Male Lead, Please Don’t Covet the Mob Character Cannon Fodder (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 7

Zhang Qibing snorted. “Hmph. Men, bring the medicine packets and the herbal dregs.”

Soon, someone brought the medicine packets and the dregs into the hall and handed them to Qingshi. Qingshi took them and held them close to his nose, sniffing carefully. As he inhaled the scent, his brows furrowed deeply.

Zhang Qibing asked, “Song Qingshi, do you recognize them? Is this the medicine you prescribed?”

“This is indeed the medicine I prescribed, but,” Qingshi pulled a slender root fiber from the packet, “I did not add this ginseng to the medicine packet. Ginseng and Atractylodes, one of the ingredients I used, have conflicting medicinal properties. I would never mix the two.”

“Are you suggesting that the Liu woman added the ginseng herself?”

“Your Honor, I am being wronged!” the Liu woman wailed, slapping her thighs. “How would a common woman like me dare to add medicine on my own? I simply boiled whatever the physician prescribed. I would never gamble with my son’s life! Our family cannot afford ginseng. It must have been Physician Song who put it in when he was gathering the herbs. He is blind; how would he know if he took the wrong thing?”

Qingshi was nearly moved to laughter by her blatant framing. “Impossible, I”

“Silence!” Zhang Qibing summarized. “Song Qingshi, you said it yourself; the ginseng and the Atractylodes in the packet have conflicting properties. Whether intentional or accidental, the Liu woman’s son died because of this.”

A sentencing slip hit the floor. “Physician Song Qingshi of Sajia Village, for professional incompetence resulting in the loss of life, you are hereby barred from practicing medicine and are sentenced to exile in Qibei in three days!”

“Court is adjourned!”

“Your Honor!” Qingshi tried to argue, but Zhang Qibing gave him no chance and proceeded directly with the judgment. He was seized by the guards and thrown into the county yamen jail.

“Cough, cough.” A wave of sour, rotting stench hit him. Qingshi fell to the floor, nearly fainting from the smell.

“Oh, Officer, did you send this delicate young master in because you knew the brothers here were feeling lonely?”

“A blind one, though. What a pity.”

“What do you know? Blind is better. When the eyes cannot see, the other senses are much sharper!”

A guard banged his stick against the bars. “Quiet down! All of you, settle down!”

Qingshi scrambled up, trying to find a cleaner spot to sit and think. However, everywhere he touched was nothing but damp, rotten straw. He finally gave up and sat down anywhere. He filtered out the filthy insults coming from the nearby cells.

He was not afraid of exile itself, but what would happen to his mission if he went to Qibei?

Eight Eight, I am about to be exiled. Can the plot even continue?

System 886: “Qingshi! How are you getting exiled after I was gone for only a moment?”

“I do not know either. It happened suddenly and absurdly. They claimed I took the wrong medicine, and the magistrate sentenced me before I could even finish speaking.”

System 886: “It is fine. Wait and see; there might be a twist.”

“Truly?”

System 886: “Probably?”

Qingshi clutched his head, feeling a massive headache coming on. What a mess!

“Song Qingshi, come out. Someone wants to see you!” With a creak, the cell door opened. Qingshi recognized the voice of the guard who had brought him in.

Someone wants to see me? Is it Qingyu or the male lead?

Qingshi stood up and walked over. Seeing him move slowly, the guard shoved one end of his wooden staff into Qingshi’s hand. “Hurry up. Follow me.”

Qingshi did not know where he was being led, as he was unfamiliar with the yamen jail. However, as they walked, the stench gradually faded until it disappeared completely, replaced by the heavy aroma of food. It smelled like oily, rich dishes, making Qingshi feel slightly nauseous.

“We are here.” The staff was pulled away, followed by the sound of a door closing.

The surroundings became quiet after the guard left. Qingshi heard breathing not far from him. He tilted his ear toward the sound. “Who is there?”

“Physician Song, long time no see.” A strange male voice responded with a greasy tone that reminded one of a venomous snake hissing in the shadows.

