CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 527: SPEAK LESS OF OTHERS’ RIGHTS AND WRONGS

"That little girl is unduly aggressive. It’s clear she has always been a fierce character; at such a young age, she’s like this. What will become of her in the future? It’s simply unfortunate for those two, suffering such misfortune and still having to endure her humiliation."

Qiong Kong couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

But in the next instant, with a ’snap’, Cui Yun raised his hand to close the window.

He looked at Qiong Kong with a half-smiling, half-mocking expression.

"Speak less of others’ rights and wrongs."

Qiong Kong fell silent and quickly retreated.

If it were the Heir of Prince Gong, he would have rushed downstairs by now, overflowing with goodwill, taking up their defense, dealing with that brazen girl, and personally escorting the two sisters away.

But look at their Second Young Master, with his cold and hard heart.

It’s clear he won’t be one to cherish or show tenderness towards women in the future.

What? Does he expect to encounter someone of his kind and find mutual understanding?

"My Lord was certainly not speaking up for that little girl."

Ji Qing scornfully replied: "Use your brain to think. If that little girl was truly vicious and hurtful, and the other two couldn’t dodge in time, why would they still eagerly seek out a beating and insist on provoking her?"

Isn’t that just sick!

In his view, it was actually another person who did it on purpose, aiming to infuriate Shen Hua.

There must be something fishy going on.

Those girls who deliberately act weak and helpless are indeed not few in number.

Especially when examining their words more closely. If he could sense something unusual, let alone his lord.

"So you mean that the shouting girl is actually showing her true nature?"

"That’s unclear," Ji Qing said with certainty in his tone: "Anyway, she’s exactly the type that the lord dislikes the most."

"The Third Princess is like that, all brute force and sheer obstinacy. Can’t get rid of her. Every time the lord sees her, his dislike deepens."

Qiong Kong nodded, seemingly understanding as he slapped his thigh.

"Right, the Second Young Master likes a gentle, graceful, and proper Miss Shen from the Shen Family."

While he was speaking, he heard footsteps from behind.

He turned his head and met the gaze of Cui Yun, who leaned against the door, his dark eyes brooding.

Qiong Kong felt embarrassed, remembering the young man’s previous warning. He thought he would be scolded again but, unexpectedly, the latter just closed the door.

"What... does this mean?"

Ji Qing walked over.

"Can’t refute that."

"Our own Second Young Madam, it’s not talking behind others’ backs, so it’s permissible."

Moments later, downstairs, the Shen Family’s carriage drove off into the distance. The girl clutched her doll rabbit, burying her face in it.

"Madam, you shouldn’t have done that."

Yicui said softly: "People come and go on the street, who knows how they might talk about you."

Shen Hua didn’t care at all: "I also wanted to properly talk with them, but who made them talk behind my back?"

On the way back from school, she had personally overheard that girl named Ah Qiao saying.

—It’s just that you’re too good-tempered. If it were me, I absolutely couldn’t bear it. Just a drop of ink on her clothes and she has to pick a quarrel with you, can’t she just wash it off? What kind of person is she, acting as if she’s the only noble Shen Hua? I think she’s deliberately making things difficult for you.

A piece of clothing?

This piece of clothing could buy the entire Zhou Family.

She just scolded Zhou Zhizhi without holding back, thinking not to cause trouble. She neither laid a hand on her nor asked for compensation, which was already a rare form of leniency.

Yet no one appreciated it.

—Ah Qiao, don’t blame her. She’s just like that. In the future, you and I should just take a detour when we see her. It’s just to defend me, and you got scolded as well.

Such deep sisterly love.

Shen Hua would be strange not to be angry.

They spoke ill of her to her face, then had the audacity to seek her out immediately afterward.

Shen Hua saw Yicui wanting to speak but hesitating, so she tilted her head slightly, her small face the size of a palm, her bright eyes wet.

"If it were any other time, I actually wouldn’t have given them a ride."

