Chapter 160
Chapter 160: Meng Family’s Dirty Trick
Xia Meng Yan heard the commotion and slowly opened her eyes.
Nanny Song parted the curtains and helped her sit up: “There is a man lying at the Lin Family’s gate. He says he is a well-known scholar from Man Lin City. Half a month ago, while climbing the mountain to pick medicine for his mother, he hurt his leg. He went from clinic to clinic, but no one could help. After hearing that Divine Physician Luo is at the Lin Family, he came early this morning to ask for a meeting.”
Xia Meng Yan frowned. [A talented scholar and a filial son. Throw those two labels at the Lin Family’s door, and we do not even need the Meng Family to act. The people of Man Lin City could drown the Lin Family with spit.]
She asked: “What did Uncle say?”
Nanny Song answered: “The steward is at the gate calming the crowd, and a serving lad has gone to invite the Eldest Master.”
Xia Meng Yan said: “Send people to watch the gate. Do not let anyone hurt Uncle.”
Startled, Nanny Song asked: “Miss, do you mean someone will use this chance to harm the Eldest Master?”
Xia Meng Yan was not sure. [They want to smear the Lin Family’s name and force the master to act. If he refuses, the crowd could get worked up. An ‘accidental’ injury to Uncle would also serve their plan.] She said: “Just in case, send more men. Protect Uncle well.”
“This old servant will go now,” said Nanny Song, hurrying toward the gate.
After dressing, Xia Meng Yan took Chun Yue to the old madam’s courtyard. She had not expected to find Madam Jia, the second madam, and the third madam already there.
Matriarch Lin asked with concern when she saw Xia Meng Yan supporting her pregnant belly, and she signaled a maid to help: “Why did you come?”
Letting the maid steady her, Xia Meng Yan sat beside Matriarch Lin: “With such a big matter outside, I was worried about you, Grandmother.”
Matriarch Lin held Xia Meng Yan’s hand, her eyes warm as if looking at her own daughter: “I have weathered many storms. This small thing does not trouble me. I only fear Divine Physician Luo will distance himself from the Lin Family because of this.”
There are countless physicians in the world, but the ones who can truly save lives are rare, and those who can bring back the dying are as rare as phoenix feathers. Since the Lin Family has met such a person, they must treat him well. Even if they cannot keep him for themselves, they must not offend him. Everyone present understood this.
Xia Meng Yan squeezed the matriarch’s hand to comfort her: “Do not worry, Grandmother. Divine Physician Luo is fair-minded. He will not blame the Lin Family.”
“You cannot say that,” said Madam Jia. She had heard the ruckus even before she rose and still looked shaken. “The Meng Family believes the Lin Family blocked Divine Physician Luo from treating people. Divine Physician Luo believes the Lin Family betrayed his location. Now we offend both sides.”
When she finished, she looked at the second madam: “Sister-in-law, what do you say?”
People in the Lin Manor suspected the second madam had leaked Divine Physician Luo’s whereabouts, but there was no proof. The second madam had heard the rumors too. She turned to Matriarch Lin: “Mother, this has nothing to do with our branch. Please believe us.”
Who would have thought the Meng Family would be this vicious, throwing a man right at their gate? If Divine Physician Luo treated the man at the door, countless more would follow. How would he be different from an ordinary physician then? She regretted ever speaking to help the Meng Family ask questions. Now she had brought trouble on herself.
Seeing the second madam falter, Madam Jia was secretly pleased: “You say it did not happen, and we should believe you? Eldest Master did not want a scene, but that does not mean the matter of trying to entice Divine Physician Luo never took place.”
“Elder sister-in-law, you…” The second madam wanted to argue, but the facts were there. Because of this matter, she had already lost the right to manage the household and the second lord had scolded her.
“Enough,” Matriarch Lin said coldly. “This is not the time to pass blame. Think about how to handle the trouble outside.”
Divine Physician Luo must not be offended.
While gently patting the matriarch’s back, Xia Meng Yan smiled: “With Uncle there, it will be solved soon.”
“Let us hope so,” said the matriarch.
