In a flash, Su Mo had grabbed a young medicine servant boy in coarse cloth and thrown him heavily in front of everyone.
The young servant, in pain, could only cry out “Ah ba, ah ba.”
Sun Miao’s face darkened as he helped the boy up: “What are you doing? If you’re going to find someone to frame, at least find a plausible one! My little servant here doesn’t understand medical theory and is mute besides – makes it easy for you to pin the blame, doesn’t it?”
Su Mo argued his point: “Every time I make medicine for the Second Highlander, he adds a scoop of mountain spring water. He claims the spring water is sweet, clear, and moistening, and adding it to the medicine helps release the medicinal properties better, making the patient recover faster. Didn’t Grand Physician Sun just say the Aconite was steeped in the water? It must be this little servant’s doing!”
“The mountain spring water was added on my orders. He was just following my instructions. If you want to arrest someone, arrest me. Don’t make things difficult for a child who knows nothing.”
Jiang Xingyan narrowed her eyes.
“The Second Highlander is low-key and approachable. He has no recent feuds and no old enemies. This little servant is an orphan with no parents, stays in the Imperial Medical Institute all day – it’s even more impossible for him to have a grudge against the Second Highlander. He could only have been used by someone else. Don’t tip them off. Keep a quiet watch on him. See who he comes into contact with during the day, and we might find some clues.”
“General Huo is right! We could——”
“Enough.”
Xiao Zhenhuai suddenly stood up, cutting Su Mo off coldly.
“Grand Physician Sun has already stated clearly. I won’t live out the year. Why go through all this trouble? Even if we find the mastermind behind it, what use would it be?”
Jiang Xingyan’s heart clenched. She looked at Grand Physician Sun.
Grand Physician Sun shook his head, indicating there was no cure.
“Everyone, I’ll take my leave.”
Xiao Zhenhuai turned and walked away.
Su Mo was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed: “Master!”
Grand Physician Sun sighed.
Every time he encountered an illness he was powerless to cure, he felt a sense of shame.
The little servant boy stared blankly at one, then the other. It took him a while to realize what had happened.
Panicked, he ran to Grand Physician Sun’s side, tugged at his sleeve, and frantically signed.
Grand Physician Sun was startled, then turned to Jiang Xingyan and said: “He says the mountain spring water was all bought from a little girl. He saw the little girl was dressed in rags and wanted to help her earn a bit more. He also says her water had a faint, pleasant fragrance to it.”
“Let’s go see.”
The little servant led everyone to the water vat. Grand Physician Sun scooped up some water and tasted it.
“There’s nothing wrong with it.”
For a moment, Jiang Xingyan felt dazed.
The person behind this must have arranged everything meticulously. How could they possibly leave such easy clues for them to find?
Boundless regret filled her heart.
But she and Xiao Zhenhuai weren’t close. Now that he himself had given up on pursuing the culprit, how could anyone else investigate?
The group left the Imperial Medical Institute in low spirits, heading towards the military camp.
The carriage was strangely quiet throughout the journey.
Jiang Xingyan frowned, lost in thought.
Huo Ci, anxious, kept glancing meaningfully at Yun Chunfeng: Why don’t you ask her! Yan wouldn’t really be planning to help Xiao Zhenhuai, would she?
Yun Chunfeng had originally wanted to ask, but Huo Ci’s urging just made him drop the idea. He shot Huo Ci a look.
If you want to ask, ask yourself.
Huo Ci was speechless.
Did he even have the right to?
He shrunk back and sulked.
Little Ya shook her little pigtails, looking at her uncle, then at her bad daddy.
Who exactly made her mother angry?
Unaware of their silent exchange, Jiang Xingyan was simply curious. She really wanted to know who was trying to harm Xiao Zhenhuai.
Logically speaking, Xiao Mingxu and Xiao Chonghua didn’t even think much of him, so there was no need for them to poison him.
And he wasn’t blocking anyone else’s path.
It was truly strange.
“General, the families of the soldiers are all gathered at the camp gate, waiting to welcome you!”
Wang Qi’s excited voice interrupted her thoughts.
She suddenly remembered that the soldiers had been returning to camp over the past few days, and there were several important matters to attend to.
She lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out amidst the crowd’s cheers.
Ignoring the pull on her wound entirely.
Only Huo Ci was left behind, writhing in pain on the carriage floor, unable to get up.
“General Huo is impressive!”
“General Huo is righteous!”
Jiang Xingyan nodded in acknowledgment, pressing her hands down to signal for silence.
“Today, our Huo family army is finally complete and whole!”
Some silver-haired old men and women stood in the crowd, wiping away tears.
They had thought they would never see their sons again in this lifetime. They never expected to be brought to the military camp one day.
From now on, they could spend their days together with their sons.
Even if it meant shortening their own lives by a few years, they would be willing.
Jiang Xingyan looked around. Gauging the number with a quick estimate, she knew that many soldiers’ families hadn’t been able to come.
Her heart ached.
If the soldiers sacrificed their lives for the country, weren’t their families equally righteous?
“From now on, we eat together, live together. We share the same parents. Who says we have no clothes? I will share your gown. Who says we have no kin? I will share your parents!”
“Who says we have no kin? I will share your parents!”
The soldiers’ eyes brimmed with tears.
From now on, even if they died on the battlefield, they would no longer be wandering ghosts.
Jiang Xingyan took out the land deed and silver.
“My former wife, with great understanding and righteousness, though divorced from me, took pity on the soldiers’ plight. She specially bought the wasteland behind the camp. She also donated one hundred thousand taels for the soldiers to build houses. Construction starts today!”
The soldiers keenly caught the key word in her speech: former wife.
What exactly had happened in the two days since they went home?
Wasn’t it just the night of the victory banquet that the General’s wife had been clinging to the General, being affectionate?
For a moment, the soldiers were dead silent.
No one knew what to say.
Xin Zhui, hiding in the crowd, was the first to shout: “Miss Jiang is impressive!”
“Miss Jiang is righteous!”
The soldiers were confused.
But seeing it was Deputy General Xin shouting, knowing he was General Huo’s confidant, they joined in.
The important thing was, with someone leading the charge, if the General got angry later, Xin Zhui could take the heat.
Huo Ci, inside the carriage, ground his teeth in hatred: Fine, Xin Zhui, you just wait too! My father picked you up, not so you could compete with me for my wife! You terrible person, you’re truly terrible!
His whole body ached terribly, and his heart was filled with pent-up rage. When Jiang Xingyan dragged him out of the carriage, he still had to wear a decent smile.
Who understood? This was the taste of “you reap what you sow”!
The crowd surged noisily, clustering around Jiang Xingyan and Huo Ci as they entered the camp.
Pushed to the periphery, Yun Chunfeng stood holding Little Ya, staring blankly.
Yun Chunfeng, feeling lose: Why didn’t Miss Jiang wait for this humble Yun?
Little Ya pouted: Why doesn’t Mama hug Little Ya?
Suddenly, a shadow fell over them. Jiang Xingyan had parted the crowd and was standing before them.
“National Preceptor, why didn’t you keep up? Is holding Little Ya too tiring?”
As she spoke, she smoothly took the tearful Little Ya from his arms and gently tapped her nose.
Yun Chunfeng lowered his gaze demurely and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
Yun Chunfeng: Miss Jiang is so kind!
Little Ya: Mama is so kind!
None of them noticed that among the onlookers behind them, two people exchanged glances, simultaneously squeezed out of the crowd, and hurried off in the same direction.