Chapter 2598 - 2572: Refusal

Zheng Fei also wanted to leave the palace. Inside, he could do nothing and was confined to this room to recover, but outside, there were many things he could do.

Thus, when the Patriarch Zheng mentioned it, he agreed immediately.

So Patriarch Zheng, along with his eldest son and Zheng Wang, went back to prepare, with the list given by Zhou Man in hand.

Manbao happily went to report to Director Xiao, "Director Xiao, I have sent Young Master Zheng away."

Director Xiao’s heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Where did you send him?"

"To his home, of course."

Director Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, exhaling deeply, "That’s good, that’s good."

He remembered something and said, "He still needs to continue with acupuncture, and the wound must be carefully watched. Someone should be sent to keep an eye on him when he’s sent out, right?"

Manbao nodded, "I gave Patriarch Zheng a list, he’ll have everything prepared."

Director Xiao looked at her, hinting, "And the wake-the-mind acupuncture, the intracranial hemorrhage hasn’t cleared yet, it also needs to continue..."

Manbao silently looked at him.

Director Xiao then patted her shoulder with a smile and said, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, those who are capable bear more burden. You are young and capable; since it was primarily you who treated him this time, I think his condition outside should also be overseen by you."

Manbao rolled her eyes and said, "Then can I leave work an hour early? Going out for consultations also takes time."

"An hour is too long. You have a carriage to ride out of the palace, and the Zheng family’s residence isn’t far from your home. I think two quarters of an hour should be enough."

"That’s definitely not enough," Manbao said, "The rules of noble families are complicated, coming and going is troublesome, at least half an hour, right?"

"Alright, then half an hour it is," Director Xiao thought that although there were some significant patients recently, the few new students selected to join the Imperial Hospital were getting hands-on, so he said, "You should also bring along Assistant Doctor Cai and Assistant Doctor Duan more often. They’ve been in the Imperial Hospital for two or three years now, and I plan to let them independently inquire and prescribe after autumn."

That would make them the lowest level of Imperial Doctors, marking a significant step in their careers.

Manbao nodded, inquiring, "What about Assistant Doctor Liu? When do you think she can independently inquire and prescribe?"

Director Xiao pondered for a moment before saying, "Actually, she can now independently inquire and prescribe, but she has to wait in line; it will be her turn after Assistant Doctor Cai and Assistant Doctor Duan."

Liu Sanniang’s medical skills were not yet to the level of Director Xiao’s exceptional promotion, so they could only follow the rules. But Manbao calculated, even with the queue, it would be her turn next year.

After having a rank, there would be more security in the Imperial Hospital, so Manbao nodded, planning to pay more attention to Assistant Doctor Cai and Assistant Doctor Duan’s medical skills to help them prescribe independently as soon as possible.

Before Zhou Man left, Director Xiao reminded again, "The disputes among the noble families and the court battles have nothing to do with us. You don’t need to mind these mundane matters when you go in and out of the Zheng family’s house. Be careful with your words, don’t let them catch anything. Currently, the Zheng family and Minister Li are in the heat of their struggle."

However, Manbao remembered what Bai Shan told her at noon, that the land bought by the Prince of Hejian was for the Ministry of Revenue, meaning it was for the Emperor. So, who exactly was fighting with the Zheng family, the Prince of Hejian or the Emperor himself?

If it was the Emperor, then the Imperial Hospital didn’t care about taking sides or not; naturally, they were on the Emperor’s side.

No matter which side it belonged to, their job was to heal the sick.

With that thought, Manbao nodded.

Seeing her obedience, Director Xiao left satisfied.

When Young Master Zheng moved out of the palace, the people sent by the Censorate and the Ministry of Justice and Punishments to Qizhou had already arrived, and the Patriarch Zheng at the Zheng family had received the letter from the Prefect of Qizhou.

Apparently, even if their land transactions were legal, the Prefect of Qizhou was still anxious and fearful.

