Chapter 122 Taking Advantage of Your Illness to Kill You
Meng Qing and Du Li, along with Meng Chun and Wang Zhou, squeezed through the crowd. Several adults within the circle caught a glimpse of the approaching figures out of the corner of their eyes, looked up, and then lowered their heads after recognizing who it was. The constables on the side swallowed their words of shooing them away.
"Sir, the fire at Songlin Courtyard has been extinguished, and the smoke has mostly dissipated," the county constable reported.
Yin Mingfu stopped asking questions and went to inspect the scene of the fire.
Du Min and Magistrate Zhao followed, and Meng Qing and his group followed behind.
The Songlin Temple had five guest rooms in one of its courtyards. Chen Mingzhang lived in the middle room. His room caught fire, which also destroyed the guest rooms on both sides. Fortunately, the officials living in the guest rooms on the left had left this morning, and no one was living on the right, so no one else was injured.
Du Min followed Yin Mingfu inside. The roof had been burned away, the bed and tables and chairs were blackened, and broken bowls, plates and wine jars were scattered on the ground. The spilled mutton was charred black and turned to ashes with a single step.
The county magistrate pointed to the two half-broken doors leaning against the wall and said, "The door bolts broke because the courier broke the doors. The testimony that the doors were bolted from the inside is true."
Du Min bent down and picked up a piece of broken pottery. The black ash inside was damp. He brought it to his nose and sniffed it, saying, "There's a faint smell of alcohol. When Lord Chen got drunk, he knocked over the wine jar, and the wine fueled the fire?"
The county constable nodded. "The courier said that when he broke down the door, Lord Chen was lying face down on the table, and his clothes and hair were on fire."
"His clothes and hair were burned, yet he didn't wake up from the pain?" Du Min pressed.
"No, he only sobered up after a bucket of water was poured on him," the county constable replied. "Perhaps Lord Chen has a low alcohol tolerance and was very drunk."
"How is Lord Chen's alcohol tolerance?" Prefect Yin asked Du Min.
"His alcohol tolerance seems to be low. I've only drunk with him once, and Minister Zheng was also present. At that time, Minister Zheng was still the Vice Minister of Rites. The three of us drank, and Lord Chen was the first to get drunk," Du Min answered truthfully. "Which clinic is Lord Chen in? How are his injuries? Is he sober now?"
"It's been sent to Renhe Pharmacy. When it arrived, Lord Chen was still confused," a courier reported.
The group then followed Yin Mingfu to Renhe Pharmacy, where the doctor had just finished treating Chen Mingzhang's burns. "He has burns on his back, neck, scalp, and arms. His left arm is the most severely burned, followed by his shoulder and neck. The rest of the burns are not serious."
"Is Lord Chen awake?" Yin Mingfu asked.
The doctor nodded. "He's sober now. Luckily, he was drunk, very drunk, so he didn't feel any pain when they treated his burns and didn't suffer much."
"Will his burns heal completely? Will they leave scars?" Du Min asked.
"It will definitely leave a scar, and as for whether it will heal completely, it's hard to say." The doctor didn't give any guarantee. "He's awake; you can go in and see him."
Yin Mingfu led Du Min and the county magistrate inside. Chen Mingzhang was lying face down on the couch, his lower body covered with a cloth, his upper body naked, his hair was burned and curled, the hair on the back of his head was shaved off, and his head and waist were covered with bluish-black medicinal mud.
“Military Advisor Chen, don’t move, don’t move. I’m Magistrate Yin from Luoyang. I’ve come to ask you about a case. You were drinking alone in your room, got drunk, and then started a fire?” Magistrate Yin asked.
Chen Mingzhang responded listlessly, "Lord Yin, is my injury serious?"
"It's not serious. You were rescued as soon as the fire started." Yin Mingfu confirmed that it was an accidental fire. He didn't ask any more questions. After asking for his family's address, he offered a few words of comfort and then left.
Du Min remained silent until he saw Yin Mingfu to the door, then returned to ask, "Lord Chen, did you come to the capital alone? Without any servants?"
Hearing his voice, Chen Mingzhang felt a tightness in his chest, a suffocating sensation as if he couldn't breathe. He clenched his fists, pulling at his flesh and stretching the wounds. At that moment, the lingering effects of the alcohol seemed to vanish completely, and he felt pain from the outside in.
"You've been promoted? To Imperial Councilor?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
“Yes, a sixth-rank official.” Du Min’s words revealed his delight. He took two steps closer to the bed, squatted down, and whispered, “A sixth-rank official is above average. The Assistant Minister of Rites is below average, and the Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is two ranks higher than the Assistant Minister. Although it’s a nominal position, it’s still a sixth-rank official. Teacher, I remember three years ago, when we had a falling out, I said that no matter how successful my career was, it would take me at least ten years to reach the position of a sixth-rank official. Oh dear! Not even half of those ten years have passed, and I’m already a sixth-rank official. Aren’t you happy for me?”
