Physician, Not A Consort

Lin Haihai was overwhelmed by the fifty to sixty boys in the yard. However, she needed to employ people so it was a welcomed sight! Lin Haihai couldn't stop smiling, but these were children so they could only do the lighter work. If it were some stronger men then it would be different. However, one shouldn't ask for too much; the salary of grown men was very high.

Lin Haihai summoned Qing Feng to let her take the boys up the mountain. As for Little Xiang, she and Aunt Wu lived in the same room that had a big yard. Behind the yard were many wooden sheds that had been built for the disciples to live in. Now that most disciples had moved to the mountain, rooms were left empty in the hospital. Lin Haihai planned to change them into sick wards. 

She diagnosed and treated Aunt Wu's husband. He was still in shock because he had been ill for a long time and hadn't been treated properly. However, his illness wasn't serious, why would the treatment take so long? This was a question that only the physicians at Baoyuan Pharmacy could answer. Delaying treatment and extending the illness was also a common money-making tactic in some unorthodox hospitals and clinics in the modern era.

“Master, it’s not good. There’s a lot of soldiers outside. They were brought over by the physicians of Baoyuan Pharmacy. As soon as they arrived, they started looking for the person in charge.” Qing Feng rushed in and said in a panic. How could they, ordinary citizens, not be afraid of soldiers?

Lin Haihai screamed yes in her head. She had been planning to go after them, but they arrived at her door instead. She fixed her clothes and then calmly walked out.

More than a dozen soldiers marched around the lobby like they owned the place. The patients were too scared to move, while the imperial physicians were sitting off at one side calmly drinking tea. Lin Haihai had already informed them that if soldiers came, they shouldn't identify themselves until the person scheming in the background was revealed. However, these cultured people weren't able to pretend to be scared.

Lin Haihai looked at Physician Liu and said with a smirk, “What brings Physician Liu here today?”

Physician Liu gently stroked his beard with a cunning glint in his eyes. With a sly smile, he replied, "Physician Lin, it was you who said that you would harbor that swindler. That makes you an accomplice. Don’t say that I’m not showing you any respect. You can only blame yourself for saying those words with such certainty that day.” 

"It seems that you're determined to deal with Linhai Hospital. However, you haven't asked around to see if we have a supporter!" Lin Haihai said deliberately.

The lead soldier laughed, “Hahaha, whoever your supporter is, offending the Baoyuan Pharmacy is the same as offending the Capital Magistrate. Cut the crap and come with us for a trip to the yamen!” 

“The Capital Magistrate? Was the Baoyuan Pharmacy founded by him?” Lin Haihai questioned, pretending to be panicked. Although she didn’t understand the laws of this era fully, she knew there was a rule forbidding Officials in the Imperial Court from engaging directly or indirectly in businesses. This capital magistrate was too audacious.

“Oh the truth will surely scare you witless! Not only do we have the support of the capital magistrate, even Minister Chen...”

“Physician Liu, you speak too much!” The soldiers immediately stopped him. Physician Liu stood back awkwardly, realizing his mistake.

“Minister of War, Official Chen. I heard that his daughter was going to marry into the Sixth Prince’s estate and become his secondary consort!” Lin Haihai said coolly. It seems that Minister Chen was also involved. 

“Hmph. It’s said that she’s to become his secondary consort but everybody in the capital knows that Consort Lin was banned to the North Court. Once Miss Chen marries him, she would be held in the same regard as the First Consort!”

"Is that so? Hence your pharmacy has nothing to fear? Lying to patients, prolonging their illness, increasing the medicine prices. I’ll hazard a guess, you guys are the ones driving up the price of medicines behind the scenes, aren’t you?!" Lin Haihai raised her voice. What she despised the most was when unlawful physicians used patients as customers for slaughter.

"Hmph, you won't cry until you see the coffin. Don't blame us, take them away!" Immediately several soldiers came up and took Lin Haihai away. The imperial physicians shot to their feet, but Lin Haihai signaled to them to keep quiet.

"Wait, you have to have a reason to take her away. Which law did she break? If you can't give me a reason, you can't take anyone away from my hospital." Li Junyue came out just in time to continue the show.

"Can a civilian interfere in the affairs of an official? Get out of the way or I'll take you too!" The lead soldier stared at Li Junyue fiercely. A lowly peasant who doesn't know what's good for him.

“You dare? Do you know who my father is? If you dare to arrest me, my father will immediately ask Grand Councilor Yan to deal with you bastards!" Li Junyue exclaimed in a loud voice full of arrogance that made Lin Haihai want to laugh. This guy's acting was pretty good. The soldiers immediately let go of Lin Haihai.

"Your dad knows Grand Councilor Yan? It seems that surging waters have flooded the Dragon King’s temple; family doesn't recognize family [1].  We also work for the Grand Councilor. May I ask this young master who your father is?" The soldier's attitude was respectful, a complete opposite of his arrogance from before. Lin Haihai was disgusted by his fawning expression. Li Junyue and Lin Haihai glanced at each other, it really was him. They now have ground for investigation!

"My father is the Ministry Councilor Li from the suburbs. He had the pleasure of meeting the Grand Councilor once!" Li Junyue declared triumphantly. 

