"If there is truly a grievance, I will certainly uphold justice for you." The leading officer helped Master Shi to his feet, and as he did, he also pocketed the two silver pieces from the sleeve.
"Beat that surnamed Han!" Having accepted the money, he naturally sided with Master Shi.
The officers below began to beat Han Ke. Lacking clubs, they used their sword scabbards. They struck with practiced force, the blows to his backside cracking loudly. Han Ke wailed in pain.
"I'll talk, I'll talk..."
"Let him go."
With a wave of his hand, the leading officer signaled the attackers to step back. Han Ke confessed, "We planned this in advance. We were supposed to give him a fake death potion to cause a big scene, so that the authorities would arrest the people from Hundred Herbs Pavilion."
"Hundred Herbs Pavilion?" the leading officer asked, confused. "What does this have to do with Hundred Herbs Pavilion?"
Hundred Herbs Pavilion was well-known in the imperial city. It was merely a pharmacy. How could it be connected to the young master of a prominent family?
"Reporting to you, sir, Shi Yushu and I often drink and gamble outside. Sometimes when we were short on money and couldn't ask our families for it, we met a doctor a while ago. He told me to apprentice at Hundred Herbs Pavilion to learn medicine, and then intentionally cause Shi Yushu to die. This way, the authorities would have a reason to search Hundred Herbs Pavilion. That doctor also promised us a large sum of money. We happened to need this money to pay off our debts, so we agreed."
Rong Zhi narrowed her eyes. So that was it. Someone was deliberately causing trouble.
The leading officer snorted, "You truly are capable, hatching such a grand scheme and resorting to such deception. How can I possibly let you off? Guards, take him away and lock him up!"
"Yes."
Someone bound Han Ke.
"Sir, that doctor hasn't been found yet. It would be best to find him as well," Rong Zhi reminded him from the side.
"Find him? My Imperial City Guard is not a place for trials. We are only detaining this person temporarily. The authorities will handle the rest," the leading officer said dismissively.
Rong Zhi saw through his intentions at a glance. Detention was merely an excuse to extort money.
"Let's go."
The officers left with Han Ke. As for the bell ringing and incantations heard earlier, the leader didn't mention them again, as if they had never happened.
Master Shi breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at his son, feeling both relieved and disappointed. "Why were you associating with him? You nearly scared your father to death."
Shi Yushu scratched his head, unable to come up with a response, and resorted to his usual tactic of acting spoiled. "Father, I'm starving. Hurry and find me something to eat."
"Sigh," Master Shi said helplessly and instructed a servant to prepare food in the kitchen.
Master Shi then looked at Rong Zhi, his eyes brightening. He quickly stepped forward to thank her. "Thank you, young lady, for waking my son up."
Rong Zhi waved her hand. "It's a small favor, not worth mentioning. However, there's something I'd like to ask Young Master Shi."
"What is it?"
Rong Zhi asked, "Who was the doctor who approached you and asked you to frame Hundred Herbs Pavilion?"
Shi Yushu lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers, pretending not to hear.
"I'm asking you a question. Why have you gone mute?" Master Shi urged.
"Father..." Shi Yushu was reluctant.
"Speak up!"
"I... I don't know." Shi Yushu decided to play dumb.
"That surnamed Han wanted to kill you, and yet you're still protecting him so wholeheartedly. Truly, it's like being sold and still helping them count the money," Chu Qingze said, speaking for the first time.
"What do you mean?"
Shi Yushu's face darkened upon hearing this.
Chu Qingze had been silent until now, and he had thought this incantation-chanting man was easy to deal with. He hadn't expected him to be so annoying from the moment he spoke.
"I mean exactly what I said." Chu Qingze approached, examining Shi Yushu from head to toe, and gave a meaningful smile. "Do you know the risks involved in a fake death potion? After taking the drug, your breathing and pulse would cease. What do you call someone without breath or pulse? They are dead. You were merely being kept alive by a strong dose of medicine. Even if you showed no outward symptoms, your body would still be damaged. Do you really think your friend, after visiting Hundred Herbs Pavilion, would be entirely unaware of this?"
Shi Yushu was stunned, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "We're close friends. Of course, I trust him."
"Would a true friend not tell you how dangerous this potion is?"
"Young Master Shi, think carefully. If your coffin were to be placed in your home for seven days, and then you suddenly came back to life during the burial, it would surely cause a stir in the imperial city. You saw how thoroughly those officers searched earlier. The resurrection of the dead is a matter of great consequence. How would you explain it then?" Rong Zhi added.
"This..."
Shi Yushu recalled that a few days ago, Han Ke had told him that he just needed to claim it was a misdiagnosis. However, several doctors had examined him before he was placed in the coffin and declared him dead. If he were to come back to life, it would undoubtedly be attributed to supernatural causes. He had also heard the officers' words just now. Thinking about it, Han Ke's plan was indeed ill-considered.
Seeing his expression waver, Rong Zhi added fuel to the fire. "I heard that the Han family, like the Shi family, is also in business. There are some competitive relations between your businesses. Young Master Shi, don't be tricked by others and used as a pawn in malicious competition."
As soon as she said this, Shi Yushu felt a chill run down his spine. It was true. If he were arrested by the Imperial City Guard, the entire Shi family's businesses would be ruined. No one would do business with a family whose member had committed a crime.
