xu state. How could you possibly hope to gain the hearts of the people?

“The medicine is ready.” Just then, a servant brought in a small bowl containing soup made from the poisonous herbal mix I prepared.

“Oh, leave it there first.” But Cao Cao did not drink it immediately. Instead, she asked the servant to put it at the side while she continued talking to us.

I felt uneasy at the current situation, and my uneasiness only grew as the situation dragged on until I couldn’t resist and asked. “… Imperial Chancellor, are you not going to drink?”

On hearing my words, Cao Cao got up and brought the bowl of soup over and looked at it before putting it back on the table. “It’s still too hot, my tongue can’t take it.” Cao Cao smiled helplessly with a frown as she pointed at her tongue.

… No good, I can’t let this drag on.

“Come, let me blow it for you.” I said, and hurriedly brought over the bowl before waiting for a reply.

“No need no need, how I can possibly trouble you?” Cao Cao quickly got up when she saw what I was about to do and tried to stop me.

But how could I let you stop me?

“Haha, it’s fine it’s fine. Your health is more important.” I anxiously blew at the soup as I said so. “*s.h.i.+ku*—- Wu!”

d.a.m.n it! I drank some of the soup when I breathed in! Speaking of– Too, too hot!

“Hahaha, I didn’t think a physician would be so careless~~” Cao Cao, who did not know what was really going on, only felt I was clumsy and laughed as she clapped.

Stay calm! If you swallow it, it’s all over. I have to spit it out fast–

“Oi, are you alright?” Hua Tuo patted my back concernedly as she looked at my pained expression.

“*Gudu* … Ah!!! What have you done?!!” It’s over, Hua Tuo’s pat made me swallow it!

“Un?”

This d.a.m.ned la.s.s! She ruined everything!

The antidote! … Antidote my foot! When did I ever prepare one?

“Un? What’s the matter? You don’t look too good.”

“I, I’m fine… A-re?” I realised that my vision had become blurry and my legs were like lead. With just a small breeze, my back bent over and my legs gave way.

… Am I going to die like this?

I slowly opened my eyes, and 2 faces appeared. It was Cao Cao and Hua Tuo.

What happened?

“Are you awake? Aiya, that really scared us.” Hua Tuo said as she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that I had awoken.

“Seems like you got poisoned. At least Hua Tuo was nearby, or you would have been dead for sure.” Cao Cao smiled as she rapped my head. “You’re still in my room. No need to rush. Rest for a bit before you leave.”

… I’m still alive.

“That herbal mix seems to have contained poison.” Cao Cao continued. “Perhaps someone snuck them into your mix when you weren’t paying attention.”

“Eh?”

“Really, to think this sort of poison was actually used. Looks like whoever did it has quite a good understanding of medicine.” Hua Tuo said as she took out some powder from my herbal pouch– The powder was the poison I had brought.

But why?

Perhaps these next words were tantamount to a confession but I had to know, and steeled myself as I asked–

“… Doesn’t Imperial Chancellor suspect me?”

“Un? What sort of nonsense are you spouting?” Cao Cao said as she stroked my fringe and said as a matter of factly. “Someone who practices medicine, could never do something that brings harm to others.”

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