Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 417 Awakening
Yan Ciwan found herself back in the Buddhist hall. Li Baizhou and Ning Qingyang were stopped at the door. The eunuch guarding the door looked Ning Qingyang up and down and asked, "Who are you?"

Li Baizhou quickly replied, "She came specifically to bring clothes to my mother. Her clothes are soaked with sweat, and she'll catch a cold if she keeps wearing them. Besides, the Imperial Concubine only said that my mother shouldn't eat or rest, she didn't say that she shouldn't be given clean clothes, did she?"

The eunuch hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stepped aside to let them in.

"Come out quickly after changing your clothes, so as not to delay the time for copying the Heart Sutra."

Li Baizhou quickly led Ning Qingyang into the Buddhist hall. At this moment, Jiang Meiren was lying unconscious on the desk, the brush she was holding had fallen to the side, and a stack of copied scriptures was placed beside her.

"Mother!" Li Baizhou ran over and helped Jiang Meiren up. Jiang Meiren's face had turned as pale as paper, her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her hair and clothes were soaked, and there was a puddle of water on the ground that had not yet dried.

Li Baizhou looked at the eunuch outside the door and asked, "Why is my mother all wet?"

The eunuch's eyes darted around, and he seemed a little guilty: "Maybe I've been sweating too much."

"You're talking nonsense! When I came to see my mother last night, only the back of her clothes and the collar were wet with sweat, but now her entire upper body is wet, and there are even water stains on the ground. What did you do to my mother while I was away?" Li Baizhou became more and more angry as he spoke, his eyes filled with barely suppressed rage.

Seeing that he couldn't get away with it, the eunuch decided to tell the truth: "The Imperial Concubine instructed that Consort Jiang cannot eat or rest until she has copied the Heart Sutra one hundred times. Just now, I saw that she had fallen asleep. I went to wake her, but she was lazy and refused to wake up. I had no choice but to pour some water on her before she woke up."

Upon hearing this, Li Baizhou was immediately enraged. He rushed forward, grabbed the eunuch by the collar, and roared.

"You clearly saw last night that my mother fainted because she was sick. Not only did you refuse to let her see a doctor and rest, but you also accused her of being lazy and even poured cold water on her. You lowly servant, are you trying to kill my mother?!"

The eunuch pushed him away forcefully: "Don't talk nonsense. I'm a coward. How could I dare to take someone's life? I was just following the Imperial Concubine's orders. If you're dissatisfied, you can go and argue with the Imperial Concubine."

Veins bulged on Li Baizhou's forehead; he wished he could rush up and kill the eunuch.

But reason told him that now was not the time to argue; the most important thing right now was to save Jiang Meiren.

He forcibly suppressed his anger and turned back into the Buddhist hall.

The eunuch straightened his disheveled clothes, gave a light snort, and said with a disdainful expression, "If you don't have the ability, don't try to show off."

Li Baizhou could only pretend not to hear these words.

He asked Ning Qingyang, "How is my mother?"

Ning Qingyang reached out and touched Jiang Meiren's forehead; it was frighteningly cold. She then checked Jiang Meiren's pulse. After a moment, she released her hand, her brows furrowed: "The pulse is weak and the breath is faint. The situation is very bad."

Li Baizhou was startled and immediately put all his resentment and dissatisfaction aside, pleading desperately, "Please save my mother, I beg you."

"Although I have a rudimentary understanding of medicine, I am not a proper doctor. I can only do my best. You should prepare for the worst."

After saying this, Ning Qingyang took out ginseng slices from her purse and put them into Jiang Meiren's mouth, then said, "I have to go back to decoct the medicine. You stay here and take care of her."

"Okay, come back soon."

Ning Qingyang stood up and quickly left the Buddhist hall.

The eunuch guarding the door glanced back into the Buddhist hall and, seeing that Consort Jiang was still there, felt relieved. He leaned against the wall, dozed off, having not slept all night and was exhausted.

Li Baizhou held Jiang Meiren's hand and found it to be icy cold, without any warmth. He couldn't help but panic and kept calling out to his mother, hoping she could hear his voice and wake up quickly.

Not long after, Ning Qingyang returned, carrying a bundle in her arms, and spoke to the eunuch guarding the gate.

"These are clothes prepared for Consort Jiang." The eunuch raised his chin: "Open the bundle and let me see."

Ning Qingyang quickly opened the bundle, revealing neatly folded clothes inside.

The eunuch reached out to pick up the dress to examine it, but Ning Qingyang suddenly spoke up: "This is Consort Jiang's dress. How can she wear it if you touch it? Regardless of whether Consort Jiang is favored or not, she is still the Emperor's concubine. Even if you don't give Consort Jiang any face, you should at least give the Emperor some respect."

The eunuch hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand impatiently and said, "Never mind, you can go in."

Ning Qingyang ran into the Buddhist hall with her bundle in her arms and closed the door behind her.

The eunuch banged on the door: "Why are you closing the door?"

"I need to change Jiang Meiren's clothes. What kind of talk is it to leave the door open?"

The eunuch immediately fell silent, only muttering, "So much trouble."

Ning Qingyang placed the bundle on the table, parted her clothes to reveal the medicine bottle hidden underneath.

She poured out three pills from the medicine bottle and whispered, "These are ginseng qi-nourishing pills used by the imperial kitchen to prepare medicinal cuisine. They contain the finest ginseng and angelica. Have Consort Jiang take them."

Li Baizhou took the pills and carefully fed them to Jiang Meiren.

He asked, "Can this medicine save Mother's life?"

Ning Qingyang said softly, "That depends on Consort Jiang's fate. If she is not destined to die, this medicine can give her a breath and help her prolong her life for a while."

How long will it take to see results?

"One hour. If she can wake up within an hour, at least her life will be saved. Then, give her one ginseng qi-nourishing pill every hour. There are enough pills in this bottle for three days. After three days, the Crown Prince's condition should be stable. At that time, you should ask the Crown Prince to appoint an imperial physician to treat Consort Jiang."

Li Baizhou nodded and kept her words in mind.

Ning Qingyang helped Jiang Meiren change out of her wet clothes, then hurriedly left the Buddhist hall with her bundle in her arms.

Li Baizhou stood guard beside Jiang Meiren, watching her intently.

Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, an hour had gone by, but Jiang Meiren still showed no signs of waking up.

Li Baizhou's heart sank lower and lower, the light in his eyes gradually dimmed, and he seemed to be shrouded in darkness.

He stiffly poured out the pills and stuffed them into Jiang Meiren's mouth.

"Mother, wake up!" Li Baizhou's voice choked with sobs, his tone almost pleading.

But Jiang Meiren remained completely still.

The day passed by quietly.

By the next morning, Li Baizhou was almost in despair when Jiang Meiren suddenly woke up.

She looked at Li Baizhou, who was standing guard beside her, and a gentle smile appeared on her pale face.

“A-Zhou.”