Chapter 12: Recognizing Relatives at the Zhang Mansion

In the afternoon, everyone gathered in the flower hall of the Zhang residence.

Master Zhang bowed respectfully to Xie Qingli and Hu Er. "The two of you divine doctors have cured Shou'an. As promised, this is half of the Zhang family's wealth. You may verify the accounts."

The steward had already placed a stack of property deeds, land deeds, bank notes, and a box of ledgers before Xie Qingli and Hu Er.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock. Zhang Shouan had only just begun to recover and was not yet fully healed, yet Master Zhang had brought out half his family's wealth without a hint of reluctance. Such integrity was truly admirable.

Xie Qingli shook her head slightly at Hu Er, who understood her intent. "Master Zhang, we treated Young Master Zhang out of the heart of a physician, not for the sake of your family's wealth."

He gestured to the riches before them. "This far exceeds the cost of the consultation. To accept it would weigh heavily on our conscience."

Madam Zhang hurriedly said, "How could it exceed the consultation fee? Little Divine Doctor Song’s miraculous medicine must be a priceless treasure; even giving our entire family fortune would be worth it."

After spending the past two days together, Xie Qingli had discovered that Master Zhang was straightforward and valued his word, possessing a certain chivalrous spirit, while Madam Zhang was gentle, kind, and sincere. Since both were rare, good people, she did not wish to hide the truth.

She smiled slightly. "Madam Zhang, you overstate it. Those pills were merely made from herbs that are not commonly used; they are simply pills with strong properties for strengthening the foundation and nourishing the essence, not some peerless divine medicine."

Master Zhang was surprised to hear this. He had assumed Shou'an’s recovery was due to a divine medicine, but it turned out that was not the case.

Seeing the confusion on both their faces, Xie Qingli continued to explain, "Young Master Zhang has suffered from a deficiency since he was in the womb. Over the years, his pulse has been weak, and toxic heat has condensed and accumulated in his body for a long time, unable to be expelled, which caused his condition to worsen. My master once taught me a set of acupuncture techniques that can help the young master expel most of the toxins accumulated in his body. That is why he was able to recover."

"Lying yesterday and calling it a divine medicine was actually to hide the matter of the acupuncture technique. Please, both of you, do not hold a grudge against a petty person."

Master Zhang said with concern, "Since this technique can save Shou'an, it must be extremely precious. You are simple-minded; remember never to speak of this to others again. My residence will only announce to the outside world that it was a divine medicine that saved Shou'an."

Xie Qingli nodded. "Since there is no divine medicine, there is no need for half of the family's wealth. Just pay the consultation fee as you would for a normal visit."

Just as Madam Zhang was about to persuade her further, Xie Qingli added, "Brother Hu and I are both commoners, insignificant and lowly. If we were to carry such vast wealth, the temptation of riches would stir men's hearts. I fear we would not only be unable to keep it, but it might also bring disaster upon us."

Master Zhang highly agreed with Xie Qingli’s view, but he did not wish to break his promise, and for a moment, he could not think of a solution that would satisfy both sides. Just then, the steward hurried over, walked quickly to Master Zhang’s side, and whispered a few words.

Upon hearing this, Master Zhang frowned and looked at Xie Qingli, then gave a wink to Madam Zhang. The two excused themselves and went into the inner chamber.

After about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the two walked out side by side. Madam Zhang’s eyes were full of joy as she stared at Xie Qingli, nodding with great satisfaction.

Xie Qingli and Hu Er were both at a loss.

Master Zhang stroked his beard and said in a clear voice, "To be honest, I have already sent people to investigate your backgrounds. Doctor Hu’s parents have both passed away, and he has only a wife and child at home. Miss Song has also been abandoned by her parents and has been living alone in Deer Village. You two truly have no one to rely on."

"I do not say this to poke at your pain, but since you do not wish to accept my family's wealth and I cannot go back on my word, I would like to adopt you both as my godson and goddaughter. After I pass away, the Zhang family's wealth will be divided equally among the three of you, including Shou'an. This way, we can have the best of both worlds."

Xie Qingli and Hu Er looked at each other in dismay; the turn of events had caught them off guard. Just as they were about to refuse, Master Zhang continued, "I have this idea not only to fulfill my promise."

