There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Princess of a Weak Nation in a Peace Marriage X Barbarian General

Ruan Jiyun naturally had no way of knowing about the bureaucratic hurdles at the Witch Hospital. Thus, when she and Jiang Peifeng arrived at the hospital, they were politely blocked by the Chief Attendant.

“It is truly inopportune. The Great Witch Doctor is currently praying for the Winter Festival medicine-dispensing ceremony and will not conclude his retreat for seven days,” the Chief Attendant said respectfully. “Since the prayers must not be interrupted lightly, we are also unable to convey a message to His Eminence.”

Jiang Peifeng saw that his expression was not feigned. Although she was a Royal Daughter, she ultimately could not directly order the Witch Hospital staff. Hearing this, she simply said: “Then we will return in seven days.”

They left the Witch Hospital gates, and just as they were about to enter the carriage, they saw Anjisa hurriedly riding his horse toward them.

“Your Highness!” Anjisa spotted their figures from afar and immediately reined in his horse, followed by another person who dismounted—none other than Witch Doctor Official Langji.

“Your Highnesses, have you seen the Great Witch Doctor yet?” he asked breathlessly.

Upon learning that the Great Witch Doctor was currently in prayer retreat and would not emerge for seven days, Langji’s expression instantly became strange. Seeing this, Anjisa spoke for him: “We came to find Your Highnesses precisely because of this matter!”

He fully explained the situation. It turned out that ever since Ruan Jiyun saved Narenna and her brother, Official Langji had been very concerned. In addition to personally sending his report to the Royal Capital Witch Hospital that very evening, he had visited the siblings almost every day, becoming thoroughly familiar with Xiaoxi’s recovery process.

Official Langji’s area of responsibility covered the herdsmen community of the entire Daxi prairie. Herdsmen lived in poverty, and medical conditions were naturally abysmal. Many young children died prematurely because they couldn’t afford medical treatment, and the Winter Month was the peak season for child mortality.

A few days ago, during a routine inspection of a concentrated herdsmen gathering point, he discovered a patient there.

Anjisa said: “I saw Official Langji was anxious to find you, so I gave him a ride.”

Langji nodded: “I have already diagnosed the child. The family’s young son also suddenly developed a fever three days ago and couldn’t eat anything. The symptoms are exactly the same as Xiaoxi’s—he is also afflicted with the ailment of evil spirit possession!”

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he bowed deeply to Ruan Jiyun: “I beg Your Highness to lend me that prescription to save the person.”

Seeing his sincere expression, Ruan Jiyun could only say: “It’s not that I won’t give it to you, but this prescription… the Great Witch Doctor hasn’t had a chance to see us yet, so he hasn’t reviewed it.”

Langji’s eyes dimmed: “Did my teacher not see you?” He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said, “But the patient probably cannot wait. How about you lend me the prescription, and I will take responsibility for any consequences?”

“That won’t do,” Jiang Peifeng, seeing the official’s righteous demeanor, had to interrupt. “This medicine has not been approved by the Witch Hospital after all. If you use it, you will certainly bear the responsibility. Even if you want to save someone, you cannot be this reckless.”

She looked at Ruan Jiyun: “I have an idea.”

A rumor recently began to circulate among the herdsmen on the Daxi prairie.

“How can that be false? I saw it with my own eyes. That family’s child was almost breathless, but after the little Princess poured a bowl of medicine into him, he recovered that same night!”

“I heard the Witch Doctor official was also present, personally assisting her in decocting the medicine!”

“The Princess has brought us divine medicine and has saved many patients, and she doesn’t charge money!”

Ruan Jiyun was currently sorting herbs non-stop in the yurt when the curtain moved, and someone walked in.

Jiang Peifeng appeared before her. A white robe accentuated her tall and graceful figure, making her look elegant and free-spirited. Perhaps for ease of riding, she had tied her long hair into a ponytail, revealing a forehead as smooth as jade and her phoenix eyes. When Ruan Jiyun’s gaze met those clear eyes, she quickly lowered her eyelashes to hide her expression.

“Why are you here?” Her voice was slightly dry.

Jiang Peifeng didn’t answer but walked to her table and placed the items in her hand down: “I heard you were so busy you forgot to eat. Ashinuo had no choice but to complain to me and ask me to keep an eye on you.”

As she spoke, she arranged the food on the platter and handed over the milk tea warmed in a thermos: “Drink something hot first to warm your stomach.”

“Mmm…” Ruan Jiyun lowered her head and accepted the cup of milk tea, hastily taking a big gulp, which immediately caused her to cough a few times.

“Slow down—” Jiang Peifeng moved quickly, instantly walking behind her, gently patting her back, a hint of helplessness in her voice. “I just checked. Langji and the others have prepared tea for the herdsmen lining up. You should eat something before you get busy again.”

As she said this, Ruan Jiyun felt completely enveloped in her embrace, with her soft voice by her ear. She dared not turn around, only murmuring: “I know…”

“Since you know, eat obediently.” Jiang Peifeng released her hold but did not walk away, instead leaning against the side of the table, as if she truly intended to watch her eat.

Ruan Jiyun felt resigned and had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks. She was still thinking about the patients, so she quickly swallowed a few mouthfuls of lamb soup and rice, saying: “I’m full.”

Jiang Peifeng gazed at her gently and suddenly leaned toward her.

Ruan Jiyun’s breath hitched in alarm, but Jiang Peifeng only stopped about a palm’s distance away, extending her slender, fair index finger to gently flick Ruan Jiyun’s cheek.

“You have food on your face,” she said with a smile, a grain of rice sticking to her fingertip.

Ruan Jiyun’s face immediately flared up, and Jiang Peifeng’s next move stunned her completely.

