10 Delivering Medicine

Sanjiu invited Magistrate Liu into the room.

Qin Duoye also looked up and saw that Magistrate Liu was a lean, middle-aged man with a neat goat-horn mustache, thick eyebrows, and wide eyes, appearing to be a meticulous person by nature.

Upon seeing the man's face, fragments of memory flashed through Qin Duoye’s mind. He paused, a hypothesis quietly taking root. Could it be that Wen Qinghe’s memories were like a locked chest, and he could only open it when he saw certain people, as if their presence acted like a key in a keyhole, unlocking the memories and presenting them to his mind?

Then why hadn't his memories been triggered when he saw Qin Xuanxiao?

Qin Duoye thought for a moment and concluded it was because Wen Qinghe always kept his eyes lowered during court audiences, never daring to look directly at the imperial countenance, and thus had no idea what the Emperor looked like.

During this brief moment of contemplation, Qin Duoye simply sat in the chair beside the main table without saying a word. With the master of the house remaining silent, Magistrate Liu, no matter how unwilling he felt, had to stand at the doorway and wait.

Left standing at the door, Liu Xuanhai grew increasingly impatient. He raised his voice, "I heard that Master Wen had returned safely, and I felt relieved. I dropped my work to come and visit immediately, but it seems I am not welcome here, Master Wen?"

Oh?

Qin Duoye raised an eyebrow. The visitor was not here with good intentions.

"You came uninvited; indeed, you are not welcome," Qin Duoye replied, smiling and waving a hand in dismissal. "Sanjiu, see the guest out."

Sanjiu was stunned. "Ah?"

Liu Xuanhai choked on his own breath. "..."

Qin Duoye sat in the bamboo chair, watching Liu Xuanhai’s face shift from red to white to green in a spectacular display. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, picking up the now-cold green tea on the table and taking a light sip.

In the end, Liu Xuanhai managed to calm down. He let out a few forced laughs to brush over the unpleasant confrontation and stepped into the room. "Hahaha... I didn't expect Master Wen to have learned to joke."

*Sigh*, he didn't storm off. Qin Duoye felt a slight sense of regret.

"Sanjiu, pour a cup of tea for Magistrate Liu."

Sanjiu hurriedly poured a cup of green tea that had been warming on the stove and placed it on the table. Seeing the tea’s inferior color, aroma, and appearance, a look of disdain flashed in Liu Xuanhai’s eyes, and he discreetly covered his nose and mouth.

"Magistrate Liu, we only have coarse tea here, I hope you don’t mind," Qin Duoye said, having noted every one of Liu Xuanhai’s expressions and gestures.

Liu Xuanhai feigned a smile. "How could I? Master Wen’s integrity is a model for us all."

As he approached, Liu Xuanhai looked Qin Duoye up and down. Suddenly, his gaze landed on a red mark at the collar of Qin Duoye’s robe that wasn't fully concealed—half hidden by the fabric, and half glaringly exposed.

Liu Xuanhai’s pupils dilated. He forgot he was walking, tripped over his own feet, and stumbled.

"You, you, you..." Liu Xuanhai pointed at Qin Duoye’s neck, his finger trembling, unable to form a complete sentence for a long time.

Qin Duoye followed the direction of Liu’s finger and looked down. He remembered that he had just taken off his outer robe, which had a higher collar, leaving him in an inner garment with a lower neckline. It seemed Liu Xuanhai had caught a glimpse of the tooth mark left by that fellow, Qin Xuanxiao.

Liu Xuanhai had seen the mark clearly.

"Shameless!" The official’s long, thin face turned red with anger again.

"Is that so?" Qin Duoye looked back with elegant nonchalance. "You flatter me. It’s still not quite as bad as your own hypocritical posturing, Magistrate Liu."

"Wen Qinghe!" Having been rebuffed at every turn since entering, Liu Xuanhai finally lost his temper and dropped the pretense. "Do you still want your medicine money or not!"

Ah, yes. The money for the medicine.

In his memories, Wen Qinghe had sold all his family’s assets just to pay for his medical treatment. That was when Liu Xuanhai had first approached him. He had spent a long time preaching about the importance of the Emperor taking a consort and establishing an empress, speaking at length about heirs and the stability of the state. Only after winning Wen Qinghe’s agreement did he bring up the real purpose: he wanted Wen Qinghe to submit a memorial to the court, initiating the push for the Emperor to take a consort.

If successful, Liu Xuanhai promised to cover a month’s worth of medicine for Wen Qinghe.

Wen Qinghe was afraid of submitting the memorial and feared being punished by the Emperor, so he refused the first time. But later, the crushing despair of having no money for medicine and a desperate will to live overcame him. When Liu Xuanhai came a second time, Wen Qinghe agreed, which led to the scene in the imperial court three days ago.

Qin Duoye finally sorted out the cause and effect of the situation.

Seeing Qin Duoye remain silent, Liu Xuanhai assumed he had gripped the man’s weakness. He pressed on, "The Emperor... summoned you to the palace. Did he say anything?"

Without looking up, Qin Duoye filled his cup with hot tea, scraped the lid across the rim, and said casually, "The Emperor and I talked about everything under the sun, discussed the world and the people, chatted until midnight, and even shared the same bed."

Hearing Qin Duoye’s indifferent, airy tone, Liu Xuanhai wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not, so he could only follow the lead. "Did His Majesty mention anything about the affairs of the harem...?"

"Naturally, he did not," Qin Duoye said, taking a slow sip of tea. "His Majesty is busy with state affairs all day. His heart is occupied only by the nation and the people; he has not yet made plans for himself. Our current ruler is mighty and wise; he will put such matters on the agenda only when the seas are calm, the rivers are clear, and the country is at peace."

