Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 877: Chapter 788: Unwilling to Be a Slave (Part 8)

At that time, the Empress Dowager insisted on beating Xiao Chun to death. It was only because the Crown Prince repeatedly pleaded with the Emperor that Xiao Chun’s death sentence was evaded. However, Xiao Chun’s leg was crippled from the beating. It was the Emperor who secretly sought an Imperial Physician to treat Xiao Chun, allowing him to cling to life, but he was left with a limp that made walking difficult afterward, and was sent to a remote government office like the Violence Room.

Though the Emperor has now ascended the throne, the harem remains under the Empress Dowager’s control. With her powerful maternal family, she wouldn’t have had the leverage to easily force the Emperor to choose her son’s child as the Crown Prince otherwise.

Now, the Empress Dowager does not allow the Emperor to treat Xiao Chun favorably. The Emperor, beyond ensuring the Empress Dowager does not harm Xiao Chun, does not even have the authority to send an Imperial Physician to look after his ailments. He can only let Xiao Chun endure the pain caused by his crippled leg.

Xiao Chun was once a familiar face by the Emperor’s side. Those in the palace aware of this dare not speak of it, and the rest are entirely unaware. The reason Nangong Shuangshuang knows is that in her past life, she bribed a little eunuch close to Xiao Chun for this information.

Later, after catching the Emperor’s eye, Nangong Shuangshuang, in order to gain his trust, frequently used her connection with Xiao Chun to curry favor with the Emperor.

However, Nangong Shuangshuang does not feel regretful towards Xiao Chun. The Emperor no longer cared for Xiao Chun, not solely due to the Empress Dowager, but also because Xiao Chun had not been by his side for a long time, and the Emperor gradually forgot his loyal servant.

Nangong Shuangshuang, while using Xiao Chun to gain the Emperor’s trust, also reaffirmed Xiao Chun’s loyalty in the Emperor’s mind, reminding him of this loyal servant, which brought Xiao Chun many benefits. Therefore, her relationship with Xiao Chun was mutually beneficial.

As Nangong Shuangshuang pondered over her past life, Bai Ruoyun had already led her to Xiao Chun’s residence. Xiao Chun’s living quarters were evidently much larger than Bai Ruoyun’s, with three big rooms and four little eunuchs attending to him. Such preferential treatment beyond the rules was obviously due to the Emperor’s favor.

Unfortunately, the current Emperor was about to forget Xiao Chun. Though no one dared to bully Xiao Chun now, he no longer enjoyed the same respect as before. Even in the Violence Room, he was once fawned over by everyone, but now Xiao Chun was no longer the favored one by his master’s side, just comfortably secluded.

The weather had been poor these days, and Xiao Chun’s crippled leg worsened by the fact that before being beaten, he had been punished to kneel in the snow for three hours, chills entering his bones, far more severe than Bai Ruoyun’s leg.

Bai Ruoyun’s leg could still walk with pain, but Xiao Chun was different. Whenever the weather changed, it hurt so much that he couldn’t walk and had to endure it lying in bed, unable to get out.

Xiao Chun, a eunuch, had a remarkably masculine appearance. His voice was deep and his demeanor masculine, except for his hairless lip, making it hard to discern he was a eunuch, more masculine than many men.

The moment Bai Ruoyun saw Xiao Chun, the usual cold, stern look on her face softened. Bai Ruoyun was quite attractive, but her usual stern and cold demeanor remained, unyielding towards erring palace maids.

Over time, the palace maids in the Violence Room feared her, not daring to even glance at her, let alone determine her beauty or lack thereof.

Seeing Bai Ruoyun, a hint of surprise appeared on Xiao Chun’s face, as he knew Bai Ruoyun’s leg also troubled her. Laying due to leg pain, he sat up, and patted the spot beside him, signaling Bai Ruoyun to sit there, a natural and intimate gesture, clearly showing a good relationship with Bai Ruoyun.

Bai Ruoyun followed his gesture and sat beside Xiao Chun, eyes filled with concern and care, ”Brother Chun, does your leg hurt again? Is it very severe this time?”

Xiao Chun took Bai Ruoyun’s hand, a blush spread across Bai Ruoyun’s face, while Xiao Chun reassured with a smile, ”I’m fine, it’s an old problem, just endure a bit, it will be fine when the weather improves. Don’t worry about me.”

”Saying endure and it will be fine! It’s a disease, not something you can endure away,” Bai Ruoyun first complained out of distress.

But then she boasted, ”Brother Chun, today you must thank me properly. I’ve found someone who can ease your pain. Recently, the residence received a family of convicted officials, and the little girl has been studying medicine since childhood, and her skills are excellent.

You know, my leg also hurts on dreary days, but after her treatment, it’s now just a little sore, not affecting my walking at all. I hurried to bring her over to see if she can ease your pain.”

As Bai Ruoyun spoke, she brought Nangong Shuangshuang in front of Xiao Chun, urging, ”Shuangshuang, come over and take a look at Brother Chun, see if you can heal his leg.”

Xiao Chun was a bit surprised looking at the youthful Nangong Shuangshuang, feeling somewhat skeptical. He was not inexperienced; even the Imperial Physicians did not dare claim to cure his leg, so how could a young girl, even if somewhat learned in medicine, possess such skills?

Nevertheless, having fallen so low, Xiao Chun no longer had the privilege to have an Imperial Physician see him. Thus, having someone of medical skill was better than none, so he said nothing and extended his leg for Nangong Shuangshuang to examine.

Nangong Shuangshuang rolled up Xiao Chun’s pant leg to examine his knee and the injured area, and then took his pulse. Frowning slightly, she stood upright and said to Bai Ruoyun: ”Aunt, the condition of his leg is too severe. Salt compresses and massages are too weak, unable to alleviate much. I need silver needles. Only acupuncture can have a real therapeutic effect.”

Bai Ruoyun frowned in difficulty; she could obtain silver, but had no means to procure silver needles. Xiao Chun, however, was rather calm and said, ”Just silver needles will do?”

Nangong Shuangshuang nodded, ”Silver needles will suffice. I am 80% sure I can alleviate the Steward’s pain.”

Xiao Chun nodded and instructed the little eunuch beside him, ”Xiao Man, take my waist token to the Imperial Hospital, find the Steward Eunuch of the Imperial Pharmacy, and ask him to kindly bring me a set of silver needles.”

The eunuch named Xiao Man agreed promptly and dashed out with Xiao Chun’s waist token. The wait was tense, but luckily the Violence Room wasn’t far from the Imperial Hospital, and the little eunuch was quick, indeed returning with a set of silver needles.

After cleansing the silver needles with a flame, Nangong Shuangshuang began to administer acupuncture to Xiao Chun. Acupuncture requires meticulous care: control of acupoints, needle technique, acupuncture intensity, and the manipulation of needles all affect the treatment outcome. Undoubtedly, Nangong Shuangshuang was the most proficient in these techniques.