“Who are you?” Qingshi searched his memory but was certain he had never heard this voice before.

“Do not be in such a hurry, Physician Song. You have not eaten in a long time, have you? Are you not hungry? Sit down, and let us eat and chat.”

Qingshi frowned slightly, feeling his way to the table. He pulled out a chair and sat down. Immediately, a pungent scent of cosmetic powder hit him. Qingshi covered his nose and mouth, silently moving his chair further away. “Can you speak now?”

With a soft clink, a wine cup was placed in front of him. “Physician Song, drain this cup, and I will tell you.”

Tsk.

Qingshi picked up the cup and drank it in one go. His face flushed red almost instantly.

“My name is Zhu Xiao.” Zhu Xiao watched Qingshi’s reddened cheeks with interest. “Is your tolerance for alcohol that poor? You look drunk after just one cup.”

Zhu? Qingshi asked, “Are you the Second Young Master of the Zhu family?”

“Since I last saw you, I have been unable to eat or sleep, thinking of you day and night,” Zhu Xiao said, avoiding a direct answer. “Yet, not only did you refuse my proposal, but you also had your servants beat mine. It was truly heartbreaking.”

Qingshi wanted to roll his eyes. “Young Master Zhu, I remember refusing you many times. Why have you come today?”

“In my world, refusal is not an option,” Zhu Xiao said with a wicked smile. “You are to be exiled to Qibei in three days. As long as you enter the Zhu estate, I can pull some strings regarding the exile.”

“You certainly have a vivid imagination, Young Master Zhu,” Qingshi sneered. He did not want to listen to his nonsense, but a realization suddenly clicked in his mind. “The matter with the Liu family, is it related to you?”

“Beauty in anger has a certain charm,” Zhu Xiao said, fanning himself with an air of self-perceived elegance, though his only audience was a blind man. “It was just a small trick. Without it, how would Physician Song be sitting here so peacefully talking to me?”

Qingshi ground his teeth. “You! Why did you do this?!”

“For you, of course,” Zhu Xiao stood up and walked behind Qingshi, leaning close to his ear. “See, if you had agreed to my proposal back then, all this trouble would have been avoided.”

Qingshi stood up abruptly, his chair falling over with a loud crash. “You are despicable!”

“Hehe, thank you for the compliment,” Zhu Xiao laughed like a maniac. He used his fan to tilt Qingshi’s chin, but Qingshi heartlessly swatted it away. He was not annoyed. “I do not like to force people. It is getting late. You can stay here and think about it carefully. Once you have made up your mind, tell the guards outside. My offer still stands.”

With that, Zhu Xiao strolled away.

Qingshi’s fists tightened. This was a classic case of kidnapping a commoner and forcing them into a shameful position!

Eight Eight, can I punch him?

System 886: “Emm, theoretically yes, but can you win in a fight?”

“…”

The alcohol began to hit him. Qingshi pressed his dizzy temples. He felt his way to the door and asked the guard, “Are you not taking me back?”

The guard replied, “Young Master Zhu said you can stay here for these three days. He will visit you every day.”

No, thank you! “No need. Please take me back,” Qingshi said firmly.

The guard did not understand why he wanted to return to a filthy cell, but he respected the request and led him back.

Qingshi sat in the cell for two days. He looked much more haggard, but he could not think of any other way to solve the current problem. There were two paths: either agree to Zhu Xiao and enter the Zhu estate, which was impossible, or find another way during the journey to Qibei. But what about Song Qingyu? If the male lead regained his memory and could not find him, he might take his anger out on the boy. That would be a disaster.

Sigh.

“Song Qingshi, come out.” The familiar voice of the guard returned.

Is Zhu Xiao back again? Qingshi thought.

“Hurry up, do not dawdle,” the guard urged.