He looked at Xie Qingli with a solemn expression. "I am already aware of the farce involving your family driving out ghosts today. I heard that the He woman usually beats and scolds you, and after abandoning you alone in Deer Village, she never went back once."

"I pondered that there must be something suspicious about the He woman desperately begging the head of the Lingxiao Temple for help, so I sent someone to investigate. The steward just found out that the Taoist priest was invited by that old wretch, the retired Imperial Physician Xue."

"That old wretch must be holding a grudge against you because of Shou'an’s medical treatment. Inviting the Lingxiao Temple priest must have had ulterior motives."

"Xue Henian is narrow-minded, greedy, and malicious. I invited such a wolf into my house just to treat Shou'an. If you two were to suffer because of this, I would not be able to rest easy. That is why I want to adopt you and offer you some protection."

Xie Qingli said with some worry, "I have already offended the old Imperial Physician Xue. Although he has retired, his influence remains. If you adopt me, I fear it will bring disaster to your household. It is not worth putting the entire Zhang family in danger for my sake."

Master Zhang snorted coldly. "After I invited that old wretch for a consultation and then posted notices seeking other doctors, I had already angered him. In his eyes, you and I are equally hateful. Although he has lingering influence, my Zhang family is not without roots. It is not difficult to protect two people here in Jiazhou Prefecture. Rest assured!"

Seeing that Xie Qingli’s attitude had softened, Madam Zhang gently took her hand and said softly, "Miss Song, do not worry. The first time I saw you, I felt a connection. My husband and I have little fate with children; we only have Shou'an in this life. If we could have a daughter as clever, kind, and considerate as you, we would wake up laughing in our dreams. If anyone is to blame, it is your mother for not knowing how to cherish you."

Xie Qingli was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "They are not my biological parents. My real name is Xie Qingli. I was born in Shengjing City and was only cast adrift here after being harmed by villains. It was only recently that I accidentally learned of my true identity."

The three people present were all shocked; they had not expected such a hidden story.

Madam Zhang’s pity grew even deeper. She squeezed Xie Qingli’s hand and said firmly, "Not all foster mothers in this world are like that He woman. Since she does not cherish you, you will be my daughter! I will surely spoil you to the heavens and never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

A mist of tears suddenly appeared in Xie Qingli’s eyes. She had lived two lifetimes of bitterness, and all she had ever craved was a shred of family affection. She had not expected to find it here with Madam Zhang. If she had been lucky enough to meet Madam Zhang in her previous life, perhaps she would have stayed in Jiazhou and lived a peaceful and smooth life.

Looking at the anxious expressions of Master Zhang and Madam Zhang, Xie Qingli choked up and said, "To be able to meet such good godparents must be Heaven taking pity on me."

Master Zhang and Madam Zhang were both overjoyed. Madam Zhang gently hugged Xie Qingli, calling out softly, "Good child, my good daughter." Master Zhang then ordered people to go to Deer Village immediately to bring Li Lanzhi and her son over.

The next day, the Zhang residence began preparing for the adoption ceremony. Hu Er’s parents were deceased, and Xie Qingli’s parents were not by her side, so Master Zhang invited the elders of the Zhang clan to hold the adoption ceremony directly.

Master Zhang’s branch was the dominant one in the Zhang clan. Although the collateral relatives had some complaints, they had no say in the matter, so the ceremony went exceptionally smoothly. After paying respects to Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, parents, and teachers, and ordering by age, Zhang Shouan gained an elder godbrother, Hu Er, and an elder godsister, Xie Qingli.

The Zhang residence was decorated with lanterns and streamers, filled with joy, but the atmosphere in the Renji Hall was depressed, and the shopkeeper and assistants did not dare to breathe loudly.

The old Imperial Physician Xue’s face was dark. With the protection of the Zhang family, it would be difficult to capture Xie Qingli. However, he, Xue Henian, was a dignified former head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine; if he stomped his foot, Jiazhou Prefecture would tremble. Could he really be unable to defeat a mere commoner?

After some arrangements by the old Imperial Physician Xue, a group of assistants split up to ambush the various gates of the Zhang residence, waiting only for Xie Qingli to leave the house so they could capture her and take her to the Jiazhou Prefecture city...