On a spring morning, the warm sunlight spilled onto the glazed tiles of the towering imperial palace, refracting a brilliant golden light. It gilded this ancient and solemn palace with a sacred radiance, as if auspiciousness had descended upon the world.
Li Yunfei sat upright on the dragon throne, his figure straight, his face handsome and resolute. His gaze was deep and focused as he carefully examined the mountain of memorials one by one. Since ascending the throne, he had shouldered the well - being of the common people. He was immersed in the complicated government affairs every day, rising early and going to bed late. The eunuch attending beside him even handed the tea with extremely gentle movements, for fear that the slightest sound would disturb this diligent young emperor.
At this moment, Lin Yue was in the Imperial Medical Office, sitting around with several senior imperial physicians, having a heated discussion about the treatment methods for difficult and complicated diseases. The yellowed medical book in her hand, carrying the wisdom of countless predecessors, had been repeatedly studied by her, and the pages were slightly curled. Now, with her superb medical skills and kind - hearted character, Lin Yue had become the first female medical official in the palace, shouldering even greater responsibilities. Her eyes were filled with confidence and determination, and every move of hers exuded the calmness and stability of a doctor.
After a whole day of busyness, Li Yunfei finished dealing with the last memorial, and a trace of tenderness appeared on his tired face. He unconsciously walked towards the Imperial Medical Office. From a distance, he saw that familiar busy figure, and an indescribable warmth welled up in his heart. "Yue'er," he called softly, his voice full of tenderness. When Lin Yue heard this familiar voice, she turned around quickly like a magpie and said with a pleasant surprise, "Your Majesty, why are you here?" Li Yunfei walked up to her and said affectionately, "I've finished dealing with the government affairs and just wanted to come and see you."
Just as they were talking, a young eunuch rushed in in a panic, with a terrified look on his face. He dropped to his knees with a thud and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! An epidemic has suddenly broken out in the suburbs. Many common people are ill in bed, and the situation is critical!" Li Yunfei and Lin Yue looked at each other, and both their eyes flashed with worry. Li Yunfei made a prompt decision: "Pass on my order. Immediately summon the court ministers to discuss countermeasures." Lin Yue also stepped forward without hesitation and said, "Your Majesty, I'm willing to lead the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Office to rush to the suburbs to treat the common people's diseases." Li Yunfei nodded, his eyes full of concern: "Yue'er, be careful when you go. I'll wait for you to come back safely."
Lin Yue led the imperial physicians to rush to the suburbs at top speed. The scene before their eyes was heart - rending. The simple houses were filled with sick common people. Their faces were as pale as paper, and they were groaning in pain. The air was filled with the nauseating smell of medicine and the stench of illness. Lin Yue, regardless of the fatigue of the journey, immediately plunged into the intense treatment work.
She came to the bedside of a young mother. The mother had tears all over her face and was holding a child tightly in her arms. The child's face was sallow, his breathing rapid and weak, and his small body twitched from time to time. Lin Yue gently touched the child's forehead. The scalding temperature made her frown tightly, and her eyes were full of pity. She quickly took out the silver needles, skillfully sterilized them over the fire, and then, with eyes as sharp as an eagle, accurately found the acupoints and steadily inserted the needles. The child instinctively struggled a little, and Lin Yue gently soothed him, "Don't be afraid. It won't be uncomfortable soon." With each needle inserted, her eyes were extremely focused, as if the whole world only consisted of her and the fragile little life in front of her. After the acupuncture was completed, Lin Yue gently stretched out her fingers and placed them on the child's wrist to take his pulse. The pulse was chaotic and weak, like a dying candle in the wind, intermittent. While feeling the subtle changes in the pulse, she was quickly thinking about the corresponding prescription in her mind. After a while, she stood up and said to the imperial physician beside her, "Go and get three qian of honeysuckle, two qian of forsythia, one qian of mint, and add an appropriate amount of licorice. Decoct it into a decoction and feed the child once every half an hour. Honeysuckle and forsythia clear heat and detoxify, mint disperses wind - heat, and licorice harmonizes the properties of various drugs. Perhaps it can relieve the child's symptoms." The imperial physician received the order and left, and Lin Yue immediately continued to diagnose and treat the next patient without stopping.
