The emperor faked his death? Never mind, I will ascend the throne directly!

The next morning, the sun shone on the blue bricks and black tiles of the prefectural government office, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of rice.

Zhang Yuan prepared the carriage early and planned to take Song Zelin to several villages outside the city to see how the new policy was being implemented.

As soon as Song Zelin walked out of the room, he saw Xiao Liuzi following closely behind him, holding his cloak and medicine box in his hands.

"Xiao Liuzi, what are you doing?" Song Zelin stopped and asked with a little confusion.

Little Liuzi handed the cloak to Song Zelin attentively, "Sir, it's still a little chilly in the early spring morning. Please put this on. I've also brought your medicine box."

Song Zelin smiled and shook his head. "Today we're just going to a nearby village to check on the crops. We're not going to fight, so there's no need for this. You don't have to come with us. It's a rare trip to Hexi, so take a good rest and wander around."

When Xiao Liuzi heard this, he immediately made a bitter face and said, "Sir, I'd better follow you, in case you need anything on the way."

Song Zelin waved his hand and said in an unquestionable tone: "No need, I'll give you a day off today, have fun. It's settled." After that, he turned and walked towards Zhang Yuan, leaving Xiao Liuzi alone and anxious.

Little Liuzi wanted to struggle a little more, and just as he was about to speak, he saw Song Zelin and Zhang Yuan already boarded the carriage and were driving away. He sighed and stamped his feet helplessly.

The carriage bumped along the way and drove out of the city gate.

Zhang Yuan pointed to the rolling rice fields outside the window and enthusiastically introduced them, "Sir Song, look, these are the fruits of the new policy."

"These lands used to be wasteland, but now they are planted with crops, and the people's lives have improved a lot."

Song Zelin nodded, his eyes fell on the farmers working hard in the distance, and he felt quite emotional.

After the carriage drove away, Chen Tingshu walked out of the mansion and saw Xiao Liuzi standing at the door with a depressed look on his face.

"What's wrong, Xiao Liuzi? Why do you look so sad?"

"Abandoned by the Prime Minister?"

Little Liuzi pursed his lips and said aggrievedly, "Master Chen, please stop making fun of me. You have come here with great difficulty, and I want to serve you well, but you won't let me follow you."

Chen Tingshu smiled and consoled him, "The Prime Minister is doing this for your own good, letting you rest. You've been running around with the Prime Minister every day, and it's really tiring."

"Besides, with Master Zhang by your side, what else do you have to worry about?"

Xiao Liuzi thought about it and felt a little relieved.

Chen Tingshu asked again with concern: "By the way, is the Prime Minister feeling better?"

"I heard he had a serious illness and hasn't fully recovered yet."

Xiao Liuzi nodded: "Much better, but the imperial physician has instructed that I still need to continue taking the medicine."

"This medicine needs to be taken three times a day at regular times."

Chen Tingshu nodded thoughtfully. "It seems the Prime Minister's medicine is running low. You should hurry to the pharmacy to get some more. Don't delay his treatment."

When Xiao Liuzi heard this, he quickly opened the medicine box and checked it carefully. Sure enough, he found that there were only a few pills left in the box.

He slapped his head and said in frustration, "Oh, look at my memory! If it weren't for Master Chen's reminder, I would have almost missed the big thing!"

"Thank you, Master Chen, for reminding me. I will go get the medicine right away."

As he spoke, he gave Chen Tingshu a thumbs-up: "Master Chen is really meticulous, I admire you!"

Chen Tingshu smiled modestly and said, "It's just a piece of cake."

Little Liuzi trotted back to the mansion and went straight to Tiezhu's room. Tiezhu was a notorious deep sleeper. If he hadn't been quick to pull him out of bed during the master's surprise inspection last time, he would have received a beating.

"Bang, bang, bang!" Xiao Liuzi banged on the door without mercy, shouting, "Tiezhu! Tiezhu! Get up quickly! Something terrible has happened!"

The room was completely silent, with no reaction. Xiao Liuzi increased his force, nearly breaking the door. "Tiezhu! If you don't get up, the Prime Minister will be dead! Can you handle this?"

Finally, the door creaked open a crack, revealing Tiezhu's sleepy face, his hair a mess. He mumbled incoherently, "Who is this... disturbing my sweet sleep so early in the morning..."

"I'm still dreaming!" Little Liuzi pushed the door open and slipped into the house. "The Prime Minister's medicine is almost gone! Lord Chen specifically asked me to get some. Hurry up and get up and follow me to the pharmacy!"

Tiezhu rubbed his eyes and yawned. "The medicine is gone? Aren't there still quite a lot? I just packed it for you yesterday..."

"A lot? Look again!"

Xiao Liuzi opened the medicine box and pointed at the few pitiful pills inside.

"There are only a few left! Not even enough for the adults to eat for a day! If we delay the adults' treatment, you and I will be in trouble!"

Tiezhu finally came to his senses and quickly jumped out of bed, complaining as he put on his clothes, "Oh my god! How did this medicine go through so quickly? Wasn't there a full box just two days ago?"

"You ask me, who should I ask?"

Xiao Liuzi said angrily, "Hurry up and put on your clothes, don't dawdle!"

Tiezhu hurriedly put on his clothes and fastened his belt while asking, "How did Lord Chen know the Prime Minister's medicine was almost gone? Why is he staring at the Prime Minister?"

Little Liuzi rolled his eyes at him and said, "Master Chen is very thoughtful and observant. How can you compare to him? Let's go now and stop imagining nonsense!"

The two of them left the house and headed towards the pharmacy.

On the way, Tiezhu was still chattering: "Do you think this Mr. Chen is right about the Prime Minister..."

"Shhhhhh!"

Xiao Liuzi glared at him fiercely, "My dear brother, please don't say such things carelessly. Be careful of the consequences of your words!"

Tiezhu shrank his neck and dared not say another word.

When they reached the door of the pharmacy, they happened to see a mother and son pulling each other.

The son was in his early twenties, thin, and was pulling an old woman with an anxious look on his face.

The old woman had gray hair and a hunched body. She was muttering to herself and refused to move.

"Mom, please listen to my advice and go see a doctor! This illness is no joke if it's left untreated for too long!"

The son begged desperately, but he didn't dare to use force with his hands for fear of hurting his old mother.

The old woman shook off her son's hand and said firmly, "Why see a doctor? The great god said that I have a heart disease and can only be cured with sincere worship! The doctor can't cure it!"

Tiezhu was impatient and rushed into the pharmacy in two steps, shouting, "The Prime Minister's medicine is important. Who cares about who the god is?"

Little Liuzi, however, was more cautious, slowed down his pace, and listened attentively to the conversation between the mother and son.

"Mom, please stop believing in those gods! They're all liars! Old Wang next door also believed them, and ended up getting terminally ill and nearly died!"

The son was so anxious that he stamped his feet and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The old woman said with disdain: "Old Wang, that's not sincere!"

"The great god has boundless magical powers. As long as you offer sincere worship, any disease can be cured!"

"You just don't believe it and insist on seeing a doctor. What a waste of money!"

"Mom, you've been sick for half a year now, and it's getting worse. If you don't see a doctor, something serious is going to happen!"

The son was almost crying, "Those people are liars, they just want to cheat old people like you! They..."

"shut up!"

The old woman interrupted her son sharply, "Don't you dare slander the gods! They are living Bodhisattvas, who are here to save us! If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will sever the mother-son relationship with you!"

Upon hearing this, the son immediately became like a deflated ball. He sat dejectedly on the steps in front of the pharmacy, covering his face with his hands, his shoulders trembling slightly.