The next day, the waiter from Top Scholar Tower came again.
This time, without saying a word, he put down the food box and left. Meng Anzhi didn't even look at him before telling Zhou Xiaosi, "Take it back."
Zhou Xiaosi sighed, picked up the food box, and went to the backyard again. A moment later, an oxcart slowly drove away from the Anzhi Hall.
The back gate of the Shi Residence.
Zhou Xiaosi unloaded a basket of vegetables from the oxcart and instructed, "These vegetables were ordered personally by your third young master. Don't forget to tell him, so as not to cause any delays."
"Do you expect me to teach you how to do things?" the kitchen servant said impatiently, flipping through the vegetable leaves. "My young master said he ordered these vegetables for what?"
"What does he do? Cook, of course..." Zhou Xiaosi dusted off his clothes. "Alright... the food's been delivered, settle the payment here for eighty coins."
The kitchen servant was a little confused. "The third young master didn't pay."
Zhou Xiaosi clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and said, "Have you ever seen a boss personally pay at the market? Isn't it always cash on delivery? Hurry up... don't delay, I have other groceries to deliver."
The kitchen servant reluctantly handed him eighty coins, then carried the full basket of vegetables to Shi Chong's courtyard.
evening.
When Shi Chong returned, a servant came to report, "Young Master, a basket of vegetables has been delivered from the main kitchen; they said it was what you ordered."
Shi Chong had a bad feeling. "Where are the dishes?"
"In the small kitchen."
Shi Chong strode to the small kitchen and immediately saw a bamboo basket, about half a person's height, placed in the center of the floor. He pushed aside the top layer of vegetables and flipped down, and sure enough, he found seafood at the very bottom.
"Fine, fine..." Shi Chong laughed, thinking that the servants in the Shi Residence were all incredibly stupid.
He gritted his teeth until the veins bulged. "Guards, drag the kitchen servant out and beat him. Put this basket of vegetables in front of him so he can see how stupid he is."
The servant hurriedly dragged the vegetable basket downstairs.
After the servant left, Shi Chong was so angry he laughed. He hadn't expected Meng Anzhi to be so clever, which only fueled his desire to conquer her.
Before we knew it, it was already the first day of the third month.
During this period, Shi Chong did not send any food to the Anzhi Hall. Meng Anzhi thought he had finally given up and breathed a sigh of relief.
As he picked up his medicine kit to go to the Liu Household's free clinic, he saw Meng Anci following him.
Where are you going?
I'll go to the Liu Household with you.
Meng Anzhi thought that Shi Chong had caused too much trouble recently, and her younger brother was worried about her, so she said, "You finally have a day off, you don't need to come and keep me company."
"I'm not here to keep you company; I have something really important to do at the Liu Household."
Seeing that his sister didn't believe him, Meng Anci pulled her into the study and whispered, " Old Madam Liu is Liu Wenbin's wife. I found out that Liu Wenbin's son has been on expensive medicine for years and needs a lot of money. Besides his position at the Hanlin Academy, Liu Wenbin also makes a living by painting fans and writing inscriptions for others."
I checked the warehouse records, Liu Wenbin uses up his writing materials (pens, ink, paper, and inkstones) exceptionally quickly, more than twice as much as others.
Meng Anzhi never expected that Old Madam Liu was actually a relative of Liu Wenbin. Thinking of her brother's previous imprisonment, she didn't want to go to the free clinic. But then she thought, what if there was another culprit behind this, and the Liu Household was the most crucial link?
She said in a deep voice, "Let's go."
The two immediately set off for the Liu Household's residence.
Old Madam Liu looked outside four or five times early in the morning. Liu Kangjian comforted her, "Mother... don't look anymore. If she's going to come, she will. If she's not going to come..." He remained silent for a long time and didn't say anything more.
Old Madam Liu was extremely anxious. She had no money left to treat her son, and if Meng Anzhi refused to provide medical care, her son would truly be left to die.
