Chapter 4

Li Zhongyi understood Huang Qing's hint. He cursed "dead eunuch" in his heart, but his face showed no sign of it. He clasped his hands and said, "Xue Yiniang has always been weak and often ill. If there is no one to take care of her..."

Since Huang Qing had already extended his hand, he did not mind arranging the matter of a mere servant girl. He decided to do a favor and pointed to Ping'er, who was kneeling beside Xue Yiniang, "Her, then."

Li Zhongyi saw that Huang Qing had conveniently pointed to Ping'er. Even though he despised this dead eunuch, he could not help but secretly admire his keen insight.

The deal was done, and Li Zhongyi had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a woman's shrill cry from outside the hall, "My lord, my lord, save me..."

Li Zhongyi turned around and focused his gaze. It was his personal servant, Shaoyao, crying and wailing as she fell to the steps of the main hall.

"Hehe, interesting, truly interesting." Huang Qing was taken aback by the sudden change but then assumed that this servant must have a private affair with Li Zhongyi. He smiled and waited to see the drama unfold.

When Li Zhongyi first possessed this body, he immediately noticed that Shaoyao bore a striking resemblance to a certain female celebrity surnamed Xiao from Taiwan.

Having such a beauty, who resembled his dream lover so closely, by his side, it would be a lie to say that Li Zhongyi was not moved.

To put it in perspective, according to the Tang Dynasty's aesthetic preference for plumpness, the slender-faced, long-legged, slim-waisted, and well-rounded-hipped Shaoyao should be categorized as an "ugly woman."

Considering that Cao Shi was most worried about the growing Li Zhongyi potentially threatening the position of the family head, Li Zhonghao, it was impossible for her to let Li Zhongyi have it easy.

"My lord, please, save this servant... I will be your ox or horse in my next life, and I will always be grateful for your great kindness..."

Before Li Zhongyi could react, Shaoyao had already clung tightly to his thigh. He instinctively turned to look at Huang Qing, whose smile was peculiar, and immediately realized that this dead eunuch must have been behind the scene.

To avoid being sold to a place worse than death, Shaoyao was determined not to let go until Li Zhongyi agreed.

Li Zhongyi looked down at the nearly疯狂的 Shaoyao and was drawn to the patch of snow-white skin exposed by her disheveled clothes.

It was hard to tell, but this lowly servant, despite her young age, had already shown the potential for a "mature" figure with her prominently raised chest.

Yes, she was indeed a seductive beauty!

Almost instantly, a wave of evil desire surged in Li Zhongyi's chest. In his previous life, he had always been attracted to the charming and seductive Xiao celebrity.

Li Zhongyi thought to himself that if he could transform this lazy and disloyal servant into a obedient and pleasing fox slave, it would be quite nice!

Yes, he wanted to torment her, so what?

Just as Li Zhongyi lifted his head, making a decision, the "understanding" Huang Qing had already given the order, "Take her aside."

Putting aside Huang Qing's greed, this dead eunuch was indeed a master at reading people's expressions and moods!

The time was already late, and Huang Qing quickly ordered the arrest of the Li family members and the seizure of their assets, busily working away.

Since Li Zhongyi still had a significant role to play, Huang Qing tacitly allowed him to stay with Xue Yiniang, Ping'er, and the trembling Shaoyao.

"Big brother, are you alright?" Xue Yiniang instinctively grabbed Li Zhongyi's right hand and asked anxiously.

Li Zhongyi sighed inwardly. Even when he was almost sold to the brothel, Xue Yiniang was still only concerned about his safety.

This heavy maternal love almost overwhelmed him, and a warm current surged in his heart, almost uncontrollable.

"Mother, it's fine. Please trust me," Li Zhongyi solemnly assured Xue Yiniang.

Xue Yiniang wiped the tears from her face and choked out, "I believe, how could I not believe Big brother?"

At this moment, Ping'er suddenly knelt down and cried, "This servant thanks my lord for his great kindness."

Li Zhongyi nodded. This girl was indeed a loyal and clever servant, which was quite rare and endearing.

"Get up," Li Zhongyi gently encouraged Ping'er.

Ping'er stared at Li Zhongyi with wide eyes. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed that the once dim-witted Big brother had become so sharp and capable.

Just now, when she was about to be taken to the brothel, she was called back. If it weren't for Big brother, who was right next to the envoy, who would have cared about her, a lowly servant like an ant?

After the family's assets were seized, Huang Qing, riding a tall horse, escorted Li Zhongyi and his brother, as well as Cao Shi, directly to the Dali Temple prison.

Using some unknown means, Huang Qing arranged for Li Zhongyi to secretly meet with Li Dahe shortly after he entered the prison.

When Li Dahe saw Li Zhongyi, he was greatly surprised. After a moment of shock, he frowned and asked, "Where are your mother and Second brother now?"

Li Dahe did not even mention Xue Yiniang, and Li Zhongyi understood that in the mind of a typical feudal scholar like Li Dahe, only the wife and sons were worth paying attention to.

In this era, a concubine like Xue Yiniang and a lowly servant could be given away or sold at will.

"Mother and Second brother have also been imprisoned in the Dali Temple..." Li Zhongyi briefly explained the events at home, deliberately omitting the private deals he had made with Huang Qing.

