One hundred and thirty-five
County Magistrate Zhou learned that Fu Wei was in danger when he was out, and from the confession of the criminals, he learned that someone was willing to pay to cut off Fu Wei's legs. He knew who was trying to get Fu Wei back, so he immediately wrote a letter and asked someone to send it to the county government as quickly as possible.
During the days of waiting, various accidents happened to Fu Wei.
There were panicked horses rushing towards him.
Suddenly a heavy log fell down.
There was also danger coming, as the woman held a dagger soaked in medicine under her sleeve.
Fu Wei was on guard, and Fu Zhen became even more vigilant after knowing that someone wanted to harm him. Fortunately, he avoided all these dangers.
Four days later, the yamen runner who went to the county seat to deliver the message came back, and Fu Wei was also called into the study to listen.
The yamen runner said, "I heard from the people in the government office that after the prefect read the letter, he smashed the inkstone and said it was too much."
After a moment's thought, he added, "I've heard rumors that the governor even suspects that the assassination attempt during the hunt was also aimed at Mr. Fu."
Fu Wei and County Magistrate Zhou were both stunned and looked at each other. They really didn't expect that Prefect Shen would think of this.
If you really have this kind of thought, you will inevitably vent your anger on others.
Magistrate Zhou frowned and thought for a moment, then asked, "Does the governor have anything to say?"
The yamen runner replied, "Yes, it was relayed by the prefect's staff. The original words were: The prefect would certainly not allow someone, the ruler of a region, to be treated with such contempt. He wouldn't tolerate anyone hiring someone to kill someone on his territory, even if they were a fellow prefect, let alone a newly adopted son, who wasn't his only son."
"The staff also told Mr. Fu to wait. If anything unexpected happens, His Excellency will blame the Wuling County official. During the time it took for the message to reach Wuling County, the prefecture governor was asked to be on his guard."
These words have already made clear the attitude of Prefect Shen.
They all sit in this position. Even if they don't have any big ambitions anymore, they are still the superiors after all. How can they bear the anger when someone touches their people on their territory without saying hello?
If the gossip told by the yamen runners was correct, and the Huo family was really suspected of being involved in the hunting and assassination, then the anger would be even greater.
After letting the yamen runners leave, County Magistrate Zhou said to Fu Wei, "You should stay at home for the time being and avoid disaster."
Fu Wei said, "Thank you for your concern, sir. But it will take at least two months from the time the reward order is withdrawn until the rest of the people receive the news. And there are too many things that can happen in two months. Hiding is not an option."
County Magistrate Zhou thought about it carefully and realized that the county government also had many things that needed Fu Wei to do, and Fu Wei would be much more convenient to use than anyone else.
Fu Wei is young, quick-witted, smart, and able to draw inferences from one instance.
County Magistrate Zhou knew a lot of people, and the most outstanding one among his peers was someone older than him and from a better family. Fu Wei was also an outstanding person.
If he doesn't come to the yamen for two months, it will definitely cause inconvenience in his official work.
After a moment's thought, Magistrate Zhou retracted his proposal and said, "How about this? I'll have someone prepare a room in the yamen for you to rest at noon. I'll also have the kitchen in the back house prepare an extra lunch for you. You don't have to go back at noon."
Fu Wei said, "That's not necessary. My home is close to here. Mother will make it at home and then send it over."
County Magistrate Zhou nodded and continued, "Also, when you're off duty, you should have an extra person escort you back. One on each side will protect you, so there will always be someone to ensure your safety."
Fu Wei did not refuse County Magistrate Zhou's kindness again.
*
Yu Ying corresponded with Doctor Wu of the Renshan Clinic in the county seat, asking him to help inquire about the clinic director's name being listed in the clinic, and also to discuss payment.
A few days later, a letter from Doctor Wu also arrived in the county government.
The letter agreed to let her sit in the clinic without any compensation, but there was a condition: they would help with the outpatient clinic, but at the same time they had to see two female patients in the clinic. The consultation fees would go to her, and the clinic only needed to pay for the medicine.
After reading this, Yu Ying roughly understood what the director of Renshan Medical Clinic meant.
What matters is reputation.
Just as she had thought when she first opened the clinic, if a woman is sick with a private illness, it will pass by just enduring it, or if it is kept secret, the treatment will not be effective.
Go to the county seat to treat three people. The patients are determined by the clinic, and they must be rich or noble.
After the patient is cured, the clinic will be able to show its gratitude and have dealings with dignitaries, which is far more valuable than the medical fees.
Yu Ying is indeed short of money now. One outpatient clinic and two patients in the clinic don’t take too much time.
Stay in the county seat for two to three days, and travel back and forth by carriage for about four days, a total of six or seven days. Then rest at home for one day. In a month, at least twenty days are spent in the clinic, which is enough.
It’s a bit tiring, but it’s worth it if I can earn more money.
Yu Ying agreed to the conditions proposed by the director of Renshan Medical Clinic, starting from next month, which is September.
It just so happens that autumn is the dry season, which is the best selling season for facial cream. There is no need to ask someone to deliver it, you can make it directly in the county seat.
Fu Zhen was originally supposed to be the one to escort Yu Ying to the county seat, but he was on duty at the yamen and would not be going there only once or twice. Besides, protecting Fu Wei was the most important thing now, so he borrowed two people from Mo Lang, plus He Jia Erlang.
There was also a female apprentice going with them, making a total of five people including Yu Ying. Food, accommodation and transportation were all covered by her.
These things have been prepared, so there is no need to worry anymore. What worries Yu Ying is Fu Wei's matter.
