People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 160, Madam, please show sincerity and determination to protect our family fortune! (Bonus 4k chapter, combined into one)

It was half an hour later when Xu Qing left Consort Hu's palace.

When Ruotao saw Xu Qing walk out of the palace, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look. She had heard everything that had happened in the palace just now.

She had initially thought that Xu Qing and Consort Hu were just a simple relationship of favored ministers, but what had just happened clearly told her that the relationship between the two had exceeded her imagination.

Ruotao was both shocked and terrified, and could only lower her head, not daring to look at Xu Qing.

Even if she knew all this, what could she do? Report her beauty and the imperial physician for having an affair? No matter the outcome, she would be the first to die.

Therefore, she only had one path forward: to bury this secret in her heart and act as a lookout for Xu Qing and Hu Meiren during their secret rendezvous, preventing others from finding out.

"Respectfully seeing off the Imperial Physician," Ruotao said, bowing her head.

Upon first glance at Ruotao, who was looking down shyly, Xu Qing understood that the girl must have heard something, otherwise she wouldn't be acting this way.

"Do you know Madam Mingzhu's maid?" Xu Qing asked.

"Huh? I know him, but we're not close." Ruotao looked at Xu Qing with confusion, not understanding why he asked this.

"It's okay, you can spend more time with her in the future."

Xu Qing chuckled and turned to leave. He could consider this a good deed, as he had found a companion for Madam Mingzhu's maid.

Watching Xu Qing's departing figure, Ruo Tao was full of confusion, clearly not understanding what Xu Qing meant by those words.

Before Ruotao could think it over carefully, Hu Meiren's voice came from inside the hall.

"Ruotao, come in."

Hu Meiren's voice was still delicate and charming, but it couldn't hide her fatigue.

Ruotao recalled the shy voice she heard in the palace earlier, swallowed hard, and blushed as she entered the bedchamber.

After returning to the Imperial Medical Academy, Xu Qing handled his daily affairs briefly before beginning to peruse medical books.

After Lady Hu was brought into the palace by Consort Hu in the afternoon, Xu Qing went to Consort Hu's palace again to discuss the matter of mother and daughter recognizing each other before leaving again.

Before long, it was dusk, and Xu Qing left the Imperial Hospital.

Just as Xu Qing opened the door and before she could even enter, she heard someone calling her from behind.

"Imperial Physician, please wait."

Xu Qing turned around and saw the steward of the Feng family jogging towards him.

"Butler Feng, what brings you here?" Xu Qing asked.

Butler Feng bowed to Xu Qing and said with a smile.
"Naturally, we've come to thank the Imperial Physician. Junior Minister Feng Yu and his son have been convicted and imprisoned, while the rest of his family members have been exiled and their property confiscated."

"Seeing the fate of Feng Yu's family, the rest of the Feng family came to apologize and said they dared not fight for the family property anymore."

"After my wife inquired about it, she learned that it was the Imperial Physician who intervened in the court, causing Feng Yu to be convicted."

"My wife specially sent me to invite you to our residence for a chat, to thank you for your help in saving the Feng family's business."

Hearing the butler's words, Xu Qing understood and nodded slightly.

He was naturally aware of Feng Yu's conviction, but he hadn't expected Luo Jing to send someone to invite him so quickly. Now that he had confirmed the other party's identity, he was happy to go and meet him.

"Okay, wait a moment while I change my clothes," Xu Qing said.

"Physician, please feel free to do as you please. I will wait outside," the steward said, bowing slightly.

Xu Qing nodded slightly and went back to change his clothes. A short while later, Xu Qing came out wearing a dark brocade robe.

"The Imperial Physician is indeed an outstanding person, with extraordinary bearing," the steward praised, looking at Xu Qing, who exuded an air of wealth and power.

"Steward Feng, you flatter me. Please lead the way," Xu Qing said with a faint smile.

"plz follow me."

Led by Steward Feng, Xu Qing entered the Feng residence.

At this moment, in the reception room of the Feng residence, Jing Ni, dressed in plain clothes, sat on the seat, watching the maids place the wine and dishes on the table with a cold expression.

"Commander, the target has entered the manor," the maid said.

Jing Ni nodded slightly, a hint of seriousness in her eyes.

The two reports she submitted to Xianyang have been sent back one after the other. Marquis Wenxin, Lü Buwei, not only handed her the complete list of Qin's spies in the Han court, but also ordered that Xu Qing be won over to Qin by any means necessary.

When Jingni first received this intelligence, she was somewhat surprised and did not understand why Lü Buwei valued Xu Qing so much.

But after learning the news from the direction of Wei, she understood why.

Because the head of the medical family, Nian Duan, practiced medicine in the State of Wei, he said that Xu Qing, the chief physician of the State of Han, not only had a heart that cared for all the people, but was also exceptionally talented and possessed strategic skills.

In addition, some people say that Nian Duan personally admitted that Xu Qing was the deputy head of the medical family and entrusted him with the medical books passed down by the family.

