The clamor outside never ceased, and it was already the fourth watch when Feng Yinwan withdrew from her desk.
She pressed her temples and, upon exiting, saw Yuping guarding the entrance, her head tilted precariously. A thought stirred in Feng Yinwan's mind, and she reached out to gently touch her.
"Mmm... Miss?"
Yuping startled awake for a moment, her blurry eyes looking up at her.
Feng Yinwan chuckled, "Go rest. There's no need to stand guard."
The weather had been frequently rainy these past few days, and the nights were inevitably chilly. She wondered how long this girl had been sitting outside.
To her surprise, Yuping stubbornly shook her head upon hearing this.
"No, Miss is still inside preparing medicine. I must guard here. I can't let that vixen in again..."
Vixen?
Feng Yinwan's delicate eyebrows rose slightly, and she vaguely knew she was referring to Qin Rulian.
Before she could say anything more, Yuping's small face drooped, and she fell into a deep sleep again.
Feng Yinwan sighed helplessly, taking a light blanket to drape over her. She planned to return after checking the prescription to wake her.
Inside the tent for the severely ill, a group of imperial physicians remained on standby. Upon seeing her, Jiang Rumou's face showed surprise, and he quickly stepped forward.
"Why has the Princess Consort come?"
At this hour, she was still not resting.
Feng Yinwan's lips curved, the weariness on her pretty face slightly reduced.
"Imperial Physician Jiang is still treating patients so late. As an imperial envoy, how dare I enjoy peace alone."
Jiang Rumou said, with utmost respect, "Your Highness speaks too highly. Treating patients is what we humble physicians should do. How can we dare to compare ourselves to Your Highness? Moreover, Your Highness still..."
He paused and did not finish.
A moment later, he nodded with a serious expression, "Please take care of yourself, Your Highness!"
The sudden seriousness confused Feng Yinwan a little. She paused, then chuckled.
"I have noted Imperial Physician Jiang's advice. The new prescription has been revised and completed. I will take it to decoct and see its effects."
She said this and prepared to turn to leave, but before she could take a step, Jiang Rumou called her back.
"Princess Consort."
The words he was about to say caught in his throat as he realized he was still holding a silver needle. Jiang Rumou paused slightly, then became somewhat hesitant.
Feng Yinwan, understanding, waved her hand, "It's fine. Treating patients is the priority."
The place for decocting medicine was some distance from the tent. It was pitch black now, and apart from the occasional passing guards on patrol, there was no light at all.
Relying on her sense of smell, Feng Yinwan quickly prepared the medicine and placed it on the stove. She had intended to watch it carefully, but as soon as she sat down, waves of drowsiness washed over her. Her eyelids fought to stay open, and she drifted off into sleep in a daze.
As her consciousness faded, there seemed to be a faint sound behind her. Before she could discern it clearly, her body had already succumbed to unconsciousness.
...
Cold...
Hot...
Her body burned like a furnace, yet it was as if she were placed in an ice cellar. Under the combined onslaught of heat and cold, Feng Yinwan's clothes were already soaked with cold sweat.
"Princess Consort, has the medicine been decocted?"
Trembling, Jiang Rumou's voice came from behind her. Feng Yinwan wanted to speak, but her lips felt as if they were glued together, unable to open.
"Princess Consort?"
Her head felt as heavy as a falling stone. No matter how Jiang Rumou inquired, she remained without any response.
The voice beside her paused. His forehead was gently touched, and the next moment, Jiang Rumou's exclamation rang out.
"Not good!"
As Jiang Rumou helped her back, Yuping was still huddled by the tent, dozing. The previously silent tent was instantly illuminated, and within moments, the imperial physicians hurried in together.
"Hey, you can't come in..."
Yuping was startled awake by the commotion and was about to stop them when Jiang Rumou's anxious voice echoed from within the tent.
"The Princess Consort has a fever and chills, and her pulse is constricted. It is highly possible she has contracted malaria."
"Ah... how could this happen!"
"Mo Wangfei, as an imperial envoy, and with the Crown Prince in her womb, this... what is to be done!"
This news came too suddenly. The imperial physicians turned pale at the sound, and the tent erupted in an uproar.
Jiang Rumou's expression was grave. As he was about to speak again, Yuping rushed in.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, what did you just say? Miss, she..."
Before she could finish, she saw Feng Yinwan unconscious on the bed. The color drained from Yuping's face, and she stumbled forward.
"Miss!"
The person on the bed had her eyes tightly shut and did not respond to her at all.
Her strength seemed to drain away, and Yuping's body sagged, trembling uncontrollably.
"Miss... wasn't Miss just in the tent studying prescriptions? How did she end up like this... and how did she contract malaria!"
"Imperial Physician Jiang, are you sure you're not mistaken? Miss, she..."
Her subsequent words were choked with sobs. Jiang Rumou looked at her reddened eyes, a flicker of pain in his gaze.
"Miss Yuping, I have consulted with my colleagues. The Princess Consort... truly shows symptoms of malaria."
"Impossible! Miss's medical skills are so remarkable, how could she let herself get sick? You must be mistaken!"
Jiang Rumou's medical skills were certainly not mistaken.
Moments later, Feng Yinwan began to vomit.
This was a sign of her condition worsening.
The imperial physicians were quite frightened and looked at each other before speaking.
"Mo Wangye is still at the military camp and has not returned. For such a major matter, should we send someone to inform him?"
Feng Yinwan was no ordinary patient, and they dared not act rashly.
"Her health is paramount! The Princess Consort is likely in critical condition now. Sending someone to the military camp will take a lot of time for the round trip, and we cannot afford to delay!"
The crowd argued incessantly, no one able to make a decision. After a period of stalemate, they all looked to Jiang Rumou.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, your medical skills here are the most profound, and you were personally appointed by the Empress Dowager to care for Mo Wangfei's pregnancy. In your opinion..."
Before he could finish, Feng Yinwan's body spasmed again. Jiang Rumou's eyes darkened, and he made a decisive statement, "We cannot delay any longer. We must treat the Princess Consort immediately!"
The commotion in the tent did not cease until the fifth watch.
After two doses of the decoction, Feng Yinwan's vomiting had stopped, and her high fever gradually subsided, though she remained very sensitive to the cold.
Yuping stayed by the bedside without moving, and upon seeing this, she immediately fetched another blanket.
"Miss Yuping, please keep a close watch here. If there is any abnormality, come and find me immediately."
The severe cases had worsened again. Jiang Rumou hastily left this instruction and exited the tent.
Yuping pursed her lips and reached out to hold Feng Yinwan's hand, her eyes reddening again.
"Cousin, I just..."
Upon entering, he was met with Yuping's tear-filled eyes, and Li Chengyan stiffened, pausing.
"What's wrong?"
Why was she crying?
He was most afraid of women crying!
Yuping wiped her tears and nodded, "The Prince is at the military camp and has not yet returned. If General Li has something, please come back later."
Li Chengyan scratched his head but did not move. "It's okay to find Cousin-in-law for this. Why don't you wake her up?"
To his surprise, before his words could fall, a cold glare shot his way. The little maid who had been as weak as a rabbit moments ago was now glaring with anger.
"How can you not understand plain speech! Miss has contracted malaria. If I could wake her, why would I be here crying!"
She wished she could!
"Ma... malaria?!"
Unexpectedly, Li Chengyan was also stunned. Before he could say anything more, the voice of the guard outside rang out.
"Open the door quickly, the Prince is back!"