♫ Not meeting each other, not meeting each other That one person, that one glance ♫
♫ Not resenting the years we wasted ♫
♫ In a certain year, that one gaze, who is nostalgic, who is silent? ♫
♫ Brushing past each other's shoulders, do not argue about our fate ♫
♫ If not for that one look, the fleeting sense of yearning ♫
♫ I would be unaware I had loved that person for a lifetime ♫
♫ Until now, even if the city is abound with rumours, do not explain ♫
♫ Using up the world's medicine, it is still hard to cure the affections of the mortal world ♫
♫ The heavy rain is coming and the ground is damp The memories are fading in front of my eyes ♫
♫ Many years later, all the stories turn out to have similar endings♫
♫ Don't say you love someone, don't say but Please do not overdo the tears ♫
♫ Gains and losses will always come around in a cycle ♫
The Imperial DoctressEpisode 17
All medicinal references used in this episode are based on fiction, do not try at home.
Go.
What trickery is she up to?
You guys may go.
This scent is refreshing.
What is in this?
Your Highness, this is a recipe given to me by a century old elder.
It is made of Rhizoma Atractylodes, Evodia rutaecarpa berries, mugwort,
cinnamon, fructus amomi, angelica,
mint, Biond's magnolia and polygala root.
It can alleviate pain, reduce toxic heat, clear eyesight and liver, and relieve depression.
If Your Highness constantly smells this fragrance, your headaches and blurred vision will slowly disappear.
Something from a century old elder? Interesting.
You go and make new medicine for me.
I want to see what kind of good tasting medicine you can make.
Yes
Your Highness, can I please check your vital again?
Earlier there were too many people, I'm afraid there might be some mistakes.
Your Highness, I think you can let her try.
Come here.
Your Highness, she is a girl it's ok to not use the yellow handkerchief.
Your Highness,
can you please extend your right hand out with palm facing down?
Your Highness, I also want to take a look at your neck.
Don't you dare!
I just want to check.
Then hurry and check!
Your Highness, when I press here, does it hurt?
I can make a diagnose now.
Your Highness, please wait a few minutes. I will be right back after I get the medicine.
Didn't you say you went to make medicine?
These are all things to eat.
Historically, it's known that food and medicine come from the same source. Food can also be used as medicine.
Also I think that Your Highness just has a little discomfort.
Actually, you cannot say it is an illness.
You will be fine if you pay more attention to food consumed everyday.
I also think my health is not bad.
But there's people who say my health is bad so I can't leave here.
They do not want me to interfere with politics.
This is tangerine and Chinese eaglewood with meatballs.
It will strengthen your vitality and body.
This is fingered citron porridge, it's good for your chest pain.
This is donkey hide gelatin and sea slug soup.
I remember that I made this soup for you once, Mother.
I remember boiling 10 grams of donkey hide gelatin in water,
and then the sea slug...
Soak one or two slugs in water, and then cut into pieces.
Then mix in 100 grams of thoroughly cooked Job's tears, and finally bring everything to a boil.
Include spring onion, ginger powder and millet wine at the end.
That's right!
What is that?
This is green permission cake.
There's honey added in it.
Sweet and sour. It's really tasty.
Better than those bitter medicine by a lot!
You are indeed talented.
Yu Xiang. Reward her.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Sister, I also cannot use these seeds.
All of you must be tired serving the Empress Dowager all day.
- Take it and share it with them. - Really?
This is not little.
Take it as my way of thanking you for reminding me last time.
Fine. Then I will accept it.
In the future, call me Yuxiang.
Sister Yuxiang.
Your Highness.
Yunshi
Your Highness.
The Empress Dowager can actually take an afternoon nap now.
Your medicine is not bad.
Thank you, Your Highness, for the praise.
It's just that, is the Empress Dowager sick
or not?
I was a bit clumsy.
Your Highness, please forgive me. I did indeed hide the truth just then.
Empress Dowager of course is ill.
It's just that I believe the Empress Dowager has a strong personality, and one who is unwilling to admit defeat.
