Yueyao didn’t think much of it, not knowing Xiang Wei was suffering terribly at that mont.
Xiang Wei was soaking in a bath barrel, and the dicine was prepared by Doctor Li. Xiang Wei was ready to endure the ordeal, but upon imrsing herself in the barrel, she realized it was more painful than she imagined, almost penetrating into her bones, and she wished she could faint.
Doctor Li said from outside the screen: "Don’t faint. If you faint, I won’t be able to administer acupuncture to you later."
Xiang Wei gritted her teeth and endured it with her imnse willpower. The water in the barrel turned cold, and they replaced it with a new barrel. The dicinal bath lasted for over an hour before it was finished.
After the bath, Xiang Wei was completely exhausted. A young maid helped Xiang Wei change into clean inner clothes. Once everything was settled, Doctor Li ca in to provide acupuncture to Xiang Wei.
"Ah..." Xiang Wei cried out in pain. She still had a trace of consciousness and felt so regret, wishing for death rather than this torture. It truly felt worse than death. As she was about to faint, she thought with gritted teeth that when she awoke, she would dismber that old man.
When Xiang Wei ca to her senses again, it was already the next day. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the maid she had bought. Xiang Wei knew that this treatnt would not be simple, so she didn’t dare to use anyone close to Yueyao for fear Yueyao would worry, so she specifically bought a maid.
During breakfast, Doctor Li ca over: "Yesterday was just the beginning, it will get more painful later. If you want to give up now, it’s still not too late." Actually, because it was the first ti using the dicine, it was particularly painful early on, but it would be much milder later. However, Doctor Li was displeased with Xiang Wei’s attitude, so he deliberately didn’t tell her.
Xiang Wei snorted coldly, thinking that if she gave up now, the suffering of yesterday would have been in vain: "I won’t give up, and I hope you live up to your reputation as my lady said."
Doctor Li was surprised. He only claid to have a sixty percent certainty because the treatnt process was so painful that few could endure it. Now, seeing Xiang Wei’s resolve, he admired her: "Based on your performance yesterday, I now have eighty percent certainty." When a patient could withstand such inhumane pain, the doctor wouldn’t hesitate in treatnt.
Xiang Wei felt that yesterday’s suffering was not in vain after hearing this.
For half a month, An Zhichen diligently left for his duties every day. Every evening, he soaked his feet for half an hour. Yueyao stayed to keep him company and talk, and with more communication, they beca more in tune with each other.
Xiang Wei did not return to An Mansion for half a month but sent a letter, explaining that she was in a critical phase and could not co back during this ti.
Yueyao sent Xi Yu to visit Xiang Wei. Xi Yu quickly returned and reported to Yueyao: "Miss, Sister Xiang Wei looks a bit weak, but everything else is fine."
Yueyao looked at Xi Yu closely, noting that her expression was normal and showed no signs of trouble, so she wasn’t suspicious. Yet, Yueyao asked Nanny Hua to go to the Herbarium Hall to oversee Xiang Wei. A patient should be well taken care of to recover more quickly.
That day, An Zhichen did not go to the yan, which puzzled Yueyao: "Why aren’t you going to the yan? Is it a holiday today?" An Zhichen’s holidays differed from civil officials, as they were flexible without set days.
An Zhichen replied with a smile, "I took a half-day off today."
Yueyao sensed sothing was amiss, yet An Zhichen teased her without revealing anything. Not until late in the si hour did Yueyao learn why An Zhichen had stayed in the mansion instead of going to work.
People from the palace arrived to deliver an imperial decree—Yueyao’s title of Imperial Decree Lady had been granted.
Yueyao was in a daze for a mont, while An Zhichen was unsurprised, instructing the Chief Steward to entertain the eunuchs from the palace and also ordering a fragrant altar set up. Once all was ready, An Zhichen led Yueyao to the main hall of the front courtyard.
Kneeling, Yueyao listened to the decree and received the phoenix crown and cape along with the scrolls from the young eunuch. She gazed at the golden peacock clouds embroidered on the cape with a dazed mind. At that mont, Yueyao’s mind was blank.
An Zhichen gave Yueyao a slight nudge, bringing her back to her senses, and she kowtowed in gratitude for the emperor’s grace. Fortunately, the eunuch didn’t mind and even congratulated Yueyao: "Congratulations."
The Chief Steward personally escorted the eunuchs out.
Yueyao said with a smile, "I was a bit rude earlier. Thankfully, this Father-in-law is quite good-tempered." Generally, eunuchs were domineering, but since these people often interacted with the Emperor and Empress, no one dared offend them. Yet, this decree-bearing eunuch seed unusually honest.
An Zhichen rely smiled, not explaining why this eunuch was so courteous. Despite Yueyao’s rare palace visits, she was the Marquis’s sworn sister and the Empress Dowager’s nominal niece.
What Yueyao didn’t expect was that about a half-hour later, she received gifts from the Empress Dowager. Although the Empress and concubines did not send congratulatory gifts, the Empress Dowager’s gifts stood out particularly.
Yueyao asked curiously, "Why would the Empress Dowager send gifts?" While no one rejects jewels, these gifts seed a bit baffling.
Yueyao did not mind that the Empress Dowager was not close to her. They were unrelated, and though the previous gifts were due to Mingzhu’s connection, she was grateful.
An Zhichen chuckled, "You forget you are the Marquis’ sworn sister."
Xi Yu carefully chid in, "Young lady, could it be because you helped Miss Mingzhu?" In front of An Zhichen, Xi Yu and several personal maids addressed Yueyao as the young lady, yet privately, they remained accustod to calling her by her maiden na.
Yueyao found Xi Yu’s reasoning plausible. Although she was Luo Shao’s sworn sister, she was not his blood sister, so the Empress Dowager would not particularly cater to her. It was likely due to her help with Mingzhu’s morning sickness.
An Zhichen did not dwell on the topic: "Since you like the dress, you should wear it." The phoenix crown and cape were court attire, usually worn for palace visits. However, An Zhichen noticed Yueyao seed fond of it and wanted her to enjoy it.
Yueyao laughed lightly, "I have to wear it tomorrow to enter the palace and offer thanks." Yueyao had diligently learned the etiquettes from the nanny for the last palace visit, so she need not learn them again for this occasion.
After lunch, An Zhichen went to the yan. Only then did Xi Yu dare to openly suggest: "Miss, with your title as an Imperial Decree Lady, we certainly need to host a banquet."
Yueyao nodded. Though organizing a banquet was tiring, such a grand occasion required celebration; otherwise, people might think sothing was wrong.
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