Rebirth: My Healer Wife Owns Superpowers

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Has he gotten married?
 

The next day, at noon, a list suddenly appeared in the streets and alleys of Longnan County Government, detailing the missing items from Hu Chengxuan’s warehouse.

It read:

“I am the chivalrous thief Liao Sanbian. Frowning upon hearing about Hu Chengxuan’s embezzlement of military funds and personal use of public assets, I decided to investigate his household two days ago. Little did I expect that on that very night, thunder and lightning would strike, demolishing the iron doors of the warehouse. Thus, I was able to enter and take away ten million taels’ worth of silver notes. When I left, there were countless pieces of gold, and silver piled into hills, as well as numerous treasures. Among them, there were ten large boxes of pearls the size of a hen’s eggs. Folks, just think about it, Hu Chengxuan is neither the Emperor nor a wealthy merchant, so where did all this silver come from?”

Furthermore, the ten million taels I took will be returned in full when the villagers encounter a catastrophe, to help the people in need.

The note was signed by the Chivalrous Thief Liao Sanbian.

The citizens of Longnan County Government were in an uproar and gathered around the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office to start a denunciation campaign.

As the Prefectural Governor of the region, Chu Yuntian had no control over the military, but he still had the right to investigate Hu Chengxuan’s corruption, so he also went to the scene with his soldiers.

Suddenly, Hu Chengxuan’s official reputation and public favor both came under great scrutiny.

So angry that he was cursing in his house and did not dare to go out, Hu Chengxuan had no more intention to trouble Qi Yue.

Just ten days later, a fully armed force of disreputable characters arrived at Longnan County Government, reputedly to investigate Hu Chengxuan’s siphoning of military funds.

Once the disreputable men arrived, the people dared not speak anymore.

Two days later, Hu Chengxuan publicly claimed that he had always been honest and upright in his office, and that the list was nothing but slander, asserting that there was nothing in his warehouse at all.

The results of the disreputable men’s investigation were also immediately announced.

The gist of it was that according to their investigation, there was no one on earth named Liao Sanbian, and he certainly would not use the stolen goods for the benefit of the people, thus everything was a false accusation.

Although the people knew all of this was untrue, they were powerless to do anything.

Perhaps it was fate, but the day after the disreputable men’s announcement, a pouring rain began to fall on Longnan County Government.

The rain lasted for four days and nights; the flood rose violently. Longnan County, being on high ground, was not badly affected, but more than fifty surrounding towns were hit by flooding.

Fortunately, Longnan Ridge was accustomed to flood disasters, and every household had built loft floors for flood evasion, so the death toll was not high.

However, the flood had submerged houses and fields, livestock, and more than half of the villages didn’t have even a bowl of rice left for cooking.

After the flood, when people were busy rebuilding their homes, Liao Sanbian showed up again.

Letters were posted in the streets and lanes.

They read:

“Dear villagers, I am Liao Sanbian. In this time of great disaster, I have fulfilled my promise and placed the ten million taels of silver notes obtained last time from the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office in the grand hall of the Prefectural Office. I beseech the Prefectural Governor to use it for disaster relief.”

The citizens rushed to the streets and went to the Prefectural Office in groups to verify the claim.

Upon learning that Chu Yuntian had indeed received a large box filled with silver notes, the people were once again astounded.

For a while, Liao Sanbian’s reputation even eclipsed the fame of Qi Yue as the Divine Doctor, instantly becoming the people’s favorite.

And the once-settled theft incident at the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office was brought up once again.

“With the chivalrous thief’s move, doesn’t it just prove that Hu Chengxuan has been lying all along?”

“It’s obvious, that man Hu is clearly crying ‘stop thief’!”

“…A bunch of the same ilk, luckily we have the Chivalrous Thief!”

“Yes, if it weren’t for the Chivalrous Thief, we wouldn’t even know how to cope!”

“Shush, be careful. Didn’t you see that the disreputable men are siding with him? Beware you might not make it through the night…”

Qi Yue was very satisfied with this outcome.