After hearing from everyone that she was suffering from a serious illness,
there was an evident increase in toxic heat levels.
Hence, I purposely told her she wasn't very ill
to help her relax.
When she is calm, I will start to cure her.
I see. You think quick.
What illness does Empress Dowager have?
The Empress Dowager sweats profusely, and suffers from hand tremors.
She has a lump on her neck, thus allowing me to deduce that she is suffering from a goitre.
I asked Yuxiang-jiejie,
and found out that the Empress Dowager's hands started shaking in a fit of anger.
That is how I knew the Empress Dowager was suffering from
stagnation of qi and coagulated phlegm.
That's right.
Thats right. A few days ago, Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
The imperial physicians have all come up with remedies to combat toxic heat in the liver and deficiency of yin,
it's just that they hadn't reached the root of the problem.
Tangerine and Chinese eaglewood with meatballs
was inspired by Shenxiao Kaijie Powder, found in the Song Dynasty's "Remedies for Women."
I used eaglewood, costus root, tangerine, pearl powder and pork tenderloin.
I never would have thought
you would have this kind of talent.
Much better than the physicians at the Medicine Bureau.
Hopefully the Empress Dowager can become better quickly as you said
Then these few days, you live here and nurse her back to health.
I understand.
Your Highness,
Can I please see Physician Liu first?
You must be worried about your reputation as a medicine woman.
Liu Ping'an has already told me.
As long as you can treat Empress Dowager, I will fulfill your wish.
I will personally write a plaque for your medical clinic.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Then Your Highness won't punish me for lying?
A medicine woman is simply an identity.
Since you have Liu Ping'an as your referee, and performed a deed of merit, we can put this behind us.
Miss Yun,
do you want any more rewards?
I have another request. Your Highness, please allow me
to visit the North Five Places and see the Cheng...
to visit the North Five Places and see the agallocha tree.
I've heard that the agallocha tree has been there for a century.
Then you remembered wrong.
There really is agallocha tree in the palace,
but it's outside of the Shenwu Gate.
If you really want to see, when you leave the palace you can see it.
Thank you for your advice, Your Highness.
How can you be so careless?
How can you ask to meet your older cousin in front of the Empress?
If you hadn't stood up for me earlier,
I wouldn't have reminded you.
Yuxiang-jiejie, I don't understand. Why...?
You're foolish.
The Empress is in charge of the Inner Palace, and very strict with the rules.
You're an outsider, yet want to go visit your cousin who apparently serves an imperial prince.
Doesn't that just point to an affair?
But he's a eunuch.
It's even more complicated since he's a eunuch. Being an eunuch's partner is seen as taboo in the Palace.
Hurry and go prepare dinner for the Empress Dowager.
If she's at peace, if you want to visit the North Five Places,
Even if you want to see the Emperor, it would be granted.
Thank you Yuxiang-jiejie.
You have quite the nerve! How can you touch Empress Dowager's head?
I noticed Empress Dowager wasn't feeling well. So I thought applying pressure might make her feel better.
You're a commoner. No matter what, you cannot offend the Empress Dowager.
I have to attend to the Empress Dowager when she reads military reports. You can go back now.
Military reports?
Shouldn't that be handled by the Emperor?
The Emperor is too young, so her Highness is worried.
She's afraid the Annam Conquest will run into trouble. She's already so ill,
yet constantly pays attention to the secret reports sent in by the Ministry of Defense.
We're too hesitant to convince the old lady to rest earlier.
It's worrying.
The Empress Dowager has a bad temper.
Yuxiang-jiejie, it must be hard for you.
It's easy once you're used to it.
The Empress Dowager may seem vicious, always wanting to punish people.
I've been serving her Highness for so many years.
Actually, her Highness treats people quite well.
I have seen with my own eyes a lot of criminals who were given the death sentence.
In the end, the Empress Dowager contrived plans to save them instead.
Really?
Why would I lie to you? I have to go serve Her Highness. You should return now.
Then...
why did our family...
You
indulge in the Emperor too much, and just let him do everything.
