Disappointment was disappointment, but a child was still the flesh and blood of a parent's heart. All he could hope for now was that this child would grow up safely and live a peaceful life.
Seeing their dejected expressions, Su Qingcheng pondered for a moment and then continued,
"Some basic exercises to strengthen the body can still be practiced, but they cannot be tiring. They should be done in moderation."
Hearing this, General Shangguan felt relieved. Fortunately, the child could still learn a few moves, which, while not for fighting enemies, could at least be used for self-preservation.
The couple were no longer young. By the time their child reached the age of manhood, they would likely be old. Even with their hereditary official positions and the imperial favor passed down from their ancestors, they worried that their child would be bullied.
"Furthermore, you must bring him for a follow-up examination once every month before he turns three, and then once every three months after he turns three, so that I can constantly monitor the child's condition and prevent a relapse."
In this background and era, a child suffering from a heart condition, let alone growing up safely and smoothly, had a very low chance of even reaching the age of three.
With underdeveloped medical skills, relying solely on medicinal herbs to keep the child alive, how could it possibly be cured?
Now that Su Qingcheng had stepped in and saved the child's life, General Shangguan and his wife felt nothing but gratitude, and naturally, they would obey her words.
In fact, Su Qingcheng herself was not entirely confident that she could completely cure this child, but it should be no problem to ensure he grew up safely.
With the condition stabilized and the prescription issued, and all the necessary advice given, Su Qingcheng packed up everything and did not intend to stay any longer.
The child needed a quiet environment to recuperate, and she did not want to disturb them further.
General Shangguan and his wife personally escorted her out of the manor. Along the way, they spoke many kind words, expressing their immense gratitude.
When they reached the entrance, the General's manor had already prepared a carriage to take Su Qingcheng back to the prince's manor.
Recalling his attitude towards Su Qingcheng earlier that day, General Shangguan felt deeply regretful and annoyed, and apologized to her most sincerely.
"Princess Consort, I judged you unfairly before. You have put aside past grievances and cured our child. I truly don't know how to thank you."
"Your words are too kind, General. I haven't taken it to heart. The young master's condition being stabilized is the most important thing. Everything else is like passing clouds, gone with the wind."
Su Qingcheng greatly admired the renowned General and had no intention of making things difficult for him.
Besides, she had come specifically to save the child, and saving lives was her responsibility as a physician.
Faced with her magnanimous attitude and her act of repaying kindness with kindness, General Shangguan's old face was filled with admiration, and he was even more impressed.
At this point, even the most precious gold, silver, jewels, and ancient artifacts were insufficient to express his gratitude.
Therefore, the General patted his chest and made a promise:
"If you ever need me for anything in the future, Princess Consort, please do not hesitate to command me! I will never forget your life-saving kindness!"
The woman beside him nodded repeatedly, agreeing with her husband.
General Shangguan, though not as influential in court as the Prime Minister with his vast network of protégés, held extremely high prestige within the army, perhaps even surpassing that of the young Emperor.
Seeing his sincerity, Su Qingcheng, even if she didn't take the promise to heart, smiled and accepted it gracefully.
In her opinion, it was unlikely she would have any dealings with someone like General Shangguan, let alone need his help. Besides, she had Ming Si Yin and the Prime Minister behind her!
Su Qingcheng, at this moment, had no idea that she would soon be proven wrong.
After a heartfelt farewell, she slung her medicine box over her shoulder and prepared to board the carriage to return to her manor.
Just then, a galloping horse approached and stopped at the entrance of the General's manor.
Dismounting the fine horse were the young attendant who had gone to the imperial palace with a token to invite the imperial physicians, and an old imperial physician with a long white beard.
The old imperial physician was clearly accustomed to a life of luxury. Having been rushed here by the attendant on horseback, his face was pale, and he immediately took a few breaths after dismounting.
Before he could even catch his breath, General Shangguan, with a dark expression, walked up to the two of them.
"General! I've brought the imperial physician!"
The attendant replied breathlessly, clearly having not dared to delay for even half a minute on the way.
But even so, he hadn't arrived in time.
General Shangguan looked at the two, his face growing more grim and his heart even more enraged.
Now that the child was already cured, these two arrived so late. If they had truly been waiting desperately for them, the child would have been long gone!
"Useless wretches! Taking so long to return!"
The General unleashed a barrage of curses at the attendant, venting his anger.
However, he also knew that he himself had ordered the attendant to fetch an imperial physician from the palace, and the round trip was indeed too long. The attendant had done his best.
Therefore, the General was merely putting on a show and did not truly punish him.
The white-bearded old man, however, looked at them blankly, somewhat confused about the situation, and urged to see the General's eldest son.
At this mention, General Shangguan became even more irate.
Imperial physicians from the Imperial Academy had come wave after wave, and he had seen this old imperial physician three or five times. Each time, he would take the child's pulse for a long time but could not provide an accurate treatment plan.
They merely vaguely instructed them to use precious medicinal herbs like ginseng to keep the child alive, with no other solutions.
Compared to Su Qingcheng, who had restored the child to good health with just a few needles, calling them quacks was hardly an exaggeration!
After scolding his own servant, General Shangguan also showed no pleasant expression to the old imperial physician, feeling that they had delayed his child's treatment.
He no longer bothered with pleasantries and, with a face ashen, furiously rebuked:
"If I had waited for you to arrive now, my child would have long since lost his life!"
As angry as he was, the other party was an imperial physician, not his own subordinate whom he could scold and beat at will.
No matter how angry he was, he could only utter a few reprimands, not say anything too unpleasant, lest he lose face.
Even these few scolding words stunned the old imperial physician, leaving him frozen and unable to react for a moment.
Fortunately, the General's wife was still there. She quickly came forward to mediate and managed to quell General Shangguan's anger, coaxing him back into the manor.
Witnessing this scene, Su Qingcheng shook her head, not wanting to get involved, and boarded the carriage to return to the prince's manor.
The old imperial physician not only made a wasted trip but also inexplicably suffered a scolding from General Shangguan. Upon returning to the palace, he naturally complained extensively.
This incident soon reached the ears of the young Emperor, who sensed something was amiss.
He sent people to investigate thoroughly, and the matter of Su Qingcheng going to the General's manor to treat the General's eldest son was soon uncovered.
Neither party had tried to conceal this matter; it could be discovered with a little inquiry.
The Imperial Study, Imperial Palace.
"You mean, the Regent's Consort cured General Shangguan's eldest son's illness?"
The young Emperor, who was selecting books from a bookshelf, turned around and looked at the person reporting the news with a frown.
The young eunuch knelt on the ground, not daring to look up and meet his gaze.
"Yes, according to the servants of the General's manor, the Consort administered acupuncture to the General's son, gave him a prescription, and carefully instructed General Shangguan and his wife at length before leaving."
At this point, the situation was quite clear.
Given Su Qingcheng's medical skills, it was not impossible for her to cure the General's eldest son, and the young Emperor knew this very well.
The reason General Shangguan had spoken harshly to the imperial physicians was simply because, after all this time, these imperial physicians had been helpless regarding the eldest son's condition. Inviting them to the manor repeatedly had yielded no results.