After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

The moonlight, like water, poured over the streets and alleys of the capital. What should have been a peaceful and tranquil night was instead filled with undercurrents due to Lin Qin's upcoming free clinic.

Lin Qin arrived at Sun's Medical Clinic, the largest medical clinic in the capital, early in the morning.

The four large characters "悬壶济世" (hanging a gourd to save the world) on the plaque above the door now seem so ironic.

As she entered the lobby, a strong smell of medicine wafted over her, but it couldn't mask the stench of money emanating from the place.

The owner of Sun's Medical Clinic, an old man over fifty with thinning hair, was sitting in a grand chair, resting with his eyes closed.

He didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone tinged with impatience: "Speak, what is it?"

“Master Sun,” Lin Qin tried to make her tone sound calm, “I plan to conduct free clinics in the city and would like to ask for your support in providing some doctors and medicines.”

Master Sun slowly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them, and a cold smile appeared on his lips: "Free clinic? Heh, madam, you must be joking, right? My clinic has so many patients every day, I'm too busy to do anything else, let alone have time for a free clinic. Besides, medicinal herbs cost money, I don't do business at a loss."

Lin Qin's heart sank. She had long expected that these old guys wouldn't agree easily, but hearing these words with her own ears still left her feeling disappointed.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Master Sun is truly a man of noble character and a compassionate doctor!"

Master Sun was taken aback by her words, his old face twitching slightly, but he still tried to remain calm and said, "Madam is joking. I'm just an ordinary person, I don't do those fancy things." After saying that, he made a gesture as if to see the guest out.

Lin Qin stood up, gave him a cold look, and turned to leave the clinic.

The air still carried the smell of medicine, but also a nauseating, putrid odor.

Undeterred by her initial setback, Lin Qin turned her attention to the medicinal herb market, hoping to purchase a batch of herbs directly.

However, as soon as she stepped into the medicinal herb market, she was surrounded by a hustle and bustle.

A cunning merchant with a pointed snout and a greasy face sat in front of the herbal medicine stall, squinting at Lin Qin.

This man was none other than the cunning merchant Wu.

He had heard about Lin Qin's plan to hold a free clinic long ago and was already prepared to overcharge her.

"Oh, isn't this Madam Lin? What, you also want to buy medicinal herbs?" Wu the unscrupulous merchant said sarcastically, his tone full of mockery.

Lin Qin suppressed her anger and asked, "Mr. Wu, I need a batch of commonly used medicinal herbs. How much do you want?"

Wu, the unscrupulous merchant, rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with greed. He made an outrageous demand: "Oh, Madam Lin, you've come to the right person! The medicinal herbs here are top-notch. However, the price of medicinal herbs has gone up recently, so they won't be cheap. They'll be three to five times more expensive than usual!"

Lin Qin sneered, "Mr. Wu, this isn't raising prices, it's robbing us!"

Wu, the unscrupulous merchant, shrugged and said with a roguish look, "Madam Lin, you're joking. This kind of business is based on mutual consent. If you think it's too expensive, you can go to another store!"

Seeing Wu the cunning businessman's confident look, Lin Qin's anger surged.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

“Mr. Wu,” Lin Qin suddenly changed the subject, a mysterious smile appearing on her lips, “What you said makes a lot of sense, but… perhaps we can cooperate in a different way.”

Lin Qin's lips curled into a meaningful smile, which made Wu the cunning merchant feel uneasy, as if he were being watched by an old fox.

He squinted, his thick cheeks filled with doubt: "Cooperation? Mrs. Lin, what do you mean by that?"

Lin Qin remained calm and said slowly, "Mr. Wu, isn't your goal to hoard medicinal herbs to make more money? Once my reputation for free medical consultations spreads, won't your herbs become even more sought after? We can cooperate. You can provide the herbs at below-market prices, and you'll share in the reputation of my free medical consultations. How about it?"