I am ill, so just had to watch him initiate a changeover to the Grand Secretariat.
You are the Empress, yet can't even perform your duties of remonstrance.
You still have the face to sit in front of me.
Mother, please forgive me.
Stop being so worried. I dislike seeing you that way.
You've been in the Palace for so many years, yet haven't even borne a prince.
What use is there in giving me morning greetings everyday?
Where is the Emperor?
Is it because he thinks he did something wrong?
Feels guilty, so is afraid to come see me?
Oh no, the Empress is being scolded at again.
She's a pitiful one. She comes to greet the Empress Dowager every day, and is nice to us as well.
It's too bad. Once the Empress Dowager gets upset, no one can calm her down.
Empress Dowager, please have your tea.
When did I ask for tea? Leave now.
Your Highness, drink a sip of the tea first to wet your throat.
-Then you'll have more energy to keep scolding. -How dare you!
Are you mocking me?
I wouldn't dare.
I just heard Your Highness your voice became horse.
If you don't hurry and take a sip of the tea.
I'm afraid that if your levels of toxic heat increase, and your illness takes a turn for the worse,
I'll be pulled out and hit by planks again. Rather than being hit when that time comes,
I might as well rush in now when you're less furious. Since I'll have to be hit with planks one way or another,
I'll be hit less times if I come in now.
Why are you talking about plank punishment all of a sudden? I've been confused by your words.
What are you guys laughing at?
Enough.
I understand what you are saying.
Consider you don't understand rules in the palace yet.
I don't blame you. Get out now. T/N: The character 'gun' also means to roll.
Your Highness, I just entered the palace so I really don't know all the rules yet
How do I get out (roll out)? Vertically or horizontally?
I'm only teaching you a lesson. How are you so daring?
You are too brave.
Even though I know you're helping me out.
But if you really made the Empress Dowager mad,
even if you have ten lives it wouldn't be enough.
I understand.
But I just can't stand and watch the Empress Dowager get mad at you like that.
First, I'm afraid the Empress Dowager's emotions get out of control.
leading to a relapse of her illness.
Second is because Your Highness has helped me many times.
If I just stood there and did nothing I would feel guilty.
How am I supposed to reprimand you now?
Anyway you have to remember.
In this palace, you have to be calm when you do anything.
If you were punished because of me,
Then how would I feel?
Thank you Your Highness.
Right,
I saw that you didn't even take rewards from the Empress Dowager a few days.
Apart from presenting food therapies, you tend to avoid her altogether.
Today,
you even dare to joke around with her?
I...
I used to think Her Highness had a bad temper,
and was slightly afraid of her.
However, now I think she is quite pitiful.
She's so ill, yet still has to worry about court affairs.
Your Highness, can you tell the Empress Dowager to not tire herself like this?
80% of her sickness is caused by a sickness of the heart.
How can I not know this?
It's just that the Empress Dowager won't listen to advice easily.
We need to take it slowly.
After eating your food therapies, my headaches are coming less often.
Yet my vision is still blurry.
Feel my pulse again.
Yes, Your Highness.
They say that eyes are the gate to your heart.
There is toxic heat in your heart, hence it shows through your eyes.
I'm afraid that you still need to wait a few days.
Your Highness must remain calm and collected, and wait a few more days.
I'm not a nun. How am I supposed to remain calm and collected?
No. I must be able to clear my vision immediately.
Your Highness,
I have a method, though I'm not sure if Your Highness wants to try it.
What method?
I used to practice Taoism with an enlightened immortal.
I learnt a magic spell with him,
that can temporarily move the toxic heat to your feet.
I am wondering if Your Highness would be willing to let me conjure the spell?
Your Highness, please follow my incantations.
- Foot soldiers - Foot soldiers
- Are usually the the vanguard of the army. - Are usually the the vanguard of the army.
Your Highness, I especially asked Immortal Disciple Zhang from Qingyun Abbey for this miracle pill.
Please wash your eyes with this mixture.
Your highness, please relax.
Illness, leave! Illness, leave!
