Chapter 15 Trouble at the Pharmacy

Chapter 15: The Pharmacy Visit

Also, who should he ask to examine the medicine dregs? The family physician, or an outsider?

Jiang Yanzhou thought for a moment and decided to find an outsider.

Before he had proof, if the household found out he had brought medicine dregs from the Jiang family and wanted them examined, it would only make them worry.

Jiang Yanzhou still had no intention of letting Xiao Yunlang know about his poisoning.

Because Xiao Yunlang now treated him with the courtesy of an advisor. If he found out the Jiang family had poisoned him, he would surely go to great lengths on his behalf.

However, Xiao Yunlang was already burdened with state affairs. How could Jiang Yanzhou let him waste his energy on something as trivial as his own poisoning?

That's right, Jiang Yanzhou considered his poisoning a minor matter, a private affair.

Jiang Yanzhou hated troubling others more than anything.

The better someone treated him, the more cautious he became.

Since childhood, he had shuffled between foster homes. He was fortunate enough to encounter kind people. One family, in particular, treated him very well; both the adults and children were gentle.

It was his first taste of warmth, making him even more afraid of making mistakes. He was careful with his words, appearing even more reserved than he'd been with families who treated him poorly.

Because Jiang Yanzhou knew that no one's kindness was a given. Encountering a family patient enough to treat him well was no different from winning the lottery.

A frozen little creature finding a bit of warmth was rare. Having finally found it, he cherished it all the more.

Back then, he was young, having seen only half the world's complexities, not as resilient as he is now, so a part of him still held onto hope.

He was afraid that if he caused trouble... these people might stop being good to him.

Unfortunately, that family encountered some difficulties. Money was tight, and raising two children became increasingly burdensome. Even a sensible and undemanding child like Jiang Yanzhou was too much of a burden.

Jiang Yanzhou stayed with them for less than a year before he had to be sent away again.

On the day he left, the family's child wailed. The two adults bought Jiang Yanzhou bags full of snacks, new clothes, and even, despite their tight budget, gritted their teeth and bought him a new phone.

Jiang Yanzhou hugged the child, then hugged the uncle and aunt tightly. He followed his new family, looking back every few steps.

His eyes only began to redden after he had walked a long way.

Little Yanzhou was heartbroken inside but tried hard not to cry in front of them.

Because he saw the reluctance in the uncle and aunt's eyes. If he cried, wouldn't they feel even worse?

Even when leaving, he was considerate to the core, not causing any trouble.

Later, the uncle and aunt would occasionally send messages to his phone, asking how he was.

He lied, saying he was doing well.

But now, after crossing over, he truly was doing well.

And he had a purpose, which made him happy.

As for the illness in his body, he considered it the price for this good life, something that could be ignored.

Jiang Yanzhou tightened his grip on the handkerchief wrapped around the medicine dregs, opened the carriage window a crack, and spoke to Feng Lan outside: "Feng Lan."

Feng Lan urged his horse closer: "Young Master."

"On the way here, I saw we passed a pharmacy," Jiang Yanzhou said. "Have the carriage pull over there for a moment. I'd like to go in and take a look."

A pharmacy?

What for?

Although puzzled, Feng Lan instructed the coachman.

The carriage stopped in front of the pharmacy. Feng Lan offered his hand for Jiang Yanzhou to steady himself as he alighted.

Naturally, Feng Lan intended to follow him inside. But at the entrance, Jiang Yanzhou met his eyes earnestly and said apologetically, "I'd like to go in alone, is that alright?"

This statement clearly indicated that he didn't want anyone to know what he was about to do.

He wanted to keep it secret, yet he did so openly and honestly.

Feng Lan was taken aback for a moment before lowering his head respectfully. "Young Master, you are the master. A master need only give orders; there is no need to ask for permission."

The servants usually found Jiang Yanzhou low-maintenance precisely because he never made demands.

Whatever clothes were prepared, he wore. Whatever food was served, he ate.

Everyone knew Young Master Jiang seemed happy while eating, but what did he actually like to eat?

No one could say for sure.

Seeing Feng Lan's serious demeanor, Jiang Yanzhou opened his mouth to say something. But Feng Lan had an air of 'I won't get up until you agree,' so Jiang Yanzhou swallowed his words.

"...I'll remember that. Then I'll go in. Please wait outside."

Only then did Feng Lan straighten up. "Yes."

