BLPSG Chapter 110 Extra

That young man who had been following Wen Qingci was the Crown Prince?

 

…And he had actually said, in front of the Crown Prince himself, that the prince had stolen official silver and should be arrested!

 

The color instantly drained from Ji Qirong’s face.

 

Of course he had heard the rumors about the “monster,” and had even mocked Xie Bufeng in the marketplace at some point, but now… Ji Qirong’s heart was filled only with fear.

 

“I, I…” Ji Qirong stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

 

The young man who had grown up in Yongdu naturally possessed an intimidating aura even without anger.

 

Those light amber eyes looked at Ji Qirong with an ambiguous smile, instantly making him forget what he had wanted to say.

 

“I, I don’t want it anymore, I absolutely won’t ask Wen Qingci for a single coin more!” In his panic, Ji Qirong finally regained a bit of sense. He struggled to kneel upright and began kowtowing repeatedly to Xie Bufeng, “Your Highness, spare me, this lowly one truly knows his mistake-”

 

“Not asking for a single coin?” Xie Bufeng slowly stood up straight, looking down indifferently, “Do you think this prince cannot afford to pay?”

 

“I wouldn’t dare, this commoner wouldn’t dare.”

 

Ji Qirong’s heart sank, and he immediately understood that Xie Bufeng had no intention of letting him off.

 

Sure enough.

 

“Guards,” Xie Bufeng smiled as he slowly walked toward the exit, saying softly, “Take him away and deal with him according to the punishment for misappropriating official silver.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Ji Qirong immediately widened his eyes, frozen in place.

 

Though he had never studied law specifically, he knew that in Wei Dynasty, misappropriating official silver was a serious crime…

 

Ji Qirong trembled like chaff in the wind, constantly pleading with the guards around him.

 

But these soldiers who had come from Yongdu with Xie Bufeng executed the young man’s orders like machines, never once acknowledging him.

 

*

 

“Qingci, why hasn’t young Su come by these past few days?” Wen Qingci’s mother asked casually while watering flowers, “Didn’t you say he was injured and needed to come to you regularly for dressing changes?”

 

The speaker meant nothing by it, but the listener took it to heart.

 

Wen Qingci, who was calculating accounts, paused with his finger in mid-air.

 

Since the day Ji Qirong was arrested, Young Master Su had not returned to his clinic.

 

Wen Qingci smiled, pretending to be relaxed as he said: “He had quarreled with his family before, which is why he was staying with me temporarily. I suppose lately… he must have reconciled with his family. The wound on his body was healing well; any physician could change the dressing for him.”

 

“That’s good, that’s good,” Wen Qingci’s mother couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, “I was worried that something had happened to that child.”

 

“Of course not.”

 

Wen Qingci smiled to reassure his family, but in reality, his mother’s words had made him anxious at that moment.

 

…Was Young Master Su really alright?

 

These days, with the Emperor on his southern tour in Songxiu, the nearby official roads were in a semi-martial law state. People from outside the prefecture found it difficult to enter Songxiu to seek medical treatment, so Wen Qingci also had a rare moment of leisure.

 

Taking advantage of the good sunshine, after drying the medicinal herbs, Wen Qingci left the small courtyard without his family’s knowledge, passed through the alley, and headed toward Ji Qirong’s house on the other side of the long street.

 

Before reaching his destination, he heard several people gathered at the street corner discussing something.

 

The streets in Songxiu Prefecture were connected to streams, and at this moment, a woman was sitting by the water washing vegetables: “…You’re saying that Ji Qirong really spent official silver?”

 

The person standing beside her said with an exaggerated expression: “Absolutely true! A few days ago, he was given a hundred lashes and thrown in jail. He still hasn’t come out.”

 

As if afraid the other wouldn’t believe him, he added: “By the way, you should know, my nephew works at our Songxiu Prefecture’s magistrate office. He told me all this, it can’t be wrong.”

 

“But…” the woman washing vegetables hesitated and said, “Where did he get the official silver from?”

 

“That I don’t know.”

 

Hearing this, Wen Qingci’s heart sank heavily.

 

He glanced at Ji Qirong’s house from a distance, but ultimately bit his lip and turned back toward his own clinic.

 

However, just as he turned the corner into the small alley, before reaching his doorway, Wen Qingci heard a jumble of conversations.

 

“Ji Qirong may be gone, but the money he owed still needs to be repaid.”

 

“That’s right! He previously said that Wen Qingci had rented his courtyard and still owed him a lot of money. He told us to collect directly from Wen Qingci.”

 

“Now that Ji Qirong is gone, this money should rightfully be paid by Wen Qingci, don’t you think?”

 

Six or seven unfamiliar faces were blocking the entrance to Wen Qingci’s clinic.

 

Wen Qingci had never seen these people before, but from what they were saying… they seemed to be Ji Qirong’s creditors.

 

After Ji Qirong’s disappearance, they had spontaneously gathered here.

 

Wen Qingci’s father stood at the door, shielding his angry daughter behind him, nodding and earnestly explaining to those people: “I’ve noted down everything you’ve said, and when Qingci returns, I’ll-”

 

“What do you mean ‘when’? Our families are counting on this money to eat! Is this something you can negotiate?”

 

“That’s right, you look so refined, but you’re also someone who doesn’t reason!”

 

The somewhat harsh sunlight fell from the other end of the alley, shining on Wen Qingci’s father’s face.

 

He instinctively narrowed his eyes, and the fine lines on his face became particularly clear at that moment.

 

Standing at the entrance of the alley, Wen Qingci suddenly realized-Father had grown old.