Master Shi's face also turned grim. He urged Shi Yushu, " Hurry up and tell us. Are you trying to anger me to death?"
Shi Yushu finally relented. "That person is called Huang Lian. He seems to be a wandering doctor. He told us to find them at the Drunken Immortal Inn if we needed anything, and he also gave us a secret passphrase."
"What passphrase?" Rong Zhi asked, thinking that this person was quite cautious, even setting up a passphrase. It clearly indicated premeditation.
"The passphrase is 'Lotus seeds carry bitterness in their hearts, pears hold sourness within their cores.' But usually, Han Ke is the one who speaks to him."
Understood.
Rong Zhi nodded, an idea forming in her mind. She said to Master Shi, "My lord, all matters here are settled. We shall take our leave now."
"Wait a moment, the two of you." Master Shi stopped them. "You must help me resolve one more matter."
"What is it?"
"It's about the strange noises that have been occurring in the mansion recently."
Rong Zhi understood. She raised a hand and pointed to Shi Yushu beside her. "Young Master Shi can explain this matter to you."
"Father, that was when I was hungry. I had the servants sneak into the kitchen to get food for me."
Master Shi's expression cleared. He patted Shi Yushu on the shoulder. "You scoundrel, you nearly scared your father to death."
"Master Shi, farewell."
Rong Zhi called out to Chu Qingze, and they left the Shi mansion. Before they departed, Master Shi wanted to have them stay for a proper thank you, but Rong Zhi declined. They still needed to go to the Drunken Immortal Inn to question Doctor Huang Lian about the truth.
The Drunken Immortal Inn was a large inn in the imperial city. Even late at night, guests would come and go. Most people ate on the first floor, and some stayed overnight. There were not many guests at the moment. The waiter served dishes and then busied himself behind the counter. Rong Zhi walked over and tapped on the table.
"Waiter, we're looking for someone."
The waiter peeked out. Seeing a man and a woman dressed like people from wealthy families, he smiled and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"A wandering doctor named Huang Lian. We were sent by Young Master Han Ke to find him."
The waiter sized them up, his eyes darting. He then asked, "We do indeed have a Doctor Huang here, but Doctor Huang left a message before he checked in."
"Lotus seeds carry bitterness in their hearts, pears hold sourness within their cores," Rong Zhi replied.
The waiter nodded. "Understood. I'll go inform him right away."
Saying this, he started to go upstairs.
"No need to inform him. We'll go up and find him. Just tell us which room he's in."
The waiter said, "It's the first room in the 'Tian' category, at the end of the left turn on the second floor."
"Thank you." Rong Zhi took a piece of broken silver from her pouch and gave it to the waiter, then headed upstairs with Chu Qingze.
The corridor was long. The two looked at the room numbers on either side, their footsteps unconsciously softening. As they got closer to the first room in the 'Tian' category, they both heard hushed whispers coming from inside. However, listening closely, it sounded like it was coming from only one person.
Rong Zhi gestured to Chu Qingze, then pointed to the door, signaling him to guard there. Once Chu Qingze was in position, Rong Zhi stepped forward and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" The whispering inside stopped abruptly.
Rong Zhi deliberately changed her voice. "Lotus seeds carry bitterness in their hearts?"
The voice inside hesitated. "Who are you?"
"Someone from Young Master Han."
The door didn't open, but they could hear footsteps approaching the door. A shadow appeared, and the voice spoke with strong caution.
"The matter isn't over yet. Why are you here?"
"Good news. I heard that the Pavilion Master of Hundred Herbs Pavilion, Fang Tianhua, hanged himself in an empty room today."
Rong Zhi slowed her speech as she spoke the latter part, simultaneously observing the situation inside. "Doctor Huang, Hundred Herbs Pavilion wasn't raided, but the Pavilion Master is dead. Should our agreement be fulfilled early?"
At this, the door slowly opened, revealing a sallow face inside. The dark, beady eyes on that face gleamed with undisguised excitement.
"Fang Tianhua, he's really dead? Oh my!"
Before he could finish, he was sent flying through the air, crashing heavily to the ground. Simultaneously, white smoke filled the entire room. Rong Zhi, just entering, coughed from the smoke.
She waved away the mist in front of her and immediately moved to subdue the man.
At this point, Chu Qingze also rushed in to help control the man.
Rong Zhi then turned her gaze to the source of the white smoke. In the corner of the room, there was an incense table with an incense burner, offerings, and a memorial tablet. Most absurdly, the name written on the tablet was her own!
Looking at the square characters "Rong Zhi" on the tablet, she was momentarily stunned.
Although in the eyes of the world, the former Valley Master of Medicine King Valley had indeed been dead for many years, seeing her own memorial tablet for the first time still felt strange. After all, Rong Zhi had woken up in the imperial city, with no relatives. She had never seen anyone worship her all these years, and seeing it now felt odd.
"Who are you people... Mmph!"
Before Huang Lian could cry out, Chu Qingze covered his mouth.
"Don't make a sound, or I'll snap your neck!"
The man was intimidated, and he shrunk his neck, unable to speak.
Chu Qingze asked Rong Zhi, "What do we do now?"
Rong Zhi replied, "Take him back to Hundred Herbs Pavilion and interrogate him properly."