The cold night was pitch-black and biting.
Yet inside Ruizhu Palace, it was warm as spring.
The Luminous Pearl in the corner emitted a gentle glow, illuminating the splendid inner hall.
Bai Zhi’er’s soft black hair draped over her shoulders, her small body buried under the covers.
Her big eyes blinked as she pondered how to make money.
Brother Fu Ce surely wasn’t wealthy either.
She had asked Sister Qingi tonight.
As a marquis, even if the monthly salary is high, receiving 200 taels each month.
But over two thousand taels would require Feng Fuce to work strenuously for more than ten months.
Bai Zhi’er thought about how hard Feng Fuce worked, yet she had nearly spent a year’s worth of his salary.
The little one’s heart couldn’t bear it!
Just then, a coughing sound ca from outside the door.
Qingi’s concerned voice followed.
"Le Qiu, are you sick? I’ve heard you’ve been coughing for almost two days now."
The palace servant nad Le Qiu was a second class night watch servant in Ruizhu Palace.
At this mont, her voice was sowhat hoarse: "Probably caught a chill while on duty the other night, and my head feels heavy."
"Have you been to the Imperial Hospital?"
"I have, but these days, many palace attendants have caught a chill. The Imperial Hospital is very busy, and they haven’t even checked my pulse, just gave a prescription to decoct myself."
Qingi reached out to touch Le Qiu’s head.
"Oh dear! You have a fever, your body feels hot. How can you be on duty like this? Let replace you tonight. You should go back and get a good sleep first."
Le Qiu indeed felt unwell, thus did not decline.
After thanking Qingi, she left.
After a while, Qingi summoned a little eunuch for errands.
"With so many people catching a chill recently, I’m afraid it might spread, which would be terrible for the Princess’ health. Go to the Imperial Hospital and collect so extra prescriptions. After you return, brew them into dicinal juice, ensuring everyone in Ruizhu Palace drinks a little."
The little eunuch mumbled: "Those prescriptions from the Imperial Hospital are just broth; drinking them doesn’t seem to cure anything."
Qingi tapped his head: "Don’t speak rashly, the effect is just slow."
The little eunuch quickly nodded: "Understood, Sister Qingi."
"Go on, quickly now and hurry back."
After giving instructions, Qingi turned and entered the hall.
At this hour, the little princess should be drifting off to sleep.
The Emperor had intended to co by to tell a story tonight.
But tangled in state affairs, he couldn’t make it for the ti being.
Qingi was about to cover the Luminous Pearl with a cloth.
However, she saw Bai Zhi’er with her big, black, watery eyes wide open, looking obediently at her.
Qingi couldn’t help but be surprised and smiled as she asked, "Your Highness, why aren’t you asleep yet?"
Bai Zhi’er, in a soft voice, said: "Sister Qingi, does soone catch a chill and get sick every winter?"
"Yes indeed," Qingi ca forward and tucked the little one’s quilt corner: "Every year, people catch a cold. This illness cos fiercely and can be contagious. If you accidentally catch the virus, it causes trouble."
"However, Your Highness need not worry, the Imperial Hospital is experienced in dealing with this, it just heals slowly."
Nonetheless, those palace attendants who catch a cold might have to be replaced.
There are rules in the palace that anyone close to the Emperor or Princess, if seriously ill, cannot stay to serve any longer.
Bai Zhi’er murmured: "It’s a cold..."
She gazed at the bed curtain in thought.
The palace is like this, surely the common people are too.
If she wrote a prescription that worked quickly.
And then asked Fourth Brother to help sell it at the price of one tael per sheet.
In a regular household, they could earn ten taels of silver a month.
One tael per sheet, it shouldn’t be considered expensive.
Selling a hundred sheets would fetch one hundred taels!
The rest she could save up slowly!
Surely she could repay Brother Fu Ce’s money.
Thinking of this, Bai Zhi’er closed her watery eyes and fell asleep peacefully.
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