When Ren Jidian received the news that he was allowed at the Palace, he was excited beyond compare.
But he worried about his adoptive father, Qing Daitong. He would be living by himself alone during his time at the Imperial Palace, and the old man did express that he would miss him very much.
On the day that he was to be summoned, however, Qing Daitong prepared food for him and even packed some rice cakes and his clothes for him.
Ren Jidian rubbed his eyes. "Father, you don't have to do all this. I could have prepared it myself."
"Silly boy, this is my way of seeing my son off, along with congratulating him for this great opportunity." Qing Daitong smiled. "Be careful out there."
"I will, Father. And don't worry for me too much. I can handle myself." He then faltered, asking with genuine concern. "Will you be alright without me?"
"Of course I will! I must be the least of your worries, you must only focus on curing the Empress." Qing Daitong patted his back. "Return home safe, alright?"
Ren Jidian almost choked on sobs as he waved goodbye to this father that he had only known for a little more than two weeks, but he stopped himself for the sake of his dignity.
He can't look like an ugly sobbing mess in front of the Empress! He felt like he could start to float just by how ecstatic he was in seeing Wei Sizhi again!
When he was led to the room, he was told that he must go by himself in the manor as most of the servants and officials were Yang and Zhong men, and were not allowed to set foot on these grounds as per the Emperor's decree or else their foot will be cut off.
Ren Jidian was smiling ear to ear, and Lady Shu elbowed him. "If you smile dumbly too much, the Empress might mistake you for a dimwit and not a medicine scholar."
He just chuckled. "Who's to say I could not be both? I feel like my brain would turn to mush with this anticipation."
Lady Shu frowned, feeling something in her heart. "You must tread carefully when you try to interfere with fate."
"Hmm?" Ren Jidian could not understand what she means.
"Go along. You're not too much of a dimwit to not see where the entrance to the Empress' manor is, right?" She said, covering her face with a fan.
"You're not coming? You're allowed to go since you're a Yin too, right?" He asked.
"Yes... But I rarely go inside unless needed because some.... dimwitted dog is waiting by the steps."
Rend Jidian noticed a guard outside, and he was surprised by this since this person doesn't look like a Yin. He suddenly became wary of this guard, as they must always be standing there are Empress Wei's own sleeping quarters.
As he approached this person, the guard then turned and suddenly waved. "Lady Shu!!!! Lady Shu!!!"
It was a woman. A Zhong lady guard.
The heart eyes she was making towards Lady Shu were evident, and Ren Jidian sighed in relief.
"I'm the new scholar sent to cure the Empress' illness." He introduced himself.
The Zhong guard could not care any less about him, and just ushered him inside. "Yes, yes, go inside. Lady Shu, how is your day!? I've brought some goods from the war, would you like to see!???"
Lady Shu just scoffed at her while still covering her face with a fan, and left.
Ren Jidian hoped he would not receive the same treatment from the Empress, and went inside.
The Empress was looking outside the window as if in deep thought, and in front of him were a tea set and elderberry fruit.
Ren Jidian's breath hitched. He almost felt like he had accidentally pressed a pause button at this moment, and both he and the Empress could not move once their eyes met.
He was able to drink up every dingle detail about him in just this one glance. The soft curve of his eyelashes, the small shine on his moist lips, the tiny creases on his robes when they fold over his wonderful shape.....
He was very beautiful. But much more than that....
He was Wei Sizhi. His Zhi-Zhi in the flesh, just in different outfit.
His mullet cut hair with pink highlights was now long and untied, cascading on the floor while he was seated in front of his chair in a lotus position. His usually revealing clothes were replaced by deep crimson robes that covered most of his hands itself, only the tip of his fingers to be seen beneath.
He tilted his head to the side at Ren Jidian, smiling the same as he always does. A very light and gentle smile, but also had a hint of mischief.
"You must be the new physician my husband had sent. Take a seat."
Ren Jidian was unable to speak at all, and just closed the door behind him and sat.
"Your Majesty....." He started, but faltered.
"Yes?" Empress Wei smiled at him. "Do have some tea. They're still fresh."
Ren Jidian nodded. He might as well, because his throat had completely gone dry just seeing him.
[Simp.] He heard an annoying voice in his head.
(Shut up, fat old goat. You just can't understand what it's like in the presence of someone you like looking so beautiful like this! I wasn't even able to sleep these days just thinking of how this moment will go, and what I will say, but I was still tongue-tied!)
[That's coz you really are a simp. Accept it, child.]
(Fine, fine. I'm the simpest of the simps for Zhi-Zhi. Now kindly buzz off my head.)
He drank some elderberry tea, but then noticed something.
"Aren't these unripe ones? Your servants did not pick them away for you?" Ren Jidian said. "You know, these unripe ones can be quite dangerous, and you should make sure to pick the stems and leaves as well."
"Some of the effects could be nausea and stomachache, as well as weakness of the body. Eating too much may even cause long periods of sickness that will get you bedridden."
"It's better to stick to heating ripe ones into a tea to reduce toxicity, since they are quite beneficial to the body's immunity and easing the heart."
"It's almost like a coin with two sides. Some parts would be poisonous, some parts would heal and detoxify."
Ren Jidian didn't know where he got this knowledge, and was surprised by what he said.
[The knowledge of your character. That's the only plot armor you're gonna get from me.]
(Wow, thanks, Father! I thought I was going to have to study those boring medicine manuals.)
The old goat Baphie scoffed, but was pleased that he was finally called Father. So this child can be filial after all, but only when given help, hah!
Empress Wei just smiled mysteriously. "I do know that."
"That's why I liked having them in my tea so much."
When he said this, Ren Jidian's heart was immediately filled with dread.