Mr. Zheng, the head of the South City District government, came to the Arresting Department again.

This time he didn’t come alone; he brought with him Song Yunzhong, the owner and physician of Anning Hall in Xiuyue Square.

Song Yunzhong was there to make a formal accusation.

The person he accused was naturally Lin Miao. Song Yunzhong, in his capacity as a senior medical practitioner, officially accused Lin Miao of prescribing a toxic remedy akin to drinking poison to quench thirst to Tang’s son, Shang Youwei.

He even compared it to the "Xiaoyao Powder," which indeed can alleviate certain physical pains, but its addictive danger is tremendous!

Similarly, it is provable that Lin Miao’s prescription contained the highly toxic cinnabar; excessive consumption of this cinnabar can be fatal, not to mention the so-called "ash paste" included in the prescription, which was utterly harmful.

This harmful prescription must not only be condemned but also banned from spreading from its very root. Moreover, he called for the Medical Bureau to thoroughly investigate all previous prescriptions provided by Lin Miao, asserting they were all problematic, completely defying the logic of a physician’s prescriptions, all malicious concoctions needing to be abolished!

With righteous indignation, Song Yunzhong expounded passionately, and when he mentioned the death of Shang Youwei, he became even more emotional, tearfully stating that when Tang brought this prescription to Anning Hall to purchase the medicine, he had noticed issues with the prescription and repeatedly counseled against it, but Tang just wouldn’t listen, as if enchanted by Lin Miao, leading to today’s calamity!

He came today intending to denounce Lin Miao, the charlatan who harms others, and strongly urged to have him removed from the ranks of respected doctors in Dongshan Prefecture...

Spittle flew, landing on the face of Feng Sheng, who was sitting in the main hall being treated for injuries.

That fellow threatened that if Feng Sheng did not agree to his demands today, he would go to Li Jing to strike the Petition Drum and appeal directly to higher authorities.

"Mr. Song, whether Mr. Lin’s prescription is as you say, it’s not up to you alone, nor me, to decide, as I’m not versed in medicine. It needs to be judged by someone qualified." Feng Sheng wiped his face and said slowly, "The imperial court has arranged overseers for those undergoing the ’Pathway to Sainthood’ trial. Why don’t I invite the three overseers to come and let them evaluate Mr. Lin’s prescription?"

"Mr. Zheng, what do you think?"

Mr. Zheng certainly hoped Feng Sheng would convict Lin Miao, but he knew that Lin Miao was participating in the "Pathway to Sainthood" medical trial. Unless there is conclusive evidence, the Arresting Department could not convict him, especially since it involved the trial, which required the Imperial Pharmacy’s intervention and investigation.

Since Lin Miao was in the "Pathway to Sainthood" trial, it meant he was virtually a part of the Imperial Pharmacy, and passing the trial to obtain the "nationally selected physician" decree would mean direct entry into the Imperial Pharmacy, making his status entirely different.

Nationally selected physicians are quite precious, and there haven’t been many over the years—they’re considered treasures.

Therefore, convicting Lin Miao without going through the Imperial Pharmacy would be like stepping on the face of the Imperial Pharmacy.

The official ranks in the Imperial Pharmacy may not be high, but their potential influence is unparalleled.

Despite internal conflicts, they always present a united front externally.

This is because they fight for the interests of all medical practitioners.

Mr. Zheng is merely a minor seventh-rank district commander and can’t even get past Feng Sheng, let alone think he can cover the sky with one hand.

"I, of course, agree, so let’s send someone to invite the three overseers from the Imperial Pharmacy for an inquiry." Mr. Zheng said.

Feng Sheng immediately arranged for someone to fetch them.

Not long after, the three overseers received the news. Mr. Jia did not come but sent "Hui" as his stand-in. Guan Biyun arrived with her apprentice, Lien Yurou, while Cui Wanquan dared not refuse, being merely a medical practitioner there on duty, naturally obliged to come.

Song Yunzhong reiterated his passionate accusations once more, full of emotion.

However, his reward was not praise but the cold stares from "Hui" and Guan Biyun, especially from "Hui," who, if not for needing restraint within the Arresting Department, could have drawn his knife right then to chop Song Yunzhong.

Yes, precisely that kind of gaze.

Cui Wanquan didn’t dare speak carelessly; he wasn’t foolish and knew that aligning with "Hui" and Guan Biyun would be most beneficial for himself.

"My master said Mr. Lin’s prescription is fine." "Hui" directly stated his viewpoint; of course, it wasn’t his but was instructed by Mr. Jia.

"I also agree Mr. Lin’s prescription has no issues. Some people lack proficiency in their craft yet accuse others; how did he practice as a physician for so many years!" Guan Biyun snorted coldly, her viewpoint perfectly aligning with Mr. Jia’s.

Upon hearing this, Song Yunzhong stood there as if struck by lightning; his countenance immediately fell.

How could the overseers from the Imperial Pharmacy side with Lin Miao? Could it be they were already bribed or bought off by him?

"Mr. Cui, what do you think?"

"I am merely of shallow learning, but since both Mr. Jia and Officer Guan have stated so, there must be a reason; I concur with them as well." Cui Wanquan pondered for a moment and said, as on major matters, aligning with Mr. Jia and Officer Guan was essential; otherwise, he risked being isolated or even kicked out of the three-man oversight group.

With a two against one stance, he was still the least influential.

