Chapter 60 Give me back my sister-in-law! ...

Startled by the sudden noise, Meng Yurou froze, turning around in shock. For a moment, she forgot to cry, staring blankly at the figure at the head of the table, who now appeared incredibly cold and dignified.

“Grandmother…” her voice trembled.

Jiang Yunshang didn't give her a pleasant look. Her face was gloomy, and her eyes were filled with a chilling coldness, as if she was suppressing great anger.

“You have been raised by your aunt since you were a child. Over the years, I have not interfered much. That’s why she has spoiled you into the way you are today. I also bear some responsibility for neglecting your upbringing.”

Her voice was deep and authoritative, “But I’m too old now, and I no longer have the energy to correct your character from the beginning. Today, I only have one piece of advice for you: I hope you will be mindful of your place and know your own limitations. Eat what you can’t handle, and don’t spend your days indulging in wishful thinking and coveting things that don’t belong to you!”

Meng Yurou gasped in shock.

Although she was not as intelligent as Meng Yutong, she truly felt her grandmother's overwhelming anger, which was almost tangible at that moment.

Terrified, she collapsed to the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz, stammering incoherently, "Grandmother... I... I won't do it again... I'll never do it again..."

"Alright," Jiang Yunshang closed her eyes wearily and waved her hand. "Go down. In the future, unless it's something important, you shouldn't come to my Songfeng Courtyard too often. Otherwise, we'll both grow tired of each other, and we can both have some peace and quiet."

"Yes...yes...Grandmother..." Meng Yurou's heart was still pounding wildly, still immersed in the shock of the teacup flying and the porcelain shards scattering.

She gave a blank reply, then scrambled to her feet, tears streaming down her face, and stumbled out of the room, afraid that if she was even a step too slow, she would incur the wrath of that capricious old woman.

After Meng Yurou left, the room returned to silence. Jiang Yunshang slowly picked up the still-freshly printed official document from the table and, once again by the lamplight, carefully examined it.

Since the medical officer delivered the document that evening, she had read it over and over again no less than a dozen times. She could practically recite every word and every clause from memory.

Even so, she still couldn't bear to let go.

With the family business showing signs of decline and instability in recent years, this procurement approval document stamped with the official seal of the Medical Academy is undoubtedly a lifeline for the Meng family, which is already in dire straits, and a ray of hope for survival!

Thanks to her decades of managing the household, she always adhered to the principle of "better to have too much than too little, better to be prepared than to be unprepared" when purchasing medicinal herbs. Regardless of the price of the herbs or whether they were currently popular, she always made it a habit to stock up on a sufficient quantity of all kinds of herbs.

That is why, when opportunities suddenly arise, the Meng family has enough confidence to seize them firmly, rather than being left helpless and disappointed.

What Tong said that day was indeed reasonable.

A marriage alliance that is tied to someone else and can change at any time is like drinking poison to quench thirst; it is by no means a long-term solution to the Meng family's predicament.

The only right path is to stand on one's own two feet, rely on genuine ability, and personally build a rock-solid support solidified by the bloodline of the Meng family.

"This mountain's foundation lies with me, and its rise and fall are in my hands."

Only in this way can one truly feel at ease.

This girl, at such a young age, is so insightful and clear-headed; it's truly rare.

Holding this seemingly light yet incredibly weighty document tightly in her hand, Jiang Yunshang felt a sense of peace and security she had never experienced in years.

Before long, Granny Wu came in quietly from the outer room and reported in a low voice: "Old Madam, I have instructed Steward Chen to prepare the carriage and safely send the eldest young lady to Zhaoyu Hall to settle down."

Jiang Yunshang nodded slightly, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She leaned back in the wide rosewood chair, her expression showing a rare relaxation and ease.

"Although she has repeatedly refused, for her safety, during the time she stays at Zhaoyu Hall, you should secretly find a few reliable guards who are skilled and discreet. They don't need to enter the hall, but just keep watch from the outside. If anything happens, they will be there to help and won't be caught off guard."

