Sandara was already unconscious when Seol and Byeol arrived with the doctor. She had no energy left after endless vomitting. Her body wouldn't accept food, not even a sip of water. Her lips were dry, her face as white as paper, her hands as cold as ice.

Meanwhile Kang Daesung had sent a lot of messages to His Excellency, and kept panicking, having experienced such a scary situation for the first time.

Well everyday with Kwon Jiyong was scary! What more now that something happened to their lady!

When the doctor came, he penned another note and sent it via a messenger pigeon.

Inside Sandara's room...

"Please step back for a while," The ever so gentle doctor said and when Jo Sanggung and the rest gave him enough room, he started checking Sandara's pulse before inserting his acupuncture needles to check if there was poison. When he lifted it up, he sighed in relief when it showed the lady wasn't poisoned.

"Did Manim suffer from any pain before? When did this start?" he asked.

"No, doctor. She just said she felt dizzy this morning. Then she was throwing up every now and then. I tried to feed her but even the smallest amount of water, she would expel! Then she started complaining her stomach hurts."

"Please give this doctor a list of the food she ate yesterday including the ingredients," The doctor calmly said while he started applying acupressure to her wrists to ease her nausea. Jo Sanggung immediately penned everything down and handed it to the doctor. He creased his brows as he studied it.

"Seol, Byeol, you stayed the longest with her. Anything on the list that she doesn't usually eat?" Doctor Lee asked the two but they only shook their heads.

"Manim usually eats these. She even helped us prepare the food yesterday,"

"Was she suffering from loose bowel movement?"

Jo Sanggung answered, "No. She only kept vomitting. The doctor nodded and faced them ever so calmly. "It is possible that Manim is suffering from stomach flu," The doctor stated as he reached for a brush and paper.

"Please prepare some ginger tea first to ease her nausea and then follow the measurements of water, salt and sugar for the rehydration solution. Manim is currently dehydrated so we need to work quickly."

"Yes, doctor. This one shall make it now," Jo Sanggung hurriedly left to prepare it.

"I would have to trouble you to find me these medicinal ingredients as well." The doctor handed a list to Kang Daesung and he quickly left as well.

"Doctor Lee, will Manim wake up soon?" Byeol asked and the doctor smiled gently as he nodded.

"Don't worry, she'll wake up soon."

"I wonder why she's the only one who got an upset stomach though," Seol thought for a while. Come to think of it, they all ate the same thing yesterday!

"Exactly!" Byeol retorted. "She ate with us. We ate the same food. Why did none of us feel sick?"

Doctor Lee listened to the two's exchanges. He had a haunch but it's too early to tell.

Kang Daesung headed to the palace royal pharmacy to ask for some ingredients that were hard to find in a local pharmacy. When the King caught wind of the news, he immediately called the guy and asked for the situation.

When the King learned about this, he immediately left in disguise with Park Won-hee and brought two more royal doctors.

Kang Daesung cleared the entire household of servants before the King arrived. All who were left were Jo Sanggung, Doctor Lee, two more royal doctors, the shadow guards and him.

"Jeonha," Jo Sanggung bowed and stepped back giving him enough room. The King signaled the doctors to inspect Sandara and they said the same as Doctor Lee's diagnosis. Even when they read the latter's prescriptions, they had to agree that indeed those were the best and most effective ingredients.

 He knelt beside the unconscious form of Sandara and sighed in worry as he scanned her pale face and cracked lips.

"How long has it been since she passed out?"

"Almost six hours, Jeonha," Jo Sanggung answered.

"It's been that long yet that doctor you got couldn't even wake her up?" The King stood up and eyed Doctor Lee from head to toe. "Introduce yourself!"

"I am Doctor Lee, one of the new doctors in Cherry Blossom House in Busan county, Jeonha," Doctor Lee bowed as he spoke.

"Jeonha, if this one may speak, Manim's favored servants attested they knew Doctor Lee,"

Yi Sung only sized up the doctor. So his aunt in law has an acquaintance like this? He crossed his arms over his chest. He's not bad. He's tall, his face and complexion were even better than most girls, he looked gentle and polite. Every inch the opposite of his arrogant and distant uncle.

Yi Sung cleared his throat. What was he even thinking? And speaking of that uncle of his, where in the world was he again?

"Did you inform uncle?"

"Yes Jeonha. But this one hasn't received any response yet," Kang Daesung answered.

"He must be busy," Yi Sung said, not wanting to make his uncle look bad to everyone, especially to Park Won-hee who was standing in a corner and looking at his sister with so much worry. If Governor Park learns about this, how would he, the king, face his beloved mentor? "If uncle receives the news, wouldn't he come back immediately?"

But even until late in the afternoon when the King finally left and Sandara finally gained consciousness, Kwon Jiyong hadn't come back yet.

"Doctor Lee! Doctor Lee!!!" Jo Sanggung called Doctor Lee who was busy concocting medicine with the other two doctors outside. He immediately rushed in and found Sandara lazily fluttering her eyes. A smile crept up his lips as he sat by her side and checked her pulse.

"You..." Sandara's voice was weak and her body languid, but her vision was clear enough to make out his face. "Doctor Lee, what are you doing here?"

The gentleman just smiled at her and calmly pressed on her inner wrist, making sure to ease her nausea.

"Does Manim still feel nauseous?" He calmly asked. To this, Sandara shook her head. She tried to sit up and even though Doctor Lee wanted to help her up, he moved back to ask for Jo Sanggung's help. It's not like he could touch somebody else's woman.

"Please drink this first to rehydrate your body," He handed her the rehydration solution they've been feeding her since earlier. Sandara took a sip slowly.

"Doctor Ho asked this subordinate to meet someone in Hanyang and do some errands for him. I happened to bump into Seol and Byeol earlier and so they asked for my help. Since it is Manim's health which is at stake, this doctor didn't dare delay and rushed here immediately."

"I'm really sorry for bothering you, Doctor Lee."

"It's this doctor's job to look after patients anytime."

Jo Sanggung felt uneasy between the two. If one's going to look at them, it's not an exaggeration to say they look good together. The doctor was calm and every inch a gentleman, handsome, tall and fair, while their lady exuded beauty and charm comparable to a goddess or fairy. But she was loyal to His Excellency. Why, His Excellency is a handsome guy too! Only so cold and distant, like an immortal who's above all else in this world. 

Jo Sanggung interfered. "Manim, Jeonha dropped by with your brother earlier. Your brother said he'll come back after sending His Majesty back to the palace safely."

"Jeonha shouldn't have wasted his time for this aunt. He was a very busy person. I feel bad for bringing him inconvenience." Sandara bit her lip as she pondered. "Orabeonni on the other hand must be so worried," Sandara sighed. 

"Aigoo, Manim... We're all worried for you! Everyone here almost had a heart attack because of you! Even this old body almost surrendered because of worrying for your sake! If His Excellency learns about this—"

"Don't bother letting him know," Sandara smiled a bit. "Daegam is busy. Let him be. Besides I'm alright now. It's nothing too serious, right Doctor Lee?"

Jo Sanggung didn't argue anymore. What's the use of telling her lady that Kang Daesung sent a whole lot of messages to His Excellency but got no reply at all? Besides, if he received the message, he should be back right? Jo Sanggung suddenly wanted to smack His Excellency in the head to put some sense into him. How could he not worry for his wife?

Meanwhile, Doctor Lee was worried abou