Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Counterattack

The clinic reeked of bitter herbs and hot steam. Tang Yi Xiao sat hunched by the bed, cradling a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other. He fed Tang Yi Chen one careful mouthful at a time, wiping the corner of his brother’s lips with his sleeve when the medicine dribbled out.

By the time Qin Hui Yin arrived with Tang Lu Wu and the others, Tang Yi Xiao’s tears were already falling—quiet at first, then unstoppable, splashing into the dark liquid as he kept forcing himself to go on.

“Younger Brother—what happened?” Tang Lu Wu rushed to the bedside.

Tang Yi Xiao turned, saw her, and crumpled. Like he’d finally found something he could lean on, he threw himself into her arms and sobbed until he couldn’t breathe. “Sister… Elder Brother was hurt so badly. He still hasn’t woken up.”

Qin Hui Yin’s chest tightened. “How did he get hurt?”

“I don’t know.” His voice broke. “I only know he… he dragged himself out of the Chen Family home. He ran into officers from the Patrol Inspector Office while they were on patrol. They brought him here. Chen Zhong Yi was arrested.”

Qin Hui Yin went straight to the physician. “Doctor—how is he?”

The physician’s face was grave. “The meridians near his heart were damaged. Whether he wakes depends on fate.”

“Use the best medicine,” Qin Hui Yin said, not caring how sharp her voice sounded. “Wake him up. Don’t worry about silver.”

The physician hesitated, then nodded. “All right. I’ll do my best.” He glanced around at the anxious faces crowding the bed. “But keep your voices down. He needs quiet.”

When he walked away, Qin Hui Yin pressed five taels of silver into Tang Lu Wu’s hands. “Hold this. If anything happens, you’ll have money ready.”

Tang Lu Wu’s eyes widened. “That’s too much. I can’t take—”

“Take it,” Qin Hui Yin cut in. “We’ll talk after your brother opens his eyes.”

She left Third Master Tang behind with them. Tang Lu Wu and Tang Yi Xiao were still young; fear made them wobble like saplings in a storm. An elder’s presence would keep the room from collapsing into panic.

Third Master Tang watched Qin Hui Yin stride out, brisk and decisive despite her age, and then looked back at Tang Lu Wu—only a year older, yet completely lost. He sighed, once again struck by how unusual that little miss was.

Qin Hui Yin went straight to the Patrol Inspector Office. After stating her identity and explaining her connection to Tang Yi Chen, she asked whether his injuries were tied to the Chen Family.

A middle-aged man stepped out from the inner rooms. He stopped when he heard her question and studied her. “How is your brother?”

Qin Hui Yin forced herself to bow neatly. “My lord, he still hasn’t woken up. Because he hasn’t woken, I don’t know what happened. Yesterday I took my sister to the county seat. We only just returned to town. I meant to check on him, but instead I heard he’d been badly hurt. I truly have no idea how it came to this.”

“We’ve already questioned several key servants from the Chen household.” His eyes sharpened. “Did your family once owe the Chen Family 50 taels of silver?”

“Yes.” Qin Hui Yin’s fingers clenched inside her sleeves. “My lord… is my brother’s injury connected to those 50 taels?”

“More or less,” Patrol Inspector Zhang said. “Your brother suspected the debt from the beginning and kept digging. He found the physician Chen Zhong Yi had bribed and pressured him into agreeing to testify. Then he took that physician to confront Chen Zhong Yi. Chen Zhong Yi, furious, tried to silence them. That’s how your brother escaped.”

So it really was tied to the debt.

Qin Hui Yin steadied her breathing. “My lord, how will this case be judged? My brother’s life is still uncertain. Doesn’t that count as attempted murder?”

“If it’s judged as intentional murder, the sentence is death.” Patrol Inspector Zhang’s tone stayed even. “Now it depends on your brother. If he dies, the other side gets death. If he lives, it’s exile.”

Qin Hui Yin went cold.

“And your brother needs treatment.” Patrol Inspector Zhang continued. “I’ve already ruled that the Chen Family must cover his medical expenses.”

