The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Don’t Trust Him

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at Xia Wenjin. He was not a doctor, and in this regard, he definitely couldn’t explain things as clearly as Xia Wenjin could.

Xia Wenjin cupped his hands and bowed, saying: ”Mayor, I am a doctor. Passing through your town, I discovered some strange symptoms. After falling ill, patients cough up blood, grow weak, and quickly become bedridden. Some who fell ill early have already passed away. There have been particularly many cases of this illness in the past few days. The town has only one clinic, operated by Doctor Zhang, and only he has somewhat decent medical skills. I urge the mayor to take this seriously!”

The mayor cast him a glance, eyes expressing disbelief, took a sip of tea, and arrogantly said: ”What do you two outsiders know? You’re making a fuss over nothing at such a young age. Our town experiences miasma poisoning every year; it’s not something unusual. It’s only you outsiders who don’t know the situation and make such a fuss about it!”

Xia Wenjin patiently said, ”This time, some of the symptoms indeed point to miasma poisoning, but some do not. This illness is similar to miasma poisoning, hidden within the symptoms, and is easy to overlook. If we were to delay any longer, the consequences would be unimaginable!”

”Unimaginable? How so?”

Xia Wenjin replied, ”This illness is contagious!”

Upon hearing the word contagious, the mayor’s brow twitched as he asked, ”Contagious? Fatal?”

”Yes!”

The mayor’s slightly cloudy eyes scrutinized Xia Wenjin, then abruptly asked, ”Are you a doctor?”

Xia Wenjin replied, ”Yes!”

”How many years have you been practicing medicine?”

Xia Wenjin: ”...”

How many years had she been practicing medicine? Not even one. In her previous life, she was the legitimate wife of the Imperial Grandson and, by chance, met skilled masters, becoming proficient in medical and toxic skills, but she never formally practiced medicine. This life is the same.

Seeing Xia Wenjin at a loss for words, the mayor disdainfully said, ”You young kids without a bit of experience dare to call yourselves doctors? How many patients have you seen, how many illnesses do you know? And yet you dare to speak recklessly here?”

Huangfu Jingchen said, ”Mayor, as the leader of this town, haven’t you considered the possibility of this matter? If it’s true, do you know how serious the consequences could be?”

The mayor became furious, ”Do you know how serious the consequences are of creating panic and spreading rumors?”

Huangfu Jingchen’s voice was icy, ”If that’s the case, we accept the punishment willingly!”

”Hmph, what use is punishing you?” If rumors really start, even the mayor’s position wouldn’t be secure. These two younglings, speaking of strange illnesses and contagion at the drop of a hat, truly don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.

He snorted, raised his voice, and called, ”Someone come!”

The butler came in, ”Master!”

The mayor, full of authority, said, ”Call Zhang Jiantang over! I need to speak with him!”

The butler agreed and quickly left.

The mayor looked down at Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin. If they weren’t so distinguished-looking and unafraid before him, he’d have already had them thrown out.

Now, calling Zhang Jiantang to speak was already giving them enough respect; if they spoke nonsense, he wouldn’t just stand idly by!

Soon, Doctor Zhang came jogging in.

He bowed deeply to the mayor, bending so low he almost kneeled, and fawned, ”Lord Wang, what do you need from me?”

Mayor Wang glanced at him, then at Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin.

Zhang Jiantang quickly guessed that it must be something these two had said and hurriedly added, ”Lord, please be discerning. I’ve always practiced medicine with integrity and never cheated or extorted consultation fees. Please don’t believe gossip!”

In his guilty conscience, he thought Huangfu Jingchen had reported him to the mayor.

Mayor Wang reprimanded, ”Don’t bring up your petty matters. I’m asking if there are many patients in town?”

Hearing it wasn’t about extorting fees, Zhang Jiantang’s eyes rolled, ”Lord, you know our town always has patients with miasma poisoning every summer, especially after heavy rains. Lately, there have been a few more patients, keeping me extremely busy. I hardly make anything beyond a bit of toil money!”

Mayor Wang asked, ”Is it miasma poisoning, or is there another illness?”

”All miasma poisoning, some heat strokes, headaches, feverish children, no major illnesses, no major illnesses!”

Mayor Wang cast a sidelong glance at Xia Wenjin, his eyes full of warning, growing visibly stern, clearly about to scold her for rumors.

Xia Wenjin looked at Zhang Jiantang, ”Doctor Zhang, have you heard of epidemics?”

Zhang Jiantang’s face changed, like he’d been insulted, but after glancing at Huangfu Jingchen, he curbed his anger, ”As a doctor, how could I not know of epidemics? Isn’t it just the summer plague?”

Xia Wenjin slowly said, ”I suspect someone has contracted an epidemic, yet this epidemic closely resembles miasma poisoning and was overlooked by you!”

”Hu Shuo!” Zhang Jiantang couldn’t hold back, turned to Mayor Wang, ”Mayor, don’t believe this. Look at his young age. Even if he started learning medicine from the womb, it’s only been a few years. I began studying medicine at thirteen, mastered it in five years, and have practiced for thirty years. With such experience, I can recognize illnesses at a glance. How could I not tell the difference between miasma poisoning and an epidemic?”

Xia Wenjin’s face darkened, speaking coldly, ”Are you certain there’s no error in your diagnosis? If there is one, can you bear the consequences?”

Seeing Xia Wenjin’s eyes so deep, seemingly carrying a lethal air, Zhang Jiantang wanted to say he could, but hesitated when recalling the gleaming long sword once pressed against his neck, sneaked a glance at Huangfu Jingchen, and hesitated, ”There’s no mistake in my diagnosis, but there might be patients who didn’t see me. How would I know what illness they have?”

This neither denied Xia Wenjin’s words nor implicated himself.

Mayor Wang was furious; he called Zhang Jiantang to refute Xia Wenjin’s words. He did not trust a kid who still smelled of milk, but what Zhang Jiantang said wasn’t definitive?

Mayor Wang stared at Zhang Jiantang, ”Then why haven’t you investigated it yet?”

No matter how proud he was, he knew as the leader that an epidemic in his area was a grave matter.

He didn’t trust Xia Wenjin; the matter was thus given to Zhang Jiantang.

Zhang Jiantang was full of resentment, secretly glaring at Xia Wenjin.

”You outsider, why are you so troublesome? What epidemic?”

Making things sound so severe seemed just a ploy to garner attention; youngsters these days barely understood respecting their elders.

What benefit is this to them? An epidemic, my foot!