According to convention, throughout Great Liang’s history, the Hanlin Academy Chancellors had always been concurrently held by the Minister of Rites. This was also to help the Minister of Rites accumulate political resources for future advancement into the Inner Cabinet.
Seeing his daughter remain silent, Li Guangwen appeared unconcerned, waving his hand: “If Zhaozhao is unwilling to deal with this, your father can just decline. It’s nothing difficult. With my qualifications, leaving the Hanlin Academy to become a principal clerk in one of the Six Ministries shouldn’t be a problem.”
This was a threat!
The usually composed Miss Qiao asked with a dark expression: “Where has Father arranged to compete with the Academy Chancellor?”
Li Guangwen looked somewhat embarrassed: “Running out to play chess during office hours isn’t very appropriate, so we didn’t choose anywhere too far. It’s just at the Wuwei Tea House outside the Hanlin Academy.”
Afraid that Qiao Zhao would worry, he explained: “The Wuwei Tea House is usually frequented by scholars—there aren’t any unsavory characters. Tomorrow your father won’t go to the office, and when the time comes, I’ll accompany you there directly.”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Zhao quickly refused: “Father should still go to the office on time. It happens that the women’s school is closed these few days, so tomorrow I’ll tell Mother I’m going out to buy rouge and face powder.”
If Father skipped work tomorrow to accompany her out, this matter would probably spread to the East Residence.
Li Guangwen became worried upon hearing this.
What if such a lovely daughter went out without anyone accompanying her and got abducted?
After internal struggle for a long time, he compromised: “Then have your mother accompany you out. She can go buy rouge and face powder while you come and find your father.”
Qiao Zhao thought this was the most appropriate arrangement and nodded in agreement.
At the Jinlin Guards headquarters.
Jiang Yuanchao heard the request for an audience outside the door, put down the book in his hands, and said indifferently: “Come in.”
Jiang He pushed the door open and entered, his face full of excitement.
Jiang Yuanchao glanced at him: “What is it?”
Jiang He strode up to Jiang Yuanchao with a serious expression: “My lord, this subordinate has discovered that Marquis Guanjun’s behavior is very strange!”
Jiang Yuanchao raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t I tell you there was no need to follow Marquis Guanjun anymore?”
“This subordinate wasn’t following Marquis Guanjun. I discovered this by chance while wandering around the Li residence.”
“Oh?”
“This subordinate discovered that Marquis Guanjun disguised himself as a guard and accompanied Physician Li to the Li residence!”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanchao’s eyes darkened slightly.
Shao Mingyuan went to the Li residence?
He came back to his senses and, seeing his subordinate’s expression seeking credit, said indifferently: “In that case, continue watching the Li residence these few days. Report any abnormalities immediately.”
After speaking, he glanced at Jiang He: “Why were you wandering around the Li residence?”
Since returning to the capital and learning about that young girl’s situation, he hadn’t sent anyone to watch the Li residence anymore since there was no necessity.
Jiang He chuckled: “Didn’t you show great interest in that, Miss Li, my lord?”
Jiang Yuanchao raised his hand, pointed at the door, and uttered one word: “Scram!”
Jiang He walked out feeling wronged, thinking to himself: His lord was just being contrary!
Meanwhile, Shao Mingyuan left the Li residence and brought Physician Li back to Chunfeng Tavern on West Street through the rain.
As soon as guard Ye Luo saw Shao Mingyuan return, he hurried forward: “General—”
He uncomfortably tugged at the scholar’s robe he was wearing.
Seeing this, Shao Mingyuan showed a faint smile: “Not bad. You should continue wearing it this way in the future.”
Ye Luo said with a bitter face: “Please don’t, General. You should take off your clothes and return them to this subordinate. This subordinate is more comfortable in a guard uniform.”
“Getting used to that stench?”
Ye Luo was stunned: So the General had noticed!
The General’s nose was sharp—he had only gone three days without bathing.
Back in the previous private room, Shao Mingyuan went behind the screen to change back into his clothes. When he came out, he threw the clothes in his hands to Ye Luo and instructed: “Make another trip to the Eldest Princess’s residence and invite Young Master Chi over.”
“Yes.”
Ye Luo departed with his orders. Shao Mingyuan politely asked Physician Li, “Would the divine physician like some wine?”
“What’s all the fuss about? What else would you do at a tavern if not drink?” Physician Li rolled his eyes.
Shao Mingyuan paid no mind and ordered the waiter to bring two jars of Zuichunfeng wine. He broke the wine seal and, abandoning the wine cups, directly poured the jade-green liquid into tea bowls, smiling: “This wine is called ‘Zuichunfeng.’ It’s mellow on the palate with a strong aftertaste. Has the divine physician tasted it before?”
