The next day, the Imperial Pharmacy at Huiji Gate sent a physician over.
Since Yang Wan was a female official, palace rules required examining patients behind a screen.
The Eastern Depot’s guards watched so intensely that they practically wanted to blindfold the physician. The physician was exasperated and threw down his medicine box, saying, “How am I supposed to examine her like this? Just let her heal on her own.”
He spoke with visible irritation, his mustache quivering.
Yang Wan, leaning on the couch, felt helpless but could only try to placate him: “Please don’t be angry, Sir. Just leave some medicine.”
The physician pressed his temples, then opened his medicine box and took out various bottles and jars. While checking them, he explained, “The most important things are to keep the wounds dry, avoid friction, and be extremely careful when sitting up or moving.”
Looking around at all the men standing far away, he sighed, “With injuries this severe, and no one to tend to her, how can she possibly recover well?”
Hearing this, one of the guards couldn’t help but snap, “Sir, you don’t know anything, so stop talking nonsense.”
The physician rolled his eyes. “What don’t I know?” As he packed up his medicine box and reached the door, he turned back with a snide remark: “Can any of you go in to tend to her?”
Not watching where he was going, he bumped right into Deng Ying as he finished speaking.
“Oh my, Superintendent…”
Though he had a proud temperament, being in Eastern Depot territory, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated after bumping into Deng Ying.
However, Deng Ying cupped his hands and bowed to him, “Deng Ying apologizes for his rudeness.”
Seeing his humility, the physician felt embarrassed and quickly returned the bow, “No matter, no matter.”
Deng Ying straightened up, glanced at the duty room, then respectfully asked, “May I ask, Sir, how are Record Keeper Yang’s injuries?”
“Ah.”
The physician leveled his voice, “I dare not offend, so I couldn’t examine too closely, but since they’re surface wounds, there’s no need to rush recovery.”
Deng Ying nodded in acknowledgment, then asked, “She had a high fever last night. When might it break?”
Hearing this, the physician understood why the guard had said “You don’t know anything” when he’d commented about Yang Wan having no one to tend to her. So it was this Eastern Depot official himself who was caring for the person inside. Thinking of this, he looked more carefully at Deng Ying, seeing him now dressed in casual clothes with sleeves half-rolled up, showing no hesitation as he checked the water about to boil on the stove in front of everyone. His voice was also very gentle as he said, “She doesn’t seem able to eat much, just drink some water.”
“Being able to drink water is good.”
At this point, the physician glanced at the guards behind Deng Ying. Seeing that they dared not speak while Deng Ying was present, he took the liberty of instructing Deng Ying as he would normally instruct palace servants: “The wounds are inflamed, so fever is inevitable. Apply the prescribed medicine properly three times a day, and don’t skip any oral medications. Her wounds are deep – avoid any friction if possible. With good care, by the day after tomorrow… the fever should break.”
“Yes, Deng Ying understands. Thank you, physician.”
After speaking, he bowed again before stepping aside to let the physician pass.
After Deng Ying straightened up, Qin Wende reported from behind him.
“Superintendent, Scribe Hu from the Directorate of Ceremonial came today.”
Deng Ying turned around, “About the imperial interrogation?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“He said the day after tomorrow.”
Hearing this, Deng Ying lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment, then bent to lift the water from the stove, saying softly, “Alright, I understand. Make arrangements according to the Directorate’s instructions.”
Qin Wende followed a step and asked, “Superintendent, will this case be transferred from the Northern Command to us?”
Deng Ying nodded, “That’s the idea, though this is just a special case within the inner court. The Eastern Depot still doesn’t have regular interrogation authority.”
“This subordinate understands.”
At this time, Yang Wan had just put on her lined robe and was supporting herself to sit up on the couch. She pulled back half the blanket and pushed her silk pants down to her knees, intending to apply medicine to herself.
Compared to the wounds on her waist and abdomen, although the injuries on her legs were severe, Yang Wan could at least see them, making it easier to apply medicine. Just as she was reaching for the bottles the physician had left on the table, the door lock rattled. Yang Wan looked up at the door, hurriedly trying to pull back under the blanket, but this pulled at her wounds. The pain made her lose strength, and her body tilted, falling from the couch.
Deng Ying quickly closed the door, crouched down to lift Yang Wan from the ground, and called out, “Lock the door.”
Then he added, “Hold onto my shoulders.”
Yang Wan was breathing hard from the pain but still instinctively reached to grab her silk pants that were sliding down her knees.
Deng Ying glanced down at her hand, “Wait, I’ll help you.”
Yang Wan’s ears turned red, but she didn’t dare move carelessly. She quietly withdrew her hand and grabbed the sash at Deng Ying’s waist, “Did you see…”
“What?”
Yang Wan looked up and saw him pressing his lips together slightly.
“I…”
“I saw.”
Afraid she would shame herself by saying it, he quickly acknowledged it, then gently carried Yang Wan back to the couch. Supporting her waist, he helped lift her lower body to pull up the silk pants that had slipped almost to her ankles. The silk fabric rubbed against her wounds, making Yang Wan furrow her brows. Seeing her discomfort, Deng Ying had to lighten his touch, “Does it hurt?”
“If you do it quickly, it won’t hurt as much.”
Deng Ying withdrew his hands and stood stiffly in front of Yang Wan, “I can’t let Song Yunqing come…”
“I know. It’s probably better that she can’t come. She doesn’t have your good temperament – who knows how she’d scold me if she saw me like this.”
Yang Wan interrupted him, partly to comfort him as well.
Deng Ying didn’t continue, instead reaching for the medicine bottles the physician had left, silently reading the labels.