Wu, the unscrupulous merchant, was stunned. His shrewd eyes were filled with astonishment, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

He rubbed his greasy fingers together, carefully examining the woman in front of him, thinking to himself: This woman is not simple!

Shouldn't she be like those other naive and innocent girls, arguing with him?

This isn't how things work!

His eyes darted around, and he was calculating in his mind.

If this free clinic can really be organized, its reputation will be more valuable than real money.

They can also take this opportunity to sell their stockpiled medicinal herbs at a high price.

Moreover, this Madam Lin doesn't seem like someone to be trifled with; she might actually be able to make the free clinic a resounding success.

Thinking of this, Wu the cunning merchant softened his tone and put on a big smile: "Madam Lin, your suggestion is quite interesting! However, I'm always cautious in business. How about this, I'll provide you with a small portion of the medicinal herbs first, and once your free clinic has made some progress, we can discuss cooperation in detail. What do you think?"

Lin Qin knew this unscrupulous businessman would agree; this was exactly the effect she wanted.

She smiled, her smile as bright as spring flowers: "Mr. Wu is indeed a straightforward person, it's a deal!"

As Wu, the unscrupulous businessman, watched Lin Qin's departing figure, he felt a mix of emotions. This woman was truly a demon!

He originally thought he could have her under his control, but unexpectedly, she ended up having him under her control instead.

However, he is quite looking forward to this collaboration!

With the problem of medicinal herbs solved, Lin Qin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked around and her gaze fell on a relatively open area in the city.

The area has a moderate flow of people, making it convenient for free medical consultations.

Just as she was preparing to make arrangements for the free clinic, a discordant sound came from afar.

"Get out of my way! This land is for Master Ma!" A domineering voice, accompanied by chaotic footsteps, boomed through the street.

A group of burly men, like a moving wall of flesh, rudely shoved and pushed the street vendors and pedestrians.

They were dressed in matching black short-sleeved shirts, with hideous demons tattooed on their arms, and carrying sticks. They looked menacing, like a bunch of local bullies.

The man in the lead was tall and burly, shirtless, revealing a coiled blue dragon on his chest, and had a face full of fat; he was clearly not a kind person.

He was the local tyrant of this neighborhood—Ma the bully.

Lin Qin frowned. Where did this "trouble" come from now?

Before she could react, Ma the bully had already walked up to her and was looking her up and down.

That look in his eyes was like looking at a piece of fat meat waiting to be slaughtered.

"And where are you from?" Ma the bully's voice was rough and grating, like sandpaper. "This place has caught my eye, so get lost! Don't ruin my good time!"

Lin Qin took a deep breath, put on a humble yet confident smile, and said, "Sir, we just want to provide free medical care to the people here and save lives. You are a hero in this area, so you won't stop us, will you?"

"Free clinic?" Ma the bully laughed so hard he almost fell over, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Free clinics are never welcome on my turf! Get lost, or don't blame me for being impolite!" With a wave of his hand, his henchmen immediately surrounded Lin Qin, brandishing their sticks, and a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air.

This bully is simply an outlaw. He acts so arrogantly and domineeringly just because he has some power. It's simply unbearable!

Looking at the group of people dancing wildly in front of her, Lin Qin felt a surge of anger. Her eyes lit up and a plan came to her mind.

She calmly took out an exquisite jade pendant from her sleeve. The pendant was entirely emerald green and shimmered with a warm luster in the sunlight. It was carved with a lifelike dragon and was Zhu Ling's token.

"Sir, I advise you to take a good look at what this is." Lin Qin's voice was cold and calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

Ma, who had been looking fierce, changed his expression drastically when he saw the jade pendant in Lin Qin's hand. His arrogance was instantly replaced by fear.

His eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost, staring incredulously at the jade pendant. The muscles in his plump cheeks began to twitch slightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He tremblingly took the jade pendant, examined it carefully, and became more and more alarmed the more he looked at it.

Although he was a local tyrant, he was also a worldly man and naturally knew the meaning behind the jade pendant.

This……

This is a token of the prince's trust!

