Chapter 61: Who Is It?

  Qin Langjun looked at Ban Jin.

  "Ban Jin, you're not comfortable here, why don't you come with me?" he said suddenly.

  Half of the celery bowed its head in respect.

  "Thank you, sir," she said, "I don't want to go."

  A maidservant went to stay with her maternal relatives and couldn't make decisions on her own. This was something that Qin Lang Jun shouldn't have asked her, and she shouldn't have answered either.

  Qin Langjun smiled slightly, Zhou Liulang grunted.

  "Go ahead," he said.

  He bowed slightly and backed out with a hint of nervousness.

  The night shrouded the Zhou family's courtyard, and everywhere was lit up with lanterns in the first month of the year, shining brightly and festively.

  Ban Jin stood as usual behind a large tree outside Chang Yaoniang's courtyard, looking at the courtyard that had not yet closed its doors.

  Her hands peeled off the bark, staring blankly at the courtyard.

  A woman walked out from under the corridor, and her slender figure was outlined in the interplay of light and shadow.

  That's... celery, I guess.

  Ban Jin tightened her body and looked through the door at what the maid was saying. Two maidservants were busy nodding respectfully, and hurriedly walked towards the outside of the door.

  The half-fern shrinks back behind the tree.

  "What is Miss Half Cabbage doing with these so late?"

  "It's none of your business what others want, just hurry up and deliver it."

  Two maidservants chatted and quickly walked past on the road, then the gate of the courtyard closed, blocking half of the view.

  She stood there for a moment, then turned and took a step forward, but her feet were numb from the cold. She bent down and rubbed them vigorously for a while before they felt slightly better. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself and ran back to her own place.

  On the way, I met a night patrol servant and couldn't help but take a closer look. When I returned to my residence, the door was also blocked.

  She didn't dare to shout loudly, but carefully knocked on the door, which was opened after a few curses.

  The house was already dark inside, and walking in, I didn't know what I bumped into. It also brought a burst of curses for a moment, after which everything fell silent.

  The sun was shining brightly, and a horse carriage on the main street stopped again as it was about to turn a corner.

  "Master Dalang, Master Sanlang." The maid lifted up the carriage curtain and shouted, at the same time jumping down from the carriage and making a curtsy.

  Fan Jianglin and Xu Maoshou stood side by side.

  "Has sister come home?" they asked, looking at the carriage.

  There was no woman in the carriage again.

  "No, missus asked me to bring some food over." The maid said with a smile.

  Fan Jianglin and Xu Maoshou nodded with a smile.

  "Go back and tell your sister that the matter has been discussed more or less, just wait and see when we can make an appointment." Xu Maoshou said with a hint.

  That is to say, when can I have money?

  The maid nodded and bid farewell.

  People and vehicles go their separate ways.

  Han Yuan stopped in his tracks on the street.

  "What's wrong?" his companion called back.

  "I just saw her, I saw that girl." Han Yuan Chao said, his eyes looking back.

  The horse carriage turned into a narrow alley and disappeared.

  "Which girl?" his companion asked.

  Han Yuanchao smiled and took the lead.

  "Neither is," he said with a smile.

  The companion laughed and shook his head as he followed, but on the street, it was a commotion.

  "Get out of the way."

  Accompanied by shouts and curses, a servant from who-knows-which family brandished a stick and recklessly cleared a path.

  Pedestrians on the street dodged one after another, and those who were hit could only consider themselves unlucky. The identity that could use guards to clear the way was naturally not low, and it was impossible to accuse them of disturbing the people.

  "Who is that?" Han Won-jo and his companions were also squeezed aside, unable to help but ask.

  "An outsider?" someone beside them said, sizing up the two of them. "And a scholar to boot, coming to the capital city, some people's family crests are worth memorizing."

  Han Yuanchao and his companions exchanged a glance and were all amused.

  "May I ask, sir, whose noble person is this?" they asked.

  The old man wore an air of worldly wisdom with a hint of pride.

  "Good, I'll tell you, this is Tong Naihan's carriage." He said, thinking of something and laughing in a low voice, "Tong Naihan shouldn't have eaten too much clock milk and gone crazy again, right?"

