Shuse Jinjia

Huo Beiyu had previously heard Duan Chengyu tell the story of Xie's illegitimate daughter attracting a swarm of bees and being stung unconscious, which he considered a joke.

I just listened to it and moved on.

Now that Xie Zhaotang has brought up the inside story again, Huo Beiyu has vivid images in his mind.

So many bees were chasing and stinging this little girl. She must have been stung all over her body and face, and was in excruciating pain.

Huo Beiyu felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about it.

His gaze unconsciously drifted back to Xie Zhaotang's smooth face.

The redness and swelling are no longer visible, but she must remember the suffering she endured with a deep sense of remembrance.

"Report it to the authorities!"

Xie Zhaotang said coldly, "Although my aunt wasn't bitten to death, she suffered five bite wounds all over her body, including a long laceration on her arm. If it weren't for my aunt protecting my sister, would she, at only five years old, have had to suffer like this?"

"There were other children too. If Uncle Li and his son hadn't arrived in time, those children would have been hurt as well. If this kind of evil person isn't brought to justice, it will only embolden her to become even more vicious..."

"Whose ruthless methods are being encouraged?"

A voice sounded behind the two of them.

Huo Beiyu turned around and saw Zhu Feng and Pei Song running over.

"Fourth Miss, you can rest assured. Miss Xue has been picked up by Madam Pei and her uncle and settled in a house not far from your aunt's house. Physician Luo is examining her."

Zhu Feng laughed and said, "We heard that your aunt was bitten by a rabid dog, so we came to visit her. Uncle Li said you were here, so we came over..."

Pei Song added, "Miss Li has also come; she's visiting your aunt at your house!"

Xie Zhaotang was puzzled by Zhu Feng's words.

Previously, Madam Pei said that Xue Jintong's voice could be saved, so she arranged for her to stay at the Huo family's estate.

"Pei Song, make another trip to the Prefect of the Capital and report to the authorities that someone is using rabid dogs to bite people and endanger the safety of the villagers of Baohua Village. Ask Lord Shi to send a few people to investigate."

Huo Beiyu gave the instructions.

"What happened? Fourth Miss, your aunt being bitten by a rabid dog wasn't an accident?" Zhu Feng asked with concern.

Xie Zhaotang temporarily put aside Xue Jintong's matter and told Zhu Feng and Pei Song what had happened.

Upon hearing this, Pei Song angrily said, "Who is so vicious as to do such a thing? Investigate... we must investigate. I'm going to report it to the authorities right now."

He rushed off.

Huo Beiyu said to Xie Zhaotang, "Fourth Miss, if you have something to attend to, you should go back first. We'll stay here and wait for the officials. We'll call you if anything comes up!"

Xie Zhaotang nodded. Huo Beiyu's intervention would be more effective than his own.

Back in the courtyard, Li Qin came out and comforted Xie Zhaotang.

"Tangtang, after Chief Physician Luo finished examining Sister Jintong, I asked him to come and check on your aunt. Don't worry, she'll be fine!"

While washing her hands, Xie Zhaotang asked, "Aqin, why isn't Sister Jintong staying at the Huo family's house as arranged by Old Madam Pei? Is her throat beyond repair?"

Li Qin leaned closer and whispered, "It can be cured, but Sister Jintong and her uncle don't want to live at the Huo family's house. They're probably afraid of offending the Luo family and dragging the Huo family down with them!"

"Let me tell you, when we went to pick up Sister Jintong today, Madam Xue initially didn't want to let her go, repeatedly saying that Sister Jintong was unwell and that she shouldn't let her illness upset Old Madam Pei. Later, Granny Zhao got angry and asked if Old Madam Pei should come to pick her up herself, and only then did Madam Xue have no choice but to give in."

Xie Zhaotang was talking to Li Qin when Luo Yuanshou entered the courtyard under the guidance of Li Zhuzi.

"Little girl, how is your aunt's injury? Let me take a look at her first. Then tell me what you put in the ointment you made for Xue girl?"

Xie Zhaotang went to greet her and saw Aunt Xia rushing in with a medicine bag.

"Director Luo, please wait a moment. I'll prepare some medicine powder to change my aunt's dressing. You can also check if there's anything wrong with the medicine I'm preparing."

