The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!-Chapter 210: So Many

There are too few doctors, and some without medical ethics have hearts as black as coal. I just hate that I can’t split myself in two!

Xia Wenjin secretly decided that when Feiyun Pavilion developed, she would also focus on this aspect.

Huangfu Jingchen spoke without much thought, but the old man and Zhuzi were astonished, especially when they heard that eight taels of silver had already been spent. Zhuzi was nearly scared to faint.

Eight taels—he couldn’t pay this back in his lifetime!

It was Xia Wenjin who turned her head and saw Zhuzi staring blankly. Understanding the situation, she walked over, patted him, and smiled, "You don’t have to worry, this silver doesn’t need to be repaid."

When Zhuzi heard this, he bowed to Huangfu Jingchen in gratitude.

Huangfu Jingchen stopped him. Zhuzi’s gesture actually surprised him a bit—was it really necessary for just a few taels of silver?

After Doctor Zhang used the medicine, he came out and said to Zhuzi, "Let your mother rest for a night. For the next three days, she shouldn’t do any heavy work. After these three days, she’ll be fine!"

Zhuzi thanked him profusely.

Doctor Zhang was generous enough to leave a three-day supply of medicine.

Huangfu Jingchen noticed him looking eagerly and found it both amusing and annoying. This person really wasn’t just greedy but also cared for money more than life itself.

However, he couldn’t be bothered to argue and tossed another tael of silver over. Doctor Zhang was overjoyed, looking at Huangfu Jingchen like a pup gazing at someone throwing it a bone.

The day had not yet dawned, and Doctor Zhang couldn’t leave, so he waited in the main room. The old man and old woman, who were quite warm-hearted, were getting ready to leave only now after Zhuzi’s mother took medicine and fell asleep.

Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin were of course going with them.

Zhuzi knelt again before Huangfu Jingchen, firstly to thank him for the silver, and secondly for bringing Doctor Zhang on horseback to treat his mother.

Huangfu Jingchen pulled him up, telling him to go inside and care for his mother.

The group was about to leave, and Doctor Zhang followed eagerly.

Huangfu Jingchen asked, "Why are you following if you’re not tending to the patient?"

Doctor Zhang obsequiously said, "The patient’s taken my medicine; I guarantee the medicine will cure her. I’ve also left a three-day supply. Her illness is no longer a concern. I’m also preparing to leave, so I’ll go with you two gentlemen."

Huangfu Jingchen jokingly scolded him without saying more. Xia Wenjin, however, had something to ask him, and they walked towards the old man’s house.

As they walked, they chatted, learning that the old man was surnamed Kuang, and the neighbors all called the old couple Uncle Kuang and Auntie Kuang.

On the way, Doctor Zhang praised Huangfu Jingchen to the sky. But Huangfu Jingchen wasn’t really listening. This was nothing more than a greedy little man without virtue, and even if he had silver, he wouldn’t give it again.

Xia Wenjin, however, inquired about the town’s patients and their conditions after inhaling the toxic gas.

Considering Huangfu Jingchen’s silver, Doctor Zhang was forthcoming. He told Xia Wenjin that, starting four days ago, patients had been visiting his clinic. They all had similar symptoms; the severe cases involved difficulty breathing, conjunctival congestion, and hemoptysis. Milder cases involved dizziness, visual disturbances, and limb weakness.

These were symptoms of toxic gas poisoning over the past few years.

However, among those cases, few would invite him to their homes like Zhuzi’s mother did.

As he said this, Doctor Zhang’s eyes flickered for a moment.

Although it was nighttime and only a small lantern was around, Xia Wenjin accurately caught his expression. She asked, "Did you cause someone’s death?"

Doctor Zhang was startled and exclaimed, "How did you know?"

Xia Wenjin inquired, "Whom did you kill? When did it happen?"

Doctor Zhang forced a laugh, "Nothing like that, nothing like that. My medical skills are excellent; how could I kill someone? Of course, it didn’t happen!"

Huangfu Jingchen lifted him by the collar, and his feet immediately left the ground, causing him to kick wildly in panic and babble, "Spare me, hero, spare me! I’ll talk, I’ll talk!"

Xia Wenjin glanced at Huangfu Jingchen with a smile. For dealing with someone like this, this method indeed proved most effective.

Doctor Zhang let his eyes dart around, then looked at the surrounding darkness, lit only by Uncle and Auntie Kuang. He steadied his nerves and said, "Actually, it wasn’t my fault. That family was stingy; they were almost dead before they called for me. I’m not an immortal..."

"Get to the point!"

Doctor Zhang quickly replied, "Yes, yes. It was the old Wang family in the neighboring village. Their woman went up the mountain to find cattle and inhaled the toxic gas. It worsened over a few days until the rain stopped before they called for me. When I arrived, her condition was severe, and she died two days after taking medicine. This wasn’t my fault, but that Wang family son insisted I was a quack. Am I not wronged!"

"You mean someone was ill before the rain? And during this period, how many people came to you?"

"About ten or possibly twenty..."

"Are they all villagers?"

"Not entirely; some are from the town," Doctor Zhang quickly continued, "They all have the same illness, within these two or three days. I didn’t want to take calls tonight—not for money, just too tired from the daytime."

Xia Wenjin suddenly said, "I’ll come to your clinic with you tomorrow to have a look!"

"There’s really nothing to see," Doctor Zhang instinctively refused.

Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes turned cold, "Is that not possible?"

Doctor Zhang shivered, remembering the gleaming sword, and grudgingly smiled, "Not at all, no problem, no problem!"

Huangfu Jingchen pulled Xia Wenjin aside, and they fell behind. Huangfu Jingchen whispered, "Wenjin, is there something wrong?"

Seeing her solemn expression and careful questioning of Doctor Zhang, Huangfu Jingchen sensed something amiss.

Xia Wenjin shook her head, "We’ll know tomorrow after seeing."

If there are many people with such symptoms, it could be due to the toxic gas, but it might not. Without seeing it herself, she couldn’t make a hasty conclusion. She hoped she was just being overly cautious.

Since they planned to visit Doctor Zhang’s clinic, their schedule would definitely be delayed.

Luckily, retrieving the Jade Pendant wasn’t extremely urgent.

After daylight, Xia Wenjin prepared to go with Doctor Zhang, and Huangfu Jingchen wanted to accompany them, but Xia Wenjin stopped him, "You wait at Uncle Kuang’s house. I’ll just take a look and will be back quickly."

Seeing her determined gaze, Huangfu Jingchen, although puzzled, didn’t want to argue, so he said, "Go early and return early. Stay safe!"

Xia Wenjin replied with a cheerful smile, "Okay!"

He added, "It’s some distance, go on horseback!"

On the way back, Xia Wenjin rode, while Doctor Zhang walked.

Knowing he was a devious little man, Xia Wenjin had no intention of letting him ride. However, she didn’t gallop the horse either.

Back in the day, Doctor Zhang was also a traveling doctor, going from village to village, so his stamina was good. Although slightly out of breath, he was able to keep up.

He even pointed the way for Xia Wenjin, mentioning where he had visited and where there were patients, using every ounce of flattery and sycophancy.