  Nei Han is Nei Zhi Hanlin Xueshi, a close minister of the emperor, responsible for drafting imperial edicts.

  Han Yuanchao naturally knew about this medicine, and he also knew because his elders at home had taken it.

  But this is also something that not everyone can afford.

  Jin Shi Dan medicine has always been used by wealthy and noble people.

  "Three thousand taels of stalactites!" The old man shook his head and walked away.

  This is nothing unusual in Beijing.

  Han Yuanchao and his companions exchanged a glance, smiled slightly, and continued on their way.

  The streets have returned to their usual bustle of people coming and going.

  A galloping carriage stopped in front of a mansion, where four or five men were anxiously waiting at the gate, and rushed over before the carriage came to a complete stop.

  "Mr. Li! Mr. Li!" they shouted in a hubbub.

  The curtain was lifted, and a little boy jumped out first, followed by Li Taizhen's shaky descent from the carriage.

  "Hurry up, hurry up." The welcoming people urged.

  "Don't worry, don't worry," said Dr. Li.

  The old man's movements were slow, and the impatient crowd couldn't help but want to pick him up and run, but this old man was a Hanlin medical officer of the Imperial Medical Bureau, and still a medical officer who had been bestowed with a purple robe by the Empress Dowager, so they didn't dare treat him casually.

  The courtyard was filled with wails that shook the sky.

  "What are you crying about? Don't be so down!" a man shouted as he rushed into the room.

  The maidservant in the courtyard hurriedly covered her mouth.

  Li Taizhen stepped into the house, and the woman inside couldn't even be bothered to retreat.

  "Mr. Li, come and see what's wrong with the old master?" said Tong Nei Han's wife tearfully, leading him in personally.

  Li Taizhen stepped into the house, and inside, a pale, chubby man in his late forties lay on his back on the bed, his whole body trembling, his eyes tightly closed, letting out hoarse cries one after another.

  Li Taizhen didn't approach, but looked around and indeed saw a small table beside him with a brocade box on it, inside which was an overturned porcelain bottle.

  "Are you taking calomel again?" he said.

  "Yes, it's the new one from the south," said Mrs. Tung, wiping away tears. "It was a good one, and after eating it for just a few days, it suddenly became like this."

  Li Taizhen grunted.

  "Didn't I say that this thing is best left uneaten by you, Tōng-dàren?" he said.

  "Sir, Master's leg disease. Only after eating this can it be controlled, if you don't eat it, you won't be able to walk." Madam Tong said with tears in her eyes.

  Li Taigong shook his head and looked at Tong Neihan on the bed, who was still making a loud, hoarse cry.

  The little boy opened the medicine box and handed it over. Dr. Li picked up a golden needle from it, knelt down in front of the bed, pressed Tong Nei Han's head with one hand, and pricked the needle into his hair with the other.

  The shouting in the house suddenly stopped.

  Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

  "Divine doctor, divine doctor." The low, murmured words of admiration from outside.

  "What kind of divine doctor am I?" Li Taoyi muttered, standing up and looking at Tong Neihan who was trembling all over on the couch.

  "An adult should be humble, an adult should be humble." Madam Tong hastily wiped away her tears and said.

  The sons beside him also busily thanked them.

  "No need to thank me, prepare for the aftermath." said Li Taishan.

  One sentence made everyone in the house take a cold breath. Their faces were shocked.

  "Older brother!"

  The house was suddenly thrown into confusion.

  "I'm at my wit's end. But it's better to let him go with some dignity, using acupuncture. Otherwise, dying from frantic shouting is just...". Li Taoyi shook his head and said, he had seen too many reactions like this when facing life and death, and didn't feel anything anymore. He called out to the young servant boy, "Why don't you go ask another doctor to take a look?"

  The imperial physicians all said there was no hope for recovery, where else could we invite a physician to go?

  The Tong family's faces turned pale instantly.

  Since Father was indeed beyond help, the funeral rites were a major affair and could not be taken lightly. The Tong children immediately busied themselves inviting their elders or sending letters to their brothers living elsewhere, and the sorrowful atmosphere was somewhat alleviated by the commotion.

