Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 96

“You’re still talking about the law? Let me tell you the truth, my master has already spoken with the authorities! You think you can still live after killing our old master?” The family steward sneered viciously, waving his hand to signal his men to seize Yu Ruhai.

Several thuggish men stormed forward to grab Yu Ruhai. His face turned pale as a sheet as he muttered in a daze, “How could the medicine be fatal? I prescribed it based on Meng Yujiao’s formula…”

Old Madam Yu’s eyes lit up at those words, a plan forming in her mind. She pointed to Yu Jiao, who was standing at the doorway to the east room. “It was her! She wrote the prescription, it was her medicine that killed your old master! Don’t take my husband, take her instead! She’s the one responsible!”

Yu Ruhai’s cloudy old eyes flickered as he shouted toward Yu Jiao, struggling to stand. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t come up with the prescription! The treatment for the carbuncle was hers, she even healed the Mu family’s second master! If you want someone to blame, go after her!”

There she stood at the doorway, suddenly burdened with blame out of nowhere. Yu Jiao let out a cold laugh. What a fool Yu Ruhai was, he’d been practicing medicine all his life and still lacked the caution to avoid prescribing without proper diagnosis.

The thugs hesitated, unsure who they were supposed to grab now, glancing toward the He family steward for direction.

Even the steward hadn’t expected this turn. He frowned and looked Yu Jiao up and down. She looked no older than thirteen or fourteen. He cursed furiously, “Unbelievable, what kind of charlatan lets a little girl write prescriptions? So you really didn’t care if our old master lived or died! Grab them all and take them back to the residence!”

Two of the men moved toward Yu Jiao. Yu Qizhe instinctively stepped forward to shield her, his face cold. “She didn’t diagnose or treat anyone, this has nothing to do with her.”

One of the men shoved Yu Qizhe aside roughly. “Out of the way!”

Yu Qizhe stumbled, but Yu Jiao caught him. Before the men could lay hands on her, she calmly looked at the steward. “What illness did your old master have? I may have treated the Mu family’s second master’s carbuncle, but I never once saw your old master as a patient.”

The steward had indeed accompanied his master that day and hadn’t seen Yu Jiao. But his master had only sought treatment from the Yu family because he’d heard about her success with the Mu family, so she couldn’t be totally unrelated.

“Just bring them back and let my master decide!” the steward snapped. That was the whole point of coming here, to drag them back for judgment.

Without giving them a chance to speak, the men began forcing Yu Jiao and Yu Ruhai out of the yard. Madam Song and her husband tried to block them but were shoved violently to the ground.

Madam Zhao collapsed, crying helplessly. The courtyard was in complete chaos. Yu Jiao turned her head and glanced at Yu Qizhe, who was leaning against the east house’s stone wall, his refined features expressionless, his long, fox-like eyes fixed on her, filled with a complicated emotion.

Compared to Yu Ruhai’s panic and fear, Yu Jiao remained calm and composed.

Outside the courtyard, villagers had gathered after hearing the commotion. They murmured amongst themselves, sneaking glances at Yu Jiao with curious and wary expressions. 

So that’s Yu Wulang’s wife? Looks like she wasn’t just some quiet girl, she actually dared to write prescriptions and treat people. And now she’s caused someone’s death? If that’s true, the Yu family brought this on themselves.

Even Zhou Huai and his wife, whom Yu Jiao had saved, stood in the crowd. Their eyes met hers, but they quickly looked away, guilty and ashamed.

Suddenly, a man pushed through the crowd and blocked the He family’s path. The steward squinted and was stunned, it was Doctor Jiang from Huichun Hall! His previously fierce expression softened immediately, and he greeted respectfully, “Doctor Jiang? Aren’t you treating our old master at the residence? What are you doing here?”

Yu Jiao’s almond-shaped eyes lit up. So the He family’s old master isn’t dead yet?

Jiang Qinghe tidied his slightly disheveled robe from rushing over and looked at the bedraggled Yu Jiao and Yu Ruhai. He asked the steward, “What’s going on? Didn’t your master say it was Old Doctor Yu who prescribed the medicine? Why are you dragging Miss Meng into this?”

The steward quickly explained, “Doctor Jiang, you know this girl? The Yu family claimed she’s the one who wrote the prescription.”

Jiang Qinghe had already reviewed the prescription, and it was the same as the one used for the Mu family’s second master. But based on the instructions Yu Jiao had left for the apprentice that day, he was sure she would have been able to tell that the He family’s old master’s symptoms were different. He looked at Yu Jiao and asked, “Miss Meng, did you write the prescription for the He family’s old master?”

Yu Jiao shook her head. “I did not.”

Yu Ruhai saw her distancing herself from the situation and panicked, afraid the blame would fall solely on him. He immediately shouted, “How could you say that! I used your prescription from the Mu family! If the medicine caused problems, then your formula must be at fault!”

Jiang Qinghe relaxed upon hearing that and chuckled lightly. “You’re a disgrace of a physician. The He family’s old master had a weak pulse, entirely different from the Mu family’s second master. How could his body possibly handle that treatment?”

Embarrassed by such public criticism, Yu Ruhai flushed red but didn’t dare say a word.

“It’s this quack who caused all the trouble. Let Miss Meng go, how can you treat her like this?” Jiang Qinghe spoke protectively of Yujiao.

The steward looked conflicted. “But Doctor Jiang, the prescription came from her, it’s not like she’s completely uninvolved. I have to take her back for my master to question.”

“Steward He, a word in private,” Jiang Qinghe said, motioning him aside.

After some hesitation, the steward walked over. Jiang lowered his voice. “You don’t know this, but this girl’s medical skills are exceptional. I’ve only managed to keep your old master alive temporarily. If you really want to cure him, you’ll need her help.”

The steward looked skeptical. He squinted at Yu Jiao and muttered, “A little girl like her has better skills than you? Don’t try to fool me.”

“She cured the Mu family’s second master. If your old master had seen her instead of that quack Yu, we wouldn’t be in this mess. He’d probably be fully recovered by now.”

Jiang Qinghe genuinely believed in Yu Jiao’s talent and hoped to bring her into Huichun Hall, which was why he spoke up on her behalf.

“Seriously?” The steward thought for a moment. “Either way, I still need to bring her to the estate. But if she really can save my master, I’m sure he won’t mistreat her.”

“Then at least be polite. She’s just a girl, she’s not going to run. No need to drag her like a criminal.” Jiang Qinghe replied.

The steward frowned, staring at Yu Jiao for a while. What Doctor Jiang said made sense. If the girl really could cure the old master, his own master might even treat her as an honored guest. No need to offend her too early. She looked fragile enough to blow away in the wind, no threat even if she wasn’t restrained.

He waved at the two men holding her. “Let her go. Invite Miss Meng to come with us to the estate.”

Yu Ruhai, watching Jiang Qinghe whisper to the steward and then seeing the steward change his tone, was struck with panic. He guessed that maybe the He family was now pinning all the blame on him. His mind reeled, his vision darkened and with a thud, he fainted on the spot.