First, Song Zhiyu was assassinated. Then, Duke Xie fainted and might have been poisoned. This whole thing seemed to be getting more and more serious.
"Go quickly," Yi Qing thought Xiao Jinghan had a wild imagination.
Xiao Jinghan immediately sent someone.
The news of Duke Xie's fainting quickly reached the palace. Since such a major incident had occurred, both the emperor and the empress came. Yi Qing was still trying to save Duke Xie, but he hadn't regained consciousness yet.
"Ruohong, go find Wu Min quickly," Yi Qing felt it was a bit difficult to perform the rescue without a respirator.
Ruohong hurriedly went to look for Wu Min.
"How is Duke Xie?" the emperor asked Xiao Jinghan nervously.
Xiao Jinghan shook his head.
The emperor looked dejected. He motioned for Xiao Jinghan to step aside and said, "Do you know what the consequences will be if something really happens to Duke Xie?"
"Not only will the poor scholars' petition fail, but they will also be punished. The lightest punishment will be exile to the border," Xiao Jinghan said directly.
This was really the lightest punishment. If they were accused of being scholars who brought disaster to the country and a literary inquisition was launched, then it wouldn't just be those who petitioned who would die. Their classmates and friends would also be implicated.
The emperor nodded. If Duke Xie really died, he would have to give an explanation to the powerful and noble ministers. By then, not only would there be no changes to the imperial examination, but these people might very well die.
"So Yi Qing must save Duke Xie," the emperor didn't want to see such a result.
"What if she can't?" Xiao Jinghan asked, wondering what this had to do with his wife.
The emperor helplessly put his hand on Xiao Jinghan's shoulder and said, "If Yi Qing saves Duke Xie, I will allow her to deal with Marquis Chu Nan."
Xiao Jinghan looked at the emperor. No wonder Yi Qing always called him the "scoundrel emperor." He was really scoundrel. He clearly wanted to do something himself, but he made it sound like a favor.
"What kind of look is that?" the emperor asked, seeing Xiao Jinghan's expression.
Xiao Jinghan looked away and ignored him.
"Your Majesty, all this was caused by the chaos of the poor scholars. Please give Duke Xie an explanation. Otherwise, it will chill the hearts of scholars all over the world," Grand Scholar Xia knelt down and kowtowed.
"Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice," a group of court officials knelt there.
On the other side, the poor scholars led by Mo Dengxian were stunned. They had the plan given by Song Zhiyu and Lu Tianxun to take the lead. At the beginning of the debate, they had an overwhelming advantage. They never expected that Duke Xie would suddenly faint. This would surely be blamed on them.
The emperor looked at the group of ministers and then at the poor scholars on the other side. Duke Xie was already old. Why did he suddenly faint here?
The Xie family also came. Mrs. Xie almost fainted from crying. Mr. Xie was relatively calm. If one didn't know, they might think Mrs. Xie was Duke Xie's wife.
Now it all depended on whether Yi Qing could save Duke Xie. If she did, everything would be fine. If not, these poor scholars, whether innocent or not, would have to pay the price.
At this moment, Ruohong led Wu Min through the crowd and came to the middle.
"Who are you? How dare you barge in..." The guards blocked Wu Min outside.
"Wu Min, come in quickly," Yi Qing heard their voices.
The emperor motioned, and the guards quickly stepped aside.
Wu Min entered the temporarily built tent and asked, "Why did you call me here in such a hurry?"
"Can the life - sustaining gu still be used?" Yi Qing looked at Wu Min. She needed to keep Duke Xie alive for the time being.
"I knew you wouldn't ask me for something good," Wu Min said angrily. "You don't expect me to save this old man, do you? He's so ugly."
Yi Qing looked at Wu Min and said, "I'll prepare a dowry for you."
"I want a grand dowry procession stretching for miles," Wu Min said happily immediately.
"Your asking price is too high," Yi Qing looked at Wu Min.
