The Culinary Chronicles of the Court Physician: The Disgraced Princess Consumes Poison to Create Medicine
Fei Ling, who had prescribed medicine to Li-Sha, was then led by Lin Huang-Ye, the maid who had come to fetch Li-Sha, and they headed toward the Spring Palace.
The air of the Seasonal Palace was filled with the rich fragrance of plum blossoms.
“Xiao Ling is over here. At first, we thought it was just a common cold, but the fever has worsened. Lady Xue-Mei is quite worried as well.”
At the edge of the Seasonal Palace was the lodging for the consort’s attendants. Xiao Ling lay on the bed in a small chamber, delirious from fever and moaning in distress.
“I am Fei Ling. I will examine her right away.”
Fei Ling spoke gently to Xiao Ling before beginning the examination.
Her fever was severe. Upon checking her tongue, it was red and had developed fine cracks. The prolonged high fever had caused the body’s fluids to evaporate and diminish.
Fei Ling proceeded with the medical interview.
“Before your fever spiked, did you feel unusually cold or hot?”
“Now that you mention it, I felt strangely hot… I thought it was odd, but I didn’t have a fever at the time. I never imagined it was a cold.”
Xiao Ling spoke in a hoarse voice, interrupted by wheezing. Continuing the questioning further would be too much for her.
“I understand. You must have been suffering. You’ll feel better soon, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
Xiao Ling bowed her head. Suffering from an unfamiliar high fever must have left her feeling anxious.
Just like Li-Sha before, the mere presence of Fei Ling brought visible relief to the patients. That was how much they trusted her. She could not betray that trust.
Fei Ling borrowed the palace kitchen and began preparing medicine.
Lan Xin eagerly pulled out a copper grater.
“Ginger is good for colds, right? Heh heh heh, I remembered!”
“No, unlike Li-Sha, Lady Xiao Ling has a heat-based cold, so ginger, which raises body temperature, would have the opposite effect.”
“What? Really?”
Lan Xin’s round eyes widened in shock.
“There are two types of colds in traditional medicine: Wind-Cold, which comes with cold pathogens, and Wind-Heat, which includes heat pathogens. The treatment varies depending on which one is present.”
“I remember that colds are usually treated with Kudzu Root Decoction (Kakkonto) or Ephedra Decoction (Maoto), right?”
“You’ve studied well. That’s correct.”
Being praised by her beloved Fei Ling, Lan Xin puffed up her chest with pride.
“Fever is actually the body’s natural immune response trying to fight off the illness. So rather than forcing the temperature down, it’s usually best to use warming herbs like Kudzu Root or Ephedra to expel the cold. However, in cases where the fever persists, that’s not always the best approach.”
In such cases, cooling herbs that relieve the exterior symptoms (Xinliang Jiebiao) are preferred. In traditional medicine, the go-to remedies for Wind-Heat are Isatis Root (Banlangen) and Forsythia Powder (Yinqiaosan). But in terms of food—Fei Ling opened her supply bag and selected Chinese cabbage and radish, which she had brought from the detached palace.
“First, we chop the radish, radish leaves, and cabbage, then sprinkle them with salt, rub them, and squeeze out the moisture.”
“Got it!”
On the mainland, vegetables were usually cooked before eating. However, when using radish and cabbage for fever relief, they must not be heated.
“Radish and cabbage help release excess heat and moisten the organs, particularly the lungs. We will soak them in the chicken broth I prepared overnight and marinate them with finely chopped kelp. Finally, we’ll sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Could you roast the white sesame for me?”
“Understood! What effect does the kelp have?”
“Like radish and cabbage, it also helps reduce heat, though its effect is mild.”
“Then why add it at all?”
“Because no matter how effective a remedy is, if it isn’t palatable, it isn’t truly medicine.”
Fei Ling smiled as she explained, and Lan Xin’s eyes sparkled in understanding.
After some time, the medicine was ready.
“This is a cold vegetable dish, Liangban Xiaocai (Namul).”
With Huang-Ye’s help, Xiao Ling sat up and took a bite from a small dish.
She started with the radish. A crisp sound rang out as she bit down, and her fevered eyes suddenly widened.
“…Ah.”
That single breath spoke volumes. She had finally encountered something her fever-ridden body had desperately craved, and even the smallest cells in her body rejoiced.
“Fei Ling’s medicine is… gentle.”
As she chewed the soft cabbage and radish leaves, Xiao Ling smiled.
In Bai-Ze’s hands, even the simplest ingredients became the finest medicine.
“It’s not just about the medicinal effects. Every detail is considered to ensure the dish is gentle on the patient.”
Typically, Liangban Xiaocai would include finely chopped chili peppers and sesame oil. However, Fei Ling had deliberately omitted them, knowing they would be too strong for someone suffering from a fever. Xiao Ling, who often worked in the palace kitchen, understood this instinctively.
After checking her temperature again, Fei Ling saw that the fever had subsided somewhat. For now, they could breathe a sigh of relief.
“I’ve prepared enough of this dish for three days, so please have a little whenever you feel like eating. Also, be sure to stay hydrated. If your fever spikes again in the evening, try placing a damp cloth on your forehead.”
Leaving Xiao Ling’s care in Huang-Ye’s hands, Fei Ling and Lan Xin left the lodging together.
