Chapter 201 Replacement

There was silence all around.

Cui Min stared at the face in front of the lantern.

That face... that face was still the same as in his memory, but it was completely different from his memory.

His black hair had turned gray, his smooth skin was covered with wrinkles, and his beard had grown long without knowing when, piled on his chin, and even when combed, it looked messy.

This face must have had a bad life, full of vicissitudes of life. His slightly curled legs supported a peeling crutch, and his clothes were also coarse linen.

This face seemed to have lived a good life, and there was no depression between his eyebrows. The response from behind the felt curtain just now was full of happiness. Even if they met at this moment, his face was only stunned, not angry.

He froze in place.

This was his former best friend -

Miao Liangfang.

His confidant was waiting under the carriage, and Cui Min heard his own voice, which was vague and not very real.

"...Why are you here?"

Miao Liangfang opened his mouth, and Lu Tong naturally took over the conversation: "Of course he is here, Mr. Miao is the chief physician of Renxin Medical Clinic."

"Chief physician?"

Cui Min just felt it was ridiculous.

"He is a criminal, how can he be the chief physician?"

"Why not?"

Lu Tong smiled slightly, his tone still calm, "When Mr. Miao was expelled from the Medical Officers' Institute, the Medical Officers' Institute never said in the punishment for him that he could not practice medicine again in the future."

Cui Min paused.

It was not said.

But...

How could it be?

More than ten years ago, when Miao Liangfang was expelled from the Medical Officers' Institute, he also asked people to secretly inquire about the other party's news.

When the genius medical officer who was once very popular and proud fell to the bottom, no miracle happened. Miao Liangfang also asked his old friends for help, but a common medical officer who had offended people and had aggravated his crime, no one would take the risk to help him.

He was like a seedling that accidentally entered the flower garden of a nobleman, and was removed without a care.

Cui Min knew that Miao Liangfang lived a miserable life later, was addicted to alcohol, had a limp, spent his days in a daze, and mixed with beggars, so he gradually stopped caring about him.

He did not kill him, but left him a way out, because of the past affection between the two of them when they worked together in the medicine shop. He hoped that Miao Liangfang would live, but not live too well, like countless busy and mediocre people, gradually turning into a rotten old dust.

Many years passed, and Cui Min never saw Miao Liangfang again. He thought that he had long been annihilated in the cruel world, or perhaps dead. The name "Miao Liangfang" only occasionally appeared suddenly at a certain moment when he was awake at midnight, like a false illusion, and was gradually forgotten by him.

He never thought that he would suddenly appear in front of him.

There was no depravity, no depression. The man looked fat and mediocre, but he was more peaceful than when he was young many years ago.

"You..."

Miao Liangfang came back to his senses, as if he had also woken up from his previous daze. Not to mention the past grudges, he subconsciously took a step forward, stared at Cui Min and said coldly: "What are you doing here?"

"Envoy Cui is here to see me." Lu Tong said.

"Yes, I'm here--"

Cui Min suddenly paused and looked at the two people in front of him again.

The lanterns in the shed were dim, but the faint light illuminated the subtle expressions on the faces of the two people very clearly.

Miao Liangfang stood in front of Lu Tong in a protective posture. The two people talked and looked close, as if they were familiar people.

Suddenly, an absurd thought came to his mind.

"...Are you in the same group?"

Miao Liangfang was stunned and didn't understand.

Lu Tong smiled and said nothing.

Cui Min took two steps back in shock.

Lu Tong and Miao Liangfang looked like old acquaintances, but when did they know each other?

Was it when Lu Tong was suspended and returned to West Street these days, when Lu Tong was injured in Huangmaogang a few days ago, or when Lu Tong just entered the Medical Officer's Court?

He didn't take West Street seriously, and Renxin Medical Clinic was just a dispensable and dilapidated medical clinic. He only knew that there was an old doctor who replaced Lu Tong's position, but no one had ever told him who the doctor was?

Cui Min looked at Miao Liangfang: "When did you start working here?"

Lu Tong answered on behalf of Miao Liangfang: "Before the spring exam." She asked: "Why did Cui Yuanshi come here suddenly? Could it be... Mr. Qi is sick again?"

Hearing this, Cui Min's face changed suddenly.

She actually guessed it!

No, maybe not guessed, but...

Lu Tong is Miao Liangfang's man, so it is impossible for him to enter the Medical Officer's Court without a purpose. Miao Liangfang has a grudge against him. The only possibility is that Lu Tong entered the Medical Officer's Court to avenge Miao Liangfang for himself.

