Chapter 3

Li Zhongyi closely observed the eunuch named Huang Qing, who was about forty years old. When he smiled, his face was full of wrinkles, and his voice was high-pitched and peculiar, neither male nor female. The smell of urine was hard to mask, making him particularly repulsive.

"Replying to the esteemed envoy, in my family, besides the Korean ginseng, there is also a traditional remedy that can cure the eunuchs' changing clothes disease," Li Zhongyi knew the eunuch was anxious and did not want to keep him waiting too long, so he timely presented a powerful "main dish."

The "changing clothes disease" was a polite term Li Zhongyi used to describe the urinary retention caused by castration.

If offering Korean ginseng to the ruler could earn Huang Qing a substantial reward, then the remedy for urinary retention would hit his soft spot.

Mutual benefits could only be achieved when both parties had needs, a universal truth!

"What did you say?" Huang Qing suddenly stood up from the main couch, his voice trembling as he asked Li Zhongyi, "Really?"

Li Zhongyi nodded calmly and said, "I am willing to stake my life on it; it is absolutely true."

Li Dahe was a skilled imperial physician with remarkable medical skills. Perhaps outsiders did not know, but as the inner court's chief eunuch, Huang Qing could not be unaware.

Li Dahe's current misfortune was closely related to offending a superior in the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau.

Although Huang Qing had not seen the remedy, he believed Li Zhongyi's words to a large extent.

In the past, when Huang Qing served the emperor, he hated the most the frequent urge to go to the toilet, even when he was on duty.

Most eunuchs in the palace suffered from urinary retention, but Huang Qing's condition was particularly severe.

Perhaps the castration was not done well, and even if Huang Qing tried to drink less water, his urine output was much greater than others, and it came without warning, completely uncontrollable.

Due to this fatal condition, Huang Qing was eventually disliked by the emperor and demoted from a close attendant to a lowly servant under the chief eunuch.

Seeing Huang Qing's urgency, Li Zhongyi fetched paper and pen, wrote down the remedy, and handed it to Huang Qing.

Huang Qing's hands trembled as he carefully examined the remedy, reading it over and over again, as if he had found a treasure.

While Huang Qing was still elated, Li Zhongyi added calmly, "This remedy usually takes effect in three to five days, but to completely cure it, it requires careful adjustment and at least six months of treatment."

Seeing Huang Qing's surprised look, Li Zhongyi smiled inwardly. He had made some minor adjustments to the medicine and dosage.

If he had given the entire remedy to Huang Qing so easily, his years of experience in the bureaucracy would have been for nothing.

The modified remedy, though effective, could not cure the condition in a short time. If Huang Qing wanted to be cured, he would have to rely on Li Zhongyi in the future.

Additionally, the half-root of Korean ginseng should be enough to earn Huang Qing a significant reward from Meng Chang.

In this era of worshiping Korean ginseng, even in the palace of Later Shu, it was a rare and precious treasure.

Huang Qing, understanding Li Zhongyi's meaning, pulled a long face and asked sternly, "Li Dalang, what do you mean by this?"

Facing the angry Huang Qing, Li Zhongyi remained calm and said, "Esteemed envoy, please listen. Since ancient times, traditional Chinese medicine has been tailored to the individual. Even the best remedies must be adjusted according to the condition, not because I am withholding anything."

Clearly a threat, but Li Zhongyi phrased it smoothly, leaving Huang Qing no room to find fault.

Huang Qing sensed something was amiss but could not pinpoint Li Zhongyi's flaw, feeling somewhat anxious.

Seizing the moment, Li Zhongyi said, "Esteemed envoy, my father, though not comparable to the great physician Sun Simiao, is still highly respected in Shu."

Huang Qing narrowed his eyes, pondering Li Zhongyi's words. Soon, he realized Li Zhongyi was indirectly asking about the root cause of Li Dahe's troubles.

Actually, Li Dahe's case was not complicated, but Huang Qing and the Li family had no close ties, so he had no reason to get involved.

Since Li Zhongyi was so considerate, not only offering the precious ginseng but also potentially helping to remove a rival, Huang Qing was willing to give him a hint.

Whether Li Zhongyi could understand his deeper meaning depended on his wit.

"Dear nephew, let me ask you, what is the most important thing in being an official?" Huang Qing adopted a mentor-like demeanor.

"Understanding the ruler's intentions is the most important," Li Zhongyi replied without hesitation.

"Three men want to eat two peaches, what should be done?" Huang Qing spoke in riddles.

"Dead eunuch, misusing allusions!" Li Zhongyi cursed inwardly, focusing on the key points.

The story of "two peaches killing three men" was well-known to Li Zhongyi. But what was the "peach" that Li Dahe had taken?

