The Imperial Doctress Episode 45 Recap
> The Imperial Doctress Recap
Xiao Ma'zi reported to Emperor Qiyu that Noble Consort Yunxian had suffered another high fever the previous night, and her condition was worsening. Qiyu initially suspected Xiao Ma'zi of speaking on Yunxian's behalf, but Xiao Ma'zi sincerely explained that he simply wished to prevent the couple from experiencing lasting regret. Qiyu then went to Cheng Cunxia, questioning if Yunxian's illness was genuine or merely feigned.
Cheng Cunxia, stating he had no amicable relationship with Yunxian and thus no reason to lie, confirmed that her illness was primarily a "heart illness" (anxiety) exacerbated by unhealed old wounds from her time in Oirat. He warned that if her condition progressed, her life might not last long. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Qiyu visited Yunxian in her chambers. He apologized for their previous arguments, acknowledging that he had spoken wrongly and expressing understanding for her anger.
He attributed his temper to the stress of dealing with the Empress Dowager's conflicts over the Southern Palace. He promised they would no longer quarrel and tenderly asked her to call him by his given name, Qiyu. He also granted her special permission to secretly leave the palace to visit her grandmother once she was well enough to walk, emphasizing the need for discretion to avoid complaints from court officials. Yunxian, touched, agreed and thanked him.
Meanwhile, after Yunxian visited her grandmother, who noticed and worried about her neck injury, Empress Dowager Sun arrived at Qianqing Palace to confront Qiyu. She accused him of falsely implicating her by spreading rumors that she was using the Crown Prince to frame her. Qiyu retorted that these were mere official rumors concerning her nephew, not her, and suggested that her troubled relationship with the retired Emperor was the true cause of their traction.
Enraged by Qiyu's defiant dismissal, Empress Dowager Sun threatened to seek out Reverend Jingci. She declared that if the two deceased Emperors' empresses deemed Qiyu unfit due to his fraternal strife, she would force him to abdicate and enthrone Crown Prince Jianshen instead. Seeing the tense situation, Wang Meilin quickly intervened, pulling Qiyu to apologize to Empress Dowager Sun. She tried to deflect blame, stating it was all her father's fault, and offered herself for punishment.
Prompted by Wang Meilin, Qiyu offered a somewhat insincere apology, attributing his actions to being misled by a "crafty person." Empress Dowager Sun, acknowledging Qiyu as the former Emperor's son, decided not to pursue the matter further for the time being. Wang Meilin then offered Empress Dowager Sun a cup of tea. As Empress Dowager Sun took a sip, she began to tremble and fainted, exhibiting symptoms of a stroke.
Wang Meilin then confessed to Qiyu that ever since his humiliation at Renshou Palace, she had been secretly adding a tasteless, colorless wine to Empress Dowager Sun's food and snacks whenever she visited. Knowing that Empress Dowager Sun, having suffered a previous stroke, could not consume alcohol, Wang Meilin had deliberately caused her health to deteriorate gradually.
On this day, she had added poisonous nut powder (strychnine) to the tea, which, while not fatal, would induce a coma with muscle tightening, perfectly mimicking a stroke and making it undetectable by imperial physicians. She claimed to have done all this for Qiyu, then tearfully offered to take her own life, professing her unwavering loyalty.
Deeply moved by her apparent devotion and willingness to harm her own aunt for him, Qiyu expressed his complete trust and promised to never betray her. Later, Wang Meilin, feigning concern, fabricated a story that Empress Dowager Sun might now intend to harm Yunxian, thereby prompting Qiyu to leave the palace to ensure Yunxian's safety. During this time, Cheng Cunxia confirmed that Empress Dowager Sun would remain unconscious for an extended period.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, Yunxian was recuperating in her manor's herb garden. Zhu Qizhen, having learned of Yunxian's presence outside the palace, used Yu Dongyang's visit as an opportunity to secretly leave the Southern Palace and see her. Yunxian learned from Zhu Qizhen that Qiyu had falsely claimed the Crown Prince was suffering from measles as a pretext to "seal" the Southern Palace. Noticing a lingering injury on Yunxian's neck, Zhu Qizhen reached out to examine it.
At that very moment, Qiyu arrived to escort Yunxian back to the palace and witnessed Zhu Qizhen's gesture. Enraged, he loudly accused Yunxian of having a clandestine affair with Zhu Qizhen. Incensed by Qiyu's vulgar insults towards Yunxian, Zhu Qizhen slapped Qiyu. Qiyu, asserting his imperial authority as the Son of Heaven, rebuked Zhu Qizhen, leading to a physical altercation between the two brothers, which Yunxian quickly broke up.
Yunxian then confronted Qiyu, questioning if his harsh treatment of his older brother made him worthy of being an Emperor. Further enraged, Qiyu declared that regardless of what anyone thought, he was the Emperor. He ordered his men to seize Zhu Qizhen, returned the slap, and commanded that Zhu Qizhen be taken back to the Southern Palace.
The palace was to be sealed, with only one person to serve him, and never to be unsealed without Qiyu's explicit command, even if it meant being locked up until death. After bringing Yunxian back to the palace, Qiyu, overcome by days of pent-up jealousy and anger, lost all reason. He subjected Yunxian to an insulting act, intending to verify her purity and test her loyalty, questioning her innocence and her past with Zhu Qizhen and Ye Xian.
Following this, Qiyu, realizing his grave error, apologized to Yunxian, admitting he had lost his mind. He expressed his difficulty in accepting her perceived intimacy with Zhu Qizhen, asked her to stop crying, and promised they would now live like a normal couple. Yunxian, however, requested that Qiyu release the retired Emperor. This demand caused Qiyu's emotions to become unbalanced once more, and he stormed out, leaving Yunxian heartbroken.
Later, Qiyu visited Wang Meilin in her palace, where she was receiving treatment for a leg injury. Observing her dedication and recalling his past wrongs against her, Qiyu seemed to feel a sense of guilt. He then issued new decrees regarding the Southern Palace: all other palace maids were to be dismissed, and the palace was to be completely sealed, with food delivered through a small opening.
He stated this was to protect the retired Emperor from assassins, and that anyone disturbing his rest would be beheaded. He also instructed Xiao Ma'zi to involve Yunxian more in the Imperial Pharmacy's daily affairs, hoping that keeping her busy would distract her from dwelling on the Southern Palace.
Meanwhile, Wang Meilin, after learning that Qiyu had given Yunxian gifts, instructed her bribed servants in Wan'an Palace to tell Qiyu that Yunxian was unwell if he attempted to visit her, aiming to further damage their relationship. Yunxian, seeking solace and purpose, began teaching medicine to the palace maids under her care. She focused on practical branches like general practice, obstetrics, and physical injuries, which were particularly relevant in the palace setting.
She offered financial incentives, including a monthly tael of silver and double that for the top three students, for diligent study, teaching them pulse diagnosis and summarizing complex medical theories from ancient texts. Qiyu, secretly observing Yunxian's new endeavor, instructed her attendants to take good care of her. Subsequently, palace maids from the Imperial Pharmacy openly expressed their gratitude for Yunxian's effective treatments and generosity, noting that she even used her own savings to help them. They praised her for her skills and compassion.