This was the same script he had used in his previous life to silence the officials of the court. He hadn't expected to use it again in this life. It was just a pity that in his previous life, he never got to see the golden age he had worked for.

"Master Wen, do not speak nonsense!" Liu Xuanhai glared with sharp, calculating eyes. "His Majesty is in the prime of his life; he should be seeking virtuous ladies to fill the palace with heirs, which would benefit the stability of the state. Furthermore, a nation cannot be without an Empress."

Is it that the nation cannot be without an Empress, or is it that *you* cannot be without...

Qin Duoye suddenly looked up. Though he was smiling, there was no warmth in his eyes. He spoke slowly, "Are you questioning His Majesty’s decisions?"

Facing those ink-black eyes, Liu Xuanhai couldn't help but shudder. Although it was early autumn and the weather was cool, with a lingering warmth in the afternoon, he felt an inexplicable chill, as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar. A deep, biting cold crept up his spine.

Looking at Qin Duoye’s relaxed and comfortable posture as he toyed with his teacup, Liu Xuanhai felt a sense of authority that seemed to look down upon the world. He had never felt such an inexplicable sense of pressure from this fifth-rank official, not even from his own first-rank superiors. It felt more like... the man sitting on the Dragon Throne.

"Haha... how could I dare," Liu Xuanhai stammered. "It’s just that at my age, I often worry about the marriage matters of the young. I saw His Majesty a few times when he was a child, and I happen to have a few candidates for the harem that I’d like to recommend. I think most highly of the eldest daughter of the Fifth family; she is..."

Heh.

Qin Duoye sneered inwardly.

"At your age," indeed. "Worrying about the juniors," indeed.

What kind of elder are you? If anyone is going to worry about the descendants' marriages, it should be me! It is not the place of you scheming officials.

Qin Duoye knew exactly what they cared about: was it the Emperor himself and the stability of the empire, or was it whose house the Empress’s position would fall to, and whose bloodline would produce the Emperor’s eldest son?

*Clack!*

Qin Duoye set his teacup down on the table with a sharp, controlled force.

Liu Xuanhai, who had been rambling on, jumped at the sound and nearly slid off his chair to kneel on the ground. He caught himself halfway, only stopping when he remembered that this man was not the Emperor.

Why was this unforced aura of authority so terrifying? Liu Xuanhai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He was about to threaten him again regarding the medicine money when the front door was knocked. Qin Duoye told Sanjiu to open it; it was Gou Hongyang.

Qin Duoye tilted his head to look at the food container in Gou Hongyang’s hand. An ominous feeling began to rise. Before he could even stand up, Liu Xuanhai moved first.

"This is..." Liu Xuanhai said, standing up from his chair with a wide, ingratiating smile. "Eunuch Gou, what brings you here?"

As the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace, Gou Hongyang was often the messenger between the Emperor and the court, and he recognized most officials.

"Magistrate Liu." Gou Hongyang acted with perfect decorum, bowing respectfully before turning his gaze to Qin Duoye.

Qin Duoye remained seated, looking slightly curious. "What is it?"

It was the air of someone long accustomed to high status—natural, matter-of-fact, and commanding.

"Master Wen, His Majesty has commanded me to deliver your medicine for this evening." Gou Hongyang instinctively lowered his posture.

Qin Duoye: "..."

He hated all things bitter. How had he managed to escape the palace only for that brat Qin Xuanxiao to chase after him and force him to drink medicine?

Qin Duoye told Sanjiu to brew a cup of tea. "Sorry to have troubled you, Eunuch. I will drink it."

Gou Hongyang did not take the tea, only saying, "His Majesty ordered me to watch you drink it before I return."

In truth, Qin Xuanxiao’s original words had included, "Otherwise, you don't have to come back," but Gou Hongyang didn't say that.

Qin Duoye: "..."

This man.

Qin Duoye decided to struggle a bit. "This medicine should be taken after a meal, shouldn't it, Eunuch Gou? Look, I haven't prepared dinner yet, and who knows how long that will take. Why don't you head back? I will drink the medicine as soon as I finish eating."

Gou Hongyang shook his head and opened the food container without expression. Inside was a feast from the imperial kitchens.

Qin Duoye: "..."

"His Majesty has already prepared your meal."

Qin Duoye was speechless. He rubbed his forehead.

That damn kid.

However, despite his annoyance, a sense of warmth and a trace of imperceptible emotion welled up in his heart. Although Qin Xuanxiao was foul-tempered and fierce, as Emperor, he had actually remembered his medicine and sent the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace to deliver it personally.

The medicine alone might not have meant much, but the fact that he had prepared all this...

Qin Duoye smiled faintly. This child was actually quite filial.

Liu Xuanhai, watching from the side, finally understood what was happening. He grabbed Qin Duoye’s collar and hissed in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I was wondering why Master Wen suddenly didn't care for my medicine money—so you’ve found a new backer."

Liu Xuanhai gave a cryptic glance at the bite mark on Qin Duoye’s neck, then let out a cold snort and left, flicking his sleeves.

Qin Duoye frowned and smoothed his collar. He suddenly raised his voice, intentionally saying, "His Majesty is wise and compassionate toward his officials. How can Magistrate Liu speak of him in such an unseemly manner?"

Liu Xuanhai, just about to leave, tripped again and turned back in terror.

Gou Hongyang, catching the key elements in Qin Duoye’s words, looked toward Liu Xuanhai.

Slandering the Emperor—a capital crime.

In the moment their eyes met, Liu Xuanhai looked away in panic, glaring at Qin Duoye and shouting, "You are spitting blood!"

"Sanjiu, throw him out," Qin Duoye smiled.