"You can choose not to give it," Wu Min shrugged.
"Hurry up," Yi Qing thought Wu Min had learned the skill of bargaining quickly, although she hadn't learned much else.
When Wu Min came to the Great Jin, she brought some gu worms for self - protection and life - saving just in case, and now Yi Qing had used them.
With the life - sustaining gu, Yi Qing could carry out the rescue without restraint. Soon, she stabilized Duke Xie's condition.
As the sun was setting, Yi Qing finally came out of the tent.
"How is it?" the empress rushed over anxiously.
"His life is saved. Now it's up to the Xie family to decide whether they want to continue the treatment," Yi Qing said gravely.
"Of course we'll save him," the empress thought this was a no - brainer question.
"It's a bit expensive," Yi Qing said hesitantly.
Well, she had promised Wu Min a grand dowry procession. She couldn't be expected to pay out of her own pocket to save an opponent, could she?
"No matter how expensive it is, we'll save him," the empress understood what Yi Qing meant. Yi Qing never did anything that wasn't profitable.
"Two hundred thousand taels of silver," Yi Qing said directly.
The empress looked at Yi Qing. This Yi Qing was really ruthless.
"This is a friendly price. I once saved someone for six hundred thousand taels," Yi Qing said unhappily. That was a losing deal, and Xiao Jinghan had almost lost his life.
"Save him," the empress was too proud to bargain with Yi Qing.
"Okay. The patient can be moved now. You decide where to move him," Yi Qing relaxed.
"The Marquis of Zhenbei's Mansion," the emperor said directly.
"You must be joking. Do you really think my home is a shelter?" Yi Qing looked at the emperor.
First, Song Zhiyu was placed in her home, and now Duke Xie was going to be placed there too.
"I can give another ten thousand taels of silver," the emperor only felt at ease if Duke Xie was placed in the Xiao family. He was sure Yi Qing wouldn't let Duke Xie die in her own home.
"Thirty thousand taels," Yi Qing held up three fingers.
"You're just robbing us," Mr. Xie, who had been silent, shouted.
"Well," Yi Qing shrugged. "It's not my problem. It's the Xie family who values money more than life."
The emperor glanced at his useless father - in - law, and Mr. Xie shrank his neck in fear.
"We'll pay, we'll pay," Mrs. Xie didn't dare to joke about this.
"Fine. A total of two hundred and thirty thousand taels. The silver notes and the patient should enter the door together," Yi Qing said generously.
The poor scholars outside breathed a sigh of relief. The powerful and noble officials looked at each other in dismay, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Yi Qing swayed as she moved her shoulder. Xiao Jinghan quickly went over to support her.
"My wife is not feeling well. I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," Xiao Jinghan said and then left with Yi Qing.
The emperor felt angry seeing Xiao Jinghan's actions. He was afraid that Yi Qing would be involved in these matters.
Yi Qing was really tired. She hadn't eaten lunch and had performed surgery for such a long time. If it weren't for Wu Min's life - sustaining gu, Duke Xie would really have died here today.
"I'm hungry..." Yi Qing said lazily, snuggling in Xiao Jinghan's arms.
Xiao Jinghan opened the food box, took out some snacks, and fed Yi Qing. "Eat slowly."
Yi Qing thought everything tasted delicious now. "By the way, is everything okay in the Western Garden?"
"You caused such a stir. What could go wrong?" Xiao Jinghan didn't expect Yi Qing to be so ruthless. "Madam Zhou has already been arrested and sent to the Ministry of Justice."
"If she wasn't arrested, wouldn't I have been busy for nothing?" Yi Qing said angrily.
Xiao Jinghan nodded. He originally didn't want Yi Qing to be so ruthless, but thinking about what Madam Zhou had done, it seemed that this was the only way. "Lord Zhou is Duke Xie's favorite student."
"Is Madam Zhou Lord Zhou's wife?" Yi Qing didn't really understand the relationships here.