Facing such a jittery ally, Patriarch Zheng was speechless with anger.

But before he could figure out how to reply to the Prefect of Qizhou, Zheng Fei sent his Xiaos with a letter directly to County Magistrate Guo.

Then County Magistrate Guo came to visit, oh no, to investigate a case.

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Zheng rushed over, only to see County Magistrate Guo sitting across a table from Zhou Man and his son, holding a teacup and drinking tea.

Oh, County Magistrate Guo was drinking tea, while Zheng Fei was drinking medicine.

Upon seeing Patriarch Zheng, County Magistrate Guo immediately stood up, greeted him and said with a smile, "Uncle Zheng, don’t worry. I had already followed Imperial Doctor Zhou’s advice before entering and took medicine to disinfect and changed my clothes, ensuring that Erlang’s injury would remain unaffected."

Patriarch Zheng’s gaze swept over Zhou Man, and he smiled faintly, "So it’s Nephew Guo. Why didn’t you send a post before coming? I could have let Dalang go out to welcome you."

"How could I trouble Uncle Zheng?" County Magistrate Guo smiled, "I came this time at Erlang’s invitation, regarding the gang fight case."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Erlang’s intention is that the ringleaders of the fight should be severely punished, but the followers should be exempted from punishment. He is willing to issue a letter of forgiveness for this, including the tenant farmers from the Li family who hit him."

County Magistrate Guo sighed, "Erlang is benevolent. Not only is he willing to forgive their reckless actions, but he also came out with a hundred thousand coins to provide some compensation to the families of those who were injured or killed in the brawl on both sides this time."

Patriarch Zheng’s face twitched, but publicly, he did not object, only saying, "He is young, and since childhood, he has chanted scriptures and meditated with his Fifth Uncle, he is overly compassionate and weak. But governing a place is like governing a country, and it should be handled impartially."

County Magistrate Guo nodded in agreement, smiling, "I think so too. His Majesty also said that water disputes have always been a great calamity among the populace, and this is right under the feet of the Emperor. The crime of daring to fight to the death over water must be increased by one more level, so they should all be severely punished. I have already sentenced the ringleaders on both sides to execution, and it has been reported to the Ministry of Justice, just waiting for their review."

Patriarch Zheng said calmly, "In both brawls, it was our Zheng family that suffered severe losses, and this time it even injured my youngest son. Is it not inappropriate to have the same crime when both sides have suffered differently?"

He said, "We suffered such significant casualties here. If the other side is still held equally culpable, isn’t it condoning the water disputes and gang fights? In the future, whoever is strong will prevail without any losses, correct?"

County Magistrate Guo said, "The first brawl was initiated by the tenant farmers on the Zheng family’s side, and in the second brawl, the first provocation came from the Zhentou on the Zheng family side. The ringleader caused evil, and even if the Zheng family’s side suffered more, they cannot be treated leniently."

In recent days, the anger from being impeached had been stirred up, and the Emperor wanted to balance the noble families and powerful families, as well as the royal family and local relations, so he had to be gentle with the Zheng family. But County Magistrate Guo was unafraid of them.

Thus, he directly said, "The county also agrees with Erlang’s idea. If he chooses to forgive the followers, the county is naturally willing to open a net to spare them. But if he does not, then both sides shall have the followers punished equally, as for the ringleaders, even His Majesty feels they are extremely heinous, unforgivable."

So, if you want to pull the Zhentou and his two sons out, it’s impossible. I can at most let you pull out the tenant farmers.

Finishing his bowl of medicine one sip at a time, and then drinking a sip of water, Zheng Fei placed the bowl down neither lightly nor heavily, drawing the attention of the two men who had been at odds.

County Magistrate Guo and Patriarch Zheng both looked at him.

Zheng Fei then looked towards the Xiaos waiting on the side and nodded to him slightly.

The Xiaos secretly glanced at Patriarch Zheng, then, under immense pressure, went out and brought in a box.