The most dissolute couple in the capital

On the eve of departure, the main courtyard of the Liang Prince's Mansion was brightly lit.

Cui Qingyi directed Su Xin and Dan Zhu to pack Li Chengjing's luggage. Since he was supposed to be a medicine boy, they couldn't really let him take several large boxes of fine silks and satins.

"Take these few sets of fine cotton clothes with you; they're breathable and inconspicuous. Also, remember to apply this insect repellent ointment, as there are many mosquitoes in the outskirts of Beijing. Oh, and also prepare two hundred taels of silver and copper coins." Cui Qingyi instructed methodically.

Li Chengjing leaned closer and wrapped his arms around Cui Qingyi's waist from behind, nuzzling his chin against her neck. His voice was thick with emotion, "Qingyi, I haven't even left yet, and I'm already missing you. Why don't you come with me? I won't let you carry the medicine box; I'll fan you."

Cui Qingyi felt ticklish from his rubbing and laughed as she slapped his hand away: "If Your Highness goes to practice medicine and help the needy, what am I supposed to do? Watch you fetch water and chop wood?"

"You just despise me!" Li Chengjing's eyes welled up with tears, looking as aggrieved as a wronged little wife. "The countryside is so harsh, what if I starve and lose weight? I can't sleep at night without you by my side!"

It's alright, Your Highness. I'm keeping the charcoal fire burning and eating fruits in the manor; I won't suffer.

Cui Qingyi gently pinched his cheek: "Alright, stop being so coquettish. We have an estate in Shili Pu, on the outskirts of the capital. I've already had it prepared. Old Master Qi is getting on in years and can't stand the cold in the village, so you and Old Master Qi can stay at the estate tonight. If I manage to sort out the accounts at the manor these next few days, I'll personally visit you at the estate, how about that?"

Upon hearing that Cui Qingyi would come to see him again, Li Chengjing's eyes lit up immediately: "You said it yourself! If you dare to lie to me, I'll... I'll sit at the village entrance and cry in front of the whole capital!"

The two laughed and joked under the lamp, which eased the sadness of parting and made the room even warmer.

Two days later, early morning, Lujia Village on the outskirts of Beijing.

The sun was getting increasingly scorching. Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, two rough wooden tables were set up, which became Old Qi's free clinic stall.

Considering the inconvenience for villagers to travel to the city, a box of commonly used medicinal herbs was placed nearby, which was carried over by a guard disguised as a servant.

Li Chengjing was forced to change into a drab, coarse cloth outfit, his hair casually tied up with only a wooden hairpin. At this moment, he was squatting in front of a large wooden box, sorting through common medicinal herbs with a bitter expression, in preparation for distributing medicine during the free clinic later.

"Hey, you handsome little medicine boy, how come you're so clumsy? You're not even as good as my three-year-old!" An old lady passing by, munching on sunflower seeds, pointed at him without any politeness.

Several village women nearby joined in the laughter: "That's right, she has delicate skin and looks like someone from a painting, but unfortunately, she's all looks and no substance!"

Li Chengjing had never been treated with such humiliation before. He stood up abruptly, burning with anger: "Who are you calling an idiot?! Do you even know who I am...?"

"Xiao Jing, bring some licorice over there. Hurry up, the patient is waiting." Old Qi didn't even look up, giving a cold shout, while a sharp look swept over.

Li Chengjing swallowed back the words "My brother is the emperor," gritted his teeth, squatted down in the box, and began rummaging through it, all the while holding a grudge against these village women in his heart.

Just then, a sharp wail suddenly came from behind the crowd.

"Get out of the way! Everyone get out of the way! Doctor! Doctor, help me!"

A burly, sweaty, and feisty middle-aged woman, carrying a five- or six-year-old boy in her arms, suddenly pounced on Old Qi's table.

"Auntie, can't you see everyone is queuing up?" Li Chengjing frowned and stepped forward to stop her.

