Jinyi Spring

Chapter 94 The Death of Doctor Cai

Aunt Wang laughed heartily and generously handed Aunt Wu two taels of silver.

"Aunt Wu, please prepare a few tables of fine food and buy a pot of good wine. I'll treat you to a nice meal tonight."

Aunt Wu happily accepted the silver and called out at the top of her lungs, "Peony, Hibiscus, hurry up! Today is Doctor Wang's feast!"

That evening, a banquet was held at the residence, with six tables set up for all the clinic's staff. Two Four Happiness Meatballs were also given to each of the patients staying at the clinic.

Tongji Women and Children's Hospital has gained another doctor, Dr. Wang.

Feng Chuchen was also pleased, as technical titles could enhance the competitiveness and influence of his unit.

Although the title "doctor's wife" was not examined by the Imperial Medical Academy, it was widely respected and recognized by the general public and had profound significance for medical clinics.

Once the expansion of the clinic is completed, we will need to recruit more people and continue to train reserve forces.

It would be best to hire another deputy head of the clinic. Aunt Wang is the technical deputy head, but we still need an administrative deputy head.

Feng Chuchen was busy and didn't want to worry about too many trivial matters.

Aunt Wang was plied with drinks by several older women and got very drunk. Du Ruo helped her to bed to rest.

Aunt Jin whispered to Feng Chuchen, "The shopkeeper Guo from the main street lost his wife last year and has taken a liking to Wang Meizi. He asked me to inquire about her opinion. If she agrees, he will find a matchmaker to propose marriage."

"I know Wang doesn't want to get married, but she thinks Manager Guo is really a good person, he's easy to live in and honest. I talked to Wang about it, and she refused without even thinking about it. What a pity."

Feng Chuchen hesitated to express his opinion. Aunt Wang was a smart woman; she knew exactly what kind of life she wanted.

-

The study outside the Ming Mansion was brightly lit, and the Duke of Ming finally waited for Ming Shanyue, who had not returned home for several days.

Ming Shanyue's expression was stern. "These past few days, I entered the palace under the pretext of investigating another case and checked the case files from the fifth year of Jianzhang. The records show that Xiao gave birth on the 16th of July at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and gave birth to a stillborn child. The midwife was Dr. Li."

"This record is ostensibly a fabrication to cover up Red Hare and protect the eldest prince... From July 15th to 20th, in just a few days, one imperial physician, four female physicians, three palace maids, and two eunuchs died."

"One person accidentally fell into the water, four people were beaten to death for frightening Consort Xue, and three people died of illness after returning to the palace. In the following month, two more palace maids and three eunuchs died one after another. The palace maids and eunuchs were all people around Consort Xue and Lady Xiao."

Duke Ming frowned and said, "If Red Hare had truly been born, so many people wouldn't have died. After all, the Emperor and Empress Dowager both know about this. Killing so many people must have been to cover up the real truth; it was undoubtedly a case of murder to silence witnesses."

Ming Shanyue leaned forward, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Father never imagined that among these people was Doctor Cai. She was the first to die, falling into the water and drowning at the end of the Yin hour on the morning of the 15th of July, which was a little over an hour after Xiao gave birth to 'Red Hare'."

Duke Mingguo looked surprised. "Is it Dr. Cai from Henian Hall? She and Dr. Feng are both women with excellent medical skills and ethics. Your mother and your mother still talk about her."

Ming Shanyue said, "Of the female doctors who died, Dr. Li, Dr. Sun, and Dr. Yang were all of mediocre skill. The one who delivered Xiao's baby was not Dr. Li, but must have been Dr. Cai, who had the best medical skills."

"Only she was qualified to deliver the Empress's baby, so that Lady Xiao could rest assured. And only she could kill the infant immediately without anyone knowing."

The Duke of Ming shook his head with a look of regret, "Physician Cai must have been coerced into doing that..."

Ming Shanyue said, "I have a theory that it's very possible that Doctor Cai left something for Jiang Huaizhao. Jiang Huaizhao altered his appearance to cover up his true appearance before."

