I don't know how much time had passed when the boat seemed to hit something. Ye Zhinan carefully lifted her head from the boat. The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was cloudless. There was no sound of arrows or the noise of extinguishing fires around. It was so quiet that it felt as if the world no longer existed.
At the same time, Ye Shenyan also sat up. "We've reached the shore."
Han Xiangmei also sat up and carefully observed the surroundings. She nodded. "We've reached the shore, and we've already entered the capital."
Ye Zhinan stared blankly into the distance.
Are you okay? You must stay alive!
I don't know how much time had passed when a group of people in official uniforms suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Grand Tutor Ye, you've suffered. I heard that you encountered assassins on the way. I've already reported this to His Majesty, and we will surely get to the bottom of this."
"Thank you, Vice Minister Wen." Ye Shenyan clasped his hands together to thank the man in front of him.
This man was Wen Jinwen, the vice minister of the Supreme Court of Judicature, and also an old friend of Grand Tutor Ye. He was ordered to pick them up this time. Unexpectedly, seeing the Ye family in such a sorry state, he first arranged for the three of them to stay in his mansion. After the Grand Tutor's Mansion was cleaned up, he would send them back.
After Ye Zhinan returned to the capital, she hadn't seen Qin Yihuai. Unable to wait any longer, she asked Wen Jinwen about him.
"Sir Wen, do you have any news about Qin Yihuai?"
Wen Jinwen was gentle and elegant, with deep eyes. Years of experience in the officialdom had made it difficult to fathom his thoughts. "There's no news about Lord Qin. However, I heard that there were indeed casualties. Don't worry too much, miss. I've already sent people to look for him. I believe we'll get news soon."
Although Ye Zhinan was anxious, she couldn't ask too much. After her father returned to the capital, he was busy with state affairs and often left early and returned late. She could only find a way to inquire about Qin Yihuai's whereabouts by herself.
Walking on the streets of the capital, everything seemed familiar, yet everything had changed.
The dried fruit shop she used to like the most had changed owners and become a wine shop.
The owner of the cloth shop her mother often visited didn't recognize her face. He even gossiped with her about the rumor of the grand tutor's return to the court.
When she walked into Shou'an Hall with a nervous heart, a young apprentice greeted her.
"May I ask what's wrong with you, miss? Our doctor has gone out on a house call. If you can bear it, you can sit down and have a cup of hot tea and wait. If you're really uncomfortable, you can go to Doctor Liu next door. He's seeing patients in the clinic now."
The young apprentice's words were kind, and his eyes were clear. He was truly pure and flawless.
Ye Zhinan smiled slightly and sat down. "Bring me a cup of tea, please."
The young apprentice was dazzled by that bright smile. He happily went to pour the tea. After a while, he was running back with a teapot in his hand when he accidentally bumped into a woman coming out from inside.
"Slow down. Don't be so careless or you'll bump into someone again."
Although the woman's words were a scolding, her voice was very gentle. The young apprentice scratched his head and replied, "There's a girl as beautiful as a celestial being over there, so I was in a hurry."
This young apprentice was really straightforward.
Ye Zhinan was secretly happy when she heard his words.
When the young apprentice walked over, revealing the woman behind him, she finally saw clearly. "Master's wife!"
Hearing this call, the woman was first stunned, then quickly stepped forward. "Oh, Nannan, you're really back!"
Looking at the red - rimmed eyes of her master's wife, Ye Zhinan felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She had left in a hurry back then without even saying goodbye. She thought she would never see them again in this lifetime. Unexpectedly, life was like a play, and the play had come true.
"We just got back, and we came to see you and master right away. How are you two?"
Ye Zhinan sized up her master's wife. Although her temples were all white, her complexion was very good. Seeing this, she felt relieved.
Shou'an Hall was the first medical clinic where she had apprenticed. Her master, Liu Shantang, and her master's wife, Zhao Ruolan, had treated her like their own daughter. If it hadn't been for the sudden exile, the young apprentice wouldn't have failed to recognize her.
A gentle smile appeared on Zhao Ruolan's kind face. She pulled Ye Zhinan to chat and told her all the things that had happened in the capital recently.
I don't know how much time had passed when Liu Shantang came back. As soon as he entered the door, the young apprentice quickly told him that Ye Zhinan had come.
"Nannan's back?!" Liu Shantang had a loud voice. His voice came before he did. Ye Zhinan went out to greet him when she heard the voice. "Master, long time no see. You've put on some weight." As she said this, she playfully pinched her master's big belly.
Liu Shantang wasn't angry. He happily grabbed Ye Zhinan's wrist and felt her pulse.
"Not bad. You're in good health. You didn't suffer much in the Northern Border!"
He joked and put down his hand.
Ye Zhinan pouted. "How could I not have suffered? My butt was bruised as soon as I got there, and I almost didn't come back!"
As she said this, she told him what had happened again. Liu Shantang was already extremely angry when he heard this. "What's going on? They actually bullied my apprentice. Don't be afraid, master will support you. I'll send someone to find out the origin of those black - clothed men right away."
Liu Shantang was not just an ordinary doctor. He had a very deep background.
Ye Zhinan listened and held her master's hand, with admiration and gratitude in her eyes. "Apprentice has something to ask of you. Can you help me find a man named Qin Yihuai?"
Liu Shantang didn't hesitate at all and clapped his hands in agreement. "Don't worry. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
"I knew it was right to come to master!" Ye Zhinan was extremely grateful and almost knelt down to kowtow.
Liu Shantang suddenly seemed to remember something and said sharply, "I just remembered. There's something I need to confirm with you."
"Master, just say the word. I'll do anything for you even if it means sacrificing my life!"
"Spit, spit, spit. Quickly knock on the table. Who said you should die?" Zhao Ruolan pulled Ye Zhinan's hand and knocked on the table twice. She was quite superstitious about that inauspicious word.
Ye Zhinan realized her slip of the tongue and knocked on the table twice more, making her hands hurt.
Liu Shantang said anxiously, "Don't be so busy knocking on the table. Listen to me, Nannan. Did you sell an Elixir of Rejuvenation?"
"What the hell?"
Ye Zhinan was stunned. Did people in this era really believe in such things? In modern times, high - tech could fake people's faces, but where did the people in ancient times get the courage and high - tech?
Liu Shantang slapped the table. "I knew it. How could you sell something so unprofessional? Old Li, who lives two streets away, swore to me that you did."
Ye Zhinan thought for a moment. "Old Li? The one from Li's Pharmacy? Who did he hear it from?"
"He heard it from Sister Li on the next street. She seems to have bought that elixir and spent a lot of silver."
Liu Shantang became more and more serious as he spoke. "I definitely don't believe it was you who did it. But that old Li also said it was the Divine Doctor Ye who returned from the Northern Border. I hesitated. I thought that maybe you had developed something new, and I didn't want to ruin your business. It's just the price. I need to talk to you about it."
Ye Zhinan shook her head repeatedly. "It wasn't me, it wasn't me. But after hearing what you said, I know who did it."
Apart from that person, who else could have done such a thing?