Chapter 82: A Sign of Improvement
Duo Luo reached out and tugged at Pei Chengyu, saying calmly, "Why don't we have someone send her back first..."
She had only spoken halfway when the Imperial Academy Assistant Minister spoke up again, bowing to Ji Jinghe, which made Pei Chengyu realize Ji Jinghe's presence.
Seeing that Yu An's expression had softened slightly, he withdrew his hand from his shoulder.
With too many irrelevant people around, arguing wouldn't be pleasant, so the two tacitly chose to remain silent.
"I'll take her home."
Ji Jinghe put down the hot water in his hand.
Pei Chengyu did not refute, "I'll trouble you, Censor-in-Chief."
Ji Jinghe remained silent, but his expression was far from pleasant. His gaze remained fixed on Yu An, as if he were acquiescing to Pei Chengyu's words, or perhaps offering a silent, disdainful protest.
Because anyone else would be more entitled to say "thank you" than Pei Chengyu.
Anyone present could say it, except him.
Ji Jinghe looked to the side and said, "Supervisor, please attend to your current matters. You don't need to worry about us here."
The Vice Director of the Imperial Academy was ashamed: ...
Duolu smiled bitterly, regretting that she shouldn't have come.
Ji Jinghe was too lazy to say anything more, so he half-carried Yu An and walked out.
Yu An did not resist. After all, in her current state, there was nothing she could do if she stayed, so it was better to go back sooner.
"Why didn't you bring Baozhu with you to serve you today? Don't do that again..."
When they reached the carriage, Yu'an stopped and said, "You can go back now. Someone will drive me, so I can go back on my own. You don't need to see me off."
"I'm afraid you'll die on the way."
He suddenly uttered a cold remark, which Yu'an found strangely familiar, just like the days when they first got married.
If he had said a few more words of advice back then, they wouldn't be in this situation today.
The sharp pain in her chest hadn't subsided, and she didn't have the strength to argue with him.
Ji Jinghe comforted her in the carriage, then got off to ride his own horse. By the time they returned, Yu'an was already feeling better on the way.
Seemingly aware that she didn't want him to come in, Ji Jinghe called out to her just as she stepped inside.
"This is medicine. Take it home and take it."
Yu An paused for a moment, and before she could reply, Bao Zhu took the medicine bottle from her.
"What's wrong, young lady?"
"The poison has relapsed. I will call the imperial physician over in a moment. You take good care of him."
Ji Jinghe gave instructions and only left after watching the two figures disappear from the courtyard.
Yu'an couldn't care less about these trivial matters; the throbbing pain in her chest had left her powerless, and she could only lie in bed "barely surviving."
"Next time we go out, no matter where the girl is going, I have to go with her, understand?"
Baozhu gave the orders as if she were a master.
Yu An didn't say anything, just lay quietly on the bed.
I went to the Imperial College today to offer some support, but who knew it would turn out like this? I don't know how to handle this situation...
When she's not around, I always feel like things are in jeopardy.
Half an hour later, the imperial physician arrived.
As usual, acupuncture and medication were administered to temporarily suppress the symptoms.
She had inquired about a way to completely cure the disease, but knew that the antidote was extremely rare and hard to come by, so she had given up hope. After today's commotion, she couldn't help but ask, "May I ask you, sir, to tell me the truth, how much longer do I have to live?"
The imperial physician put away the silver needles. "My lady, there's no need to worry. It will just take a while, but it's not that you can't recover. Just relax."
Yu-An: "So, does that mean there's still a possibility of recovery?"
The imperial physician chuckled, seemingly offering words of comfort, "This medicine is not difficult to cure; it's just missing a key herb. Once the Imperial Hospital has all the necessary ingredients, it will be fine."
His vague words could only fool Yu'an for a while. But when the night was deep and quiet, Yu'an realized the loopholes in his reply.
He only said that there was a lack of medicinal herbs, but aren't those herbs extremely rare?
Similarly, since the poison cannot be cured at present, when it permeates her entire body and penetrates deep into her bone marrow, that will be the time when she dies.
The Yan family... they're really ruthless.
Upon reflection, Yu'an could no longer sleep peacefully; her thoughts were uncontrollable, and she was filled with countless worries.
*
The Yan family was powerful, and the person who beat someone that day was the son of Yan Jun's own nephew. When Cao Bowei, who was far away on the border, received the emperor's edict that he had "failed to properly educate his son," he had just read the letter from his family.
Whether the situation is true or false is obvious without even thinking about it.
Cao Bowei threw down the imperial edict and cursed angrily, "That damned Yan Jun, taking advantage of my absence from the capital, bullies my family. My son has been kind since childhood, a child who wouldn't even dare to catch a chicken. How could he bully someone three years older than him?"
