188 LADY PHYSICIAN OR A WITCH LADY?

True enough, a servant was squirming on the floor, undoubtedly suffering from an excruciating pain. 

Other servants were also on the scene. They tried to help him out but since they were not medically knowledgeable, they cannot do anything about it.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness!" They blurted out in surprise as they fell in line to address them. 

However, their curiosity was piqued as they gave the strange woman behind the Crowned Prince a scrutinizing look.

"Who is she?"

"I think she is the lady physician who was treating the Crowned Prince."

"I thought she's an older woman. But she looks even younger than the Prince. And she is so stunning! I would have mistaken her for the Crowned Princess."

"Ssh! They might hear you. It is my first time see a young woman as a physician. Perhaps she is not really a physician but a lady witch casting spells on the Crowned Prince so he could take her as a concubine."

Fortunately, Zoe was oblivious to them all as her focus was the aching servant. Her long-fingered hands clenched and unclenched as she controlled herself from plunging into the scene and taking matters in her own hands. 

Raigon also couldn't hear them as he was closer to the ailing servant.

"What happened to you?" Queen Rose asked the servant. Physician Sheng Tun was behind her as he also checked on the condition of the man.

"M-my stomach… It feels like it's r-ripping apart, y-your Majesty!" He yelped as he agonized in pain.

Physician Sheng Tun immediately went to the servant's side and checked on him. 

"I think it's just an upset stomach. Please bring him to the Infirmary." He requested the servants near him. 

"Aargh!" The servant suddenly screamed in extreme discomfort.

"The Infirmary is a long way from here! Can you not treat him now?" Raigon ordered in an infuriated voice.

"I don't have medicine with me right now. But all kinds of medicine for stomach pains that could possibly treat him are at the Infirmary, your Highness. If he will be brought there now, we could treat him immediately." 

Physician Sheng Tun flashed a cold smile

"P-please save me…" The servant pleaded with his pale and stuttering lips. 

"May I, your Majesty? Your Highness?" Zoe couldn't control herself any longer. 

Before Queen Rose could oppose, Raigon extended his hand and nodded.

The servants around them murmured again with each other.

"What could she possibly do if Physician Sheng Tun has already stated his findings? She's too feisty not just as a young woman, but also as a physician."

Queen Rose crossed her arms and smirked as she heard those belittling remarks. She was nearest to them so she can overhear their sarcastic gossiping. Instead of stopping them, she fired up their zeal to criticize her more.

"Sure, milady. Let's see what you can do. Prove your skills to us." Her sarcastic remark in itself was like a stone hurtled towards her disguised in a feigned trusting kindness.

'She must have just gotten lucky with my son. It's only natural for him to recover quickly because he has a strong stamina and he has God's favor as the next ruler. Do your thing now and give me a reason to banish you from my son's sight.'

Heedless of the criticisms raining on her amids the heat of the afternoon sun, Zoe bolted to the man lying on the ground.

She wasn't sure if she could really treat the man without her modern instruments or using modern techniques. But she just couldn't stand and watch a person suffer or worse, die.

"I'm Lady Asha. Allow me to treat you sir." 

The servant nodded. And as soon as he did so, she pressed her fingers on the sides of his stomach.

"Aah!" The servant whimpered in agony. 

"How long have you had this pain, sir?" Zoe inquired.

"A few days ago, milady." The servant managed to answer her. "I had pain in the pit of the stomach."

Zoe nodded as if she understands what he is going through. "Please hold on a little longer. Can you lie on your side?"

The other servants who were around helped him turn to his side.

Zoe tapped on his stomach again and tilted her ear towards it. "The sound has already changed."

"What sound?" Physician Sheng Tun grilled on her. 

"There is an ulcer in his stomach and it releases air, my lord. When we change positions, it can change the sound, depending if the air will move up or not" 

Zoe replied in a respectful, her hands still on the servant's back. She then positioned him in his back.

"Have you had any pinching pain in your upper belly before?" She continued to evaluate his condition. 

"Yes, I have." The servant responded immediately. "I have experienced this also before when it felt like my stomach was being torned apart!"

"People who often vomit and have diarrhea show that kind of symptoms sometimes, your Majesty."

Physician Sheng Tun informed the Queen as if he was saying that it was not a big deal to be fussed about.

Zoe stood up and bowed to the Queen. "I believe it is not a light situation, your Majesty. There is a hole in his stomach wall and the contents in his stomach has already spilled out."

"You can already tell that just by touching him?" Queen Rose scoffed in bewilderment.

Zoe bended her head as she too was not confident. His stomach needs to be seen under a CT scan. But he cannot go out of this land to go to the nearest hospital.

"What will happen if this disease will not be treated immediately?" Raigon asked Zoe out of his concern for the man and to save her from the awkward situation.

"If we just leave it, because the inflammation will get worse, he might die."

All the servants gasped in horror at her assessment.

"Are you a lady physician or a witch? How could you possibly predict a man's death just by touching his stomach?

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Criticism is a product of a negative mind.

Don't let the words of these negative people stop you from doing positive things.