  The women outside heard the news and burst into tears again.

  "Oh heavens, sister! What are we going to do?" Several beauties in their twenties hugged each other and trembled with fear.

  Tong Nianhan is around. These beauties have no worries about food and clothing, if Tong Nianhan were gone, they would be nothing at home.

  Madam Tong would inevitably have to either sell them or give them away.

  Giving is good, but some of those who have raised children cannot bear to part with them.

  They all burst into tears uncontrollably at once.

  The old master is going to die, the old master is going to die, it can't be cured...

  Suddenly, a beautiful concubine abruptly lifted her head.

  "You, have you heard?" she said in a trembling voice.

  "What are you still thinking about at this time?" A maid cried, "Don't worry about others for now, we're struggling to save ourselves."

  "No, no, there's someone who says that those who are destined to die cannot be cured!" The concubine said, "Well, Master is now a person destined to die, so he can be cured."

  Everyone was crying, they were whispering in the back and soon everyone's gaze turned over.

  "What's the point of saying anything? Some people are just beyond help."

  The beautiful concubine looked towards the house, biting her lower lip.

  "Madam, madam." She stood up and shouted, crying as she rushed in, "Please ask someone to come and take a look at the old master again."

  The legitimate relatives who were discussing funeral affairs in the house were startled and saw that it was a concubine, which made them even more angry.

  "Madam, madam, it's the immortal Program's daughter-in-law." The concubine hastily said before being dragged away, "The Program's daughter-in-law who cured Old Master Chen's illness, from Jiangzhou, a disciple of Li Daozu, Li Shenxian Zhenren, she can cure her, she said only treats those who are doomed to die!"

  These rumors were also slightly heard by the Tong family, but they didn't take it seriously.

  "What's all this commotion?" Madam Tong cried out, kneeling beside the bed and holding her husband who was gasping for air, wailing loudly.

  "Madam, madam, it's really true, everyone outside is talking about it. Madam, please try it out." The concubine also wailed loudly, banging her head on the ground, "Madam, please try again for master's sake. You don't want him to die like this, do you? There are people who can cure him, why not give it a try?"

  Anyway, the old master is dead, and she won't have a good ending either. Even if this remark angers the madam, it's not a big deal. If the old master really recovers, not only will wealth and nobility be preserved, but also personal merit will be gained.

  These words indeed enraged Mrs. Tong, and her several sons also looked gloomy.

  "Scoundrel," they shouted, "come on, throw him out."

  "Madam, madam, it's really the fairy-like Madame Cheng! Others can't cure him, but she said only those on the verge of death can be cured. Please, madam, let her take a look at master, let her take a look at master, and we'll have done our best." The concubine cried out, rushing forward to tightly hug Madam Tong's legs. "If master is gone, none of us will have good days ahead... Sanlang, Silang, neither of them has an heir..."

  These words made several men in the house look a bit somber.

  Tong Nei Han's status was naturally enough to bring benefits to his descendants, but it could only benefit the eldest son. Other sons had to either rely on studying and taking imperial examinations or wait for their father to achieve more merits.

  Reading books for the imperial examination is indeed hard work. Although Tong Nei Han said it was a position close to the emperor, after all, it was not a position that could easily gain merit, so the only way out was to endure and accumulate experience. In this way, if the next generation of sons failed in the imperial examination, they could still rely on their father's accumulated experience to get by.

  If I die like this, the future of my children will naturally be better than when their father is alive.

  "That Mrs. Cheng, can she really cure it?" one of her sons asked.

  The beautiful concubine was overjoyed and knocked her head loudly.

  "Please try it, young master," she sobbed.

  The son looks at other people.

  "Then go and invite them." The elder said after making a decision.

  "Wait." Madam Tong shouted.

  Everyone looked back and saw Mei Zhuang suddenly crying again, and her sons hesitated to comfort her.

  "That girl, seeing a doctor has rules, people don't come to the door for diagnosis." Madam Tong cried out, stretching out her hand to pat the bed, "Quickly carry your father away!"

  Note 1: In Bai Juyi's poem, "Three thousand taels of silver, twelve rows of golden hairpins"

  One update today, sorry