Chapter 311: Chapter 311: Elder Song Encounters Danger
311 Elder Song Encounters Danger
In the following days, Zhao Zhitong obediently stayed in bed, not going anywhere or doing anything. The days were long and boring, so she looked forward most to Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue’s daily visits.
Qiao Muchen reported that the current case was progressing very poorly. The clues had dried up after Li Zhoucheng went mad; Li Zhoucheng was receiving treatment, but his recovery was uncertain.
Meanwhile, Song Renying suddenly received a secret report from the imperial court ordering him to drop the case and return to the Capital City immediately—an imperial decree that could not be disobeyed. Thus, Song Renying had no choice but to escort the deranged Li Zhoucheng back to the Capital City. Considering a previous assassination attempt, Zhao Yu offered to accompany them to ensure Li Zhoucheng’s safe return. Before Song Renying departed, he told Qiao Muchen and Zhao Zhitong that they would meet again in the Capital City.
Just when they thought the matter would conclude, and shortly before Qiao Muchen and his companions were to set off for the Capital City, Zhao Yu returned from there with bad news: Song Renying had been arrested the moment he entered the Capital City.
Apparently, someone had found evidence of Elder Song colluding with the enemy and plotting rebellion. He was now being held in the Ministry of Justice Prison!
This news shocked everyone. No one believed Song Renying would collude with the enemy and plot rebellion; it was clearly a frame-up.
Concurrently with this news, several uninvited guests from the Capital City arrived at De Ren Tang, specifically asking for Zhao Zhitong. They claimed to be from the Princess Mansion, sent to escort Zhao Zhitong to the Capital City to treat the Princess.
Princess Anping’s daughter, who was also the emperor’s most beloved granddaughter, had contracted a strange illness. She had been seriously ill for a long time, and even the Imperial Physician Order from the Imperial Physician Bureau was helpless. It seemed she could only wait for death.
At this time, the Prince Consort heard from General Feng and Lord Zhang that there was a young Divine Doctor in Anyang County. So, desperate and willing to try anything, he sent people to invite her to the Capital City to treat the Princess.
However, Zhao Zhitong did not immediately agree. Instead, she said, "Gentlemen, I am merely an unremarkable physician from the countryside. How could I go to the Capital City to treat the Princess? Have you found the wrong person?"
Zhao Zhitong was unwilling at this moment, but not because she had lost her medical ethics and didn’t want to treat patients. The situation in the Capital City was different from that in Anyang County; it was a place filled with power and danger.
Even the Imperial Physician Order of the Imperial Physician Bureau couldn’t handle the strange illness that afflicted the young Princess. Now, they were asking her, an unknown person, to treat the Princess. Wasn’t this a slap in the face of the Imperial Physician Order? If she cured the illness, she would offend him. If she failed, she would likely be in trouble, and the people of the Princess Mansion would probably not let her off easily. So, in any case, this was not a good assignment. It wasn’t that she was afraid of an Imperial Physician. She was no longer the naive little girl who acted impulsively on her passions. Even if she didn’t consider her own safety, she had to think about her family’s.
This Imperial Physician Order of the Imperial Physician Bureau wasn’t just any physician; his status was far from simple.
The Imperial Physician Order, named Zhuo An, was deeply trusted by the emperor and a prominent figure at His Majesty’s side. In truth, many were well aware that this dashing Imperial Physician Order was the emperor’s pretty-faced favorite. Because he closely resembled a childhood sweetheart the emperor had known before entering the palace, he enjoyed deep imperial trust and often acted arrogantly, relying on this favor.
In recent years, he often visited Anyang County to collect medicinal materials and had, not long ago, personally sought out Niu Baishun to collect a large batch of medicinal materials for the Princess. Even the County Magistrate was extremely respectful when he encountered him on the streets.
Zhao Zhitong knew about this Imperial Physician Order because the medicine monopolist Niu Baishun was working with him to sell medicinal materials to the Capital City, and they both made a lot of money from it. The reason Niu Baishun, the major medicinal materials dealer, had been untouchable was because this Imperial Physician Order supported him from behind.
So, for now, she didn’t want to offend this prominent figure close to the emperor.
However, her disagreement didn’t mean the people from the Princess Mansion would accept it. They directly used the princess to pressure her.
Finally, they even stated, "The princess herself has said that if Divine Healer Zhao is unwilling to come, she will be forcibly taken there. So, Divine Healer Zhao, please reconsider carefully. We will return after noon."
After delivering their message, those people left.
The other members of the Sun Family were furious. They wanted to curse the princess for her arrogance in forcing someone to provide treatment, but ultimately, they didn’t dare. The princess was indeed too powerful. To ordinary people like them, crushing them was as simple as crushing ants.
Sun Kang couldn’t help but worry, "Tongtong, will you go or not?"
Zhao Zhitong pursed her lips, pondering. "Let’s wait and see."
She had to consider this matter cautiously. However, since it was the Princess Mansion compelling her, she couldn’t really refuse. The most critical issue now was how to minimize the potential damage.
Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue were also preparing to head to the Capital City early due to Song Renying’s situation. Although not explicitly stated, Qiao Muchen still regarded Song Renying as his mentor. How could he sit still when his mentor was in trouble?
On one side, the Princess Mansion was pressuring Zhao Zhitong to go to the Capital City to treat the Princess; on the other, Song Renying was imprisoned.
Just as they faced these mounting pressures, Wei Shulan and Wei Zijian arrived.
They came in a horse carriage, laden with packages, hurrying to De Ren Tang. As soon as the carriage stopped, Wei Zijian jumped out and started shouting, "Master! Master!"
Zhao Zhitong instantly felt a major headache coming on. Why has this menace shown up?
Wei Shulan then alighted from the carriage. She was dressed in a green outfit, her hair styled in an exquisite bun. Tall and slender, she stood a good half-forehead taller than Zhao Zhitong.
Then, as usual, Wei Shulan hooked arms with Zhao Zhitong and whispered, "You don’t know, I had to bring him if I wanted to go to the Capital City with you. Otherwise, it would be difficult to convince my uncle and grandmother."
Afterward, she said firmly, "Anyway, I’m telling you, I have to go with you this time. I want to protect you."
"The last time you were trapped in that cave, it was so dangerous, and I was the last to find out! That’s not being a good friend at all. No, from now on, wherever you go, I have to go with you."
Zhao Zhitong said with a helpless smile, "I think the real reason is you want to avoid your clingy cousin, isn’t it?"
Wei Shulan sighed. "Tongtong, you know me best. I’m really so tired of him. I even asked Grandmother to break off the engagement, but he still comes to our house every day."
Then, changing the subject, she said, "Alright, let’s not talk about him. It’s true that I want to go with you to protect you."
With that, she took out an exquisite bracelet from her bosom and handed it to Zhao Zhitong. "This is for you."
Zhao Zhitong hesitated for a moment before accepting the bracelet, asking doubtfully, "Is this another one of your new hidden weapons?"
She was now rather wary of the little gadgets Wei Shulan developed. Wei Shulan had given her several of her researched hidden weapons before. Good heavens, few of them had ever proven reliable.