Not long after, the Imperial Physician also arrived at the Su Manor.
Although Madam Su had explained the situation to the Imperial Physician, he still insisted on examining Shen Jing.
Madam Su had no choice but to agree.
Soon, the Imperial Physician diagnosed the results.
Shen Jing was merely suffering from a deficiency of both qi and blood, likely due to exhaustion combined with vomiting blood; there was no major issue, and a few days of herbal medicine and good rest should resolve it.
Upon receiving the Imperial Physician's diagnosis, Madam Yang was completely relieved and immediately bid farewell to Madam Su.
Madam Su smiled, "We've just arrived in the capital ourselves, and the manor isn't prepared for guests, so we won't keep you for a meal! Let's not take today's incident to heart."
"My dear sister is right."
Madam Yang returned the smile and added, "This hundred-year-old ginseng is for Shen Jing to recuperate; please don't be offended, my dear sister."
"How can I accept this?"
Madam Su smiled, somewhat embarrassed.
"It's nothing, it's nothing!"
Madam Yang patted Madam Su's hand.
After some polite exchanges, Madam Su still accepted the hundred-year-old ginseng.
After leaving the Su Family, the mother and son quickly hurried back.
Along the way, Madam Yang did not stop scolding Yang Ran.
Yang Ran felt a hold back up inside but couldn't vent it on Madam Yang, so he had to keep it bottled up, which was incredibly uncomfortable.
When they returned to their manor, Yang Zhongheng had also just returned from the palace.
Madam Yang immediately told Yang Zhongheng the truth.
"What?"
Upon hearing Madam Yang's words, Yang Zhongheng's face instantly turned ashen, "That bastard, how dare he do such a thing?"
"Alright! You're a grown man, why are you still acting like a hot-headed youth, making such a fuss?"
Madam Yang pulled Yang Zhongheng down to sit, "For today's matter, we must thank Madam Su no matter what. If she hadn't told us the truth, we probably would have..."
"Thank her for what?!"
Yang Zhongheng interrupted Madam Yang irritably, "The Imperial Physician went there; once he made a diagnosis, wouldn't everything have been exposed anyway?"
"I call you a crude martial man, and you get upset." Madam Yang gave her husband a helpless look, "Don't you know how skilled Xu Bingchun is in medicine? If Shen Jing could deceive Xu Bingchun into misdiagnosing him as being on the verge of death, why couldn't he deceive the Imperial Physician?"
"This..."
Yang Zhongheng paused, then fell silent.
Xu Bingchun was one of the four famous physicians in the capital.
Although Xu Bingchun was not an Imperial Physician, his medical skills were certainly not inferior to those of an Imperial Physician.
If Shen Jing could deceive Xu Bingchun, he could most likely deceive the Imperial Physician as well.
"So, we have to thank Madam Su."
Madam Yang sighed softly, "If Madam Su had malicious intentions and made a big deal out of this, our entire family would have suffered!"
Yang Zhongheng's mouth slightly opened, and after a long hesitation, he gently nodded.
Indeed, if Madam Su had also gone along with Shen Jing's nonsense, even the Emperor himself would probably have directly intervened in the matter.
If it came to that, Yang Ran wouldn't just get off with a beating.
"I chatted with Madam Su for a while, and I think she's a very reasonable person."
Madam Yang continued, "I know you have some grievances with Su Zai, but Su Zai has been gone for several years now. Shen Jing has rendered meritorious service by exposing Prince Ji's rebellion. If you continue to make trouble for the mother and daughter, isn't that going against the Emperor?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Zhongheng immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, "When have I ever made trouble for them? At most, I've just gloated and watched the show."
The Su Family's mother and daughter weren't officials; how could he make trouble for them?
Moreover, he wasn't a fool.
Although Su Zai was dead, he was, after all, the Emperor's teacher.
As long as the Su Family's mother and daughter behaved themselves, no one in the entire court would dare to openly bully them.
Even Yao Jian didn't openly bully the Su Family's mother and daughter; who was he to be the first to stick his neck out?
