Chapter 29: Timely Rescue

Shen Mengli walked to the side of the Princess Consort and pulled a set of silver needles from her medical kit, then inserted them precisely into the Princess Consort's acupuncture points.

This set of needles was something she had ordered to be custom-made through Magpie shortly after her rebirth. She had not yet had the chance to use them, and it was unexpected that the first person to benefit from them would be the Princess Consort herself.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the Princess Consort looked like a living pincushion. As the final needle was set in place, the color began to return to the Princess Consort's pale complexion. Shen Mengli withdrew the needles, and a quarter of an hour later, the Princess Consort slowly opened her eyes.

"Madam, you are awake!" Seeing her stir, the Prince Consort rushed to her side, clutching her hand tightly as he spoke.

The servants gathered around were filled with joy. They had not expected that the newly wedded Heir Consort would truly be able to cure the Princess Consort. Their initial skepticism regarding her medical skills vanished in an instant, replaced entirely by profound admiration.

The most incredulous of all was Qi Yunyan. He could hardly believe what he was witnessing. Shen Mengli, who had always appeared so plain and unremarkable, actually possessed medical expertise. She had far exceeded his expectations; he wondered what other secrets she might be keeping from him.

"What happened to me? Why are you all gathered around?" The Princess Consort asked, still struggling to grasp the situation upon waking.

"Madam, you fainted a moment ago. Thankfully, the Heir Consort was here; it was she who saved you. Otherwise, we would truly not have known what to do."

The Prince Consort held his wife's hand, his voice still trembling with lingering fear.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Physician has arrived." Following the servant’s shout, a middle-aged man wearing the robes of an Imperial Physician and sporting a goatee entered, carrying his medical chest.

"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness."

"Imperial Physician Liu, hurry and examine how the Princess Consort is doing."

Imperial Physician Liu stepped to the Princess Consort's side and placed his fingers on her pulse to examine her. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Your Highness, did you have another physician examine the Princess Consort earlier?"

"Indeed. Someone has already seen her. Is there a problem?"

"It is fortunate that the physician acted with such timely care; otherwise, the Princess Consort's condition would have been severely neglected. Even now that she has regained consciousness, her pulse remains weak. One can imagine how critical her state was during the coma. Had it been delayed, it would have caused lasting damage to her health, or perhaps she might never have awakened at all."

Everyone in the room was shocked, their gazes turning in unison toward Shen Mengli. Only after hearing Imperial Physician Liu’s words did they truly grasp the significance of her intervention. Had she been even a moment slower, the consequences would have been dire.

Imperial Physician Liu noticed everyone looking at Shen Mengli and felt a surge of curiosity. Could it be that the Heir Consort was the one who had treated the Princess Consort? He had never heard that the Prince’s Heir Consort possessed such medical proficiency. It seemed this young woman was quite intriguing.

"Your Highness, my own medical skills are limited, and given the Princess Consort’s condition, it would be difficult for me to provide a permanent cure. However, the physician who attended to her earlier possesses skills superior to my own; surely, they must have a way to treat the root of this ailment. Furthermore, the Princess Consort must rest more and avoid overexertion. She must remain in good spirits and avoid extreme emotional fluctuations—neither excessive joy nor deep sorrow. Her diet should be light, avoiding rich, greasy foods."

After speaking, Imperial Physician Liu wrote out a prescription and, after instructing the Princess Consort to take her medicine on time, took his leave.

Having heard the Imperial Physician's assessment, the crowd looked at Shen Mengli with even greater reverence. To serve as a physician in the imperial palace was a testament to one’s expertise. For Imperial Physician Liu to offer such praise—even admitting his own inferiority—showed just how profound Shen Mengli’s medical skills were. Even the palace physicians conceded defeat.

The Princess Consort took Shen Mengli’s hand, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Li’er, I owe you my life today. If not for you, I would have perished here. Rest assured, as long as I am here, I will never let anyone bully you."