At that moment, crowds packed the Lin Family’s gate. The Eldest Master stood on the steps, looking down at the man lying on a stretcher.
He said, calm and firm: “It is not that the Lin Family refuses. It is that Divine Physician Luo sees no one, and there is nothing the Lin Family can do.”
The man pushed himself up with effort and knelt toward the Eldest Master: “Please, Master Lin. As long as you speak for me, Divine Physician Luo will surely agree. Next spring is the Spring Imperial Examination. If my leg is not healed, my life is over.”
People in the crowd chimed in: “Yes. Since Divine Physician Luo lives with the Lin Family, he will give the Lin Family face. If Master Lin speaks, he will agree.”
More voices rose: “Right. Young Master Li hurt his leg while picking medicine for his mother. Will the Lin Family watch him regret it for life?”
“It is only a word from you. Why be so stingy?”
“I say it is the Lin Family blocking him. Divine Physician Luo has treated people for years. He never made it hard for anyone.”
The crowd’s talk rose and fell, most of it blaming the Lin Family.
Standing on the steps, the Eldest Master narrowed his eyes. He noticed several people in the crowd looking away and understood that someone was fanning the flames.
He clasped his hands behind his back, his voice carrying an undeniable weight: “Let me ask only one thing. If the Lin Family pleads for Young Master Li today, will no one else come to ask for treatment in the future?”
For a moment, those below did not know how to answer.
Young Master Li was only the first opening. Once opened, who would not want Divine Physician Luo to treat them? But no one dared to admit that now.
The Eldest Master said: “You all know the truth. In recent years, Divine Physician Luo has not been the one treating people most of the time. His disciples act for him. He is only staying at the Lin Family for a while. Forcing him like this is no different from robbery.”
Young Master Li waved his hands quickly, flustered: “Master Lin, you mistake me. I do not want to make things hard for Divine Physician Luo, and I do not want to offend the Lin Family. I have no other way, so I came to your gate.”
“Oh? No other way?” The Eldest Master’s tone stayed cool. “As I understand it, you were hurt half a month ago and have been resting at home. There was no ‘no way to seek help’ as you claim.” He had the connections and methods of a man who thrived in business. By now, he had already investigated Young Master Li’s situation.
Young Master Li’s eyes darted: “That is false. My family did look for physicians.”
“Is that so? I am only curious. If your family looked for physicians, why did your money keep growing?” At his signal, a man was dragged into view and tossed before the crowd. Seeing Young Master Li, the man crawled toward him crying: “Brother, help me. These men are bandits. They broke into our house and took that one hundred taels…”
“Shut up!” Young Master Li shouted, but it was too late.
Smiling slightly, the Eldest Master walked down the steps: “One hundred taels. As far as I know, before your leg injury, your family was already struggling. You either studied or copied books for the bookstore to help with money. After your injury, your family spent all savings to treat your leg. By reason, you should have nothing left. So how did a one-hundred-tael banknote appear in your home?”
The onlookers began to whisper.
“Young Master Li’s family is indeed poor. I heard they had no money left long ago. Then where did the hundred taels come from?”
“Exactly. With that kind of money, what physician could you not hire? Why must it be Divine Physician Luo?”
“If the leg came from picking medicine, it is not like a broken limb. Why insist on Divine Physician Luo? I think he wants to cause trouble for the Lin Family.”
Hearing the voices around him, Young Master Li’s face flushed and paled by turns: “It is not what you think…”
The Eldest Master turned to the crowd and raised his voice: “Since Divine Physician Luo’s whereabouts were exposed, many people have come to seek him. Following his wish, the Lin Family refused them one by one. Some people, when open requests failed, turned to secret tricks. Two days ago, someone bribed a Lin Manor maid to drug Divine Physician Luo and planned to abduct him. Thankfully, the Lin Family discovered it in time and caught them. I did not expect that only a few days later, someone would think up a new way to force a meeting. Since everyone is here, help the Lin Family decide: do we betray Divine Physician Luo to protect ourselves, or do we keep our word and protect his safety?”
The crowd fell silent.