The Marquis Dingxi thought the Emperor was struggling to make a decision about this matter and felt anxious and uneasy, but Cai Zhong, the eunuch beside him, could see that the Emperor was actually distracted.

Cai Zhong glanced at the Emperor, then at the Marquis Dingxi kneeling outside.

This marquis didn’t interact much with court officials, and he rarely came to the capital. To the people of the capital, he was somewhat unfamiliar, but considering that he always sent the appropriate gifts during festivals and New Year…

Though those gifts were just taro and other specialties from Yongqing Prefecture, if they were truly valuable gifts, they wouldn’t dare accept them. People like them loved both money and face, because they knew that what they lacked most in the world’s eyes was precisely face.

Cai Zhong carried tea and bowed as he approached, this movement bringing the Emperor back to his senses.

“I see.” He slowly began to speak.

The Marquis Dingxi outside quickly kowtowed again.

“It’s this subject’s failure in teaching my son. This subject is willing to…” He said in a trembling voice, filled with trepidation.

Before he could finish, the Emperor interrupted him.

“I approve.” He said. “He’s your own son, handle it as you see fit.”

The Marquis Dingxi was stunned.

Just like that, approved?

For a moment, he couldn’t react.

The Emperor had already stood up.

“What? Do you have something else?” Seeing the marquis still kneeling motionlessly, he frowned and asked.

In the Emperor’s presence, it was always better to have fewer matters than more. The Marquis Dingxi quickly thanked him and prepared to leave.

“Oh, right.” The Emperor suddenly remembered something and called back the Marquis Dingxi who was rising to leave.

The Marquis Dingxi’s heart sank.

“When you return, tell Chang Yuncheng not to leave for now. Wait for another assignment.” The Emperor said, then walked away.

It’s over!

The Marquis Dingxi felt his heart turn cold.

In the end, the position still couldn’t be saved.

The Marquis Dingxi’s heir was stripped of his title, the Rao family’s daughter’s coffin was transported back to Shandong, and the matter ended quietly and simply.

This left the people of the capital, who had been waiting to see bigger and longer-lasting drama, very disappointed. Many people hadn’t even had time to join the spectating crowd.

These noble families were just boring like this – they didn’t dare make a big fuss about anything. Much thunder but little rain, blown away by a gust of wind. Really boring!

However, what provided some consolation was that when the Rao family daughter’s coffin was being loaded onto the cart, the attending maid was overcome with grief and went mad, crashing into the coffin and dying in martyrdom. This made people sigh with emotion for a moment, providing a perfect tragic ending to this drama.

“He still won’t see me?” Qi Yue asked, somewhat restless.

A’Ru nodded.

“The Marquis Dingxi’s residence won’t see anyone. They won’t open the door, no matter who calls or who comes.” She said. “I’ve been there three times already.”

“Good that he won’t see you. This kind of disgraceful affair – if you got dragged into it, you’d really be finished. At least he’s still human.” Zhou Maochun said, while eating a piece of crystal pork elbow and beckoning to Qi Yue. “Come, come, try this, try this. This was specially presented to me by some official from the Five Cities Military Commissioner’s Office.”

Zhou Maochun didn’t care about money or possessions, constantly receiving this and that from various people, making those who wanted to curry favor with him rack their brains.

“Foster father, after eating someone’s food, you can’t even remember who they are. This person is really at a loss.” Qi Yue said, sitting down and looking at the food dishes, shaking her head. “I can’t eat anything.”

“How can you not eat?” Zhou Maochun raised his eyebrows, taking another big bite and speaking unclearly. “Such a happy occasion, heaven really has eyes, letting the Marquis Dingxi’s family make trouble for themselves. They deserve it, it’s karma! Let them learn their lesson! How dare they deceive me! Let them be ruined!”

“Foster father.” Qi Yue called out, pointing at herself. “Your daughter is still here!”

Zhou Maochun chuckled and coughed from choking.

“Yes, yes, I know daughters favor outsiders.” He said.

