Chapter 38 The Person Behind Lady Shu

"Ask for a favor?" Lady Shu was a little confused.

Ya'er thought of an idea and spoke to Lady Shu in a low voice, "Your Highness, why should Qin Yi come here? I believe asking for the herb is an excuse. To find out her real intentions, why not call Qin Yi and question her carefully?"

Lady Shu nodded in agreement.

When Qin Yi entered, Lady Shu was sitting on her throne in the inner Palace. Qin Yi curtsied to her promptly. Lady Shu nodded and said, "So you are Qin Yi. It must have been very tough to live a lonely and plain life with the Princess at Ning'guo Temple for all these years. By the way, I heard that you called the imperial physician this morning. Is the Princess ill?"

Qin Yi answered softly, "Your Highness, the Princess caught a cold last night. If this had happened to a normal person, it would be no big deal, and appropriate medicine would work. But the Princess' health has always been a cause for concern. This makes her illness more serious. The Imperial Physician came this morning, and after checking the Princess, he said that her pulse was irregular and that he didn't dare to prescribe medicines. The only way to help her is to use some restorative herbs. These will help to keep her fit, and the Princess will recover once her body gets stronger."

"It is so serious?" Lady Shu sighed and said with sadness, "The Princess just had her Coming-of-age Ceremony yesterday. She is in her best years but her health is so poor. Alas…"

After lamenting for a while, she continued "I heard that you came to ask for a herb but I have no idea which herb you need. Take whatever you need if I have it here."

Qin Yi expressed her gratitude and then continued, "What I am looking for is the Cordyceps, which is very rare. Master Wu Na from Ning'guo Temple mentioned it as well. He said that this herb would be very good for the Princess' health if we could find it. But it is not easy to get. I heard some maids talk about it when I returned to the Palace. It is said that the Emperor favored you a lot and sent some as a tribute to you before the New Year. I'm so sorry to trouble you. Please pardon any unintended offense, Your Highness."

"Really? Is there any here?" Lady Shu the

un Shang smiled and shook her head. "My health condition also doesn't allow me to enjoy a happy life. Master Wu Na once said that if I nurse my health carefully, I can live for a few years. But if I have extreme emotions, I am afraid that …"

Hearing this, Lady Shu also frowned and asked with concern, "Isn't there some other way? To cure your disease?"

Yun Shang shook her head but then she paused as if she remembered something. She added, "There is a way. Master Wu Na said that the renowned Doctor Xue Yan who lives in the Changbai Mountain could save me. But it's said that the doctor has a special constitution and must stay in places full of ice and snow. Which is why he never leaves Changbai Mountain. And I can't travel long distances due to my poor health. I know that it is impossible, and so I've never mentioned it to others. If my father knows this, I'm afraid that he will use every means to bring the doctor, which is not what I wish. I just want to conform to my fate. But if anyone can cure my disease, I will be eternally grateful."

"Doctor Xue Yan?" Repeated Lady Shu. A glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, but she sighed deliberately, "Well, this is really a problem. I will inquire about it when I go back. By the way, Qin Yi came to ask for a herb but I had already given the herb to my mother. I am sorry about that, so I brought some other herbs for you. You can see if they are useful or not."

Yun Shang nodded. "Okay. Thank you very much."