Although he was a tyrant in the local area, he was nothing but a shrimp in front of the prince, not even worthy of carrying his shoes.

"This...this..." Ma the bully was so frightened that he could barely speak. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, hit the ground, and shattered into pieces.

The fat on his face was all squeezed together.

"Now, are you still going to kick me out?" Lin Qin's lips curled into a cold smile as she looked sharply at Ma the bully.

Ma the bully swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. The arrogance on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by deep fear.

More sweat beaded on his forehead, and his obese body began to tremble slightly.

"No... I wouldn't dare... I wouldn't dare!" he stammered, carefully handing the jade pendant back to Lin Qin as if he were holding a hot potato.

Just as Ma the bully was about to slink away with his men, Lin Qin suddenly spoke up: "Wait..."

Lin Qin's lips curled up slightly, revealing a "I'm not someone to be trifled with" smile, which made Ma the bully tremble with fear, thinking that he was about to be in big trouble again.

His massive body trembled, and he almost knelt on the ground.

“Master Ma,” Lin Qin spoke slowly, but her tone carried an undeniable air of authority, “I dislike being disturbed while I’m working. You startled me just now, what should we do?”

Ma the bully froze instantly; he never expected this woman to be so shameless.

He stared wide-eyed, his face contorted with a "baby's wronged, baby wants to cry" expression, inwardly cursing: This woman is such a "troublesome little devil"!

He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and said tremblingly, "Madam... what do you say... what should we do... I... I will do whatever you say."

Lin Qin nodded in satisfaction, a sly smile playing on her lips, which sent a chill down Ma Eba's spine.

"In that case, how about you help me clean this place up and find someone to build a platform?"

Upon hearing this, Ma the bully breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly nodded and bowed, saying, "No problem, no problem, Madam, just watch, I'll get right on it!" After saying that, he immediately started directing his men to clean up the site with great speed and efficiency, comparable to a "brick-moving expert".

Hiding in the shadows, Zhu Ling saw Lin Qin's "heroic and dashing" appearance and couldn't help but smile with doting affection.

His princess is indeed "born with an aura," able to overcome any difficulty.

He admired her resilience, felt sorry for her hardships, and loved her unique radiance even more.

He didn't show himself, but silently protected her, like a towering tree, sheltering her from the wind and rain, giving her the strongest support.

His gaze was gentle as water, as if it could melt away all the troubles of the world.

Just as Lin Qin was directing Ma Eba and the others to set up the venue, a middle-aged man dressed in official robes with shifty eyes walked over aggressively with several yamen runners.

The man walked up to Lin Qin, cleared his throat, and said in an official tone, "Who is in charge here?" He was none other than Liu, the advisor who had been bribed by Ma the bully.

Lin Qin frowned and looked at the person who had come.

Her eyes were calm yet sharp, as if they could see through all pretense.

"That's me," Lin Qin said calmly, her tone carrying a subtle but sharp edge.

"I received a report that you are causing trouble and disturbing public order here. Now, you must immediately cease all activities, or don't blame me for being impolite!" Master Liu said arrogantly, as if he could already see Lin Qin running away in fear. A smug smile appeared on his lips.

Lin Qin looked at him, a cold glint in her eyes, and thought to herself: This "trouble" is really "one wave after another"!

"Master Liu, is it?" Lin Qin's lips curled into a meaningful smile. Her clear voice echoed in the air like a sharp blade, piercing through Master Liu's hypocrisy and arrogance. "I'd like to know, who's so eager to stop this free clinic?"

Liu, the clerk, felt a chill run down his spine from her smile. He felt as if he were being watched by some "prehistoric beast."

He forced a calm expression and said, "I, your advisor, uphold the law impartially. How dare you question me? Guards, take them all away!"

Just as the constables were about to take action, Lin Qin suddenly pulled out a token. The token was pitch black, with a lifelike golden dragon carved on it, radiating a chilling aura.

"Look closely, what is this now?"