350 Doubt?

Wei Zijian immediately started bragging, "This medicine my master made is extremely rare. It requires the water from the first winter snowfall on white plum blossoms, the dew from summer lotuses, the dew from spring peonies, and the dew from autumn hibiscus flowers."

"Then, it's blended with the pistils from these four types of flowers when they first bloom, and the hearts of medicinal white cabbages. After being decocted, it must be refined for a full forty-nine days before it's complete."

"It's so complicated and rare, especially the hearts of medicinal white cabbages. That ingredient is incredibly precious! Charging you 500 taels a month is actually too little; that's my master being merciful."

The members of the Fei Clan were thoroughly bewildered by Wei Zijian's claims, unsure if he was telling the truth.

Just then, Zhao Zhitong added nonchalantly, "You don't have to take it. It won't kill you; you just won't be able to move. Hmm, in that state, you could lie in bed for another ten or twenty years."

Fei Cai's eyes widened. He was frantic, but his body was immobile. Lying on the wooden plank, he could only manage garbled whimpers, "Ah... wan... eee..."

He was trying to say he wanted the medicine.

Sir Fei, known for his upstanding reputation, was incredibly reluctant, but he could only grit his teeth and agree. Inwardly, however, he schemed that the second household would have to bear this expense eventually.

Having taught Fei Cai a harsh lesson and extorted a large sum of money from the Fei Clan, Zhao Zhitong was finally satisfied. Sir Fei then led her to the front hall, where she met Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue, who had come looking for her.

No wonder Sir Fei was so polite to her, she thought. He must have found out about her connection to the Suzhou Judge.

Sir Fei said with a wide smile, "It's all a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding."

He then thanked Zhao Zhitong for magnanimously treating Fei Cai despite their previous conflict and finally escorted this "living Buddha" out of the Fei residence.

After Zhao Zhitong and her companions returned to their quarters at the government office, Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue had already heard Wei Zijian's embellished account.

Zhao Yue couldn't stop laughing. "Tsk, tsk, you really swindled the Fei Clan out of a huge sum of money!"

"What's the big deal?" Wei Zijian said. "They've done so many wicked things. This silver is just a drop in the ocean for their family."

Zhao Zhitong couldn't help but chuckle. "My, my, listen to you, using idioms now!"

Wei Zijian quickly lapped up the praise. "Hehe, it's all thanks to Master's excellent teaching!"

The group laughed and joked, clearly in high spirits.

Later, Zhao Zhitong used all the silver she had extorted from the Fei Clan for disaster relief for the refugees.

A drought was currently plaguing the south, and that year's rice harvest was meager. Li Yu had already petitioned the emperor to reduce taxes for the common people, but many refugees still had no choice but to leave their hometowns and seek refuge in the prefectural city.

These silver tales, all ill-gotten gains from the Fei Clan, were best used to help the populace.

When Li Yu learned that Zhao Zhitong had donated so many silver tales, he personally met with her and praised her profusely.

Zhao Zhitong felt quite embarrassed by Li Yu's lavish praise and repeatedly said it was simply what she ought to do.

For some time after that, the Fei Clan didn't cause them any more trouble, and the government office had no particular tasks for Zhao Zhitong.

Thus, she spent her days seeing patients and, in her leisure time, going out with Wei Shulan, leading a rather pleasant and carefree life.

「In the blink of an eye, it was June.」

Just a few days after Zhao Zhitong and her group had arrived, several consecutive days of rainfall began. By June, the drought situation had significantly eased.

Refugees were now seldom seen within Suzhou City.

As the weather grew progressively warmer, the city also became increasingly bustling.

The annual embroidery competition hosted by the Fei Clan also arrived as scheduled.

Although the Fei Clan was dominant in Suzhou, they held an embroidery competition at varying times each year to enhance their prestige.

Anyone could participate, and the top three contestants would earn the qualification to enter the Fei Clan's embroidery workshop.

This was an excellent opportunity for young women from ordinary families, so numerous women participated every year, making it a grand and lively occasion.

Wei Zijian returned after gathering news for Zhao Ya. He relayed everything he had heard and then said, "The registration hasn't closed yet, Yaya. Come on, I'll go with you to sign up."

"I heard that for years, the Fei Clan themselves have always taken first place. If you participate this year, you can really take them down a notch!"

Zhao Ya, who had her own plan forming, instinctively looked back at her master.

Yang Yunniang had known this day would come ever since she agreed to accompany Zhao Ya to Suzhou. She was aware of Zhao Ya's intentions and didn't try to stop her. She simply nodded and said, "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Master." Zhao Ya smiled happily. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to Wei Zijian. "Oh, right, there's a case at the Yamen today. Young Master Qiao just sent someone to ask Sister to perform an autopsy. Aren't you going?"

Wei Zijian scratched his head and said with a grin, "I... I told Master that I'd accompany you to register first. I'll go to the government office to find her after we're done."

Zhao Ya blinked. "But don't you always want to learn about autopsies from Sister? Won't this be a problem?"

Wei Zijian waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. Master said I should accompany you. She'll help me catch up later."

Then he murmured softly to himself, "Your matters are the most important, after all."

Zhao Ya didn't hear his quiet muttering. She smiled and nodded. "Oh, alright then. Let's go."

The two of them then bid farewell to Yang Yunniang and left together.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zhitong had arrived at the government office.

This was her first official day of work since coming to Suzhou City. The people at the government office treated her very politely, aware of her connection to Qiao Muchen.

However, when they saw that the awaited coroner was merely a young lady, they couldn't help but feel somewhat skeptical.

"Is this today's coroner?"

"Yes, that's her. I heard the judge brought her. She's apparently been working with him on cases all along."

"A young lady? Does she even dare touch a corpse? Don't tell me she'll get scared and run off at the sight of a body! Is she reliable at all?"

"Maybe we should call Butcher Zhang over, just in case."

"Mhm, I think that's a good idea."

...

Upon seeing Zhao Zhitong, several of the County Magistrate's attendants began to whisper among themselves. Then, the County Magistrate, also fearing delays, indeed sent an attendant to fetch Butcher Zhang as well.

Zhao Zhitong was unaware of all this. Even if she had known, she wouldn't have paid it any mind. After all, it's perfectly normal for people to harbor doubts upon a first meeting.

Qiao Muchen greeted Zhao Zhitong and briefly outlined the situation. "The corpse was found on a road outside the city. It's presumed it was being taken to be dumped at Mass Grave Hill, but for some reason, it was abandoned midway. The deceased's relatives are still being sought."

Zhao Zhitong nodded, donned her veil and gloves, picked up her toolkit, and walked towards the corpse.

Watching Zhao Zhitong enter, veiled and gloved, the Yamen clerks who had been whispering about her earlier felt even more certain their initial assessment of her was correct.

However, the dreadful scene they had anticipated—Zhao Zhitong being frightened by the corpse and fleeing—did not materialize.

Zhao Zhitong remained calm and unhurried throughout the entire procedure. In stark contrast, it was they who, after she dissected the corpse, ran out one after another, retching and vomiting.