Although the information obtained by Luo Wang was all rumors, both Luo Wang and Lü Buwei adopted the attitude of "better safe than sorry," simply because this matter involved Nian Duan, the head of the medical family.

If someone were truly spreading rumors, Nian Duan, who practiced medicine in the State of Wei, would certainly not allow such rumors to spread, especially since the location where these messages appeared perfectly matched Nian Duan's whereabouts.

The Qin state was eager to recruit talented individuals from the six states east of the mountains. The main purpose of the net was to monitor these talents and find ways to make them serve the Qin state. Even if they could not be obtained, they had to be eliminated.

However, Lü Buwei instructed her to use any means necessary to bring Xu Qing to the Qin state, and even if she failed, she was not allowed to lay a hand on Xu Qing. This was also because of Xu Qing's inexplicable identity as the deputy head of the medical family.

The Qin state not only lacked civil virtues, but also had a severe shortage of skilled doctors, simply because the ancestor of physicians, Bian Que, was framed and killed by Li Xi, the Qin state's imperial physician.

When this news spread, Li Xi was beaten to death in public by the angry crowd.

It was precisely for this reason that there were not many doctors in the Qin state, and famous doctors were even rarer, especially since most of the military doctors in the army were unlicensed practitioners.

Xu Qing, recognized by Nian Duan as the deputy head of the medical family, could be won over to the Qin state, allowing Qin to ease tensions with the medical family and address the shortage of renowned doctors in the country.

"Are you going to use any means necessary to win over Xu Qing? And you're not even allowed to lay a hand on him?"

Jing Ni was somewhat worried about this. From her two encounters with Xu Qing, she could tell that he was an extremely difficult opponent.

Getting him to willingly side with Qin is extremely difficult, and the most crucial point is that Xu Qing must not be harmed, which put Jing Ni in a dilemma for a while.

If Xu Qing is injured or forced into a corner, causing him to give up entirely, then Qin will not only be unable to mend relations with the medical community, but many of the country's few renowned doctors will likely have to leave.

"Seduce alone probably isn't enough, but what else can we do?"

Just as Jingni was pondering, the maid outside the door hurried in and whispered...

"Commander, we're almost there."

Jing Ni regained her senses, took two deep breaths, and used the disguise technique from the Luo Net. Through self-hypnosis, she transformed from the ruthless Jing Ni into the delicate Luo Jing, and the surrounding maids also withdrew one after another.

"For now, we can only continue with the original plan, but we need to re-plan the part concerning Xu Qing."

Jingni had made up her mind.

Before long, Xu Qing entered the guest room. Jing Ni, who had transformed into Luo Jing, smiled and rose to greet her. "I am honored by the arrival of the Imperial Physician. Please forgive me for not being able to greet you properly," Luo Jing said, bowing slightly.

Xu Qing looked Luo Jing up and down. Her pretty face, which carried a hint of sadness and a touch of melancholy, was lightly made up, and her dark hair was tied up with a simple hairpin.

Although her clothes were still plain white, they had changed from a long coat to a fitted long skirt.

The plump, round breasts pushed the white collar of her dress into an exaggerated arc, and the slightly asymmetrical collar revealed a glimpse of her fair collarbone. A small white flower was pinned to her chest, signifying her status.

Beneath the hem of her skirt, two beautiful legs encased in flesh-colored stockings were faintly visible, and her delicate little feet wore a pair of plain white shoes.

Although the clothes were in accordance with the requirements for wearing mourning clothes, Luo Jing's pretty face, which seemed to want to speak but not to, and her enviable figure, gave people an extreme sense of allure.

This attire is probably only comparable to that of the nuns of Mount Tai in later generations, Xu Qing thought to himself.

If he hadn't known that Luo Jing was truly widowed, his opinion would have been that he had wandered into some kind of shady place, given her standard mourning attire as a beautiful widow.

"Madam, you're too kind. Your sincere invitation is enough; whether I welcome you or not is not important. It's the thought that counts," Xu Qing said with a smile.

"Thank you for your understanding, Imperial Physician. I have prepared a small feast to express my gratitude, please don't mind," Luo Jing said with a smile.

"It's alright, it's alright. It's good that you have the intention."

"Please summon the Imperial Physician."

Luo Jing gestured for him to sit down, then stepped towards her seat, her slender waist swaying slightly, her full, round buttocks bobbing along with it.

Looking at Luo Jing's alluring back, a hint of seriousness flashed in Xu Qing's eyes.

Luo Jing was unusually enthusiastic today, her attire and actions were somewhat seductive. Although this was similar to the information Zi Nu had gathered and his guess, Xu Qing still became wary.

"I may be lustful, but until I have access to your network, don't expect me to do anything else, even if you offer yourself up for free."

Xu Qing was still able to distinguish between what was important and what was urgent. Luo Jing was tempting, but right now he had no eyes for her beauty, only for the network of connections she possessed.

Following Luo Jing's footsteps, Xu Qing took a seat.

After Luo Jing sat down, she straightened her back slightly, straightened the folds of her white dress at her waist, and outlined the alluring curves of her hips and waist.

