Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 698 - 545: There’s a Problem with the Medicine!
Today is the eighth day, which means—
In fact, she had already calculated it countless times in her mind and knew what would happen at this time, but when the moment truly arrived, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but take a deep breath, her expression becoming solemn.
So, it has already come to this day.
She sighed softly in her heart, but her face instead became calm.
The busyness of these past few days taught her a lesson: the higher one’s position, the more they control others’ fate and life or death, the less they can show emotions. Because even a trace of melancholy might cause unease and anxiety among those who rely on her for survival, and once that anxiety and unease start to spread, it can be even harder to control than a plague, and it’s more likely to cause chaos.
Thus, Shang Ruyi put on a faint smile, "Perhaps he woke up late."
As she spoke, she glanced around, then said with a smile, "Since Changle Square’s closure began until now, everyone has actually been working very hard, and as for him— I know that he’s usually a lazy person. Delivering the herbal medicines here for eight consecutive days, maybe he’s also tired, so he came a bit late today."
Such an explanation was indeed reasonable.
However, Wu Huanzhi did not seem to put his mind at ease. Instead, his expression became even more serious, and his brows furrowed with a faint trace of anger.
He looked at Shang Ruyi and said gravely, "Coming late is not a big deal."
"..."
"But, if there is a problem with the medicine he delivered, that would be a major issue. Young Madam, you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came from behind.
Turning his head, he saw Pei Xingyuan arriving.
Dressed in a jade-colored robe, he lightly leaped off the carriage, still appearing charismatic and graceful, though somewhat out of place with the grayish market. Moreover, after getting off the carriage, he didn’t come over immediately, but turned his head to look at the other side of the long street.
Similarly, within the smoke-filled Yanzuo Square, there seemed to be a faint clamor.
Inside, it should be Jin Daji and his people distributing medicine.
And they had come even later than usual today. Judging by the time, the patients in Yanzuo Square should have almost finished drinking today’s herbal medicine by now.
So—
In Pei Xingyuan’s eyes, which always carried a hint of a smile, a gleam flashed faintly. The next moment, he turned his head back, smiling at the guards of Changle Square with eyes lightly squinted, "Good morning, everyone."
Although the guards were loyal and did not engage in unnecessary conversation, they had grown familiar with him over the past few days, and several of them nodded in response.
Pei Xingyuan waved his hand with a smile, and the people behind him immediately stepped forward.
These people skillfully set the long table in front of the market entrance, placed empty bowls on it, and a few small-attendants held herbal pots ready, while several accountants seated themselves behind the long table, opening their account books.
Everything was just as it had been on the previous days.
The only difference was that there were more people today than usual, and notably, more guards present.
However, the patients in Changle Square didn’t mind too much. Seeing them delivering the medicine, they all beamed with joy, immediately standing up and rushing forward.
Pei Xingyuan said with a smile, "Line up, line up, no pushing, there’s enough for everyone!"
Thus, the patients obediently formed several long queues.
Their conditions had already improved significantly from before, so their faces weren’t as sallow, and even their steps had energy. Seeing the herbal medicine poured from the herb pots, it was as if they had been walking in the dark for a long time and finally saw light ahead; each was filled with excitement.
Seeing their joyful expressions, however, did not alleviate the stern look on Wu Huanzhi’s face.
His brows furrowed even tighter, staring intently at the herbal medicine being poured from the pots.
At this moment, the few people at the front of the line, after recording their names and addresses, picked up the medicine bowls from the table. Yet, upon looking down, their brows immediately furrowed.
The people behind were just waiting for their turn, and seeing them not moving, they began to urge—
"Why haven’t you taken the medicine yet?"
"Take the medicine and move aside quickly, don’t delay us."
"Yeah, what’s the hold-up?"
Among them, a patient holding a medicine bowl frowned and said, "Why, today’s medicine seems... a bit weak."
As soon as he spoke, another person beside him, who had been hesitant, also immediately said, "Yes, you couldn’t see the bottom of the bowl with the previous medicine, but today’s is translucent."
As they spoke, those behind them crowded forward.
Looking closely, indeed, in the medicine bowls held by those few individuals, the herbal medicine was faintly clear, noticeably lighter compared to the initially thick soup-like medicine like muddy water at the start.
Someone immediately said, "Indeed it’s weaker, I noticed yesterday."
"Exactly, the medicine these two days doesn’t taste the same as before, much weaker than before."
"Aren’t they cheating us out of our silver!"