Chen Mingzhang's breathing became heavy, like that of a dying old dog. Du Min watched with a smile, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having avenged a great grudge. But he still wouldn't let this old fool off the hook, continuing to provoke him: "Lord Chen, why are you drinking alone behind closed doors today? Are you angry? Did you hear I got promoted and you were so angry you tried to commit suicide by setting fire to the house?"
Despite the excruciating pain, Chen Mingzhang turned his head, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at him. "You'll die a horrible death."
"Worry about yourself first." Du Min scoffed. He heard footsteps approaching and stood up.
"Third brother, curfew is approaching, your second sister-in-law is urging us to go back." Du Li pushed open the door and peeked in, still worried.
"Lord Chen, do you need a student to keep watch for you at night?" Du Min asked.
"roll!"
"Alright." Du Min walked out. "I've told the medicine boy to keep a close eye on you tonight. I'll come to see you again tomorrow."
Du Li grabbed Du Min and pulled him out. Once they were outside the pharmacy, he said, "Don't make him so angry."
“Isn’t it a good thing to make him so angry?” Du Min said earnestly. “If I make him so angry that he dies, it will be a good deed, and it won’t dirty anyone’s hands.”
Meng Qing kept an eye on the hurried pedestrians, and when no one was around, she reminded them, "Anyway, it won't dirty your hands. Governor Zheng will handle it, so you don't need to worry about it. You'd better focus your mind on your marriage."
"Was the fire really not caused by Governor Zheng?" Du Li asked.
Du Min shook his head. "It probably isn't. It's probably just an accident. Let's not talk about him anymore. You guys go about your business. You don't need to come running back and forth with me."
Meng Qing and Du Li exchanged a glance. This was the first time he hadn't let them follow, which didn't seem like a good thing.
Back at the post station, Meng Chun, along with Wang Zhou and Magistrate Zhao, were waiting for them to return for dinner. Du Min briefly mentioned Chen Mingzhang's situation, and after dinner, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
*
Late at night, Du Min got up to go to the outhouse. After coming out, he rushed to the water tank, squatted down, and washed his hands frantically. Then he picked up a piece of cloth and left.
The next day.
After breakfast, Du Min washed and dressed and went out. Before going to Baima Temple, he went to the pharmacy first.
The pharmacy had just opened when the young apprentice guarding it, who was still dozing off with his head propped up, jumped up at the sound of footsteps.
Du Min waved his hand, indicating that he was alright. "Were you taking care of Lord Chen, who was burned in the fire, last night?"
"It's small."
"Thank you for your hard work," Du Min said kindly. "Is Lord Chen awake?"
"He fell asleep. Last night, the effects of the medicine wore off in the latter half of the night. He was in a lot of pain and barely closed his eyes. He only fell asleep when it was dawn," the apprentice said.
“I also said I’d bring him some breakfast.” Du Min tapped the food box in his hand with his finger and said, “I’ll go in and check on him. If he’s awake, I’ll let him eat something. The more he eats, the faster he’ll recover.”
The medicine boy naturally wouldn't stop him.
Du Min entered the medicine shed. He lifted the curtain and pushed open the door. The person on the bed was facing outwards, pale-faced with dark circles under their eyes and bloodless lips. He paused for a few moments, then picked up the food box and went inside.
The food box was opened, and the aroma of chicken soup overpowered the bitterness of the medicine. Du Min picked up the bowl, took a handkerchief from underneath, and gently wiped a burn on the back of his head that hadn't been covered by the medicinal paste.
The sleeping person merely frowned slightly, without waking up.
Du Min smiled, folded his handkerchief and tucked it into his sleeve. He walked to the bench and sat down, silently watching him, recalling the scenes of himself kneeling and bowing before him.
After an incense stick had burned, the footsteps in the clinic became chaotic, and the voices, some loud and some soft, woke the person on the bed. As soon as Chen Mingzhang opened his eyes, Du Min's figure came into his pupils. He blinked, and the blurry figure became clear. He saw the kind smile on Du Min's face.
"Teacher, you're awake? I've brought you breakfast. The medicine boy said you didn't sleep last night, so I didn't want to wake you." Du Min got up and picked up the bowl on the table. "Oh dear, the chicken soup isn't hot anymore. I'll have the medicine boy heat it up for you with their kitchen utensils. Drink more later."
