Chapter 6: Do You Understand Lumbar Disc Herniation? Answer Me!

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Old Zhu stepped into the inner palace chamber. Matters concerning life and death naturally compelled him to seek Empress Ma’s own opinion.

At this moment, Empress Ma lay weakly on the bed, her face pale as paper. Strands of hair clung to her cheeks, dampened by sweat seeping from her brow.

Her lips were cracked, and every inch of her bore the weariness inflicted by relentless illness. It was clear she was enduring immense pain.

“Sister?” Old Zhu spoke softly. In this instant, Zhu Chongba’s voice was as gentle as could be, no longer that iron-blooded emperor who made decisions with ruthless finality.

Empress Ma’s eyes brightened upon hearing his words, but the light soon dimmed again.

“Chongba, don’t fuss over me.”

“I’ve been sick for so long; if there were a cure, it would have been found already.”

Her gaze was filled with longing and reluctance. How could she willingly let go, leaving behind the husband and children she loved so deeply?

Yet the endless torment of illness had long since plunged her into depths of despair.

Those so-called medical masters, those folk healers—they all came bearing hope, only to leave disappointment in their wake, culminating now in utter hopelessness.

But this time, Old Zhu shook his head with a smile.

He had already dismissed everyone else and now held Empress Ma’s hand tightly, recounting every detail of the matter.

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma was stunned, her disbelief keeping her silent for a long moment.

“Chongba, you mean my illness isn’t actually terminal, but rather because...”

“That’s right, exactly!” Zhu Chongba hurried to reassure her. “That damn ‘terminal illness’ nonsense—those blasted doctors were just too scared to treat you. That’s why they kept delaying and making things worse!”

“Those filthy bastards, truly hateful, they deserve death!” A fierce killing intent flashed across Old Zhu’s face. “Once this matter is settled, I’ll have their heads chopped off...”

Before he could finish, Empress Ma stopped him.

At this moment, the Empress radiated a renewed vigor unlike before.

“But that Song fellow does have a point. Dai Sigong is too young. I worry about him...”

In the end, Old Zhu’s fear was that if the treatment failed, his sister would suffer needlessly.

Hearing this, Empress Ma clasped Old Zhu’s large hand in hers, her eyes reddened as she smiled.

“Chongba, no more words. I will cure this illness!”

“But you must promise me first: don’t cause any trouble for the doctors, especially Dai Sigong. No matter the outcome, his life must be spared.”

Old Zhu opened his mouth, displeased, but heard Empress Ma say with a hint of reproach, “If any of them die because of me, I won’t find peace even in the afterlife. Do you understand?”

Those words struck a tender chord in Zhu Chongba, and his resolve weakened. He quickly nodded, promising never to recklessly punish those imperial physicians. Only then did Empress Ma nod in satisfaction.

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After a brief pause, she continued, “I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.