The pharmacy Jiang Yanzhou chose was the largest in the capital. As soon as he entered, a shop assistant immediately came forward to greet him.

The assistant wore a warm, friendly smile. Up close, he was momentarily stunned speechless by Jiang Yanzhou's appearance.

—What a stunningly beautiful young master!

As a shop assistant at Renxin Hall, the capital's largest pharmacy, he had seen countless people, even catching a glimpse of the rumored "Wei Lang," said to be the capital's most handsome man.

But none could compare to the one before him now.

The assistant snapped back to reality, realizing he had almost stared blankly. He quickly composed himself and asked with a smile, "Young Master, are you here for a consultation or to fill a prescription? If it's a consultation, you'll need to wait a moment; there are two patients ahead. If it's to fill a prescription, just give me the prescription, and I can prepare it immediately."

Jiang Yanzhou shook his head and unfolded the handkerchief in his hand. "I'd like someone to identify what medicine this is. Who should I ask?"

The medicine dregs were pitifully small. The assistant carefully took the handkerchief, sniffed it closely, then took a silver needle from the side and ground the fragments into powder.

After a moment, the assistant put down the needle.

"This is a tonic," the assistant stated confidently. "It uses mild medicinal herbs, five types in total. I can write them down for you on paper."

Jiang Yanzhou was taken aback. "A tonic?"

Jiang Yanzhou was surprised, but the assistant misunderstood, thinking Jiang Yanzhou didn't believe him. Unoffended, he replied courteously, "Rest assured, Young Master. Although my medical skills are not yet fully mastered, I have handled countless medicinal materials. If I couldn't recognize a simple tonic like this, I wouldn't have the face to remain at Renxin Hall."

Jiang Yanzhou realized the man had misunderstood: "I trust your expertise, but there's no need to write it down. Just knowing it's a tonic is sufficient."

The assistant was delighted to be called 'physician'. Hearing Jiang Yanzhou's words, his mind started racing: when people from wealthy households came to have medicine verified here, it was mostly because they suspected the ingredients—fearing it might be poison.

Great households hide many secrets; the less he knew, the better.

Jiang Yanzhou rewrapped the handkerchief, utterly perplexed.

Jiang Linque was clearly making him suffer first, refusing to give up the antidote easily.

But if he had said so directly, the threat would have been just as effective. Why use a tonic instead, letting Jiang Yanzhou believe he had taken the antidote and would be safe this month?

The Bujianyue poison flared up on the fifteenth of each month. The fifteenth—this month was the first lunar month...

Ah.

Jiang Yanzhou clenched his fingers, and in a flash, he grasped the thread that connected everything.

The Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth day of the first month, was when the palace would hold a grand banquet. By then, he would attend as the Crown Princess, accompanying Xiao Yunlang.

Jiang Linque must know the timing of the poison's onset. If Jiang Yanzhou were to suffer its effects during the palace banquet...

The Jiang family, having suffered repeated setbacks recently, would have the perfect opportunity to stage a major incident!

If Jiang Yanzhou knew in advance that he hadn't taken the antidote, filled with resentment, he might not play along with the Jiang family's scheme, or even find an excuse not to attend.

Jiang Linque couldn't allow so many variables, so he nipped them in the bud.

Whom did the Jiang family want to frame? The Wei clique and the Crown Prince's residence were both likely targets. Jiang Yanzhou was just a poisoned puppet who needed to play his part. To succeed, they would probably need help from at least a court physician or a eunuch.

What an elaborate scheme.

It seemed the relief fund scandal had pushed Jiang Linque to the brink. Acting now meant he knew the cabinet restructuring could no longer be stopped, so he was reminding the emperor to carefully consider the cabinet appointments.

In an instant, Jiang Yanzhou figured out all the implications and couldn't help but admire these people.

If he hadn't read history books or wasn't a transmigrator, with his status in this dynasty, he'd probably have died eight hundred times over by now.

But now that he knew, he absolutely wouldn't let the Jiang family succeed at the Lantern Festival banquet.

After finishing his thoughts, Jiang Yanzhou gathered his things: "May I ask how much it costs to analyze the medicine? I..."

Jiang Yanzhou paused.

Oh no. He hadn't brought any money at all.

Since he rarely went out, and when he did, it was for specific errands, with his belongings always taken care of by servants, Jiang Yanzhou hadn't even thought to bring money.

