I insist

Chapter 297: Former Officials of the Previous Dynasty

The Empress Dowager found it pointless to torment Song Miqiu like this without any response, so she returned to Cining Palace with a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Ming Taicheng was worried because Song Miqiu hadn't returned last night, and thought he should go and check on Consort Li.

Song Miqiu was not idle at all while serving Consort Li; he worked like a slave and was exhausted.

"Your Highness, Song Miqiu has not returned to the Imperial Hospital since yesterday. We did not know that Physician Song was here."

Ming Taicheng was waiting at Consort Li's gate early in the morning. When Consort Li heard that it was Ming Taicheng, she was very displeased, thinking that he was probably here to ask for someone.

Ming Taicheng was the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, and since he couldn't directly expel people, he could only politely have them served him good tea and water.

"I wonder what brings the imperial physician to my palace today? Is it for Song Miqiu?"

Although Consort Li knew Ming Taicheng's intentions, she still maintained an attitude of knowing the truth but asking questions.

Ming Taicheng respectfully said to Consort Li, "Song Miqiu has important matters to attend to. May I ask her to return?"

Consort Li's expression changed, and she deliberately did not answer.

Consort Li remained silent, and Ming Taicheng didn't know how to continue the conversation. The room was quiet and somewhat oppressive.

"Your Highness, this is extremely important."

"Go back! I want to keep Song Miqiu by my side to help with medical treatment. What's wrong with that?"

If it weren't for the fact that he was the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Consort Li would have given him no face at all.

Ming Taicheng realized that Consort Li was not going to give her away.

Ming Taicheng stood proudly and said, "It is not your humble servant who wants people, but Your Majesty who wants Physician Song to see the patient."

"Fine, you little imperial physician, you always try to intimidate me with the Emperor."

"Wei Chen dare not."

She continued, "The Emperor's affairs cannot be delayed. If Your Highness needs someone, then go and speak to the Emperor."

Consort Li said coldly, "As expected of the head of the academy, speaking so arrogantly."

"Someone, go and invite Song Miqiu over."

When Song Miqiu entered and saw Ming Taicheng, she knew in her heart that Ming Taicheng had come to take her away from this godforsaken place.

"Imperial Physician Song, His Majesty requests your presence to take his pulse."

Song Miqiu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I will go immediately."

Ming Taicheng and Song Miqiu left Consort Li's palace.

"Ming Taicheng, you're so kind of you, you actually came to save me. Luckily, you're here in the palace."

"You're doing just fine even if I don't come, aren't you? I heard you helped Consort Li gain the Emperor's favor."

"You have no idea how painful it is. Consort Li torments me, and now the Empress Dowager wants to torment me too. Tell me, how am I supposed to live a good life?"

Song Miqiu looked exhausted; he was no longer alive and well, he was almost at his death's door.

Ming Taicheng really had no way to deal with Song Miqiu.

"Can't you just stay away from them?"

"I wish I could, but it's not possible. Look at my life, it's worse than that of palace maids and eunuchs. As soon as I arrived, Consort Li made me kneel for two hours. Then the Empress Dowager made me pull weeds, which humiliated me again."

Song Miqiu chatted with Ming Taicheng along the way, talking about the grievances she had suffered in the palace these past two days.

Ming Taicheng knew that none of the ladies were easy to deal with, so he sighed and said, "There's only so much I can do to help. You'll have to be careful."

The first thing Song Miqiu wanted to do was go home and get some rest. Only at home was it the quietest and most comfortable place.

These past two days have really exhausted Song Miqiu. As soon as she got home, Tian Yumei could tell at a glance that Song Miqiu was very tired and had lost a lot of weight.

"Mom, why did it take you so long to come back this time? You look so thin."

Song Miqiu, fearing that Tian Yumei would worry, said, "The Imperial Hospital has been quite busy lately, and we're short-staffed, so we've been doing extra work."

Tian Yumei's eyes were full of heartache: "But you can't not be this tired."

"Alright, Yumei, I'm fine. Come on, let Mom see how the little one in my belly is doing?"

Tian Yumei's expression shifted from worry to that of a loving mother as she touched her belly and said, "Everything is fine."

Song Miqiu placed her hand on her stomach and suddenly felt a slight movement in her lower abdomen.

Tian Yumei said excitedly, "Mom, can you feel it? The little one is kicking my belly!"

This was also the first time Song Miqiu had felt fetal movement, and the feeling was quite magical.

"I can feel it, I can feel it, this little guy is quite strong." Song Miqiu was also very excited.

"Perhaps it sensed Mother's arrival, which is why I felt the baby move." Tian Yumei said with pride. Everything she had now was thanks to Song Miqiu, and Tian Yumei genuinely loved Song Miqiu.

Yu Huailin smiled as he watched Song Miqiu touching Tian Yumei's belly.

"Mother, you chat with Young Master Yu for a while, I'll go prepare dinner." Tian Yumei tactfully left.

Yu Huailin smiled, revealing his white teeth, at Song Miqiu.

Song Miqiu walked towards Yu Huailin step by step.

"How have you been lately?" Yu Huailin asked Song Miqiu.

Song Miqiu smiled brightly: "Everything is fine."

Yu Huailin looked down at Song Miqiu's legs, and knew from the moment she came in that Song Miqiu's legs had some problems.

"Why don't you tell the truth? What happened to your leg?"

As Yu Huailin spoke, he asked Song Miqiu to sit on the stone bench next to him.

Yu Huailin pinched Song Miqiu's knee through her skirt, causing Song Miqiu to wince in pain.

"What happened?"

Song Miqiu avoided looking Yu Huailin in the eye, for Yu Huailin's eyes, like those of an eagle, could see through everything.

"I fell by accident."

"Really?" Yu Huailin was clearly not very convinced.

Song Miqiu said anxiously, "Really, really."

Yu Huailin saw that Song Miqiu was unwilling to speak, so he did not make things difficult for her.

Be more careful next time.

Yu Huailin squatted down and gently rubbed his knees, afraid of hurting Song Miqiu.

Song Miqiu felt Yu Huailin's cautiousness and was very happy. After working like a slave in the palace, she felt very happy to be back home with the care of her family and the love of her life.

"Don't worry, I'm a doctor myself. I'll take good care of this little injury, and it'll be fine in a couple of days."

Yu Huailin said with a pained expression, "But it will hurt a lot, and I don't want you to be in pain."

"Okay, I'll be more careful next time. I won't worry you or get hurt."

Yu Huailin was finally satisfied.

Yu Huailin's room

"Your Highness, there are still former officials of the previous dynasty in this palace, and there are certainly many who are on our side." The old eunuch told Yu Huailin the information he had gathered.

"From now on, please don't call me Your Highness, just call me Young Master, as it's quite inconvenient."

The old eunuch bowed and replied, "Young master, I understand."

Yu Huailin thought for a moment, and although he had many former ministers, he didn't know if they would still be willing to help him restore his country.

"Write a few letters first to test the waters and see if there are any people who genuinely want to help him."

He couldn't act rashly. If his identity were discovered, it would implicate many people, especially Song Miqiu, and he didn't want her to suffer any harm.

"Young master, I understand."

The old eunuch retreated and left, while Yu Huailin pondered the matter.