The Blessed
/ The Blessed Chapter 257
Published at 8th of March 2022 08:48:53 PM
“Hehe…You really flattered me, my lord. In fact, I don't have any medical skills at all, nor am I a doctor. I just met a barefoot traveling doctor when I was a child. He taught me some pharmacology, and he happened to have told me the symptoms of the Big Head plague.”
Simple a few words, Ling Jingxuan disassociated himself from it. If people knew he had superb medical skills, maybe it would bring him fortune and fame, but comparatively, he'd lose more. In this era where there was no human right and the imperial power was all, the better his medical skills were, the closer he would stand next to death. He was not interested in getting involved into the messy harem internal power struggles, and became the cannon folder without himself knowing.
“Whether you have medical skills or not, you did m e, even the civilians of the whole Qingyang country a big favor.”
His words easily convinced Hu Lizhi, because he looked too young, really unlike someone with advanced medical skills. After realizing they were still standing at the gate, Hu Lizhi hurriedly moved his body, “It's not convenient to talk here, Doctor Ling, come in please.”
“After you!”
He was not so presumptuous as to walk ahead of the county magistrate.
Seeing this, Hu Lizhi was very happy, with naked satisfaction on his face, then he said with a big smile, “Doctor Ling, you are being too polite. I am a rough northerner, unlike the southerners who have so many formalities. Let's go inside.”
Speaking of which, ignoring whether Ling Jingxuan would like it or not, Hu Lizhi grabbed his wrist and pulled him to walk in. Ling Jingpeng and Zhao Dalong froze there, apparently they didn't expect that Lord Hu was such an easy-going person, so they instantly paced up to catch up. Before they came, no one expected that it would be this smooth.
Hu Lizhi did not take them to the majestic court, but directly made a detour to go to the study in the backyard, a big man can be so careful, Ling Jingxuan was slightly amazed, but…
“Is that your servant, my Lord?”
With the corner of his eyes, he saw servant turned into another yard, Ling Jingxuan stopped his steps. If he didn't see it wrong, that person should be one of those servants with the fat boy whom the little buns played tricks on. Is it possible the fat boy is Lord Hu's family?
“Huh? Oh, that is my nephew's attendant. Does Doctor Ling know him?”
Following his line of sight, he saw half of the figure, which was enough to for him to recognize who that was. His nephew really gave him a headache. Today, he didn't know what he ate and had a running stomachache. When he was carried back, he nearly got prostrated. He kept crying that he was having a stomachache, and asked him to take some people to shut the Xinyuan Restaurant. Others may not know, but not him! The one behind Xinyuan Restaurant was not someone he a minor magistrate could afford to offend. But the old lady and his younger sister had too spoiled him, and they cried before him, in and out of their words, they wanted him to do as what his nephew said, which really gave him a big headache. When his nephew took some medicine and fell asleep till noon, it finally went quiet. And a yamen runner came to report that someone wanted to see him, and he used that excuse to run out.
“Oh, no, it's just t I happened to check in Xinyuan restaurant, and saw them leaving carrying a child. So I had am impression of him.”
Ling Jingxuan smiled. On the surface, he was trying to explain, but in fact, he was telling him that his nephew and the servants were taking advantage of his power to bully people, implying that he should discipline his nephew, and also indirectly exempted Xinyuan Restaurant out of it.
“Alas…Doctor Ling, sorry to make you laugh. My nephew's father died when he was little, so his mom and grandpa have spoiled him.”
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“Hehe…”
With his lips slightly curved, Ling Jingxuan said no more, Hu Lizhi also didn't want to continue this topic, after all, domestic shame should not be made public, right?
Hu Lizhi's study was very simple, the only adornment should be those books that occupied three sides of the walls, the annatto desk looked as if quite aged. After they sat down, the servant quickly brought some refreshment, Ling Jingxuan and others smiled to say thank you.
“Doctor Ling, I guess you come to see me for something, right?”
Someone he had been looking for for months but failed now sent himself to him, apparently he should want something. Thinking that they might feel embarrassed to open their mouths first, Hu Lizhi started it for them. But, he also had his own rules. Although Ling Jingxuan had done him a huge favor, within his ability, he could do anything for them. On the contrary, he could only say sorry.
“Since Your Excellency has started it, I won't stand on ceremony with you. I must confess that I do have something to ask your assistance.”
Since the other side was so frank, why should he hide it? Ling J ingxuan picked up his teacup and took a sip, organizing his words in his mind for a moment before continuing, “Here is the thing, my lord. That barefoot doctor who taught me pharmacological things also taught me how to use herbs to raise fish, and how to grow out things on that barren land in that inland sea basin. About the fish-farming thing, I have fumbled out some experience, though the quantity is small now, I'm sure I will be able to grow more and more, but farming must start from scratch. And without money, I also dare not act recklessly. You know, recently I sold some jam I made myself to Xinyuan Restaurant and earned some money, so I am thinking of buying some land to have a try. If I can grow out something on that barren land, it could greatly improve the shortcomings of under-development of Cangzhou or even the whole Qing Kingdom. But you know, my lord, that barren land is land anyhow, I have to pay taxes every year as the court's rules every year I buy it. And for a few more years, I would go down the drain. So my lord, I wonder, if I buy that barren in large quantity for experimental planting, could you please made the decision of exempting me of two or three years' taxes?”
After a long list of true or false bedding, Ling Jingxuan finally told his true purpose. Originally he was wondering if he could exempt him for one year, so even if Jinghan fails the exam for xiucai next year, they could have one year's time at least. Given Jinghan's intelligence, there would be no problem. And by then, he could request the magistrate to exempt his taxes above the board. But, nothing is absolute. If he could win himself two more years, they'd have more buffering time, right?
Hearing him, Hu Lizhi went into silence, frowned and thought for a good and finally raised his head, “you really can raise fish yourself?”
Cangzhou's two biggest problems were–impossible to raise freshwater fish and that vast barren land. If he can raise fish, does it mean that he is really able to grow things on that wasteland? If so, it would be a great achievement to him. Perhaps even His Majesty would take it seriously. Agriculture was the weakest part of the Qing Dynasty.
Chapter end
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