She turned her head and saw that the Guard was standing there.

“The Physician is here.”

Her eyes moved from the guard to the Physician who was standing behind the Guard. It was the same Physician who had taken care of her, Imperial Physician Hou. He was in a dishevelled state. His hair was barely tied up in a messy topknot and it was clear he had thrown a cloak over his nightclothes. He had a bag in his hand, no doubt containing everything he would need in an emergency.

She stood. “Physician Hou,” she greeted. “Apologies for calling on you so late at night. There has been an emergency, I am afraid.”

The Physician immediately shook his head. “It is my duty to attend to the Imperial Concubines, my lady.”

She sighed. “It is not me you must attend to. It is someone else. However, you will have to wait for a moment. Is that alright?”

The man seemed curious but nodded nonetheless. She walked towards the bath chambers where Min and Rin were, with Lian and Yu waiting outside.

“Lian, go and get the Physician seated in the parlour while I bring Rin.”

She knocked on the bath chambers. “Rin, Min?”

The sound of water splashing inside stopped and she took that as her cue to speak. “Rin, I have called for the Physician. Do you think you can see him?”

Silence. In the silence, she could hear Rin’s voice hitching, probably due to panic building up in her.

“He won’t touch you if you don’t want her to. Min will be with you inside the curtain and the rest of us will be just outside. But he needs to see you. You need ointment to heal your wounds and … medicine to prevent … unwanted consequences. I know this is hard, Rin. But do you think you can gather the courage to meet him? This is important.”

Silence once again. She did not speak; instead, she waited for Rin to make her decision. She could not force or pressure the girl.

“He will not touch me?” Rin’s whispered question was carried over to her from behind the door.

Samaya exhaled softly. “No, not unless you give him permission.”

“O-okay.”

“Alright. Come out when you feel like you are ready.”

As she walked out to meet the Physician, she told Su to get the bed ready for Lian and instructed Yu to take her son to one of the spare rooms. He did not need to be here anymore. After assuring Manu that it would be alright and that she would come to him soon, Yu gently led him away and Samaya went to the parlour to speak to the Physician.

Samaya entered the parlour, where the Physician was now seated. He looked up as she approached, his eyes full of concern and curiosity. His dishevelled appearance did little to hide his professionalism; even in the middle of the night, he was ready to serve. Samaya took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke.

"Physician Hou," she began, her voice firm but tinged with the gravity of the situation, "thank you for coming on such short notice. I apologise for disturbing your rest, but this matter could not wait."

Imperial Physician Hou inclined his head. "My lady, please do not worry about that. I can see that something is troubling you deeply. What has happened?"

Samaya hesitated for a brief moment, choosing her words carefully. She needed the Physician to understand the severity of the situation without overwhelming him with details that might cloud his judgment. "A grievous incident has occurred," she said slowly. "A maid of the Harem, Rin, has suffered a great violation. She was… assaulted. She belongs to Lady Siyun’s household but this happened when Rin was on her way to meet her sister and friend, both of whom belong here. So, they brought her here.”

Physician Hou's eyes widened, and a shadow passed over his face. His lips pressed into a thin line, and he nodded slightly, indicating that he understood. "This is most tragic," he said softly. "How can I assist?"

"Rin is understandably terrified," Samaya continued, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. "She has agreed to see you, but only on the condition that you do not touch her unless she permits it. I ask that you be as gentle and sensitive as possible. She is in a very fragile state, both physically and emotionally."

The Physician nodded again, his expression sombre. "Of course, my lady. I will do everything in my power to help her without causing further distress."

"Thank you," Samaya replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Rin also needs immediate treatment. She has injuries that require ointment, and she needs medicine to prevent… any unwanted consequences of the assault."

Physician Hou's expression remained grave as he took in Samaya's words. "I understand. I will prepare the necessary treatments."

"One more thing, Physician Hou," Samaya said, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "If it comes to it, I may need you to testify about the findings of your examination. Are you willing to do that?"

The Physician looked into Samaya's eyes, his gaze unwavering. "If it is necessary to bring justice for the wrong done to her, then yes, I will testify."

Samaya felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had feared that the Physician might hesitate or refuse, but his immediate agreement showed his integrity. The lack of hesitation honestly surprised Samaya.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Thank you, Physician Hou. Your willingness to stand by us in this difficult time means more than you can know."

The Physician bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, and Samaya gestured for him to follow her to the main chambers, where Rin was laid down on her bed.

When they arrived at the chambers, the air was thick with tension. The atmosphere was almost stifling, and she could feel the unspoken fear and nervousness emanating from the girls.. Samaya knocked gently on the door before entering, signalling the others that it was time. She did not need to, but she knew it was better not to startle them.

"Rin," she called softly, "the Physician is here. Are you ready?"

After a moment of silence, Rin’s voice, still trembling, responded, "Yes, my lady."