Illness, leave!
Your Highness, I've already transferred the heat from your eyes to your feet.
In 3 days your feet will begin to show signs of sores while
your eyes will slowly become clearer.
But in these 3 days, you definitely can't use your mirror.
Also, when you are inside you must relax and meditate.
Otherwise, all our efforts will be in vain.
Fine, I will endure for 3 days.
For pain from the heat sores, I've already prepared some creme.
Simply put it on everyday after you wash.
Yunshi...you aren't a real medicinal woman right?
Yes. I'm still unmarried currently.
Please your highness, punish me for lying.
I won't blame you,
It's hard for woman to go out and accomplish things.
And you aren't an ordinary woman.
Do your work seriously, if you really cure my eyes
I won't treat you unfairly.
Much obliged, your highness.
Saying it is weird, as the magical medicine entered water
suddenly dissolved and turned clear.
After the Grand empress washed her eyes with it, she said that she felt refreshed and clear.
-right -really?
All of you look.
This is what the medical woman wrote as medical recipes.
Look here.
She keeps saying that Grand Empress has no illness, which is absolute nonsense.
What tangerine and eaglewood with meatballs. It's just based on Shenxiao Kaijie Powder.
And that random soup. Isn't it just jade seaweed soup?
She's pretending to be all mystical. Who recommended her?
She was recommended by me!
Master, your disciple did not try to purposely offend you.
Enough! No matter what kind of weird tactics she used.
She found out that the Empress Dowager was suffering from a goitre, and successfully cured her.
Hence, she is more skilled than us.
Physician Liu, what you said is wrong.
I think she is simply relying on her status as a woman,
giving her the chance to check Her Highness' neck area.
If we could also do that,
then wouldn't we know she was suffering from a goitre?
Exactly.
If you're not as skilled, then admit it. There is no use in making excuses.
I am past the age of 50, yet can still admire her proficiency as a physician.
Yet you all just care about face.
Teacher, but she spoke carelessly and conjured demonic spells.
Let me ask you, how many branches are there in Imperial Faculty of Medicine?
There are 13 branches.
Internal Medicine, paediatrics, gynaecology, skin and external diseases, acupuncture,
ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics, general medicine, otolaryngology, incision wounds,
acupuncture and Zhu You.
Then let me ask again.
Out of all the imperial physicians, who is well versed in the method of Zhu You?
Method of Zhu You?
Teacher, the thirteen branches of the Imperial Medicine Faculty were inherited from the medical system of the Yuan Dynasty.
You know that the method of Zhu You is undeserving of its reputation.
Really?
I shared your opinion just a few days ago.
Yet after meeting the medicine woman Miss Yun, I changed my mind.
Could it be that nonsense is the method of Zhu You?
Thinking carefully about it, are her words really nonsense?
Why is the stubborn Empress Dowager only willing to eat her dishes?
What about you? Stop being angry and jealous,
and start learning the principles presented in this method.
Physician Liu
It is true that you recommended that medicine woman to the palace.
However, don't just think about praising her.
Although the method of Zhu You has been lost for a long time,
I know the basic principles of it.
She's only comforting patients, and calming them down.
What's so mystical about that?
It's just that Miss Yun is making such a big fuss out of it,
and causing the Empress Dowager to look down upon proper physicians like us.
Why is she doing this?
Exactly.
Why is my foot becoming more and more uncomfortable?
Why do I think here,
it's both sore and painful?
Go get some water. Wash my feet.
Tell Miss Yun to apply medicine on them.
Yes.
Your Highness, your feet are fine.
There are no sores.
Greetings, your highness.
Didn't you say that sores would grow on my feet within three days?
This is the third day, but I don't feel anything.
Empress Dowager, do not worry.
Ding Xiang, please bring a bronze mirror.
My eyes are clear now.
But why does this matter?
Didn't you say that when the toxins go to the feet, the eyes naturally heal?
Your Highness, last time I spoke of reversing the flow of toxins,
but I was actually trying to divert your attentions.