“Yuncheng is also an innocent disaster, too unfair.” Qi Yue said.

“What’s unfair? What innocent disaster? This is what he deserves.” Zhou Maochun snorted. “Having parents like that is his fate.”

Qi Yue stopped talking to him, resting her head on her hand and sighing.

“He’s also worried about me getting implicated, so he’s avoiding me.” She said. “If he won’t see me, I’ll write a letter and you have someone deliver it.”

A’Hao quickly brought over ink, brush, paper, and inkstone.

Zhou Maochun watched her write.

“Tell that boy that no one wants him now, he should come beg me. I’ll show mercy and let him come to our house as a son-in-law.” He said.

Qi Yue smiled and nodded.

“Good idea.” She said, while writing a few lines and then putting down the brush.

“Just writing this little?” A’Hao asked, tilting her head.

“No need to say so much.” Qi Yue smiled, shaking the letter paper.

A’Ru reached out to take it and let it dry.

“Lord Zhou, Lord Zhou.” Someone called respectfully from outside.

“I’m busy.” Zhou Maochun said decisively without hesitation. “Whoever it is, go wait.”

As he spoke, he picked up his tea and drank it contentedly.

“Lord Zhou, it’s not someone else, His Majesty is looking for you.” The person outside said with a smile.

Zhou Maochun coughed twice.

This couldn’t be kept waiting.

He hurriedly followed them.

A’Ru went to deliver the letter, while Qi Yue returned to Chen Shi’s place.

“Has Madam taken her medicine? How is she today?” She asked.

“Miss Caiqing is attending to her, we servants don’t know.” The servant woman replied.

Qi Yue looked toward Chen Shi’s room and frowned.

Since that incident, she hadn’t gone to see Chen Shi again. She had asked Zhou Maochun about Chen Shi’s condition, but Zhou Maochun only vaguely said “just like that, let her recuperate.”

“Has the house been selected?” Qi Yue asked.

A’Hao nodded.

“Sister A’Ru said we’ll select furniture today.” She said.

Qi Yue looked toward Chen Shi’s side again.

“When she’s better, I’ll tell her we’re moving out.” She said, then thought of something else. “Speaking of furniture, Qianjin Hall also needs some. Let’s go take a look.”

A’Hao nodded.

The two had just entered and turned to go out again.

Chen Shi’s side soon learned about this.

“Miss, Miss Qi is planning to move out, isn’t she?” Caiqing said softly.

Chen Shi lay with her eyes closed and made a sound of acknowledgment.

“Should we… try to stop her?” Caiqing asked.

“No need.” Chen Shi said, her voice soft and powerless. “No need for me to stop her now. As long as she’s in the capital, it’s the same wherever she lives.”

“What if she wants to leave the capital?” Caiqing couldn’t help asking.

Chen Shi smiled, opening her eyes with a somewhat dazed look.

“Then I don’t need to stop her either…” She said. “Someone else will…”

Caiqing made a sound of understanding and bent down to tuck Chen Shi’s blanket.

“Is it dark already?” Chen Shi suddenly asked.

Caiqing’s body trembled.

“No.” She said in a trembling voice.

Chen Shi made a sound of acknowledgment, said nothing more, and closed her eyes.

Caiqing stood by the bed, tears streaming down like rain.

Qi Yue had already reached the street where Qianjin Hall was located. From a distance, she could see quite a few people gathered, excitedly pointing and looking at something.

“Make way, make way.”

A peddler carrying a pole shouted as he ran quickly past them.

“There’s some excitement to watch.” Qi Yue laughed, nudging A’Hao. “Let’s hurry.”

A’Hao happily agreed.

The closer they got, the more wrong it felt. Until she saw the crowd and the three large characters on the signboard: Qianjin Hall.

“Go find Hu San, bring people.” Qi Yue said without hesitation, patting A’Hao’s shoulder.

A’Hao turned and ran.

Qi Yue squeezed into the crowd, determined to see what kind of people her pharmacy that hadn’t even opened yet had provoked.