Samaya allowed the Physician to step inside first. Rin was sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, and Min was sitting beside her, holding her hand tightly. Su was standing nearby, her face etched with worry and anger.

Physician Hou approached the bed cautiously, his movements slow and deliberate. He stopped a few paces away, not wanting to overwhelm Rin with his presence. "Lady Rin," he said gently, "I am here to help you. I will not touch you unless you allow it."

Rin nodded slightly, her eyes downcast. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"May I check your pulse?" the Physician asked softly. "I promise I will be very careful. And I will be using a cloth to cover your wrist. My skin will not touch yours. "

Rin's breath hitched slightly, and Min squeezed her hand in silent support. Samaya stepped closer to the bed, her voice soft but firm as she addressed both Rin and Min. "Su and Min will stay with you while the Physician examines you. Lian and I will wait outside."

Rin hesitated for a moment, glancing at them, before slowly extending her hand. Samaya gave a small nod and stepped back. Lian, who had been standing by the bed, followed her, drawing the curtains at her instructions. Despite the drawn curtains, she could still see a subtle silhouette due to the bedside candle.

The Physician approached cautiously, keeping his movements as non-threatening as possible. He pulled out a cotton cloth from his bag and pressed it on her wrist before he checked her pulse. t Samaya could see the tensing of his shoulder even from her place. It must be bad.

"You are strong, Lady Rin," Samaya heard Physician Hou say. "You have endured much, but I will help you recover."

Rin said nothing, but she gave a small nod.

The Physician then opened the bag and took out a small jar of ointment. He placed them on the table beside the bed, his movements deliberate and calm. "This ointment will help with the injuries," he explained, "and while I do not have them on me as of now, I will be sending you some dried herbs. These herbs, when taken as tea, will prevent anything from resulting from this assault."

Rin gave a small nod.

“Do not apply too much of the ointment in … sensitive areas,” the man said. “Only a small amount on the tip of your finger will do. Make sure to clean any wound with clean water first.”

Another, more hesitant, nod.

The Physician made both Min and Su repeat the instructions back to him twice before he was satisfied. "The ointment will help with the healing," he said softly. "It may sting a little at first, but that will pass. And I will send those herbs soon. Steep them as you would any tea."

"Do I have to… drink it?" Rin asked hesitantly.

"Yes," the Physician replied gently. "If you do not wish for … I will be frank, a child to come out of this, then you must. I know it may be difficult, but it is important."

Rin’s hesitance showed her uncertainty. Samaya spoke up from the other side of the curtain, "You don't have to drink it right now, Rin. We can make the tea and leave it for you to take when you're ready. There's no rush."

Rin seemed to relax slightly at Samaya's words, and she nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

The Physician gathered his things, preparing to leave the room. Before he stood, he turned to Samaya, his expression serious. "Lady Qing," he said quietly, "if Rin experiences any pain or discomfort in the coming days, please send for me immediately. I will come as soon as I can."

Samaya nodded, grateful for his diligence. "Thank you, Physician Hou. We will do as you advise." She paused. “I may need to summon you later to know the extent of the wounds.”

“Of course, my lady.”

The Physician bowed slightly and left the room, leaving Samaya, Lian, Su, Min, and Rin in the quiet stillness. Samaya could feel the tension beginning to ease, though the air was still heavy with the unspoken trauma that had taken place. She knew that Rin had a long road to recovery ahead of her, but she was determined to support however she could.

“Rin, you can stay here for the night. Su and Min, you can stay with her.”

“But-”

“But nothing. Stay here. That is an order.”

That seemed to shut them up. They took orders seriously. Good. They all needed their rest. But before that…

“Rin.” She sat down on the bed, looking at her. “I know this is a very difficult time for you, but I need you to answer my question. Who did this to you?”

Rin stiffened almost immediately and shrunk in on herself. It was a reaction she had seen before. She shook her head frantically.

“Rin, I know you are scared. But I cannot help you if you do not tell me who it was.”

Rin’s lips trembled before he shook her head again. “You… you cannot help me anyway, Lady Qing. He’s… he’s very powerful.”

So, someone powerful. Very few men were allowed access to the Harem, let alone powerful men.

“I know,” she whispered. “Do not worry. I will speak to the Emperor. You do not need to be afraid. I will protect you, I promise.”

Rin was still trembling. Min and Su were silent but they seemed conflicted about the whole situation. They clearly were angry and wanted to get justice but they did not want to see their loved one like this.

Samaya tried again. “Rin, if you do not speak up, he will do that again. If not to you, then someone else. Please.”

Rin kept silent. Samaya wondered if she should use Min and Su as an example but … would that be too low of her? After a moment, she sighed softly and stood. She could try again tomorrow. She did not want to push the girl any more than this.

“Alright. Rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, she turned to leave. She had only taken a few steps when the girl spoke.

“Kang Yanxin.”

Samaya immediately turned to face her, only to find Rin with her head ducked, clutching the sheets tightly.

“It was Kang Yanxin.”