My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

To get from Ci'en Temple to Daci Bridge, you have to cross half of the southern part of the city.

I read the letter again in the car.

Fan is not Fan Yong.

Fan means model or template.

Medical bill template.

Don't believe a cough.

The more you look at these words, the more they seem like knives.

It's not a knife for cutting people.

It's a knife that cuts open the skin and flesh, letting you see the pus and blood inside.

Ah Liu sat opposite me, so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, but he still tried to keep his eyes fixed on the letter in my hand.

"Young master, is this medical bill template related to the tranquilizers sold at the South Soup Dishes?"

I glanced at him.

"have."

He perked up a bit immediately.

"Really?"

"The soup kitchens in the south fed patients until they fell asleep, the free clinics replaced the living with the sick, and the Ministry of Revenue's medical records probably documented illness, death from illness, and serious illness in a set of rules. They all used the same method."

"Shut up, you living person?"

"right."

"And what about Minister Fan?"

I paused for a moment.

"It's hard to say."

Fan Yong's illness is real.

The benzoin incense from the Albizia julibrissin tree is also genuine.

The black leather suitcase had passed by his window, but he didn't take it; that's true.

He said the free clinic was treating patients, which seemed like the truth.

But the more truthful something is, the less you should readily believe it.

Fan Yong could be someone who was forced into this situation.

It could also be an old fox who has partially retired from the scene.

More likely, it's both.

Many senior officials in the capital are like this.

I used to handle dirty accounts when I was young.

I want to wash my hands when I get old.

But when I touched the water, I realized that the dirt on my hands wasn't ash, it was blood.

It can't be washed off.

That's why they got sick.

Illness is the best stepping stone.

They don't attend court, don't express their opinions, and don't take responsibility.

Will they let you off the hook just because you're sick?

They will only write your illness into the books.

I asked the carriage driver, "How much longer until we reach Daci Bridge?"

"Soon."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the road ahead suddenly became congested.

The carriage stopped.

There was a lot of noise outside.

Ah Liu lifted the carriage curtain and took a peek.

"Young master, the bridge is blocked."

"Who is it?"

"There were medicine carts, sedan chairs, and several people from the Imperial Medical Academy."

My heart skipped a beat.

We made it.

I got off the bus.

The Daci Bridge is not large; beneath it flows a shallow river that connects to several waterways in the south of the city.

Two medicine trucks were parked at the bridge entrance.

The vehicle had a wooden sign from the Ministry of Revenue hanging on it.

Several minor officials in blue robes and two imperial physicians stood nearby.

There is a small sedan chair in the middle of the bridge.

The sedan curtains were hanging down.

A middle-aged eunuch stood outside, looking impatient.

The local residents were blocked on both sides of the bridge, and their complaints continued.

"Why won't they let us through again?"

"They said it was a check of medical records at the Imperial Hospital."

"Why are they blocking the bridge to check medical records?"

"Who knows about the officials' affairs?"

Upon hearing this, I felt somewhat reassured.

The medical records are really here.

But the question is, who's waiting for me on the bridge?

I showed my badge from the Censorate.

"The Censorate is investigating a case; please make way."

The clerk from the Ministry of Revenue who was blocking the bridge immediately changed his expression when he saw me.

It has become quite a story.

"Lord Shen."

He clearly knew me.

I reckon there are hardly any people in the Ministry of Revenue who don't recognize me now.

"What's in the car?"

"The Ministry of Revenue's medical records have been sent to the Imperial Hospital for review."

"Who authorized the delivery?"

"Minister Zheng."

Zheng Huaien.

It's him again.

I asked, "Why were they sent to the Imperial Hospital?"

The clerk said, "Recently, several officials in the Ministry of Revenue have reported illness. Their medical records need to be verified by the Imperial Hospital to avoid delays in departmental affairs."

That makes a lot of sense.

It makes so much sense, it's like it was written specifically for me.

I pointed to the sedan chair.

Who is in the sedan chair?

The clerk's face stiffened.

"People from the Imperial Medical Academy."

"name."

He hesitated.

