Chapter Forty-Six
Max had been in the king’s presence several times when he was younger, but never in the man’s private chambers. Since the onset of the king’s madness, few were allowed here except his doctors and the guards who kept the royal safe.
So when the queen said, “You will utter no word of this to anyone,” all three of them were quick to nod their understanding. “The king is at Windsor Castle,” she said firmly. “We discussed Chinese medicine as it pertains to… to…” Her words failed her.
“Grief, Your Highness,” said Yihui. “I have a few teas that support a woman as she grieves a child’s death…or a husband’s madness. Such things are very hard on a woman’s heart and body.”
The queen was silent a moment before she nodded. “You may send those to me on the morrow.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
Contrary to what they’d just agreed to say, the king was not in Windsor Castle but sitting at his writing desk muttering as he scribbled furiously in a book.
A quick peek showed that it was, in fact, a printed book and not blank pages.
The King of England was furiously scribbling across what Max thought was a book of sermons.
The very sight punched Max in the gut. He remembered George III as being a man of towering presence. Unlike his father who kept his wits but was losing his body, the king’s mind was fractured while his body seemed hale, though he’d lost his sight. It was a sobering realization.
Meanwhile, a man he recognized as Dr. Francis Willis looked up from where he’d been reading on a nearby couch.
“George,” he said calmly. “The queen has come for a visit. George, will you say hello to her?”
The king did not look up. If anything, he hunched closer to the paper, though it was clear he could not see anything. He simply scribbled while muttering to himself. The quill he held was nearly broken in half, and the nub was dull and without ink.
His king was completely blind, and yet intent on whatever he was writing.
Meanwhile, Max whispered to Olivia who nodded and passed Yihui into his arms. A moment later, Olivia placed a chair next to the king so that Max could set Yihui down. It was damned awkward, but he managed it. And he even gave her an encouraging squeeze in the process.
If she felt it, she didn’t react. Her attention was centered on the king. It was an odd thing for Max to experience. Normally, Yihui seemed very aware of her surroundings. But this was Yihui as a medicine maker. Every part of her was focused on the patient.
She didn’t say anything as she watched the king. Dr. Willis, however, was extraordinarily upset. “Who is this woman? Why is she here gawking? This is most upsetting to the king!”
The only one getting upset was Dr. Willis. The king didn’t seem to notice anything but his scribblings.
“I must protest—” he continued.
“Be quiet!” the queen snapped.
Dr. Willis straightened with a furious sniff. Then, rather than speak, he headed toward Yihui. Max quickly stepped forward, blocking the man’s path. A moment later, Olivia joined him and together they created a hard wall that kept everyone else away from Yihiu and the king.
And once she was protected from interference, Yihui began to talk.
“Hello,” she said to the king. “May I touch your wrist?”
There was no reaction except that the king turned a page and began writing on the fresh one. Yihui moved excruciatingly slowly as she gently placed her hand on the king’s left wrist, appearing to take his pulse. He didn’t react beyond a subtle twitch.
“His heartrate is accelerated,” Dr. Willis growled. “Any fool could see that.”
No one responded, not even Yihui who continued to hold her hand lightly upon the king’s wrist. She watched him closely, never interfering with his work, but twisting around to see his face or perhaps his eyes from a better angle.
And in her movements, she made a noise that penetrated the king’s madness.
“Why you?” the king demanded. “Why you?”
“I told you this would upset him!” Dr. Willis all but shouted.
The queen rounded on him with a furious glare. “You will be silent!”
“I must protest!”
“Then you will leave.” She glanced at the guards who stepped forward ready to grab the man. Dr. Willis folded his arms together and glared. Fortunately, his mouth stayed closed or Max would have done the guards’ work for them.
Meanwhile, Yihui smiled at the patient.
“Hello, George. May I see your writing?”
“Economy of effort. Economy of effort. No one sees. No one hears!”
The king spoke very fast, but Yihui seemed unfazed. She listened as he continued to spew nonsense words. She nodded as if it made sense. If it made a difference, Max could not see it. And in time, even the queen lost patience.
“Miss Wong—” the queen began.
Yihui’s hand shot up to quiet the queen. The blind king could not see it, of course, but still Yihiu gestured behind her back in deference to the patient. And if Yihui heard the gasps of shock from the others in the room, she made no comment.
“She is a charlatan, Your Majesty,” Dr. Willis snorted. “Take her away. She is only making matters worse.”
