But Xu Qixi absolutely refused. She said she had no feelings for Zhong Yu and even ran away from home once, but the Xu Family found her before she could leave Dongshan City, and promptly brought her back and confined her.

No wonder I haven’t seen this girl for so long.

So many things happened in between.

Xu An always wanted to take Sun Youwei as his apprentice, but when he learned that Sun Youwei was learning by Guan Biyun’s side, he sighed heavily, realizing he and Sun Youwei were not destined to be teacher and student.

Whether the Xu Family’s "Qi Observation Skill" can be passed down depends on Xu Qixi. Although this girl has decent aptitude, her character is yet to stabilize. It’s hard to tell how far she will go in the future.

Xu Qixi often came to help out too. She, Xia Zhu, along with her senior sisters Sun Youwei and Lien Yurou, the four beautiful flowers, all revolved around Lin Miao.

Countless people envied him. Some even came to the diagnosis point not for Lin Miao, but for the four women.

Rumors spread that the Xu Family wanted to use Xu Qixi as a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance with Lin Miao.

Oddly, when someone asked the Xu Family about it, they didn’t deny it.

The most discomforted was the Ye Family, who had long wanted a marriage with the Xu Family. The failed confrontation at the birthday banquet and the sudden death of Ye Xizhao made the marriage impossible.

The Xu Family didn’t deny it, but Lin Miao was not vague and directly dispelled the rumor, saying there was no such thing.

...

That night, during a break from a short lesson.

"Mr. Lin, I heard some news. The Arresting Department plans to shut down Anning Hall." Xu An came over to join the class, bringing some news.

He and Xia Yuan were regular guests at the inn, and even Mr. Jia and Guan Biyun often came by.

In the past, when Lin lived with the Lin Family, it was not ideal. Now that Lin Miao lived in the inn, their comings and goings were freer. Besides, they could get a free meal.

"Why is this?"

"Someone accused Song Yunzhong of Anning Hall, saying he adulterated the medicinal materials, deceiving the public, and he’s been called in multiple times for questioning."

"Has he been arrested?"

"According to regulations, Song Yunzhong is a physician and without solid evidence, he can’t be imprisoned outright."

"If there isn’t direct evidence, why is the Arresting Department investigating?"

"Since someone reported it, the investigation is to search for evidence. If Song Yunzhong has indeed committed illegal acts, they will find out."

"If someone reported and they immediately acted, perhaps they could have found evidence. Now that he’s likely erased all incriminating evidence, why continue investigating him?" Lin Miao was puzzled.

"Some people might disagree. After all, closing down a medical hall requires the approval of the Medical Bureau and Medical Association," Xu An explained, "To protect physicians, if every report led to the closure and arrest, no medical hall could operate normally. Which medical hall hasn’t had a lawsuit or two? Physicians are not omnipotent, and can’t guarantee a cure. When medicine fails, it’s not necessarily the medicine’s fault, so, unless there’s definite evidence proving the medical hall or a specific physician’s involvement, only then would strong actions be taken, and the issues of Anning Hall are old cases. Where’s the evidence?"

"Logically, these people should report to the South City District Commander’s office, so why go to the Arresting Department?" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Song Yunzhong is friends with the South City District Commander Zheng Dan. Reporting to him would be useless," Xu An said. "Mr. Lin, are you looking to open a medical hall?"

"It’s not me. It’s Xia’s apprentice Shen Haidong," Lin Miao denied, still not at the point of complete trust with Xu An.

"Ye Shengyuan doesn’t agree to issue a ’medicine ticket,’ but if Anning Hall is shut down, he would have no reason to refuse!" Xu An chuckled, seeing through the trick.

Lin Miao’s heart skipped a beat.

Xu An was right. If Anning Hall is shut down, there would be no pharmacy in Xiuyue Square for people to buy medicine.

Then they’d have to open a new one, and Ye Shengyuan’s previous reason for blocking the issuance of the ’medicine ticket’ would no longer hold.

However, what if Anning Hall continues operating?

He could continue using this excuse.

Without the ’medicine ticket’ issued by the association, even with the Medical Bureau’s permission, a pharmacy couldn’t open because you couldn’t buy the necessary medicinal materials.

Without a ’medicine ticket,’ you can’t join the association, and hence can’t buy medicinal materials at the wholesale market. Even if you buy them from outside, as soon as you enter the city gates, you have to pay a tenth of the tax, invisibly increasing costs; a pharmacy can’t operate at a loss.

So, all these costs and taxes eventually add to the burden on patients, and the convenient medical diagnosis point’s prescriptions are filled at designated pharmacies at fair prices, guided by official pricing for common medicinal materials.

Without a ’medicine ticket,’ a pharmacy cannot be opened.

The Ye Family monopolized over seventy percent of the medicinal wholesale business in Dongshan City. Without Ye Shengyuan’s agreement to issue the ’medicine ticket,’ there’s really no solution.

The arrogance is evident.

Lin Miao suddenly recalled that a few days ago, Han Chunyang came to him about Mr. Tang’s case, mentioning that when he went for an emergency at Mr. Tang’s home, Tang had previously gone to Anning Hall to see Song Yunzhong, who refused, claiming inability but unexpectedly, suggested Tang find Lin Miao.

This in itself wasn’t unusual; many who came to Lin Miao had heard of his reputation from others.

But Song Yunzhong himself, being a physician and having treated Tang Youwei before, why refuse this time when Tang Youwei had an episode and instead, recommend him?

Song Yunzhong didn’t have any good feelings towards him, this behavior was too bizarre.

He was reluctant to believe this was orchestrated from the start, but in reality, it seemed from the beginning, Tang’s family was targeted.

Did they know he would use the ’cinnabar’ herb in the prescription?

The efficacy of cinnabar is known to those with medical knowledge, one of the few minerals recognized for its medicinal properties.

Song Yunzhong knew cinnabar was toxic, but might not have known its calming properties, so in past prescriptions for Tang Youwei, he didn’t use it or dared not, fearing issues.

If he didn’t know, then someone else must have known and instructed him this way...

Who could it be?

The Marquis Lingyang’s Mansion has a physician, yet why does the Marchioness always seek treatment from Ye Shengyuan? If it’s Ye Shengyuan behind it, then it all makes sense.

"Mr. Lin, have you really not considered our family’s Qixi? She is about your age and admires you greatly..."

"Stop, Mr. Xu, I’m already engaged. You can’t expect me to be a faithless, ruthless man, right?" Lin Miao hurriedly raised his hand to stop him.

"That’s alright, big men can have multiple wives. Mr. Lin, with your medical skills and talent, you’ll have no shortage of women in the future. The Xu Family doesn’t require you to become a son-in-law; just give Qixi a place when the time comes, not too low..."