Wu Mama understood immediately and replied, "This old servant understands, I'll go arrange it right away." She then asked softly, "Will the old lady still be going to the shop to inspect as usual tomorrow?"

Jiang Yunshang rarely showed a genuine smile. She opened her eyes, looked at the old servant who had been with her for many years, and a rare childlike pride and ease flashed in her eyes: "I'm not going. The most important thing tomorrow is to ensure that the medicinal herbs approved for purchase by the Medical Academy are delivered in the correct quantity and quality. After that..."

She paused, her tone becoming increasingly cheerful, "The weather is getting hot soon. Once this matter is settled, we'll go to the village outside the city for a few days to escape the heat and let this old body of mine relax a bit."

Seeing that she was finally able to relax, Granny Wu was also delighted and replied with a smile, "Madam should have done this a long time ago! Nothing is more important than your own health. You have been pushing yourself too hard these past few years, and you should take a good rest."

In the stillness of the night, the candlelight flickered gently. The master and servant whispered intimate words for a while longer. Outside the window, a clear, bright moon hung high in the sky, silently casting its mercury-like light across the courtyard. The carved window frames cast sparse, elegant shadows on the ground.

The moonlight spilled over the rooftops, meandered through the quiet streets, and finally gathered on Peach Blossom Street.

A blue-draped carriage rolled along the bluestone pavement of Peach Blossom Street, making a soft rumbling sound, and came to a steady stop in front of the Zhaoyu Hall, where the lights were already off and the doors were closed.

Meng Yutong and Bai Zhi got off the carriage, and Steward Chen busied himself unloading luggage and packages from the carriage. The group went into Zhaoyu Hall together and began to tidy up and settle in.

The second floor of Zhaoyutang originally had ten side rooms, but now only five are occupied. Wu Ming and his grandson, along with several patients, live upstairs. Although there are still empty rooms, the mixing of men and women is inconvenient.

So the group decided to clear out a few empty rooms on the first floor.

In the northwest corner of the courtyard, besides the two newly built pharmacies and the decoction room, there were originally several unused storage rooms. The rooms were equipped with basic beds, tables, chairs, and cabinets, but they were covered in dust. After a little cleaning and tidying, they were barely habitable.

The group lit candles and began tidying up. Hearing the commotion downstairs, Wu Ming, who was upstairs, slipped on his shoes and came down to help.

About half an hour later, the three small houses in the northeast corner were bright and clean, looking brand new.

The westernmost room, facing the inner courtyard, was in a quieter location and less likely to be disturbed by the noise from the front hall, so it was assigned to Meng Yutong. The two rooms right next to it were given to Bai Zhi and Granny Gui, respectively.

With everything arranged, Meng Yutong quickly washed up, said goodnight to everyone, and returned to her small house to rest.

The room was small and simply furnished. A narrow elm bed, a small square table with peeling paint, and a heavy cedar wardrobe were all the belongings.

Although the furniture was quite old, it had been cleaned by several people and exuded a unique, calm, and warm fragrance of old wood.

Meng Yutong lit a small celadon oil lamp, its dim yellow light barely illuminating a corner.

A small south-facing window offers a perfect view of the lush green leaves of the old persimmon tree in the courtyard. Though small, the house is cozy and well-arranged, making it a pleasant place to stay temporarily.

Lying on the bed with newly changed bedding, Meng Yutong recalled the day: she had treated many patients, discussed prescriptions for serious illnesses with several doctors in the evening, checked on the condition of several patients with Ji Yun in the evening, encountered Meng Yurou's farce after returning home, and then came back to tidy up the house... It was truly a fulfilling day.

Her body felt heavy, and her limbs ached. She closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep immediately. However, for some reason, the longer she lay there, the more awake she became, with a sliver of consciousness refusing to settle down.

One moment she recalled the unexpected joy of her family's medicinal herbs being selected for the official medicine procurement; the next she flashed back to the moment she accidentally bumped into Ji Yun in the patient's room and he put his arm around her shoulder; then she remembered his unfathomable eyes as he earnestly asked, "Are we friends?"; and finally, she inexplicably recalled the play "The Broken Mirror's Mistake" that Yunzhou had told her on the way to Yunzhou...

