002
When the man pulled her behind him, Qin Sang secretly left with Ying'er. If the two men fought over her, there would be a lot of gossip that would be hard to shake off.
She had barely stepped into her house when she heard someone calling her. Turning around and seeing who it was, Qin Sang relaxed and said, "Zi'an."
“Spring has arrived recently, and the weather has been a bit unpredictable. Grandmother Qin is prone to throat ailments around this time of year, so I’ve gotten her some nourishing medicine.” Tang Zi’an carried two packets of medicine in his hands, wearing a sky-blue long robe that accentuated his handsome and refined appearance.
Tang Zian is indeed worthy of being the heir of Renxintang personally chosen by the patriarch. Not only is he handsome, but he is also gentle, upright and kind, and has a good reputation. Now that he is only sixteen, matchmakers from all over the county are running to his door, and the threshold is almost worn out.
Even though everyone was saying that he had feelings for Miss Qin, it didn't stop the matchmakers from trying to steal him away.
As he spoke, he walked to Qin Sang's side and stepped into the courtyard with her. Once inside, they found that there were already guests in the main hall.
Tang Zi'an paused for a moment: "It seems we have guests at home, so perhaps I should reschedule for another day..."
"It's alright," Qin Sang said calmly. "There will be no more guests soon, so please come in without worry."
In the main room, Grandmother Qin sat in the main seat with a displeased expression. She only smiled when she saw Qin Sang: "Sang Sang is back."
The so-called guest was actually a manager from a teahouse in Quzhou, surnamed Li, who wanted to buy the tea garden planted by Qin Sang and had come several times before.
The other party had their eye on Qin Sang's black tea. Relying on their family's connections, they had already bought up all the small-scale tea buyers near Qin Sang's tea garden. However, they were stuck with Qin Sang and had been trying to persuade her with both soft and hard tactics but to no avail.
It wasn't that Qin Sang used any tricks on the other party; it was just that the other party was hesitant because of Qin Sang's status as an old lady.
Everyone in the entire Li County knows that the old lady of the Qin family worked in the capital when she was young. People who have worked in wealthy families are bound to have connections and methods. Although no one knows exactly what those connections and methods are, Manager Li, who wants to buy the tea garden, is somewhat wary, which has led to the current stalemate between the two sides.
When Manager Li saw Qin Sang enter, he smiled and slowly stood up.
Qin Sang didn't give him a chance to speak: "Manager Li is here again. He's really patient. But it's the same no matter how many times he comes. I'm not selling the tea garden. Please leave."
Manager Li wasn't annoyed. He stood up and bowed to Qin Sang, saying, "Miss Qin Sang is back." He then glanced at Tang Zi'an and said, "What a handsome young master! Could this be the rumored young master of Renxin Hall, the largest medical clinic in Li County, the Third Young Master Tang? Third Young Master Tang, Old Master Tang once treated my master. His medical skills are superb. How has his health been lately?"
Qin Sang was startled.
The other party's words were quite insightful. They not only knew about the relationship between Tang Zi'an and Qin Sang, but also investigated the backgrounds of Tang Zi'an and Doctor Tang. It was clear that in order to buy this tea garden, the other party had investigated all the connections of the Qin family.
She sensed a threat and said, "I didn't realize Manager Li had quite a few connections in Li County. What, who are you using to threaten me? Are you trying to fool me into thinking I don't know the ways of Quzhou Prefecture?"
Manager Li, a smiling tiger, said without changing his expression, "How could that be? Since you know the way in Quzhou Prefecture, you must come and sit at our Yu Yun Xuan teahouse. Our teahouse has teas from all eight counties of Quzhou, and even high-ranking officials from the capital cannot find fault with them."
"Okay, I'll definitely try it next time I have the chance. Ying'er, see him out." Qin Sang was too lazy to play along with him and gave him a clean and decisive dismissal.
Manager Li had no choice but to smile and take his leave with his servant.
After the man left, Qin Sang said angrily, "Grandmother shouldn't have let him in. She should have just kicked him out with a big stick. Why waste her breath arguing with him?" She handed over the medicine packet, "This is a nourishing lung-tonifying soup that Zi'an prescribed for you. Remember to brew it and drink it."
Grandma Qin smiled and had her maid take the medicine. She then said to Tang Zian, "Thank you for your trouble. I ask you to prescribe these herbal medicines every year without charging me. Please sit down and have some tea and fruit. This is all the food I can offer you."
"Grandmother, what are you saying? My friendship with Sister Qin Sang... These medicinal soups don't cost much. Just boil them and drink them. This medicine is good for your qi and spirit. I also added hawthorn, which can improve your spleen and stomach."
Grandma Qin smiled even more deeply: "You're always so thoughtful and considerate."
Then he looked at Qin Sang and asked, "When you went to the tea garden today, did you hear about Old Man Qian from the neighboring village?"
Qin Sang: "What is it?"