Moreover, the whole thing started simply because the child wore a purse with the pattern that the Yan family often used, and he even led people to isolate the woman!
This is intolerable! It's not just a disrespect, it's an insult and a disgrace.
Looking at his wife's earnest letter on the table, Cao Bowei felt empty inside and burning with anger, yet he was helpless. He wished he could fly back to the capital immediately to support his lonely wife and children.
The trusted advisor stood aside and calmly said, "The Yan family must be acting so recklessly because the general is not in the capital and cannot speak in court."
They appear close, but in reality, they have long been at odds. Despite making so many concessions, he is still just a dog under their knees, and they will not show him any mercy.
In the past two years, the Yan family has been placing more and more of their own people in the military. If this continues for too long, they may have to replace him.
The strategist said, “General, Sun Jingyuan has set an example for us. You must be careful. Although this is a small matter, it is already a glimpse into the bigger picture. If you keep tolerating it, you may not be able to gain a place. You might as well teach them a lesson so that they will not dare to underestimate you.”
Cao Bowei: "I have no connections in the court, nor do I know anyone here. How can I vent my anger?"
The strategist said, "General, although we are far away on the border and cannot reach you, the things we have are the best excuse."
That very night, Cao Bowei submitted a memorial stating, "Due to delays in the allocation of provisions and inadequate repair of equipment, we are unable to withstand the harassment of the Qiang people. We request reinforcements."
Yan Jun concurrently served as Minister of Revenue, and Yan Ling had only been transferred to the position of Vice Minister of War for a year. Such a memorial could be considered a direct attack on the Yan family father and son.
Before the memorial could be presented to the emperor, the Yan family drafted a proposal stating that "the national treasury is empty and the people's livelihood is under pressure."
Some people in the court took the opportunity to impeach the Yan family, but after three or four days, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, with no news whatsoever.
Yu An knew no one in the court, and most of the news he heard came from the gossip of the women in the backyard.
Although the incident didn't escalate much, it still had an effect.
She was satisfied with sowing discord between the Yan and Cao families.
Yu An had just taken off the padded jacket she wore when she went out, and then came the rabbit fur cloak.
Baozhu urged, "Hurry up, don't you know your own weight? Put it on quickly."
After the incident at the Imperial Academy, Baozhu took extra care of her, fearing that she might not be attentive enough and cause the toxins in her body to relapse.
The Yan family is truly ruthless. That day, she was only grazed by an arrow, yet she ended up like this. If Ji Jinghe hadn't protected her that day, she would probably be dead by now.
Baozhu gave a strict order: after all the gossip had been gathered, she was not allowed to go out and was to stay home and recuperate.
"I might just die someday, and you're still controlling me like this? Aren't you heartless?"
Yu An asked the question knowingly, with a hint of a joke in her voice.
Baozhu glanced at her, too lazy to even say a word.
She had been eating light meals these past few days, and when she ran out of silk thread, she sent Baozhu to the market to buy some. Unexpectedly, when Baozhu returned, she brought back the same missing person notice as before.
"The silk thread shop owner insisted on giving it to me, saying that if I accepted it, he would give me a discount."
Baozhu neatly arranged the newly bought silk thread into the sewing basket, muttering to herself.
"I'm also curious. How wealthy must they be to spend so lavishly on searching for their lost daughter? What kind of family would do that?"
The notices were plastered all over the capital; you could find them in any busy shop.
Yu'an held it in her hand and examined it carefully. Something vaguely came to mind, but just like last time, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
“I’ve seen this sachet before, when we went to the Xia family’s deaf-mute village…”
Baozhu: !
Yu'an was so anxious that she straightened up from the bed. "Quickly call Yunxiu here and tell him to take this notice to find the person. According to the time, that family's child is already over 100 days old."
On the day her child was born, the deaf-mute man knelt before her begging for mercy, and this sachet was hanging from his waist.
She was sensitive to needlework, especially when she wore a brightly colored sachet with her dark, coarse linen clothes, making it hard not to notice her.
She was puzzled at the time, but now she has found the answer.
Baozhu asked skeptically, "Miss, will this work?"
"Let's give it a try."
Although Yu'an did not give a definite answer, if nothing unexpected happens, it should be as she remembers it.
To be honest, you wouldn't normally see the color schemes and patterns on the notices.
Yu An was filled with anxiety. After sending Yun Xiu away, she was almost unable to eat or sleep. Even her favorite dishes seemed to lose their appeal.
Baozhu clicked her tongue in surprise, "Don't worry, hurry up and eat."
Yu'an felt uneasy. "I have a feeling something big is about to happen. Do you think we can find it?"
Baozhu placed the bowl of soup beside her. "Whether we can find it or not, what's done is done. No matter how worried you are, it won't change the fact. Besides, it would be better if this really caused a huge uproar..."
