latelenovela Chapter 561
Chapter 561
A warm spring breeze, carrying the scent of medicine, swept through the streets of the capital. Dongfang Wan'er had just handed the last packet of herbs to an elderly woman afflicted with the plague when a young eunuch from the Imperial Hospital stumbled towards her. His clothes were soaked, his forehead beaded with sweat, and he gasped, "Dong... Doctor Dongfang! Urgent news from the palace! The smoke signals on the northwestern border have not died down for three days; the enemy cavalry has breached Yanmen Pass!"
Dark clouds churned above the palace. Inside the emperor's study, the flame on the bronze candlestick flickered in the draft. His knuckles were white as he gripped the urgent military report; the words "Three cities lost" on the parchment stung his eyes, making them redden. "In just over a month, half the passes have been lost! How can I face my ancestors?" The regent stood by the window, his black cloak billowing in the wind, gazing at the crimson sunset. He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the Tiger Warriors as the vanguard. We will surely reclaim the lost territory."
"No!" The emperor suddenly rose, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping away the paperweight on the table. "The enemy army is coming in overwhelming force; I must personally lead the army!" Everyone in the hall was shocked, but the regent gazed at the emperor's resolute face, finally kneeling on one knee: "Your subject is willing to accompany Your Majesty on this expedition, even unto death!"
That very night, when the news spread, Dongfang Wan'er knelt before the Hall of Mental Cultivation, holding her medicine chest. Moonlight cast her slender figure onto the blue bricks, but her voice was as firm as metal and stone: "Your Majesty, I have studied external medicine since childhood. The army is filled with wounded soldiers, and we are in dire need of manpower. Please allow me to accompany the army and serve the country with my medical skills!" The Emperor, gazing at the medicine dust clinging to her temples, recalled how she had risked her life to save lives during the plague, and finally nodded in agreement.
On the northwestern battlefield, yellow sand obscured the sun. Dongfang Wan'er moved among the makeshift tents, her white dress stained with blood. She knelt beside a stretcher, using forceps to remove arrows from a soldier's leg, her ears filled with the cries of pain. Suddenly, a deafening battle cry rang out in the distance—the enemy had launched a surprise attack under the cover of night!
Flames shot into the sky, and arrows rained down like locusts. Dongfang Wan'er shielded the unconscious soldiers as they retreated, only to see a cold arrow whistling through the air. In the nick of time, she instinctively shielded the wounded beneath her, but felt a tearing pain in her left shoulder. Before her consciousness faded, she saw a familiar figure in black push through the crowd; the Regent's crown was askew, and his usually composed face was filled with panic.
"Wan'er!" The Regent collapsed to the ground, his hands trembling as he unbuttoned her blood-stained robe. An arrowhead was deeply embedded in her shoulder blade, the wound already turning bluish-purple. He tore off a corner of his robe to stop the bleeding, and as his fingertips brushed her pale cheek, he found his hands shaking uncontrollably. The sounds of battle still echoed in the distance, yet he held her tightly in his arms, his voice hoarse: "It was my negligence... I will make the enemy pay for their blood debt."
For the next two weeks, the Regent commanded the battle during the day and stayed in his tent late at night. He watched the imperial physician change Dongfang Wan'er's bandages and listened to her sobs of pain, his heart filled with unprecedented regret. When Dongfang Wan'er finally opened her eyes in the morning light, the first thing she saw was his bloodshot eyes and the stubble on his chin.
On the day of the decisive battle, the emperor personally beat the drums, and the regent led his cavalry in a charge. Dongfang Wan'er was assigned to the central command tent, but she still insisted on treating the wounded. When the news of victory arrived, she disregarded her pain and rose to her feet. Watching the regent, covered in dust, return on horseback, the bloodstains on his armor—whether from the enemy or herself—she smiled and handed her the captured enemy commander's seal: "This time, it's my turn to protect you."
The triumphant procession returned to the capital in a grand procession. Dongfang Wan'er leaned against the carriage window. Gazing at the Regent's tall and imposing figure on horseback, she recalled the moments of mutual protection on the battlefield. The city gates of the capital slowly opened, and the spring sunlight poured in, illuminating their smiling faces—they had protected not only this vast land, but also the bond forged in the flames of war, a bond stronger than gold and stone.
The crabapple blossoms within the palace walls were in full bloom, their petals falling softly onto the glazed tiles, yet unable to conceal the oppressive atmosphere within the Hall of Mental Cultivation. After the morning court session, the emperor repeatedly rubbed the impeachment memorial between his fingers, the ink on the vermilion annotations spreading like bloodstains seeping into his dragon robe as the words "The Regent Prince, wielding considerable military power, harbors treacherous intentions." When his personal eunuch reported that the peonies in the Imperial Garden were beginning to bloom, he suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Summon the Chief Physician of the Imperial Hospital, Dongfang. I want to hear just how deep the bonds forged on the battlefield truly are."
Dongfang Wan'er stepped into the Imperial Garden, her gossamer-like skirt fluttering in the breeze as she traversed the winding corridors. She came upon the Emperor, hands clasped behind his back, standing beside a Taihu rock; the gold embroidery on his bright yellow dragon robe gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Just as she was about to bow, a deep, questioning voice came from above: "What exactly is your relationship with the Regent?"
These words struck like a thunderbolt. Dongfang Wan'er's fingertips trembled slightly, but when she looked up, she saw the Emperor's eyes were deep and unfathomable, harboring a suspicion she had never seen before. Images of mutual support on the battlefield flashed through her mind. She steadied herself, her voice clear and resonant like the striking of a jade chime: "Your Majesty, my relationship with the Regent is merely that of comrades-in-arms. On the northwestern battlefield, he led the charge, protecting the soldiers, while I used my medical skills to heal the wounded—all for the sake of safeguarding this vast land. If there is any affection, it is only a sincere desire to share Your Majesty's burdens."
The emperor remained silent for a long time, then reached out and plucked a half-open peony. The petals twirled between his fingers, eventually scattering into a flurry of crimson petals. "I believe you," he chuckled softly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "But in this court, gossip is a fearsome thing. Remember, this empire has only one master."
As dusk began to fall, Dongfang Wan'er hurried to the Regent's Palace. Amidst the carved beams and painted rafters, the Regent was studying military strategy on a sand table, his black robe still dusted from the day's meetings. Hearing her purpose, he set down the military tally in his hand, the amber teacup tapping softly on the table: "To conceal your brilliance?" He raised an eyebrow, a sharp glint in his eyes. "From the day the late Emperor entrusted me with his care, I have entrusted my life to the empire. If anyone tries to frame me with fabricated charges, I'd like to see just how capable they are."