The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

"Then thank you for the reminder, Lord Qi, but a mere epidemic is nothing to worry about."

Upon hearing Zhang Jing's words, Qi Zheng gave Zhang Jing a cryptic look, then turned and left.

On the streets in the early morning, Zhang Jing carried a medicine box, with Murong Xueyao following behind. The two walked and stopped frequently, checking on the patients by the roadside.

"Dr. Zhang, please save my child!" A woman knelt on the ground, crying and pleading.

Zhang Jing knelt down to take the child's pulse, his brow furrowing slightly: "Water."

"What?" the woman asked, puzzled.

Have you tried drinking well water from the West Market recently?

The woman thought for a moment: "Yes, the water over there is sweet, and the children love to drink it..."

Zhang Jing took out several packets of medicine from the medicine box: "Take this first, and remember, from now on, only drink water from the East Market."

After walking a distance, Murong Xueyao lowered her voice and said, "Young Master Zhang, won't we alert the enemy by walking around like this?"

Zhang Jing's gaze swept over the few dark figures hiding at the street corner, and he said calmly, "Do you think we're not being watched right now?"

Murong Xueyao was startled: "Then wouldn't we be..."

“On the contrary, this is the safest way,” Zhang Jing said softly. “If I were truly just a royal physician here to treat patients, I should be doing this now. Staying indoors would only seem suspicious.”

Murong Xueyao suddenly realized: "So Young Master Zhang did it on purpose..."

"Shh," Zhang Jing gestured for her to be quiet, pointing ahead, "Look, here they come."

Qi Zheng, accompanied by several yamen runners, approached Zhang Jing with a beaming smile: "Is Physician Zhang here to examine the patient's condition?"

"It's my duty," Zhang Jing replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "but... Lord Qi seems quite concerned about my whereabouts?"

"Not at all," Qi Zheng chuckled dryly, "I was worried about Physician Zhang's safety. That's why I specially sent people to protect him secretly."

"Is it protection or surveillance?" Zhang Jing gave him a meaningful look.

Qi Zheng's expression changed slightly: "Physician Zhang is joking. By the way," he changed the subject, "I heard that Physician Zhang plans to investigate the water source?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Zhang Jing nodded. "Does Lord Qi have any objections?"

"This..." Qi Zheng looked troubled, "but over there..."

"What?" Zhang Jing raised an eyebrow. "Is there some unspeakable secret over there?"

"Of course not!" Qi Zheng hurriedly denied. "Since Physician Zhang wishes to go, I will arrange for someone to lead the way."

“No need,” Zhang Jing said calmly. “I can go by myself.”

Before Qi Zheng could say anything more, Zhang Jing had already turned and left. Murong Xueyao quickly followed, only to hear Qi Zheng behind her whispering to his men, "Keep a close eye on them!"

After turning a few corners, Zhang Jing suddenly stopped: "Do you know the way to the dungeon?"

Murong Xueyao was taken aback: "I recognize her, but..."

“Tonight,” Zhang Jing said in a low voice, “their attention will be on the water source.”

Murong Xueyao's eyes lit up: "Young Master Zhang, you mean..."

“So,” Zhang Jing glanced around, “you need to be prepared.”

"But didn't Qi Zheng say..."

"The more he tries to stop us from going to the water source," Zhang Jing sneered, "the more it proves there's a problem there. He probably thinks we'll go check the water source at night."

Murong Xueyao suddenly realized: "So this is a diversionary tactic?"

Zhang Jing didn't answer, but continued walking forward: "Let's go. Now, let's continue to be dutiful imperial physicians."

At the street corner, a little beggar timidly stopped them: "Miracle doctor, my mother is very ill..."

Zhang Jing squatted down, handed him a packet of medicine, and whispered a few words to him. The little beggar's eyes lit up, and he turned and ran away.

"Young Master Zhang?" Murong Xueyao asked, puzzled.

“It’s always good to have an extra informant,” Zhang Jing stood up, “especially those who are ‘invisible’ in other people’s eyes.”

Arriving at a tea stall, Zhang Jing ordered two bowls of tea. When the tea server brought them over, there was a slip of paper under the tray.

Zhang Jing casually tucked the note into his sleeve and took a sip of tea: "It tastes good."

Murong Xueyao stared in disbelief: "Young Master Zhang, when did you...?"

“On my first day at the county government,” Zhang Jing said softly, “I already planted several spies throughout the city.”

"And that little beggar from earlier..."

“I’ll keep an eye on the water source in the West Market,” Zhang Jing put down his teacup, “and also inquire about the situation in the dungeon.”

Murong Xueyao couldn't help but sigh, "Young Master Zhang is truly..."

“These are all necessary preparations,” Zhang Jing interrupted her. “Tonight is the crucial night.”

As the sun began to set, Zhang Jing led Murong Xueyao back to the county government office. Passing the gate, both noticed that there were significantly more guards than in the morning.

Back in his room, Zhang Jing took out a note from his sleeve, and after reading it, his eyes sharpened.

"Young Master Zhang," Murong Xueyao couldn't contain her curiosity, "what was written on the note?"

Zhang Jing burned the note: "Tonight, we're not the only ones taking action."

"What's the meaning?"

“It means,” Zhang Jing looked out the window, “that we might not be the only ones who want to rescue Murong Yuxuan.”

As night deepened, a tense struggle was about to begin inside and outside the county government office. Meanwhile, no one noticed that a carrier pigeon was flying from the direction of the county government office towards the capital.

As night deepened, Zhang Jing, carrying a lantern, arrived at the gate of the county government office.

"Where is Physician Zhang going so late?" The guards at the gate blocked his way.

“Go check the water source,” Zhang Jing said calmly. “The illness is strange; we must get to the bottom of it.”

The constable hesitated, "This..."

"Send Physician Zhang over there," Qi Zheng's voice suddenly rang out.

Zhang Jing turned around and saw Qi Zheng approaching with several attendants: "Lord Qi, are you still up so late?"

"Hearing that Physician Zhang wishes to inspect the water source," Qi Zheng said with a beaming smile, "this humble official will personally lead the way."

Zhang Jing's eyes flashed: "Then I'll have to trouble Lord Qi."

The two walked along the street toward the west market. Under the moonlight, Qi Zheng walked ahead, occasionally turning back to explain something. Zhang Jing, however, would stop every now and then, pretending to examine the roadside ditch.

"Doctor Zhang is truly dedicated and responsible," Qi Zheng feigned admiration.

“It’s my duty,” Zhang Jing said, crouching down and scooping up a handful of water to examine it closely. “Doesn’t Lord Qi find it strange that the water in the West Market is the problem?”

Qi Zheng's expression hardened: "This..."

"Wait," Zhang Jing suddenly stood up, "the water here... there's something wrong with it."

"what is the problem?"

“I need to check,” Zhang Jing said, taking a small bottle from his medicine box. “Please wait a moment, Lord Qi.”

Qi Zheng gave a wink from behind, and one of his followers quietly retreated and disappeared into the darkness.

Meanwhile, in the county government dungeon.

Murong Xueyao, her face veiled, entered the dungeon carrying a food box.

"Halt!" the guard stopped her. "Who are you?"

“I am Physician Zhang’s assistant,” Murong Xueyao said in a low voice, “The physician asked me to deliver medicine to the patients in the prison.”

"We haven't received any notification," the guard said coldly.

Murong Xueyao took out a token from her bosom: "This is the imperial physician's token."