In December, the government began collecting grain taxes, and villages were hauling grain to the government office.
Taxes will be collected from shops starting in mid-December.
Jin Shanyao, carrying a stack of silver notes, brought Meng Anzhi to pay taxes. A long queue had already formed inside the government office. Just as she was about to greet Shopkeeper Wang Shopkeeper Wang, she saw him make a shushing gesture.
He lowered his voice and said, "New rules for new officials: no loud noises when paying taxes, lest we make mistakes in the accounting."
Jin Shanyao gave him an understanding look, then pulled Meng Anzhi and the bird quietly to the back of the line. As the line gradually shortened, the two finally stood in front of the table.
The clerk turned to the Anzhi Hall's name, calculated the amount based on the land occupied by the five mountains and the size of the shop, and said with a smile, "This year's harvest is poor, so Lord Zhu will reduce it by 30% according to the law. You will only need to pay 630 taels."
The news of the tax reduction had already spread, so no one was surprised. Meng Anzhi paid the money and was about to leave when she saw Zhu Huaizhang walking over.
" Shopkeeper Jin, Doctor Meng, may I have a word with you in private?"
Jin Shanyao was surprised. In the past, when they met in official settings, Lord Zhu always had a stern face and would not even make eye contact with her. Why was he suddenly inviting her now? She wondered what the reason was.
Inside the second hall.
Zhu Huaizhang bowed and apologized to Jin Shanyao, " Shopkeeper Jin... I have offended you greatly in the past, please forgive me."
Jin Shanyao suspiciously. "Are humans so concerned with class hierarchy? For a fourth-rank official to bow to a merchant like that... there must be something fishy going on..."
As expected, Zhu Huaizhang said, "My mother injured her eyes due to overwork when she was young, and her health has always been weak. I would like to ask Shopkeeper Jin to help me take her pulse."
She said that unsolicited kindness was always suspicious, Jin Shanyao light cough and a raised chin, she slowly said, "My lord... my medical treatment is very expensive."
Zhu Huaizhang had heard about this before, but hearing her say it in person still made him feel awkward. " Shopkeeper Jin... although I am the prefect, I have no powerful connections and no land in my family."
I live off my monthly salary and haven't saved much money over the years... I wonder what your consultation fee is?
Jin Shanyao was surprised that he was so poor. She thought all prefects were like Su Wenqian, who could easily come up with a hundred taels of silver.
Her gaze swept over Zhu Huaizhang's faded official robes, her haughty chin softening as she said in a gentler tone, "If you're short on funds, let my apprentice go. She charges five copper coins for a pulse diagnosis."
Zhu Huaizhang knew Meng Anzhi was a renowned doctor, but he wanted to give his mother the best. " Shopkeeper Jin, how much does it cost for a pulse diagnosis?"
Twenty taels.
Zhu Huaizhang's heart tightened. He estimated the amount of silver in his pocket. "Sure, but I'd like to ask Shopkeeper Jin for a favor. If my mother asks, could you say you're an itinerant doctor?"
She's been frugal her whole life; if she knew I spent twenty taels of silver to hire a doctor, she'd cry again...
Jin Shanyao her head. "I won't lie, but I can choose not to speak."
"There's one more thing," Zhu Huaizhang quickly added, "If my mother asks, don't tell her your name. She's been terribly harmed by fortune tellers her whole life, and you're too famous; I'm afraid she won't be willing to treat you."
Jin Shanyao thought to herself, "This is bad." Her proud head bowed prematurely. Her smile faded, and she said in a deep voice, "Aren't you tired of making me hide this and that?"
Have you ever considered whether the root cause of her lifelong misfortune was fortune-telling or your father?
Seeing Zhu Huaizhang's face grow paler and paler, Jin Shanyao was satisfied. She raised her head arrogantly once more, "You'd better find someone else to treat Old Madam Zhu's illness."
After saying that, he turned to leave.
" Shopkeeper Jin, please wait!" Zhu Huaizhang called out urgently, stepping forward Jin Shanyao. "What I said just now was all due to my selfishness and cowardice as a son. I was rude. However..."
He paused, suppressing his embarrassment and awkwardness, and said, "But... could you make an exception and treat this mother just this once, out of consideration for her suffering?"
