Chapter 250 A Secret Affair Had Been Going On
But Ye Wanning felt a heavy weight in her heart—she vaguely guessed that Consort Li's purpose was not just to make things difficult for her.
Instead, they wanted to use her to implicate Pei Zhi.
Sure enough, people were chatting in the palace that very night.
It is said that Lord Pei glanced at Doctor Ye several times during the flower viewing banquet with an ambiguous expression, which suggests that they may have been having an affair!
Ye Wanning was annoyed by this, and the next day she declined all the court invitations, citing the busy affairs of the Heritage Hall.
They tried every possible way to avoid running into Pei Zhi.
She feared that rumors in the palace would affect Pei Zhi's career—he was the current prime minister, bearing the weight of the nation's fate.
We cannot allow her, as a "folk doctor," to become a target for criticism.
Even when he deliberately avoided it, his concern remained unseen.
That day, Ye Wanning was organizing the list of medicinal materials for the free clinic when her apprentice suddenly came to report: "People from the Prime Minister's residence have arrived with some supplies."
Her heart tightened, but she still gritted her teeth and let them lead her into the house.
It was a sandalwood box, and when opened, a cool herbal scent wafted out.
Inside was a box of ointment, next to which was a piece of plain paper with strong handwriting: "There are many mosquitoes in the suburbs. Apply this during the free clinic to prevent bites."
"A person with an upright character has nothing to fear, so there's no need to avoid me."
There was no signature at the end of the plain paper, but Ye Wanning recognized the handwriting.
My fingertips glide over the cool wooden box, and my heart feels a mix of bittersweet emotions, as if something has struck me.
He remembered that she often went to the suburbs for free medical consultations, and that she was afraid of mosquito bites.
The saying "A straight body casts a straight shadow" is like a key that unlocked the lock in her heart.
But she still didn't take the initiative to contact him; instead, she dug out the medical records left by her mother that night.
The prescription for the heart-protecting pill has been found—Pei Zhi has been working hard for the country for many years, and his heart meridian is slightly damaged.
She noticed it when she took his pulse last time, but she hadn't found a suitable opportunity to give it to him.
Now is just right.
She took the medicine according to the prescribed amount, ground it, sifted it into powder, and refined it. She worked until late at night before she finally made a small bottle of black pills.
It has sandalwood added on purpose, which can calm the mind and soothe the nerves.
She still did not sign her name, but had it secretly delivered to the Prime Minister's residence and given to Li Dequan.
She thought the matter was over, but a few days later, Su Ning rushed into the inner hall.
His face turned deathly pale: "It's terrible! Sun Chengzong impeached you in court, sir, saying that you harbored remnants of the rebel party!"
The mortar and pestle in Ye Wanning's hand clattered to the ground, scattering medicinal powder everywhere: "Remnants of the traitorous party? Who is he talking about?"
“He’s talking about me.” Su Ning started sobbing. “He said my father was a strategist for the Wei family, and the Wei family was executed for treason.”
"My father is an accomplice. You took me in because you want to avenge the Wei family and overthrow the court!"
Ye Wanning's pupils constricted.
Su Ning's father was indeed a staff member of the Wei family, but Su Ning clearly said so.
Her father was killed by the Wei family for opposing their rebellion, and the family was forced to flee their home.
This is clearly Sun Chengzong deliberately framing her, trying to use Su Ning's background to bring her down!
"Sir, what should we do? Will the emperor believe him?" Su Ning trembled as she clutched her sleeve.
"Don't be afraid, the innocent will clear their names. Your father is a loyal and virtuous man, and I will clear your name!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than an imperial decree arrived—the emperor temporarily forbade Ye Wanning from entering or leaving the Heritage Hall.
A conclusion will be drawn after Su Ning's background is thoroughly investigated.
The days of confinement were long and boring.
The heritage hall was sealed off, the apprentices were dismissed, and Ye Wanning was left alone in the empty hall.
She wasn't afraid of being confined to her home; she was afraid that if no evidence was found, Su Ning would really be treated as a remnant of the rebellious party.