The carriage wouldn’t even have stopped.

"But since they collided with me themselves, I wanted to make them lose face in the street. What about the grandmother breaking her leg? Those who are unaware might think I was the one who caused it."

She’s not my grandmother, so what does it have to do with me?

"Let others say what they will."

"In any case, they’re all just a bunch of onlookers; so many of them just standing around criticizing me alone, they didn’t offer to send anyone home. This shows they’re not truly standing up for justice, and actually, by comparison, I’m even far more reasonable than them."

"Why should I go through all that trouble to please those who don’t like me? Those who do like me will stand behind me without needing any explanation."

Yicui was taken aback and remained silent for a long time.

In the end, she just rubbed the girl’s head and sighed softly.

————

Cui Yun set out on his journey the next day.

Doctor Ni wasn’t much older than Cui Yun, but there were no shortage of people knocking on his door seeking medicine.

His whereabouts were unpredictable, yet wherever he went, people flocked to him upon hearing the news.

When Cui Yun arrived, the place in front was swarming with people.

"I’ve inquired into it, Doctor Ni only gives consultations to three people each day."

"Drawing lots?"

Ji Qing: "...Based on affinity."

"Those who aren’t chosen can only come back another day. Those who live far away brought their bedding and bundles and sleep wherever they can find space on the ground."

Cui Yun sneered: "This is the problem with indulgence."

These past few days, Doctor Ni had not had a night of peaceful sleep.

He came here only to wander free, seeking some tranquility.

A few days back along the way, he casually saved a person who had been told by the doctors in the city that there was no cure for his illness and was sent home to prepare for the end.

Later, many sick people came to him, and he wrote prescriptions for all of them.

But as the patients kept increasing in number, the current situation emerged.

The people outside were noisy all day long, wanting his help, yet also complaining that he lacked medical ethics.

What a joke, if he had medical ethics, how could he wander freely?

He had already planned to leave this place.

With these thoughts in mind, he appeared before the crowd with his head of white hair, a face weary and pale from lack of sleep.

"Doctor, I have unbearable stomach pain..."

"Doctor, my right arm keeps dislocating these past few days."

"Doctor, my Mama’s eyes..."

Doctor Ni listened to them one by one with heavy steps and ultimately chose the three most severe cases to enter the yard for a pulse diagnosis.

The ones who were not selected left in a fit of irritation.

Doctor Ni caught a glimpse of a young man with a languid and discerning demeanor not far away.

The air about him clearly indicated he was not of rural origins.

When Cui Yun saw him looking, he finally spoke: "Three months ago, Jing Mansion sent people to seek you out personally, offering a high price to invite you to Shengjing, but Doctor Ni you declined."

"Before the new year, Chengbo Marquis Mansion came with a sincere proposal, but you wouldn’t even meet with them."

Before he could speak further, Doctor Ni’s face darkened.

"Are you investigating me?"

"It’s quite obvious," said Cui Yun without hiding anything: "To ask for your treatment, we need to know about your character."

Doctor Ni didn’t take him seriously at all, and he was even quite angry.

Over the years, the number of nobles who sought his services was not small, and each and every one of them was respectful. After all, his hand could snatch people back from the halls of King Yan.

But this was the first time he had encountered such rudeness.

"I don’t care who you are! If you want treatment, you have to follow my rules."

Ji Qing: ...you’re done for.

Indeed, Cui Yun smiled faintly.

"Your rules?"

Doctor Ni slammed the door shut, leaving people outside.

After he wrote out three prescriptions and before they could thank him profoundly, he was suddenly lifted and thrown not-so-gently onto a carriage.

Ji Qing drove the horses, and the carriage wheels started to roll.

Doctor Ni: !!!

Put me down!

This is kidnapping!!

He was stricken with panic and his legs went weak as he knelt down.

But Cui Yun was momentarily surprised before he calmly said: "Doctor Ni, there’s no need for formalities."