The various scenes are bizarre and surreal, intertwined and swirling.

She tossed and turned on the not-so-spacious bed twice before finally getting up and relighting the oil lamp.

He took the indigo-covered book out of his briefcase, sat down at the small table by the window, and began to carefully read it by the dim lamplight and the moonlight streaming in from outside...

Meng Yutong sat quietly by the window, her mind gradually calming down, and she focused her attention on the book in front of her.

The lamplight cast a dim, yellowish glow on the desk, creating a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

Outside the window, a crescent moon quietly moved to the center of the sky, its clear, cool light flowing like water, gently enveloping the tranquil courtyard. The branches and leaves of the old persimmon tree, bathed in moonlight, were quietly absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, growing silently.

The moonlight flowed, passing over layers of buildings and falling upon the Wutong Courtyard of the Ji Mansion. Inside the courtyard, bamboo shadows swayed before the windows, and the clear moonlight filtered through the carved window frames, seeping into the rooms.

Ji Yun sat upright at his desk, his posture slender and graceful. He was writing on the paper, the ink still dripping, the prescription for the serious illness that he and Meng Yutong had finally agreed on that day at Zhaoyutang.

After finishing one version, he did not immediately put down his pen. Instead, he stared intently at the text, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table as he repeatedly pondered the combination and dosage of the main, assistant, and adjuvant ingredients in the prescription, seeking any way to improve it to perfection.

Yunzhou gently knocked on the door and entered. Seeing him deep in thought with his eyes down, he bowed and stood by the door, holding his breath and not daring to make a sound to disturb him. He knew that the young master was most afraid of being disturbed when he was considering the prescription, and that even the most important matters had to be put aside for the time being.

Unexpectedly, Ji Yun put down his pen, looked up at him, and asked with a clear gaze: "Did you deliver the person safely?"

Yunzhou nodded hurriedly: "Reporting to Young Master, we were safely returned to the Meng residence at exactly Hai hour."

He paused, a hint of hesitation on his face, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Ji Yun keenly noticed the unusual expression on his face and frowned slightly: "Why are you hesitating? What is it? Please speak freely."

Yunzhou then reported, "Didn't you instruct me today to transfer two guards from the manor to secretly watch over the area outside Zhaoyu Hall?"

With a surge in diarrhea cases in recent days, clinics are operating beyond capacity, making them highly susceptible to incidents and potential medical disputes. Having been assigned the responsibility of inspecting the three clinics, he felt compelled to ensure absolute safety, both for his own and public good.

Song Yinshen and Ma Chunchu were both men, which was fine, but Zhaoyutang was mostly women. After much deliberation, he ordered Yunzhou to send two skilled guards to secretly patrol Peach Blossom Street to prevent any unforeseen events.

Now that Yunzhou has brought up this matter, he can't help but suspect that something has gone wrong at Zhaoyutang.

"What is it?" He spoke faster than usual.

Yunzhou then reported: "Just now, one of the guards came back to report that not long after Doctor Meng returned to the Meng residence, the Meng family's steward drove a large carriage and took her, Baizhi, and Granny Gui back to Zhaoyu Hall. Many trunks, bedding, and daily necessities were unloaded from the carriage, making it seem as if they were going to stay at the clinic for a while."

Ji Yun's face remained expressionless, but his sleeve accidentally brushed against the prescription, leaving ink stains.

He subtly rubbed the ink stain between his fingers, his gaze deep, and slowly said, "Understood. Tell them to keep an eye on things, and not to show themselves unless it's absolutely necessary. If there's anything unusual happening in the courtyard at night, send word back immediately."

"Yes." Yunzhou replied, and seeing that he had no further instructions, he bowed and withdrew.

The door closed gently, and silence returned. Ji Yun lowered his eyes, his gaze returning to the still-wet ink on the prescription on the table, trying to concentrate and continue to consider it. However, when his eyes swept over the familiar words "fried Atractylodes macrocephala" and "Poria cocos" on the paper, his mind went blank, and he found it difficult to focus his attention again.