Thankfully, the queen was not yet swayed. She shot the doctor an irritated glance.
Meanwhile, Yihui waited until the king paused in his muttering. Then she spoke softly and slowly to him.
“Thank you. You were very helpful,” she said.
The king straightened, his madness seeming to clear for a moment. “You’re welcome, young lady. Do send for tea.”
The reaction from everyone in the room was stunned surprise. This was a clear moment of lucidity. Everyone, that is, except for Yihui who answered pleasantly.
“I will. Thank you.” Then she turned to Max who quickly picked up her and carried her to another part of the room, sitting her down in the very spot that Dr. Willis had been in when they’d arrived.
The queen was quick to come to her side, but Yihui wasn’t ready to report yet. She looked at the nearest footman. “You will send for his tea?” she asked.
The footman looked to the queen who nodded. But of course, Dr. Willis had to interfere again.
“This is not the time for his tea. His stomach is delicate.”
Yihui narrowed her eyes. “Delicate how? Have you made a study of his food and his body’s reaction?”
“Of course, I have!” the man huffed.
She held out her hand. “Please let me see it.”
“I will not! You are an ignorant savage who has—”
The queen cut in. “You grow tiresome, Dr. Willis.”
He turned to her. “Your Majesty, do not be fooled—”
“I have heard your diagnosis. I should like to hear hers.” She gestured to the guards who again moved forward.
“You insult me. And you insult all the good, hardworking men who toil on your behalf!” He jerked on his lapels as he spun on his heels and stomped out of the room.
Just as well. Max could see he was about to be thrown out anyway. But that left Yihui to search for answers without Dr. Willis’ information. Fortunately, that didn’t seem to bother her.
“I assume he has been given medicine. May I see it?”
The queen made a gesture and a footman brought over a vial pulled from the doctor’s large bag. “This and this,” he said as he set down the bottles. The man didn’t exactly sneer, but his tone wasn’t cordial.
Yihui sniffed the first bottle and quickly set it down. “Laudanum,” she said as she looked at the frenetic king. “Does it have much effect?”
“Not without a very large dose,” the footman answered.
Yihui nodded and set the bottle aside. She opened the second bottle and tipped a tiny drop onto her finger which she set upon her tongue.
Then she spit it out straight into a handkerchief.
“This is poison!” she cried, obviously shocked. “For rats!”
The queen nodded. “Dr. Willis said that in the right proportions, it has greatly benefited other patients.”
Yihui nodded. “Yes, there are times when I use such a thing.” Her gaze went to the king. “But it will not help him.”
The queen lifted her chin. “What would you do?”
Yihui took one last look at the king then focused completely on the queen. “My father had two such patients in Canton. One was a man, the other a woman.” She frowned. “But neither was blind. That is something unique to the king.”
“What did your father prescribe?”
“We balanced the channels of energy. We calmed when the patient grew excited. Energized when the patient was overwhelmed with sadness. I can make medicines for this.”
“And did it cure them?”
Yihui shook her head. “No. The moods remained, but not as severe.” Then she frowned. “This blindness, however, seems a bad addition. I can prepare soaks for him.” She made a gesture of setting a wet cloth on the eyes. “It may help.”
The queen’s lips compressed. “But they most likely will not,” she guessed. “Tell me, Miss Wong, what use are you to me?”
Yihui lifted her chin, meeting the queen’s gaze with a steady one of her own. “I would like to give him a special medicine. It is the same brew that saved my life.”
The queen shook her head. “He does not have broken feet. It is his mind that rebels—”
“This medicine is very strong. I have seen it cure many different ailments.” She sniffed as she pointed at the bottle of poison. “And if you wish to settle his stomach, stop feeding him poison.”
The queen stared at Yihui, clearly undecided. To the side, the king was growing agitated again. He had completely broken his quill and now threw it away with disgust. His mutterings were louder and his gestures more expansive.
“Do you have someone who sits with him? Who listens when he speaks?”
“He speaks nonsense!” the queen huffed.
“A girl, perhaps, who knows how to be patient? Or a religious man whose energy is calming?”
“No,” the queen returned. “I think you are making things up.”
“Please, Your Majesty. At least let him try the strong tea. The one that cured my infection.”
The queen looked back at her. “You believe it is an infection?”
“I believe that when one is poisoned a little every day, the body becomes weak and cannot defend against many things.”