"What on earth was the purpose of this head of the Cui family, who secretly sneaked into the imperial city under the identity of Jiang Wu, a side - branch member of the family?"
This question had been bothering Pei Zhaolin for a long time.
Was it for power?
Or for profit?
Doctor Wu frowned and looked up. He glanced at Pei Zhaolin and then at Fu Li, who was deep in thought with his head down.
He wondered aloud, "I remember Miss Cui is also from the northern regions, right?"
"Miss Cui also has the surname Cui. Could she be related to the Qinghe Cui family?"
"Why don't you discuss this with Miss Cui, my lord?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Li suddenly looked up.
His eyes were burning with excitement, and he nodded vigorously, "My lord, Doctor Wu makes a lot of sense!"
"The Qinghe Cui family is a prominent aristocratic family. During the previous dynasty, it had a large population. Almost everyone in the northern regions was somehow related to the Cui family. Not to mention that Miss Cui has the surname Cui!"
Fu Li couldn't help speculating, "Maybe Miss Cui's parents are not dead. Maybe she just doesn't know who they are?"
Pei Zhaolin remained relatively calm and refuted Fu Li reasonably, "If she doesn't know her own parents, how does she know that Cui Chunniang is her aunt?"
Fu Li didn't give up and continued to persuade, "What if Cui Chunniang is not her real aunt? People say that nephews resemble their uncles and nieces resemble their aunts. Do you think Cui Chunniang and Miss Cui look or act alike?"
"Enough!"
Pei Zhaolin slapped the table.
He said authoritatively, "This is a wound in her heart. No one is allowed to mention it in front of her. It will only make her sad."
Fu Li lowered his head and replied dejectedly, "Yes, my lord."
When Pei Zhaolin slapped the table, he accidentally pulled the wound on his abdomen. Doctor Wu quickly stepped forward to calm him down.
"Just talk. Don't get angry!"
Doctor Wu sighed and looked worriedly at the wound on Pei Zhaolin's abdomen. He sighed, "It's a pity that you didn't bring back that prescription! If it weren't for that doctor, you might not have survived this time so easily."
"Such miraculous medical skills can only be found in that divine doctor who studied in the Medicine King Valley!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Pei Zhaolin suddenly looked at him and frowned, "What did you just say?"
Doctor Wu was taken aback and tentatively repeated, "You didn't bring back the prescription? You might not have survived so easily?"
"Medicine King Valley," Pei Zhaolin repeated urgently, "I saw a person in that village before. I also saw this person once or twice in the palace."
Unable to explain clearly for a moment, Pei Zhaolin picked up a brush. After thinking for a while, he spread out the rice paper and quickly started sketching.
A moment later, Pei Zhaolin put down the brush and handed the drawn portrait to Doctor Wu. "Do you recognize this person, Doctor Wu?"
Doctor Wu squinted at it for a while first.
He then brought the portrait close to the candlelight and looked at it carefully. Looking at the dark complexion of the person in the painting, Doctor Wu suddenly realized.
"Isn't this the... Ugly - Three Divine Doctor who studied in the Medicine King Valley that I just mentioned!"
"When Tangtang was poisoned, it was this person secretly sent by Concubine Rou."
Pei Zhaolin said in a deep voice, constantly recalling in his mind the tiny details he might have missed, "When I was seriously injured in that village, it was also this person who treated me."
It seemed that Concubine Rou might have a very good relationship with the head of the Cui family.
However, the current Concubine Rou was sent by the Xie family to Zhujin Mountain when she was eight years old because she was a girl. She became a disciple of the retired three - dynasty veteran, Chaojuzi.
Later, when she reached the right age, she happened to meet the current emperor.
Since then, Concubine Rou had become the emperor's advisor in seizing the throne.
There had never been any news of her being related to the Qinghe Cui family.
Pei Zhaolin had a lot of unsolvable mysteries in his mind, which troubled him greatly.
He had a premonition that these mysteries might lead to a huge secret!
"Continue to let the Black Armored Army confuse the people of Jiang Wu in Boling."
Pei Zhaolin paused for a moment and suddenly said, "Go and check if Chaojuzi has taken any other disciples besides Concubine Xie. If there are any, draw their portraits!"
Fu Li quickly agreed and rushed out.
Doctor Wu, who was confused, lowered his head and carefully treated Pei Zhaolin's wound.
After confirming that there was no more bleeding, he buried his head in writing a prescription.
"Doctor Wu."
Hearing this, Doctor Wu quickly stood up, bowed and said, "What are your orders, my lord?"
A determined glint flashed in Pei Zhaolin's eyes, "I trouble you, Doctor Wu. Please spread the news that I am seriously injured and in a critical condition."
Although Doctor Wu was puzzled, he said, "This is not difficult."
---
Qingyun Academy.
There was a large bamboo forest planted on the back mountain. The autumn wind blew through, and the rustling of the bamboo leaves covered the hasty footsteps of people.
Qi Xutao and Cui Jintang crouched on the eaves.
Their eyes followed a blue - purple butterfly into a study.
This was Chen Mingyuan's room.
Originally, today was the day for Chen Mingyuan to go to the Imperial College. But early this morning, he received a message from the Imperial College asking him to postpone his entry.
Chen Mingyuan was extremely panicked and paced back and forth in the room constantly.
Until a young servant brought in a letter.
Chen Mingyuan eagerly opened the envelope. After reading it word by word, he flew into a rage and slapped the letter on the table.
"Just because Zheng Ting died, why are they making so many excuses to stop me from entering the Imperial College?! If I become an official in the future, I will surely avenge this humiliation!"
In the distance, Qi Xutao turned to the person beside her and asked, "What did you do? You've made him so angry."
Cui Jintang hissed, "Being able to enter the Imperial College means half - stepping into an official career. Can the other students be balanced? I asked Zhu Er to collect the poems written by them out of indignation and put them on your elder brother's desk."
Even though Chen Mingyuan was the emperor's man, it wouldn't be good if he aroused public indignation.
"You're so sneaky."
Cui Jintang gave her a look, "If you don't like to hear it, you can leave."
Qi Xutao quickly begged for mercy, "I'll slap my own mouth. You're so smart!"
After some joking, Chen Mingyuan in the study had left the room.
After leaving the academy, he rushed towards a certain direction.
They almost couldn't keep up with him.
Looking at the plaque that read "County Princess Mansion", Qi Xutao clicked her tongue twice, "Luo Xiang's County Princess Mansion is almost more luxurious than my residence."
Just as Chen Mingyuan was about to knock on the door, he suddenly stood still, with his head down, seemingly lost in thought.
Qi Xutao was getting impatient with his hesitation, but he suddenly turned around and left.
Qi Xutao said, "He was already at the door!"
Cui Jintang also thought it was a pity.
She had already prepared to break in with people later.
She had even thought about how to question and set a trap for Luo Xiang.
But in the end, Chen Mingyuan wasn't angry enough.
Just as the two were about to leave dejectedly, the closed door suddenly opened from the inside.
At the front was Luo Xiang, and beside her was a eunuch whose appearance they were very familiar with.
The chief eunuch clearly meant something else, "The imperial edict is already in the county princess's hands. The county princess should seize this opportunity well and don't let the emperor down again!"