"Mr. Zheng, the three supervisors of the Imperial Pharmacy have all stated that Mr. Lin’s prescription has no issues, so Mr. Song’s accusation seems to be unfounded, doesn’t it?" Feng Sheng chuckled, "Zheng Dan, you’re trying to damage Mr. Lin’s reputation, but you’re likely shooting yourself in the foot!"

"Sir, Miss Sun from the Lin residence requests an audience." Han Chunyang entered the main hall with a knife at his side, bowed, and announced.

"Please, invite her in!"

"This humble lady, Sun Youwei, greets Mr. Feng and District Commander Zheng!" Sun Youwei stepped into the hall slowly, knelt gracefully.

"Miss Sun, no need for formalities, please rise!" Feng Sheng quickly stood up, gesturing for her to rise gently.

"Thank you, sir."

"Miss Sun, what brings you to see this official?"

"This humble lady has heard that someone intends to falsely accuse my husband. I’ve come to clarify the facts and proclaim his innocence!" Sun Youwei spoke clearly and firmly.

"Your husband, Miss Sun, as this official understands, you are unmarried. How could you have a husband?" Zheng Dan questioned loudly, "Lying to an official carries consequences."

"I had a marriage contract with Lin Miao from a young age. If it weren’t for my father’s sudden passing, delaying the marriage, we would have been wed already. I’m here to defend my fiancée, isn’t that allowed?" Sun Youwei explained strongly.

"Since you’re not married, it doesn’t count." Zheng Dan responded coldly, implying that Sun Youwei and Lin Miao have no relationship and she lacks standing to speak for him.

"Mr. Zheng, the law of our dynasty doesn’t prohibit a fiancée from defending her fiancé, right?" Feng Sheng contested, "As long as both parties recognize the marriage contract, exchange birth dates, and sign the marriage document, the engagement is considered settled. If a parent suddenly dies and makes the marriage impossible, it doesn’t affect the recognition of their relationship."

"Do you have evidence of the marriage contract?" Zheng Dan clearly intended to make things difficult for Sun Youwei.

"Naturally, I have the marriage document." Having come prepared for difficulties, Sun Youwei brought the marriage document with her.

"It truly is the marriage document of Mr. Lin and Miss Sun!" Feng Sheng looked at it and confirmed it was indeed a marriage document, and the paper seemed aged.

Zheng Dan snorted, saying nothing further, knowing opposing would provoke public anger. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Assuming what you say is true, you’re here to clear Lin Miao’s name and claim someone is framing him. Where is your evidence?" Zheng Dan questioned.

"My fiancé, Lin Miao, practices medicine with the aim of saving lives. On the seventh day of the month, he went with his apprentice Xia Zhu to the Convenient Medical Diagnosis Point in Xiuyue Square, ready to start the day’s work. At that time, Mrs. Shang suddenly ran to the diagnosis point, begging my fiancé to save her son..."

"This matter is without fault of my fiancé, yet you accused him of ’incompetent doctor poisoning people’ and imprisoned him. And as for Song Yunzhong, he opened the Anning Hall Pharmacy, where if patients seek consultation and purchase medicine elsewhere, he sells inferior goods, short-weighted, and when patients take his medicine, it fails to cure or delays treatment, worsening conditions. This humble lady has evidence to prove how he, this heartless physician, exploits the common people!"

"No, my lords, this is untrue, you wicked woman, speaking lies!" Song Yunzhong paled, hastily defending himself.

"Mr. Song, do you recall Miss Xiaoshuang from Willow Street? She obtained a prescription for preserving a pregnancy from the physician at her family medical hall and bought medicine from your Anning Hall. You sold her ginseng and amomum with insufficient quantities. After taking the medicine, she experienced a fetal bleeding and miscarriage. Though the medicine was consumed, the dregs remain, something you admitted yourself, yet now you wish to deny?"

Song Yunzhong turned pale.

"And then, there’s Mr. Gui from Smoke Street..."

Each and every wicked deed Song Yunzhong committed over the years was laid bare by Sun Youwei before Mr. Feng, District Commander Zheng, and numerous officers of the Arresting Department.

Song Yunzhong was utterly collapsing, these incidents he could barely recall himself; how did the other side know so clearly?

"Mr. Song, is there anything I’ve said mistaken, or unrelated to you?"

Song Yunzhong’s lips trembled, his mind blank, today was supposed to be about him accusing and testifying against Lin Miao’s ’moral corruption, incompetent doctor killing,’ yet here he was the one being accused!

That’s not what the script said!

"It’s not like this, I haven’t done any of these things, Mr. Zheng, please speak for me..." Song Yunzhong pleaded to District Commander Zheng Dan sitting high above.

Zheng Dan’s face was dark, his heart darker, realizing Song Yunzhong as a ’pawn’ was unusable and needed swift abandonment, lest he be implicated.

This Miss Sun was underestimated; presumed a harmless little rabbit, only to reveal she was a wild cat with claws.

Wild cats, as everyone knew, are formidable; when provoked, just a light scratch is least of concerns.

"Mr. Song, what do you want this official to say? You claim you didn’t do these things, you need to provide evidence."

"District Commander Zheng, Mr. Zheng, that’s not what you said when I came..."

"Shut up, what did I say?" Zheng Dan directly interrupted Song Yunzhong’s words, "I believed your Song family’s generations of reputation in South City, who knew you’d disgrace your ancestors and commit such conscience-destroying acts, utterly shameless!" Zheng Dan instantly severed ties with Song Yunzhong.