Just then, Li Dequan arrived, bringing a brocade box: "This was given to you by Lord Pei."
Ye Wanning opened the brocade box; inside was a large stack of letters and a note.
The note was in Pei Zhi's handwriting: "Evidence against Su's father for opposing Wei. I have found the witness he rescued. Wait for me without worry."
The letters in the brocade box were all written by Su Ning's father to his friends.
The letter clearly recorded his opposition to the Wei family's rebellion and even described in detail the Wei family's plan to rebel.
Every word and phrase is an expression of loyalty.
The witness was the scholar whom Su's father had saved from the Wei family's slaughter years ago, and he was now a local official.
Looking at the stack of letters, Ye Wanning's eyes welled up with tears.
Pei Zhi must have had Li Dequan deliver it instead of handing it over himself because he was afraid she would think it was "charity."
He was always like that, quietly doing things for her without asking for anything in return.
During the confinement period, the Prime Minister's residence sent fresh ingredients and medicinal herbs every day.
These were all foods she usually liked to eat and used often. Ye Wanning knew in her heart that this was Pei Zhi's arrangement.
She didn't refuse again, but she would take time every day to brew him a bottle of heart-protecting pills.
Bottle after bottle, all were delivered to the Prime Minister's residence by Li Dequan, still without a signature.
But she knew he would recognize her.
Half a month later, the lockdown was lifted.
In the imperial court, Ye Wanning presented Su's father's letter and witness testimonies, publicly exposing Sun Chengzong's false accusations.
Sun Chengzong was reprimanded by the emperor for "failing to distinguish between loyalty and treachery and sowing discord," and was fined a year's salary and confined to his home to reflect on his mistakes.
Because her father was a loyal and virtuous man, Su Ning was awarded the plaque "Descendant of Loyalty and Righteousness" by the emperor, which completely cleared her name of any wrongdoing.
The sun was shining brightly as I left the palace.
Pei Zhi stood under the willow tree outside the palace gate, his blue robe flowing like water, his features gentle.
Seeing her come out, he went over and handed her a cup of warm tea: "Are you thirsty?"
Ye Wanning took the tea, her fingertips touched his fingers, she trembled slightly and withdrew them.
She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and said softly, "Thank you, Lord Pei."
Pei Zhi looked at her reddened ears, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, but he didn't expose her.
He simply said, "Of course. Your heart-protecting pills are very effective."
Ye Wanning suddenly looked up and met his smiling eyes, her face instantly burning.
So, he really did know it was her who did it.
After the controversy surrounding the heart-protecting pills, Ye Wanning and Pei Zhi seemed to have grown closer.
Yet there is an indescribable distance between them.
When Lin Chuyao from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion returned to the capital, this distance was completely broken down, replaced by a heart full of bitterness.
Lin Chuyao is Pei Zhi's childhood sweetheart. Her husband died early, and she has now returned home as a widow.
As soon as she returned to the capital, she frequently appeared by Pei Zhi's side.
Sometimes she would take his arm to a banquet, and sometimes she would personally cook and deliver snacks to the Prime Minister's residence.
Their intimate posture suggested that they had already fallen in love.
What bothered Ye Wanning the most was Lin Chuyao's relentless pressure.
At a gathering of literati, Ye Wanning was invited to give a lecture on medicine.
Lin Chuyao suddenly spoke up: "Dr. Ye's medical skills are superb, but he is too rigid and inflexible."
"Unlike the gentleness that women should have, Pei Lang prefers gentle and soft-spoken women."
"If Doctor Ye continues like this, I'm afraid he will not be able to catch Pei Lang's eye."
Everyone was taken aback and turned to look at Lin Chuyao.
Ye Wanning's face flushed red, then turned deathly pale, and she could only force herself to calm down: "Miss Lin is right."
"I am devoted to practicing medicine and have never thought of anything else."
"Is that so?" Lin Chuyao raised an eyebrow and gave her a cold look.
"I never expected that Pei Lang would argue so vehemently for you in court on several occasions."
"Doctor Ye, don't be greedy. Pei Lang is not someone you can associate with."
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