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

The investigating officials looked serious as they carefully reviewed the ledgers, repeatedly checking every expenditure. A tense atmosphere filled the air.

Lin Qin stood to the side, her expression calm, but in her heart she was secretly planning a response.

She was well-prepared, kept clear accounts, and every expenditure was documented.

The official's gaze lingered on her for a moment, his tone tinged with inquiry: "Your Highness, the purchase price of these medicinal herbs seems to be slightly higher than the market price?"

Lin Qin smiled slightly and explained calmly, "You may not know this, but the price of medicinal herbs fluctuated greatly at the time. In order to ensure the smooth running of the free clinic, I had to purchase them at a slightly higher price." She paused and added, "Moreover, these medicinal herbs are all top-grade, with better efficacy, so the price is naturally higher."

The official nodded, said nothing more, and continued to peruse the account books.

Lin Qin felt a little relieved; it seemed she had passed this hurdle.

However, just then, a sharp and sarcastic voice rang out: "Hmph, who knows if these accounts are real? They might be forged!"

Lin Qin turned her head and saw the owner of Sun Medical Clinic standing in the crowd with a sinister smile on his face.

He had long harbored resentment towards Lin Qin for her free clinic, and this time he took the opportunity to kick her while she was down.

Lin Qin was burning with anger, but her face remained calm as she coldly said, "Master Sun, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. My accounts are clean and can withstand any investigation."

"Is that so?" Master Sun sneered. "Then Your Highness, please provide evidence to prove it!"

Lin Qin took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and was about to speak when suddenly, an old voice came from the crowd: "I can testify that there is no problem with Princess Lin's accounts."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw several elderly men with white hair walking over...

The elderly men were highly respected doctors in the area, and they had all received kindness from Lin Qin. They had also helped with this free clinic.

They stood up to testify for Lin Qin, their words resounding and powerful.

The owner of the Sun Medical Clinic was ashen-faced, feeling as if he had swallowed a fly. He had originally wanted to see Lin Qin make a fool of herself, but unexpectedly, he was outmaneuvered instead.

He slunk away, his departing figure exuding a deep sense of defeat.

The onlookers praised Lin Qin's good deed and expressed their contempt for the despicable behavior of the owner of Sun Medical Clinic.

"Her Highness the Princess is truly kind-hearted!"

"That's right! Unlike some people, they just can't stand to see others doing well!"

Lin Qin smiled slightly, turned to look at the investigating official, and said firmly, "Sir, may we continue the investigation now?" The official nodded and continued to check the accounts.

With everything settled, Lin Qin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She found Zhu Ling and explained the whole story.

Zhu Ling had always trusted Lin Qin's character, and seeing that she was safe and sound, he felt a great weight lifted from his heart.

"Qin'er, you've worked so hard." Zhu Ling gently embraced her, his voice full of heartache.

Lin Qin leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and felt incredibly safe.

"It's alright, I'm used to it." Lin Qin smiled, her tone relaxed. "These little troubles can't defeat me."

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted half the sky red with its afterglow.

Lin Qin and Zhu Ling walked side by side on the way back to the mansion, holding hands and their fingers intertwined.

“Oh, right,” Lin Qin suddenly remembered something, “I went to the medicinal herb market today…” Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps.

A volunteer clinic worker rushed over, pale-faced and breathless: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened..."

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The medicinal herbs... the medicinal herbs are almost gone!" The shop assistant was out of breath, his face was even paler than the white cloth in his hand, and large beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead. He was obviously extremely anxious.

Lin Qin's heart sank suddenly. Her nerves, which had relaxed after successfully dealing with the investigation, tightened up again in an instant.

She grabbed the waiter's arm and asked anxiously, "What happened? There was still plenty left, how could it suddenly be empty?"

"I don't know, everything was fine this morning, but now... there are only a few left. If this continues, the free clinic this afternoon might have to be canceled!" The shop assistant's voice was trembling with tears. He had seen the long lines of people waiting to see a doctor, and he couldn't bear to imagine that their treatment would be delayed due to a shortage of medicine.

Zhu Ling also frowned. He knew how important the free clinic was to Lin Qin. It was not only to help the people, but also a responsibility she couldn't let go of.

Lin Qin gritted her teeth. No, she couldn't let the free clinic stop. She couldn't let those hopeful people down.

She immediately calmed down and quickly thought of a solution.

"Let's go and have a look!"

The group arrived at the makeshift pharmacy, only to find that the once fully stocked medicine cabinets were now empty, with only a few scattered fragments remaining. The air was filled with a faint smell of herbs, making the place seem even more desolate.

