The Imperial Doctress Episode 46 Recap
> The Imperial Doctress Recap
Yunxian remained deeply upset with Qiyu over the Retired Emperor's plight and refused to see him. However, her palace maid, Lvxiang, revealed that Qiyu often visited her chambers secretly, fearing her anger and instructing Lvxiang not to announce his presence. Hearing this, Yunxian's heart softened. When Qiyu came again, Yunxian, observing the late-night fog, invited him inside. They shared a night, their first true intimate time together, yet Yunxian felt she was merely going through the motions, acting a part.
The next morning, she seized the opportunity to request permission to visit her father, Hang Gang, and her grandmother, which Qiyu readily granted. Upon visiting her family, Yunxian discussed the dire situation in the South Palace. She expressed deep guilt, feeling she had personally hurt the Retired Emperor. Hang Gang explained that aiding the Retired Emperor was nearly impossible, as not even high-ranking officials could deliver goods there.
Her grandmother added that the Empress Consort (Qian jiejie) in the South Palace was forced to embroider items to sell for goat milk for the young Crown Prince. Yunxian then produced valuable ginseng pills and rare pearls, which she had carefully disguised with medicine, and asked her father and grandmother to use them to help the South Palace.
To ensure safe delivery while avoiding detection, Yunxian instructed Lvxiang to contact her cousin, who had served alongside the Retired Emperor during the Northern campaign and at the Gold Panning Riverside. She asked her cousin to find a loyal former associate named Li San. Soon after, Li San, Yu Dongyang, and Huo Guang, disguised as guards, successfully delivered food and supplies to the South Palace, greatly improving their living conditions.
The Retired Emperor was touched by their loyalty and wondered about Yunxian's well-being, trusting she was doing well. Yunxian was deeply appeased when she learned of the successful mission. Later, a former court lady, Yuxiang, from Renshou Palace approached Yunxian, urgently seeking her help for Empress Dowager Sun. Despite their past animosity, Yunxian readily agreed to assist, declaring that she could not stand by while someone suffered.
Yuxiang revealed that Empress Dowager Sun's sudden "stroke" and subsequent semi-conscious state, exacerbated by prescribed medicines, was suspicious. She recounted that Empress Dowager Wu, upon visiting and residing in Renshou Palace, had openly gloated, stating it was retribution for Empress Dowager Sun being tricked by her own niece, Empress Wang Meilin.
Yuxiang also warned Yunxian not to inform Qiyu, explaining that before her illness, Empress Dowager Sun had vehemently argued with him, accusing him of fabricating evidence to implicate her in the assassination attempt on the Retired Emperor, an act actually orchestrated by Duke Wang. Further investigation by Lvxiang confirmed these details, also revealing Empress Wang Meilin's involvement in Empress Dowager Sun's illness.
Deeply disappointed by Qiyu's callous treatment of his own legal mother, who had placed him on the throne, Yunxian expressed her profound disappointment, feeling she could never truly leave the palace in this lifetime. Nevertheless, she was determined to heal Empress Dowager Sun. Meanwhile, the imperial physician Cheng Cunxia noticed an unusual improvement in Empress Dowager Sun's condition and went to Renshou Palace to investigate. He discovered Yunxian discreetly treating her.
Initially, Cheng Cunxia harbored resentment towards Empress Dowager Sun, stating his uncle had served her for years only to die under her orders, and that his current actions were a form of payback. However, Yunxian challenged his perspective, reminding him of their master Liu Pingan's ideals. She revealed that Master Liu Pingan had always held Cheng Cunxia in high regard, advocating for his position in the Imperial Medicine Bureau and truly believing him to be his most skilled disciple.
Overwhelmed by this revelation, Cheng Cunxia shed tears of regret, realizing his misunderstanding. With his heart unburdened, he agreed to collaborate with Yunxian in treating Empress Dowager Sun. Together, they devised a plan to safely remove Empress Dowager Sun from the palace and, in alliance with Abbess Jingci, eventually force Qiyu to return power to the Retired Emperor.
Their immediate steps intended to bribe the Bureau of Astronomy to report an abnormal celestial phenomenon, then arrange for Abbess Jingci, leveraging her past connections, to request Empress Dowager Sun's transfer to Yongqing Convent. They reasoned that Empress Wang Meilin, believing Empress Dowager Sun would remain in a vegetative state, might even welcome the move, thinking her death at the convent would be easier to explain.
Word soon reached Empress Wang Meilin that Yunxian had been graced by Qiyu five times in the past month. Despite their apparent rift, Qiyu had been secretly visiting Yunxian at Wan'an Palace, returning to his own palace before dawn to keep it from Wang Meilin. Enraged, Wang Meilin denounced Yunxian as a "flirt vixen" and vowed to kill her. Her maid advised caution, pointing out that eliminating Yunxian would not make the Emperor forget her.
Instead, she suggested enlisting Duke Wang to amplify the accusations against Yunxian. On the imperial court, ministers launched a fresh wave of accusations against Yunxian. Duke Zhao, among others, questioned the Emperor's decisions and raised concerns about the Crown Prince's education. Liu Daojiang then accused Qiyu of locking up the Retired Emperor, favoring relatives, and allowing a "witch consort" (Yunxian) to cause chaos by expanding the Imperial Pharmacy.
Qiyu, feeling his imperial reputation tarnished, furiously summoned Yunxian and ordered her to dismantle the Imperial Pharmacy and disband the doctresses, restricting her to Wan'an Palace without salary. Yunxian, however, defiantly refused, asserting that Qiyu was sacrificing the well-being of countless palace women for his reputation. She threatened to end her life if he persisted, reminding him that her life, once "stolen back from the Oirats," held little value to her. Faced with her resolute stance, Qiyu relented.
This setback only fueled Wang Meilin's determination. She instructed Duke Wang to rally more imperial censors to publicly brand Yunxian as a "scourge," hoping to force Qiyu to abolish her status, or even sentence her to the cold palace or death. The court was soon filled with renewed clamor. Ministers, led by Duke Wang and Wu Shang, continued their relentless attacks, accusing Yunxian of various transgressions, including disrespecting Empress Dowager Sun.
In response, Yunxian, dressed in plain white, boldly entered the Fengtian Hall, declaring she had no intention of leaving alive. Defying attempts to remove her, she challenged the ministers, asking who she had harmed and pointing out the thousands of sick palace women who suffered without proper medical care. She argued that "doctress" was merely a title, not an official position, and required no state funds.
She questioned why her past successes in healing Empress Dowager Sun and the Princess of Boni were once deemed meritorious, yet her current efforts to establish female doctors were condemned as an offense against "justice" and "order." She then dramatically offered to commit suicide to preserve their esteemed court order. At this critical moment, Yu Dongyang arrived, presenting a decree from the Retired Emperor.
The decree, a "declaration of his own sins," clarified that the female doctor system had been his personal initiative during the Northern Expedition, ordered to alleviate the suffering of war-affected women and children who lacked medical treatment. He explicitly stated that Yunxian was merely following his command and took full responsibility for any disputes it caused. Ashamed by this revelation, the assembled ministers bowed and accepted the Retired Emperor's virtuous decree.
