The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 120

Chapter 120: Rumors Arise

After obtaining the confession and the divorce papers, they left the villa. Yuan Rujing remained silent the entire way, lost in deep thought.

“Aunt Rujing, don’t blame me for forcing you to make a decision so quickly, because we don’t have much time…”

“I know, A’yu. I’m actually very grateful to you. I was just unable to accept what happened just now for a moment. I didn’t expect Fan Yong to be such a hypocrite. It’s truly my fault for misjudging him. If A’yuan had followed such a father, who knows what kind of life she would have had in the future…”

Speaking of this, she looked at Xiao Jinyu with guilt, “What I didn’t expect was that the reason the Fan family agreed to this marriage was to try to get information about your mother from me. They… they wouldn’t even let your mother rest in peace after she went to Qi… They still wanted to use information about your mother to gain merit… It’s truly ridiculous!”

“It is indeed utterly ridiculous!”

Unconsciously, Xiao Jinyu also sighed, thinking that everything her mother, Xiao Luan, had suffered could be described as “shameless and despicable” schemes.

“A’yu—”

Yuan Rujing called out with even more guilt.

Xiao Jinyu came back to her senses and said, “Forget it, all of this is in the past, it’s not worth dwelling on. What’s important is the present and the future!”

Yuan Rujing nodded tearfully.

“Let’s go back! We need to start planning our next move!”

Xiao Jinyu said, then looked at Fenghuang, “Send a message to Young Master Li and Young Master Cui, it’s their turn to take the stage!”

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When the carrier pigeon arrived at the inn where Li Mi and Cui Heng were staying, the two were playing Go. Suddenly, a white pigeon landed on the windowsill, its little white head turning around curiously. Li Mi curiously caught the pigeon, took off the note tied to its leg, and opened it to read.

Upon reading it, he couldn’t help but show a look of surprise.

“I didn’t expect this young lady to find a witness so quickly. Now it’s our turn to borrow a knife for her! Just thinking about it is a little exciting, Third Young Master, don’t you think?”

Third Young Master Cui was still frowning and staring at the Go board, not responding.

“Third Young Master, I’m talking to you, what are you thinking about?”

Third Young Master Cui, who had been nudged, finally placed a stone and looked up.

“I’m thinking that just borrowing a knife is not enough, we should also cut off one of his wings! Since we’re helping, we should go all the way!”

“Naturally!”

“Third Young Master, do you know what kind of nursery rhyme is circulating in the streets and alleys now?”

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“One foot of cloth, can still be sewn; one peck of grain, can still be pounded, two brothers cannot get along!”

“Taiwei dim, arrow star appears, thousand-year-old skull grows sharp teeth, tomb-raiding prince plots against the Eastern Palace!”

In just five days, this nursery rhyme had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Jiankang City. Since ancient times, folk nursery rhymes have spread extremely quickly, and even the government is powerless to stop them.

When Sima Yu, the Crown Prince of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, was falsely accused of rebellion by Empress Jia Nanfeng, there was a folk song that went: “South wind rises and blows white sand, looking afar at the state of Lu, towering and majestic, thousand-year-old skull grows teeth.”

It was a satire of Jia Nanfeng and her nephew Jia Mi conspiring to harm the Crown Prince, disregarding human life, like a monstrous skull that had come to life.

“Now this nursery rhyme has a similar effect, also satirizing this tomb-raiding Prince of Shixing for disregarding human life and plotting to usurp the position of the Crown Prince!”

In the Prince of Shixing’s residence, Prince of Changsha also recited this nursery rhyme three times in front of Prince of Shixing Chen Shuling, until Chen Shuling’s face grew darker and darker.

Prince of Changsha Chen Shujian laughed heartily, then put on a look of admonition and lament.

“Imperial Brother, it’s fine that you’re lecherous, but aren’t the hundreds of beauties in this mansion enough for you to play with? Why did you have to provoke a young boy who only knows martial arts and not romance? Look, there’s a knife hanging over your head because of lust, you’ve played yourself into this situation!”

Chen Shuling still couldn’t get out of bed. Every time he moved slightly, he felt a sharp pain in his lower body. Hearing Prince of Changsha’s taunt, he became agitated and wanted to get up and beat him, but before he could move an inch, he let out a heart-wrenching scream.

“Someone, kill him for me!”

Chen Shujian immediately shouted, “Help! Imperial Brother wants to kill me! Imperial Brother wants to kill me!”

“Someone come quickly! Escort me back to the palace! I want to see Father Emperor!”

Hearing Chen Shujian’s exaggerated howling, Chen Shuling became even angrier, but he couldn’t move, and he couldn’t really kill his fourth brother Chen Shujian so openly.

