Fu Ya Slips Up

  The people kneeled in a mighty scene once more and kowtowed as if they were making a pilgrimage. For a split second, Fu Ya herself was dazed. She felt that she really was Feng Yu Heng, and the title of divine doctor was one that she needed to live up to. At the same time, she was very satisfied with her earlier actions. She thought of going back and telling Feng Jin Yuan. She would definitely receive approval.

  Xiao Tao’er saw that Fu Ya was becoming drunk from the energy, and she could not help but secretly feel nervous. Stealthily tugging Fu Ya’s sleeve, she quietly said: “Imperial Daughter, let’s return to the residence. Master and Madam are still waiting for you!” She then lowered her voice and said: “Let’s leave quickly to avoid new problems cropping up unexpectedly.” If the medical clinic could not save that person, what would happen if Fu Ya was invited over? Xiao Tao’er had been sent over by Ji Ling Tian, and she had a very keen eye. She also knew that there was a problem with this imperial daughter. Ji Ling Tian had her stay at Fu Ya’s side to take care of Fu Ya.

  Fu Ya was shocked and immediately nodded, quickly bringing Xiao Tao’er back toward the residence.

  Just as the two entered the residence, Xiao Tao’er immediately informed the servants of the residence: “Young Miss is a little unaccustomed to the climate in the South, and she is not feeling too well. She will not be seeing any guests today.” Seeing the gatekeepers acknowledge this order, she calmed down and went to the courtyard where Feng Jin Yuan and Yao shi were living.

  The servants had made cold noodles. They had just been brought to the table, and she had just returned in time to eat. Yao shi doted on Fu Ya quite a great deal. In her mind, Fu Ya was the daughter that she had given birth to and was her A-Heng. Seeing that her daughter had returned with a slightly poor complexion, she could not help but feel a bit worried. She asked Fu Ya: “What’s wrong? Is it too hot outside? We’ve gotten accustomed to living in the capital, and we came when it was still the twelfth month. Arriving in the South, it suddenly became Summer. To not be accustomed to it is normal. Mother had the servants prepare a plum drink*. Have a bit later. This residence has an ice storage. Have the servants bring some more ice to your room. You must not suffer any grievances on your own.”


  Fu Ya knew that Yao shi doted on her and was very gratified. Smiling, she said to Yao shi: “Mother, do not worry. I am fine. It’s just that I saw someone that was heavily injured from being trampled by a horse, and I might have been given a bit of a shock.”


  “Injured from being trampled by a horse? What’s so shocking about that?” Feng Jin Yuan was puzzled, “Did the person die?”


  Fu Ya shook her head, “No, it was just that their chest was trampled, and they were coughing up blood the entire time. His entire body was covered in blood.”


  “Just that gave you a fright?” Feng Jin Yuan put down his chopsticks and said with a stern expression: “You need to remember that you are Imperial Daughter Ji An! You are proficient in both martial arts and scholarly pursuits, and you are a divine doctor. Not to mention being trampled, but even if the flesh becomes mangled, you should not even blink!”


  “What nonsense are you spouting?!” Yao shi immediately lost it when she heard Feng Jin Yuan say these words, throwing her chopsticks. She loudly said: “What do you mean not even blinking? When did my daughter become proficient in martial arts and scholarly pursuits? When was she a divine doctor? If she really was proficient in both martial arts and scholarly pursuits, would you have chased the three of us out of the manor so easily back then? Feng Jin Yuan, I’m telling you that my daughter is like this. She will be afraid when she sees someone injured, and she had a timid personality. She does not know martial arts, and she has only learned a bit of medicine from her grandfather. Over the years, she has already forgotten most of it. The person that you’re talking about as being proficient in both martial arts and scholarly pursuits is that monster in the capital! If you want to acknowledge her, just go ahead. Don’t turn my daughter into that!”


  “A woman’s opinion!” Feng Jin Yuan had become angry, “You being like this will only harm her! It will also bring harm to the two of us! Why did Noble Lady Yuan send us to Lan Zhou? Why did the lord prefect treat us so well? Do you think it’s because of me or you? I’ll tell you that it’s neither! It’s because of her face!” Feng Jin Yuan pointed at Yao shi and loudly said: “What the South wants is Imperial Daughter Ji An, not your daughter. Do you understand? Do you?”


  Yao shi was stunned by his shouts. For a while, she remained frozen in place, not knowing what to do. After just a few bites of the cold noodles, she had lost her appetite. She just repeatedly sighed. Holding Fu Ya’s hand, tears appeared in her eyes, as she repeatedly asked: “Do you want to become like that? Why must you become like that? My daughter is not like that!”


  Fu Ya felt a bit distressed for Yao shi. Although these feelings carried too much of an exploitative feeling, faced with Yao shi, who was truly feeling distressed for her, Fu Ya did not want her to suffer too much. Holding Yao shi’s hand, Fu Ya stood up and said to the granny behind Yao shi: “Carry the noodles to madam’s room.” She then helped Yao shi stand up and gently said: “Mother, don’t worry. I will always be the A-Heng that is in your heart. I will not change and will always be your daughter. Don’t worry! A-Heng will help you back to your room.”


  Yao shi was coaxed by Fu Ya into returning back to her room. When Fu Ya came back out, she had already put away that soft and gentle expression, revealing a resolute and fierce expression. She sat back down in her chair and lectured Feng Jin Yuan: “Father should not have said those things in front of mother. Could it be that you’ve forgotten how she feels about that person in the capital? It’s because that person changed that this mother turned and refused to acknowledge her. Could it be that father wants that sort of thing to repeat itself? Noble Lady Yuan once said that to fully act out this identity, Yao shi’s side needs to pass first. Only by having mother fully trust that I am her daughter can our act continue. Otherwise, all previous efforts will have been wasted!”