Why did she suddenly move to Zhaoyutang to live permanently? Did she have some kind of argument with Old Madam Meng? Or is there some other change in the household?

Based on his understanding of her, she was always thorough and prudent in her actions, and was by no means a willful or reckless person. There must be a reason behind this move.

This prescription... seems to be almost finalized now. If new discoveries arise during subsequent treatments, it can be modified as needed.

He raised his hand wearily and pinched the space between his eyebrows. He then carefully blew the ink off the written prescription and put it into a hidden compartment in his medical kit.

The medical kit was opened, and on the first layer were neatly arranged his needle pouch, clean gauze, wrist pillow, and some commonly used first-aid pills. A thin wooden partition was parted with his fingertips, revealing a small, hidden storage space underneath.

There lay quietly a plain pink Hangzhou silk handkerchief; two pine nut candies wrapped in transparent oil paper, the paper already somewhat brittle; and a sheet of Xuan paper, repeatedly folded yet with neat and crisp edges, with faintly visible flowing lines drawn in ink—it was a portrait.

The Xuan paper was carefully spread out on the desk, the ink still damp. It was described as a portrait, but that wasn't quite the case.

Because on that snow-white paper, there was only one pair of eyes.

His jet-black pupils were as bright as the finest lacquer, his eye shape was incredibly smooth and beautiful, and the corners of his eyes naturally turned up slightly, outlining a breathtaking charm and indescribable allure. Those eyes seemed to have a life of their own, piercing through the thin paper, gazing quietly and deeply at the person outside the painting.

A drop of dark ink accidentally dripped onto the paper and happened to smudge under the corner of the eye, resembling a tear stain falling from the woman in the painting as she was about to weep.

His melancholy and sorrowful expression evoked pity in those who saw him.

Ji Yun gazed quietly at the unique eyes in the painting. After a moment, he picked up his brush again, dipped it in a little vermilion ink, and made a very light and precise dot below the left eye of the illusory eyes.

Like a tiny yet striking cinnabar mole.

In an instant, those eyes seemed to come alive, as if infused with a soul.

Intelligent and insightful, poised and unrestrained, calm as a deep pool reflecting the moon, and radiant with a shimmering light in every glance.

Although those eyes resembled her appearance by about 70-80%, their spirit was completely different.

The biggest difference is... she wouldn't look at him with such tender eyes.

When the real Meng Yutong looked at him, her beautiful eyes always carried a clear or subtle distance and inexplicable hostility.

For him, this was an insignificant matter. He had never cared what others thought of him.

But for some reason, he suddenly developed a strange obsession with such trivial matters.

Today, he mustered up the courage to ask her the question that had been bothering him, but she remained vague and unwilling to tell him the real reason.

So be it.

It wasn't a big deal. He just happened to think of it and asked. Actually, he didn't really want to know that much.

As for this portrait, it was merely a casual sketch drawn because I felt her behavior was rather strange and contradictory, which aroused curiosity. There was no other profound meaning behind it.

He told himself this. Then, he carefully folded the Xuan paper and put it back in its original place at the bottom of the book box.

He turned his gaze to the window; the moonlight shifted, and all was silent. He wondered if she was resting peacefully in Zhaoyu Hall at this moment.

The clinic was so busy today, she must be exhausted...

"Young master! Young master! Slow down! Be careful not to fall!"

Suddenly, Yunzhou's anxious shouts came from outside the window, mixed with the heart-wrenching cries of a child and a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps, which came from afar and suddenly entered his ears.

With a loud bang, the study door was violently kicked open by a brute force.

Ji Ming's small figure appeared at the door, his face streaked with tears and snot, his hair disheveled, and the sash of his inner garment undone.

He saw his elder brother sitting upright at his desk, his eyes, red and swollen from crying, revealing a mixture of resentment and complaint.

Before Ji Yun could discern the source of that emotion, Ji Ming, like a mad calf, lunged at him, fell to his feet, and clung tightly to his waist, throwing a tantrum without a care in the world!

"You're a big bad guy! I hate you! I hate you! Give me back my sister-in-law! Give her back!"