Yu An was surprised and looked at her with an "amazing" gaze, "You little rascal, you've got a way with words again."
Baozhu pouted, "I'll always be able to talk."
Even late at night, Yu'an still couldn't fall asleep. Baozhu urged her a few times, but when she didn't listen, she simply started talking about her birthday.
She fell ill on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, so she thought of postponing her birthday by a month. Right now, she just hopes that nothing else will happen to her and that she won't be bedridden.
Yu An said "whatever" but was actually thinking about her future plans when she suddenly heard a noise outside the courtyard and immediately became excited.
"I'll go see, I'll go see. You stay here and don't come out, young lady."
Baozhu changed into her padded jacket, opened the door and left, leaving her to sit on the bed and look around.
After a while...
"Girl, good news! We've found it!"
He hurriedly put on his shoes and opened the door, and Baozhu came in.
"The person has been found and has been handed over to that family," Yunxiu just told her.
Yu-an: "Where is Yun-xiu?"
Baozhu: "I'm tired after a long day, I'm going home now."
It was getting late, and it wasn't proper for me to come in and report.
Yu'an understood and didn't dwell on it, but then asked, "Did that family say anything?"
Baozhu shook her head: "I only heard that the lady of that family cried so hard that she fainted... Miss, you have done a great service this time."
Lying in bed, her heart was still pounding. After all, she never imagined that going along that day would lead to this situation.
Unable to sleep, he called Yunxiu the next day to get the gist of the matter.
Only then did she realize that the other party was actually the daughter of Zhou Huaihai, the prefect of Yongping Prefecture.
Yongping Prefecture is located in the eastern part of the capital and is an important area for defending against the invasion of the Qiang people on the frontier. A fourth-rank official's daughter was abducted, poisoned, and made deaf and mute. He has been searching for her for three years. It seems that this matter can no longer be kept secret.
If the Zhou family were to fall into the wrong hands, they would be branded as having sold their daughters. In the court, officials who sold their daughters were often beheaded.
"Yesterday, Prefect Zhou meant that he would visit you, Madam, after the reorganization is complete."
Yu An nodded, "You've worked hard, so please get some rest these next few days."
Yunxiu agreed, but before leaving, she added, "Madam Zhou is heartbroken and probably won't be coming for several days."
"Okay, I understand."
Just as Yunxiu said, within a few days, the matter became the talk of the town in the capital.
Officials who had handled the Xia family case suffered one after another, leading to endless debates in the court and an increasing number of officials being impeached, creating a complete mess.
When Yan Jun returned from his duty at the palace, Yan Ling was already waiting for him in the study.
"Father."
Yan Jun waved his hand, telling him to get up, his cloak still carrying a heavy chill.
Yan Ling dismissed the servants in the room and stepped forward to pour a cup of hot tea. "Father, you've been gone for so long. Is it because of the Zhou family's affairs?"
Yan Jun gave a light "humph," and said, "That Zhou Huaihai is not someone to be trifled with. He's bound to have a tough time these days."
There was a moment of silence between father and son. Yan Jun threw the letter from his sleeve onto the table, and Yan Ling picked it up and read it with practiced ease.
“I have a feeling that the Zhou family’s affairs will only escalate and will not be easily resolved. All the people you have employed in the past should be dealt with cleanly, so that no one can be left with any evidence against them.”
Yan Ling agreed, but upon reading the contents of the letter in his hand, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
Cao Bowei, who was stationed at the border, was disobedient, and several officers who were close to the Yan family were demoted.
Yan Ling: "This Cao Bowei has really developed ulterior motives."
"Don't worry about the Cao family for now. If they've shown any disloyalty, we'll deal with them once we've finished dealing with our current tasks." For now, they can't cause any trouble.
"As for Zhou Huaihai's matter, you must pay close attention to it. Just don't interfere. Some people are clamoring to reopen the Xia family's affairs. Let's see what His Majesty thinks."
“My son understands.”
Yan Ling nodded slightly. "I heard that this matter is also related to Chu Yu'an. It must be Ji Jinghe's doing again."
The Shen family's smuggling case is still entangled in Lizhou, and now the Xia family's old case has also been added to the mix, leaving them besieged on all sides, both overtly and covertly.
The most fatal of them all was Ji Jinghe.
He stirred up all of this by himself.
"It's urgent to bring down the Ji family. I heard a few days ago that Ji Jinghe sent people to the northern frontier. How's the investigation going?"
There is no news yet.
Yan Ling: "However, I suspect he's probably looking for an antidote to the poison."
Yan Jun looked at the documents on the table, anger gradually rising in his chest. "The Chu family is really causing trouble..."
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