Lin Qin's heart sank lower and lower; the situation was worse than she had imagined!

She walked quickly to the medicine cabinet and looked through the few remaining herbs. They were mostly uncommon herbs, and the commonly used herbs for reducing fever, stopping coughs, and reducing inflammation were almost all gone.

Seeing Lin Qin's serious expression, Zhu Ling took her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, there will be a way."

Lin Qin took a deep breath; she had to come up with a solution as soon as possible.

She looked around and saw a crowd of anxious people gathered around her, looking at her with expectant eyes, which made her feel an even greater sense of responsibility on her shoulders.

"Well then," Lin Qin cleared her throat and raised her voice, "fellow villagers, the free clinic is currently facing some difficulties. We are short of medicinal materials and need your help!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

"Does anyone have common herbs like mugwort, mint, or houttuynia cordata at home? If so, we can use them in an emergency to solve this immediate problem!" Lin Qin said, looking at the people around her.

As soon as the words were spoken, various responses rang out from the crowd: "I have mugwort at home! I'll go back and get it right away!", "I have mint in my backyard, I'll go pick some right away!", "I have houttuynia cordata at home, I'll bring it over right away!"...

Upon hearing that it was for a free medical consultation, the people spontaneously went home to find medicinal herbs, and the scene immediately became lively, as if a flame of enthusiasm had been ignited.

Seeing the people's enthusiastic response, Lin Qin felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

Before long, people brought over the herbs they had picked one after another. Baskets and basins of all sizes filled the open space. The fragrance of mugwort, the coolness of mint, and the faint fishy smell of houttuynia cordata mixed together to create a unique aroma.

Looking at the mountain of herbs, Lin Qin was filled with hope. She wanted to use these herbs to continue protecting the health of the people.

Just then, a clear voice rang out, but with an unusual undertone: "Your Highness, you are truly a good person..."

Lin Qin looked in the direction of the sound and saw a richly dressed woman staring at her with a meaningful look in her eyes...

Lin Qin looked at the glamorous woman; her tone sounded sarcastic and mocking.

Before she could even speak, people in the crowd began to whisper among themselves.

"Could it be that this princess is really just trying to show off?"

"I think so too, otherwise why would they make such a big fuss?"

"Alas, we poor commoners thought we had encountered a bodhisattva..."

My heart, which was initially moved by their enthusiasm, was instantly doused with cold water.

Lin Qin frowned. She had worked so hard to organize the free clinic, not for fame or profit, but just to help these poor people. She never expected that she would be used as a tool for self-promotion.

She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her displeasure, and looked around, attempting to find the source of the rumors.

But these rumors are like air, omnipresent yet impossible to find.

The expressions on the people's faces became complicated; their original gratitude and trust seemed to be replaced by a hint of doubt.

A suffocating atmosphere filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

She felt a sense of powerlessness, as if she had punched cotton, soft and yielding, with no point of leverage.

Looking at the people suffering from illness before her, her once hopeful eyes now held a hint of hesitation.

They yearn for health, yet fear being deceived; this conflicting feeling makes Lin Qin feel even more sorry for them.

"Sigh..." Lin Qin sighed inwardly. She raised her head and looked firmly at everyone present. She could not let these rumors destroy the trust between her and the people, nor could she let those with ulterior motives succeed.

Zhu Ling noticed the helplessness in Lin Qin's eyes. He walked to her side, held her hand tightly, and conveyed support and encouragement with his eyes.

Lin Qin returned his grateful look, a warm feeling welling up inside her, as if she had felt a ray of warm sunshine on a cold winter day.

She turned around and looked at the mountain of herbs in front of her. The air was filled with the aroma of various herbs, including the fragrance of mugwort, the coolness of mint, and the fishy smell of houttuynia cordata, all mixed together to create a unique flavor.

This taste represents hope, trust, and the motivation for her to keep going.

Lin Qin walked to the free clinic table, cleared her throat, and prepared to explain to the people again. But just as she was about to speak, a simply dressed old woman suddenly walked over shakily and handed her a worn-out little cloth bag.

"Your Highness, this is the only copper coin I have left. It's not much, but it's a small token of my appreciation. Please do your best to keep it going!" The old woman said, tears welling up in her eyes, her wrinkled face filled with expectation.

Lin Qin took the cloth bag; in her palm were a few cold copper coins, yet they carried the most sincere trust of an ordinary person.

She looked at the old woman, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She clutched the cloth bag tightly in her hand, secretly determined to continue the free clinic no matter what. She wanted to show those who spread rumors what she was really after!

"Your Highness, you were really amazing today..." Zhu Ling walked over, looked at Lin Qin, and gave her a meaningful look.