Chen Mingzhang was stunned. At this moment, he suspected that Du Min was a madman. He had mocked him to the extreme yesterday evening, but after one night, he was treating him with kindness and gentleness.
"Did you poison me?" he asked.
"You really don't know what's good for you." Du Min's face turned cold. He picked up his bowl and took a sip of cold chicken soup. He said, "I wanted to make peace with you, but the doctor said your injuries will leave scars. With these scars, you can never be an official again. You might as well admit your guilt. Think about it. You can't be an official either way, so why not do me a favor and I'll treat you well this time? I'll take care of you until your son arrives, and I'll pay for your medical expenses. I suppose you're short of money. One person's salary isn't enough to support a large family, and the income from the land is only enough for your children and grandchildren living in Chang'an, right? You didn't bring any servants with you on this trip. Did you not want to pay for one more person's boat fare?"
Chen Mingzhang's fig leaf was ripped off, and his face turned extremely ugly. The loose skin on his face trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Du Min felt relieved. He wanted to wipe his mouth, but he took out a handkerchief and stuffed it back in. Finally, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and said, "I have something to do, so I'll leave first. Think about it, and I'll come to see you again this evening or tomorrow."
After saying that, he turned and left.
After leaving the pharmacy, Du Min boarded the waiting carriage and headed to Baima Temple. When he got off the carriage, the handkerchief in his sleeve fluttered in the wind and fell into a muddy ditch. The yellow stain was gradually soaked by the mud until the last trace disappeared before he climbed the steps.
Du Min rushed into the White Horse Temple before the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM) and found a conspicuous spot to stand, but his legs ached from standing there and no one came to find him. It wasn't until noon that a maid and a servant ran in from outside the temple.
When the servant met Du Min's gaze, he pointed to the maid.
Du Min went up to them and asked eagerly, "Are you from the governor's office?"
"Is this Lord Du? Our young lady fainted when she went out and can't come today. You should go back," the maid said.
"She fainted? Is she sick?" Du Min became increasingly anxious. "Has a doctor been called? What did the doctor say?"
The maid nodded and walked out of the temple. "I've delivered the message. I should be going now."
"Please pass on a message for me: tell Miss San to take good care of herself. I'm not in a hurry; I'll wait until she has time..."
"No time, Miss Third is busy." The maid looked disgusted. "Lord Du, don't you understand what our young lady means? How dare you presume to marry into our family? Our Zheng family has two noble ladies, even in the palace. Her sisters married either noble young men from other prominent families or members of the royal family. What can you offer our young lady if you marry her?"
Du Min wanted to hear those words. He stopped and said with a stern expression, "Tell Miss Du that I understand. It was my shamelessness that made me dare to hope for the favor of a noble lady. I will not make things difficult for you, a mere servant, but I also have my pride. You have humiliated me so much today. I, Du Min, swear here and now that I will never marry a woman from the Zheng family in this lifetime."
The maid glanced at him, then turned and ran away.
The servant bowed nervously, "Sir, shall I arrange a carriage for you?"
Du Min waved his hand, "You should go too."
When the news reached the governor's mansion, Governor Zheng was furious. He immediately arranged for his steward to take gifts to the post station to apologize on his behalf, but Du Min was not at the post station, but at the pharmacy.
"Lord Du, Lord Chen's wound has become ulcerated and he has developed a high fever. His life is in danger. Will his family be able to come in the next couple of days?" the doctor asked with a grave expression.
Du Min shook his head, "It will take at least a month for them to arrive."
The doctor shook his head, "I'm afraid it's too late."
"It was fine yesterday, how come the wound has become festering today?" Du Min asked with concern.
The doctor also found it strange, but in order not to take responsibility, he said firmly, "As you can see, there is not a single patch of good skin on Lord Chen's lower back. Although we applied some medicinal mud, it is still hot now, and there are mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are so dirty. If they bite, the wound will fester. This is unavoidable, and there is nothing we can do about it."
“Think of another way. Money is not a problem. We’ve kept him alive, at least until his son arrives,” Du Min said.
"We'll do our best, but if we really can't turn things around, please don't make things difficult for us."
Du Min nodded. "May I go in and take a look?"
"Let's take a look through the door," the doctor said.
Du Min went over and heard screams coming from inside through the door. He paused in his tracks.
In the back room, the mortar and pestle used for pounding medicine crashed to the ground with a "bang." Before the doctor could even scold him, the apprentice doctor exclaimed in alarm, "There's an extra ingredient! How did blister beetles end up in there?"
The doctor rushed over and indeed found blister beetles in the medicine jar. His hands trembled as he realized the reason for the festering wounds on Lord Chen's body.
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Author's Note: There will be another update at 12 o'clock.
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