Unfortunately, the investigation cannot be conducted openly and honestly, so progress is very slow.

Ming Guogong said, "Tomorrow is the day Dr. Cai will treat my third brother. Let's ask him and see if Dr. Cai has left any clues."

Cai Shiyong is the head of Henian Hall and the younger brother of Cai, the female doctor.

After the two finished discussing, Ming Shanyue asked, "I heard my mother's illness is getting better?"

The Duke of Ming smiled. "Yes, your mother says she's much better, the most relaxed she's felt in over a decade. Doctor Feng's medical skills are superb. Your mother misses you very much; go see her when you have time."

Ming Shanyue's expression softened.

The next day, at dusk, the western sky was filled with large patches of red clouds.

Cai Shiyong and his apprentice carrying a medicine box walked out of Ming Changren's courtyard. Just as they turned past a big tree, they ran into the Duke of Ming, who had just finished his official duties.

Duke Mingguo stopped and said with a smile, "Doctor Cai, are you here to examine Changren again?"

Cai Shiyong clasped his hands, bowed, and smiled, "Your Excellency, I have just come from Master Mingsan's place."

Duke Mingguo laughed and said, "It's been a long time since I've had a drink with Doctor Cai. It's a good coincidence that we've run into each other today. Come on, let's go to my place."

The Cai family's Henian Hall is best known for its orthopedics, and the head of the family, Cai Shiyong, is comparable to the most skilled orthopedic physician in the Imperial Medical Academy.

The Duke of Dingguo's family had fought in wars for generations, and their bodies were covered in scars. They had to consult either the imperial physicians or doctors from Henian Hall for treatment.

Cai Shiyong was very familiar with the people in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, and they would occasionally drink together.

Cai Shiyong laughed and said, "Alright, it's rare that Your Excellency is in such a good mood, so I'll keep you company with a few drinks."

He also happened to have something to say to the Duke of Ming.

The two went to the Duke of Ming's study, sat down, and were served tea.

Cai Shiyong stroked his beard, looking troubled. "For some reason, Master Ming's leg seems to have healed, but he just can't stand up. My medical skills are not good enough, and I've tried all the methods I could. You should find another renowned doctor."

"I won't be coming here regularly from now on. If Master Ming needs anything, please contact me."

The Duke of Ming was very disappointed. "My third brother is still young and hasn't even married yet. What will happen if he can't stand up?"

Cai Shiyong felt that Ming Changren had no hope of getting back up, but still said, "It is said that there are many experts among the people, and there may be doctors who know folk remedies."

Just as the food and wine were set on the table, a servant announced, "Lord Duke, the master has returned."

The Duke of Ming smiled, "It's rare that he leaves the office on time."

Ming Shanyue strode into the house, exchanged a few pleasantries with Cai Shiyong, and sat down to drink.

Ming Guogong said, "You're back quite early today."

Ming Shanyue said, "A palace maid jumped into a well, so I took some people to the palace. I saw many imperial physicians and female doctors guarding Cining Palace, and I also saw the female doctor Xiao Cai."

Cai Shiyong laughed and said, "My daughter's medical skills are not very good, she can only help out." Ming Guogong said, "More than ten years ago, Dr. Cai was very famous, on par with Dr. Feng, and was the top gynecologist and pediatrician in the Great Yan Dynasty. It's a pity she died young."

Cai Shiyong took a sip of wine and said, "Yes, my eldest sister passed away suddenly, and my little nephew lost his mother when he was only five years old. My mother almost cried herself blind..."

The Cai family only had one son and one daughter, and the daughter was the apple of her parents' eye.

Ming Shanyue asked casually, "What illness did Aunt Cai suffer from before she passed away?"

Cai Shiyong sighed, "It wasn't an illness; he was serving the former Empress Xiao and the Imperial Concubine to Zixia Temple to offer incense when he slipped and fell into the water."

