The Imperial Doctress Episode 4 Recap
> The Imperial Doctress Recap
Empress Dowager, enraged by Prince Cheng's refusal to accept her offer of the throne, ordered his confinement, preventing him from attending his scheduled meeting at Yongqing Convent. A princess, intervening on Prince Cheng's behalf, was told by a confidante that Empress Dowager was furious, believing the Emperor intended to kill her. Meanwhile, Wang Zhen's meticulously planned ambush at Yongqing Convent was foiled by Prince Cheng's absence.
Upon learning that Empress Dowager's intention to enthrone Prince Cheng had fallen through, Wang Zhen abandoned his plot to assassinate him. Instead, he shifted his focus to orchestrating the downfall of Empress Dowager, cynical about the truth of the Emperor's birth mother and plotting to sow discord between the Emperor and Empress Dowager regardless of facts. At the Hang household, Official Xu arrived to propose marriage between his eldest son and Yunxian.
Before any agreement could be reached, Yunxian burst into the main hall, brazenly rejecting the proposal. She declared her unwavering vow to care for her grandmother for life and would only marry a man willing to become a live-in son-in-law. Feeling deeply insulted, Official Xu left in a huff. Yunxian's father, Hang Gang, was furious, chastising her for her rudeness and defiance, reminding her that marriage was a parental decision.
When Yunxian retorted that he was wrong to arrange her marriage in her grandmother's absence, Hang Gang became even more enraged. He accused her of wanting to please her superiors by sacrificing her daughter's future, ending the argument by disowning her. Despite her father's disapproval, Yunxian continued her medical pursuits. Her maid, Zisu, overheard villagers gossiping about Prince Cheng's arrival in the capital and upcoming marriage arrangements. Yunxian also encountered "Wang Jiejie," who requested her Qibai cream.
Yunxian, however, observed deeper symptoms and candidly diagnosed Wang Jiejie with internal dampness and heat, advising against Qibai cream, which offended Wang Jiejie. Yunxian's grandmother returned and, though frustrated by Yunxian's continued medical activities, implicitly condoned her actions when Yunxian cleverly framed her dietary recommendations for a patient's goiter as food rather than medicine. Madam Yu constantly advised Yunxian on proper decorum. Later, Yunxian accompanied her godmother Madam Yu to Zhou Manor, where they encountered Madam Xu.
To Yunxian's surprise, Madam Xu bore no resentment over the rejected marriage proposal. She calmly explained that her eldest son was not her biological child, and therefore the match was deemed "slightly inappropriate." Madam Xu then asked Yunxian to examine her, describing symptoms of weakness, persistent coughing, and a pale complexion.
Yunxian diagnosed her with Yang deficiency and, despite her promise to her grandmother not to give prescriptions, was persuaded by Madam Xu and Madam Yu to write down a simple remedy: licorice root and dried ginger water. Yunxian was convinced it was merely writing down a dietary suggestion, not a formal prescription. Tragically, Madam Xu died unexpectedly one night after consuming the suggested remedy.
Official Xu, consumed by grief and fury, stormed the Hang household late at night, directly accusing Yunxian of harming his wife with her "medicine." Hang Gang, believing Yunxian had brought further calamity upon their family, cruelly linked Madam Xu's death to the past misfortunes of Yunxian's grandfather and brother. While Yunxian's grandmother defended her, stating that dried ginger and licorice root soup was a harmless remedy, Hang Gang pointed to Yunxian's written instructions as clear evidence.
He revealed that Official Xu intended to file a formal complaint with the Supreme Court, accusing Yunxian of malpractice and Hang Gang of failing to discipline his daughter. Yunxian, overwhelmed but determined, declared she would face the court alone to protect her family. The next morning, Yunxian was led to the public court, facing a hostile crowd that jeered at her, calling her "General Hang's daughter" who acted as a "medicine woman" and an "evil creature."
In court, Official Xu formally accused Yunxian of deceiving people with her medical skills and causing his wife's death. He also brought up an earlier incident, claiming Yunxian had given his mother a wrong prescription, which would have been fatal if not for the timely intervention of an Imperial Medical Bureau physician. Yunxian admitted to having given "wrong medicine" in the past, but clarified that it was not lethal, and that her prompt blood-letting had saved Official Xu's mother.
She insisted that licorice root and dried ginger water could not cause death, especially since Madam Xu had consumed it half a month before her demise. Official Xu countered by painting Yunxian as a "lowly medicine woman" who illegally sold medicines and Qibai cream for profit. Recognizing the medical complexities of the case, the magistrate decided to postpone a final judgment until the next day, inviting physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau to assist.
He ordered Yunxian to be temporarily imprisoned as a suspect, citing the severity of the charge. At the Imperial Medical Bureau, a discussion ensued about the Supreme Court's request for assistance. Cheng Cunxia, who had recently returned from Nanjing, volunteered to oversee the case.
His uncle, Director Cheng, privately instructed him to ensure Yunxian's downfall, stressing that a noble lady dabbling in medicine was an embarrassment to their profession and that successfully prosecuting this case would greatly enhance Cheng Cunxia's reputation and career advancement. That night, Yunxian's grandmother and godmother, Madam Yu, visited her in prison. Madam Yu sadly recounted her failed attempts to gather witnesses among the ladies who had received Qibai cream; they all refused to get involved, fearing official reprisal.
Grandmother lamented Yunxian's ruined reputation and regretted letting her study medicine. Despite their despair, Yunxian remained resolute, asserting her innocence and her determination to clear her name, convinced that the truth would emerge once an imperial physician reviewed the case. She also refused to involve her godfather, fearing it would tarnish his upright reputation. Grandmother, having bribed the jailers, warned Yunxian about the harsh prison environment and urged her to endure her plight without conflict.
