Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Ye Piaoling turned around and saw Xiao Mei approaching with her lackeys in tow, a flashy group of young men and women. Clearly, they had come to watch her make a fool of herself.
Xiao Mei smiled. “Congratulations, Junior Sister Ye. Sweeping the Library Pavilion is servant’s work, and from now on, it’s all yours!”
Ye Piaoling said, “If you have something to say, say it. If not, get lost.”
Xiao Mei’s expression darkened.
Then she lifted her chin and said arrogantly, “This Princess actually does have something to ask you today. Where did you get that donkey of yours?”
Ye Piaoling said, “What donkey?”
Xiao Mei said, “That yellow Divine Donkey.”
The day Xiao Chengxu saw the electric scooter on the street, he had taken a liking to it at first glance. To curry favor with her brother, Xiao Mei immediately sent people to search for the same model, but even after combing through every carriage, boat, livestock, and demon beast market they could find, they never found another like it.
Ye Piaoling said, “That donkey has extraordinary origins. I can’t tell you.”
Xiao Mei sneered. “I knew you wouldn’t say. Fine, it doesn’t matter. Sell it to me.”
Ye Piaoling said, “Not selling.”
Xiao Mei said, “Aren’t you obsessed with money? Name your price. No matter how much it is, the Duke’s Mansion can afford it!”
Ye Piaoling rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t sell it for any amount of money.”
With that, she picked up her broom and went into the Library Pavilion without looking back.
Xiao Mei gritted her teeth in anger.
A young lady from an official’s family immediately tried to comfort her. “Princess, why bother getting angry with someone like her? She’s only fit to sweep stairs anyway…”
Xiao Mei cut her off impatiently. “What this Princess wants is that donkey! Ye Piaoling refuses to sell it. Why don’t you all come up with an idea?”
At that, everyone fell silent.
If she refused to sell it, what could they possibly do?
Xiao Mei looked at Ye Xiangxiang. “Ye Piaoling is your elder sister. Can you make her sell the donkey to me?”
Ye Xiangxiang immediately shook her head in panic, indicating that she didn’t have that ability.
Xiao Mei glared at her in disgust. “Useless.”
Just then, a young nobleman said, “I heard Ye Piaoling has been doing business lately and makes a lot of money every day. Maybe she’s not short on money anymore, so she refuses to sell.”
Xiao Mei frowned.
She had heard about Bing-le-me and the Divine Weapon Pavilion too. Even Xiao Chengxu had gone to the Divine Weapon Pavilion to buy a daily-use, extra-long, instant-absorbent…
Xiao Mei had originally mocked Ye Piaoling, a young lady of a noble family, for lowering herself to become a common merchant. Now, however, jealousy rose in her heart.
Xiao Mei asked, “Why is Bing-le-me’s business so good?”
Another well-informed rich young master said, “I heard they changed the shop name to attract customers, but the real reason is the Divine Physician holding consultations there. His medical skills are said to bring the dying back to life, and every patient he’s treated has praised him!”
Xiao Mei understood.
Without a Divine Physician in residence, a shop could not stay popular for long with just a name.
Xiao Mei sneered as a plan formed in her mind.
Poach the Divine Physician and leave Bing-le-me with no business!
“Doesn’t she love making money? Fine. This Princess will cut off her income!”
Once she decided, she acted.
After returning to the Duke’s Mansion and having dinner, Xiao Mei brought a group of guards with her to Bing-le-me.
When she arrived at the shop entrance and looked inside, she saw an old man with crane-white hair and white brows sitting upright behind the consultation desk, looking like a venerable birthday immortal.
Judging by his age, he had to be around a hundred.
Ximen Wuming had originally looked like he was in his eighties. After Bing-le-me became wildly popular, patients flooded in one after another, causing Ximen Wuming’s workload to skyrocket. Overworked, he had aged another twenty-some years in just a short period…
Xiao Mei pointed at Ximen Wuming and asked, “Is that the Divine Physician holding consultations?”
The guard beside her replied, “Princess, yes. His name is Ximen Wuming. He is also a legitimate son of the Ximen Clan, and Ximen Chunqiu’s younger uncle.”
“Uncle?!”
