Chapter 1066: Chapter 1065: Senior Brother’s Punishnt
He knew that his own mother was a restless type who would be frustrated accompanying the old man back to their hotown, as the county was a small place.
But she was truly his own mother; even arriving at the county, she could cause a stir. He assud Lady Qi was bored, liked Wang Yongzhu, and thus took her along to open a shop, so he didn’t question it much.
His deanor beca more gentle as he treated Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin with more warmth.
After so idle chatter, Du Zhongjing, in high spirits, said: “I received father’s letter and estimated the days, you should be arriving soon. You have just arrived in the Capital City, haven’t you? It’s close to the year’s end, and accommodation is hard to find. Earlier, I had prepared a courtyard for you to stay, temporarily making it feel like ho.”
“It’s unfortunate that today, your second brother went to personally inspect so herbs to be supplied by the end of the year, and he won’t be back until tomorrow. It’s not too late to et him then. Where is your luggage now? I’ll instruct the servants to move it.”
Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu hurriedly stood up and thanked Du Zhongjing before saying, “Senior brother, we appreciate your kindness. We arrived in the Capital City last night, and as it was too late, we already booked a clean courtyard at the Yuelai Inn, which is quite convenient to stay at. Our family has already begun searching, and should a suitable house be found, we’ll either rent or purchase it.”
“We know senior brother treats us as part of the family, but we’re here in the Capital City for at least three to four months or possibly for over half a year. We also brought our elderly mother, uncle, and a few maids, making coming and going inconvenient. If we truly take advantage and stay at senior brother’s house, it would be rather shaless.”
“Moreover, Brother Song will sit for the Imperial Spring Examination next year, and classmates and friends often need to exchange visits. We’ll be fine, but if we mistakenly offend the rear courtyard of senior brother’s house, it would be our transgression. If Brother Song luckily passes as a Scholar and remains in the Capital City, we ultimately have to secure our own estate, as we can’t rely on senior brother’s house forever, can we?”
“Though we are villagers, we know that maintaining long-term relationships is not about living together. In the end, senior brother’s good intentions might be in vain.”
Initially, both Imperial Doctor Du and Lady Qi suggested that upon arriving in the Capital City, we would directly move into the Du Residence.
Nowadays, Wang Yongzhu is Imperial Doctor Du’s closed-door disciple, which makes their relationship almost like father and daughter, so staying at the Du Residence is only natural should Wang Yongzhu have nowhere to go in the Capital City.
However, Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu are not the type to live under soone else’s roof by nature. Even if staying temporarily, they would certainly feel restricted in soone’s ho.
It’s not just them — would Old Granny Zhang have to endure subservience at the Du Family? No matter how good the Du Family is, the disparity in status is significant, prompting situations where soone might act condescendingly.
There’s also Yang Zongbao, who wishes to expand his influence to the Capital City, likely requiring frequent outings with uncertain returns. It might be fine at ho, but in the Du Residence, a prolonged stay can provoke gossip, can’t it?
More importantly, there’s Duke Weiguo, Song Hong, looming like a sword over their heads, and it’s uncertain when it might descend.
Imperial Doctor Du truly cares for them, and they can’t bear to implicate the Du Family, being devoid of conscience.
Thus, they resolutely refused.
Imperial Doctor Du and Lady Qi couldn’t persuade them, so they acquiesced.
Du Zhongjing’s suggestion was rely out of respect for his parents and general hospitality for close friends, not expecting Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin’s firm refusal, so he accepted their decision.
Du Zhongjing turned around and instructed the butler to call his eldest son to et the guests. His eldest son, now fourteen, cos from a long line of dical practitioners but has never been fond of dicine from a young age. He has so literary talent, having recently passed the child prodigy exam, and is planning to sit for the Scholar examination in three years.
Du Zhongjing thought that since Song Chongjin has already passed as a Scholar and plans to participate in the Imperial Spring Examination next year, they’re in this together, so he should encourage his eldest son to interact more with Song Chongjin; surely they have much to discuss.
Du Zhongjing’s eldest son, Lord Du, had already been inford by the young servant that two guests had arrived at the house today, said to be from grandfather’s hotown, and were personally greeted by the master of the house.
He imdiately knew who they were since grandfather ntioned them in a letter days ago. Back then, his father said if they arrived, he should study diligently under this newly appointed teacher’s uncle.
He imdiately assud his father would call him to the front courtyard to et the guests, and he hurriedly instructed the young servant to change his clothes for seeing the guests. Sure enough, soone ca to call him shortly.
Arriving at the flower hall in the front courtyard, after exchanging formalities, Du Zhongjing waved his hand, gesturing his eldest son to take Song Chongjin for a tour in the courtyard, planning to evaluate whether this junior sister was indeed as his father ntioned in his letter.
Though Song Chongjin felt slightly uneasy, he said nothing, rely glanced at Wang Yongzhu and then rose to follow Lord Du out.
Leaving Wang Yongzhu alone, Du Zhongjing first asked what she had been studying and for how long.
Wang Yongzhu answered each question, while Du Zhongjing quizzed her on what she had learned and morized. There were no mistakes or omissions, indicating she had studied diligently, making him sowhat satisfied.
He then asked Wang Yongzhu if there was anything she didn’t understand.
Wang Yongzhu hesitated, watched closely by Du Zhongjing, who encouraged her: “Whatever you don’t understand, just speak up.”
Only then did Wang Yongzhu recount the incident of saving Xiao Qi on the road.
Du Zhongjing’s initially relaxed expression gradually grew serious, then shifted to an indescribable gravity.
After Wang Yongzhu finished, he looked at her for quite a while before saying: “Put your hand out; let check your pulse.”
Wang Yongzhu obediently extended her wrist.
Du Zhongjing closed his eyes and felt the pulse for a long ti, with no hint of expression on his face, and asked sternly: “How did you think of using Shaokun Powder?”
Wang Yongzhu answered honestly: “I had just morized the ‘Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases’ during those days, where it ntions that for patients with lingering cold-related illnesses, using this powder cures them. Additionally, the shortage of clothing and dicine on the ship, stuck in the wilderness, led to give it a try—”
Du Zhongjing, with a strict face, admonished: “You’ve only morized a few dical books, yet you dared to treat people? What if sothing went wrong? What if the treatnt failed? Did you consider that?”
Wang Yongzhu nodded: “I thought it over! At that mont, lives were hanging in the balance, not just one person, but thirty to forty lives on the ship. I thought if it worked, everyone would survive; if not, I had done my best. I couldn’t just watch people die, could I?”
Du Zhongjing’s lips twitched slightly, quickly compressing them again, keeping a strict face: “It’s a major taboo in dicine to act recklessly before being properly trained, daring to use dicine indiscriminately. Considering you’re young and inexperienced, not causing major trouble, you’ll be punished by copying the ‘Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases’ ten tis. Any objection?”
Wang Yongzhu, with a pout, looked at Du Zhongjing with grievance. If it were Imperial Doctor Du, she would have sweetly coaxed him into reducing the repetitions.
Unfortunately, this was Imperial Doctor Du’s son, her senior brother, and it was their first eting. Expecting her senior brother to teach her in the future, she couldn’t negotiate over her first punishnt, lest the first impression be unfavorable.
Therefore, she obediently agreed: “No objections.”
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