All the money was with Feng Lan.

Just as Jiang Yanzhou thought he'd have to go out and find Feng Lan, a heated argument broke out nearby. Someone roared loud enough to lift the roof, stomping heavily on the floor: "Anyway, the goods were lost here at your place! You must give us an explanation!"

The thumping sounds snapped Jiang Yanzhou out of his contemplation.

He looked toward the commotion and saw a group of burly men in Western Regions attire standing like a wall in front of a pile of cargo crates in the main hall. The leader was shouting at the shop assistant.

This wasn't Qi Dynasty attire. Jiang Yanzhou's historical radar went off again. He examined their attire carefully and finally matched it with the Wuzi Kingdom from the books.

Wuzi was one of the small Western Regions states that paid tribute to Daqi annually, but that didn't mean they willingly submitted.

During the previous emperor's reign, bandit activity was rampant in the western regions of the Qi Dynasty. By Emperor Yonghe's time, their numbers had grown to tens of thousands, becoming a major problem.

These mounted bandits active along the western border often crossed the border to loot, kill, and plunder, then fled. When the border garrison gave chase, the bandits would slip into the small Western Regions states.

The garrison couldn't easily cross into other countries' territories, so they had to negotiate with the small Western Regions states. But many played dumb, saying, "What bandits? We don't have any here."

These mounted bandits weren't so much colluding with the Western Regions states as being specifically bankrolled by them to harass the Daqi border.

The soldiers watched them grow stronger, filled with pent-up anger but helpless.

To cross the border and suppress the bandits required provisions and funds, and involved diplomatic relations between states. Without approval from the capital, those below had no say.

By now, some small states had become very brazen, with Wuzi being a typical example. The largest nest of mounted bandits was supplied by them.

Those causing a commotion in the medicine shop weren't ordinary Wuzi merchants but the Wuzi envoy. Indeed, it was the time for many states to pay homage before the Lantern Festival.

From what the leading Wuzi man said, it seemed they had lost goods at Renxin Hall.

But the shop assistant wiped his sweat and said, "How is that possible? We counted and recounted—it's ten crates. We agreed on ten crates beforehand. Now you say two are missing? Where did they come from? We never knew about them!"

The Wuzi man sneered: "It was clearly twelve crates! Do you Daqi people want to bully us with your power and embezzle the goods we transported over thousands of miles!?"

An elderly Wuzi man beside him was fuming, but not at the shop assistant—surprisingly, he was angry at the troublemaking Wuzi man: "Wuli! You were responsible for checking today's goods. How did problems arise here? I said from the start you schemed to join the envoy with ulterior motives, just to cause trouble for the Crown Prince. What are you trying to stir up now!"

The old man was right. The man named Wuli was indeed deliberately picking a fight.

He didn't want the envoy's mission to go smoothly, aiming to cause trouble for the Crown Prince leading this delegation, as he wasn't from the Crown Prince's faction.

The matter had to be stirred up, and the bigger, the better.

He stretched out his thick leg, stepped on a crate, hefted his broadsword onto his shoulder. His robust physique and fierce appearance made the assistant retreat repeatedly. Wuli said, "If goods are lost, we must find them. It's possible someone here stole them!"

As he spoke, his predatory gaze swept across the hall and instantly fixed on Jiang Yanzhou.

Delicate skin, adorned with gold and jade—clearly from an extremely wealthy family. Under the capital's feet, his family likely held some official position.

A perfect candidate for causing trouble. He was the one!

Wuli's eyes instantly gleamed brightly. Pointing his sword from afar at Jiang Yanzhou, he said, "I think he looks very much like the thief who stole my goods!"

Jiang Yanzhou hadn't expected to be involved. Bewildered, he thought: Who, me?

Before Jiang Yanzhou could speak, the assistant who had attended to him couldn't bear it any longer: "This is sheer slander! I think you're deliberately causing trouble!"

Wuli bared his white teeth, smiling with a bloodthirsty air: "I don't care. We must report to the authorities! Otherwise, it's your Qi Dynasty bullying us with power, mistreating neighboring friendly states!"

With such a heavy accusation thrown down, the assistant trembled with anger. The shop owner also heard the commotion and came out from the back.

Feng Lan, hearing the noise outside the door, immediately entered with his sword drawn. Simultaneously, patrolling capital soldiers passing by heard the noise and entered: "What's all this racket here?!"