Recalling his own past, where he had stepped on others to rise, Li Zhongyi quickly understood. Fortunately, he had spent the past few months studying the regulations and customs of Shu, otherwise, he might have been misled by the eunuch.

The highest officials in the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau were the Left and Right Attendants, both of whom were fifth-rank officials and Li Dahe's direct superiors. These were likely the "two peaches" Huang Qing referred to.

Considering Li Dahe's arrangements for his future, Li Zhongyi believed Li Dahe had actively involved himself in a power struggle to protect him, only to be set up and betrayed.

"Without hiding it from you, I love peaches the most," Li Zhongyi said, extending his left hand to his mouth, mimicking the act of eating a peach.

"You are a promising young man!" Huang Qing admired Li Zhongyi's insight, nodding slightly, subtly revealing the Left Attendant Gao Xinhe to him.

"Esteemed envoy, please convey to the emperor and the empress that the sinner's family requests a chance to atone for our crimes," Li Zhongyi, understanding Huang Qing's desire for benefits without responsibility, made his conditions clear.

Huang Qing thought for a moment. With the 70-year-old Korean ginseng as a reason, it would be easy to speak up for the Li family when he returned.

"Um, I will handle it as I see fit," Huang Qing gave a vague answer.

Li Zhongyi understood that, given Huang Qing's cautious nature, this was as much as he could expect.

Honestly, Li Zhongyi had wanted to follow Huang Qing to see the Empress, but after their covert negotiation, he decided against it.

Huang Qing's slippery character, taking credit without responsibility, meant any request would be futile.

With the terms settled, Li Zhongyi led Huang Qing to the ancestral hall, where he found the half-root of Korean ginseng after some effort.

Huang Qing, holding the ginseng, returned to the main hall, where the altar for receiving the imperial edict was already set up.

Huang Qing stood up, cleared his throat, and, holding the edict, coldly commanded, "You criminals, kneel and receive the imperial edict!"

"Dead eunuch, changing his attitude faster than turning a page," Li Zhongyi thought, but he did not dare to delay, leading his family to kneel.

"From the imperial court: ... Li Dahe, a sixth-rank physician in the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau, has betrayed the emperor's trust ... his property is to be confiscated ... and he is to be handed over to the Supreme Court for severe punishment. You must obey this edict." Huang Qing read the lengthy and formal edict, which left Li Zhongyi dizzy, but he understood the gist.

Because his father Li Dahe had committed a serious crime, he was already dismissed and imprisoned in the Supreme Court, and the entire Li family was to be imprisoned, with all their property confiscated by the emperor.

"Quickly thank the emperor?" Huang Qing, seeing the silence, pulled a long face and sternly demanded.

"We ... thank the emperor for his great kindness," Li Zhongyi, unsure of the proper response, borrowed a phrase from historical dramas.

After reading the edict, Huang Qing slowly walked to Li Zhongyi's side and whispered, "You should prostrate yourself to receive the emperor's grace, understand?"

Before Li Zhongyi could react, Huang Qing raised his face and ordered, "Bring the concubines and maids of the Li family to the music bureau."

Li Zhongyi, hearing this, knew it was bad. He had only been in this world for a few months and had overlooked the terrifying rules of confiscation.

Others might not matter, but his birth mother, Lady Xue, and Ping'er, he must save at all costs.

"Esteemed envoy, Lady Xue is my birth mother, can she ... be spared?" Li Zhongyi paused, observing Huang Qing's reaction.

"The rules of the court are strict," Huang Qing, a seasoned palace eunuch, was adept at taking advantage of situations to gain benefits.

Li Zhongyi noticed that Huang Qing did not completely reject his request, indicating there was room for negotiation.

"Esteemed envoy, though my family is poor, we have a thousand acres of prime farmland in the west of the city," Li Zhongyi reminded Huang Qing that while the Li family had little money, the Cao family was wealthy.

Huang Qing, a native of the area, knew that the west of Chengdu was home to the best farmland, which could not be bought with money.

"This ... is difficult," Huang Qing, clearly interested, continued to act aloof.

"I am sure the heavens will fulfill your wishes," Li Zhongyi gave a firm answer.

"Ah, I have a distant relative named Huang Shan, who lives in the Datong district in the north of the city. You can find her there," Huang Qing hinted that he would keep Lady Xue as a hostage to ensure Li Zhongyi's compliance.

Huang Qing calculated that the benefits of the confiscation would mostly go to him and his subordinates, who would take the valuables.

As for the registered farmland, without Li Zhongyi's help, Huang Qing could not easily take it all for himself.

Of course, this great benefit would only be secured if Li Zhongyi and his father could turn their fortunes around.