The middle-aged eunuch walked over, frowned, and said, "Lord Shen, the Imperial Hospital is ordered to examine the patient; there can be no delay."

By imperial decree.

These two words are really useful.

Anyone can take it out and wave it around.

I looked at him.

"By whose orders?"

The eunuch was taken aback.

"Naturally, it is an imperial decree."

"Who sent the message from the palace?"

"Supervisor of Ceremonies."

"Eunuch Wei?"

"no."

"Who is that eunuch?"

The eunuch's face darkened.

"Lord Shen, your investigation into the Ministry of Revenue's cases has led you to the Imperial Medical Academy?"

"Just found out."

"This medical record belongs to the Imperial Hospital; Lord Shen has no right to withhold it."

I nodded.

"Then I won't deduct it."

The minor official had just breathed a sigh of relief.

I continued, "I think so."

The eunuch sneered.

"Medical records involve the signatures and approvals of palace physicians; foreign officials are not allowed to view them at will."

"Then please have the imperial physician from the sedan chair come out and examine me."

The atmosphere on the bridge suddenly became tense.

Ah Liu whispered behind me, "Young master, what you're saying sounds like you're forcing me to buy something."

I said, "This is my invitation."

"oh."

The eunuch stared at me.

"Lord Shen, this is not the Censorate."

"It's not the Imperial Hospital either." I glanced at the shallow river below the bridge. "This is the Daci Bridge. The items on the bridge haven't entered the Imperial Hospital yet, nor are they in the Ministry of Revenue's treasury. It's perfect for checking."

The eunuch's face grew even colder.

"Does Lord Shen intend to forcibly block the palace duties?"

I smiled.

"You keep talking about the Imperial Hospital, then the Directorate of Ceremonial, then palace duties. Think carefully about which side you're on before I decide which side to stand against."

One of the onlookers chuckled softly, then immediately fell silent.

The eunuch's face turned grim.

Just then, a cough came from inside the sedan chair.

It's very light.

But I heard it.

Ah Liu heard it too, and his face turned pale.

A cough.

Another cough.

I remembered those four words from the letter.

Don't believe a cough.

I looked at that sedan chair.

"Is the person in the sedan chair sick?"

The eunuch immediately said, "The imperial physician is old and has recently caught a cold."

"Which imperial physician?"

"Judge Liu."

Judge Liu.

This is the first time I've heard this name.

But the head of the Imperial Medical Academy was no small figure.

If he were in the sedan chair, it would make sense.

But I don't believe it.

I walked toward the sedan chair.

The eunuch blocked my way.

"Lord Shen!"

I stopped and looked at him.

"If you block my way again, I'll call the people inside the sedan chair to come out."

"President Liu is seriously ill and cannot be exposed to wind."

"Why would someone so seriously ill still have a nucleic acid test result?"

The eunuch choked.

Ah Liu whispered from behind, "This illness is quite busy."

I held back my laughter.

Just as the stalemate was at hand, someone suddenly appeared on the other side of the bridge.

Wei Zhi.

He was accompanied by two young eunuchs; he walked slowly but steadily.

The eunuch's expression changed instantly when he saw Wei Zhi.

"Eunuch Wei."

Wei Zhi approached with a smile.

"Oh, everyone's here."

That sounds like someone coming to a teahouse by chance.

I bowed.

"Eunuch Wei."

Wei Zhi glanced at me.

"Is Lord Shen blocking the bridge again?"

I said, "I am just passing by."

Ah Liu lowered his head, and his shoulders trembled.

Wei Zhi didn't expose me, but only looked at the middle-aged eunuch.

"Little Lu, who's in the sedan chair?"

The middle-aged eunuch, also known as Xiao Luzi, was even paler.

"Reporting to Eunuch Wei, it is Judge Liu."

Wei Zhi asked with a smile, "Wasn't Physician Liu kept in the palace last night by His Majesty to take his pulse?"

The bridge was quiet.

A thought struck me.

As expected, it wasn't.

Xiao Luzi's forehead was sweating.

"This servant...this servant does not know."

