Chapter 44: A Distinguished Guest in the Capital
The three of them arrived at the magistrate’s study, where they saw Magistrate Li lying back in his chair, struggling to breathe, his face flushed and his ears red.
Magistrate Li’s second son, Li Chengxiu, was patting his father’s back to help him breathe. Upon seeing Jiang Lili behind Li Sicong, he couldn’t hide his contempt and disdain.
“Big brother, what are you bringing this unknown exiled convict here for?”
“Kneeling in public wasn’t enough? Is this how we’re going to disgrace the Li family?”
Li Chengxiu immediately turned to the butler. “Butler, why haven’t you called the physician to prepare medicine yet? Are you getting senile?”
The butler nodded. “Second Young Master, I notified the physician and had the medicine prepared right away.”
Li Chengxiu waved his sleeve. “Fine, I’ve been taking care of my father’s illness for many years. I know best. I’ll go help in the kitchen.”
He shot a glare at Li Sicong. “Big brother, you just recovered from your foolishness, and now you’re acting foolish again? Don’t make things worse here.”
“Butler, throw this convict out. This is bad luck!”
Li Chengxiu hurriedly left the study, and the butler looked at Jiang Lili with a troubled expression. “Miss, you—”
At that moment, Jiang Lili had already crouched down in front of Magistrate Li. She took out an emergency inhaler for sudden asthma attacks from her basket.
Li Sicong supported his father and helped him breathe in the medication.
In less than the time it took for half an incense stick to burn, Magistrate Li’s breathing became easier, and he slowly opened his eyes.
“How did the soup medicine arrive so quickly today?”
When his awareness returned, he realized that it wasn’t the soup medicine that had helped, but rather the cooling vapor that had soothed his throat. The choking sensation had disappeared.
Magistrate Li sat up in surprise. “Son, what was that medicine you used on me just now? It’s truly miraculous!”
Li Sicong introduced Jiang Lili to his father. “Father, this is the divine doctor I sought out.”
“Although I know it’s absurd to seek the help of an unknown exiled convict, as long as there’s even the slightest hope of relieving your pain, I will make every effort to pursue it!”
Jiang Lili couldn’t help but silently applaud Li Sicong. Now that’s what you call the art of conversation! Sales Champion Li, you should write a book!
“Just now, the second son was in the study telling me about this matter, saying that you, in your delirium, kneeled in the street before an exiled convict.”
Magistrate Li looked at Li Sicong’s knees. The fabric on his knees was already dirty, and he noticed that Li Sicong’s knees were still trembling slightly as he moved.
Magistrate Li felt both touched and guilty. When the second son had reported to him earlier, he thought that the eldest had lost his mind again. But now, seeing that he had such a devoted son who would risk everything for him, he realized how fortunate he was in life.
“Was it this medication that saved me?” Magistrate Li asked, looking at the small white bottle in Li Sicong’s hand. He turned to Jiang Lili and cupped his hands in respect. “Divine Doctor, do you have any more of this medicine?”
Jiang Lili replied, “The bottle you hold can still be used four or five more times. To remake it requires many precious herbs, money, and time. I currently have only this one bottle, and I am the only one in the world who can make it.”
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Li quickly grasped the small bottle tightly. It was so precious!
“I will pay any price you ask! I beg you, Miss, to keep making this medicine for me!”
Jiang Lili showed a troubled expression. “This… My situation is complicated, and to continue providing this medicine for you would be difficult.”
Under Li Sicong’s explanation, Magistrate Li learned of Jiang Lili’s true identity. When he found out that she was the Princess Consort of the Prince of the Marquis of Zhaoping mansion, he was shocked.
However, after weighing the situation, he decided that his life was far more important!
Magistrate Li pondered for a moment and then said, “How about this? I’ll send four agile bodyguards to escort you to Haizhou. After you prepare the medicine, one of them can bring it back to me, and the other three will stay in Haizhou to ensure your safety.”
Li Sicong had mentioned that he was establishing an escort agency and had recruited some skilled people from the martial world. It would be a good opportunity to support his son’s new venture.
Jiang Lili hesitated. “Well, this isn’t impossible, but making this kind of medicine is really time-consuming.”
Seeing her soften, Magistrate Li quickly added, “Don’t worry, the money will be guaranteed. I’ll make sure you have no worries about food or drink while you’re in Haizhou.”
Jiang Lili reluctantly agreed, though she was secretly pleased.
After Jiang Lili and Magistrate Li reached an agreement, Li Chengxiu finally arrived, holding a bowl of potent herbal soup. He pushed open the door and was shocked to see his father looking as if he were perfectly fine. “Father, how… how are you better?”
Magistrate Li looked at his second son and felt his anger rising. It had been his second son who had come to report, exaggerating the situation and saying that the eldest had kneeled in the street, filling his ears with all sorts of bad things about Li Sicong and Jiang Lili. This had infuriated him before the attack had even begun.
“What’s wrong? Are you not happy that I’m better? Are you wishing that I stayed sick?”
“No!” Li Chengxiu hadn’t expected his father to be so angry.
Li Sicong quickly intervened. “Father, don’t blame my brother. Given the choice between this unfamiliar doctor and the trusted family physician, it’s only natural that my brother would trust his mother’s side of the family more.”
At this point, Magistrate Li remembered that the family physician was actually his second son’s maternal cousin.
He suddenly understood. So, Li Chengxiu had been worried about his cousin’s job security!
The more Magistrate Li thought about it, the angrier he became. “Besides badmouthing your brother and reporting everything, what else can you do? You have lived for so many years, it’s not as good as the ten days your brother has lived after he got better from his illness!”
Li Chengxiu was both angry and aggrieved, but he didn’t dare to glare at his older brother, so he could only glare fiercely at Jiang Lili.
In the face of Li Chengxiu’s impotent fury, Jiang Lili responded by giving him the middle finger and glaring back. Then, she noticed the finely embroidered sachet hanging from Li Chengxiu’s waist.
Jiang Lili had a sharp nose, and she immediately recognized the faint, unusual fragrance in the air.
She pointed at it and reported, “Second Young Master Li, what’s inside this sachet at your waist? It smells so good!”
All eyes turned to the sachet at Li Chengxiu’s waist.
It was a gift from the flower house’s top courtesan, and Li Chengxiu stammered. But Magistrate Li was already furious: “You know your father has asthma, and you’re wearing this thing?!”
“From now on, you’ll stay in the mansion. You’re not allowed to go anywhere!”
Li Chengxiu, thoroughly defeated, was led out of the study by the butler, looking dejected and soul-crushed.
By now, it was getting late, and Jiang Lili was arranged to stay in the second most luxurious guest house.
Why the second most luxurious? Because a distinguished guest from the capital had arrived, and it was a matter of great importance. Magistrate Li kept this strictly confidential, only he knew the identity of the guest. As for the purpose of the visit, he wasn’t authorized to know.
“Wait—”
In the study, as Magistrate Li was discussing matters with Li Sicong, he suddenly came to his senses. “Sicong, did you just say this divine doctor is the eldest daughter of the Minister of Personnel?”
“Is her name Jiang Lili?”
Li Sicong was sharpening his ink, “Yes, that’s right, Father. Why?”
Magistrate Li, recalling some gossip he had heard in the capital, suddenly remembered that this distinguished guest was one of the two infamous women of the capital, known for getting into physical fights as soon as they met.
“Oh no! How could these two troublemakers end up under my roof together?!”
“Fate really is playing tricks on me!”
Magistrate Li shouted in shock and rushed out to find the butler.
Leaving Li Sicong standing there, completely confused, wondering: Who was the other troublemaker?