The Cai family all suspected that Dr. Cai died because she knew some secrets and was silenced, but they dared not voice this suspicion and remained silent about her death. Today, the Ming family father and son asked her, and she finally told the truth.

Ming Shanyue understood, "Oh, Zixia Nunnery is right next to the Baicang River. The Baicang River is swift, so it is indeed difficult to rescue someone who falls in."

Cai Shiyong shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of bitterness, "It's not the Baicang River, it's the stream in the nunnery. It is said that the Imperial Concubine suddenly felt unwell in the early morning and hurriedly summoned my sister to serve her. It was still dark then, and she fell into the stream in her haste."

The Duke of Ming and his son exchanged a glance; the signs of murder were very obvious.

Ming Shanyue probed, "I remember the stream in Zixia Nunnery wasn't deep, so how could someone drown?"

Cai Shiyong sighed again, "I heard that my sister has abrasions, which must be because the rocks at the bottom of the stream were too slippery and she fell. Although the stream is not deep, my sister is petite, and the water is still up to her waist in some places."

"Unfortunately, no one was around at the time, and by the time she was discovered at dawn, she was already gone. Sigh, my sister was such a good person, and she was only thirty-three years old when she passed away."

He kept saying he heard it from others, so he must have some doubts, right?

Duke Mingguo also sighed, "It's a pity that no female physician can match her skills at present, not even Physician Zhou."

Cai Shiyong nodded in deep agreement, “When Lord Ming mentioned the Baicang River, I was reminded of an old story. Wang Tu drowned after falling into the Baicang River.”

Who is Wang Tu?

“Wang Tu is my brother-in-law’s cousin. He works in the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard and was also responsible for escorting Lady Xiao and the Imperial Concubine to the Zixia Temple to offer incense. They went on the thirteenth, and the incident happened on the fourteenth.”

This was the first time Ming Shanyue had heard of this matter.

Raising an eyebrow, "Oh, was it an accident or was it a case of being framed?"

Doctor Cai said, "It was an accident. That night, he was patrolling the perimeter of the temple with several soldiers. When they reached the Baicang River, he said there was a noise behind him and ran back to check. He accidentally fell into the river."

"The Bai Cang River was turbulent, with wave after wave crashing down. Those soldiers couldn't swim, and they could only watch helplessly as he was swept away by the whirlpool. Wang Tu himself could swim, but he was unlucky enough to encounter the whirlpool."

"By the time they found someone who could swim and a boat, they still couldn't find his body. Wang Tu was only twenty-one years old when he died, and he was just two months away from getting married."

"He was skilled in martial arts and good-looking. He passed the imperial examination for martial arts at the age of nineteen and became a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard at a young age. He was the most promising child in the Wang family. His parents were devastated."

"Sigh, two members of the Wang family have died in two days, both drowning. Some say they were haunted by water ghosts. The Wang family even hired a monk to chant sutras at their home for three days..."

The Ming father and son exchanged another glance, realizing there was another twist.

This was truly an unexpected bonus.

Not many people pass the imperial examination for military officers at the age of nineteen, and the Duke of Mingguo also thought of that person.

He said, "Oh, I remember now, but I forgot his name. I was a lieutenant general in the Tiger Guard Battalion at the time. Our commander really wanted him, but the Imperial Guard took him first. Wang Tu was both a scholar and a warrior, and had a magnificent appearance. What a pity."

Dr. Cai sighed, "That's right. The Wang family really had bad luck that year. At the end of the year, Wang Tu's eldest brother died of illness, leaving behind his elderly parents and several children under ten years old."

"The Wang family is kind and honest. My brother-in-law later remarried, but he still treated my nephew very well, raising the child safely until he passed the imperial examination and got married. Four years ago, my brother-in-law's eldest uncle..."
"That is, General Wang, Wang Tu's father, asked my daughter Xiuya to marry his grandson Wang Jian, and we were willing. Haha, the Wang and Cai families are now in-laws again. When they heard that Xiuya was going to become a female doctor, they also said they were willing to wait."