 

He couldn’t help but feel a tightness in his nose.

 

Though Wen Qingci’s family made their living by gathering herbs and didn’t have much money,

 

His parents were always respected in Shanyu Jian.

 

He had never imagined that one day, his father would have to bow and scrape to a group of strangers because of him.

 

Wen Qingci slowly lowered his head…

 

The next moment, he suddenly took a deep breath and walked quickly toward the clinic entrance.

 

“Who says I owe Ji Qirong money?”

 

Wen Qingci’s tone was exceptionally cold, and those ink-black eyes revealed not the slightest emotion.

 

His sudden appearance startled those around him.

 

“Uh… of course Ji Qirong himself said so!”

 

“Father, please take Qingluo back home first.” Wen Qingci said softly to his father.

 

The man paused for a moment, but finally nodded, leading his young daughter back home with a worried expression.

 

In the blink of an eye, the alley fell silent again.

 

The people standing opposite Wen Qingci finally reacted: “Ji Qirong said you owe him several hundred taels of silver!”

 

“Oh? Then he should have also told you that this silver is the rent for the clinic for the next five years.”

 

Wen Qingci’s deliberately slowed pace carried a much stronger sense of pressure than usual.

 

The group paused and said: “Yes, what about it?”

 

Wen Qingci’s gaze passed over their shoulders into the small courtyard. After a long silence, he finally let out a deep breath, clenched his fist and said: “Who says I’ll renew the lease for the next five years?”

 

His clear voice echoed in the quiet alley.

 

It reached everyone’s ears distinctly.

 

Ji Qirong’s creditors froze in place at that moment.

 

Looking up, they seemed unable to believe that Wen Qingci was truly willing to abandon this clinic he had operated for a full five years.

 

“Uh, this… there’s still room for negotiation, no need to be so extreme.”

 

Now it was the people blocking the door who lowered their stance.

 

Wen Qingci smiled gently: “I studied medicine to treat illness and save lives. Songxiu Prefecture isn’t the only place in the world with patients.”

 

His tone was exceptionally firm, as if he had already made up his mind.

 

The moment he finished speaking, Wen Qingci felt a slight pain in his heart.

 

But at the same time, he felt a sense of relief.

 

With Ji Qirong gone without a trace, his creditors would naturally come after him.

 

Wen Qingci wasn’t afraid of trouble, but the scene just now had reminded him-he had a family.

 

If they couldn’t get what they wanted from him, they would harass his family.

 

Wen Qingci didn’t want to abandon his clinic at all, but he was even more unwilling to see his father bow his head to these people because of him.

 

The Yin River Grand Canal was brightly lit.

 

The Emperor, who had been recuperating at Juji Temple, had returned early to the southern tour procession.

 

Xie Bufeng was thus temporarily detained on the boat, unable to get away.

 

“In three more days, it will be the day of the river sacrifice,” the Emperor said, pretending to casually instruct while looking through the procedures written by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. “This time, if anything happens again, my son, don’t try to handle it alone.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Xie Bufeng slowly bowed to him.

 

As they spoke, a streak of firelight shone in from outside the cabin.

 

It stretched Xie Bufeng’s shadow particularly long.

 

One point of the shadow, by coincidence, fell upon the Emperor.

 

He instinctively clenched what was in his hand.

 

…Without realizing it, Xie Bufeng had grown into a man.

 

When he himself was this age, he was already planning to become Emperor.

 

‘The Su clan’s power is truly too great.’

 

‘Just Xie Bufeng alone is enough to cause headaches. If Consort Lan bears another child, what then?’

 

“Alright, you may withdraw.” Thinking of this, the Emperor’s tone involuntarily became harsh.

 

Xie Bufeng paused, then bowed and retreated: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

The moment he walked out of the cabin, his gaze suddenly became extremely complex.

 

What did the Emperor’s inner thoughts just now mean?

 

Could it be that Mother was pregnant again…

 

Thinking carefully, throughout the southern tour, Consort Lan had seemed constantly tired and sleepy.

 

At the time, everyone naturally assumed she was unaccustomed to life on the boat.

 

Even the imperial physicians said so.

 

But now, it seemed things might not be so simple.

 

The imperial physicians in the palace all took orders from the Emperor himself.

 

With just a slight hint from His Majesty, they could conceal Consort Lan’s pregnancy and “handle” the unborn child without anyone knowing.

 

They might even secretly harm her.

 

The young man’s footsteps faltered, and he immediately turned toward his mother’s location.

 

*

 

The next morning, news of the river sacrifice spread throughout Songxiu Prefecture.

 

It also reached that somewhat disorderly medicine shop in the south of the city.

 

The small courtyard was filled with medicinal herbs and medical books, while the rooms were empty, no longer having the warm appearance of a few days ago.

 

Wen Qingci’s words last time were not a joke; he had indeed prepared to leave this place.

 

By now, he and his family had packed their belongings and were ready to leave Songxiu at any time to set up a clinic elsewhere.

 

Seeing the person beside her buried in organizing medical books, Wen Qingluo finally couldn’t help but tug at her brother’s sleeve, reminding him softly: “Just two more days! Brother, don’t forget why we came to Songxiu Prefecture.”

 

These past few days, the family had been busy packing up the small courtyard, and she was worried her brother had forgotten their previous arrangement.

 

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Wen Qingci stood up and looked toward the Yin River Grand Canal, paused for a moment, then smiled, bent down to rub his sister’s head, and said softly,

 

“Brother promised that after we see the princes, we’ll leave Songxiu.”

 

The little girl’s eyes instantly lit up: “Great! I knew brother wouldn’t break his promise!”

 

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