177 RISK A LIFE TO SAVE A LIFE

Zoe moved forward to Raigon as he heard him calling her attention. She didn't care if he wanted her out of his sight. He needed medical attention immediately. 

Queen Rose and Physician Sheng Tun took a step back as the Crowned Prince wanted them gone. 

"Your highness," She bowed to Raigon. 

Raigon was about to ask some more but as he opened his mouth to speak, a cough came up followed by a pain in his chest that made his hand fly to his chest in order to stop it from getting more excruciating.

In a fraction of a second, Zoe drew near to him to check him out. His skin was very pale and cold, his lips already as blue as his eyes. He was sweating but he was shivering at the same time.

"Breathing is 35, pulse rate 120…" 

She was about to get her stethoscope from her Hebao when she glanced at Physician Sheng Tun and Queen Rose who were all eyes on her every move. Since her identity was still doubtful for them, she decided not to bring it out.

Instead, she went to the back of his chest and tapped on it. Raigon allowed her to as he was still having a hard time breathing. 

"It seemed that he had an infection in his lungs…"

She gazed back at him and bit her lips as she couldn't bear to see him suffering like this. 'If only there is medical equipment around…'

"We already gave him Marshmallow root, Bromelain and Thyme which are powerful in suppressing coughs. But it seemed to be not working with the Crowned Prince. We haven't experienced a complicated illness such as the Crowned Prince. I admit that I don't know what to do in this situation."

Physician Sheng Tun shook his head as he explained his medical intervention to Zoe, who nodded as she continued to study the symptoms of Raigon. 

'By the looks of him, he seemed to have pneumonia which is a side effect of his weakened immune system. There is probably a loss of oxygen supply in his body that is making him disoriented right now. But I couldn't confirm since there was no chest x-ray machine or laboratory to have a sputum test.'

As Zoe was contemplating on what to do, Raigon grabbed her arm with force as he was already gasping for breath.

"S-save me…" He uttered his last before darkness enveloped his consciousness.

"Raigon!" Queen Rose screamed in horror as she witnessed how his son passed out. 

Zoe gasped in shock but she couldn't afford to be emotional right now. She immediately checked on his wrist as his words kept repeating itself over and over again in his subconscious mind. 

"Save me.. Save me.. Save me.."

It is still pulsating but it is very weak and feeble. She opened his mouth and put her ears on top of it.

"He is not breathing!"

"Oh, my poor Raigon!" Queen Rose was crying hysterically. Physician Sheng Tun tried to comfort him but she shook him forcefully. "Save my son!" 

"I apologize, your Majesty. We couldn't do anything more about him."

"No! That cannot be!" Queen Rose shook her head violently as her hands swung here and there.

They both glanced at Raigon's body who was lying on his bed, his face and lips were already as blue as the dead sea.

Tears were falling down Zoe's eyes but she was not giving up. She took off her outer garment and jumped on top of Raigon.

"What are you doing?!" Queen Rose shrieked as her palms flew to her cheeks.

"Do you want your son to live?!" Zoe yelled back as she performed CPR in front of everybody. 

She pulled out a portable CPR mask from her Hebao and also did a mouth to mouth resuscitation to Raigon.

Queen Rose and Physician Sheng Tun's jaws dropped at Zoe's indecent and unconventional method of treating a patient. 

"D-do you usually do that to your patients?" Queen Rose asked Physician Sheng Tun who was still dumbfounded as he watched Lady Asha repeat her steps of pumping the Crowned Prince's chest vigorously and then kissing him with only a thin barrier in between.

"No, your Majesty. We usually just allow them to die as their time is already up in God's hands. But Lady Asha seemed to be holding on to the Crowned Prince's life."

Queen Rose opened and closed her fist and stepped forward and backward. She contemplated whether to stop Lady Asha from her disrespectful action towards her son or just allow her to bring him back to life.

Lady Asha would compress his chest for a number of minutes and then she would blow air in his mouth. Afterward, she would check his breathing and his pulse. As long as she hasn't felt anything, she repeated the process again and again.

As she saw how forceful Lady Asha is in pressing Raigon's chest making him sink in the soft mattress, she decided to stop her.

"Stop it! You're hurting him!" She yelled at her at the top of her voice.

"He's already dead, your Majesty." Physician Sheng Tun bowed his head and quivered.

Zoe didn't seem to hear her as she continued on her intervention. "1, 2, 3…"

Queen Rose flung to her and pulled her arm. 

But Zoe was so engrossed to save Raigon that she swept her arm, making the queen lose her balance and fall on the floor.

"Your Majesty!" Zoe's eyes widened in disbelief at what she had done. 

"D-did you just throw me on the ground?" Queen Rose uttered unconsciously as Physician Sheng Tun supported her so she could stand up.

Zoe gulped as she wanted to apologize to the Queen but she just can't give up on Raigon. She decided to ignore her and continued on counting her compression. 

"Do you want your head on the guillotine?!" Queen Rose snarled at her.

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Let's choose to do something difficult,

Something that changes lives no matter what the consequences,

And let's do that thing with the people we love.