Chapter 129 Court of Judicial Review

Chapter 129: The Court of Judicial Review

The children were very polite, eating with their heads down but still thanking him.

Once they were all full, Meng Wan began to question the little apothecary, "You asked me to save your elder sister, so where is she now?"

When Qing Xing was mentioned, the little apothecary was about to wipe his tears again. Meng Wan's patience wore thin; his expression turned cold and he said, "If you can't speak plainly, then go home."

The little apothecary shrank back, held back his tears, and said with sobs, "People are saying that my elder sister... the yamen runners took her away. They say she treated someone to death and will be thrown in prison to… to pay for it with her life."

Meng Wan hadn't realized this involved a death. "Do you remember which family your elder sister went to treat?"

The little apothecary shook his head. "I don't know. Someone came late at night, asking specifically for my elder sister. I wanted to go with her, but she wouldn't let me."

He rubbed his eyes. "Grandfather has been sick recently, and my elder sister forbade me from telling Grandfather. She didn't come back all night, so I opened our family dispensary to get medicine for Grandfather. When he asked me, I told him."

The little apothecary sobbed, "And then Grandfather got even sicker."

The little apothecary talked a lot, and Meng Wan's thoughts also got sidetracked. "Then why didn't you call a doctor for your grandfather first?"

As soon as he said this, the children all looked at him with strange expressions. "Brother A Xun can heal people—why would we need a doctor?"

Meng Wan looked at the little apothecary in surprise. "You can diagnose and treat patients at this age?"

"When my elder sister was this age, she could also treat patients. We began memorizing medical texts when we were three, and my younger siblings can too." A Xun looked back at him with bright eyes, not thinking it was a big deal.

Meng Wan's eyes flickered. He looked at these little children and thought to himself: So this is a medical family, trained from childhood?

"Do you know which prison Qing Xing was taken to?"

A Xun thought for a moment. "The cart driver next door said my sister was arrested in the city and taken to some Prefect's office."

Meng Wan: "The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture?"

A Xun nodded. "I think so."

"That's a bit more manageable. Tomorrow I'll send someone to inquire. You can stay here tonight; it's too late to leave the city now."

The little ones all looked at A Xun. A Xun hesitated. "No, my grandfather is still at home and needs care." Afraid that the little ones would make noise at home and disturb his grandfather's rest, he had brought them all to the city.

Actually, today wasn't the first time A Xun had come to Shichun Alley. He came during the day and left at dusk, waiting for several days. He hadn't expected to actually wait until Meng Wan today.

Meng Wan happened to want to go and observe Qing Xing's home, so he said, "How about this: the city gates haven't closed yet, so I'll take you home and stay at your place for one night, okay?"

A Xun, the little innocent, had no suspicion and naively agreed, and even seemed delighted. "Okay, okay."

Meng Wan was already exhausted from the journey, and had to go out again soon after getting home with hardly any rest. Song Tingzhou was worried, so he went with him, and Xue Sheng drove them out of the city in the carriage.

Before leaving, Meng Wan grabbed some tea and fruit from home and brought them to the carriage. There were also two packages of dried fruit in the carriage—snacks Meng Wan had bought on the road. He handed the dried fruit to A Xun, asking him to share it with the little ones.

A Xun opened one package and distributed it to his younger siblings, eating only one piece himself. Then, holding the remaining package of dried fruit, he asked Meng Wan carefully, "Meng Fulang, I want to keep this package for my elder sister. Is that okay?"

Meng Wan's eyes were gentle. "Since I gave it to you, it's yours. You can keep it for anyone you want."

A Xun felt his eyes about to rain again, but then remembered that Meng Wan didn't like them crying and sniffling, so he quickly lowered his head and said, "Thank you."

Meng Wan turned sideways and whispered to Song Tingzhou, "Qing Xing's family raised the children very well."

"Indeed," Song Tingzhou nodded in agreement.

Earlier, when A Xun and Qing Xing came to the house, their clothes were simple but clean. He was small but literate, polite, and knew medicine.

The little ones, aside from wiping tears when their elder sister was mentioned, were quiet the rest of the time. When A Xun gave them a few pieces of dried fruit, they ate only that many; they didn't grab from others, nor did they complain about too few and ask for more.

With their grandfather sick at home and their eldest sister in trouble, A Xun himself was still a child, yet he knew to prepare medicine for his grandfather, take care of his younger siblings, and understood to seek help from the Song family, which his elder sister had said were good people.

Although Meng Wan was coveting their medical identity, if their character had been poor, he would not have gotten involved.

The town where Qing Xing's family lived was not far from the city; it took less than half an hour by carriage. But the children walked back and forth every day, and it was fortunate that they hadn't been caught by human traffickers.

A Xun pointed to the small courtyard next door and said, "Every day we come to the city with the uncle next door who rents carts. In the afternoon, sometimes we meet him, sometimes we walk back ourselves."

Meng Wan patted his head. "You're very capable."

A Xun was shy but proud. He turned and opened the door to their home, inviting Meng Wan and the others in.