These days, besides his elder brother, a yamen runner had been picking him up and dropping him off at work, apparently because of the reward order. Although he was worried, he couldn't help much, so he could only prepare more herbs for him to use for self-defense.
At noon on September 10th, he first went to see the leader of Muyun Village. After leaving, Fu Zhen sent Yu Ying to the place agreed by those people. After he returned to Yu County, Yu Ying and others set out for the county seat.
On the second day, they arrived at the county seat just before the city gates were closed at dusk.
After finding an inn near Renshan Medical Clinic and checking in to a room and putting down their luggage, Yu Ying immediately took He Erlang and his young apprentice to visit the clinic.
Although the main door of the clinic was closed, a small door was still open.
A medicine boy was looking around at the door. When he saw Yu Ying approaching from a distance, he immediately showed his joy and shouted inside: "Doctor Wu, Madam Yu... No, it's Doctor Yu who's here."
When Yu Ying approached, Doctor Wu also came out of the clinic and greeted her with a smile: "Although Madam Yu said in the letter that she would come today, I saw that it was almost dark and thought she would not be able to come."
Doctor Wu's attitude is better than when we were discussing business last year.
When I was doing the facial cream business last year, I thought that Renshan Medical Clinic had a big reputation, and Madam Yu, who was doing the facial cream business, was just a small fish and shrimp. As for her attitude, it was enough to just be acceptable on the surface.
But things are different now. Last year, Madam Yu was just a businessman selling facial cream, but now she is a famous female doctor.
Nowadays, looking across the entire county, there is no clinic that does not know about the female doctor of Yongxi Hall in Yu County.
Since there were some female doctors who opened clinics, not only the people in the clinics, but even ordinary people knew something about it.
With her in office, she can always get in touch with high-ranking officials.
If she had extended the olive branch of the position to other clinics, they would have accepted it with both hands, but fortunately, the offer was made to Renshan Clinic, so Dr. Wu naturally had to accept it.
Yu Ying bowed slightly to Doctor Wu and smiled, "I had an outpatient consultation yesterday morning, so I'll be a little delayed. From now on, I'll arrive at the county seat around this time."
Doctor Wu said, "Madam Yu has only just arrived at the county seat. She must be exhausted from the journey. She certainly hasn't had even a sip of water. Why don't you go into the clinic first and have a cup of tea to moisten your throat? Then we can discuss your consultation in detail."
After saying that, he stretched out his hand to greet him.
Yu Ying nodded and entered the clinic.
They went straight into the main hall in the backyard, where Doctor Wu entertained them while the medicine boy went to invite the director.
The director is a little older, about sixty years old, with gray hair on his temples, but because he understands pharmacological maintenance, he looks younger.
After a cup of tea, we got down to business.
Doctor Wu said, "Madam Yu said she would come to see patients at the end of last month, so we spread the word early on. Many people sent us invitations, but because Madam Yu said she would only see one patient out and two in person, I discussed it with the director and selected three patients."
After saying that, he pushed the three posts on the desktop in front of Yu Ying.
Yu Ying unfolded the posts one by one and read them.
The first post was from the prefectural government.
Doctor Wu said, "The one who is visiting is the prefect's wife."
Yu Ying was slightly surprised. She looked up at Doctor Wu and asked, "Do you know what's wrong with the wife of the prefect?"
Doctor Wu shook his head slightly: "I haven't heard what the disease is, and I can't find out anything."
Yu Ying put the post down thoughtfully, and then read the other two posts, one about a male patient and the other about a female patient.
The director of Renshan Medical Clinic said, "Mrs. Yu has come all the way from Yu County, so naturally the consultation fee cannot be too low. So I took the initiative to raise the outpatient consultation fee from five taels to ten taels, and the inpatient consultation fee from two taels to five taels of silver."
Yu Ying was stunned for a moment, then hesitated and said, "After all, I'm a doctor at the Yu County Clinic, and the most I charge is thirty coins. Isn't this too high?"
The director smiled and said, "Madam Yu, don't worry. The people who sent the invitations can afford it. Compared to what they would spend on hiring a famous doctor from the capital, this little money is nothing."
After hearing what the curator said, Yu Ying thought that her vision was indeed too narrow and she was not bold enough.
If you have money, it would be a waste if you don't make it. Thinking of this, she smiled a little brighter: "Thank you for your help with the consultation fee, Director."
The curator waved his hand and said, "It's a trivial matter, not worth mentioning."
This is really a small matter. If Madam Yu can really cure the wife of the prefect, and have the connection with the prefect's mansion, this would be a great thing!
The director thought for a moment and said, "By the way, Madam Yu, do you have a place to stay? If not, you can stay at the clinic and see what you need to prepare for your trip to the prefectural governor's mansion tomorrow."
Yu Yingdao already had an inn to stay in. After pondering for a few breaths, he continued, "There's nothing much to prepare, but I'm not very familiar with the etiquette. I'm afraid of offending you, my lord. I may need the director to send someone to give me some pointers."
Although she had watched a lot of movies and TV dramas, the highest-ranking official she had ever met in that era was County Magistrate Zhou. She really didn't know what etiquette to follow when meeting different officials, nor did she know how to perform etiquette when meeting the wives of high-ranking officials.
Although it is just a medical consultation, we cannot make a fool of ourselves so as not to affect Fu Wei.
This Prefect Shen is Fu Wei's temporary amulet, and no mistakes can be made.
The director was very considerate and quickly replied, "Of course. I've specially invited the housekeeper from the prefectural governor's mansion to stay at the clinic for a few days. She's in the backyard now. If Doctor Yu isn't in a hurry to go back, you can go and listen to what we should pay attention to."
Yu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him, "Of course I have time. Thank you so much for troubling me, Director."
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