Now that Hu Chengxuan had his hands full, having to deal with the Imperial Court above and facing the dawn of the people of Longnan below, and with Hu Keqing’s wedding date approaching, Qi Yue surmised he would use this marriage to gain a foothold and stabilize his position for the time being, not having the capacity to be concerned about her.

As for Qing Nanzun, the soldiers sent by Chu Yuntian nearly captured her, but she ultimately escaped.

Seizing this break, Qi Yue vigorously established her medicine factory.

The arrival of Huang Zai’an eased her workload. He not only helped her settle on the formulas but also took over the task of training apprentices.

Soon, the first batch of commonly used patent medicine formulas was decided.

Primarily there were Trauma Pills, Typhoid Powder, Cough Relief, Diarrhea Remedy, Fever-Reducing Water, Heat-Relief Elixir, and Mosquito-Repellent Cooling Oil—these seven kinds.

Although the first batch of patent medicines had only seven varieties, they essentially covered the daily medication needs of the common people.

The formulas had been adjusted so that not only adults could use them, but children as well, with just a reduction in dosage as necessary.

As for the location of the drug factory, Qi Yue had set it up in the rear courtyard of the dispensary.

In the past when building the dispensary, many sick wards were constructed in the rear courtyard, originally intended for patient stays. But since most patients were locals who could come and go as they pleased, half of the wards remained empty most of the time, and were now conveniently repurposed for making medicines.

With seven categories of medicines, the drug factory was divided into seven departments, named after Trauma, Typhoid, and Cough, respectively. Each department’s personnel were fixed and did not interconnect with one another.

All they had to do was follow the steps—picking the herbs, grinding them into powder, refining, etc.,—to make the pills or concoctions.

Everything was progressing in a tense and orderly manner, and at the busiest times, Qi Yue even forgot about Zhao Xiyan.

But once she stepped out of the dispensary, upon seeing several people of varying heights and sizes, the name Zhao Xiyan would buzz into her heart like tiny creatures with feet.

These people were also annoying.

Knowing full well that she had seen through their identities, they still wouldn’t leave, settling in as if they had every right to, as if she truly was their lord and master.

She had been waiting for these four individuals to speak of Zhao Xiyan’s affairs, but their lips seemed sealed with tape, showing no intentions of confiding in her.

The more it went unsaid, the heavier the curiosity in her heart grew.

Had Zhao Xiyan married? Why had he come secretly to the Longnan County Government and lingered without departing? Was it for the National Treasure?

Was he here alone? Or had he brought his Lady Bai Shao?

She wanted to ask, but at the same time, she feared hearing news of his dalliances with another.

Being busy was one thing, but the moment her thoughts were idle, these questions would churn endlessly in her heart.

That day, as she left the dispensary and the sky had darkened, the tall, short, plump, and thin quartet had already been waiting outside.

Upon seeing her emerge, the tall one immediately came forward with a lantern.

“My lord, please watch your step.”

She walked in silence, following the path thrown into relief by the lantern light, but once again her thoughts began to stir.

Since that time when she inadvertently glimpsed his shadow, she hadn’t seen him again.

He must be busy, she thought.

Wanted to see him.

Even if just for a moment.

Once again, she cast her gaze towards the large tree hundreds of meters away, where he had stood the previous time.

With a clatter, her foot slipped, and she nearly fell, but a pair of strong hands swiftly caught her arm.

When she looked up, it was the tall one.

Since they had stayed on, these men had removed their face cloths and bamboo hats, all revealing solid, resolute soldiers’ faces.

In that moment of eye contact, the tall one hastily looked down.

“My lord, your servant deserves death.”

Qi Yue indifferently drew back her arm.

“You’re mistaken, there are no generals here, and you need not call yourself a servant.”

“Yes, my lord, this lowly one deserves death.”

For some reason, a powerful impulse surged through Qi Yue’s heart in that moment.

Without further deliberation or reflection, she blurted out, “Has he gotten married?”