As they continued, the doubts in everyone’s hearts slowly turned into anger. Although there was a commotion due to the high price of the medicine earlier, suppressed by Pei Xingyuan with just a few words, there was still some dissatisfaction in their hearts. It was just that with the improvement in their condition, no one said anything more. But if there’s an issue with the medicine, how can anyone feel at ease?
A few people holding medicine bowls immediately shouted at Pei Xingyuan, "Second Young Master Pei, what do you mean by this?!"
Without waiting for the other party to respond, those at the back of the line also rushed forward, pointing at Pei Xingyuan and clamoring, "You sell such expensive medicine, yet you still cut corners, do you have any conscience?!"
"Exactly, it’s downright despicable!"
Seeing the situation, Pei Xingyuan calmly took a few steps back.
The patients, unconcerned with anything else, pointed at him and cursed incessantly. In the front, the shouting was intense, but those at the back didn’t know what was happening and kept craning their necks to look forward, curiously asking, "What’s happening up there? What’s all the noise about?"
Some people, only half-understanding, murmured in confusion, "It seems the medicine is not quite right."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, the patients immediately widened their eyes in shock, "What’s wrong with the medicine?"
"Is there a problem with the medicine?"
"What’s wrong with the medicine? Could it be, could it be—?"
A few of the timid ones were terrified and said, "No, it couldn’t be poison, could it?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the people around were both shocked and angry. Spending money every day on expensive medicine was already infuriating enough, but they had to endure it for the sake of living. But if the expensive medicine could not even cure illnesses and might even be problematic, who could endure that?
Those at the back, unable to understand the situation, magnified their fear and anger with just a few words, immediately becoming furious. Some of the young and strong, whose conditions aren’t that serious, angrily said, "Damn it, dare to harm us, let’s fight him!"
With that, they were about to rush forward.
As they charged, the other patients also started cursing and pushing forward.
"Don’t let him off!"
"This person wants to kill us!"
"Let him make enough silver, now he wants to murder for profit!"
In an instant, the neatly lined groups became chaotic. Some were extremely aggrieved, some chimed in, while the timid ones who dared not cause trouble were swept forward by the crowd. Instantly, the entrance of Changle Square was packed, and the furious patients even charged directly at Pei Xingyuan!
Seeing these people get closer, the guards who had already been stationed nearby immediately stepped forward, blocking Pei Xingyuan.
And Pei Xingyuan took the opportunity to retreat two more steps.
However, although the crowd was agitated, he showed no fear or panic, instead, he turned his head to glance at the opposite side of the street.
Perhaps because the commotion in Changle Square was too intense, the noise from Yanzuo Square became subdued.
Seeing his seemingly nonchalant demeanor, the already dissatisfied Wu Huanzhi became even angrier. He said heavily to Shang Ruyi, "Young Madam, with things like this, won’t you intervene?"
"..."
"Selling a dose of medicine for one piece of silver is nothing less than profiteering, extorting the people."
"..."
"And now, not even properly brewing the medicine." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"..."
"If things continue like this—"
He bit his teeth at this point, seemingly about to let loose a few words but struggling to restrain them, not voicing them out.
But, even if he didn’t say it, Shang Ruyi knew which words they were—
The hearts and minds of the people will be lost.
At this rate, even if she and Yu Wenye save the people here during this epidemic, they have already lost the hearts and minds of the people.
However—
Shang Ruyi bit her lip, remaining silent, but seeing her determination to stand with Pei Xingyuan against the patients and the people to the end, Wu Huanzhi had nothing left to say. He sighed deeply and turned to leave.
By this time, the rumors of the soup medicine being "problematic" or "poisonous" had already spread throughout a large part of Changle Square. The patients, one by one, were furious and stormed toward Pei Xingyuan and his subordinates, almost ready to use force. Seeing that the patients were about to storm out of the market, the guards dared not let them go and quickly stepped forward to block them, joining the guards brought by Pei Xingyuan at the market entrance.
However, with the crowds from both sides clashing, they couldn’t be held back.
Seeing that the patients in the market were about to rush out, one of the guards, being kicked and punched by the crowd, was suddenly enraged and instinctively pulled out the knife from his waist.
At this, the hearts of those around leapt into their throats.
Everyone knew that unsheathing a blade in such a situation might scare off some, but it would surely infuriate even more people. After all, having been ill for many days and compelled to buy expensive medicine, resentment had built up in their hearts. Once weapons were drawn, it would completely trigger a riot!
Instantly, even Shang Ruyi broke out in a cold sweat!
At this critical moment, from across the street in Yanzuo Square, a few people suddenly came out.