Wei Zhi's smile remained unchanged.

"You brought a sedan chair, claiming that Imperial Physician Liu was inside, but you didn't know that Imperial Physician Liu was in the palace. You've done quite a novel job."

Xiao Luzi knelt down with a thud.

The coughing in the sedan chair also stopped.

It stopped very suddenly.

I looked at the sedan curtain.

"Come out."

Nobody moved.

With Yan Xiaoyi absent, I could only look to Commandant Luo.

Captain Koro did not come along.

Just as I was about to let Qin Er step forward, the eunuch behind Wei Zhi went over and lifted the sedan curtain.

There was a person sitting in the sedan chair.

He was wearing a blue robe from the Imperial Medical Academy.

Head down.

His white hair was loose.

His face looked sickly.

At first glance, he looks like an old doctor.

But as soon as he looked up, Ah Liu exclaimed "Ah!"

It's not because we know each other.

It's because this person has a thin, fake beard made of human skin pasted on his lips.

The fake beard was soaked with sweat and a corner was torn open.

It's hilarious.

It's also quite scary.

Wei Zhi sighed.

"When did the craftsmanship in the palace become so rough?"

The man suddenly stood up, trying to escape from behind the sedan chair.

Qin Er reacted quickly and grabbed him.

I went over and tore off his fake beard.

He was a man in his thirties.

The face was unfamiliar.

But there was medicine powder on the cuffs and thick calluses on the knuckles.

He was not a royal physician.

It is medicine.

I asked, "Who are you?"

He shut up.

Wei Zhi said, "Gag him and take him away."

The man immediately panicked.

"I am Xu Ping, a pharmacist at the Imperial Medical Academy!"

I looked at him.

"Who gave you permission to impersonate Judge Liu?"

He doesn't say.

Wei Zhi laughed and said, "It's fine if you don't want to tell me; we can ask you in the palace."

Xu Ping's face turned pale instantly.

Asking in the palace is far more terrifying than asking on the bridge.

He finally said, "Eunuch Lu asked me to dress up as him."

Xiao Luzi knelt on the ground, trembling violently.

Wei Zhi looked at Xiao Luzi.

"Little Lu, who sent you?"

Xiao Lu's jaw was chattering.

"This servant...this servant only accepted an external assignment from the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"Where are the cards?"

Xiao Luzi took out a card.

Wei walked straight past, glanced at it, and his smile faded.

"Fake."

Xiao Luzi almost collapsed.

A fake Directorate of Ceremonial.

The fake Judge Liu.

Real medical records.

This round at Daci Bridge is getting more and more interesting.

I walked up to the medicine cart.

"Unboxing."

The minor official from the Ministry of Revenue looked at Xiao Luzi.

Xiao Luzi knelt down, no longer daring to speak.

Wei Zhi said, "Open."

The medicine cart box was opened.

Inside are patient records.

Roll it up one by one and tie it with green rope.

The seal reads:

The Ministry of Revenue's medical records were verified by the Imperial Hospital.

I randomly picked out a roll.

The first page reads:

Du Heng, suffering from a cold, fell ill for three days.

Volume Two:

Jiang Wen's old illness relapsed, and he claimed to be ill for seven days.

Volume Three:

Wang Gui has fallen seriously ill at home; leave is granted.

Wang Gui?

My eyes darkened.

Wang Gui was arrested today at the old warehouse of the Ministry of Revenue.

However, his medical record already stated "emergency illness at home, leave approved".

In other words, if Wang Gui escapes from behind the cabinet, he will disappear from the medical records.

If he dies, it can be said that he left the department while ill.

I continued flipping through the pages.

Volume Four:

Fan Yong, suffering from chronic lung disease, will have his records updated according to the old ones.

The following pages contain various symptoms, prescriptions, and old notes from imperial physicians.

I picked up Volume 5.

It says:

Shen An felt palpitations and fear, suspecting he had been infected by an evil spirit, and therefore it was not advisable for him to enter the palace before marriage.

My fingers paused.

Ah Liu came over to take a look, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Young master, is this an ailment of yours?"

