Chapter 22

Chapter 22: What Are You Two Doing? Du Zhong knew that Pei Wuliang, having missed the opportunity to become an imperial physician, would naturally seek trouble with Jia Qingcheng. Of course, he also worried that Pei Wuliang might blame Jia Qingcheng for it. "Sister Jia, Young Master Pei, he..." "It's fine. Congratulations—you truly deserve this. Serve the Imperial Medical Institute well in the days ahead. As long as you work hard, you're sure to accomplish great things there." "Sister Jia, thank you for your guidance. Without your help, I could never have become an imperial physician." The man before her was Du Zhong. In her previous life, he had competed with Pei Wuliang for the position of imperial physician, but because of the limited quota, a promising talent like Du Zhong was ruined. Later, Du Zhong fell into melancholy because of it and passed away before he even reached twenty. In her previous life, his tragedy was indirectly her fault. In this life, she would set things right. "How could that be? It was your hard work and perseverance that brought you here today. I didn't help you at all." "Du Zhong, you must have cheated!" Seeing that no one was paying him any attention, Pei Wuliang strode forward and berated Du Zhong. Du Zhong was terrified of him—after all, Pei Wuliang was Sister Jia's beloved. Everyone in the capital knew about that. Unfortunately, he had let Sister Jia down, despising her for her ugly appearance and claiming she couldn't be presented in public. "Young Master Pei, don't talk nonsense! I did nothing of the sort!" "Nothing of the sort? How could a mere apprentice like you be selected as an imperial physician? Are you telling me there's nothing suspicious about that?" Seeing Pei Wuliang lash out at everyone after missing the position of imperial physician, Jia Qingcheng found him utterly unfamiliar—and naturally, revolting. In her previous life, he had indeed been glorious when he became an imperial physician. Now that he had missed the position, shock and grief were inevitable. Since they had both been reborn, naturally, everything would be different. "I don't know what you're talking about. Sister Jia, I'll take my leave now." "Stop right there! Who said you could leave?" Suddenly, Pei Wuliang's men immediately surrounded Du Zhong, making him nervous. "You... what do you want?" "Tell me, how did you bribe them?" Pei Wuliang firmly believed the position of imperial physician was his, because in his previous life, he had become an imperial physician without any trouble, then risen steadily through the ranks. In less than three years, he had become the head of the Imperial Medical Institute, and afterward... His career had been smooth sailing. How could he suddenly miss out on the position of imperial physician? That brat must have pulled some strings behind the scenes! "Ridiculous! I'm going back!" "Want to leave? Did you ask my permission?" Just as Pei Wuliang was about to lay hands on Du Zhong, Jia Qingcheng shouted, "Enough! Pei Wuliang, this is right under the emperor's nose. Do you want to cause trouble at the palace gates?" "Qingcheng, whose woman are you, anyway? How can you defend this brat so openly?" Pei Wuliang, furious, strode over to Jia Qingcheng and berated her for defending Du Zhong. He found it strange—in his previous life, these two had clearly had no connection at all. How had they become so close in this life? "I'm not defending him. I'm just stating the facts. If you resort to violence, you'll ruin your future completely!" Ruin his future completely—that was too heavy a price, and Pei Wuliang wasn't that foolish. At that moment, Song Jiaojiao also hurried forward to soothe him. "Brother Wuliang, let it go. This is the palace gate—we can't act recklessly." "What rotten luck. Qingcheng, don't you even care why I wasn't selected?" Pei Wuliang blamed Jia Qingcheng for not caring about why he had failed, but Jia Qingcheng feigned shock. "What did you say? You weren't selected?" Pei Wuliang: "..." "How unfortunate." "You..." Pei Wuliang simply assumed she truly didn't know about it. Fine! "Jiaojiao, let's return to the manor first. Father and Mother are waiting for me!" Even knowing he'd be scolded harshly upon his return, he had no choice but to steel himself and go back. However, he was determined to get to the bottom of today's matter—why had he missed such a wonderful opportunity? In his previous life, he had clearly become an imperial physician! Wait, something was wrong! Pei Wuliang suddenly thought of something and turned to glare fiercely at Jia Qingcheng. "That Jade Disc you gave me—could there be a problem with it?" In his previous life, he remembered clearly that he had brought the Jade Disc she gave him and was selected. There was no reason it shouldn't work this time! "How could there be a problem with the Jade Disc? You weren't selected because your abilities weren't sufficient—you failed to show the Imperial Medical Institute your potential!" "Nonsense! Whether I have potential or not, don't you know?" Pei Wuliang didn't want to waste words with Jia Qingcheng. "Enough. Let's return to the Pei manor first. Jia Qingcheng, you're coming too!" With those words, Pei Wuliang strode off with Song Jiaojiao, while Song Jiaojiao was delighted to see Jia Qingcheng being scolded. "Brother Wuliang, don't be angry. Sister didn't know this would happen either. Should we wait for her?" "No need. She came here to wait for me, yet she was carrying on with that Du Zhong brat. What kind of behavior is that?" Song Jiaojiao: "..." "Surely not, Brother Wuliang? My sister is so ugly—how could that brat possibly..." "Hmph, don't forget, ugly as your sister may be, she knows high-ranking officials in the Imperial Medical Institute. This matter is far from over between her and me!" Pei Wuliang brought Song Jiaojiao onto the carriage, and when Jia Qingcheng pretended to climb aboard, he coldly cut her off, "You walk back. This young master does not wish to see you." Walk? Chunyan was shocked. "Pei Wuliang, what gives you the right?" "This young master is in a bad mood. Qingcheng, go reflect on yourself!" With that, Pei Wuliang took Song Jiaojiao away in the carriage. After they left, Jia Qingcheng stood there motionless, her expression complex as she watched the carriage recede into the distance... Lost in thought! "Miss, why should we bother with him? Let's take our own carriage back home." Jia Qingcheng naturally would not return home first, after all, she needed to make a trip to the Pei residence. "To the Pei residence." What, still going? Chunyan did not understand what she was doing. "Miss, you've already been to the Pei residence, and you even prepared a celebration banquet for Pei Wuliang. You've done more than enough for him. Why must you still..." "No, this is far from enough!" At the Pei residence, people came and went in a lively bustle. Mother Pei and Master Pei, dressed in festive attire, stood at the entrance welcoming guests. "Congratulations, congratulations! A tiger father begets a tiger son indeed. Young Master Wuliang has become an imperial physician—what an honor for the Pei family!" "Everyone, thank you, thank you. Please, take your seats." "When will our Physician Pei return?" A gaggle of gossiping women gathered around, waiting for Pei Wuliang's return, while Mother Pei was especially smug. "That ugly girl has already gone to fetch him. It shouldn't be long now." Ugly girl—that was her nickname for Jia Qingcheng. "Today's celebration is so grand. It must have cost a pretty penny, no?" One of the women stared at Mother Pei and asked. Mother Pei smiled. "Not at all. That ugly girl handled everything herself. Since our Pei family is willing to take her as a concubine in the future, she naturally has to put on a good show. Otherwise, with that hideous face of hers, tell me, what man in this world would want her? It's only because my son is kind-hearted and willing to overlook her flaws and take her in. Otherwise, with a face so ugly it offends heaven and man alike, what man would dare have her?"