The ten prescriptions in the spring exam, the seemingly serious pointing out of mistakes in the study, the unfounded and cover-up accusations...

It turned out that they were all just a trap she had carefully set up...

He was already in it!

A chill suddenly arose from the bottom of his heart, and his body, which was exhausted all night yesterday, was shaky, and his head hurt as if it was about to split. Cui Min opened his eyes wide, and his eyeballs covered with fine bloodshot were creepy, making his usually gentle face look a little hideous.

"Did you do it on purpose?"

"You deliberately left the problematic prescription to lure me into the trap, because you had already expected this day!"

He suddenly realized.

Why did Qi Yutai's illness suddenly relapse when it was almost cured? Why did the pulse signs that had never appeared before appear now? He couldn't find a clue, and couldn't even find a direction to treat the disease, because all this was a trap left by Lu Tong.

He fell into the trap!

Miao Liangfang frowned: "What are you talking about?"

Lu Tong walked a few steps forward from behind Miao Liangfang, looking at him and laughing.

"Does it matter whether it is intentional or not? If you take something that belongs to others as your own, you will pay the price sooner or later."

She stared at Cui Min with her bright black eyes, which seemed to contain infinite ridicule.

"Mr. Cui, even if there is something wrong with the prescription on the spring examination paper, even if there are errors or omissions in the materials I mentioned in your medicine room, as long as you don't have any intention of coveting it, or even just mention it by the way when you are doing this. If you mention my name, you won’t end up in such a passive position today.”

"After so many years, I still only know the same trick. It seems——"

"You're not just mean, you're stupid."

The words were ordinary, but they struck Cui Min's heart like a thunderous thunderclap.

He almost stumbled.

His former friend was standing in the back shop. He didn't know how much Miao Liangfang knew, or whether he was responsible for the incident, but he instinctively didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Miao Liangfang. Cui Min gritted his teeth and looked at Lu Yun , lowered his voice and said: "Lu Chen, in order to deal with me and to avenge what happened back then, you dare to attack the Grand Master. Even if you are finished, he will not be able to run away."

Lu Zhuo and Miao Liangfang came for themselves, but they used Qi Yutai as a pawn in this game. He was the only legitimate son of the Taishi Mansion!

How could the Qi family just let go of being toyed with by a lowly ordinary person?

"The Qi family will never let you go..."

"You are seeking death!"

"What does this have to do with me?" Lu Zhen was surprised. "The prescription was developed by Cui Yuan envoy himself. This fact was already settled when the medical officers of the Medical Officer Academy were suspended from their posts."

She smiled: "As the head of the hospital, the hospital envoy cannot just throw the burden on others whenever a problem arises."

Cui Min felt depressed.

All the medical officers who witnessed the incident in the hospital have now become witnesses.

She has already calculated everything!

When he was extremely angry, Cui Min calmed down, and finally couldn't help but soften his tone towards Lu Yan.

"Lu Chen, what should I do so that you are willing to make up for the mistakes in Fang Zi?"

He has no other way to go. If Qi Yutai cannot regain consciousness before the festival, the Qi family will threaten his wife and children...

The woman tilted her head and looked at him, as if she was thinking seriously.

After a moment, she nodded and said in a cheerful voice: "As long as the envoy Cui can now explain to the world that the "Cui's Pharmacology" he wrote back then was stolen from the "Miao Prescription" written by the envoy in front of the hospital, and admit that he was framed back then. The former Vice-President made this crime and tell everyone in Daliang that you are a liar who is just trying to gain fame..."

"I'll let you go."

As soon as these words came out, Miao Liangfang's expression paused and he was not surprised.

Cui Min's face turned pale.

As expected, she came here because of Miao Liangfang!

"Impossible." Cui Min said flatly. While rejecting, a trace of absurdity appeared in his heart.

This woman is very young and calm in situations. In the past, he thought she was Ji Xun, who had no background, or Miao Liangfang, who knew better how to assess the situation. Now it seems that she is different from both of them.

Cui Min has been in the medical hospital for twenty years. From a little boy in a drug store to the current hospital envoy, he is no longer the lowly poor man who was bullied everywhere. He prides himself on knowing the desires of people's hearts, especially when he has no power. A powerless ordinary person could not see through anything but Lu Zhuo.

