The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 361: For the Sake of Merit

The four patients with mild symptoms who were brought in were all stunned. No illness?

Aunt Lu finally glanced at him and said, "Young man, what are you talking about?"

Previously, it was Lord Shang, the Prefect, who led people house to house to check, also involving the town mayor’s wife and other townswomen to examine the women.

Now all the villagers of Wangshan Town know that they don’t need to wait for designated inspectors to come; they perform self-examinations every day.

Doctor Xia said the earlier it is detected, the easier it is to treat early. If detected late, not only is there a life risk, but even if cured, it can cause bodily harm.

So they are very anxious.

Just yesterday, during a check, everything was fine. But after a night’s sleep, Aunt Lu woke up to find a red spot the size of a mung bean on her chest, which frightened her, so she reported it immediately and was brought here.

But this young man says she isn’t sick?

No matter whether he’s an Imperial Physician or not, in her eyes, isn’t he just a thirty-something young lad?

The Imperial Physician named Zhao Sibao saw Aunt Lu’s confused expression and decisively said, "I and a few colleagues have all diagnosed you; none of you four are actually sick. But you were brought here as mild epidemic patients. You must know, this is an isolation zone; even if you’re not sick, you might get infected here."

Another one named Zhou Hucheng couldn’t help but mock, "No wonder a little girl so young has become the head medical officer of the isolation zone; she’s quite crafty. Bringing in those who aren’t sick, prescribing random medicines, then claiming they’re cured. The patients don’t know their situation, so of course, they feel grateful! Who knows what benefits she hopes for with such means!"

Xia Wenjin: "..."

Shang Jingwang: "..."

Shang Jingwang quickly said, "Is there some misunderstanding?"

Who on earth would use tricks on some villagers, then spend tens of thousands of Silver on medicine and building an isolation zone, and offering rewards to physicians to treat the sick?

Luo Jia remained silent. Although Aunt Lu had shaken off his hand and trusted the young girl completely, he had touched Aunt Lu’s pulse, and it indeed seemed like there was no illness?

However, since it was just a touch and not a thorough examination, he reserved his opinion.

But these three Imperial Physicians have all diagnosed four people seriously, with all three having the same opinion, so they felt deceived.

Could it be that the epidemic here is a conspiracy in itself, set up by the young girl’s family to show off her ’skills’?

The rural villagers are inexperienced and get scared at the mention of an epidemic. Moreover, wasn’t it heard before that there was only one doctor in the whole town?

That doctor was later executed in public by Shang Jingwang.

Was it because that doctor discovered the truth and wanted to expose them, so he was killed to silence him?

Are all the doctors here brought by her family to act along with her?

Such expansive thoughts, once spread out, become uncontrollable, especially given Xia Wenjin’s age, which hardly inspires trust. The Imperial Physicians increasingly believed they uncovered the secret.

As for Shang Jingwang?

Firstly, he’s not a doctor and would naturally believe what doctors say.

Secondly, the person behind the young girl must be someone Shang Jingwang knows and wants to please.

Zhao Sibao was even more indignant and angrily said, "What misunderstanding? Would all three of us diagnose the wrong pulse together?"

At this point, a suspicion struck him, and he abruptly said, "I suspect there is no epidemic here at all. These villagers have been deceived. Little girl, what exactly are you hoping to gain by doing all this?"

Xia Wenjin: "..."

This world is never short of self-righteous people. Once their minds start fabricating a dramatic play, any explanation you offer is seen as sophistry.

Shang Jingwang was startled, quickly saying, "Gentlemen, there indeed was an epidemic here, and many people died. It’s under control now, and no one’s dying anymore. All of this is thanks to Doctor Xia..."

He should not have mentioned ’thanks to’; as soon as he did, the Imperial Physicians became more furious. Zhao Sibao directly said, "Thanks? So it’s all for so-called ’credit’, that you are thus playing with human lives, reversing right and wrong? Labeling the healthy as sick, building an isolation zone, spreading epidemic news, tiring the people and frightening the citizens—all for so-called credit?"

Shang Jingwang: "..."

Facing the self-righteous and solemn rebukes from this young Imperial Physician, Shang Jingwang was at a loss, awkwardly smiling. He seriously said, "How could anyone dare false report on something as serious as an epidemic? You’ve misunderstood!"

"What misunderstanding?" This time Zhao Sibao didn’t even give face to Shang Jingwang and coldly snorted, "Lord Shang, you’re not a doctor, yet you’ve been thoroughly fooled by a little girl. As a parent official of a prefecture, you are muddleheaded!"

Zhao Sibao is also of the Fifth Rank, thus didn’t hold much respect for Shang Jingwang of the same rank.

Shang Jingwang was also displeased, thinking of the sleepless nights and tireless days they endured for this epidemic—how arduous it was to persuade villagers for checkups, how painful it was to witness severely ill patients linger between life and death in bed, how overwhelming it was to see the isolation zone gradually filled with patients.

When Xia Wenjin herself got infected, they were utterly desperate.

When Xia Wenjin was cured by the Undying Poison Doctor and the prototype remedy emerged, the excitement of finally seeing the light after darkness, he could still vividly remember.

When Yu Shikui wanted to burn her as the source of calamity, the indignation was immense.

Now that patients are being cured one by one, and the epidemic is truly controlled with no more villagers dying from it, he finally felt a sense of relief.

But what was this Imperial Physician saying?

No epidemic at all?

He was switching the truth for so-called merit? Cooperating with a girl’s antics? Being played around? Muddleheaded?

Shang Jingwang was almost amused by his anger, his expression darkened as he said, "Imperial Physician Zhao, please speak cautiously!"

"Hmph, am I exposed?" Firm in his medical skill, Zhao Sibao sternly said, "Mr. Luo, let’s document the situation here and present it to the Capital City! How dare someone commit the crime of deceiving the emperor; we can’t help him with this."

Luo Jia remained silent, deciding to check the other three to see whether they too, like Aunt Lu, showed no symptoms.

If true, then it’s a grave matter of deceiving the emperor, and submitting a memorial is inevitable!