The ancient saying goes that "thoughts of the heart are reflected through the eyes."
Your Highness, you often feels restless,
and often stares at yourself in the mirror.
When you see your swollen eyes, toxic heat will naturally increase,
which is why the swelling won't go down. After using my supposed spell to shift toxic heat to the feet,
you start to worry about the sores on your feet,
With the attentions diverted away from the eyes, they naturally healed.
How dare you!
You actually lied to me!
Your Highness please calm down. But the parables are right.
Military forces can use insidious tactics, and so do physicians.
Since Your Highness often reads military reports, this principle wouldn't be strange to you.
You are right that military forces can use insidious tactics, as do physicians.
You're getting braver and braver.
Your Highness... wouldn't blame me, right?
How could I?
I wouldn't banter over things in the past.
Empress, you were involved with this.
Mother, please forgive me.
Forget it. Forget it.
As long as my eyes are okay,
You are all relinquished of your guilt. Get up.
Thank you, your highness.
Mother. Your toxic heat was caused by anxiety and anger.
Every time you meet with the court officials,
your illness worsens.
You are the mother of the country, with the world's good fortune upon you. You should prioritise your own life over other matters.
Why can't you not worry about the nation's affairs?
You're speaking on behalf of the Emperor?
I wouldn't dare. These are just thoughts in my head.
You really worry so much for me?
No need.
Your Highness,
the Empress truly says that because she's concerned for you.
She doesn't have any ill intentions.
If she did, all she needed to do was contaminate the Zijin Pill.
You really believe I am willingly working so hard?
The Emperor is so young but so stubborn.
If I let go
the Ming Dynasty would be over!
I understand.
But did any mishaps occur in the court?
Our general has scored many victories in Annam.
The Six Ministries are also running normally.
Minor problems may occur,
Overall though,
there have been no major differences when compared to the times with you behind the curtain.
You always think the Emperor is messing around.
The Emperor is an adult,
yet can't make any decisions. Think about the earlier years. You were the Empress Dowager,
yet you still had to report to the Grand Empress Dowager.
Would that be easy to endure?
Greetings for mother.
It's raining,
yet you are happy to sit in the imperial gardens and admire the scenery?
Yes.
Even though it's raining, I feel refreshed.
Since you can walk now,
your body must have also recovered.
I have. Thanks to Immortal Sanqing,
I've become much better.
When the rain stops, I will be redeeming my promise to the Heavens at Qingyang Palace.
As you wish. I will take my leave now.
Wait a moment.
Since this illness, I've thought of many things.
Since the Emperor can now independently handle the court,
I've weakened, and I'll return to the back courts to rest.
- Mother-- - But
you must promise me three things.
First: Handling national matters cannot be done alone.
You must discuss with the imperial advisors.
Further, if more than 5000 troops are used, you must tell me.
I will retrieve the troops and handle it myself.
Second: As long as I'm here,
you must not expel my people in the court.
Your Majesty, as logn as you stop messing around and prioritize national matters,
I'll pretend previous matters never occured.
I'll accept your orders.
Mother, the Emperor will definitely unite the court to protect the country.
If any large complications occur,
we'll still need your direction.
Isn't that right, Your Majesty?
The Empress is right.
Mother,
if I had any disobeying actions in the past,
I ask of your forgiveness.
You haven't spoken with me like this for a long time.
Empress, the third condition is for you.
I'm naturally dismayed by leaving court matters.
I hope you will diligently help our Zhu family expand.
Yes, mother.
When your royal father inherited the throne, he was your age.
Your Majesty, you look out for yourself.
Uncle, if you're harboring anger, it's better to express it.
How could I express it!?
I thought that once the Empress Dowager awoke,
the Imperial Faculty of Medicine
won't be mired in such a passive situation.
She even retreated to the inner court!
This was unavoidable. The Emperor is an adult,
and the Empress Dowager will have to return her power one day.
But before she decided to retreat, she didn't say one thing to me!
Now,
all the subservient physicians are flattering Liu Ping'an.
