Chapter 327: That Too Is His Heart's Beloved

The other medical halls kept secretly causing trouble for Mingren Yi Guan every few days.

Today it's either this medical accident or that one; either the prescription was wrong and poisoned someone, or someone died—there's not a single peaceful day.

Without Liu Yuyi, the Liu family is like a fallen tree with its monkeys scattering; anyone can bully them.

Qiao Mai watched coldly as the Liu family's medical hall did loss‑making business every day.

She still only took pulses; without critical patients she wouldn't diagnose or prescribe.

Unless she opens her own medical hall herself, no one can ever get a hold on her.

The weather gradually grew hot, and before we knew it it was May; in a few days would be Zihan's grand wedding day.

Madam Wang had prepared everything except the Qiao family's ingredients and a chef.

She was worried, but after the last incident she had restrained herself a lot and dared not trouble Qiao Mai again.

A year has let her see many things; she can no longer afford to offend Qiao Mai.

It might be better to erase everything outright; she wouldn't remember anyone, and that would hurt no one.

Yuan Jiaqi was the host; he is now a non‑blood‑related prince and also holds a high court position, already beyond the scope of a first‑rank official.

The person is Wang Jiaru; she and Qiao Mai are close in age—Qiao Mai is thirty‑one this year, and she is only thirty—so they look like this, truly pitiful.

"Y‑you, who sent you? How dare you speak to me like that; what right do you have to make me recall those unbearable past events?"

The only way is to erase her memory, to keep her stuck at—stuck at the moment she just married the Little Prince? No, what about the two children?

Stuck after she gave birth to two children? Unfortunately, her cultivation level is still low; it would be nice if we could tweak her memory.

"Miss, please rest; I, your maid, am sleeping on the nearby cot. Call me if you need anything."

She let out a soft sigh.

Originally the old princess had sent all the people who previously served her, but seeing that she wouldn't change her ways, she withdrew a batch, leaving only an old maid who had been with her before she married.

The couple sat opposite each other eating, and Yuan Jiaqi relayed the elderly lady's request to her.

"Grandmother, you may speak freely!"

After the meal, night had already fallen dark; Qiao Mai stood up: "You read the books; I'm going to Shun Qin Wangfu to see her."

"Then what should we do?"

After a day of charitable clinics outside, Qiao Mai returned home to find Yuan Jiaqi had already prepared a Meal waiting for her.

As for the Wang family, Yuan Jiaqi naturally consulted his mentor.

She is a princess, and she is a Fourth Rank official's wife; even her natal family wants to use her to find a chance to flatter Qiao Mai.

"Alright, when my wife returns tonight, I will definitely tell her what you said."

Back home, sitting at the kang table, she lifted a cup of warm tea and drank it in one gulp.

After all, her actions have already soured Shun Qin Wangfu's impression of her, and her two children are also estranged from her.

"Hmm"

The little maid in the house finished the final stitch and tidied up the clothes and everything.

Usually they had only met on the court, exchanged greetings, and never interacted; this time, through Qian Youlu's letter, it was their first sit‑down conversation.

The old master fell silent; Wang Jiaru is his granddaughter, whom he has watched grow up—she is his beloved flesh and blood.

Before she could open her eyes, a palm knocked her unconscious, and Qiao Mai reached out to press her hand on the forehead.

The maid sighed, "Miss, can you still not recognize? The Prince liked the you of that time, not the you now; if you keep wailing, unless you change, you will forever be confined here."

"If you never change, even coming out you'll have to disrupt the wedding, but Grandmother never asked me to do anything; I'll go take a look in a moment."

The whole courtyard was pitch black, with only the Dormitory showing a faint light; inside, a maid sat by the lamp mending.

Qiao Mai truly didn't want to act; even if she erased her memory, Wang Jiaru could never return to how she was before.

"Alright!"

"Are you thinking of Zihan's grand wedding, hoping to have Jiaru also attend his ceremony?"

"Wife, you're tired, shall we eat first?"

"I gave her a Pill that erases memory, so she won't cause trouble anymore."

"If it were changed, it would have been released long ago."

"Alright, I'll wait for you to return, husband."

She grabbed and yanked a ball of white light out, then slammed the white light sphere into the Memory Ball.

"Miss, you are only naked with these now; have you thought about those past matters?"

"Before?"

She used her mind to purchase a Memory Crystal Ball on the Platform, then instantly appeared beside Wang Jiaru's bedside.

Qiao Mai wasn't sentimental at all; she was a killer in a past life and now stands atop the pinnacle, how could she be soft‑hearted so easily?

Yuan Jiaqi left; the old master glared at her, "You must not act as muddled as your daughter‑in‑law."

"Sir, the Wang family has sent people several times; the first time they brought a heavy gift, which I returned outright. This time they come under the pretext of visiting you; what do you think?"

"Wife, is the matter settled?"

"She looks as old as fifty, has become that way, still never changes, just like her mother in character."

The head of the Qian family is Qian Youlu's elder brother, the town mayor; Qian Youwei, after a year, was promoted to Minister of Justice. Using the mayor's letter, he visited the Qiao family with his wife.

"Hmph, you don't want to stay here with me; if you don't, then you may leave?"

"So I should go back?"

People's nature is fine, but being in Jingcheng makes them overly slick; calling him an old fox wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"Seems the old lady wants her to attend her brother's wedding?"

The whole movement was like flowing clouds, making not a single sound.

The old lady called out to him, gently stroking the red cat's head, hesitant to speak.

Jiaqi, wait a moment.

Madam, tomorrow don't go to the free clinic; stay home and rest for a few days, okay?

A woman lay on the bed; her face was gaunt, her lips were pale and cracked with a layer of dry skin, and she looked as old as an elderly lady.

The Qian Family, the Prefect Wang's own clan, also sent people to deliver heavy gifts, but Yuan Jiaqi sent people to return them untouched.

Qiao Mai, familiar with the route, arrived at the rear quarters of Wangfu and entered the Yuanzi where Wang Jiaru was confined.

"It's about Jiaru. Your daughter‑in‑law is capable; could you tell her to ask her to secretly look on Jiaru for me? If she manages to get rid of that stinky habit, we'll go to Shun Qin Wangfu to plead on her behalf, but if she can't, never mind; she's been under house arrest for many years already."

"Indeed, for such a big matter, how could she, as the elder sister, not come?"

If you don't accept gifts, you simply don't accept them; it's the same for any family.

"No, I just want her to go to Wangfu and see if she has changed."

"No longer see; as early as when they schemed Jiaru's marriage, the relationship between our two families had already been severed."

The first real encounter gave Yuan Jiaqi a rough understanding of him.

"How can I possibly sleep? Though I am now the Main Consort, I'm not even like a concubine; I can't even see my own child."

Qiao Mai watched the scene, knowing she could not be saved; her heart had already changed, and expecting her to change was impossible.

"Indeed, when you were in Weicheng, you were so cheerful, lively, and kind; you were approachable, never looked down on country folk, and never coveted high‑born wealthy families. Back then your whole family adored you, but what about now?"

"Miss, please go to bed early."

Under the moonlight, Wang Jiaru showed a snarling face, glaring fiercely at Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl.

"Will she not recognize anyone in the future?"

"Yes, tomorrow I'll go find Grandmother, have her plead at Shun Qin Wangfu, see if we can bring her over to stay a few days, starting with identifying family members."

"So, she has to start over from the beginning?"

"Otherwise what? I give her a chance at rebirth; it now depends on whether she has that luck."

(End of chapter)