Chapter 22: Genius

Chen Ji watched silently as the assassin died, the light gradually fading from the man's eyes.

The moment you lock eyes with the deceased, a natural sense of compassion rises within your heart; in those dying eyes, there is regret, despair, and reluctance.

Sitting against the wall, Chen Ji felt that tonight was exceptionally long. Although only a few hours had passed since Wuyun beat up the White Cat, it felt as though he had endured an entire late autumn.

He stood up and walked to the assassin's corpse, fumbling through the man's clothing, but found no clues.

Finally, he lowered his head to sniff the scent on the clothing and suddenly frowned: "Let's go. Let's go home."

Chen Ji picked up Wuyun and began walking with a limp toward the Taiping Medical Clinic. The area where the assassin had struck him still throbbed with a dull ache.

Wuyun climbed onto his shoulder and curled up there steadily, as if it were meant to be there all along.

The man and the cat wandered together into the faint light of dawn. Chen Ji said, "By the time we reach the clinic, the breakfast stalls should be open. I'll buy you some buns."

Wuyun instantly perked up: "Were you asking Yun Yang for those eight copper coins just to buy me buns?!"

"Yeah."

"Chen Ji, you're actually a pretty good person."

"Of course."

"Chen Ji, I wish you great wealth in the future!"

"Once my cultivation gets stronger, I won't have to take any more crap from Yun Yang and Jiaotu! When that time comes, if a man stands in my way, I'll kill him; if a Buddha... the Buddha will protect me!"

"Will you take revenge on Yun Yang and Jiaotu later?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "Yes."

"Hehehe."

"Hehehe."

By the time they returned to the clinic, the rooster had already crowed, but Liu Quxing and She Dengke had not yet gotten up.

After eating two buns, Wuyun returned to Wanxing Courtyard. Chen Ji stood in the courtyard, stripped off all his clothes, and used a gourd ladle to pour bucket after bucket of cold water from the water vat over his head and body. He continued until the blood was washed away and his skin was flushed red before finally stopping.

He changed into his tattered clothes—the ones he hadn't yet had time to mend—and sat on a small chair by the apricot tree, staring blankly.

In just a few days, he had killed three people: Wang Long, the butler, and the assassin.

Even the most steadfast mind would experience moments of hesitation, let alone someone as young as seventeen.

The sound of a door opening outside interrupted his thoughts.

He wiped himself dry, put on his clothes, and walked out, only to see Old Man Yao walking in leisurely with a medicine box slung over his shoulder.

Old Man Yao glanced up at him. In that instant, Chen Ji's body stiffened and his heart skipped a beat, as if he were being stared down by a fierce tiger!

*Strange, why do I feel this way?*

Before Chen Ji could react, She Dengke poked his head out from the apprentice dormitory and asked curiously, "Master, why are you back so soon?"

"What, you didn't want me to come back?" Old Man Yao shot him a sideways glance.

She Dengke hurriedly replied, "No, no, I was just curious!"

As they spoke, Liu Quxing walked out of the house, grumbling at Chen Ji and She Dengke while fastening his belt: "You two are really something. Can't you see Master is still carrying his medicine box? You should at least help him take it!"

Chen Ji: "..."

She Dengke: "..."

Liu Quxing took the medicine box and asked curiously, "Master, did the Old Master of the Liu family recover? You said you'd be gone for ten or fifteen days, but you're back in just one."

Old Man Yao said irritably, "That man from the Liu family is already dead. If I didn't come back, was I supposed to stay there to perform rites for him? I don't even know how to do that!"

Chen Ji asked in surprise, "Huh? The Old Master of the Liu family died? Even with you going, it didn't work?"

Old Man Yao said, "What do you mean 'with me'? That man lived in a manor on the outskirts of Luocheng. The carriage I was in broke down halfway there, and it took half the day just to fix it. By the time I reached the Liu manor, he was already dead. I didn't even see his face. Damned bad luck—if people who don't know the truth hear about this, they'll think my medical skills are no good!"

*Hmm?*

Chen Ji was startled. *Was the carriage breaking down a bit too coincidental?*

*That kind of carriage is only for high-ranking officials; it just broke down like that?*

At that moment, Liu Quxing said, "You must have arrived at the Liu manor last night, right?"

"Mhm," Old Man Yao nodded.

"And they sent you back overnight? Weren't they afraid you'd collapse from exhaustion?"

Old Man Yao sneered, "Why stay? If I stayed a few more days, I'd have to contribute to their funeral... I'm going to rest for a bit. When I wake up, I'll check the inventory and the accounts. If anyone dares to make me lose money through sheer incompetence, they can expect a beating!"

Chen Ji cried out inwardly: *Oh no, I haven't bought the ginseng yet!*

...

...

Before dawn, the maids of Feiyun Courtyard were already busy.

They heated water in the side rooms and carried copper basins with snow-white towels draped over the edges, walking up the stairs to the second floor of the pavilion.

Consort Yun rose to dress herself while being served by Xibing. She said languidly, "The weather is getting cold. Have Xitang bring the ledgers this morning; we need to prepare to distribute charcoal to the various rooms. Send someone to the East Market to ask the people from the Water Transport Gang—if the silver-thread charcoal from the West Mountain Kiln has arrived, buy a batch. Pick the best ones for Baili's room; she and the Heir will be returning from Donglin Academy soon."

Xibing smiled as she combed her hair, "You are right, Madam. That silver-thread charcoal has ash like white frost, it's hard to extinguish, and it produces no smoke."