The woman, already frantic with worry, her eyes bloodshot, burst into a tirade when she saw a young apprentice medicine boy daring to stop her: "You blind little brat! Get out of my way! Can't you see my son is burning up and barely breathing? You slow-moving good-for-nothing, you're delaying my son's life! I'll tear you apart!"

She cursed as she pushed him hard.

Li Chengjing was caught off guard and was pushed by the country woman's brute force, nearly falling headfirst into the pile of dregs of medicine next to him.

"Insolence!" Li Chengjing completely lost his temper. He'd never even been touched by his elder brother, the Emperor, and this crude, ignorant village woman dared to call him a piece of trash and push him!

He suddenly sat up straight, his eyes instantly turning sinister, and he was about to lash out and order the village woman to be dragged away and punished.

"Xiao Jing! Go and pick out ephedra and cinnamon twigs!" Old Qi's voice rose again, completely ignoring Li Chengjing's anger, and directly reached out to feel the boy's pulse.

Li Chengjing stood frozen in place, his chest heaving violently.

He stared intently at the middle-aged woman. The once fierce woman was now a far cry from the aggressive woman who had pushed him earlier.

She knelt on the ground with a thud, clutching Old Qi's clothes tightly, her face streaked with tears, her whole body trembling: "Doctor, please, save my Da Niu... He was fine last night, but this morning he's delirious with fever. My husband died young, he's my only son! If you save him, I'll kowtow to you, I'll do anything for you..."

The woman's eyes were filled with anxiety, fear, self-blame, and a hint of despair.

Li Chengjing was stunned.

The village woman, who had just been acting like a shrew, was now humbled to the point of being insignificant, all for the sake of her child.

The nameless fire in my heart was suddenly extinguished as if by a heavy rain.

He had initially thought these villagers were crude and uncouth, but now, perhaps through their rough exterior, he saw the true warmth and coldness of human nature.

Li Chengjing remained silent, turned around and walked to the medicinal herbs he had brought, skillfully beginning to sort through them.

According to the prescription given by Master Qi, the corresponding medicinal materials were picked out, weighed with a small scale, and neatly wrapped in oil paper.

"It's just a common cold with fever, don't worry, just take a couple of doses of medicine to induce sweating and you'll be fine," Old Qi said gently, letting go of her hand.

Upon hearing this, the woman's tense nerves snapped instantly, and she collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears.

Li Chengjing stepped forward and handed her the medicine packet. His tone was stiff, but he had lost his previous arrogance: "Take it. Boil three bowls of water down to one bowl."

The woman looked up at the handsome young medicine boy she had pushed, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes. She thanked him repeatedly, saying, "Thank you so much, young man. I was blinded by greed just now. Please don't hold it against me..."

Li Chengjing curled his lip: "I... I can't be bothered arguing with you. Hurry up and take the child back to take his medicine."

After a busy morning, as the sun began to set, the number of people seeking medical advice gradually decreased.

Li Chengjing rubbed his aching back and was about to go to the well at the village entrance to fetch some water to wash his face when he faintly heard two village women washing clothes by the well talking in hushed tones.

"Oh dear, Da Niu is sick too. This is the sixth child in our village to fall ill in the last two weeks, isn't it?"

"That's right! The boy from Li Er's family up ahead also has a fever. Li Er went to town and got more than a dozen doses of medicine for colds, spending a lot of money, but the fever just won't go away."

"How strange! In previous years, around this time of year, it was just a common cold, a couple of doses of medicine and a bit of sweating would do the trick. Why is this illness so stubborn this year? Spring is almost here, could it be some kind of evil spirit disease...?"

Li Chengjing abruptly stopped in his tracks.

Although he was not good at studying, his intuition had become extremely sharp during this period of time as he studied pharmacology with Master Qi.

Within half a month, six children in the same village developed the same symptoms, and cold medicine was ineffective and the condition was lingering and difficult to cure.

This doesn't sound like a common cold.

Li Chengjing frowned, the slight sense of accomplishment he had felt from curing the patient vanished, and a vague sense of unease began to rise in his heart.