Chapter 22: Genius

Chen Ji silently watched the assassin die, their eyes gradually losing their luster.

In that moment of meeting the gaze of the deceased, a sense of pity naturally arises in your heart. In those dead eyes, there is regret, despair, and reluctance to depart.

Chen Ji sat leaning against the wall, feeling that the night was exceptionally long. Although only a few hours had passed since Wuyun beat the white cat, he felt as if he had lived through an entire late autumn.

He stood up and walked to the assassin's corpse, fumbling through their clothes, but found no clues.

Finally, he lowered his head and sniffed the scent on their clothes, suddenly frowning. "Let's go, home."

Chen Ji picked up Wuyun and limped towards Taiping Medical Hall. The areas where the assassin had struck him were still throbbing faintly.

Wuyun climbed onto his shoulder and settled there, securely and steadily, as if that was where it belonged.

The man and the cat ambled along, entering the faint light of dawn. Chen Ji said, "By the time we reach the medical hall, the breakfast stalls should be open. I'll buy you some steamed buns."

Wuyun instantly perked up. "Did you ask Yun Yang for eight copper coins just to buy me steamed buns?!"

"Yes."

"Chen Ji, you're actually quite good."

"Of course."

"Chen Ji, I wish you great wealth in the future!"

"Once I become stronger through cultivation, I'll no longer put up with Yun Yang and Jiao Tu's nonsense! By then, I'll kill anyone who stands in my way, and may Buddha... bless me!"

"Will you get revenge on Yun Yang and Jiao Tu later?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Hehehe."

"Hehehe."

By the time they returned to the medical hall, the rooster had already crowed, but Liu Quxing and She Dengke had not yet woken up.

After eating two steamed buns, Wuyun returned to Evening Star Garden. Chen Ji stood in the courtyard, took off all his clothes, and used a gourd dipper to scoop cool water from the water vat, pouring it over his head and body. He continued until the bloodstains were washed away, and his entire body was flushed red, only then did he stop.

He changed into his tattered clothes, which he hadn't had time to mend, and sat on a small chair by the apricot tree, lost in thought.

In just a few days, he had killed three people: Wang Long, the steward, and the assassin.

Even the most resolute person would feel some bewilderment, let alone Chen Ji, who was only seventeen.

The sound of a door opening outside interrupted Chen Ji's thoughts.

He dried himself, put on his clothes, and walked out, only to see Old Man Yao slowly strolling in with a medical kit slung over one shoulder.

Old Man Yao looked up and glanced at him. In that instant, Chen Ji's body stiffened, and his heart skipped a beat, as if he had been targeted by a fierce tiger!

Strange, why did he have this feeling?

Before Chen Ji could react, She Dengke poked half his body out from the apprentice dormitory and asked curiously, "Master, why are you back so soon?"

"What, you don't want me back?" Old Man Yao shot him a sidelong glance.

She Dengke quickly replied, "No, no, I was just a little curious!"

As they spoke, Liu Quxing walked out of the room, tying his belt while complaining to Chen Ji and She Dengke, "You two really are something. Couldn't you see Master still carrying his medical kit? You didn't even think to help him with it!"

Chen Ji: "..."

She Dengke: "..."

Liu Quxing took the medical kit and asked curiously, "Master, was the Old Master Liu cured? You said you'd be gone for ten days to half a month, but you're back in just one day."

Old Man Yao said angrily, "The Old Master Liu is already dead. Am I supposed to stay there and pray for his soul? I wouldn't even know how!"

Chen Ji exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? Old Master Liu died? Master, even you couldn't save him?"

Old Man Yao said, "What good would my intervention have done? The Liu family lives in a manor outside Luocheng. The carriage I was in broke down halfway there. It took most of the day just to fix the carriage. By the time I reached the Liu family manor, he was already dead. I didn't even get to see him. What rotten luck! If outsiders heard, they'd think my medical skills were poor!"

Chen Ji was startled. Was the carriage breaking down a bit too coincidental?

That carriage was only for high-ranking officials of the second rank. Could it just break down like that?

At this moment, Liu Quxing said, "You must have only arrived at the Liu family manor last night, right?"

"Mm," Old Man Yao nodded.

"So they sent you back overnight? Weren't they afraid you'd collapse from exhaustion?"

Old Man Yao sneered, "Why stay there? If I stayed a few more days, I'd have to give them a funeral gift... I'm going to rest for a bit. When I wake up, I'll check inventory and accounts. Anyone who carelessly causes me to lose money can expect a beating!"

Chen Ji cried out in his heart, "Oh no!" He still hadn't bought ginseng!

Before dawn broke, the maids of Feiyun Garden were already busy.

They heated water in the side room, then carried copper basins with crisp white towels draped over the rims, ascending the second floor of the main building with quick steps.

Consort Yun got up and prepared herself with the help of Xibing. She said lazily, "The weather's getting cooler. This morning, have Xitang bring the ledger so we can prepare to distribute charcoal to each room. Send someone to the East Market to ask the Grand Canal Gang if the silver-thread charcoal from Xishan Kiln has arrived. If it has, buy a batch for use. Pick out the best for Baili's room; she and the heir will be back from Donglin Academy soon."

Xibing smiled as she combed Consort Yun's hair. "Madam is right. That silver-thread charcoal leaves ash like white frost, doesn't easily extinguish, and produces no smoke."