Old Mrs. Qin said calmly, "As you know, Old Man Qian's tea plantation was no less than yours. He was always an honest and hardworking man, and it took him many years to build up the scale he has today. But today there was news that this frugal Old Man Qian sold his tea plantation to an outsider at a low price a few days ago, and then he died these past two days."
Qin Sang was slightly taken aback: "Dead? Was it an accident?"
Her grandmother stared at her without saying a word.
Qin Sang understood. Her grandmother continued, "This Manager Li might have some connections behind him. I asked your Uncle Qin to go to Quzhou to find out, but he hasn't returned yet. For now, we can only stall him for a while."
Qin Sang nodded: "Then let's wait for Uncle Qin to come back." She believed that since Qin Baoyun was sent by the Prime Minister to protect her, he must have some connections behind him. So, she casually took out two tea bags from the basket she had just brought back and handed them to Tang Zi'an, saying: "Put one bag in the clinic and take the other home to Master. This is white tea for the New Year, the first batch just made."
Tang Zi'an smiled and accepted it: "Thank you, Sister Sangsang. That person just now..."
"Oh, and one more thing," Qin Sang interrupted Tang Zi'an as if she had just remembered something, "The rose mung bean cakes I made yesterday were delicious. Take some back for Ziying; she likes them." With that, she gracefully turned and headed towards the backyard.
Tang Zian stared blankly at her retreating figure for a moment, then heard Old Madam Qin call his name twice: "Zian?"
"Yes, Grandmother." A faint blush instantly crept onto Tang Zi'an's face.
Grandma Qin smiled warmly, her smile still gentle: "What we just talked about is nothing important, there's no need to worry. How old is Zi'an this year?"
Tang Zian replied respectfully, "I am seventeen years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning)."
"Well, you've reached the age for marriage. The other day I heard your mother say... that you refused to meet the matchmaker. Let me ask you," the old lady smiled, "are you waiting for my Sangsang?"
Tang Zian quickly said seriously, "Grandmother Qin, please don't joke. Sangsang is still young."
The old lady said, "Grandma is not joking with you. There are some things I want to make clear to you as soon as possible. I hope you will pull back from the brink and give up this idea."
Tang Zian's eyelashes fluttered, the color drained from his face instantly, his lips turned pale, and his throat went dry: "Grandmother, what...does this mean?"
Grandma Qin glanced at the backyard and sighed, "She's from the capital, and she still has relatives there. She'll have to go back sooner or later..."
Back when Qin Sang was eight years old, she suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The neighbors and neighbors speculated about all sorts of things. To cover their tracks, although she was officially called the third daughter of the Qin family, everyone rumored that she was actually the granddaughter of Qin's grandmother's close friend in the capital. The specifics were naturally unknown, but it was all just a matter of "family misfortune".
So, after hearing this, Tang Zi'an was shocked but also believed it, and he jumped up in a panic. Qin Sang had just come out of the backyard with pastries and, seeing his uneasy expression, quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Tang Zian said hastily, "I suddenly remembered that a guest is coming today, so I... I'll go back first."
On the riverside street, the stout Steward Li hadn't gone far. He and his servant strolled slowly along the street when they saw Tang Zi'an emerge from the Qin residence, looking utterly dejected, and accidentally knock over a peddler's pickled vegetable stall. Tang Zi'an was grabbed and forced to pay compensation, so he obediently pulled out a large piece of loose silver from his money bag.
Manager Li chuckled, "Young people are so naive. Those rotten vegetable leaves aren't worth that much." He paused, his grin widening, "Alright, naive kids are easy to talk to. Let's go, let's look around some more."
***
Two days later, a patient arrived at Renxintang, the largest medical clinic in Lixian County, crying and wailing in despair.
The young master looked no more than sixteen or seventeen, dressed in fine silk robes, with a jade ring around his waist, exuding an air of nobility. The noble young master was pale, his teeth clenched, and he sat curled up, leaning against the chair, babbling incoherently as he waited for the doctor to examine him.
"No, quick, find me a latrine!" The young master suddenly ordered through gritted teeth, ordering the frantic servant beside him. The servant had no choice but to slam his fist on the medicine table and shout, "What's going on? Our young master has been waiting here for ages, why hasn't the doctor arrived yet?! Where's the latrine?!"
The pharmacist at Renxintang was weighing medicine on a small scale. Without even looking up, he simply moved his chin and pointed across the street: "Over there."
The servant was furious but helpless, so he had no choice but to turn around and help his young master.
The two left the clinic and went to the restroom across the street. The servant kept nagging, "Young master, why don't I go to the county government office to reveal my identity? If you get seriously ill, the prime minister will definitely beat me to death."
"Stop talking nonsense and get me some toilet paper."
This handsome young man, dressed in fine clothes and frail yet resembling Xi Shi, was none other than Xie Sui'an, the grandson of Xie Zhongxu, the powerful Right Chancellor of the current dynasty.
He secretly slipped out of Kyoto and traveled the long distance without incident. However, after only two days in this small county town, he suddenly encountered a problem and started vomiting and having diarrhea since last night, feeling weak all over.