Qingshi followed the guard out, but instead of meeting Zhu Xiao, he was taken to the main hall of the yamen. As he knelt down, he heard Magistrate Zhang Qibing say, “Liu Peng, you claim there is an injustice in the case of Song Qingshi. Do you have evidence?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Qingshi recognized the voice; it was the Liu woman’s eldest son. “The ginseng in the medicine packet prescribed by Physician Song was not his mistake. It was given to my mother by a servant of the Zhu family named Da Ma. My mother thought ginseng was a good thing, so she”

Zhang Qibing was furious. “Are you saying your mother added the ginseng herself? Then your report was a false accusation. Are you playing with this court?”

Liu Peng began to kowtow repeatedly. “I would never dare! It was that Zhu family servant who tricked my mother with sweet words.”

Zhang Qibing asked, “Where is your mother? She made a false report and does not dare to face me?”

Liu Peng lay on the ground, not daring to look up, and choked out, “Forgive me, Your Honor. It is not that she will not come, but she cannot. She took a fall yesterday and has, has passed away.”

Zhang Qibing fell silent for a moment. He then gestured to the guards. “Men, go and bring that Zhu family servant to me.”

Qingshi knelt in the hall, utterly confused as to why the eldest son of the Liu family had suddenly come to clear his name.

Eight Eight, did you do something?

System 886: “Huh? What?”

“Never mind.” It seemed it was not the system.

“Your Honor, I am being wronged!” Shortly after, a cry for justice came from outside.

“Silence!” Zhang Qibing struck the gavel. “Is the one below a servant of the Zhu family named Da Ma?”

“Yes, Your Honor, it is I”

Zhang Qibing asked, “Liu Peng of Daqiao Village says you gave a piece of old ginseng to his mother six days ago. Is this true?”

At this, Da Ma’s expression changed rapidly. “Nonsense, Your Honor! That never happened!”

Seeing his certainty, Zhang Qibing looked at Liu Peng. Liu Peng provided further evidence. “Your Honor, I heard my mother mention that the ginseng Da Ma gave her was purchased from the Huichun Hall pharmacy in Qingshi Town. Your Honor might call the shop assistant from Huichun Hall to see if he recognizes Da Ma.”

“You!” Da Ma’s face turned pale. He pointed at Liu Peng, unable to find any words for a rebuttal.

Zhang Qibing understood everything. “Go and bring the assistant from Huichun Hall to identify the person.”

“Yes, sir.”

It is over. Da Ma sat on the ground in despair. How could that old woman cause trouble even after death? If he had known, he should have killed her other two sons as well.

“Your Honor, this person did indeed come to buy a piece of old ginseng six days ago. It cost fifteen taels, so I remember it very clearly.” The words of the shop assistant brought an end to the farce.

Zhang Qibing struck the gavel. “Da Ma, servant of the Zhu family, for purchasing ginseng to kill and framing Physician Song Qingshi, your crime is inexcusable. You are sentenced to thirty strokes of the rod and exile to Qibei!”

“Your Honor! Your Honor, have mercy!” Da Ma turned pale as the guards seized him. He did not know if he would survive thirty strokes. “Your Honor, I was acting on the orders of the Second Young Master of the Zhu family! It was all directed by him! Otherwise, I would never have dared to do such a thing! Mmm, mmm”

“Impudent! A servant dares to slander his master? Fifty strokes!” Zhang Qibing signaled the guards to cover Da Ma’s mouth. He knew well enough that a servant could not afford fifteen taels for ginseng.

“The Liu woman of Daqiao Village made a false report and obstructed public business. Though she is dead, her crime cannot be ignored; her son shall bear the responsibility. Considering Liu Peng’s honesty in correcting the error, he is sentenced to fifteen strokes as a warning to others.”

“Physician Song Qingshi of Sajia Village was innocently implicated. The previous judgment is void, and he is released without charge.”

“Court is adjourned!”

“The Magistrate is wise.”

Hearing the judgment, Qingshi’s tense back finally relaxed.

“Master Qingshi! Are you alright?!” Qingshi was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace. The voice of the male lead, Gu Jiuli, came from above him, sounding quite hoarse.

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