In the courtyard, there were two main rooms and one side room, but the side room was unoccupied and seemed to be for storing medicinal herbs.

The little ones were exhausted. The third child was a six-year-old xiaoge; he took the two younger siblings, who were only three or four years old, to the western room to sleep.

Meng Wan looked at the pregnancy mole on A Xun's cheek thoughtfully. The children in this family, not to mention their differing appearances, including the eldest sister Qing Xing, had three xiaoge and two girls.

The youngest, Xiao Wu, and Qing Xing were girls; A Xun, the third, and the fourth were all xiaoge. Moreover, when the third walked, one foot seemed a bit lame, and the fourth had never spoken, as if there was something wrong with his throat.

A Xun pushed open the door to the eastern room and called softly, "Grandfather, are you asleep?"

The room was lit by an oil lamp, its light dim yellow, filled with a faint scent of medicinal herbs, but not very strong.

The old man on the kang was not as white-haired as Meng Wan had imagined. He was a fairly sturdy little old man, about sixty years old with dark skin. Hearing voices, he sat up from the bed. "A Xun, why are you back so late... and who are these people?"

A Xun quickly introduced them to his grandfather: "Grandfather, these are the people I told you about. It's Meng Fulang and Lord Song who brought us back."

"Oh, so you're the family who came to see Qing Xing for medical treatment? These children have troubled you." The old man came to his senses and was about to get off the kang to greet the guests.

"Elder, no need to get out of bed. You rest well."

Meng Wan stopped him from getting down and placed the packages of gifts he had brought on the cabinet in the room. "I heard from A Xun that something happened to Qing Xing, so I wanted to come and see. It's no trouble at all."

Speaking of his granddaughter, Qing Xing's grandfather was also anxious. "That day I did hear some commotion; someone did come looking for Qing Xing to treat them. But I had spent the night on the mountain a few days ago and caught a severe wind-evil. After taking the medicine, I was groggy and couldn't hear clearly. I vaguely heard something about the Court of Judicial Review, and something about Xu or Xu family."

The Court of Judicial Review? Meng Wan pondered for a while and then asked, "Has Qing Xing ever mentioned this family before?"

Qing Xing's grandfather said, "To be honest with you, it's inconvenient for Qing Xing to practice as a female physician. In our small town in the countryside, it's fine; our pharmacy doesn't charge consultation fees, so people don't say much. But the noble lords in the capital look down on Qing Xing for being a woman. Sometimes when she goes out on house calls with me, she gets criticized. In all of Shengjing City, you are the only one who has properly invited her for a house call. Even when she talks at home, she only says how kind-hearted Meng Fulang is and never mentions anyone else."

That is to say, Qing Xing's grandfather also doesn't know the details.

Now the only information obtained is the Xu or Xu family of the Court of Judicial Review. He only has a superficial understanding of court relations, so he can only discuss it with Song Tingzhou once they return home.

"A Xun, I'm thirsty. Could you pour me a glass of water?" Meng Wan said.

A Xun quickly agreed, "I'll go right away."

Meng Wan took out one of the tea packs he had brought. "Here's some tea. Sorry to trouble you, A Xun."

After A Xun left with the tea, Qing Xing's grandfather suddenly got off the kang and knelt before the two of them, pleading bitterly, "My Qing Xing has always been kind-hearted; there is no way she deliberately caused someone's death. There must be something behind this. I won't trouble you, Fulang and Lord, to rescue her, but if you hear any news in the capital, please inform us. Even if we have no other way to save her, we should at least know where to collect her body!"

The old man was still sick and had been lying down for days, weak in limbs. Song Tingzhou helped him up. "If there is any news, we will definitely inform you."

Meng Wan stayed and chatted a few more sentences. Qing Xing's grandfather's surname was Miao. He had never married. All of these children were ones he had picked up while traveling to practice medicine. Xiaoge were the most numerous, followed by girls. They were all pitiful children, and each had some kind of illness or ailment.

For example, when Qing Xing was a child, she actually suffered from palpitations. Grandpa Miao devoted the most energy to her, raising her with medicinal treatments from an early age.

Qing Xing possessed exceptional talent as a healer. Not only did she master all of Grandpa Miao’s skills, but she also studied her own condition in depth. Unexpectedly, by the time she turned fourteen, her condition had largely resolved, and she experienced only rare relapses in the years since.

A Xun’s condition was not truly serious—he was born missing one finger on his left hand and one toe on his left foot—something Meng Wan hadn’t even noticed.

Even such a minor physical difference was enough for a *xiaoge* to be abandoned. Third Brother Xiaoji, who had a lame foot, was even less desirable. He was cast out by his family at age four; though he still knew where his home was, they no longer wanted him.

Fourth Brother Ren Dong could not speak, and Fifth Sister Bai Wei had a developmental disability.

All these children had living parents—yet it was those closest to them who abandoned them.

Meng Wan’s heart grew heavy. Before arriving, he had weighed the pros and cons carefully—but now, he truly couldn’t bear it.

