Chapter 78: All Considerations are for the Future

Beginning to update more from now.

For MAX stone's tip of a Spirit Beast Egg, there will be an extra update (5.1)

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There are always those who ponder quickly.

Miss Jun didn't return to Jiuling Hall after leaving the Lu Mansion; instead, she went back to the residence of Scholar Han where she had just been.

The Jinyiwei had already left, and outside the door, a number of people were still gathered, discussing in low voices.

Just like before, the Jinyiwei did not arrest anyone but merely smashed things up before leaving.

Hearing the knock, one of the managers who had just escorted Miss Jun came out.

He looked a lot more haggard than before.

"Miss Jun, Miss is fine, the house is a bit messy, I won't invite you in," he said with a mixture of apology and exhaustion upon hearing Miss Jun's intentions.

Miss Jun was silent.

It seems that Scholar Han had also figured out something.

For an official of his status, he was very astute. Once he thought of the entanglement between Miss Jun and Lu Yunqi, he could guess the reason why the Jinyiwei had come to harass.

Regardless of whether it was a coincidence, with these suspicions in mind, he would surely be cautious in his actions.

"Okay, Miss Han's illness is not very serious; it just requires longer time to recuperate," Miss Jun said. "I will prepare the medicine and have someone send it over tomorrow."

The manager hesitated for a moment.

"We will come to pick it up ourselves tomorrow," he said politely.

Picking it up themselves might mean they would not come at all.

Miss Jun was silently contemplating for a while before she turned and walked away.

The manager watched her departing figure with a complex expression and finally sighed and closed the door.

The next day, indeed, no one from Scholar Han's family came to pick up the medicine.

"They invited the imperial physician," said Seventh Chen.

Fang Jinxiu gave him a look.

"It's not an emergency right now, so I've arranged for more people to watch over," Seventh Chen said with a chuckle.

Fang Jinxiu ignored him, looking at the medicine already packed.

"Stayed up all night for nothing," she said. "Why not give this medicine secretly to that imperial physician, and let him use it for Miss Han?"

Since Seventh Chen had arranged for someone to keep watch, he must know which imperial physician it was; nowadays, many imperial physicians were polite towards Jiuling Hall, so it should be easy to persuade them.

Miss Jun shook her head.

"If it were any other time, that could work," she said. "But since the Jinyiwei are intent on making things difficult, they will definitely be watching us; even if the medicine is sent over, it will be discovered. Scholar Han's family will surely face more harassment, and that imperial physician will also be implicated."

Seventh Chen and Fang Jinxiu nodded.

"At last, we see how outrageous the Jinyiwei can be," Seventh Chen said. "I don't believe no one controls them. They interfere even with life-saving medical treatment; isn't that tantamount to murder? It's baseless harassment just targeting our Jiuling Hall; who can tolerate that?"

"No one wants to tolerate them, except the emperor," Fang Jinxiu stated.

Seventh Chen fell silent.

"With so many officials suffering, the emperor must also take notice," he said. "It's completely lawless."

Miss Jun raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned.

"Fortunately, Madam Wang and Miss Han's illnesses are not life-threatening; they're just slow to heal, other physicians can manage with time too," she said. "I'm going to rest."

Seventh Chen and Fang Jinxiu watched her go inside.

"I understand what Miss Jun said," Seventh Chen stated.

"What did she say that you understood?" Fang Jinxiu glanced sideways at him.

"Miss Jun said that the illness of Madam Wang and Miss Han isn't deadly," Seventh Chen said. "Thus, since these two families have been harassed, they don't seek trouble and just find someone else for treatment. They haven't realized Miss Jun's indispensable medical skills yet. When they realize that she's vital for survival, they will have to weigh and choose which side to take."

Fang Jinxiu scoffed and turned to go inside.

"Hey, am I right?" Seventh Chen hurriedly followed. "Am I smart?"

...............…

The capital in early April was vibrant with blooming flowers, bustling with people coming and going, and a troop was passing through.

This entourage consisted of about four or five red-clad guards surrounding a fat, big-eared man in his thirties dressed in an official robe, looking very imposing.

This type of red-clad guard was normally reserved for officials of the Grand Scholar's status.

But given this man's age, it was impossible for him to be an Imperial College Scholar.

Seeing him approaching, the pedestrians on the street quickly made way, carrying a mix of fear and disgust.

Such treatment is only given when encountering the Jinyiwei.

However, when coming across the Jinyiwei, the disgust is hidden and not dared to be shown.

"Lord Huang!"

A laughter-filled shout echoed in the street.

The man on horseback, with a hint of arrogance, looked back upon hearing the shout, spotting another man, a forty-something official, spurring his horse towards him.

A smile spread across his face, and he bowed slightly, making himself look shorter than this man.

"Lord Huang, are you going to the court session?" he asked.

Lord Huang grunted from his nose.

"Lord Li, are you also going to see the emperor?" he asked.

Lord Li had a smile plastered on his face, bowing even more deeply, making himself look a whole head shorter than Lord Huang.

"This subordinate has no such privilege," he said, "I'm going to the Ministry of Personnel to sort out documents."

Lord Huang just uttered an 'Oh' and paid him no further heed.

But Lord Li still followed carefully.

"Lord Huang really works hard, being summoned by the emperor daily," he said while taking a small covered bowl from a cloth bag hanging from his saddle and passed it over obsequiously, "This is a nourishing soup I personally prepared."

This scene unfolded on the main street, causing the bystanders to nearly pop their eyes out.

This, this is too shameless.

Lord Huang was amused and laughed.

"Lord Li can also make soups?" he asked, "Did you also learn the skills of a kitchen maid?"

The bystanders' astonishment and Lord Huang's laughter did not bother Lord Li at all; his expression remained unchanged.

"When I was young, my family was poor and my mother was sick, so I had to do laundry and cook just to keep us nourished," he said earnestly.

"Lord Li has had a hard life," Lord Huang nodded and signaled his guard to take the bowl.

Lord Li was tearfully joyful.

"Not at all, not at all. Lord Huang is the one who works hard, having to attend to the emperor every day. As an official of low rank, I can't share the emperor's concerns, but being able to lift some from your shoulders, Lord Huang, is also fulfilling my duty to heaven, the emperor, and my teachers," he said, his voice slightly choking.

Lord Huang couldn't take it anymore.

"Yes, yes, I understand," he said.

Only then did Lord Li bow deeply on horseback.

"I won't delay you any further, Lord Huang," he said, lifting his sleeve to wipe his tears, "I am so happy to have seen you today."

With a flick of his impatient hand as a return of the gesture, Lord Huang spurred his horse forward.

Only when Lord Huang turned onto Imperial Street did Lord Li straighten up on his horse, noticing people on the street pointing at him.

"What are you looking at!" he shouted sternly, looking towards the people on the street.

His earlier humble and respectful smile had dissolved.

Being an official, the people by the street quickly ducked their heads and moved aside.

Lord Li shook off his sleeves with a mix of authority and rode off.

As he left, people by the street corners showed disdain again and spat on the ground.

"Just another who recognizes a thief as a father," one muttered.

Standing in front of a pharmacy, Seventh Chen shifted his gaze from the disappearing figure of Lord Huang.

"Is that Grand Scholar Huang?" he inquired.