Chapter 57 — The Medicine Bearer Through the Chaos

Before Confrontation Time

The final days before the trial passed at an unprecedentedly tense pace. Nhuoc Tran arranged two more short meetings between Tinh Yen and an experienced law official, who would officially represent her defense in court, helping her understand the procedural process and how to present evidence in the most convincing way before trial officials who were accustomed to rigid, formalistic reasoning.

"Although her evidence is valuable, most of it is inferential, and there is nothing really certain that can directly attribute responsibility to a specific individual." The law official spoke, his voice straightforward and not evasive. "The court will require more specific things — direct witnesses, irrefutable evidence, or testimony with clear legal value. Just relying on an old official document and a symbol embroidered on a piece of silk, I'm afraid it's not enough to overturn the situation."

Tinh Yen heard that, her heart could not help but feel heavy, but she also understood that this was the most important reason why she needed to focus on the aspect she was most knowledgeable about - medical evidence. She spent the rest of her nights, under the flickering candlelight of her cell, meticulously reviewing all her knowledge about the toxicity of the first cell, about how to distinguish a case of intentional poisoning from an accidental mistake based on specific clinical signs, trying to build a coherent argument based entirely on her expertise - the only thing that, no matter how powerful the hidden enemy, it was difficult to completely distort before the other Royal Physicians present at the trial to interrogate. determined.

"I think the key lies in the medicine cup found on that fateful night." She told Kinh Ba Van during her last visit before the trial. "If you can prove that the medicinal residue in that bowl cannot be the one you personally gave Lady Qin to use, because the combination of medicinal herbs in it is completely opposite to the method you have been applying throughout the month of being on duty, then it will be proof that medicine bowl was swapped after you left, and was not something you prepared directly."

"What do you mean?" Kinh Ba Van asked, listening attentively.

"Each physician has his own way of mixing doses and a certain habit of preparing medicine, even though he uses the same original remedy." Tinh Yen explained. "I always prepare Qin's blood-boosting medicine according to a certain water ratio and preparation time, leaving a unique characteristic in the color and consistency of the medicine that any keen physician can recognize if compared carefully. If the cup of medicine found has a color and consistency that is clearly different from my usual habit of preparing medicine, that will be objective evidence, not dependent on anyone's testimony."

Kinh Ba Van pondered for a moment, then nodded in approval. "This is a much stronger line of argument than we ever thought possible." he said. "I will request that the evidence be publicly examined in court, under the evaluation of many different Royal Physicians, to avoid suspicion of bias."

One afternoon, beyond Tinh Yen's expectations, it was Au Ba Tuong who asked permission to visit her, with a tense expression different from his familiar arrogant attitude. The good prison officer hesitated for a moment before giving permission, because this was not on the list of people previously approved by Nhuoc Tran.

"What are you doing here?" Tinh Yen asked, unable to hide her surprise.

"I came to tell you something." Au Ba Tuong replied, his voice somewhat hesitant. "I've thought a lot since that night. I used to be jealous of you, I used to hope you would fail to prove that your background is not worthy of a position in the institute. But I'm not a heartless person to the point of wanting to see you suffer unjustly for a crime you didn't commit."

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Tinh Yen asked, looking straight at him.

"The night the incident happened, I actually went back to the Pharmacy briefly once, to pick up a forgotten notebook, even though I had previously lied to the Lord Chancellor that I hadn't returned." Au Ba Tuong said, his voice gradually lowered due to embarrassment. "I saw a figure wearing a palace maid's outfit standing near the medicine storage area, but I couldn't see his face clearly because it was dark. At that time, I thought it was just a normal thing so I didn't pay attention. I was afraid that if I confessed that I was there, I would be suspected of being involved, so I kept silent the whole time."

Hearing that, Tinh Yen's heart beat fast because this was an important piece of the puzzle she was missing - a witness, even indirectly, confirming that a strange figure appeared at the exact area and time in question. "Are you willing to testify about this in court?" She asked, her voice filled with hope.

Au Ba Tuong was silent for a moment, then nodded decisively. "I will confess." He said. "I know that doing so could get me blamed for lying before, but I don't want to have to live with knowing that I was silent and let an innocent person suffer unjustly, just because of my own selfishness."

Tinh Yen looked at him with sincere appreciation, realizing that behind the initial arrogant shell, Au Ba Tuong still retained a precious part of the conscience of a physician. "Thank you." She spoke softly. "What you just did took more courage than you thought."

The next day, it was Ngan Ba Thuyen's turn to ask Kinh Ba Van for permission to accompany him on his last visit before the trial. The old man stood silently for a moment in front of the cell door, looking at Tinh Yen with complicated eyes as if he was fighting fiercely with himself.

"I will be present at the trial, and I will testify about your workmanship and your care during your duty." He spoke finally, his voice hoarse. "I can't say everything I know, time doesn't allow, but I won't let history repeat itself again without speaking a word."

That was the closest promise to the truth that Ngan Ba Thuyen had ever uttered, and for Tinh Yen, that was enough for her to feel that, amidst all the dangers, there were still people willing to stand on the right side, even at the cost of the peace they had tried to preserve for the past twenty years.

During those last days, Thanh Phong also found a way to meet Tinh Yen once, even if only for a moment and under the strict supervision of the guards, thanks to the skillful intervention of the great man Ngo. That brief meeting took place in the prison's visiting room, separated by a layer of iron bars, but the eyes the two exchanged were still filled with so many things that couldn't be expressed in words.

"I will be present at the trial." Thanh Phong said, his voice firm. "Even though it may make my father's case more disadvantageous, I cannot be absent on your most important day."

"You don't need to take such risks." Tinh Yen said, her voice more worried for him than for herself. "I don't want you to have to take more risks because of me."

"She once told me, save people first, ask about their identity later." Thanh Phong replied, his eyes firmly looking straight at her through the cold iron bars. "I also have my own principles - protect the people you love first, calculate the political pros and cons later. Don't try to stop me this time, Tinh Yen."

This was the first time he called her by her name directly in front of outsiders, without any reservation, a small gesture but enough to warm Tinh Yen's heart in the coldest of days. She nodded, did not object further, just smiled slightly through the tears that were threatening to flow.

The night before the trial, Tinh Yen barely slept, reviewing every detail of the prepared argument, step by step, the order the judge had instructed, trying to predict all the difficult questions that might arise from the prosecution or from her fellow physicians who might still be skeptical about her. She also did not forget to prepare herself for the worst possibility - that no matter how hard she tried, a trial in the middle of a powerful officialdom could still be influenced by forces beyond the control of a traditional medicine lady like her.

Near dawn, she took out half of the jade amulet and looked at it one last time under the dying candlelight, whispering to it as if she were talking to the deceased. "Tomorrow, I will stand in front of the street, carrying with me everything my teachers and grandmother have taught me." She spoke softly. "Whatever the outcome, I will not be ashamed of my conscience as a physician, and I believe that the truth, no matter how long it is hidden, will eventually find its way to the light."