You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 40 Who pays for the medicine?
Tong Zhao'er's displeased expression darkened: "Second brother, you've been away from home all this time, and there are many things you don't know at all, so don't get involved."

"Whatever the reason for this matter, it was originally the Fang family's responsibility. You have no evidence and just baseless suspicions to accuse my sister-in-law of doing it and slander her reputation. It's simply too much to bully people."

Tong Zhao'er glared at Fang Chengxu, who immediately stepped forward and scolded her unhappily, "You keep calling me 'sister-in-law,' but you've read so many books of sages and saints and you don't know any manners at all. Get out of here!"

Fang Chenghao was afraid of his older brother, so he could only reluctantly shut his mouth.

The prefect of Fucheng had almost lost face in public today. After hearing what Tong Zhao'er said, he gritted his teeth in hatred and slammed his fist on the table.
"I cannot ignore this matter. Guards, go to the Feng residence immediately and have their city lord come to the Fang family."

Even if she has done good deeds for the people of Fucheng, she shouldn't act so wickedly.

The constables obeyed the order and immediately went to the Feng residence to fetch Lu Xingzhan.

The city lord's responsibility must be investigated, but the patients' illnesses cannot wait.

Everyone urged Fang Chengxu to immediately get money for medicine, but Tong Zhao'er refused, saying, "Where would I get money? You've come to the wrong person; you should go ask Liang Jiang for it."

This attempt to shirk responsibility infuriated everyone. After all, they had all clearly heard the matchmaker loudly proclaiming her dowry list.

She had several thousand taels of silver in her hand, but she wouldn't part with a single penny, making excuses and delays. How could everyone not be angry?
If the prefect hadn't been there, and if Tong Zhao'er hadn't been the daughter of a general, they would have already swarmed in and smashed the entire Fang residence.

Just as the commotion was getting louder, someone outside whispered, "The respectable woman has returned."

Everyone turned around and saw that it was Liang Jiang, walking into the Fang residence side by side with a dashing and handsome man.

Someone in the crowd recognized the man and pointed, saying, "This is the City Lord of Fucheng. I saw him when he came to the Fang family for a banquet last time."

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately surrounded the two of them.

"You're the city lord, right? Is the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion one of your properties?"

"Is what happened at the Fang family today related to you? Did you instruct those two cooks to poison them?"

"Just now, Fang Chengxu said that the two of you were having an affair, and I didn't believe it. But now that I see you two openly together, it seems to be true. I was even feeling indignant on your behalf, thinking that the Fang family had wronged you."

……

Lu Xingzhan and Liang Jiang had just finished dealing with business matters and were taking her back to the Fang residence when they heard the people talking about the incident at the gate.

Therefore, Lu Xingzhan did not leave directly, but came to the Fang family with Liang Jiang.

Faced with the questioning of the crowd, Lu Xingzhan was immediately enraged.

"I finally understand what it means to judge a gentleman by the standards of a petty person. It's hard to say whose responsibility it is right now. Even if those two chefs from Zuixianglou really did something, we haven't even questioned them. How can you be so sure that I instigated this?"
"I haven't even given you, Fang Chengxu, a second thought. Why are you always jumping around and trying to get involved with me?"

Liang Jiang didn't argue at all, but went straight up to check the pulse and pupils of one of the guests.

Then he turned to Lu Xingzhan and said, "Don't waste time talking to them, saving lives is the priority. Lend me your silver needles."

Tong Zhao'er scoffed, "It's just a stomachache. You're making such a serious alarmist claim. Could it be that you actually poisoned it?"

Liang Jiang ignored her sarcastic remarks.

Lu Xingzhan glanced at the guest, and his expression immediately hardened. He took out a needle pouch from his chest, opened it, and handed one to Liang Jiang.

He then retorted to Tong Zhao'er: "Eating something bad is indeed not terrible, but severe diarrhea can cause the body to quickly become weak, and in severe cases, it can lead to arrhythmia, which can also be life-threatening."

The guest was already quite old, and having drunk too much, he felt dizzy and lightheaded after all that. He slumped weakly in his chair, almost losing consciousness.

The people around him were too busy making noise to notice him.

After the galangal needle was inserted, he cried out "Ouch!" and caught his breath, gradually regaining his senses. Lu Xingzhan ordered someone to bring him a cup of tea and handed it to him, telling him to drink some.

Liang Jiang frowned and questioned, "Has no one called a doctor? Why aren't you taking your medicine yet?"

The doctor stepped forward: "I am the doctor. The prescription has already been written, but no one is willing to pay for the medicine."

"Where is the prescription?"

The doctor took the prescription from Tong Zhao'er and handed it to Liang Jiang.

The crowd seized the opportunity to say, "The Fang family says that this was caused by you and the city lord poisoning people, and they have been delaying in paying for medical treatment. You have to give us an explanation."

Liang Jiang glanced at the prescription and instructed Yu Ma behind her, "Yu Ma, have someone take the prescription to Renhetang and have the manager prepare the medicine and send it over as soon as possible."

Yu Ma accepted the order and left.

Lu Xingzhan was a little unhappy: "This has nothing to do with us, why are you bothering with it?"

Liang Jiang said calmly, "Saving lives is the priority. As for whose responsibility it is, we can't escape that. We'll talk about that later. We can't just stand by and watch people die because the Fang family is biting people like mad dogs."

Tong Zhao'er said angrily, "You're the one who's guilty, yet you're making it sound so high-sounding. This whole thing was your doing, colluding with outsiders to poison us and frame us. Are we just supposed to honestly accept this and be fooled?"

Liang Jiang smiled disdainfully: "Let's not even talk about how this matter is completely fabricated. Even if someone really did deliberately harm you, since the guests were in trouble at your Fang family's residence, your Fang family has an inescapable responsibility. You should rescue them first and then investigate, instead of shirking responsibility and refusing to provide treatment."

Liang Jiang's voice wasn't loud, but it drew cheers from all around: "That's absolutely right. No matter what caused today's events, this ex-wife is much more open-minded and responsible than the new bride!"

"Yes, it seems he even knows medicine. He has a kind heart and a great doctor's demeanor."

Some people also expressed doubts: "If this matter really has nothing to do with her, why would she be willing to spend so much money to save people? Isn't she afraid that the Fang family will deny it and the money will be wasted?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xingzhan became furious, rushed forward, closed his folding fan, and struck the man hard on the head.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? People are spending money to treat your illness, and instead of being grateful, you turn around and bite the hand that feeds you. If all the people of Chang'an were as despicable as you, who would dare to show kindness in the future?"

The man shrank back, still somewhat unconvinced: "Whether what I said makes sense or not, you'll find out in a moment."

The prefect secretly tugged at Fang Chengxu and pointed at Lu Xingzhan: "You're saying this person is the city lord?"

Fang Chengxu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Last time, when the banquet was held at the manor, an invitation was sent to the Feng residence. It was indeed this person who came to the banquet, claiming to be the city lord. As for whether it's true or not, I'm not quite sure."

The prefect said suspiciously, "I exchanged several letters with this city lord two years ago regarding the disaster. Seeing his delicate handwriting, I thought he was a woman."

Fang Chengxu's heart skipped a beat: "Do you still have that letter?"

The prefect shook his head: "They've been gone for a long time."

Do you still remember what it said?

"I remember it vividly."

Fang Chengxu immediately became excited: "That's fantastic!"

"What good?"

"It's nothing. I just remembered that this city lord was once a person who devoted himself to the people of Fucheng and did good deeds. I never expected that he would be blinded by personal grudges and do such a despicable thing."

(End of this chapter)