“You certainly talk a good game!” Physician Li picked up the tea bowl and drank half of it in one gulp. After savoring it, he praised: “Not bad.”
He raised an eyebrow and saw the young man sitting across from him with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, gentle and calm, showing none of the ruthlessness of someone who had fought countless battles. Instead, he appeared like a refined jade-like young nobleman. He sighed and asked: “In weather like this, how do you feel?”
Shao Mingyuan was startled by the question.
So, Physician Li had already noticed his physical condition.
He thought he hadn’t shown any abnormalities, which proved this divine physician truly had skill.
With this thought, Shao Mingyuan felt relieved.
Having real skill was good. Hopefully, he could cure his cousin’s face.
“Still bearable,” Shao Mingyuan replied.
“You’re a ruthless one, boy.”
Originally planning to give him another packet of rat poison to get back at that Qiao girl, seeing his current state, he decided to forget it.
“Your condition—don’t you plan to ask this old man to treat it?”
“Would the divine physician be willing to treat this humble person?” Shao Mingyuan asked with a smile.
He wasn’t a masochist. If he could be free from the pain of cold poison and old injuries, he would naturally welcome it.
“Oh, between you and your cousin, this old man will only treat one.” Physician Li said mischievously.
He just enjoyed seeing annoying brats struggle with difficult decisions.
However, Shao Mingyuan showed no hesitation: “Naturally, please treat my cousin.”
Physician Li looked deeply at Shao Mingyuan, placed his tea bowl on the table with a thud, and said slowly: “Have you thought this through? If the cold poison in your body isn’t eliminated, it’s not just about enduring pain—it will affect your lifespan.”
“No need to think. This humble person invited the divine physician here to treat my cousin.”
Having stained his hands with countless blood, he had never hoped for a peaceful death. Dying wrapped in a horse hide on the battlefield was probably his best possible ending.
Shao Mingyuan lowered his eyes and drank his wine.
Physician Li felt somewhat frustrated.
Damn brat, couldn’t he beg a little? If he had begged, he might have considered it just a tiny bit. Now, being stubborn as a dead duck, let him see how he dies!
Hmm, dying would be good too—then he could keep that Qiao girl company.
Bah, bah, what is keeping Qiao girl company? Qiao girl wouldn’t want that. He should be going to beg Qiao girl’s forgiveness.
Physician Li drained the wine in his tea bowl and slammed it on the table: “I want meat.”
He pointed at the peanuts, broad beans, and other drinking snacks on the table and sneered: “You’re just going to make this old man eat these?”
Everyone knew that although military officers didn’t live as comfortably as civil officials and lived lives of licking blood from knife edges, their purses were much fuller than civil officials’. Like this boy before him, having campaigned for so many years, his accumulated wealth probably exceeded that of the Marquis Jing’an’s household.
“Waiter, bring two catties of sauced beef and one roast chicken.”
Seeing that Shao Mingyuan remained unperturbed and accommodated every request, Physician Li curled his lips and said sarcastically: “I say, boy, aren’t you always fighting wars? How is your temper so mild?”
Upon hearing this, Shao Mingyuan laughed: “Does the divine physician think Mingyuan would draw his sword and kill at the slightest disagreement?”
A general should act decisively when the situation called for it, moving like the wind, but when forbearance was needed, he must endure what ordinary people could not.
Once, to kill a Tartar chieftain who specialized in cooking and eating Great Liang children, he had lain in the snow for a day and night waiting for the perfect opportunity, finally killing that beast with a single arrow. Now, enduring some difficulties just to seek medical treatment—what was unbearable about that?
“You were quite efficient when you shot your wife, weren’t you?” Physician Li blurted out.
The smile hanging at the corners of Shao Mingyuan’s mouth instantly froze.
He pressed his lips together, lowered his eyes, and drained the wine in his tea bowl in one gulp, saying faintly: “Yes.”
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Physician Li felt somewhat conflicted.
He had intended to give this boy a good lesson, but now that he had finally asked the question that had been weighing on his heart, why did he feel somewhat uncomfortable?
At this moment, the waiter brought in the sauced beef and roast chicken. Physician Li reached out to tear off a chicken leg, bit into it viciously, and asked while glancing sideways at Shao Mingyuan: “Aren’t you eating?”
The young man across from him had a shallower smile than before, but his tone remained gentle: “Please eat, divine physician. I’m not hungry.”
Physician Li chewed the chicken meat a few times, threw the drumstick back onto the plate, and snorted: “Why isn’t that Chi boy here yet?”