The soldier fumed with rage. He pointed at Li Junyue and hollered, "Men, take both of them!"

Lin Haihai sat down at a table and coldly glanced at the soldiers who wanted to arrest them. She picked up a cup on the table and took a slow sip. Her leisurely composure stunned the soldiers into inaction. The leader shouted, "Grab them and let's go!"

Lin Haihai quietly got up and said, "I’m the one you want!" Official Wang was still in the ward so Li Junyue couldn't leave.

"Hmph, discussing conditions? What qualifications do you have to order me to do anything? Stupid girl, don't be shameless!" The lead soldier went to grab Lin Haihai's chin. Lin Haihai kicked him and he immediately fell to the ground, howling in pain. While he howled, he screeched, "Grab the bitch, I'll teach her."

Lin Haihai picked up a teacup from the table and threw it in front of the fallen soldier. She icily said, "You dare? What permits the Capital Magistrate to arrest people?"

Once this remark came out, everyone present was stunned. A crossed-eyed soldier weakly said, "Audacious, daring to be so disrespectful of Official Bai, do you think I won't lock you up?"

"What's wrong with being disrespectful to Official Bai? As a county magistrate, he should serve the people and think of the wellbeing of the people!" Lin Haihai's expression was frosty. Her change in demeanor gave her a natural presence that was completely different from the careful appearance from before.

"You, who are you?" Cross-eyed asked, alarmed. The dozen or so people behind him were so startled that their legs became shaky. This woman was really terrifying once she became fierce.

With growing suspicion, Physician Liu walked over to the fallen soldier and helped him up, whispering into his ear. That soldier looked at Lin Haihai suspiciously and asked, "What's your name?" His arrogant tone had turned probing and timid.

"I'm no one, but you officials are colluding with the businesses, driving up the medicine price, deceiving patients and prolonging their diseases. Such heartlessness, anyone would report you!" Lin Haihai stated this with such awe-inspiring righteousness that all the patients present shouted, "Hear, hear!"

"Well, in that case, don't blame us for showing no mercy! Arrest them!" The lead soldier became angry and immediately ordered.

Lin Haihai gave Li Junyue a look. Li Junyue understood and nodded to reassure her. A group of soldiers escorted Lin Haihai out. Her fearless expression impressed them. It's said that Physician Lin was a good physician, but it was such a pity she went against Official Bai. Who was Official Bai? Was he someone she could casually offend?

"Senior Master Li, is there a problem?" Imperial Physician Li worriedly asked Li Junyue. With a smile, Li Junyue replied, "Don't worry. It'll be alright. She's determined to fight against these corrupted officials who are helping the dishonest merchant. Otherwise, she won’t be able to sleep easily at night!" 

Li Junyue returned to the sick ward and checked on Little Xiang's eyes. It would require surgery, all they were waiting for was for everything to settle.

"Physician Li, can my eyes really be cured?" Little Xiang's innocent voice asked hopefully. 

"Of course, adults don't lie to children!" Li Junyue gently said to her. This is a child that has always lived in darkness. Her desire for light could only be imagined. Fortunately, it wasn't a serious problem, otherwise in such an outdated medical setting, there really was no way to cure her. 

"Then I will see the light, the trees, the birds, the flowers, my brother and my parents, and the moon and sun, right?" Little Xiang couldn't hide her excitement and kept on talking. Li Junyue felt a pang in his heart and said, "Yes, you'll see all of it." It shouldn't be such a joyous thing for anyone to see, but it was something she had waited ten years for.

Aunt Wu looked at Little Xiang with misty eyes. She always felt like she’d wronged her daughter. She was born with this disease and didn't even know what colors were. How Aunt Wu wished she was blind in her daughter’s stead! She kept working to make money. Besides treating her husband's illness, she hoped to find a good physician to treat Little Xiang's eyes. However, all the physicians who diagnosed Little Xiang's eyes shook their heads and said congenital diseases were incurable. Thankfully, they met Physician Lin. It was her who saved Aunt Wu's entire family. Physician Lin really was a reincarnated Bodhisattva! This kindness, she would never be able to repay for a lifetime.

"Aunt Wu, do you feel better after taking the medicine?" Li Junyue also made a prescription for her, but her illness was treated with traditional Chinese medicine. The western medicine was saved for the surgery.

"I feel much much better!" Aunt Wu quickly replied. Her expression was full of gratitude.

"That's good. Let's continue with this prescription. Your and your husband's illness has been prolonged for too long, so it has to be treated slowly. Don't become impatient. Stay patient and stay positive. Understand? In a few days when your husband is more stable, I will send you up the mountain to rest. Your children are also there, so you will be well cared for.”

"I never thought such days would come. Thank you. You are all kind hearted people!" Aunt Wu cried.

Li Junyue thought of Official Wang. He wondered if his condition had improved. Lin Junyue said farewell to Aunt Wu and turned to leave.

Official Wang's injuries were serious, and he had been in a coma for a long time. Li Junyue carefully examined him and formulated a new treatment plan. 

1. For waters to surge into a Dragon King’s Temple would be the same thing as someone attacking their own home. Family not recognizing family has the same meaning. In this case, the soldier was under the belief that Li Junyue’s father was working with them.