"Wait, where is Bai Banruo?" Consort Yun frowned. "I haven't seen it since early morning."

"It probably slipped out to play on its own, doesn't it?"

As they spoke, Bai Banruo limped up the stairs. Its originally white fur was covered in blood, its face was swollen as if it had been beaten, and its eyes were brimming with tears.

Consort Yun: "..."

Xibing: "..."

With a *clatter*, the bronze mirror was slammed onto the wooden floor.

After a long silence, Consort Yun laughed. "Sister Jingfei has certainly made progress."

Xibing whispered, "Madam, please calm your anger."

Consort Yun looked at Bai Banruo, thought for a moment, and said, "Take it to the Taiping Medical Clinic to have a doctor look at it. Let that apprentice named Chen Ji examine it. The clothes promised as a reward for that little apprentice should be finished by now. Go ask Xitang; if they are ready, send them along with the cat. Do not neglect him; I will have use for this person in the future."

Xibing replied softly, "Yes."

In the morning, Xibing picked up Bai Banruo and led a twelve or thirteen-year-old maid toward the clinic. Just as they reached the entrance, Liu Quxing came out with a smile: "Miss Xibing, what brings you to the clinic today?"

"A consultation," Xibing said, standing on her tiptoes to peer into the backyard. "Where is Chen Ji? Tell him to come out and treat a patient."

Liu Quxing's face immediately fell. He shouted toward the backyard, "Chen Ji! Chen Ji! Miss Xibing is looking for you!"

As he spoke, he eyed the clothing held by the young maid. "Miss Xibing, what are these?"

"These are rewards from my Madam to Chen Ji," Xibing said, smiling as she felt the fabric. "These were all handmade by the embroiderers of the Jiangnan Garment Bureau. Look at the stitching; it's incredibly fine."

Liu Quxing looked miserable. *Didn't Master say that entering a Prince's manor to treat a patient is an omen of great misfortune? Master is so biased!*

At that moment, Chen Ji was wiping the water from his hands on his sleeve while asking curiously, "Miss Xibing, what is..."

Xibing said, "I don't know which villain did this, but they actually beat my Madam's cat. It hasn't touched a drop of water since this morning and is quite listless, so I've sent it to be seen."

Chen Ji felt conflicted. "Master just went to sleep not long ago. Should we wait until he wakes up?"

Xibing shook her head. "My Madam specifically requested that *you* treat Bai Banruo; your Master is not needed. Here, these are the clothes Madam mentioned as a reward, and your consultation fee."

The young maid pulled a small silver ingot from her sleeve, weighing about one tael.

One must realize that medical apprentices were not qualified to collect consultation fees. Even Physician Yao only charged five taels of silver for a house call. Now, Consort Yun was being so generous just to treat a cat; her intention to recruit Chen Ji was being made blatantly obvious.

But once he accepted this money, he would have to choose a side between Consort Yun and Consort Jing.

After thinking, Chen Ji said, "Let me check Bai Banruo's pulse first."

Xibing was stunned. "Can you take a cat's pulse?"

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment. "...Yes."

*Can you?*

After a long while, Chen Ji said hesitantly, "Miss Xibing, Bai Banruo's external injuries are easy to handle, but if you want it to recover quickly, it likely needs to replenish its Qi and blood. I will write a prescription for it."

While Chen Ji was writing the prescription, Old Man Yao pushed open the door from the main room. He was seen walking through the backyard with his hands behind his back, observing. There wasn't a single fallen leaf on the ground.

He wandered toward the kitchen, only to find that even the kitchen was spotless.

Usually, when these young apprentices cleaned, they would slack off whenever possible, sometimes failing to even wipe the stove properly. But today was different; it was as clean as if they had moved to a new residence.

Not only that, but the water vat in the courtyard had been refilled.

Old Man Yao curled his lip and walked toward the main hall. "Unsolicited kindness is either deceit or theft!"

Entering the main hall of the clinic, Chen Ji had just stuffed the wrapped medicinal herbs into the young maid's hands and seen Xibing off.

He turned around to see Old Man Yao with a dark expression, saying, "Didn't I say you aren't allowed to treat people? I, Yao Qimen, may love wealth, but I never treat human lives with contempt. Before you have completed your apprenticeship, any prescription you write must pass through my eyes!"

Chen Ji hurriedly said, "Master, it wasn't for a person. It was to treat the injuries of Consort Yun's cat."

Old Man Yao raised an eyebrow. "That white cat was beaten?"

"I suppose so..."

Old Man Yao reached out. "Let me see the prescription you wrote."

Chen Ji handed it over, saying hesitantly, "It's just some herbs like *Cnidium monnieri* to stop bleeding and clear bruising... and I also prescribed some medicine to replenish its constitution."

Old Man Yao took the prescription. The more he read, the tighter his brow furrowed.

After a long time, he looked up at Chen Ji, his face filled with shock. "You prescribed a fifty-year-old aged ginseng for that cat?!"

"Yep."

"And they actually agreed to put it on credit?"

"Yep."

Old Man Yao took a long breath and praised, "You damn kid really are a genius at business... In the future, if Consort Yun needs me to visit for a consultation, you will come with me."

Chen Ji: "Huh?"

As if remembering something, Old Man Yao said, "By the way, I saw your father on the road yesterday. He seems to have just returned from a break at the river embankment. You also have a day off tomorrow; go home and demand your school fees and medical money."

Chen Ji froze. *Father?*