Xiao Mei frowned. “Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake? You’re certain he’s Ximen Chunqiu’s uncle, not his great-grandfather?”
The guard said, “Princess, he is not his great-grandfather. He is his uncle.”
Xiao Mei: “…”
Xiao Mei was speechless for a moment before a look of contempt spread across her face. “This uncle is even older than a grandfather. The Ximen Family’s generations are a complete mess.”
With an uncle that old, it was obvious the Ximen Family had no sense of propriety at all. Utterly filthy and shameless.
Xiao Mei walked into the clinic in disdain and sat down in front of the consultation desk.
“You’re Divine Doctor Ximen?”
Ximen Wuming said proudly, “I am.”
That one reply startled Xiao Mei.
Because his voice was clear, full, and slightly mellow. He sounded no older than thirty or so-the standard voice of a handsome young uncle.
It didn’t sound like something this hundred-year-old man in front of her could possibly produce…
Xiao Mei looked around, then stared at Ximen Wuming in puzzlement. “Was that you speaking just now?”
A hint of impatience appeared on the old man’s face, as if he had no desire to answer such nonsense.
He frowned and continued in that youthful voice, “Are you here for a consultation? What seems to be the trouble?”
“…”
This time, Xiao Mei was certain. The voice really was coming from this old man.
A hundred-year-old face paired with a thirty-year-old voice. It felt especially bizarre.
Like he was performing a ventriloquist act.
Another wave of contempt rose in Xiao Mei’s heart. What kind of lousy Divine Physician was this? So strange, and yet people were actually willing to come to him for treatment!
But for the sake of poaching him, Xiao Mei still put on an act of valuing talent and said with a smile, “I have long heard of the Divine Physician’s great name. Seeing you today, you truly are extraordinary. To think you could nurture such an exceptional voice.”
Ximen Wuming said, “What’s wrong with my voice?”
Xiao Mei said, “Divine Physician, your voice sounds like that of someone in their twenties or thirties.”
Ximen Wuming said, “I am in my twenties.”
Xiao Mei: “…?”
Ximen Wuming said, “I am twenty-eight this year.”
Xiao Mei: “…??”
She thought she had misheard and couldn’t help asking again, “How old did you say you were?”
“Twenty-eight.”
Ximen Wuming impatiently stroked his white beard and said unhappily, “Are you here to see a doctor or to chat? If you don’t want a consultation, stop taking up the seat!”
Xiao Mei was still immersed in shock.
She turned and asked the guard beside her, “Is this old man really twenty-eight this year?”
The guard replied, “Princess, Ximen Wuming is indeed very young. He simply looks old.”
Xiao Mei found it unbelievable. “How could that be? Is there something wrong with him?”
“You’re the one with something wrong!”
Ximen Wuming flew into a rage and slapped the desk. “If you’re not here for treatment, then hurry up and get lost! I don’t have time to waste on you!”
The guard at the side immediately scolded him, “How dare you! This is Princess Anguo. Do you think you have the right to speak to her so rudely?”
Xiao Mei pretended to stop him. “Do not be discourteous to the Divine Physician.”
She turned to Ximen Wuming and said, “I hear the Divine Physician can cure any illness with a single prescription. You should not be buried among the common folk. Why not enter Duke Anguo’s Mansion and serve as an Imperial Physician to the royal family? I can pay you double your monthly salary.”
“Not going.” Ximen Wuming rolled his eyes in disdain. “How many patients could one little Duke’s Mansion possibly have? I like staying where there are lots of patients.”
Xiao Mei patiently said, “Then I can recommend the Divine Physician to the palace as an imperial doctor. There are many people in the palace.”
The moment Ximen Wuming heard that, he immediately said readily, “Sure!”
Xiao Mei smiled smugly.
As expected, everyone in this world abandoned loyalty for profit and longed to climb higher…
Once I get this Divine Physician away, let’s see how Ye Piaoling keeps this business running!
Xiao Mei smiled and said, “Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, I will go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and recommend you for the palace!”
Ximen Wuming said, “Sure! Recommend me however you like. I won’t go anyway!”
Xiao Mei: “…”
Ximen Wuming said, “I just like Bing-le-me. No one is poaching me away. Heh heh.”