I looked at that line of text and suddenly smiled.

really do.

They even wrote down my medical condition for me.

Heart palpitations and fear.

Suspected of being infected by evil wind.

It is not advisable to enter the palace before marriage.

If this medical record enters the Imperial Hospital and is reviewed by "Judge Liu," I will be sent to the hospital before my wedding.

At that time, some people can say that Shen An is mentally unstable due to his illness and is not suitable to investigate the case.

It could also be said that Shen An was frightened and had a sharp weapon hidden in his body, which was a manifestation of his madness.

They could even remove me from this grand wedding ceremony and use another scheme to kill me.

I looked at Wei Zhi.

The smile on Wei Zhi's face also faded.

He clearly didn't expect my name to appear in his medical record.

I asked Xu Ping, "Who wrote this medical record?"

Xu Ping lowered his head and did not answer.

Wei Zhi said softly, "Take him back to the palace."

Xu Ping immediately replied, "It was sent from the Ministry of Revenue's medical records office! I'm only responsible for getting the Imperial Hospital's approval!"

"Who told you to build it?"

"A message delivered by Qin...Qin Shangyi's people."

Qin Shangyi.

Qin Shangyi of the Imperial Clothing Bureau.

Old palace robes.

Albizia julibrissin.

The former palace of the Empress Dowager.

Now her medical records also involve her.

My heart sank.

There really is a hidden connection between the inner court and the Ministry of Revenue.

This line is not in the six departments that are openly discussed.

Between clothing, fragrance, illness, and records.

Wei Zhi looked at me.

"Lord Shen, this old servant must take this medical record back to the palace."

I said, "Okay."

Wei Zhi seemed somewhat surprised.

I continued, "But the Censorate needs to make a copy, and the Princess's residence also needs a witness statement."

Wei Zhi smiled.

"Lord Shen is becoming increasingly cautious."

"Once someone portrays you as a patient, it's hard not to be cautious."

Ah Liu whispered from behind, "It's still the evil wind disease."

I look at him.

He immediately shut up.

Just then, a loud thud came from under the bridge.

Someone jumped into the water.

Qin Er shouted, "Xiao Luzi ran away!"

I rushed to the bridge.

Xiao Luzi had already jumped into the river and was swimming towards the water cave under the bridge.

The people on both sides exclaimed in surprise.

Qin Er wanted to chase after him, but I stopped him.

"Don't go into the water!"

The water under Daci Bridge is shallow, but there are many water caves.

If you rush down there rashly, you could easily be dragged away.

The next moment, a hand reached out from the water cave and pulled Xiao Luzi inside.

A string of bubbles rose to the surface of the water.

And that was it.

Ah Liu's face turned pale.

"Young master, who dragged him away?"

I looked at the surface of the water.

"have no idea."

But I know one thing.

This water cave is like a water gate.

The capital city had official roads on the surface and waterways underground.

The members of the clearing committee not only use the door, but also the water.

Xiao Luzi was silenced.

The person who silenced them was hiding under the Daci Bridge.

Wei Zhi's face also turned cold.

"Seal the bridge sinkhole."

I looked at the surface of the water.

I managed to snag a medical record.

But Xiao Luzi died.

Xu Ping is alive, but he only knows that Qin Shangyi's people delivered the message.

Qin Shangyi's storyline has finally moved from her palace attire to her sickbed file.

I looked down at the roll of "Shen An's medical records" in my hand.

Suddenly it felt absurd.

I'm not sick yet.

They have already written down my medical condition for me.

This is more disgusting than assassination.

Assassinations kill people.

The illness file is what kills people's names.

If you're portrayed as a patient, a madman, or someone who's panicked and out of control, every truth you utter can be twisted into something insipid.

I closed the file.

"Ah Liu, write this down."

Ah Liu immediately picked up a pen.

"What should I remember?"

I looked at the water beneath the bridge and said, word by word:

"Qinghe is not just about clearing accounts."

"Pay back the debtor."

"If you can't get rid of the person, then first portray them as sick."