Chapter 138: Make an Apology

Chapter 138

After the worship ceremony was over, Jing Yan sent someone to take Jiang Yuqing away. The two of them stood on the widest viewing platform with the best view.

Below was the wide river surface, the drums and bells on the boats vying to cross the river first in the competition. On both banks were crowds of people, cheering and shouting to support their favorite dragon boat teams.

Jiang Yuqing didn't have a particular favorite team, but that didn't stop her from cheering for the guys rowing the dragon boats on the river. She clapped so hard that her palms turned red.

Jing Yan stroked her head, "Does Yuqing like it a lot?" Jiang Yuqing didn't even turn her head and said, "It's pretty fun!"

"Then shall we come every year from now on?"

"Sure... Go, go, faster - wow, first place, awesome!" Jing Yan looked at her jumping up and down indulgently, thinking that such a spirited Yuqing was especially vibrant.

After watching the dragon boat race, on the way back, Lu couldn't stand it anymore and told her husband about Lady Anxi Marquise's plot to trick Jiang Yuqing.

As soon as Jiang Wenyuan heard this, he was furious, "The toad wants to eat swan meat! What is that Wei brat? Is my daughter someone he can covet?

If I don't ask the Wei family for an explanation, I won't be surnamed Jiang anymore."

So the next day after the morning court session, Jiang Wenyuan stopped Wei LingSheng: "Marquis Wei, please stay behind!"

Wei LingSheng bowed to him, "Lord Marquis!"

Jiang Wenyuan said, "Xu Jie Xiang Tea House has just opened with new teas. Would Marquis Wei be interested in going there with me to try them?"

Although Wei LingSheng and Jiang Wenyuan were colleagues in the court, they didn't interact much, only acquaintances who nodded to each other.

For Jiang Wenyuan to suddenly invite him to drink tea like this was very unusual, and it made Wei strangely nervous for some reason.

However, Jiang Wenyuan was of high rank and authority, so Wei had no choice but to go along. He could only say, "It is my blessing that Lord Marquis invites me. Please lead the way, Lord Marquis!"

The two of them went upstairs to the elegant room in Xiang Tea House, ordered tea and snacks.

After drinking a cup, Wei finally couldn't resist asking, "I wonder why Lord Marquis asked me to come today, please tell me directly."

Jiang Wenyuan then put down his teacup and said, "Do you know what your wife is planning? Are you aware?"

Wei was confused, "Why is Lord Marquis saying this? Why mention my wife all of a sudden?"

Jiang Wenyuan said, "Judging from your reaction, it looks like you don't know.

Earlier this year, your wife and your family's young master conspired to create an incident to block the road when my daughter was on her way home, forcing the young girl to take a small path home.

Later they sent someone to pretend to be a bandit and rob my daughter in the alley. Then your family's young master jumped out at the right time to stage a scene of hero rescuing the beauty.

After that, your family's young master stalked my daughter several more times, created opportunities to 'coincidentally' meet her, and caused her quite a bit of trouble.

I can understand the affection of young people. But isn't your family's young master going too far?"

Seeing Wei's face filled with incredulity and disbelief, he said, "Marquis Wei, don't think I'm exaggerating or making irresponsible remarks.

Since I've come looking for you, it means I have absolutely solid evidence. And I would never joke with my daughter's reputation!

I heard that the position of heir has not been settled in your family yet. What were your wife and young master trying to achieve by doing this? I think you and I both know very well."

Wei was ashamed and shocked. He stood up and bowed to Jiang Wenyuan, "I really didn't know about this. Please give me one day's time to go back and get to the bottom of it.

If it's true that my wife and son have done such a thing, I definitely won't condone it."

Jiang Wenyuan also stood up and patted Wei on the shoulder, "Marquis Wei, please listen to my advice. Some things, when you should take action, don't hesitate, otherwise trouble will follow."

"Thanks for Lord Marquis's guidance!"

Back at the Wei residence, Wei secretly interrogated the servants around his young son. They didn't withstand threats and quickly confessed everything clearly and in detail, just as Jiang Wenyuan had said.

Jiang Yuqing didn't have time to deal with the Anxi Marquis manor's lawsuits. She was busy packing to go to Minzhou.

Her shifu Doctor Qiu had already lost contact for over ten days.

The homing pigeons released had also failed to return. Her intuition told her that the old man might be in trouble, so she was going to find him.

After telling her parents and brother, she went to palace to say one last goodbye to Jing Yan, and declined Jing Yan's suggestion to send imperial guards to protect her. Bringing only Bai Xiaoshi, she headed directly to Sizhou.

That was the place where Doctor Qiu disappeared.

Sizhou was located to the southwest of Great Xia, nearly two thousand li from the capital. With tall mountains and dense forests, winding and precipitous roads difficult to travel, it would take over a month by carriage.

For Bai Xiaoshi carrying her, it wasn't even a full day before they arrived.

After arriving at Sizhou, Jiang Yuqing looked for an inn to stay at. She made many copies of Doctor Qiu's portrait and posted them all over Sizhou City. She searched for several days to no avail.

Jiang Yuqing even asked the birds if they had seen the old man in the portrait. The birds all said they hadn't seen him.

Just as Jiang Yuqing was about to leave, she happened to overhear some guests whispering about something in the lobby of the restaurant. She sensitively caught one key word - "plague!"

So she waited until that guest had finished eating before stopping him on the road to ask about the plague.

At first he refused to say, but after Jiang Yuqing offered ample reward, he softly said in broken Mandarin: "It's in Yuci County. There's a village there that has a plague outbreak. The government has quarantined the place and won't let the news spread!"

"How do you know about it then?"

The man said, "I just came back from Yuci. I definitely know about it. The officials were afraid of the news getting out, so they surrounded the village. Anyone trying to leave the village would be shot dead with arrows.

Plague is deadly business. None of the local doctors dared to go in.

In the end, an old doctor claiming to be from Heavenly Doctor Valley voluntarily went into the village to diagnose and treat the villagers. He still hasn't come out yet, dead or alive, no one knows."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuqing's eyes lit up. She immediately took out Doctor Qiu's portrait and asked if it was the same person.

The man said he didn't know - he was just a guard passing through.

Jiang Yuqing had an intuition that the doctor who went into quarantine must be Doctor Qiu. Her master has always rushed to wherever there were difficult and complicated diseases.

A place like this, no other doctors would dare go in. If her master saw this, he would certainly get involved!

Jiang Yuqing thanked the man, gave him some silver, asked for directions, then immediately headed for Yuci County.

Upon arriving at Yuci, Jiang Yuqing quickly found the barricaded village.

The government had nailed thick wooden fences tightly around it, like an iron barrel.

Masked government soldiers were stationed all along the perimeter, security was tight.

The only entrance to the village was a large gate guarded heavily by troops.

Seeing a beautiful young girl suddenly appear riding a deer in this ghost town that no one dared approach, the soldiers were immediately on high alert.

Jiang Yuqing didn't bother with pleasantries. She directly took out the Heavenly Doctor Valley token and said, "I am a disciple of Heavenly Doctor Valley. I heard there is a plague outbreak here and came to take a look."

The head soldier was overjoyed, "So you are the expert from Heavenly Doctor Valley! Let me tell you, we are badly lacking doctors here. Your arrival is truly timely!"

Jiang Yuqing took a portrait out from her clothes and asked, "Have you seen this old man?"

Upon seeing it, the guard said, "Seen him! This doctor is inside right now!

It's been over ten days already. Other than tossing out paper bundles every day for more medicine, he hasn't come out at all!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yuqing was delighted to find out that she had located her master.