Xie Zhaotang took the medicine packet handed to him by Aunt Xia and walked to the stone table in the courtyard.

Luo Yuanshou and Li Qin followed along. Xie Zhaotang didn't stand on ceremony and asked Aunt Li to borrow two stone mortars from the village so that Li Qin and Luo Yuanshou could help him grind the medicine into powder.

She organized the medicinal herbs and asked Qiu'er to brew them.

Luo Yuanshou wasn't angry at being ordered around. While helping, he inquired about the effects of the prescription, and Xie Zhaotang patiently explained it to him and Li Qin.

After explaining Aunt Shen's prescription, Xie Zhaotang finally had a moment to ask Chief Physician Luo for his opinion on Xue Jintong's condition.

Chief Luo glanced at Xie Zhaotang and said with a smile, "Little girl, you already have your own ideas. Why are you trying to trick me? I think the medicine you prepared for her is very suitable. Tell me your formula, and I'll fill in any gaps for you."

Xie Zhaotang had already realized that Xue Jintong was suffering from mercury poisoning; in ancient times, mercury was known as quicksilver.

She then shared her guesses, concluding, "The ointment I prepared for Sister Jintong is mainly for calming the mind and detoxifying, but Sister Jintong's body is too weak, so in the early stages we can only focus on conditioning her. Once her body can tolerate it, we can increase the dosage or supplement it with steaming and fumigation for detoxification."

Dr. Luo nodded as he listened: "There's nothing wrong with your treatment method, and the prescription is very good, but if you can supplement it with acupuncture guidance, the effect will be even better."

Xie Zhaotang smiled ingratiatingly: "Director Luo, aren't you making things difficult for me? I don't know anything about acupuncture. I had to force myself to learn how to read prescriptions."

Xie Zhaotang's acupuncture skills were also very advanced, but he couldn't fully reveal them.

Upon hearing this, Dean Luo realized he was making a difficult request, and he quickly replied.

"I'll go back and talk to your father as soon as possible to finalize your marriage to my grandson, then I can teach you acupuncture!"

Ah, Xie Zhaotang was frightened. Chief Luo might not know that his eldest grandson was of low character, but she knew it all too well.

How could she dare marry Luo Yuanshou's eldest grandson!

"Director Luo, have you finished seeing the patient? I'll take you back to the city."

Zhu Feng returned and heard this as soon as he entered the door, so he quickly interrupted Dean Luo.

He finally found someone he liked, how could he let Chief Luo steal his wife away!

"What's the rush? I haven't even seen my patient yet!"

Luo Yuanshou glared at him irritably, but seeing that Zhu Feng was there, he didn't dare to bring up the marriage again, so he continued to discuss the prescription with Xie Zhaotang.

Li Qin was also worried for Xie Zhaotang. She often went with her father to treat patients in high-ranking households and had heard about the actions of Luo Yuanshou's eldest grandson.

How could I bear to let my best friend marry that kind of person?

We must remind Xie Zhaotang about this later. If she wants to learn acupuncture, she can ask her father to teach her. There is no need for her to learn from Chief Physician Luo.

Seeing that Zhu Feng had gotten out of the predicament, Xie Zhaotang quickly mixed the medicine powder together and took Luo Yuanshou to treat Aunt Shen's injury and change the dressing.

When he finished his work and came out, he saw Huo Beiyu waiting in the courtyard with two young officials.

"Director Luo, Fourth Miss, this is Magistrate Yuan of the Capital Prefecture. They want to inquire about Consort Shen's injuries..."

When Xie Zhaotang saw Huo Beiyu personally leading his men over, he and Chief Luo stepped forward.

Chief Luo had already examined Aunt Shen's injuries and described the extent of them. He spoke with righteous indignation.

"It's still uncertain whether Aunt Shen will have any aftereffects. We need to observe her for a while. If that dog is rabid, Aunt Shen may have contracted rabies."

The young Lord Yuan was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the current year, around twenty years old, and was serving as the Prefect of Jingzhao (City of Capital) to observe government affairs.

He also knew the dangers of rabies, and since Huo Beiyu had told him that there had never been rabid dogs in Baohua Village before, Lord Yuan also suspected that someone was deliberately driving dogs to hurt people.

"Fourth Miss, do you and your aunt have any enemies?"