I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 161 Renxin Hall

The Xuanwang Mansion's convoy traveled for more than a month before finally arriving in Luoyang on the evening of the fourth day of the tenth lunar month.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites, who had already received the news, greeted the prince at the city gate and escorted him to the Prince Xuan's residence before returning to the palace to report back.

Tang Zhao handed over the arrangements for Consort Han and Consort Qin and her daughter to the steward, and then returned to the long-missed Biyuan Courtyard with her maids. After eating and washing up, she went to bed.

After a good night's sleep, Tang Zhao woke up the next day feeling refreshed. After breakfast, he took his men out of the mansion and strolled around the streets for five days.

"Miss, we've already explored most of Luoyang these past few days. Shall we continue today?" Qiu Yu asked, rubbing her aching legs. "Can't we take a carriage?"

"Even food can't shut you up," Tang Zhao said, handing her a freshly fried meatball. "Let's go to the West City!"

West City? Isn't that where ordinary people and laborers live?

"Miss! Bring some more people!" Guang Dongmei and Chaoyi are afraid they can't protect you.

Tang Zhao thought it made sense, so he ordered Chao Yi to return to his residence and take more than a dozen guards with him to head west.

After crossing the arched bridge, the pavilions and towers with carved railings and painted beams gradually decrease, and ordinary houses stretch as far as the eye can see.

With the imperial procession clearing the way, the prince's guards used their bodies to create an open space and weaved through the crowded throng.

Tang Zhao wandered through nine streets but couldn't even catch a glimpse of the strange old man's hair. He was so angry that his mouth was dry, so he found a teahouse to drink tea and vent his anger.

"Hey buddy, a pot of iced tea and three plates of our signature snacks for each table."

"Hey!"

The cook lifted the lid of the pot and picked out the freshly steamed red date cake, chestnut cake, and lotus leaf cake, arranging them on a plate. The waiter quickly carried the plates to the table and said, "Please enjoy, sir!"

Tang Zhao casually picked up a piece of chestnut cake and put it in his mouth; it tasted pretty good!

The waiter poured tea attentively, saying, "Sir, the chestnut cake is too sweet. Our bamboo tea is the best for clearing heat and relieving greasiness. Please try it." He then pushed the teacup full of tea in front of Tang Zhao.

"Thank you," Tang Zhao said as he took the teacup, when something was suddenly stuffed into his palm.

"Please enjoy your meal, sir. If you need anything, just call me," the waiter said before going to attend to the other guests.

Tang Zhao rolled his eyes and had no choice but to pretend to have a stomachache, so he borrowed the outhouse to see the contents of the note: Renxintang.

Renxintang? Why is it Renxintang again? Is it a nationwide chain now?
Tang Zhao examined the note over and over. It was crumpled and tattered at the edges. If it weren't for the bitter medicinal smell that only strange old men had, one would have thought it was torn off from some outhouse.

Tang Zhao tore the note to shreds and threw it into the latrine with disgust. After leaving the latrine, he washed his hands three or five times before he felt a little better.

As for how to go to Renxintang, is there a more appropriate reason than being sick?
No!

Tang Zhao made up his mind and tripped over his own feet, staggering forward.

Dongmei caught her in her arms. "Miss, what's wrong?"

"My head is so dizzy, oh dear," Tang Zhao said dramatically, "I can't take it anymore, I feel like throwing up, vomit!"

"Girl!" Dongmei cried out anxiously, and scooped Tang Zhao up in her arms and rushed out.

Inside the teahouse, Chaoyi and the others were getting impatient. They wanted to ask but it wasn't appropriate, so they could only look at Qiuyu expectantly.

Qiu Yu slowly stood up, elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, and turned to go to the backyard when she saw Dong Mei rushing over with her daughter in her arms.

Qiu Yu instantly returned to normal, lifting her skirt and running to meet him, asking anxiously, "What's wrong, Miss?" Chao Yi and the others also gathered around.