She came to the bedside of an old man. The old man was coughing violently. Each cough seemed to exhaust all his strength, making him almost breathless, and his face turned red from the effort. Lin Yue gently patted the old man's back, her movements gentle and rhythmic. When the old man calmed down a little, she began to patiently ask about the old man's symptoms and the onset process. The old man's voice was hoarse, his breath weak, and he told the story intermittently. Lin Yue slightly bent down and leaned closer to the old man, for fear of missing any detail.
After listening, she took out some herbs from the medicine box and carefully smelled them under her nose. The smell of the herbs spread at the tip of her nose. She then crushed the herbs with her fingers, feeling their texture and humidity. "This is caused by catching a cold and having internal heat," Lin Yue explained to the imperial physician beside her. "The pathogenic wind - cold invades the body's surface, stagnating the defensive qi. And there is long - standing accumulated heat in the body. The two pathogenic factors fight against each other, resulting in such symptoms. We need to use the method of dispelling cold and clearing heat. Ephedra and cassia twig can dispel cold and relieve the exterior syndrome, while gypsum and scutellaria baicalensis can clear and purge the internal heat." With that, she quickly wrote out a prescription, her handwriting neat and strong, and ordered the imperial physician to prepare the medicinal materials. During the diagnosis and treatment process, Lin Yue also found that many patients, due to lying in bed for a long time and being physically weak, had severe bedsores. The sores were festering, emitting a foul smell, and some had even begun to suppurate. She personally fetched warm water and gently cleaned the wounds of these patients with a clean cloth, her movements as gentle as if she were treating a rare treasure, for fear of hurting them. As she cleaned, she gently comforted them, "Hold on a little longer. It will get better soon." After cleaning the wounds, she carefully applied the special ointment she made herself. This ointment was carefully developed from a variety of precious herbs and had the effects of promoting tissue regeneration, astringing sores, reducing inflammation, and relieving pain. After applying the ointment, she carefully bandaged the wounds with clean gauze, every move skillful and focused.
At the same time, Li Yunfei was discussing countermeasures against the epidemic with the ministers in the court. The Minister of Revenue said worriedly, "Your Majesty, the epidemic has broken out suddenly and is spreading fiercely. The amount of medicinal materials and supplies needed is huge, and the reserves in the national treasury may not be enough to support it." Li Yunfei pondered for a moment and said firmly, "Immediately issue a notice to encourage wealthy merchants among the people to donate supplies. The court will surely reward them handsomely in the future. At the same time, allocate medicinal materials from various places to ensure the supply."
The Minister of Works also put forward a suggestion: "Your Majesty, to prevent the further spread of the epidemic, we can build temporary isolation places in the suburbs and centrally resettle the patients." Li Yunfei adopted this suggestion and ordered the Ministry of Works to act quickly. Under Li Yunfei's command, all departments of the court cooperated closely, and a tough battle against the epidemic officially began.
Lin Yue was busy in the suburbs for several days and nights. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her body was extremely tired, as if a gust of wind could blow her down. But she never stopped working. After careful research and observation, she found that this epidemic was caused by an unprecedented new virus, and ordinary prescriptions had little effect. She fell into deep thought, constantly recalling various medical books and past treatment experiences in her mind, not missing any detail.
Suddenly, Lin Yue remembered an ancient prescription. This prescription required several rare medicinal materials, and one of them, Purple Spirit Grass, was the most crucial. She immediately ordered the imperial physicians to look for Purple Spirit Grass, but after searching all the mountains and forests in the suburbs, no trace of Purple Spirit Grass was found. Lin Yue was extremely anxious. She knew that if Purple Spirit Grass could not be found as soon as possible, the epidemic would be difficult to control, and more common people would struggle in pain and even lose their lives.