Just as she looked out of the courtyard again, her body suddenly stiffened, and she became flustered. Why had Lord Meng followed her? Did he know something?
Just as she was wondering how to face the siblings, Meng Anzhi had already arrived at the courtyard gate, " Madam Liu..."
Upon hearing her address her as Madam Liu, Old Madam Liu broke out in a cold sweat, thinking, "It's over, it's over, I've been discovered after all." She hesitated before stepping forward, " Doctor Meng, Lord Meng."
Meng Anzhi laughed and said, "Why won't you open the door?"
Old Madam Liu hurriedly opened the door and stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to say. At that moment, Liu Kangjian walked out of the house, his face pale. " Doctor Meng, Lord Meng."
Meng Anzhi stepped forward and said with a smile, "I'm here for a follow-up appointment. Have you been feeling unwell lately?"
She helped Liu Kangjian into the house and had him sit down so she could take his pulse. Liu Kangjian and the Old Madam Liu exchanged a glance, then he truthfully said, "I slept better last night."
Meng Anzhi placed her hand on Liu Kangjian's pulse. "The recovery is going well. I'll revise the prescription; try taking it for another month and see." She glanced at the table and asked Liu Kangjian, "Will you be alright using the pen and ink?"
Liu Kangjian coughed and said, "It's nothing... Doctor Meng, please use it."
Meng Anzhi called Meng Anci over to help. While taking the pulse, she dictated the prescription. After the diagnosis, the prescription was written down.
"Take this medicine for another two months. If you feel unwell anywhere, come to the Anzhi Hall to see me." After saying this, she got up and left the house, but she remained standing under the eaves.
inside the house.
Meng Anci handed the prescription to Liu Kangjian, saying, "The tribute paper used by the Hanlin Academy is custom-made and completely different from the bamboo paper and rough-edged paper used by ordinary people."
Old Madam Liu's eyes were filled with panic, her heart pounding, while Liu Kangjian stared at the prescription in silence.
Meng Anci took in their expressions and continued, "It's not uncommon for the Hanlin Academy tribute papers to go missing. Most officials would use them as gifts or sell them to familiar scholars. Amounts under forty strings of cash wouldn't be a cause for concern."
Liu Kangjian couldn't help but cough twice, and Meng Anci handed him a cup of hot tea. Liu Kangjian looked up at him, took the teacup, and took a small sip.
" Lord Meng, please speak frankly."
"I can guarantee Lord Liu's life; it all depends on whether you dare to say it."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Liu excitedly took two steps forward, then froze in place. Liu Kangjian stared at the prescription, his expression somber, lost in thought.
Meng Anci didn't urge him, but waited quietly for him to speak.
After a long pause, Liu Kangjian spoke, "I've been in poor health since childhood and couldn't participate in the imperial examinations, but I love calligraphy and painting. To cheer me up, my father would occasionally bring back paper and ink from the Hanlin Academy, cough cough cough..."
He picked up his teacup to moisten his throat. "We've never sold the paper from the Hanlin Academy. The calligraphy and fan paintings we sell are all made of ordinary paper used by the common people."
" Kangjian..." Old Madam Liu couldn't help but stop him. Mother and son are of one mind. How could Liu Kangjian not know his mother's concerns? Rather than dragging his dying body along, it would be better to take a gamble and perhaps give his father a chance to live.
Liu Kangjian glanced at his mother and continued, "If I tell the truth, can you guarantee my mother's safety?"
Meng Anci solemnly said, "If you are willing to tell the truth, I will take your mother to the Anzhi Hall tonight. I guarantee that not even a mosquito will be able to fly into the Anzhi Hall."
Liu Kangjian scoffed, "What guarantee do you have? Your position as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy?"
"I guarantee it with the Anzhi Hall's reputation."
Liu Kangjian chuckled softly, thinking to himself, "They actually used such useless things as guarantees. Oh well, what choice do they have now?"