"Oh dear, what's going on?" The shopkeeper saw a large group of people blocking the back door and hurried over, but his view was blocked by a guard from the royal palace who was a head taller than him. He could only jump around anxiously outside.

Tang Zhao grunted twice, indicating that she was still alive.

"The girl said she felt dizzy and nauseous," Dongmei replied as she walked out.

"Is he suffering from heatstroke?" Qiu Yu asked anxiously, stamping her foot to shoo people away. "Get out of the way, don't crowd around!"

Chao Yi and the others took several steps back, revealing the shopkeeper on the outermost circle. "Renxintang is right across from our shop. The resident doctor, Dr. Zhong, has first-rate medical skills. Please help this gentleman to have a look."

Dongmei carried Tang Zhao straight into the clinic across the street. Chaoyi and the other guards from the Prince's Mansion managed to squeeze a passage through the crowded Renxin Hall so that Tang Zhao could go first.

Tang Zhao:.
That's very unethical.

Dongmei picked out the oldest doctor with the longest and whitest beard, saying, "Doctor, please take a look at my daughter!"

The old doctor didn't even lift his eyelids, focusing intently on examining the patient in front of him.

The little boy behind him said righteously, "Go to the back of the line."

Before Qiu Yu could finish her sentence, Xiao Tong interrupted, "Even if your daughter were the King of Heaven himself, she'd have to wait in line!"

Tang Zhao, who was buried in Dongmei's arms, stole a glance and saw Qiu Yu raising her eyebrows and rolling up her sleeves as if she was about to fight. She couldn't help but say, "I'm fine. Although I have a splitting headache, my vision is black and I feel extremely nauseous. I even saw my maternal grandfather, but I can still hold on. I can't break the rules of Renxin Hall."

As she spoke, she vomited several more times, apologizing as she did so, "If I can't help but vomit all over the floor, please don't mind, I'll pay for the cleaning. It's just that I've been eating a variety of things these past few days, so the smell might be a bit unpleasant. Please forgive me."

Little Child:
Before Dr. Zhong could even begin to treat the patient, the man who had come for the consultation couldn't take it anymore. "Dr. Zhong, you should treat this patient first."

"Yes, yes," the other patients chimed in. The smell of sweat and medicine was already awful enough in Renxintang; if they vomited all over the place... Ugh!

"Alright, folks, wait a moment, I'll be right back," Doctor Zhong said apologetically, then turned around and said indifferently, "Come with me," before heading to the back room.

Dongmei followed closely behind. Qiuyu and the others wanted to follow, but were stopped by the boy, who said, "The back hall is a restricted area; only the sick are allowed to enter."

"I need to go inside and take care of my daughter!"

"One person is enough," Xiao Tong insisted, and then took out a large broom and pretended to sweep the floor, driving Qiu Yuchaoyi and the others out of the clinic.

Qiu Yu was furious, but considering the young lady's feelings, she had no choice but to endure her anger and stand guard outside the clinic with Chao Yi and the others, not leaving her side for a moment.

In the back room, Dr. Zhong took Dongmei's pulse, sat down at the table, wrote a prescription, and handed it to her, saying, "Go to the pharmacy to get the medicine."

Dongmei took the paper and saw that it was written in a flamboyant style: "Ten catties of Coptis chinensis boiled into one bowl of soup."

Dongmei:
"Miss!" Dongmei placed the prescription in front of Tang Zhao, who sat up abruptly.

"I am cured?"

"All done!" Tang Zhao praised, "The old doctor is indeed a miracle worker; the medicine cured him instantly."

"I am a doctor, not a god. I cannot cure without medicine," said Dr. Zhong solemnly. "Why did you come to my Renxintang to cause trouble, young lady?"

Tang Zhao:.
"Didn't you send me?!" Tang Zhao looked at the old man in front of him suspiciously for a long time. He saw that the man was dressed in white and had an otherworldly air about him. Most importantly, his hair was neatly combed. He was clearly a different species from the strange old man.

Was she tricked by that strange old man again?