Chapter 195: Old Affairs of Yesteryear

Doctor Li said, "Bring this incense to me for a look."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuan quickly passed it over.

Opening the box, inside lay a few incense pills quietly, emitting a faint fragrance. Doctor Li picked one up and sniffed it beneath his nose, his expression somewhat wistful.

Xiao Dong saw him sniffing for a while without speaking and asked, "Master, is there something wrong with these incense pills?"

"There’s nothing wrong; it’s just too right, which is not good."

Qin Yuan frowned and looked at him. Xiao Dong couldn’t hold back and asked, "Right but not good?"

"You’re still a child, not suitable for knowing now," Doctor Li looked at Xiao Dong with a smile, then said to Qin Yuan, "Madam, being able to create such incense pills and doing so well, as a teacher, I’m only happy, but..."

"But what?"

Xiao Dong asked eagerly again.

"She has a mental illness; the sicker she gets, the more suspicious and narrow-minded she’ll be. Even if you don’t say it, I can guess she has many disharmonies with you. As a doctor, it’s my duty to speak of her illness, but seeing her demeanor, she’s unlikely to believe it. You made this medicine, and she won’t use it. She might even suspect your intentions. Why do these thankless tasks?"

Qin Yuan lowered her eyebrows.

Sixth Madam not using this incense was no big deal.

Doctor Li seemed very unwilling for her to bring out these incense pills.

Qin Yuan probed, "This incense pill is appropriate for her condition; if she uses it, it could alleviate her illness. Isn’t that a good thing? Although I’m not harmonious with her, I don’t want her to be seriously ill and untreated. Besides, I originally prepared it to adjust Marquis’s health and incidentally shared some with her."

Doctor Li was taken aback, "You also prepared it for the Marquis?"

Qin Yuan nodded.

Doctor Li stared quietly at the crabapple tree in the corner, lost in thought.

Qin Yuan asked, "Master, is there some taboo with my incense recipe?"

Doctor Li finally turned his head, solemnly saying, "This incense recipe is your ancestral recipe, what taboo could there be? This fragrance was once designated by the late Empress Dowager as a personal health incense. Your maternal grandfather got embroiled in a court case because of it."

In her past life, Qin Yuan tried to investigate the case files. After looking, she only knew the rough story, not realizing there were these hidden secrets.

Remembering Prince Qi once sought this unique incense at Ranxiang Inn, Qin Yuan asked, "After my maternal grandfather, no one in the palace has concocted this fragrance anymore? I encountered Prince Qi at Ranxiang Inn looking for this incense."

Doctor Li asked urgently, "Did you reveal anything?"

Qin Yuan shook her head, "That day I was in a compartment at Ranxiang Inn, and didn’t encounter Prince Qi face-to-face. It was coincidental that I knew he was looking for this incense. Manager Leng even complained that nowadays nobody can concoct this incense; it was just Prince Qi’s whimsical thought."

Doctor Li chuckled proudly, "Manager Leng of Ranxiang Inn, though experienced in playing with incense, doesn’t understand medicine. He’s projecting his own feelings, thinking no one can concoct it. This is a Chen family recipe; who else can make it?"

To craft such an incense requires expertise in both medicine and incense, truly a difficult task.

This belongs to the Chen family’s legacy, cultivated from a young age with years of study to achieve.

He originally thought it was lost forever.

Who would have thought that among the Chen family’s descendants, there would be someone as gifted as Qin Yuan.

Doctor Li felt a mix of emotions.

At this moment, Qin Yuan looked at the incense pills in the box with a mixture of feelings and said, "Chen family was entangled in the case, ultimately sentenced to exile, showing it wasn’t critically linked to the case, why can’t these incense pills be revealed to the world?"

Doctor Li thought for a moment and said, "I’ve always been cautious. Your maternal grandfather was dragged into it, someone falsely accused him. In the Imperial Hospital, factions are abundant, and many are like that person."

Saying so, he gestured towards Doctor Liu’s room.

Qin Yuan understood; Doctor Li worried those enemies of her maternal grandfather might secretly sabotage, as the old case was linked to palace affairs, with complex forces involved.

In her past life, Doctor Li never mentioned this because she hadn’t spoken of clearing Chen family’s name nor shown her incense-making skills. Also, due to Lin Ziqi’s low official rank, they endured for over a decade before returning to the capital and entering the cabinet. Doctor Li could only carry these secrets to the grave.

Qin Yuan pondered deeply and smiled, "Master needn’t worry. Even if those who framed my maternal grandfather are still around, in their eyes, Chen family’s descendants are gone. Even if they pay attention to me, I’m just the daughter of a married-off woman; I can’t stir any major waves. I can make incense but lack formal apprenticeship, and Dingbei Marquis Mansion is my backing. Even if they want to do something, they’d need to reconsider."

She spoke lightly, but her heart had other plans.

Doctor Li also said, "Your marriage is fortunate; otherwise, I’d really not dare to tell you these."

Palace affairs mostly involve the struggle for succession, intricately tied to the one currently sitting on the throne.

He’s merely a doctor, running the family-inherited clinic. Even if he knows a bit, he can only keep it to himself.

Qin Yuan made a decision, looking directly at Doctor Li, "Thinking about it now, it might be better to reveal the wonders of my Chen family incense recipe; otherwise, how can we clear Chen family’s name?"

Doctor Li was silent for a while and said, "The incense recipe with Dingbei Marquis’s protection is fine, but clearing the case should be discussed later. If you craft incense in the open, while others lurk in shadows, a direct threat is easier to avoid than hidden dangers."

Qin Yuan nodded, "Master’s words ring true; I’ll plan slowly, not rushing."

The affairs of the past were really complex. For now, she had little leverage, only patience, taking it step by step.

"What about these incense pills?" Xiao Dong asked.

Doctor Li replied, "In that case, take them to Sixth Madam."

Qin Yuan accompanied them for medical consultations for others.

Since she already consulted yesterday, today moved much faster, finishing in less than an hour.

The three went their separate ways.

Doctor Li and Xiao Dong headed to Sixth Madam’s courtyard to see the two young misses, while Qin Yuan returned to change clothes and pay respects in the upper chamber.

When the two entered Sixth Madam’s courtyard, Nanny Zhao received the news and hurried out to welcome them, saying, "Doctor Li is here, quick, go check on our young miss."

Aunt Huang stood in the side room, peering curiously from behind the curtain.

Doctor Li asked, "Do the two young miss have any major complications?"

Nanny Zhao replied, "Miss Qin is improving, the young miss woke up, cried for a long time, drank some medicine, looking more vigorous than previous days."

Doctor Li followed Nanny Zhao into the main room.

Sixth Madam Gu was somewhat more welcoming to Doctor Li compared to yesterday, smiling as she asked, "How come Doctor Li comes now?"

Seeing Sixth Madam Gu’s expression, Doctor Li’s brow furrowed slightly.

As expected, Sixth Madam Gu didn’t trust him, nor took his prescription.

Doctor Li said, "My apprentice and I took a noon nap before coming over, thinking you might also nap, so we first went to other courtyards."

Sixth Madam Gu’s smile faded somewhat.

Nanny Zhao quickly said, "Doctor Li’s medical skills are superb; even the young miss cries more vigorously. Why don’t Doctor Li check the young miss’s condition, to see if she still needs acupuncture or to change medicine?"

Doctor Li didn’t much want to talk to Sixth Madam Gu, so nodded and let Nanny Zhao lead the way, following her into the inner room, with Sixth Madam Gu right behind them.