Inside Qianjin Hall, the first thing that caught her eye was four servants with arms crossed blocking the door, then a table in the center that had been dragged over to serve as a chair. On it sat a young man with his legs crossed – brocade clothes and magnificent robes, face like jade, elegant and handsome.

In front of them were Old Physician An and Liu Pucheng.

Though there weren’t many people, it was quite lively.

“Old white-hair, since this is a pharmacy, why won’t you treat patients?” The young master said, swinging his legs with an uncomfortable smile, extending his hand. “Take a look, divine physician.”

“Little Prince, I’ve already said this isn’t my pharmacy. Please forgive me, Little Prince.” Old Physician An said.

“This really isn’t a pharmacy…” Liu Pucheng also hurriedly said.

Before he finished speaking, there was a crashing sound.

A servant had kicked over a table.

Old Physician An’s expression became increasingly grim.

“Little Prince…” His voice involuntarily rose.

“What are you shouting for? Didn’t you say this isn’t a pharmacy?” The Little Prince laughed, raising his hand again. Another series of crashes followed as several servants kicked over nearby tables and chairs, and some even picked up stools and smashed them hard on the ground.

“What are you doing?” Liu Pucheng shouted. “This is my family’s pharmacy. In broad daylight, you…”

“So is it a pharmacy or not?” The Little Prince frowned with a smile. “Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Are you sick?”

“Little Prince, if you have any issue with me, come at me directly. Don’t harm the innocent.” Old Physician An said seriously, pushing his wheelchair forward a step.

“I have no issue with you.” The Little Prince laughed. “What issue could I have with you? You’re a doctor, treat patients. Come, come, come…”

He stretched out his hand.

“Divine Physician An, my stomach hurts. Take a look for me.” He said, laughing as he spoke.

“Little Prince, just tell me what you want me to do.” Old Physician An looked at him and said.

“What could I want you to do? Treat patients.” The Little Prince widened his eyes in feigned surprise. “What? Are you actually willing to treat me?”

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand.

“My god, what kind of pharmacy is this? You pick and choose patients? Where’s your medical ethics?”

While speaking, he covered his stomach shouting about stomach pain, pain, dying from pain…

Accompanying his shouts, the servants moved again. Having smashed everything in sight, the group simply rushed toward the counter.

Liu Pucheng hurriedly tried to stop them but was unceremoniously kicked down by a servant.

“Who needs treatment?”

A female voice came from outside at this moment.

The servants who were enthusiastically destroying things stopped, and everyone looked toward the door.

“I’m the owner here, and also the physician here.” Qi Yue said, her gaze sweeping over the people in the room and settling on the Little Prince. “I wonder how we’ve offended you gentlemen?”

The Little Prince looked her up and down.

“Old white-hair, you’re really going backwards, actually letting a woman come out to take the blame.” He spat and said.

“Where are you from?” Qi Yue ignored his words and asked again.

A servant jerked his head.

“No harm in telling you.” He said, hands on his hips. “We’re from Julu.”

Qi Yue made a sound of understanding.

“Julu donkeys.” She said with some confusion. “This is a pharmacy, not a place to treat livestock. Are you in the wrong place?”

The servant was stunned, then his face flushed red, while laughter erupted from outside.

This servant spoke with a thick accent, and when he announced “Julu,” it indeed sounded like “donkey.”

This was a common problem for people from that region, so they inevitably earned the nickname “Julu donkeys” when away from home.

This might be fine when applied to other Julu people, but when used on the Sima family, it was asking for death!

“You little woman have quite the nerve! Do you know who we are?” The Little Prince’s face also darkened as he shouted.

“I know, Julu donkeys.” Qi Yue smiled.

Old Physician An became anxious and quickly pushed his wheelchair over.

“Miss Qi, Miss Qi, this is my affair. I’ve implicated you. Don’t take it to heart.” He said, then repeatedly bowed to the Little Prince. “Little Prince, it’s my fault. Do whatever you want, just please don’t involve the innocent.”

