Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 74 Has someone been here?

Meanwhile, Pan Jinlian and Jiang Zhushan left the clinic and hurried towards Zishi Street without stopping.

Jiang Zhushan carried his medical kit on his back, his steps light as the wind, but he felt no concern for the patient; his mind and eyes were filled with the beautiful woman with her slender figure and charming face.

He kept making conversation as they walked, subtly probing:

"May I ask your honorable name, madam? Besides your ailing husband, who else lives in your household?"

"What does your husband do for a living on a regular basis?"

"This illness came on suddenly; have you been subjected to any fright?"

"At your age, my lady, you must have been married not long ago?"

Occasionally, some of the questions were related to her illness, but Pan Jinlian simply thought the doctor was a well-meaning but talkative person. Although she was anxious, she patiently answered each one.

"My surname is Pan. My husband and I live alone. My husband sells steamed buns and carries them on his shoulder pole as he goes from house to house. Perhaps he caught a chill because the window wasn't closed properly the other night."

Jiang Zhushan became increasingly eager to listen. The woman had a soft voice and gentle manner, and her husband was just an ordinary street vendor. Wasn't this a golden opportunity for him?

His covetousness intensified immediately, and he secretly resolved to make the most of this "medical connection".

The two did not take the main road, but instead wandered through the alleys and lanes.

It turns out that the streets and alleys of Qinghe County are crisscrossed. If you take the main road from the West Street clinic to Wu Da's residence on Zishi Street, you have to go around half the city.

However, only long-time local residents know about these winding shortcuts and paths, which can save them a lot of time and effort.

Pan Jinlian had lived here for over a year and was already very familiar with the alleyways and paths.

As it happened, Zheng Tu followed the main road westward toward the clinic, and just happened to miss Pan Jinlian and Jiang Zhushan. One was walking along the main road from east to west, and the other was walking through the alley from west to east, and they never met.

Zheng Tu's imposing figure stood out in the bustling crowd; if Pan Jinlian were walking on the main road, she would surely have bumped into him.

However, fate had other plans this time.

The two walked quickly for a while and finally arrived at the alleyway where Wu Da lived.

As Pan Jinlian reached the door, she suddenly remembered the things she had hung out to dry in the yard that morning. What would happen if someone else saw them?

Her face flushed slightly, and she hurriedly reached out to stop Jiang Zhushan, who was about to push the door open and enter: "Sir, please wait a moment, allow me to go in and tidy up first."

After saying that, he darted into the yard, took a few steps to the clothesline, and hurriedly tore off the delicate garment, crumpled it into a ball, and stuffed it into his sleeve. He did this very quickly, in just a few breaths.

He then turned around, opened the door, and forced himself to remain calm, saying, "Please come in, sir."

Although Jiang Zhushan didn't know what she had done, he didn't ask too many questions. However, he noticed that her ears were turning red, which made him even more excited.

He coughed lightly, put on a serious expression, and followed Pan Jinlian into the house.

The two went up to the bedroom on the second floor.

Wu Dalang was still unconscious, his face was sallow and his breathing was heavy.

Pan Jinlian said anxiously, "Sir, please take a look! My husband was just coughing, and after taking several doses of medicine, he didn't get better. But this morning, he suddenly became like this—he won't eat or drink, he's bedridden, and I can't wake him up!"

Jiang Zhushan approached the bedside, looked down, and saw a short man lying on the bed, no more than five feet tall, with a rough face. His purple face looked even more haggard due to illness.

His first reaction wasn't to heal the sick and save lives, but rather a pang of regret, which was quickly followed by a surge of elation.

It's a pity that such a beautiful woman, like a fairy, married this ugly man, described as "three inches long and as short as a tree bark"! He had heard of Wu Dalang before. Truly, a fine piece of meat falling into a dog's mouth, a pearl cast before swine!

But then he realized, and was overjoyed: if they were such an ill-matched couple, how could this woman not have resentment in her heart? Looking at this woman's appearance, with her foxy face so charming and her figure so alluring, how could she be a dutiful and chaste woman?

If I take advantage of the opportunity to see patients and visit a few more times, showing concern and care, how could I not succeed?

The thought of potentially having a passionate encounter with this celestial vixen filled Jiang Zhushan with excitement, and his hands trembled slightly.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but there was no time to rush things.

"Let the student take your pulse first."

Jiang Zhushan sat down by the bed, placed three fingers on Wu Dalang's wrist with great seriousness, closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then opened them and asked, "Did you consult any doctors before? What medicine did you take?"

Pan Jinlian replied in detail: "It was Doctor Hu from the street who prescribed three doses of medicine to dispel wind and cold."

Desiring to show off his abilities in front of the beauty, Jiang Zhushan curled his lip in disdain: "Is it that scoundrel Hu Guizu who lives in Eunuch Liu's house on East Street? He's not from my Imperial Hospital, what does he know about pulse diagnosis and illness? Why are you going to invite him here, Madam?"

This was a tactic that Jiang Zhushan often used.

By saying this, they first demonstrate their expertise as graduates of the Imperial Medical Academy, raising their status to justify exorbitant prices. Then, they belittle the previous doctor, making the patient panic and leading them to seek treatment haphazardly in desperation.

Finally, he asked a question that made the family members doubt themselves, so they would naturally listen to him.

Wouldn't this demonstrate Jiang Zhushan's ability and importance?

Pan Jinlian panicked and stammered, "This servant...this servant doesn't know anything about these things, I only heard from the neighbors that his medical skills are decent..."

Jiang Zhushan shook his head and sighed, "Diagnosis and treatment are not something to be taken lightly. It seems that your husband's illness has been delayed by that quack doctor!"

Seeing that Pan Jinlian's face had turned pale, Jiang Zhushan knew that his words had reached the right point. He was pleased with himself and then calmed down to carefully examine Wu Da's pulse. He moved three fingers on Wu Da's wrist and his brows gradually furrowed.

Now that things have quieted down, Pan Jinlian waited by the side. Her gaze inadvertently swept over the headboard and she noticed an empty bowl.

"Huh? When did this water bowl get here? There didn't seem to be anything by the bedside before I left..."

She was startled and recalled the events carefully once more.

Before leaving home in the morning, she made sure to put all the used dishes and chopsticks away in the kitchen, leaving none behind.

Upon closer inspection, there were water stains next to the bowl, as if someone had splashed water when they hurriedly put it down.

"Could someone have come up here?"

Pan Jinlian's heart skipped a beat: "If Wu Da still has someone visiting him in Qinghe County, could it be... Uncle Zheng?"

She thought of the burly man, and then of the clothes drying in the yard. If he really had been here, wouldn't they have all been seen?

Pan Jinlian pursed her lips, her ears burning slightly. A shy feeling, different from before, flashed through her heart.

While he was lost in thought, Jiang Zhushan had already finished examining his pulse.

He opened his eyes, his expression grave, and said, "My wife, your husband's illness... is probably not simple."

Pan Jinlian quickly composed herself and anxiously asked, "Sir, what exactly is the illness?"

Jiang Zhushan did not answer directly, but stared intently at Pan Jinlian's pretty face with his thieving eyes.