It's all because the Empress Dowager's power has weakened, which is affecting me as well.
I don't even know what that medicine woman told Her Highness.
I heard that after she used her spells, the Empress Dowager's personality changed tremendously.
Medicine woman?
Eunuch, these are the herbs required by the Renshou Palace.
I hope you could gather it.
Imperial Dispensary
Rhizome of Chinese goldthread...
The prescription here was written by you?
- Yes. - How dare you!
Drag her out!
Beat her 30 times!
What are you doing? Let go of me!
Stop.
Eunuch Hou. Look carefully. We are from Renshou Palace.
We're here to get medicine for the Empress Dowager.
Even if you're collecting herbs, do you dare break the laws?
You look for yourselves.
This traitor dares write this.
Cinnabar (a red mineral containing mercury sulfide)
That's cinnabar!
I've never written cinnabar!
This was added by someone else!
But you just admitted it.
Now I just heard you defy the court in person.
How could you be so audacious and not correct your wrongdoings?
Take her!
That's enough!
You think I don't know what game you're playing?
Eunuch Hou, the laws shouldn't be played around by the likes of you.
Who's black money (bribery) did you accept?
to make us crawl into the trap ourselves?
I am the Head Eunuch of the Imperial Dispensary.
Since when should I accept your scolding! Take her!
You dare hit her!
30 beatings and she'll lose her life!
If she's beaten to pieces,
wait until the Empress Dowager is back from the alter,
just fear that even if you accepted money, you wouldn't be able to use it!
Fine. If you want to protect her, I have no words to say.
But she betrayed the court, so I don't know how to convey that.
Drag her to the wall. Bend her for two hours!
Yes.
Go!
Yunxian, I'm going to go look for the Empress.
Endure for now, and you cannot lean,
or else you'll lose your legs in moments!
Don't you dare move from your position.
Ding Xiang, watch her for me.
Yes.
It's only been a while, and you can't handle it already?
There's still an hour left.
Now, you want to curse don't you?
You should curse the unfortunate fate that made you a servant in the palace.
But I'm going to remind you: you cannot faint.
Or else you'll receive a bigger punishment.
Thank you, jiejie.
Don't misunderstand. I didn't mean to help you.
Stand up straight.
How dare you disturb His Majesty?
I'm sorry.
Aren't you from Renshou Palace?
Why are you in such a hurry?
I'm trying to go to Kunning Palace and ask the Empress for a pardon.
Miss Yun is being punished by Eunuch Hou.
Her surname is Yun?
It's quite a rare surname.
Though when did the Renshou Palace have a medicine woman?
Your Majesty, her surname is Yun, first name is Xian. She came upon seeing the imperial bulletin.
She came in to examine the Empress Dowager's illness.
What did you say?
Her name is Yunxian?
What are you doing? Wake up!
Don't let them see!
You dare!
Eunuch Ho, look, she's already like this.
Go go go! Get out! Stupid wench.
You dare act! --
Your Majesty!
Yunxian.. Yunxian!
How are you?
Zhenqi...
Escort her to the palace.
Here.
Thank you. Remember to rub your underarms with ginger slices.
That way it won't smell anymore.
You can also use yam slices.
How... how did you know?
I'm a physician.
♫ Used to think the winter had always been this cold, ♫
♫ unrelated to my stubborn obsession ♫
♫ If the heavy snow froze everything ♫
♫ I will wait at the beginning, waiting for you to appear. ♫
♫ Perhaps our vows will change, as will the times ♫
♫ Constant, yet ever changing, even if the world changes ♫
♫ Even if my complexion ages with time ♫
♫ I am still the young one in white ♫
♫ until the day ♫
♫ I return to meet you ♫
♫ When that day arrives, we will return to familiar places ♫
♫ Appreciating the colourful world, and watching the light dance across your face ♫
♫ When that day arrives, we will return to the first snowfall ♫
♫ Forgetting our obsessions and the past we have lost ♫
♫ Even if my complexion ages with time ♫
♫ I am still the young one in white ♫
♫ until the day I return to meet you ♫