348 Finding People

Zhao Yu chimed in, "Exactly! Even a clay figure has some spirit! You can't just dictate everything!"

Madame Fei continued her pleas for some time, eventually kneeling before Zhao Zhitong along with a few other concubines.

For a villain like Fei Cai, dying so easily would be letting him off too lightly.

Zhao Zhitong had never planned to let Fei Cai die directly; he'd intended for Fei Cai to suffer while alive. However, he hadn't expected the physician to be so frightened he wouldn't even attempt treatment.

So, he said, "Very well. Seeing as you've all come to beg me, I'll save his life this once."

Madame Fei immediately expressed her profound gratitude.

Zhao Zhitong, however, added, "But, since you disregarded my earlier advice, moved the patient, and wasted so much time, while I can preserve his life, I cannot guarantee what state he'll be in."

At this point, Madame Fei had no further demands. As long as the man could be saved quickly, that was all that mattered. She nodded immediately, allowing Zhao Zhitong into the room to begin treatment.

In the end, Fei Cai's life was saved.

However, his mouth was now twisted, his speech was slurred, and his legs were no longer nimble.

The moment he awoke and saw his current condition, he immediately revealed his ungrateful, treacherous nature.

He blamed Zhao Zhitong entirely for his state, calling him a quack and insisting that Zhao Zhitong must die.

While Zhao Zhitong had a hand in his current predicament, hadn't Fei Cai largely brought this upon himself through his own actions?

Zhao Zhitong remained unruffled and said calmly, "If you think you've lived too long, feel free to keep howling. But let me warn you, strokes can recur. Be careful, for next time, it might not be as simple as just a crooked mouth and a lame leg."

Madame Fei and the concubines also chimed in, trying to persuade him.

"Master, you mustn't get angry again!"

"Yes, Master, don't get angry, please don't get angry!"

Fei Cai, now in such a wretched state, was consumed by rage. He ignored everyone, refusing to let Zhao Zhitong and the others leave, desperate to vent his inner fury.

Then, predictably, the unpredictable happened. As Fei Cai struggled to get out of bed to confront Zhao Zhitong, his condition worsened, and he collapsed again.

This time, no amount of pleading from Madame Fei or the others had any effect; Zhao Zhitong categorically refused to help.

"What's this? My master saved his life, and now he resents him for it! Does my master look like some kind of pushover to him?" Wei Zijian fumed, his cheeks puffed out and hands on his hips. "I advise you to hurry and find other physicians! My master absolutely will not intervene this time!"

Madame Fei's anxiety was futile; Zhao Zhitong clearly wasn't going to step in. She immediately ordered her servants to summon every physician in the city.

Learning from their previous mistake, Madame Fei and the others didn't dare move Fei Cai's body this time. They could only keep vigil by his bedside, weeping, too afraid to even touch him.

Before long, numerous physicians had been summoned, one after another.

Madame Fei also had Zhao Zhitong and his companion locked in a side courtyard; they didn't resist and remained quite composed.

With such a commotion in the second branch's residence, news of Mr. Fei's illness soon reached the head of the Fei Clan.

As several physicians were attempting to treat Fei Cai, Sir Fei arrived.

"How is he?" Sir Fei, as the elder brother, inquired with concern about his younger sibling.

Madame Fei, wiping her tears, recounted what had happened, "The physicians say he can be saved, but... but his lower body is completely without sensation. From now on, I'm afraid he'll no longer be able to manage his daily needs."

Hearing this, Sir Fei was greatly surprised. "Is it that serious?"

Madame Fei dissolved into tears once more.

Sir Fei felt a headache coming on at the sight of the weeping woman. He turned to the physicians and said, "Gentlemen, I entrust my younger brother to your care. No matter how expensive the necessary medicines, the Fei Estate will provide them! If my brother recovers, the Fei Estate will reward you generously."

The physicians exchanged glances and sighed. One said, "Sir Fei, it's not that we're unwilling to exert ourselves, nor is it a matter of expensive medicinal herbs. The truth is, we've genuinely done all we can. For now, Mr. Fei's life is saved, but he will likely be bedridden for the rest of his days."

Hearing this outcome, Sir Fei merely raised an eyebrow, then sighed, feigning concern and anxiety for his brother's condition. "Is there no other way then?"

The physicians all shook their heads. "Mr. Fei's condition was extremely perilous. Our skills are limited; managing to save his life was the utmost we could achieve. If you hope for a full recovery, you must seek a more renowned physician."

At this, another physician spoke up, "When I was traveling in the north, I heard of a Divine Doctor in the Capital City who cured a strange illness that even the Imperial Physician Order could not treat. If he were here, perhaps there would be a sliver of hope."

"A Divine Doctor from the Capital City?" Sir Fei frowned. "A round trip from here to the Capital City takes nearly two months. Would that be in time?"

Upon hearing 'Divine Doctor of the Capital City,' Madame Fei and Fei Cai's concubines all looked up.

They almost simultaneously recalled Zhao Zhitong, who was confined to the side courtyard.

Madame Fei murmured, "A Divine Doctor from the Capital City... We do have such a Divine Doctor from the Capital City in our own residence."

Sir Fei was taken aback and looked at Madame Fei.

Then, Madame Fei embarrassedly recounted what had transpired earlier.

After listening, Sir Fei shook his head and said with disappointment, "This brother of mine is becoming increasingly outrageous!"

Madame Fei lowered her head, not daring to respond.

On the bed, Fei Cai had regained consciousness and was muttering, his words slurred and very indistinct. It took a while for anyone to understand that he was cursing.

Even in this state, Fei Cai was still throwing a tantrum and cursing. Sir Fei finally sighed, "Take me to see this Divine Doctor from the Capital City."

With that, Madame Fei prepared to lead Sir Fei to the side courtyard.

Just then, a servant suddenly rushed in to report that someone from the government office had arrived.

Sir Fei was suddenly startled, an ominous premonition rising in his heart. "Did they say what it's about?" he asked.

The servant replied, "It seems they're looking for someone. They said someone witnessed a friend of the government office's judge being forcibly brought into the Fei Estate by Mr. Fei."

At these words, Sir Fei's expression changed instantly.

Madame Fei's eyes widened. The people locked in the side courtyard actually have such a formidable background?

She, too, began to panic. "Elder Brother, what should we do now?"

Sir Fei felt a flash of irritation, resentment glinting in his eyes. This younger brother of mine only ever causes me trouble!

Although the Fei Clan was prominent in Yangzhou, they were, after all, a merchant family. No matter how overbearing they might act, they wouldn't dare openly oppose the officials from the government office.

"What else can we do? First, welcome the people from the government office inside!"

Saying this, he hurriedly followed the servant to the main entrance, where two young gentlemen of extraordinary bearing stood waiting.

Though young, both carried themselves with an uncommon air of distinction.

Behind them stood several bailiffs from the government office. Sir Fei immediately put on a smile and bowed in greeting to Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue.

Qiao Muchen nodded curtly and went straight to the point.

"I heard that my friends were kidnapped by Mr. Fei of the Fei Clan and brought to this estate. I wonder, what laws did my friends violate to warrant Mr. Fei bringing them to the Fei Estate for punishment?"