"Alright, alright, I misspoke! I apologize to you, is that better?"
Madam Yang smiled, then said seriously, "Today's incident means we owe Madam Su a favor. Our two families currently have no conflicts of interest. As long as Shen Jing doesn't oppose you after becoming an official, we should get along well with the Su Family in the future..."
"Shen Jing becoming an official?"
Yang Zhongheng laughed, "Do you think Shen Jing can ascend to the court with just the merit of exposing Prince Ji's rebellion?"
Madam Yang was surprised, "Isn't he Su Zai's son-in-law? The Emperor should consider his relationship with Su Zai and let Shen Jing..."
"It's not as easy as you think!"
Yang Zhongheng shook his head, saying, "Shen Jing is merely a scholar. He doesn't have the ability. No matter how much the Emperor cherishes old affections, he won't let him enter the court; at most, he'll be given an honorary title..."
Becoming an official?
How many officials standing in the imperial court didn't have some real ability?
There were countless scholars in this world; how much ability could a mere scholar possess?
Never mind scholars, even top scholars rarely entered officialdom directly!
Officialdom required not only talent but also seniority!
Moreover, he had heard from the Right Prime Minister Lu Sui a few days ago that the Emperor's hasty summons for Shen Jing and the others to return to the capital for rewards might not be a good thing.
Although Lu Sui didn't explicitly say it, hearing him, he also felt something was amiss.
"Isn't that even better?"
Madam Yang smiled, "Shen Jing won't even have the chance to oppose you! Madam Su is reasonable, so we shouldn't be petty, should we?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Yang Zhongheng nodded.
...
Early the next morning, Ye Li came to visit Shen Jing.
However, just by looking at Ye Li, Shen Jing knew she was there to annoy him.
This girl held too much resentment towards him!
"Still alive?"
Ye Li scrutinized Shen Jing with a mischievous look.
"I don't have many virtues, but I'm tenacious!"
Shen Jing secretly curled his lip, then stared at Ye Li unhappily, "Princess, I heard from Prince Wuping's heir that you hung my portrait on an archery target!"
Ah?
Ye Li was stunned.
He had met Ye Xian?
That scoundrel Ye Xian, he had no integrity!
He said he would keep it a secret for her!
Then he turned around and sold her out completely!
Thinking about using Shen Jing's portrait as an archery target, Ye Li couldn't help but blush a little.
But she quickly recovered, raising her head haughtily, "It's your honor that this princess uses your portrait as an archery target! What, do you have an opinion?"
As she spoke, Ye Li glared at Shen Jing warningly.
As if to say, 'Try having an opinion if you dare!'
Damn it!
This girl, she was truly unreasonable!
Always using her status as a princess to pressure people!
"I'm insignificant, how would I dare to have an opinion of the Princess!"
Shen Jing sighed, shaking his head, "I just feel that I've just arrived in the capital, haven't even entered my home, and I've already encountered such things. It's truly unlucky! I feel like I've been cursed by someone."
"Have some shame!"
Ye Li was both annoyed and amused, "You clearly used Yang Ran to make an example, and you still have the nerve to blame this princess for cursing you? Others might not know what kind of person Shen Jing is, but how could this princess not know?"
Could Shen Jing's tricks deceive her eyes?
This scoundrel, he looked harmless, but in reality, he was very insidious!
She even suspected that Shen Jing's vomiting blood was fake!
This scoundrel, causing such a stir as soon as he arrived in the capital, must have done it on purpose!
Once the news of his incident with Yang Ran spread, anyone who dared to call Su Yourong a jinx in front of him and Su Yourong would first have to weigh their own importance and see if they were better than Yang Ran.
This perfectly matched the style of Shen Jing, that despicable and shameless fellow!
"Alas, the Princess misunderstands me too deeply."
Shen Jing sighed, shaking his head, and then half-jokingly said, "I now strongly suspect that the Princess instigated the Emperor to issue the decree for us to return to the capital, so she could seek revenge on me here..."