"Hmm, where's Bai Banruo?" Consort Yun frowned. "I haven't seen it all morning."

"It probably snuck out to play, didn't it?"

As they spoke, Bai Banruo limped up the stairs. Its formerly white fur was stained with blood, its face seemed to be swollen in several places as if it had been beaten crooked, and its eyes were teary.

Consort Yun: "..."

Xibing: "..."

With a clang, the bronze mirror fell onto the wooden floor.

After a long time, Consort Yun began to laugh. "My dear sister Consort Jing has truly made progress."

Xibing whispered, "Madam, please calm your anger."

Consort Yun looked at Bai Banruo, pondered for a moment, and said, "Take it to Taiping Medical Hall and have a doctor examine it. Let that apprentice named Chen Ji treat it. The clothes promised as a reward for this young apprentice should be ready. Go ask Xitang; if they're finished, send them along with it. Do not neglect him; I will have use for this person in the future."

Xibing softly replied, "Yes."

In the morning, Xibing carried Bai Banruo, accompanied by a twelve or thirteen-year-old maid, and headed towards the medical hall. As soon as they reached the entrance, Liu Quxing greeted them with a smile. "Miss Xibing, what brings you to the medical hall today?"

"For a diagnosis," Xibing said, then stood on tiptoes to peer into the back courtyard. "Where's Chen Ji? Have him come out to treat the patient."

Liu Quxing's face immediately fell. He shouted towards the back courtyard, "Chen Ji, Chen Ji! Miss Xibing is looking for you!"

After saying this, he also looked at the clothes the young maid was holding. "Miss Xibing, what are these items?"

"These are gifts from my lady to Chen Ji," Xibing said, smiling as she touched the fabric. "They were all handmade by embroiderers at the Jiangnan Clothing Bureau. Look at the stitching; it's very fine."

Liu Quxing's face grew bitter. Hadn't Master said that entering the royal residence for a diagnosis was a sign of great misfortune? Master was clearly playing favorites!

At this moment, Chen Ji was wiping water from his hands on his sleeve while curiously asking, "Miss Xibing, are you..."

Xibing said, "I don't know which villain did it, but they injured my lady's cat. It hasn't touched a drop of water since morning and has been listless, so she sent me to bring it for a check-up."

Chen Ji looked troubled. "Master just lay down not long ago. How about we wait until he wakes up?"

Xibing shook her head. "My lady specifically asked for you to treat Bai Banruo; your master isn't needed. And look, those are the clothes my lady mentioned rewarding you with earlier, and here's the consultation fee prepared for you."

The young maid then took a small silver ingot, weighing about one tael, from her sleeve.

It was well known that medical apprentices were not qualified to receive consultation fees. Even Imperial Physician Yao only charged five taels of silver for a single house call. Now Consort Yun was being so generous just to treat a cat, openly displaying her intention to recruit Chen Ji.

But once he accepted this money, he would have to choose a side between Consort Yun and Consort Jing.

After thinking, Chen Ji said, "Let me take Bai Banruo's pulse first."

Xibing paused. "Can you take a cat's pulse?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment. "...Yes."

After a long while, Chen Ji hesitated and said, "Miss Xibing, Bai Banruo's external injuries are easy to treat, but if you want it to recover faster, it will likely need to replenish its qi and blood. I'll write a prescription for it."

As Chen Ji was writing the prescription, Old Man Yao pushed open the door of the main house and stepped out. He stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the back courtyard, where there wasn't a single fallen leaf on the ground.

He then went into the kitchen, which was also spotlessly clean.

In the past, these young apprentices would always take shortcuts when cleaning, sometimes not even wiping the stove clean. But today was different; it was so clean it looked like a new place.

Not only that, but the water vat in the courtyard was also full.

Old Man Yao pursed his lips and walked towards the main hall. "Unsolicited favors usually hide ill intentions!"

Entering the main hall of the medical hall, Chen Ji had just handed the wrapped herbs to the young maid and seen Xibing off.

He turned around and saw Old Man Yao, his face dark, saying, "Didn't I tell you not to treat patients? Although I, Yao Qimen, love money, I would never disregard human life. Before you become fully qualified, any prescriptions you write for people must be reviewed by me!"

Chen Ji quickly said, "Master, it wasn't for a human patient; it was for Consort Yun's cat, treating its external injuries."

Old Man Yao raised an eyebrow. "That white cat got beaten up?"

"It seems so..."

Old Man Yao extended his hand. "Let me see the prescription you wrote."

Chen Ji handed it over, saying with some hesitation, "It's just for external injuries, like Cnidium Monnieri to stop bleeding and clear bruising... and I also prescribed some medicine to help it recover."

Old Man Yao took the prescription, and the more he read, the more his brows furrowed.

After a long while, he looked up at Chen Ji, his face filled with shock. "You prescribed a fifty-year-old ginseng root for that cat?!"

"Uh-huh."

"And they actually agreed to put it on account?"

"Uh-huh."

Old Man Yao took a deep breath and exclaimed with admiration, "You truly are a damn business genius... In the future, if Consort Yun's side needs me for a house call, you'll come with me."

Chen Ji: "Huh?"

Old Man Yao spoke as if remembering something. "Oh, by the way, I saw your father on the road yesterday. He must have just returned from the river embankment for his day off. You'll also have a day off tomorrow; go home and ask for your tuition and medicine money."

Chen Ji froze. Father?