She is said to be noble, but she is entangled between Pei Yunying and Ji Xun. She is said to be greedy, but she goes against the Taishi Mansion without overestimating her abilities.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

He held on, trying not to let himself be completely defeated in front of the other party, trying to prevent her from this brutal, almost mutual revenge.

"No one in Shengjing knows about Qi Yutai's condition." He breathed slightly, "You know his secret, do you think you can survive?"

Even if she takes revenge on herself, Lu Yan will be dealt with by the Grand Master's Mansion. Does she understand?

Lu Zhen licked his lips, as if he was amused by his words.

"Master Cui, didn't you survive?"

Cui Min was startled: "What did you say?"

On the empty long street, the sky in the distance gradually turned white. The line became brighter and brighter, getting bigger and bigger. The dark colors faded little by little, and a trace of golden light from the sun emerged from the thin white mist. There was a "rustling" sound of a bamboo broom sweeping the floor.

The shop inside was also brightened by this little bit of sunshine, and it was no longer as dark as before.

Lu Chen smiled slightly.

"Mr. Cui has forgotten one thing. The Grand Master's Mansion needs a medical doctor. You and I are from the same background. No matter who goes, it will be the same."

"Of course I won't die."

She looked into his eyes and spoke softly.

"Because I want to take you..."

"Instead of—"

…

The sky was completely bright, and the water poured down from the street had been evaporated by the morning heat, illuminating a bit of the golden color of the sun.

Lu Zhen walked to the front of the shop and put out the lantern.

Miao Liangfang sat blankly on the stool. Under the plum tree in front of the door, there was no shadow of the carriage.

Cui and Min have left.

He was in a very embarrassed state before leaving, as if Lu Yan had uncovered some of the most feared realities, like a trapped animal screaming at the end of its rope.

"I can cure him. You are not the only ones in the world who can make new prescriptions." He sneered, and when his eyes passed over Miao Liang's prescription, he felt unwarranted anger and unhappiness, "The Qi family will not show mercy to you."

He ran towards the carriage as if fleeing, and left in a hurry, as if escaping from a quagmire he couldn't face.

It was quiet outside the door, it was still early, few pedestrians passed by on the street, Acheng and Du Changqing hadn't come over yet, and Yin Zheng was cooking porridge in the backyard kitchen.

"Xiao Lu." Miao Liangfang said blankly, "Did Cui Min really come here just now?"

Lu Chen: "Yes."

"oh."

The old gentleman became even more confused. After a while, he murmured softly: "I almost don't recognize him anymore."

Too much time has passed.

For more than ten years, he was so drunk that he collapsed on the floor of a messy thatched house. The rice bag under the stove was so embarrassed that he could no longer pour out a grain of rice. On rainy days, when the scars on his leg bones ached...

Cui Min's face is always very clear.

He thought he would always remember the enemy who brought him to his current situation. However, when Cui Min actually appeared in front of him today, his first reaction was that Cui Min looked so strange and completely different from the past.

As for the hatred and the unwillingness to accept the grievances, the moment he saw the other party, they were not as strong as he imagined. It was like looking at an old scar. Although it hurt occasionally, it no longer lingered.

It's a thing of the past.

Compared with this, he is more worried about another thing at the moment——

"Xiao Lu." Miao Liangfang asked hurriedly: "What did Cui Min mean just now? You deliberately left the problematic prescriptions to induce Cui Min to use the problematic prescriptions to treat the Grand Master's son?"

"You are too courageous!" Miao Liangfang blushed.

What kind of family is the Qi family? One person is inferior to ten thousand people. He had thought that Lu Zhuo could get justice for himself, but this was not the way to go.

Although this method can control Cui Min, it will also involve the Taishi Mansion.

Qi Qing would never tolerate his son becoming a pawn in the contest between Lu Zhen and Cui Min.

No one can bear the anger of the Taishi Mansion.

"Mr. Miao," Lu Yu said, "the prescription was written in my spring examination paper. During the spring examination, I had not yet entered the medical hospital. I didn't even know who was in the Taishi Mansion. How could I know the future son of the Qi family? Is he going to get sick, and it happens to be epilepsy?”

Miao Liangfang was stunned.

This is true.

After all, after Lu Huan entered the medical hospital, he came back once during his ten-day break to specifically seek confirmation from him, indicating that it was only after Lu Huan entered the medical hospital that he could find out some facts.

"You mean, this was an accident?"

"Yes, sir, you know that. My new prescriptions have never been reliable enough. I didn't expect that the young master of the Qi family would suddenly become ill. Cui Min had the audacity to steal it directly. He didn't even discover the shortcomings in the prescription, so he suffered the consequences."