Just when Lin Yue felt desperate, a villager came over and said hesitantly, "Medical official, I know there may be Purple Spirit Grass growing in a place in the deep mountains, but the terrain there is dangerous, and there are ferocious beasts. It's very dangerous." After hearing this, a glimmer of hope flashed in Lin Yue's eyes: "As long as I can find Purple Spirit Grass, I'm willing to go no matter how dangerous it is."
So, Lin Yue, with several imperial physicians, led by the villager, set off towards the deep mountains. The mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk on, full of steep slopes and sharp rocks. They were extremely careful all the way, for fear of slipping and getting injured. Suddenly, a low growl came from the front, and a fierce tiger appeared in front of them. The tiger opened its huge mouth, revealing sharp fangs, and pounced towards them. Lin Yue and the others were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and their hearts were pounding violently. But she quickly calmed down and motioned for everyone not to panic. She quickly took out some herbs from her bosom. These herbs were carefully prepared by her on weekdays and had the effect of driving away wild beasts. She threw them forcefully at the tiger. The tiger smelled the smell of the herbs and seemed a little afraid. It paced around for a while and finally turned around reluctantly and left. After a difficult trek, they finally found the place where Purple Spirit Grass grew. Purple Spirit Grass grew on the cliffs, surrounded by thick thorns. Lin Yue, regardless of the danger, carefully climbed up. Her hands were scratched by the thorns, and blood flowed freely, but she didn't care at all. Her eyes were only on those few Purple Spirit Grass. She excitedly picked the Purple Spirit Grass, her heart filled with joy. After returning to the suburbs, she immediately decocted the medicine according to the prescription and gave it to the patients to take. Miraculously, the patients' conditions gradually improved. Their high fevers slowly subsided, and their coughs also much less.The epidemic was effectively controlled.
When Li Yunfei learned the news that the epidemic had been controlled, he was very relieved. He personally came to the suburbs to visit Lin Yue and those recovered common people. When the common people saw Li Yunfei, they all knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Majesty is wise. Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving our lives!" Li Yunfei helped an old man up and said, "This is all the credit of Medical Official Lin and the imperial physicians. It's their day - and - night hard work that has made everyone recover."
Lin Yue looked at Li Yunfei, her eyes full of love: "Your Majesty, this is also inseparable from your command and the cooperation of various departments of the court" Li Yunfei held Lin Yue's hand and said affectionately, "Yue'er, with you by my side, I feel extremely at ease."
After the epidemic, Li Yunfei and Lin Yue did not relax. Li Yunfei began to rectify the court discipline. He promoted and employed virtuous and capable people, cracked down on corrupt officials, and made the atmosphere of the court take on a new look. He also implemented a series of reform measures, reduced the taxes of the common people, and encouraged agricultural production. The country gradually moved towards prosperity.
Lin Yue continued to study medicine in the Imperial Medical Office. She compiled her treatment experiences during the epidemic into a book for other imperial physicians to study. She also often went out of the palace to provide free medical consultations for the common people and was deeply loved by the people. Under her influence, more and more women began to study medicine and made contributions to the development of medicine.
However, the peaceful days did not last long. This year, the Xiongnu in the north suddenly invaded the border, burning, killing, and looting. The common people suffered greatly. The border generals repeatedly asked the court for reinforcements. When Li Yunfei learned the news, he immediately summoned the ministers to discuss countermeasures.
The Minister of War advocated sending troops to fight: "Your Majesty, the Xiongnu have repeatedly invaded. We can't just stand by and do nothing. We should dispatch a large army to teach them a severe lesson." But some ministers put forward objections: "Your Majesty, the country has just experienced an epidemic, and the common people need to recuperate. Sending troops at this time may increase the burden on the common people."
Li Yunfei fell into deep thought. He knew the cruelty of war and also understood the sufferings of the common people. He looked at Lin Yue, as if seeking her opinion. Lin Yue understood Li Yunfei's thoughts and said, "Your Majesty, war will only bring more casualties and pain. Can we first try to solve the problem through diplomatic means? If it really doesn't work, then send troops."
