Golden Branch

Prince Rui's Mansion.

"What? What did you say? Lou Hanzhang recommended a miracle doctor to the Eastern Palace. That miracle doctor's surname is Li, and she's a female priest?"

Yang Shou, who had been busy outside for the past month, finally returned to the palace and heard this news.

He stood up suddenly and kicked over the table in front of him.

The cups and other items on the table made crackling sounds, and the warm tea spilled all over the floor.

Yang Shou didn't care about all that. He quickly walked over to the servant who had reported back, bent down, grabbed his collar, and shouted sternly, "Tell me again? What did Lou Hanzhang do? Is that miracle doctor named Li Mingtang?"

Yang Shou's strength was so great that he grabbed the boy's clothes tightly, and the boy was almost strangled to the point of suffocation.

His face flushed red, and he tilted his head back as hard as he could, saying with difficulty, "Reporting to the Crown Prince, just three days ago, Lou Shaoqing recommended a miracle doctor to the Crown Prince. His surname is Li, but his name is unknown."

"She is a female Taoist priest with superb medical skills, and is best at treating heart diseases."

"Just yesterday, she treated the Empress. I heard it was very effective, and the Saint was very happy. There are rumors that the Saint's reward will be bestowed soon."

The servant didn't dare to struggle, but his neck was strangled, so he could only quickly tell Yang Shou the news he had heard from the market, teahouses and other places.

"..."

Yang Shou let go of his hand dejectedly, his body, which had become thin due to running around, couldn't help shaking.

Although the servant did not find out the name of the miracle doctor, the fact that his surname was Li, he was a female nun, and he was good at treating heart diseases, made it very clear that he was a doctor.

He was outside, searching for Dr. Li Mingtang, the great doctor he had been searching for for over a month, but Lou Yu had already found him.

He had previously suspected that he had been robbed and had even listed Lou Yu as a suspect.

Now that the dust has settled, his guess has come true.

"Lou Hanzhang! What a great Lou Hanzhang!"

"You're stretching your hand too far!"

Yang Shou was shocked and angry. A clear mind flashed through his chaotic mind: "Who is it? Who leaked the news?"

"Could it be Thirteenth Lady? Impossible, she has no idea at all!"

Yang Shou inevitably became suspicious of Zheng Shisan.

The reason is very simple. Looking at the entire Rui Wang Mansion, only Zheng, the Crown Prince's Consort, has a close relationship with Lou Yu.

She is Lou Yu’s cousin!

And she is Lou Yu’s fiancée’s study partner!

Even after Zheng Shisan got married, she would still visit the princess's mansion regularly to pay her respects.

She had the opportunity to tip off Lou Yu.

Thinking of this, Yang Shou's anger rushed to his head. He clenched his fists and rushed to the main courtyard on the east road of the palace regardless of anything.

This is the courtyard where he and Zheng Shisan live, and it is also the best place in the entire palace, except for the main courtyard on the central axis.

Yang Shou strode to the main hall. Along the way, many servants he met saluted him, but he didn't even look at them.

His frosty expression clearly showed that he was very angry.

The servants sensed their master's anger and, while carefully performing their formalities, could not help but secretly speculate:

"What's wrong with the prince? You've been away for over a month, and you're angry when you come back?"

"Or is it that the prince got upset outside and wants to return home to vent his anger on someone?"

"Oh, he seems to be going to the East Garden. Could it be that his target is the Crown Prince's Consort?"

The servants were speculating; some were worried, some were gloating, and some were secretly taking a shortcut to slip away and inform Zheng Shisan.

As expected, Zheng Shisan would rather pay the dowry to be the housekeeper, he definitely has his own plan.

"The prince is back? And he's still so angry?"

Before Yang Shou entered the yard, Zheng Shisan, who was sitting in the main room, received the news.

But she wasn't worried at all.

So what if I’m angry?

Doctor Li was intercepted, and the Rui Palace could neither curry favor with the Queen or the Crown Prince, nor receive the credit for their recommendation.

This palace is still the same impoverished royal family as before.

Not to mention the wealth of the palace, even Yang Shou's personal career needed the help of Zheng Shisan, his "virtuous wife".

If Yang Shou had any brains left, he wouldn't dare to break up with Zheng Shisan.

Of course, Zheng Shisan was used to being a weak and harmless little white flower, and she would not turn the table with Yang Shou unless it was absolutely necessary.

Apart from anything else, Zheng Shisan still needs Yang Shou to give her a son.

She and Yang Shou could no longer support each other, but they had to maintain a superficial respect for each other.

At least in the next few years, Zheng Shisan will continue to perform the lovable Dodder and be a loving couple with Yang Shou.

After quickly sorting out his emotions, Zheng Shisan returned to his previous leisurely state.

She sat under the window, embroidering stitch by stitch in the bright sunshine.

thump!thump!

There were heavy footsteps on the steps. Zheng Shisan raised his head, revealing a delicate and exquisite face.

A pair of almond-shaped eyes instantly became sparkling when they heard the sound.

She seemed very happy, and a little eager, so she stood up and went out to greet him with the embroidery frame.

"My dear! You're back!"

The little face, as big as a palm, was full of surprise and anticipation.

She seemed to be extremely eager for her husband's return. She was extremely familiar with and loved her husband. She could tell it was him just by listening to the footsteps.

She is like a little wife whose heart and eyes are filled with only her husband, and all she shows from the bottom of her heart is her longing for and dependence on her husband.