Miao Liangfang was still confused: "Then why did he insist that it was you who did it?"

Lu Yan said calmly: "It's natural for a dog that has lost its home to bite randomly."

After hearing this, Miao Liangfang felt that what she said made sense, but he still felt a little weird.

"Don't worry, sir. I don't know much about the Qi family. How could I possibly make a move in advance? It's just that he has done too many bad things and it's just a karmic reward."

"But Xiao Lu," Miao Liangfang was worried, "if Mr. Qi continues to be bad and Cui Min continues to go crazy, will it affect you?"

"Won't."

She said calmly: "Those who do good will be rewarded with blessings, and those who do evil will be rewarded with misfortune."

"Cui Min has been doing evil for many years, and it's time for a disaster to come."

…

The sky is bright and it is still a sunny day today.

In the Taishi's mansion, someone was sitting in front of the window.

Someone hurried in from outside the door and reported in a low voice: "Sir, this morning, Ambassador Cui left the mansion and did not return to the Medical Courtyard. He went all the way to West Street."

"West Street?"

Qi Qing picked up the tea cup on the table and said, "Why are you going to West Street?"

"The people who were following him saw him parked in front of Renxin Medical Center on West Street, and they exchanged a few words with Lu Zhuo, who had driven out of the Medical Officer's Hospital earlier. They were afraid of disturbing the situation, so they didn't dare to get close. They didn't know what he was talking about."

Qi Qing frowned.

He knew Lu Tong.

First, he had an affair with Pei Yunying, which made Qi Huaying cry. Later, he fought and captured a tiger on Huangmao Gang, which made Qi Yutai embarrassed...

He actually didn't care what Lu Zhuo did. A helpless ordinary medical officer, the Qi family could have her in the palm of their hand at any time if they wanted.

The reason why he didn't attack her was because Pei Yunying was involved.

The third prince is now trying to win over Pei Yunying, Emperor Liang Ming also acquiesces, and Yuan Zhen has become anxious.

Lu Yun was just a pawn used by the Palace Chief to express his attitude, representing Pei Yunying's wishes.

Pei Yunying has decided to support Yuan Yao.

The servant said: "Perhaps Cui Yuanshi wants Lu Huo to return to the Medical Officer's Hospital and treat the young master together? After all, Lu Huo was suspended previously because he accused Cui Yuanshi of plagiarizing the young master's prescription."

Qi Qing brought the teacup to her lips, lowered her head and took a sip, "Yes."

"My lord, if what she said is true..."

Qi Qing said nothing.

If what Lu Zhuo said was true and Cui Min had plagiarized her prescription, perhaps only Lu Xiong could prescribe the right medicine for Qi Yutai's illness as quickly as possible.

"One more thing..."

"explain."

"People who followed me said that the newly hired doctor at Renxin Medical Center looks a bit familiar. He looks exactly like Miao Liangfang, the former deputy director of the hospital."

"Later I inquired about it and found out that the doctor in charge was indeed named Miao."

A good recipe for seedlings.

This name was too old. Qi Qing thought silently for a long time before gradually piecing together a vague impression.

"Miao?"

"Yes."

He remembered that the vice-chancellor who was kicked out of the Medical Officer's Hospital was once deeply loved by the nobles in the palace. He was a common man who was proud of his career but did not understand the current situation in the palace. His fate can be imagined.

If I remember correctly, Miao Liangfang and Cui Min entered the medical hospital together.

Qi Qing's eyes moved.

Lu Yan came from Renxin Medical Center on West Street, and now Miao Liangfang also works at Renxin Medical Center.

Miao Liangfang and Cui Min had old grudges in the past.

Lu Zhuo entered the Medical Officer's Hospital as an ordinary person.

It was as if the originally chaotic and blurred mist was blown away in an instant, and everything suddenly became clear. Qi Qing put down the teacup and couldn't help laughing.

He laughed deeply, as if he had discovered some new secret. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes became deeper, but his eyes were like cold arrows, covered with a layer of gray shadow.

So that's it.

He came prepared.

"How dare a common doctor use the jade table as a tool for fighting."

He took the Buddhist beads off the table and twisted them slowly in his hands. His tone was a little admiring: "You are really brave."

The sun was clear outside the window, and there was silence in the room.

"Prepare the car."

The servant was stunned: "My lord wants to..."

The old man stood up, his turbid old eyes were gloomy, but his face showed a kind smile.

"Go to West Street."