She put the grain of rice into her own mouth.

Ruan Jiyun stared at her blankly, her eyes fixed on Jiang Peifeng’s lips, unable to look away. Did she just… eat that grain of rice?

She did not know how she looked in Jiang Peifeng’s eyes—those dewy, innocent, and oblivious eyes, and her slightly parted lips due to surprise—all aroused a long-dormant desire in Jiang Peifeng’s heart.

A desire to get closer to her again.

After a long time, Jiang Peifeng was the first to look away. She reached out to tidy the tableware on the table: “If you don’t eat properly next time, I have other ways to coax you.”

Ruan Jiyun buried her face in the pile of herbs. Coax her? She was clearly bullying her!

After finally finishing her meal, she continued to see patients and prescribe medicine for the herdsmen. Ever since Jiang Peifeng proposed that she treat the herdsmen under the guise of “giving away medicine,” the reputation of her medicine had spread further and further.

Although the maidservants explicitly stated beforehand that the medicine had not yet been approved by the Witch Hospital, the herdsmen’s lives were hard, and they willingly offered their gratitude to anyone who was willing to help them.

“Even if the Witch Hospital has good remedies, they are always prioritized for noble lords. We can’t afford them and can’t use them. Now, Princess, you are willing to save us. Life and death are fated, but we will repay this kindness even if we have to work as oxen or horses for you.”

They clearly understood that good fortune would never prioritize people living at the bottom. They would always be last to receive the meager assistance they needed to survive.

But this time, the goddess of fortune stood only with them. The famous Royal Daughter General of Xiji brought the Great Jing Princess to dispense free medicine specifically for them, the herdsmen—an advantage even the noble lords had not received!

With hope in their hearts, the herdsmen formed a long line outside the tent.

A four-wheeled carriage slowly descended the slope in the distance. The carriage was pulled by two sturdy, high-headed horses, and the coachman sitting in front wore a respectable blue cotton-padded jacket.

The carriage stopped steadily nearby. The coachman jumped down, frowning slightly when he saw that the area was full of poorly dressed herdsmen. He then lowered his voice to consult the carriage interior: “Madam, I will go ahead and ask. This place is full of commoners. Please don’t get off yet.”

After saying this, he walked straight past the queue of waiting herdsmen and headed toward the tent, about to enter.

Anjisa, who was guarding the door, immediately stopped him, seeing his disregard for the rules: “Who are you? Why are you trying to barge in so recklessly?”

The coachman was always proud of his status: “I am a servant of the Right Prime Minister’s residence! Our young master has fallen seriously ill. We heard there is foreign divine medicine here. His condition cannot be delayed. Hurry up and let me in.”

“You!” Anjisa was almost amused by his entitled attitude. “Who told you that people from the Right Prime Minister’s residence have special privileges? Everyone here has a patient. If you want to see the doctor… get in line.”

The coachman sneered: “Even the Witch Hospital doesn’t put on such airs. Our young master is a noble. Does he need to line up with commoners?”

As he spoke, he tried to force his way in, but the curtain shook, and Jiang Peifeng walked out of the tent.

Her expression was calm, her long hair gently blown by the wind, revealing her clear eyes—those phoenix eyes that carried a subtle, commanding presence that made people afraid to look directly at her. Jiang Peifeng said softly: “You are too noisy.”

“Ge… General Peifeng?” The coachman was intimidated by her presence and immediately shrank back halfway. “Why are you here?”

Jiang Peifeng replied casually: “I’m guarding the door for the little Princess, lest someone who thinks their status is noble decides they don’t need to follow the rules… Someone of a higher status than yours is inside treating and saving people. I advise you, if you truly want to see a doctor, to show some sincerity.”

The surrounding herdsmen burst into laughter, seeing the coachman humiliated.

“Your young master is a noble, but the one treating us is a Princess!”

“In the past, you always got everything first. Why should you immediately come and snatch the good fortune we’ve finally received?”

“Don’t the witch doctors at the Witch Hospital serve the nobles? Why do you need to come here?”

The coachman dared not look up, utterly defeated by their comments. He scurried back to the carriage, not daring to offer any defense for his failed mission, and could only apologize to the person inside in a low voice, cold sweat pouring down his face.

Sitting inside the carriage was a beautifully dressed, wealthy lady. Hearing the report, she looked worriedly at the older woman beside her: “Mother, do we really have to… wait in line here? Will they deliberately make things difficult for us?”

The older woman’s expression was composed: “Since we’ve already come this far, we naturally have to wait in line. They have made the rules clear, and it would be our fault if we didn’t abide by them.”

The lady said anxiously: “I just don’t know if she truly has the ability to save my Jiar.”

Her mother said flatly: “Your father, the Great Witch Doctor, was helpless against Jiar’s illness. Now we can only rely on this Princess’s miraculous prescription. Your child is still ill; as a mother, you must be strong. You cannot lose heart before your child gives up.”

“I am just worried…” the lady said, lowering her voice with a hint of distress.

She had always had a smooth life without setbacks, but her young son had suddenly fallen ill. Since her father was the Great Witch Doctor, the child was immediately sent to the Witch Hospital for consultation. However, perhaps the Great Witch God did not grant his blessing, as the child’s condition worsened day by day. Seeing that even her father was helpless, she was practically in despair.

Because the Great Witch Doctor’s various prescriptions had no effect, she had also tried many folk remedies. That day, she unintentionally overheard her wet nurse mention that there was a foreign Princess on the prairie who could save lives by giving away medicine.

She heard that many herdsmen’s children had survived deadly illnesses after taking her medicine. Although she was skeptical, she was desperate enough to rush over in her distress.

Lost in her thoughts, the queue finally reached them.

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