Li Yunfei thought Lin Yue's words made sense and decided to first send envoys to the Xiongnu to negotiate with them. The envoy, carrying Li Yunfei's letter and generous gifts, came to the Xiongnu's camp. When the Xiongnu chief saw the letter, he said disdainfully, "Does your Emperor of the Tang Dynasty think he can send us away with some gifts? What we want is land and treasures."
The envoy said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Chief, war will only cause losses to both sides. If we can live in peace and exchange what we have for what we need, it will be beneficial to both sides. The Tang Dynasty is willing to establish friendly relations with the Xiongnu and develop together." The Xiongnu chief fell into thought after hearing this. He knew that the Tang Dynasty was powerful. If they really went to war, they might not get any advantage.
After difficult negotiations, the Xiongnu chief finally agreed to sign a peace agreement with the Tang Dynasty. The two sides agreed not to invade each other and to open border trade. When Li Yunfei learned this news, the big stone in his heart finally fell. He said with emotion to Lin Yue, "Yue'er, if it weren't for your reminder, I almost made the wrong decision." Lin Yue smiled and said, "Your Majesty, it's your wisdom and martial prowess that enable you to listen to different opinions."
With the joint efforts of Li Yunfei and Lin Yue, the Tang Dynasty ushered in a period of prosperity and stability. The common people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the country was prosperous. The relationship between Li Yunfei and Lin Yue also became deeper and deeper. They walked through one difficulty after another hand in hand and became role models in people's hearts.
However, fate always seemed to like to play tricks on people. This year, Li Yunfei suddenly contracted a strange disease and fell into a coma all day. The imperial physicians in the Imperial
Medical Office tried all kinds of methods, acupuncture, decoctions, tuina, and used all the means they could, but they could not cure his disease. Lin Yue was extremely anxious. She stayed by Li Yunfei's bedside day and night. Looking at his pale face, her heart was filled with pain.
Lin Yue decided to find a way to treat Li Yunfei herself. She flipped through a large number of medical books, from ancient classics to the latest medical records, carefully studying every page. She visited famous doctors from all over the place, from the top - notch doctors in the capital to the reclusive doctors among the people, and consulted each of them with an open mind, but all to no avail. Just when she felt desperate, a mysterious old man appeared in front of her. The old man had white hair and a ruddy complexion, and his eyes were deep, as if he knew everything in the world. The old man told her that on the top of a distant snow - capped mountain, there grew a fairy grass called Snow Ganoderma. This fairy grass could cure all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases in the world. But the environment on the snow - capped mountain was harsh and full of dangers.
Lin Yue did not hesitate at all. She decided to go to the snow - capped mountain to look for Snow Ganoderma. She said goodbye to the imperial physicians and set off on the journey alone. Along the way, she endured the severe cold. The howling wind carried the blizzard, as if it was going to swallow her. She encountered the snowstorm. The road was buried by the snow, and she could only grope forward with difficulty. She was also attacked by wild beasts. Hungry wolves lingered around her. She used her wisdom and courage to turn danger into safety again and again. But she never gave up. There was only one belief in her heart: to save Li Yunfei.
Finally, she came to the top of the snow - capped mountain. In that white world, Snow Ganoderma emitted a faint light. Lin Yue excitedly picked the Snow Ganoderma and carefully put it in her bosom. She took the Snow Ganoderma back to the palace and immediately decocted it into medicine and fed it to Li Yunfei. Miracles happened again. Li Yunfei's condition gradually improved. His originally closed eyes slowly opened, and his face gradually regained its ruddy color. Li Yunfei looked at Lin Yue's haggard face, his heart full of emotion: "Yue'er, thank you. You've suffered for me." Lin Yue hugged Li Yunfei tightly, and happy tears flowed from her eyes: "Your Majesty, as long as you can get better, everything I do is worth it."
After this life - and - death test, Li Yunfei and Lin Yue cherished each other even more. They knew that there might be more challenges and difficulties in the days to come, but as long as they walked forward hand in hand, nothing could stop them. Their story would always be handed down in the land of the Tang Dynasty and become an immortal legend.