Yang Shou was originally filled with anger, but when he saw his wife rushing out regardless of anything, he couldn't help but be stunned.

Shisan Niang is still so weak and trusts herself so much.

The way she looked at him was full of reverence, as if he was her heaven!

Yes, Shisan Niang is such a little woman who regards her husband as her heaven.

He was everything to her, how could she possibly betray him?

"My dear! What's wrong with you? Were you bullied outside?"

Zheng Shisan seemed not to notice the change of emotion in Yang Shou's eyes. She stopped flying forward, and a hint of hesitation and worry flashed in her Danfeng eyes, which were originally full of surprise.

"...Shisanniang, I've been away from the capital these days. Thank you for all the hard work you've put into the palace!"

Zheng Shisan's concerned inquiries made Yang Shou feel even more complicated.

On the one hand, he still suspected Zheng Shisan.

On the other hand, he subconsciously wanted to believe that Shisan Niang loved him and depended on him so much, so how could she be a traitor?

Even if it has nothing to do with love, she should be smart enough to know how to make a choice!

Yang Shou suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and began to test.

He wanted to know whether Shisan Niang already knew about Asu's existence.

In Yang Shou's opinion, the only reason a woman could betray her husband is jealousy.

He raised Asu outside. If Shisan Niang knew about this, she would be sad and angry, and then turn love into hate.

Therefore, if you want to test whether it was Shisan Niang who leaked the information, you can start with this incident.

"It's not hard! The palace is also my home. I work hard for my family, so how can it be hard?"

There was still worry in Zheng Shisan's eyes, but when Yang Shou mentioned the matters concerning the palace, she still answered meekly according to his wishes.

"Father and Mother are doing well... My two younger sisters are also doing well."

The two sisters that Zheng Shisan mentioned were the beauties that King Yan rewarded at the palace banquet that day.

Yang Shou was not Xiao Wuji, and Zheng Shisan was not as strong-willed as Wang Mian. On the day he brought the people back to the palace, Yang Shou took one of them in.

In the following days, Yang Shou not only went to look for people but also occasionally returned to the palace, and he did not neglect the two beauties.

Zheng Shisan was a virtuous woman. Not only did she not get jealous and attack the two beauties, she was also generous enough to make them her concubines.

He chose a nice courtyard, selected slaves, and never demanded too much from them in terms of daily food, clothing, and other expenses.

Of course, despite being virtuous, Zheng Shisan still showed some small emotions when facing Yang Shou——

She treated her concubine well because she loved her husband and couldn't bear to make things difficult for him.

But she also truly loved her husband and didn't want to share him with another woman.

Zheng Shisan struck the right balance in this regard, giving her husband the freedom to hug women left and right, while also allowing her husband to feel her love for him.

Zheng Shisan: ...There's nothing I can do. Some men are just so speechless.

If he is not allowed to have other women, he will think that his wife is jealous and not virtuous enough.

But if his wife gave him freedom and allowed him to have three wives and four concubines, he would feel that his wife did not love him and was not pure and sincere enough towards him!

Zheng Shisan just laughed, he really wanted this and that.

Unfortunately, this is a patriarchal society, and even if women have a backer, they are inevitably in a disadvantaged position.

For the sake of his own plan, Zheng Shisan could only pretend to be submissive.

It's just acting, just pretending. As a concubine's daughter from a poor family who has been mistreated since childhood, it's nothing.

At this moment, Zheng Shisan's performance dispelled Yang Shou's doubts——

Shisan Niang is not a jealous person.

Shisanniang tolerated and treated well the beauties bestowed by the Prince of Yan and the concubine he had before his marriage.

Asu is just a concubine, so I don't think she would become the fuse for Shisan Niang's "love turning into hate".

Besides, Shisanniang is just a little woman who had just married into the palace. She was often troubled by the servants when she was doing her daily housekeeping. How could she have the ability to find out the secrets that only his father, mother and he knew?

Yang Shou's suspicions dissipated slightly, but he still wanted to make a final confirmation.

Pursing his lips, Yang Shou suddenly said, "I heard that Lou Shaoqing has made another contribution!"

As Yang Shou spoke, he looked at Zheng Shisan's expression.

He found that when he heard the word "meritorious service", a hint of surprise flashed in Zheng Shisan's eyes.

"Achieve merit? What important case did my cousin solve?"

Lou Yu is now the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, responsible for trying major cases in the capital and even the whole country.

Therefore, when Zheng Shisan heard that Lou Yu had made a contribution, his first reaction was that he had solved the case, which was absolutely a normal and reasonable reaction.

Yang Shou's eyes flickered slightly, and he shook his head gently: "It's not the Dali Temple's job. Lou Shaoqing found a miracle doctor from somewhere. His surname is Li, and he specializes in treating heart diseases."

"Lou Shaoqing has recommended Divine Doctor Li to the palace. Divine Doctor Li was indeed able to cure the Empress's heart disease. The Saint and the Crown Prince are very satisfied and wish to reward the meritorious official generously."

"Dr. Li deserves a reward for his meritorious service in treating the disease! Shaoqing Lou also deserves a reward for his meritorious service in recommending us!"

The surprise in Zheng Shisan's eyes became more and more obvious. "Really? This is true! Oh, this is really great!"

"My cousin is really amazing. When he was in Yizhou a few years ago, he raised many followers and had dealings with river gangs such as the Yihe River..."

Zheng Shisan's meaning was very clear. Lou Yu had sufficient manpower and was influential in both the black and white worlds. It would be easy for him to find a miracle doctor.