The scene instantly became extraordinarily lively, chaotic as a pot of porridge.

Protected behind Feng Lan, Jiang Yanzhou thoughtfully glanced at the Uz people through the gaps.

It wasn't indignation or grievance from being wronged.

He merely thought lightly: The envoys from various states would also attend the Lantern Festival banquet, right?

Then perhaps he could seize this opportunity to alter what the Jiang family intended to do at the banquet?

*

The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice have recently been jointly investigating the case of the relief grain, with the case files temporarily stored at the Ministry of Justice. The Crown Prince, assigned to supervise and assist, is currently reviewing the files there.

The head of the Shangguan family bit off his tongue and died in prison yesterday.

Although all confessions related to the relief grain case have been obtained, there is nothing more to be gained.

Knowing he could not escape death, and unwilling to be publicly executed for such a case that had stirred public outrage, he simply died in his cell.

Got off easy, that old scoundrel.

Commissioner Sui of the Southern Office of the Imperial Guards was also present—the very official who had received Xiao Yunlang’s tip and uncovered the grain substitution, a hero of the investigation.

He had long been in contact with Xiao Yunlang, though not openly aligned with him. Now, with this great achievement, he was about to be promoted within the Imperial Guards but could not personally go to the Crown Prince’s residence to express his gratitude.

He acted as if he were just an observer, leaving the real work to others, and likely growing weary from sitting, started chatting with the official beside him.

Hearing the official sneeze slightly, Commissioner Sui promptly said, "You must look after your health, sir. While work must be done, one should not neglect self-care. Although spring has begun, there may still be a cold snap. I've seen a lot of people getting sick lately."

The concerned official smiled. "Isn’t that true? I’m taking medicine as well."

Commissioner Sui feigned casualness as he glanced toward the seated Crown Prince. "I heard Your Highness’s residence has recently bought up a large stock of medicine?"

Xiao Yunlang did not look up but caught the implication. By asking about the activities at his residence in front of all the officials, Commissioner Sui was indicating that this was something the Emperor wished to know.

Commissioner Sui was hinting: the old man is watching your every move.

Thus, his response would also be reported to the Emperor by Commissioner Sui.

Xiao Yunlang turned a page of the case file and gave the answer that would satisfy the Emperor, his tone indifferent. "The Jiang family sent me a permanent patient. What else could I do but stock up on medicine? Watch him fall ill in my residence?"

Everyone knew the circumstances of the Crown Prince’s marriage; it was clear Xiao Yunlang could not possibly like the Crown Princess sent by the Jiang family. The officials chuckled awkwardly, signaling Commissioner Sui to quickly change the subject.

Commissioner Sui also smiled. "Then I shall send Your Highness some medicinal herbs later to help ease your worries."

Xiao Yunlang’s expression remained noncommittal, but in his heart, he understood perfectly—this was Commissioner Sui’s roundabout way of thanking him.

"Very well. As the Emperor's current favorite, if you offer me something, I'd be a fool not to take it."

To the other officials, these words sounded like a sarcastic jab at the Imperial Guards, and no one suspected otherwise.

Just as the topic was being brushed aside, the Minister of Justice, holding a case file, was about to speak on official matters when a minor clerk suddenly rushed in from outside.

"Your Excellency!"

The Minister of Justice had to ask first, "What is it?"

The clerk seemed as if his mouth were glued shut. He quickly stole a furtive glance at the Crown Prince before shrinking his neck and stammering, "The Wuzi delegation has run into a problem. The Shuntian Prefecture requests that the Ministry of Justice send an official to assist in the investigation."

The Minister of Justice frowned, raising his hand and shaking the case file he held. "Issues with foreign delegations are for the Ministry of Rites to handle. Can’t you see we’re busy here? Nothing but trouble."

"Merely involving the Ministry of Rites might not be sufficient," the clerk’s expression grew even more peculiar. With all the officials present, he lowered his head and said, "...The Wuzi delegation suspects the Crown Princess stole their medicinal herbs. They have reported it to the authorities and are currently in a stand-off at the Shuntian Prefecture."

"Pfft—cough!"

Commissioner Sui nearly choked on his tea. Everyone was stunned, then slowly turned their gazes toward Xiao Yunlang.

Xiao Yunlang: "..."

He slowly set down the case file, as if he hadn’t heard clearly, and asked, "Who did you say stole whose belongings?"