“What do I want to do? What can I do? I came here nicely to see a doctor, but you refused to treat me, then insulted me…” The Little Prince jumped down from the table, shouting. “This isn’t over…”

“That’s right, this isn’t over.” Qi Yue interrupted him.

Before she finished speaking, chaotic footsteps sounded outside, followed by commotion in the crowd.

“Master, Master.” Hu San’s voice rang out from outside, then at least seventeen or eighteen people poured in. Four or five people nearly got stuck in the doorway rushing in together.

The Little Prince and others were stunned but not frightened.

“Good, old white-hair, quite a few people.” He laughed and spat. “What? Won’t treat patients? Going to beat people up instead?”

Old Physician An hurriedly reached out to stop them again.

“That’s right.” Qi Yue said, stepping back and gesturing with her head.

Hu San and the others understood and immediately surged forward.

They were actually serious?

These people were startled.

“Hey, do you know who we are?”

But this voice was quickly replaced by cries of pain.

“I know, donkeys.” Qi Yue, who had retreated to one side, snorted, watching the few people being surrounded and overwhelmed. She spat, “Heaven’s road you won’t take, hell’s gate you barge into!”

The people on the street were extremely excited, surging forward like a tide, deeply regretting that the doors and windows were too small to see the details of the battle inside.

In the imperial palace, Zhou Maochun had finished taking the Empress Dowager’s pulse.

“No need for medicine, Your Majesty just needs to eat well.” He said.

The Empress Dowager smiled and agreed.

A dignified, noble woman personally brought tea over.

“Your Majesty.” She said softly.

The Emperor didn’t take it.

“Are you busy?” The Empress Dowager asked.

“No matter how busy I am, I have time to talk with Mother.” The Emperor smiled, sitting down beside her.

The Empress Dowager smiled, and the woman retreated to the side, also sitting down with a wooden expression.

“Then I’ll take my leave first.” Zhou Maochun said.

“What are you busy with these days?” The Empress Dowager looked at him with a smile. Without waiting for an answer, she thought of something else. “I heard you took in a foster daughter?”

Zhou Maochun nodded with a hearty laugh.

“Bring her in sometime for me to see.” The Empress Dowager smiled, glancing at the Emperor. “I heard she’s also a physician?”

The Emperor nodded without speaking.

“That’s even better. When you’re not in the palace, having your foster daughter here would be fine.” The Empress Dowager smiled.

“Her? She won’t do. She’s not suitable for the palace.” Zhou Maochun waved his hand.

The Empress Dowager still smiled.

“Oh, why not?” She asked. “Are you hiding and protecting her, afraid I’ll steal her away?”

She laughed as she spoke, and the palace maids standing around quickly joined in the laughter. Only the Empress didn’t laugh.

“She’s not suitable for treating the noble people in the palace.” Zhou Maochun still smiled.

“How can treating patients be divided by type of person? Aren’t they all doctors?” The Empress Dowager said, looking at the Emperor. “What do you think, Emperor?”

“Yes.” The Emperor smiled without the slightest hesitation.

The Empress Dowager’s smile froze slightly.

A small eunuch entered with lowered head from outside, whispering a few words to Cai Zhong.

The Emperor saw this and stood up.

“Emperor, go handle your business.” The Empress Dowager, knowing there was something urgent, quickly said.

The Emperor walked out, and Zhou Maochun hurriedly followed.

Only then did Cai Zhong whisper a few words to the Emperor.

The Emperor was slightly surprised but then smiled, turning to look at Zhou Maochun.

Zhou Maochun felt uncomfortable under this ambiguous gaze.

“Your Majesty, I didn’t say anything wrong.” He quickly said.

The Emperor laughed heartily.

“I said that Miss Qi is a troublemaker, and you disagreed.” He said with a slight smile. “This troublemaker has caused trouble again.”

Zhou Maochun looked at him in confusion.

“She led people to beat up Sima Peng.” The Emperor said.

Zhou Maochun gasped.

Sima Peng?

The Little Prince of the Sima royal family!

The Emperor’s own aunt’s legitimate grandson!