Li Zhao continued, "As for why I guessed that he received fifty taels of silver from someone else, it's because he extorted fifty taels from you. He knew that he failed to complete the task for that person today and fell flat on his face at Huichuntang. He was afraid he wouldn't get the remaining silver as agreed, so he planned to get it from you instead."
"I see!" Ye Wanmian's eyes sparkled, and her mind raced following Li Zhao's train of thought. "From the moment he entered the door, he kept yawning. By the time he was beaten to the ground, he had yawned a total of forty - six times. Moreover, his eyes were bloodshot and dry. It was obvious that he had stayed up all night."
Li Zhao nodded in satisfaction. "In Dongli Town, there's only one gambling house that welcomes customers at night, and it's during the time I mentioned."
"How did Uncle Li know there's a gambling house there?" Ye Wanmian was even more surprised. "Didn't Uncle Li fall ill right after arriving in Dongli Town?"
Li Zhao said, "When I was recuperating in the house, I happened to overhear passers - by outside the window mention it."
Ye Wanmian was utterly convinced and in awe. "Uncle Li, you're amazing!"
Her eyes were filled with admiration. "You're the smartest person I've ever met!"
Li Zhao burst into laughter and reached out to ruffle her hair. "You're also very smart. If you're willing, I'll teach you more in the future. The art of judging people and their appearances has something in common with the four diagnostic methods of traditional medicine: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and palpation."
After saying that, he couldn't help but cough a few times.
Ye Wanmian looked hesitant. "But I've already taken a master..."
Li Zhao said, "Who says you can't have two masters? Doctor Wang and I teach different knowledge."
Ye Wanmian thought it made sense. Even the Crown Prince had three tutors: the Grand Tutor, the Grand Preceptor, and the Grand Protector. Why couldn't she take one more master?
She playfully clasped her fists and bowed respectfully to Li Zhao. "Master, please accept this bow from your disciple!"
After receiving the bow, Li Zhao looked much more gratified.
If they could never recognize each other, would it be better for him to be her master than her father?
Hearing the warm and harmonious laughter from that direction, Xiao Jingcheng felt even more uncomfortable.
She was so nice to everyone, but she always avoided him, spoke coldly to him, and as she said, she wasn't interested in him at all.
However, what surprised him the most was Li Zhao.
Who on earth was this Li guy? How could he have such a talent for judging people?
He couldn't help but have that thought again.
If he had had such a strategist by his side earlier, he might have discovered the anomalies around him sooner and wouldn't have ended up in such a situation.
As the Crown Prince, he naturally had his own advisors. But to put it nicely, they were his people. In fact, they were sent by his mother, Queen Shen, to monitor him. So he didn't fully trust them.
"By the way, now that Uncle has arrived, I'm going to hold a welcome banquet for him and celebrate taking another good master. I'll go out later to reserve a good meal at the restaurant. Master, do you have any favorite dishes?"
"Wine," Li Zhao said. "Any kind of wine will do."
But Ye Wanmian frowned. "No! You just fell ill last night. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet. You're not allowed to drink!"
Li Zhao had no choice but to say, "Alright, alright, I won't drink. Then bring me a stewed pig's trotter in soy sauce."
Although the stewed pig's trotter in soy sauce was a bit greasy, Ye Wanmian readily agreed. She could just make him eat less.
Because of what happened in the medical hall today, Ye Wanmian planned to close the medical hall early. Li Zhao picked up a door panel and was about to help Ye Wanmian close the door. Ye Wanmian quickly said,
"Uncle Li, put it down quickly. I'll do it."
Just as Li Zhao was about to say something, Xiao Jingcheng lifted the curtain and walked out from behind.
Li Zhao lifted the corner of his lips imperceptibly.
This guy finally couldn't hold back and decided to show up. He thought he was going to hide back there for a lifetime.
Hearing the footsteps, Ye Wanmian turned around. When she saw it was him, she immediately turned away with a straight face.
Xiao Jingcheng naturally didn't miss her expression, and he felt even more annoyed.
After staying in the medical hall for so long, opening and closing the door was as easy for Ye Wanmian as eating and sleeping. She never thought the door panel was heavy. But just as she was carrying it, her hand suddenly felt lighter, and she saw Xiao Jingcheng snatch the panel from her.
"Hey—"
She was a bit stunned. What was Xiao Jingcheng up to this time?
Xiao Jingcheng turned to look at Li Zhao and said, "Since you're ill, just rest."
Then he looked down at Ye Wanmian and asked, "Where should I put this?"
Was he... going to help her?
Ye Wanmian's first reaction was to refuse. She tried to snatch the door panel back. "There's no need for someone as noble as Your Highness to do such rough work. Uncle Li and I can handle it."
Xiao Jingcheng could easily hear the sarcasm in her words. Avoiding her movement, he deliberately said, "As you said, I'm your distant cousin, simple - minded, all brawn and no brains, and bad at talking. If I just stand by and do nothing, wouldn't I be letting down your praise?"
"Cough, cough, cough." Ye Wanmian almost choked on her own saliva.
She blushed with embarrassment and had no choice but to raise her hand. "Put it there."
Xiao Jingcheng looked at the place she pointed to, carried the panel over, observed it up and down, and then easily fastened the door panel.
It wasn't difficult, but it was time - consuming and labor - intensive.
He turned around and walked towards the other door panel.
Ye Wanmian stepped back to Li Zhao's side and exchanged a helpless look with him. Li Zhao moved his lips and whispered, "See, I told you so?"
Putting aside Xiao Jingcheng's annoying mouth, he wasn't as delicate as she had imagined.
After breaking the bowl with his own hands yesterday, he could still bend down and pick up the dusty rice grains to eat.
But don't think she would forgive him so easily. Humph.
Admittedly, with Xiao Jingcheng's help, Ye Wanmian felt much more relaxed.
After she finished tidying up the medical hall, Xiao Jingcheng had already completely closed the main door. Blocking out the noise outside, the medical hall became quiet.
Xiao Jingcheng had a very strong presence. Standing there, he was like an ice - making machine.
Even though he didn't cause any more trouble this time, Ye Wanmian didn't want to stay with him. Just as she was about to go out for shopping, she greeted Li Zhao, picked up her money bag and basket, and turned to leave.
The next moment, someone grabbed her collar.
"Where are you going?" Xiao Jingcheng knew exactly what she was going to do but deliberately asked.
Ye Wanmian didn't want to talk to him, but she also didn't want to argue with him again, so she said stiffly,
"Brother Jing broke a bowl yesterday. Now there aren't enough bowls at home. Uncle has arrived in Dongli Town today, so it's just the right time to buy some household items."
After getting the answer he wanted, Xiao Jingcheng immediately said, "I'll go with you."