He was traveling in secret, and the mission his grandfather sent was not to be known to outsiders. Naturally, he could not go to the county government for help, or he would be beaten to death if he ruined his grandfather's plans.
Young Master Xie's servant, Jinyun, stood guard at the door of the restroom and continued to chatter: "Young Master, are you alright? It must be that the stall we ate at last night was unclean. The venison must have been sitting for who knows how many nights. Even if they grilled it and sprinkled some spices on it, we couldn't taste the flavor. This shabby little place is taking advantage of us because we're from out of town!"
Xie Sui'an, leaning against the wall, emerged from the latrine, his lips pale and trembling. He held his breath and said, "Let's go, it stinks..."
"..." Jinyun's expression changed. "You didn't relieve yourself? You... even if you smell bad, you can't hold it in. This isn't like the Prime Minister's residence, where the latrines are like this..."
Xie Sui'an gritted his teeth and said, "It's done."
Jinyun shut his mouth, but when he looked up, he saw that the pharmacy across the street had finally sent someone, and there were two or three more people queuing for treatment. In a panic, he let go of his master's hand and ran while shouting, "Hey, we're at the front of the line, don't cut in line!"
Xie Sui'an suddenly lost his support and almost fell headlong. He groaned in pain and was clenching his fists, preparing to rely on his willpower to walk up the steps of the clinic, when his arm suddenly felt light again.
At the same time, a faint and refreshing aroma of tea mixed with floral scents wafted to his nose. Just as he turned his head, he heard a woman's gentle voice in his ear: "Come on, walk slowly."
She was a beautiful young woman dressed as a man.
"Young master, you look unwell. What's wrong?" Qin Sang asked as she helped him up the steps.
"Have we met somewhere before?" Xie Sui'an asked, bewildered.
Qin Sang rejected the idea without hesitation: "No."
Xie Sui'an suddenly remembered that she was the woman he had saved on his first day in the city! He remembered how brave and fearless he had been when he saw a hooligan blocking her and her servant in an alley. How could this person be so heartless and ungrateful, turning his back on him like this?
He said with certainty, "I have seen it, I must have seen it... hiss..." Before he could finish speaking, another sharp pain shot through his abdomen.
"Where does it hurt?" Qin Sang frowned, thinking that this person was already in such a state, yet still had so many questions.
Xie Sui'an gasped and managed to answer, "My stomach pain just won't stop..."
Qin Sang helped him into the hall: "Come on, sit down first, I'll help you break it."
Jinyun had already brought Tang Zian over. He saw that someone was taking his young master's pulse and looked at Doctor Tang with a puzzled expression. Tang Zian smiled and said, "Don't worry, her medical skills are also very good."
Qin Sang had been bored over the years and knew that ordinary people were weak and sickly, so the following year she came to Renxintang to become an apprentice, disguised as a man, to treat the sick and save lives and pass the time.
Actually, Qin Sang could tell without taking the pulse that this person had acute gastroenteritis! With the right medication and a bland diet, he should be fine. It's just that there are no effective treatments in this era, so he'll have to endure it.
But she still went through the process and was about to write the prescription when she asked the other party's name. Xie Sui'an replied without changing his expression, "Lu Yao. It means a long journey."
Then he asked, "Are you a female healer?"
"I guess so. I help out at the clinic when I'm not busy." Qin Sang didn't bother to argue about whether his name was real or not. She buried her head in writing down the ingredients for the medicine and then asked, "Should I decoct it here or at home?"
Suddenly, a terrifying roar rang out from outside the hall—
"Liar! Liar! Get out of here! Don't come here for treatment, the doctors here are liars!!"
The group looked outside and saw a sickly young man waving his sleeves and furiously chasing people away: "You can't cure the disease but you still charge so much money! What kind of Renxintang is this? What kind of benevolence is this? They're all heartless bandits! You don't even need to rob us, and you'll just get a bag of worthless medicine dregs. You'll be lucky if you don't die from eating it! What are you still looking at? Get out! Get out! Don't get treatment here!"
Tang Zi'an frowned and beckoned to the young apprentice, asking, "Has this person visited our clinic before?"
The young apprentice stared at the visitor for a moment, then nodded: "It seems he came before, but at least half a month has passed, and he hasn't come recently."
"Half a month has passed? Do you still remember what illness he had?"
"I don't remember that. It was the old gentleman who took my pulse. It's been so long and there were so many patients that I can't remember."
Seeing the young man wave his hand and scatter the patients queuing for treatment, the servant guarding the door came over and stopped him, chasing him out: "What are you doing? What nonsense are you spouting? Everyone knows that the head of our Renxintang is a kind and benevolent doctor. Where did you come from, you idiot? Let's talk this out!"
"Tang Yu's medicine killed my mother! Shouldn't I hold him accountable?!" The young man's veins bulged as he angrily denounced, "Three whole doses of medicine, costing me a hundred coins! After taking the medicine, she vomited blood and became even worse, and she passed away this morning! Tang Yu, you must come out and give me an explanation today!"
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