Chapter 27 (2/2)

For a person like her who is unable to live for more than two years, the best thing to do now is to try and keep another person alive for a long, long time.......

Ying Yan Long........

With the support of the wall, Hua Ming Zi slowly got up and walked back to her chamber.

For nearly a sichen, the snow fell heavily and then finally it slowly stopped.  Several servants came out to move around and Hua Ming Zi called out to one of them.   ”Summon Steward Zhu to come over and at the same time, get a carriage ready!  I'm going out!”

A sichen later, after Hua Ming Zi went out with Cui Yu and several guards and returned to the Ying Mansion, her face was very gloomy.  The reason was that after she had completed what she had gone out to do, she had pa.s.sed by the Ying Medical Hall and heard rumors that made her feel unhappy.

She entered the main hall and ordered all the servants to withdraw except for Steward Zhu.

”What happened to the Medical Halls?  Why is the place so quiet which is totally different from the usual?”  She asked in a heavy voice.

”Actually, I did not want to mention anything that will make you feel worried.  Who would know you will go out?”  Steward Zhu clasped both hands and held them up with respect.  ”Recently, there are rumors everywhere saying that there is something wrong with the medicine in the Ying Medical Halls causing the royal family to fall seriously ill.  The Emperor wanted to mete out punishment and had taken Ying Dangjia away to be punished.  So, these few days, the business had fallen by half as compared to the past.”

She tightened her lips.

She does not need to rack her brains and is able to know who had spread those rumors.  Luo Ji Cai must have thought that since Ying Yan Long is not here now, he can destroy the Ying Medical Halls!  He can only dream!

Steward Zhu looked at Hua Dangjia as she paced around the main hall with her head lowered.

He knows that Hua Dangjia is now thinking of what to do and he is also looking forward to see if she can do something for the Medical Halls.  After all, now the enemy is in the dark and they are in the open, a situation when they were most vulnerable to a beating.  In addition, Dangjia is still in the palace prison and it is not known how long it will be before he is released.

Hua Ming Zi stood in front of Steward Zhu and said solemnly.  ”If the Ying Medical Halls do not have any income for seven days, what effect will it have?”

”Do you mean to close the business temporarily?”  Steward Zhu felt a little disappointed.  His white eyebrows knotted up even more tightly.  ”In this case, will this not prove that the rumors spreading outside are true?  Moreover, those who are in need of urgent medical treatment, how will they cope?........”

”My intention is not to close the Medical Halls and refrain from doing business.  I want to hold a free medical clinic for seven days.  Since the Medical Halls are not short of money, then we will take this opportunity to publicize the reputation and medical expertise of the Ying Family's Medical Halls.  During this period of free medical clinics, all those who are poor and without dependents can seek consultation for free and also be given three days of free medication.  We will then take advantage during this period of time to find out who is spreading the rumors......”

Hua Ming Zi's lips tightened and with a serious expression, she said.  ”Although we already know it is Luo Ji Cai, we still have to find evidence so that he will not be able to refute.  Then find someone to spread the rumor that he is deliberately cursing the royal family.”

”Alright.  I will do these two things immediately.”  Steward Zhu said with a smile.

Ying Dangjia certainly did not hand the business over to the wrong person!

”Another thing, this seven-day free medicine will all be paid by my Hua Family.  This can be considered as my sincere contribution to cultivate merits for your Ying Dangjia.  At the same time, my Hua Ji Restaurants will also hold a seven-day free food disaster relief event.  So if the capital is busy talking about the Hua and Ying Families' benevolence to the people, the people should not have time to discuss the matter of wrong medicine dispensed by the Ying Family.

”Hua Dangjia, wait a moment.   There will not be any problem with the free medical clinics of Ying Medical Halls but the disaster relief free food event is not possible.”

Steward Zhu shook his head and said.

”Why not?”

Steward Zhu hesitated for a while and then he told Hua Ming Zi what Ying Dangjia had said before he left.  He had said that before the situation is clear, the people outside are to be informed that she is only staying in the Ying Mansion to recuperate so that his matter would not get her involved.

Hua Ming Zi clenched her fists and her chest constricted.

”I......”  She swallowed down her choked emotions and said in a faint voice.  ”Now I am in the same boat with him, so there is nothing to avoid.”

”That is our Dangjia's feelings and expression of concern for you.”

Initially, Hua Ming Zi wanted to shake her head but suddenly she changed her mind.  ”Alright, we will go along with your Dangjia's wishes.  In this way, if he really encountered any trouble, I will not be shackled by the Ying Family.  Then I can still use the power of the Hua Family to save him.”

”That's right.”  Steward Zhu repeatedly nodded his head.  ”I will draft out a free medical clinic plan and then gather all the Shopkeepers of the Medical Halls to discuss the matter.  After the matter is completely settled, I will come back to give you a report.”

”Then I will have to trouble Steward Zhu.”

She nodded and her eyes followed Steward Zhu as he left.

She knows Steward Zhu is a hundred times more capable than her in handling the medical business.  The part that she can do better than Steward Zhu is only just because she has the wealth of the Hua Family, so she will just let him take the responsibility of carrying out her orders.

Hua Ming Zi sat down on the couch and decided to take a rest.  With a body that can only live for two more years, how can she not take good care of her health?

However, just as she was about to fall asleep, she was awakened by someone........

”Speak!  How did you come into possession of this white jade bracelet!”

Hua Ming Zi was awakened by a loud voice and she opened her eyes in shock.  Her whole body was immediately pulled up by someone.

She widened her eyes to look at the man in front of her.........a man who is a stranger.

The man looked extraordinary but his eyes were red and his face looked haggard.  A s.h.i.+ny mink cloak was draped over his body and white snow was still clinging to his cloak as if he did not have time to brush off the snowflakes.

”Speak!”  The man clutched the front lapels of her clothes and his red eyes stared at her.

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