Before Jin Shanyao could speak, she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. Turning her head, she saw Meng Anzhi looking at her with clear, bright eyes.
She sighed inwardly; the child's soft-heartedness had struck again.
" Lord Zhu's filial piety is evident, but I am not destined to meet the old lady. If you don't mind, please allow my apprentice to go and take a look."
Zhu Huaizhang quickly agreed, "No problem, no problem, thank you Shopkeeper Jin! Thank you Doctor Meng!" At this moment, he dared not make any further requests, only hoping to be able to invite someone.
The back courtyard of the government office was deserted, unlike the bustling place when Lord Su was there. The Zhu family was small, with only two cleaning women. Zhu Huaizhang led Meng Anzhi into the courtyard of Old Madam Zhu.
"Mother... I've invited a doctor over."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Zhu slowly turned her head. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, unable to focus, staring blankly at the doorway.
"Why are you calling a doctor again? I've been sick for a long time, why waste money?"
Zhu Huaizhang stepped forward and took her hand, his tone carrying a hint of coaxing, "Mother, this time is different. We used to seek medical treatment in Jiangnan, but this time, perhaps a different place will cure us."
Old Madam Zhu sighed, "See? See?... Once you've seen it, you'll give up."
Following Zhu Huaizhang's instructions, Meng Anzhi sat down in front of Old Madam Zhu, placed her hand on her pulse, withdrew her hand after a moment, and stood up to carefully examine her eyes.
After examining her, he said, "Madam's eye condition is caused by overwork, coupled with her age and Qi and Blood deficiency, so she can't recover to normal vision."
With proper treatment and care, there is hope that I can see things up close again, but it requires slow and gradual recovery and cannot be rushed.
Zhu Huaizhang was overjoyed upon hearing this, " Doctor Meng, are you telling the truth?"
Meng Anzhi gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Let me write you a prescription first."
"No need for any prescription... No need... I'm too old for that. Even if my eyes are cured, I won't live for many more years. Why waste money?"
"Mother..." Zhu Huaizhang interrupted her, "Why do you always say things like that?"
Old Madam Zhu sensed her son's displeasure and awkwardly shut her mouth... Wasn't she just worried about the money? In officialdom, one needs to cultivate relationships at every turn; she couldn't possibly hold her son back.
Zhu Huaizhang ignored her, had Meng Anzhi write out a prescription, asked about some precautions, carefully noted them down, and then saw her off.
Jin Shanyao waited under the eaves. When she saw Meng Anzhi come out, she stepped forward and said, "Let's go home."
" Shopkeeper Jin "
Zhu Huaizhang's voice rang out from behind, "In the past, I was ignorant and narrow-minded. Without seeing the netherworld, I thought there were no ghosts in the world. Without encountering True Person, I thought all sorcerers were frauds. This has caused you so much trouble... It is my fault."
He strode up to Jin Shanyao, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said in a solemn and sincere tone, "I, Zhu Huaizhang, the Prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture, apologize to you for this. If you wish to restore your reputation, I can post a notice to inform everyone."
Upon Jin Shanyao's eyes lit up, and she excitedly said, "Then could you write on the notices that Anzhi Hall's medical skills are superb, her divination is incredibly accurate, and her talismans are absolutely amazing, and then stamp it with the government seal and post it in every corner of the prefectural city?"
Zhu Huaizhang's voice was hoarse, "No."
"Then write that the government office relied entirely on the Anzhi Hall's talismans and ointments to get through the sweltering heat, and that everyone in the government praised them, proving that Anzhi Hall's reputation was well-deserved. Also, affix the government office's seal and post them all over the city."
"No..."
Jin Shanyao stared speechlessly at Zhu Huaizhang. This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work, and this apology didn't sound sincere at all...
She waved her hand impatiently, "Alright, I'm not one to hold grudges, what's there to apologize for?"
Zhu Huaizhang's expression froze instantly, and he thought to himself, "You don't hold grudges? You let two ghosts lie beside my pillow for half a month."
Fortunately, I've already apologized, and I finally feel relieved. Otherwise, I would have been agonizing over it every day, unable to eat or sleep whenever I thought about how I had unjustly framed an innocent person.