Duke Mingguo laughed and said, "A marriage between relatives, knowing each other well, not bad."

The father and son tried to probe further, but failed to glean any more useful information.

Cai Shiyong left after having eaten and drunk his fill.

Duke Mingguo said, "It's possible that Wang Tu really drowned. Falling into a whirlpool in the river in full view of everyone, even the best swimmer has little chance of survival. But since his body hasn't been found, there's a possibility that he survived."

Ming Shanyue nodded. "It's possible that Wang Tu is Jiang Huaizhao. Doctor Cai found a way to tell him about the Red Hare baby swap in advance, and he faked his death and escaped."

The Duke of Ming couldn't understand, "Why would he fake his death and escape? He could have just waited for the right moment to expose the matter, like Wen Qian did."

Ming Shanyue was also quite puzzled, "So, there's something else we don't know."

The Duke of Ming thought of a possibility, "Something we don't know, little princess?"

Ming Shanyue's voice was even softer, "Wang Tu fell into the Bai Cang River in full view of everyone, and the person who managed to escape the search and survive must be an excellent swimmer. It's possible that he waited until nightfall to quietly retrieve the little princess's body and bury it somewhere."

"Perhaps there's some kind of token that Dr. Cai gave him, hoping to use it as evidence to expose the Xue family someday. I wonder what happened to Wang Tu that led him to tell Wen Qian about this."

"Fearing betrayal by Wen Qian, he kept a backup plan, only saying that the little princess was thrown into the Bai Cang River, but not that he retrieved the little princess's body."

"Wen Qian's willingness to cooperate with Wang Tu is considered another bet. If the case comes to light, he will be a hero to the Crown Prince and the Xiao family, and his future will be bright. If Wang Tu cannot find an opportunity to report it, no one will know about it, and Wen Qian will not suffer any loss."

"Afterwards, Wang Tu went to western Hunan under the alias Jiang Huaizhao. For more than a decade, Wang Tu maintained contact with Wen Qian and even secretly went to Beijing twice... Perhaps he was waiting for the day when the Xue family would fall from power and the Xiao family would rise to power. But now, Empress Dowager Xue is alive and well."

"Consort Xue still enjoys the Emperor's favor, and the Xue family's power in the court remains as solid as a rock. Xiao Nianhe is merely a junior official in the Ministry of Works, and the eldest prince is in the palace. The Xiao family has no chance of overturning the case, so they can only continue to wait."

Ming Shanyue paused, then tugged at the corner of her mouth and said, "But man proposes, God disposes. Wen Qian was suddenly dragged into the struggle between the Xue family and the Xiao family, and was eventually pushed out."

"He probably gave Wen Shu to Jiang Huaizhao as a concubine because he was afraid that Jiang Huaizhao would give up in the end due to fear of the Xue family's power, and urged him to take action..."

Duke Ming sighed, "If that's really the case, it would be too difficult for Physician Cai and Wang Tu."

Ming Shanyue then asked, "Father, do you think there's another possibility: that the little princess didn't die at all, but was taken to Xiangxi by Wang Tu and raised there?"

Duke Ming frowned and pondered for more than a quarter of an hour before shaking his head.

"That's absolutely impossible, unless it was Physician Feng who delivered Xiao's baby. Not only because Physician Feng is skilled, but also because no one knows who her teacher was."
"Besides her superb needlework skills, what other unknown techniques does she possess? On the other hand, Physician Cai comes from the Cai family, a family of doctors, and has long served in the palace. Those who know her well, including the imperial physicians, are aware of her background and methods."

"She might have the ability to quietly end the life of a newborn infant, but she certainly didn't have the ability to fake its death to deceive everyone, let alone safely carry a living infant out of the delivery room."

"It still needs to be examined by Consort Xue or some imperial physician before it can be sent out of Zixia Nunnery... How could she possibly get through all these hurdles? It was already quite an achievement to get this message out."