✿✿✿

If he did, he would have fallen right into his trap, clearly showing that he had the ambition to harm his brother and usurp the position of the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, you need to endure this period of time. Although what’s being spread is a nursery rhyme, since ancient times, the impact of nursery rhymes has been immense. It has caused emperors and ministers to become estranged, and countless loyal officials have been unjustly killed. What’s more, this nursery rhyme points to you and the Crown Prince!”

Advisor Wei Liang persuaded.

“Do you think I don’t know that? If I didn’t, I would have killed that bastard Chen Shujian today!”

“Your Highness, Prince of Changsha is just an unfavored prince. His mother was originally just a maidservant in a tavern in Wu Commandery. She had an affair with His Majesty in her early years and gave birth to Prince of Changsha. She cannot be compared to your mother. Why do you always have to make things difficult for him?”

“It’s not that I’m making things difficult for him, it’s that he’s always against me! Forget it, let’s not talk about this anymore. How’s that thing I asked you to do going?”

“Eunuch Dai has secretly sent messages to the various generals. Please rest assured, Your Highness, this matter is being handled with great secrecy, no one will know.”

“What about my injury? Why hasn’t Imperial Physician Yao come today? It’s been five days, why am I not getting any better?”

“And that bitch Xiao Jinyu and the slave by her side, I can’t swallow this anger. After I recover, I will definitely capture them both and make them wish they were dead!”

As Chen Shuling continued to curse, Wei Liang originally wanted to advise him, but seeing his ferocious expression and remembering the maidservant who had been killed before, he quickly shut his mouth.

“Your Highness, the prescription is here!”

At this moment, a eunuch rushed in with great excitement, holding a prescription in his hand, and said, “Your Highness, Noble Consort Peng ordered this old slave to ask Princess Yunyin for this prescription. I heard that Eighth Young Master Xiao recovered from his illness thanks to this prescription. Your Highness, why not give it a try?”

“Go get Yao Boshen and have him take a look to see if this prescription can be used!”

“Yes!”

✿✿✿

After Chen Shujian left the Prince of Shixing’s residence, he was in high spirits. In the past, when competing for favor in front of Father Emperor, he always came up short. Father Emperor’s favoritism towards his second brother Chen Shuling was truly unreasonable.

Today, seeing this arrogant and domineering Prince of Shixing actually bedridden and in such a sorry state, and injured in such a place, it was so comical and ridiculous that his mood improved considerably.

“Let’s go, I’m happy today, let’s go to Apricot Blossom and Misty Rain Tower!”

Apricot Blossom and Misty Rain Tower recently added a new game called Leaf Card Numerology, which uses astrology, yin and yang, the five elements, the heavenly stems and earthly branches to predict the fate of individuals and even nations.

Chen Shujian was a person who loved numerology. When he arrived at the private room and saw that the guests inside were playing this game, his eyes lit up, and he became very interested. He looked around and saw a person sitting in a corner, staring at the leaf cards in his hand in a daze. He quickly walked towards that person.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that this person was actually Cui Heng, a scholar from the Boling Cui Clan who had come from the north.

“So it’s Cui Ziyun from the Boling Cui Clan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard that Young Master Cui is learned and talented. Could it be that you’re also very proficient in numerology?”

Chen Shujian asked first. He had also heard about how Cui Ziyun had participated in a famous Buddhist debate in Daliang when he was young, and was on par with Xie Yuqing, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Chenjun Xie Clan at that time. He admired him very much and naturally developed a good impression of Cui Ziyun.

“Prince of Changsha!”

Cui Heng stood up and bowed.

Seeing his gentle and refined demeanor, Chen Shujian was even more delighted. He hurriedly said, “Young Master Cui, please sit down! Zicheng just happens to want to discuss numerology and destiny with Young Master Cui!”

“Alright! Your Highness, please go first!”

Cui Heng explained the rules of the game to Chen Shujian and then they started playing. As they were playing, Chen Shujian suddenly asked, “Young Master Cui is so knowledgeable in numerology, could you use numerology to see what Zicheng’s fate will be like in the future?”

“Naturally, Your Highness, what aspect of your fate do you want to know? Please draw a card at random from these leaf cards!”

After saying that, Cui Heng spread out several leaf cards on the table. Chen Shujian hesitated for a moment before choosing a card with the character “Loyalty” on it.

“What does this mean?” Chen Shujian asked.

Cui Heng smiled and replied, “Congratulations, Your Highness, as long as you are a loyal subject, help your master find the traitor, eliminate the rebels, you will enjoy wealth and honor in the future and have nothing to worry about!”

“Then how do I find the traitor and eliminate the rebels?”