Arriving at the princess's residence wasn't far; it was only a twenty-minute walk from Lu Ming's newly acquired mansion. This was on horseback; on foot, it would have taken almost an hour.
The princess's residence was somewhat deserted. After a servant announced his arrival, the steward, a robust woman, quickly came and invited Lu Ming into the mansion.
The princess's residence was quite large, no smaller than his own. As the only daughter of the Emperor, her living conditions were quite good.
Lu Ming walked through the courtyard before reaching the main hall. After being told to wait, he sat down and closed his eyes.
He hated waiting; it was a waste of time for him. He'd rather use that time for something beneficial.
After waiting for a while, footsteps approached. The steward woman then said, "Her Highness the Princess wishes to ask you a few questions. If you can answer them, you will be granted an audience."
"Please speak," Lu Ming opened his eyes. Interesting. They were using this tactic against him? "How foolish!"
"May I ask, Doctor, how should a cold be treated?" the housekeeper asked, holding a piece of paper in her hand, presumably containing the answer.
"Everyone is different; there's no single treatment. The main symptoms are coughing, a sore throat, thin, white phlegm, no thirst, headache, no sweating, pale red tongue with a white coating, and a floating or tight pulse."
"Colds are further divided into overexertion and typhoid fever. Overexertion requires rest and recuperation, along with medicinal diets. Typhoid fever requires keeping warm and protected from wind, along with medicinal diets."
Before the housekeeper could answer, a clear female voice followed, "May I ask, Doctor, what is the prescription?"
"This is a closely guarded secret, difficult to disclose." Lu Ming wasn't foolish enough to reveal the prescription directly.
Colds were very difficult to cure in ancient times, even during the Three Kingdoms period, and only in modern times did the situation improve slightly.
With the sound of footsteps, a beautiful woman dressed in white silk and satin slowly entered.
Behind her were two other elegant women, one of whom possessed the air of a noble lady. Her face was charming, and although she remained silent, her entire demeanor exuded an alluring aura.
"This Princess Wannian greets you, sir," the woman in silk and satin bowed slightly to Lu Ming, the respect evident in her medical expertise.
"This humble official is Lu Ming, a military officer, greetings to Your Highness. May I ask what ailment Your Highness requires my attention? Please speak freely. The more detailed your description, the better the treatment. Otherwise, without a clear understanding of the illness, even if Bian Que were resurrected, he would find it difficult to cure," Lu Ming said respectfully, bowing his head. He was still somewhat amazed by Princess Wannian!
However, he was even more astonished by the attendant behind Princess Wannian, wondering who this extraordinary woman was!
"The cold you mentioned earlier is it," Princess Wannian said, taking her seat in the superior position, still kneeling.
The loose silk robe, worn by her bent-over kneeling posture, accentuated the alluring curve of her buttocks, making Lu Ming's eyes water!
He truly had little resistance to women. As a lecherous devil, his motto was "No woman is too good to be true," wishing he could have his way with every woman in the world and impregnate them all!
"May I ask if it's from overexertion or an infection caused by chills? When did Your Highness contract the illness, and what are your current symptoms? Please extend your hand; I need to take your pulse and examine you." Lu Ming took out a pillow from his medicine box, asking questions as he did so.
"I don't know, the doctor will know after examining me," Princess Wannian's voice was clear and melodious, like a lark. She herself possessed an ethereal quality, almost otherworldly.
Lu Ming placed his hand on Princess Wannian's wrist, closed his eyes, and began to take her pulse. He already knew, using his diagnostic skills, that the infection was caused by a chill.
"Your Highness, I need to understand the situation clearly before I begin a consultation. Even when treating His Majesty, this is the case. Therefore, please forgive any abruptness. If the princess cannot accept this, she may resign."
This was a clear statement of intent; if she could accept it, she would treat him. If not, she could dismiss him immediately and leave the matter alone.
Princess Wannian didn't realize this was a trap; she thought it was just a standard answer.
Later, she realized how cunning he was.
Having already brought up the Emperor Ling, even the princess had nothing to say.
"Doctor, please ask away."
After a long wait, Lu Ming stopped taking her pulse, still with his eyes closed, deep in thought.
Princess Wannian, growing increasingly impatient, finally spoke, "Your aura is weak; you need nourishment. Has Your Highness been engaging in sexual activity frequently lately?"
Upon hearing this question, the two beautiful attendants were taken aback, their faces flushing red.
Princess Wannian, however, was somewhat embarrassed and angry. "Doctor, are you perhaps teasing me? Disrespecting the royal family—you cannot bear such a crime!"
Lu Ming, on the other hand, looked at Princess Wannian with a strange expression, his face calm and without the slightest panic.
"Your Highness, why do you say such a thing? I asked the same question when I treated His Majesty. Mencius said, 'Food and sex are human nature; they are inherent and should not be restrained.' Do you think this is flirting? You are sorely mistaken. Excessive sexual activity depletes the body, making it more susceptible to illness from wind and cold. Insufficient sexual activity leads to stagnation and may even corrode the body. From a medical perspective, let's be frank. If Your Highness cannot accept this, I reiterate my point: please resign. I have treated countless patients, including kings and generals."
Faced with Lu Ming's earnest nonsense, Princess Wannian was speechless.
If an ordinary physician had said such a thing, he would have been thrown out and handed over to the authorities for allegedly disrespecting a princess.
However, Lu Ming was the physician who treated Emperor Ling, possessing such authority, thus his words carried a degree of credibility.
Princess Wannian felt somewhat ashamed and indignant. She glared at Lu Ming, then said to her two female attendants, "Wenji, Yulan, you two should go back now. We'll discuss medicine another day."
"Yes, Your Highness." The two women bowed to Princess Wannian. Although they wanted to stay, the princess had already told them to leave; how could they say anything more and invite trouble?
If they angered the princess, it wouldn't be fun.
Hearing the two names, Lu Ming glanced a few more times at the beautiful and elegant young lady. Could it be Cai Wenji?