Li Zhongyi knew that Li Dahe had always looked down on him, a useless son. Some things, if said too much, would be more harmful than beneficial.

"Father, what exactly happened?" Li Zhongyi did not want to waste the precious meeting time and asked Li Dahe directly.

"Alas, a slight miscalculation." Li Dahe looked at his "useless" son and sighed heavily, "I intended to cure the imperial concubine's skin disease and thereby achieve a great feat, hoping to be promoted to the fifth rank of imperial physician. Your future and Second brother's future would then be... However, in my haste, I was secretly sabotaged by Gao Xinhe. The imperial concubine's skin disease not only did not heal but also spread extensively..."

Li Dahe's explanation confirmed Li Zhongyi's previous suspicions, giving him even more confidence.

"Father, is there really no way to cure the imperial concubine's skin disease?" Li Zhongyi did not dare to ask directly about the imperial concubine's condition and tried to lead Li Dahe into a conversation.

Li Dahe did not directly answer Li Zhongyi's question but instead asked curiously, "Why would the prison guard allow us to meet privately?"

Li Zhongyi thought that Li Dahe had finally hit the point. The Dali Temple was strictly guarded, and without inside help, even a decent meal would be a luxury, let alone a private meeting.

The thousand acres of good land in the western part of the city were not actually the Li family's property but Cao Shi's dowry. After Cao Shi's death, it could only be inherited by Li Zhonghao, the second son, and had nothing to do with Li Zhongyi, the illegitimate first son.

For such a vast fortune to be transferred to Huang Qing, Cao Shi herself had to sign the contract.

Given Cao Shi's extremely miserly nature, Li Zhongyi knew that without a powerful external threat, she would never agree.

This was a significant matter, and Cao Shi would inevitably cause trouble in the future, which Li Dahe would also find out. It was better to let Li Dahe know now to prepare him mentally.

"Father, the eunuch who issued the imperial edict deliberately caused trouble during the seizure, even threatening to kill Second brother. I... I was worried about Second brother and had to step forward to inquire. Who would have thought that the eunuch had his eye on the thousand acres of good land in the suburbs..." Li Zhongyi deliberately slowed down, waiting to see Li Dahe's reaction.

"Money is just an external thing; as long as Second brother is safe, that's all that matters." Li Dahe's reaction was surprisingly calm, which was completely unexpected by Li Zhongyi. "There's another matter. I originally planned to tell you after your engagement, but I'll tell you now."

Li Dahe looked at Li Zhongyi with affection and sighed, "I had you when I was over thirty, and I was overjoyed, so I named you 'Zhen Ge'er.' You were born to a concubine, and Cao Shi... well, let's not mention it. You have always been timid, and though you study diligently, your talent is limited, and you have no hope of passing the imperial exams. I had hoped to advance in my career so that you and Second brother could have a better future through my influence..."

"These past years, most of the gifts I received from my medical practice have been brought home." Li Dahe hesitated for a moment and continued, "About three years ago, I cured the chronic illness of the father of Chancellor Zhao Tingyin. Unable to refuse, I accepted a three-story house as a gift, called Suiyuan, located in the Datong坊 in the northern part of the city. This was my personal wish, hoping that after your marriage, you and your wife could move there to live."

Despite his usual strictness and frequent scoldings, even beatings, Li Dahe showed such deep care for Li Zhongyi, not only striving to secure a good future for him but also leaving him a substantial inheritance.

Human beings are not plants; who could remain unmoved? Li Zhongyi was deeply touched.

The prison guard was frequently peeking into the room, and Li Zhongyi realized that the meeting time was almost up. He quickly asked Li Dahe, "Father, is there really no way to cure the imperial concubine's skin disease?"

Li Dahe frowned and said, "I have practiced medicine for decades and seen countless strange diseases, but I have never seen a skin disease that recurs, spreads, and then contracts. It is truly bizarre!"

"Father, a few days ago, I was bitten by mosquitoes and suffered from intense itching. I have read some medical books in my spare time. Is the skin disease about the size of a coin?"

Based on Li Dahe's description, Li Zhongyi made a basic judgment that Empress Fei's skin disease was likely neurodermatitis or allergic dermatitis.

However, Li Zhongyi was not entirely sure, so he tried to lead Li Dahe into a conversation.

"Yes, it is indeed coin-shaped, with thickened and damaged areas that often ooze fluid... How do you know this?"

After explaining in detail, Li Dahe suddenly realized that Li Zhongyi's question had hit the core of the issue, and he became suspicious.

Li Zhongyi pretended to be shy and lowered his head, saying softly, "I read it in a medical book, so I asked."

The details of Li Zhongyi's expertise in traditional Chinese medicine from his previous life were too long to explain, especially in such a time-pressed situation.

"Money and land are just external things. As long as we are alive, there is hope. If we could get some paper and pen, I could write a letter to your mother. I believe she will understand your good intentions."

Regarding Li Zhongyi's sudden medical knowledge, Li Dahe only asked casually. Since Li Zhongyi's explanation was reasonable, he dismissed it.

At this moment, the prison guard who had arranged their meeting suddenly walked in and whispered, "The time is up. Leave quickly. If the superior officer finds out, my head will be on the line."