"Thank you so much, Imperial Physician, for helping me resolve the issue of my family's assets. I'd like to offer you a toast," Luo Jing said, raising her glass to Xu Qing.

"You're too kind, Madam. This is what we agreed upon, and I will naturally keep my promise."

Xu Qing picked up the wine glass and brought it to his lips, but did not drink it immediately.

Instead, he took a gentle sniff and touched the wine with the tip of his tongue. Only after confirming that the wine was safe did he drink it down.

"This second cup of wine is to thank the Imperial Physician for helping me drive away Feng Hong earlier; otherwise, he would have definitely used it as leverage to blackmail me."

A hint of sorrow and grievance flickered between Luo Jing's brows, her beautiful eyes shimmering like autumn water, and her pretty face made her seem pitiful.

Xu Qing simply smiled faintly at Luo Jing's seduction, raised his glass, and said...
"It was just a small favor; after all, Feng Hong also wanted to frame me."

Jingni looked at Xu Qing's calm expression and clear eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in her own eyes.

Xu Qing was a lecherous man, she knew that very well. Before, the way he looked at her had been quite presumptuous, but now he seemed like a completely different person, a gentleman who didn't get close to women.

Before Jingni could ponder further, the effects of self-hypnosis kicked in, and she reverted to Luo Jing's demeanor. Fortunately, her sleeve concealed the change in her expression, preventing Xu Qing from noticing.

"For this third cup of wine, I hope that the Imperial Physician will be of great help to me in the future. The Feng family's vast estate will surely attract those who covet it. I hope that the Imperial Physician will lend a hand when that time comes."

Luo Jing raised her glass, waiting for Xu Qing, but Xu Qing hesitated to pick up her glass.

“Madam, the first two cups of wine are fine, but please forgive me for not being able to drink the third one.” Xu Qing looked at Luo Jing with a playful expression.

Luo Jing forced a stiff smile, raised her glass of wine, and asked...
"What is the reason for this, Imperial Physician?"

“I helped you before because we had an agreement. As for what will happen in the future, if you want me to take action, I’m afraid you’ll need to show some sincerity,” Xu Qing said.

Luo Jing was slightly taken aback, her beautiful eyes revealing surprise and disbelief, which then turned into tension as she gently bit her pink lips.

His pretty face was flushed with a rosy hue, perhaps from the alcohol.

"What...what is he going to do?"

She already possessed a somewhat coy and hesitant demeanor, and this awkwardness and tension made her appear even more aggrieved and delicate, as if she were a widow being pressured by her deceased husband's colleague.

Xu Qing looked at Luo Jing's attitude and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

He was just asking the other party to show sincerity, so why is he acting like this? It's as if he's forcing them.

"Is Madam unwilling? I think you don't want to see the family property left by Doctor Feng taken away by others, do you?" Xu Qing asked in a deep voice.

Hearing the threat in Xu Qing's words, Luo Jing gripped her skirt tightly with both hands, looking at Xu Qing nervously.

She was now really having trouble figuring out Xu Qing. He had acted like a gentleman before, but now he was desperately trying to get her to show her sincerity.

Whether the other party was testing her or really wanted to do something, Luo Jing knew she didn't have many options in order to protect her family's assets.

Luo Jing glanced at the maids beside her and waved slightly, signaling them to leave.

The maids bowed slightly and then left, closing the door behind them.

Only Xu Qing and Luo Jing remained in the empty house.

Seeing that the other maids around them had all left, Xu Qing smiled with satisfaction and said to Luo Jing...
"It seems that you understand what I mean, Madam. Then let me see your sincerity and determination in protecting your family fortune!"

Luo Jing glanced nervously at Xu Qing again, bit her lip, and nodded with a pale face.

"it is good."

As she spoke, Luo Jing reached out her hand towards her shoulder and untied the straps of her dress, causing it to loosen.

The wide shoulders of the dress fell down her smooth, fragrant shoulders, revealing Luo Jing's skin as smooth as jade, and a corner of the white bodice embroidered with flowers and plants peeked out.

The tender white flesh spilled out from under the bodice, and a touch of rosy red crept onto the fair skin.

Luo Jing's breathing became rough, and her pretty face showed tension, helplessness, and grievance, mixed with a trace of defiance.

At this moment, Luo Jing seemed to have made up her mind that she would be willing to sacrifice herself as long as she could protect the family property.

"Madam, what are you doing?!"

Xu Qing stared at Luo Jing in astonishment, then quickly turned her head away, but her gaze couldn't help but drift towards the turbulent global situation.

"Imperial Physician, didn't you want me to show my sincerity? This is my sincerity."

After saying this, Luo Jing seemed to have used up all her strength. Her whole body was burning hot, her cheeks were flushed, her body went limp, and her plump breasts pressed against her feet. Her small hands tightly gripped her dress.

"What I mean is, I want you to produce the network of connections left behind by Dr. Feng!"

Xu Qing turned to look at Luo Jing and spoke slowly and deliberately, but her gaze kept drifting downwards.

(End of this chapter)