  Feng Jin Yuan also felt that he had spoken a little too severely earlier. With Fu Ya reminding him like this, he also smartened up. That was right, he had been too rash. He had forgotten Yao shi needed to be handled steadily. He truly had been demoted from the position of prime minister for too long. His mind had not been exercised for too long. It was such that there were things that he did not consider thoroughly enough. Fortunately, Fu Ya was there to provide this reminder. The collaboration between the two could be considered quite joyous.

  “It was father that was a little too rash.” The two were entirely devoted to the act. Regardless of whether it was in the open or in private, Fu Ya referred to Feng Jin Yuan as father. Feng Jin Yuan also referred to himself as father. “How were your gains when you went out today?” Fu Ya going out was not for the sake of idly strolling around. Their goal was to have Fu Ya establish herself a foothold in Lan Zhou and to have the citizens of Lan Zhou accept the news of “Imperial Daughter Ji An has come to the South.” That was why Feng Jin Yuan allowed Fu Ya to leave the manor every few days to go out for a bit. Last time, she had run into the prefect of Lan Zhou, and he had kowtowed to her, which was part of the play that had been arranged.

  Of course, Fu Ya was happy to cooperate. She recounted the day’s matters to Feng Jin Yuan, from the moment she entered the accessory shop to when she had given money to the scholar. Feng Jin Yuan was very satisfied with the first half, nodding along. When the scholar was mentioned, he furrowed his brow, and his scheming mind surged forth: “It shouldn’t have been something arranged by someone with their own motive, right? Using that to explain your identity?”


  Fu Ya also had this sort of thought, asking Feng Jin Yuan: “If it was that person, what should have been done in this situation?”


  Feng Jin Yuan immediately said: “She would save him. She would step forward and treat him. Also, it’s impossible for her to leave home without a medicine kit. Even when she sleeps, she would always have medicine on her.”


  Fu Ya was stunned, “Father means to say that I slipped up today?” She rubbed her hands and felt anxious, “If it really was someone with their own plans trying to scout us out, would this not expose everything?”


  “Don’t panic.” Feng Jin Yuan waved his hand, “It does not appear to be the case. This is all just our own speculation. It’s also possible that the person was indeed trampled by a horse, and everything was just a coincidence. Even if it really was an act arranged by someone, your actions already showed the utmost benevolence. The citizens will not be able to find any faults there. If they forcefully try to cause trouble, it will do themselves no good. But what needs to be worried about is it happening again and again. As the number of times increases, it’s natural that people will begin to have suspicions because you don’t know medicine, after all. It’s impossible for Imperial Daughter Ji An to never take action. If father is correct, the people of the medical clinic will very quickly come to visit!”


  Just as he said this, a servant came to report, “A clerk from the accessory shop on the western street said that the scholar sent to the medical clinic by Imperial Daughter could not be saved and wanted to ask Imperial Daughter to personally take a look.”


  Xiao Tao’er immediately said: “Did I not say that Imperial Daughter will not be seeing any guests today?”


  The servant nodded and said: “This was the initial response, but after the clerk of the accessory shop left, a clerk from the medical clinic came and has been pleading outside. Right now, there are already a large number of people gathered outside. They’re all waiting for Imperial Daughter’s miraculous abilities!”


  Fu Ya frowned upon hearing this and did not have any ideas. She quickly asked Feng Jin Yuan: “Father, what should be done?”


  Feng Jin Yuan snorted coldly and said: “I just knew that there would be someone secretly trying something; however, who knew that it would happen so suddenly? Forget it, there’s no need for us to worry. Before leaving the capital, I already thought that such a thing might happen and specifically explained it to the hidden guards sent by Noble Lady Yuan. The hidden guard was not careless, as all kinds of medicines were brought over from Hundred Herb Hall. One of the medicines can be used for people that were trampled by a horse. This sort of thing was something that she alone made. There is nobody that can copy it. The South does not have a Hundred Herb Hall. Just wait for a bit. Father will go and fetch it.” After saying this, he said to the servant: “Just tell them that Imperial Daughter will immediately head to the medical clinic.”


  Feng Jin Yuan returned to his room and retrieved some medicine for Fu Ya: “Take this medicine over and follow the instructions written. But you need to go through the motions. You can’t just give him medicine immediately.”


  Fu Ya understood this point, thus she nodded and placed the medicine inside her sleeve pocket, leaving the residence with Xiao Tao’er and heading toward the medical clinic.

  When she arrived, the medical clinic already had a large number of people gathered around. There were even people that had followed her from the Feng residence. The people gathered around in a semi-circle, causing Fu Ya’s head to ache.

  Her facepalming action was appropriate for the situation, as Xiao Tao’er explained: “Our imperial daughter has never come to the South and is very unaccustomed to the climate. This is not all, as she came out for a walk earlier. After returning to the residence, she did not feel too well, which caused a delay in coming out. Would everyone please not mind.”


  The people were very understanding of this situation. After all, everyone knew that Imperial Daughter Ji An was born in the capital then went to the Northwest. Later on, she went to fight in Qian Zhou. All of these places were cold and icy lands. To not be accustomed to the intense heat of the South was normal. They were just worried if Imperial Daughter Ji An could save the severely wounded scholar, thus they all squeezed into the door to look inside. They saw Fu Ya go through the motions and place her hand on the wrist of the injured man. It looked as though she was examining his pulse, and she pretended to understand the situation by repeatedly nodding.

  But the old doctor of the medical clinic became puzzled from seeing this. Thinking for a while, he said: “Imperial Daughter really is a divine person. Even without placing your fingers on the veins, you were able to diagnose the problem?”


  *TN: I believe this is supposed to be a sour plum tea or some earlier version of it.