This was the day for Shen Yiru’s scheduled visit to the palace to treat the Empress Dowager.
Upon arriving at Renshou Palace, Shen Yiru checked the Empress Dowager’s pulse and began the acupuncture session. Once finished, she wrote out a prescription and handed it to Nanny Zheng.
"This is the prescription I have tailored to the Empress Dowager's condition," she explained. "Follow it exactly: decoct the herbs using three bowls of water until only one remains. One dose should be taken in two parts, morning and evening, with three doses constituting a full course of treatment. After that, wait for my next visit; I will adjust the prescription based on how the Empress Dowager is feeling then."
Chapter 36