The Miao family courtyard was spacious, yet there were few habitable rooms. Xue Sheng found an inn in town and rented two rooms. The three of them stayed overnight and returned home early the next morning.

He had slept poorly all night. Back home, he rested for half a day, washed up, changed clothes, and went to the Nie residence to see Nie Zhiyao, while Song Tingzhou visited the Lin family.

“You’re asking about officials surnamed Xu (Xú) and Xu (Xǔ) serving in the Court of Judicial Review? You’re leaving in just a couple of days—why inquire about this now?” Nie Zhiyao pushed the plate of candied dried fruit on the kang table toward Meng Wan.

Meng Wan picked up a candied apricot and brought it to his lips. He wasn’t yet certain how serious Qing Xing’s matter was, so he didn’t mention it directly. Instead, he said, “A seemingly minor matter may connect to the Court of Judicial Review—I merely wanted to ask if you happened to know anything.”

Nie Zhiyao ate two plums and paused in thought. “If you’d asked about prominent families in the capital, I could name several—but beyond that, I truly know nothing.”

His family’s title of imperial merchant sounded impressive, yet to scholarly officials, they were merely nouveau riche—unworthy of standing alongside aristocratic lineages.

His current husband held only a minor official post—and was not affiliated with the Court of Judicial Review either.

Thinking of Lezheng Qi, he hesitated, then said, “I’ll ask my husband; perhaps he knows.”

Meng Wan knew only these two families in the capital, so he replied, “All right—if you have time, please do ask for me.”

After seeing Meng Wan off, Nie Zhiyao took his page to the flower market and spent two hundred taels of silver on a pot of begonia.

He had the plant placed outside Lezheng Qi’s room. Later, when Lezheng Qi returned from duty, he immediately noticed the costly bloom.

He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing in his eyes. “What does this signify, my lord?”

Nie Zhiyao toyed with the begonia’s dark green, nearly black leaves. “I have something I wish to ask you, my husband—so I acquired this Blackleaf August Spring begonia to please you. Do you like it?”

Lezheng Qi’s smile faded slightly. “Please speak, my lord. If I know, I’ll tell you everything without reservation.”

He carefully carried the plant indoors. This flower was delicate; with the cold weather setting in, leaving it outside overnight would damage it.

Nie Zhiyao followed him inside. “Is there an official surnamed Xu (Xú) in the Court of Judicial Review?”

“Xu (Xú)? I believe there is a seventh-rank Assessor by that surname.” Lezheng Qi noticed Nie Zhiyao had been outdoors for too long and his face had grown pale, so he closed the windows that had been left open for daytime ventilation.

Nie Zhiyao pressed further: “And what about the one surnamed Xu (Xǔ)?”

Lezheng Qi paused, his voice flat. “Who asked you about this?”

Nie Zhiyao’s tone sharpened with impatience. “Why does it matter? Just answer me.”

“Heh.” Lezheng Qi gave a cold laugh. “Is this how one asks a favor, my lord?”

Nie Zhiyao nearly laughed in anger. He pointed at the rare flower on the floor—its leaves uniquely shaped, its color unusual, lending the entire plant an air of mystery and nobility. “I paid two hundred taels for this—and you dare demand deference from me? I’m only asking about trivial matters—what more do you expect?”

Seeing that he had angered Nie Zhiyao, Lezheng Qi remained unruffled. Instead, he leaned in close, lowering his gaze slightly, his voice low and intimate as he whispered near Nie Zhiyao’s ear: “What I want is for my lord to stay the night again…”

*Slap!*

A sharp, crisp sound echoed—and a bright red mark appeared on Lezheng Qi’s cheek. His eyes turned icy as he glared at the furious *xiaoge*, his expression frostbitten.

Nie Zhiyao’s hands trembled violently. “How dare you bring that up!”

Lezheng Qi suddenly smiled. With half his face reddened from the slap, his smile was captivating. “Wasn’t it you who initiated it last time? Why shouldn’t I bring it up?”

“Nonsense!” Nie Zhiyao kicked fiercely at the flowerpot on the floor—but it was terribly heavy. Not only did he fail to move it, but his foot also throbbed with pain.

To avoid being mocked by Lezheng Qi, he endured the pain and walked back to his own bedroom, maintaining a composed gait.

Late that night, Nie Zhiyao’s tightly shut door was suddenly lifted from the outside—and Lezheng Qi strode confidently into the room, unafraid of being caught sneaking in.

He first looked down at the sleeping figure on the bed, his gaze deep and tinged with quiet stubbornness.

Perhaps sensing his dangerous presence, Nie Zhiyao tossed restlessly in his sleep—half the blanket kicked aside. Beneath his undergarments, one foot was swollen at the toes, with traces of blood.

A soft sigh drifted through the air—and Lezheng Qi finally moved.

He knelt beside Nie Zhiyao’s bed, withdrew a small tube of ointment from his pocket, gently applied it to the injured foot, pulled the blanket up over him, and slipped quietly out of the room.