“My lord—” A constable sprinted in, breathless. “Chen Zhong Yi was killed in prison.”

Patrol Inspector Zhang’s expression hardened. “Who did it?”

“Seems like someone he offended before. The two met inside and argued. In the shoving, Chen Zhong Yi hit the wall and died.”

Before Qin Hui Yin could even process that, another constable came rushing from the other direction. “My lord, the Chen Family moved out overnight. The house is empty.”

“They cleared out?”

“Chen Zhong Yi’s main wife left with the children. I heard she sold the mansion overnight. The silk shop owner bought it.”

Qin Hui Yin stood there, stunned.

[So much for birds of a feather—when disaster strikes, each flies off alone.]

Still… for someone married to Chen Zhong Yi, it made a grim kind of sense that his wife could stay that clear-headed.

But then another thought hit Qin Hui Yin, sharp and practical. If the Chen Family vanished, who was going to pay Tang Yi Chen’s medical bills now?

Chen Zhong Yi died in prison. The Chen household fled. In the blink of an eye, a case that should have gone to trial had turned into smoke—leaving only the victim behind.

“My lord,” Qin Hui Yin said carefully, “what about Chen Zhong Yi’s accomplices? The physician colluded with him, used the pretense of healing to charge outrageous fees and cheat patients—that’s a crime too. Chen Zhong Yi’s lackeys did plenty for him. They should be punished. And the one who deliberately stirred up trouble… he’s a culprit as well.”

Patrol Inspector Zhang’s gaze stayed steady on her. “Don’t worry. Not one of them will get away.”

Qin Hui Yin held his eyes. “My lord… the 50-tael debt. It’s been confirmed it was Chen Zhong Yi’s scheme. That means our family doesn’t have to carry it anymore, correct?”

“Of course.” Patrol Inspector Zhang didn’t even hesitate. “That debt is void. Your family doesn’t have to bear it. When your brother wakes, have him focus on earning his degree.”

On the way back to the clinic, Qin Hui Yin couldn’t stop turning his words over in her mind.

First: Chen Zhong Yi’s fraud had been exposed, and he’d lashed out. But swindling silver and stabbing someone were worlds apart. Would he really gamble his life on murder just to bury a money scheme? It felt… too reckless, even for him.

Second: Patrol Inspector Zhang spoke of Tang Yi Chen with a familiarity that didn’t fit a first meeting. There was admiration in his tone—almost certainty. Someone that smart, he’d said. How could he die young? Was that just encouragement… or was he hinting at something Qin Hui Yin couldn’t see yet?

When she reached the clinic, voices spilled into the courtyard before she even stepped inside.

“Thank goodness—Brother finally woke up!”

“Elder Brother, you scared us to death…”

Third Master Tang’s voice followed, stern and gruff. “Boy Chen, you’re usually steady as a rock. Why were you so reckless this time? If something happened to you, would it really just be about 50 taels?”

Tang Yi Chen sounded weak, but conscious. “I didn’t think it through. I’m sorry for worrying everyone.”

“Miss Hui Yin went to the Patrol Inspector Office for you,” Third Master Tang went on. “The moment she arrived, she started running around. Even if she isn’t your blood sister, she’s no different from one. You’d better treat her well from now on.”

“I understand, Third Grandpa.”

Qin Hui Yin stepped into the room and saw Tang Yi Chen’s eyes open—dull with pain, but open. Relief hit her so hard her knees nearly went soft.

“You’re awake,” she breathed.

Third Master Tang turned. “Miss Hui Yin, what did the Patrol Inspector Office say?”

Qin Hui Yin exhaled slowly, then said, “Chen Zhong Yi had bad luck. If he’d held on a little longer and the yamen saw Elder Brother wake up, at most they would’ve sentenced him to exile. But he was killed in prison by an old enemy. Since he’s dead, the patrol inspector says none of his accomplices will escape. He’ll send them to the County Yamen for judgment.”