After finishing, streaks of sweat beaded on Feng Jin's forehead. She pushed herself up from the table, her hands braced on its surface.
"Rest well during this period. You are forbidden from moving carelessly, or your legs will be permanently ruined."
Feng Jin's voice was deep as she spoke. She glanced down at the medicine spilled on the floor, and her heart ached. This bottle of Tiger Bone Continuance Powder was exceptionally effective for treating fractures and bone injuries. She had found this particular bottle in her dowry chest.
It was said that only two bottles existed in all the land. One was hidden within Emperor Xuanwen's palace, and this other bottle had been half used on Chu Chenyi's legs, with the rest spilled onto the floor. It was impossible not to feel a pang of regret.
For the first time, Feng Jin found herself being so frugal. She squatted down and carefully collected all the powder from the floor.
Fortunately, the floor was clean and free of dust.
"Your Highness Prince Jing, how much were the consultation fees for the doctors you sought previously?"
Chu Chenyi, not fully grasping the implication of Feng Jin's question, replied simply, "My imperial grandmother arranged them. I believe they were in the hundreds, even thousands of gold pieces."
He wasn't sure of the exact amount, but it was certainly in that range.
Feng Jin's eyes immediately lit up, a look of avarice spreading across her face. "Really?"
Those doctors who had sought to treat Chu Chenyi's legs but failed still received such substantial consultation fees. Since she had succeeded, wouldn't her fee be even greater?
"Naturally! My imperial grandmother has always doted on this prince the most. As long as my legs could be cured, she spared no expense, even personally fetching doctors from thousands of miles away to examine me!"
Chu Chenyi proudly boasted of the Empress Dowager's affection, unaware that he had already fallen into Feng Jin's carefully laid trap.
"As the person dearest to the Empress Dowager, Your Highness Prince Jing, she would naturally not be stingy with money..." Feng Jin lavished praise upon him.
"That goes without saying. Why do you even need to mention it?"
Chu Chenyi's heart swelled with delight at Feng Jin's words, and he became somewhat carried away, his arrogance reaching new heights.
Feng Jin continued to flatter him until Chu Chenyi was completely ensnared. Only then did she speak, "Since that is the case, now that I have healed your legs and also added numerous precious medicines, how much consultation fee are you prepared to pay me?"
The smile on Chu Chenyi's face froze instantly. He tugged at the corner of his mouth and fell silent.
"How about this: I am also treating Your Highness on behalf of the Empress Dowager. I will not charge for the consultation. What do you say, Your Highness?"
"Since you are so reluctant, I shall comply with your wishes." Seeing that Feng Jin was not going to charge for the consultation, Chu Chenyi naturally adopted an air of non-negotiability.
Feng Jin's eyes darted about. She immediately continued, "Then, Your Highness only needs to pay me for the cost of the medicine. Considering how well we know each other, I will simply charge you the cost price."
"That... that can be arranged," Chu Chenyi replied after some thought.
Feng Jin suppressed her burgeoning joy, her voice as calm as possible. "Let me calculate for you. The previous medicines prescribed used six liang of ginseng, five qian of astragalus... and the Tiger Bone Continuance Powder used today. The total comes to forty million five hundred and forty thousand cash."
Upon hearing the sum, Chu Chenyi almost fell off his chair.
"Over forty thousand?" Chu Chenyi exclaimed, "Why don't you just rob me!"
Even Lin Yuwei was slightly taken aback. Forty thousand taels of silver was indeed a significant sum. Chu Chenyi's annual salary was only ten thousand taels, meaning he wouldn't be able to repay the debt even if he lived for four years without eating or drinking.
"You are a prince, and you personally agreed to repay the cost of the medicine. How can you go back on your word now? And I haven't even calculated the consultation fee yet."
Seeing Chu Chenyi's intention to renege, Feng Jin immediately became defiant, forcing him to pay.
"But it can't be this much! Forty thousand taels of silver, what kind of medicine did you give me that it's so expensive? This is personal revenge! You're using the guise of collecting medicine fees to swindle me. Do you think I'm that easily fooled!"
Feng Jin rolled her eyes, speechless at his pretense of cleverness.
"Let's not discuss the other medicines. Just the bottle of Tiger Bone Continuance Powder you used earlier – there are only two bottles in existence. One was used on you, and the other is stored in your father's treasury. If you don't believe me, go ask your father to retrieve the Tiger Bone Continuance Powder and compare them. Don't make it seem like I'm swindling you!"
How did she know there was a bottle of Tiger Bone Continuance Powder in the palace? Could the medicine just used truly be Tiger Bone Continuance Powder? Chu Chenyi began to panic. He genuinely had no money.
"You didn't tell me earlier, and you tricked me into using such expensive medicine. Regardless, I have no money. Figure it out yourself."
Chu Chenyi spread his hands, feigning poverty. Since matters had reached this point, he had no money and was willing to give his life, so Feng Jin could do as she pleased.
"I have no money either. The medicine was used by him, and it has nothing to do with me." Lin Yuwei quickly took a step back, not forgetting to distance herself from Chu Chenyi. The medicine was used by him, and it had absolutely nothing to do with her.
She had only a meager dowry and relied on it to live. She would absolutely not help Chu Chenyi repay his debts.
Feng Jin finally fixed her gaze on Chu Chenyi and reached out to demand the money directly. "Your Highness Prince Jing, you won't go back on your word, will you?"
Chu Chenyi coughed lightly, still concerned about his reputation. He said with a stiff upper lip, "This prince would naturally not renege on his promise."
"With Your Highness Prince Jing's word, I am reassured. Then please pay me the money."
Seeing that Chu Chenyi remained silent for a long time, Feng Jin continued to ask, "If Your Highness Prince Jing doesn't wish to pay, I don't mind going directly to His Majesty to demand it. The son's debt is rightfully paid by the father."
It was unfortunate for Emperor Xuanwen to have such a son; it was truly a tragedy.
"How dare you! This prince will naturally pay you, but I have no money at the moment. I'll write you an IOU first."
A trace of embarrassment flickered across Chu Chenyi's face. He was not favored, and after years of neglect, he had lived solely on his salary while also supporting a large family. His life was not easy.
He could only give Feng Jin an IOU for now and repay it when he had money in the future. Of course, that was a story for another time.
"An IOU..." Feng Jin's eyes held doubt as she scrutinized Chu Chenyi. Although not favored, he was still a prince. Could he really not afford forty thousand taels of silver?
Lin Yuwei tugged at Feng Jin's sleeve and whispered in her ear, "Sister Feng Jin, he truly has no money."
Only after entering the manor did Lin Yuwei realize how impoverished the vast Prince Jing's estate was. The estates and shops were operating at a loss daily, and the large family in the manor subsisted on meager rations, living solely on their salaries. Their lives were even more meager than those of the Marquis's household.