Chapter Seventy: The Onslaught of Many Foes

When Chen Ping heard that Chu Yun had returned, he was overjoyed. He immediately left the yamen and hurried home. Wanting to properly celebrate Chu Yun’s safe return, he planned to buy some delicacies on the way, but then he heard that Chen Jun had hanged himself.

He felt as though struck by lightning, almost fainting on the spot. No longer caring about buying anything, he ran home as fast as he could.

When he arrived, he found neighbors gathered in the backyard, discussing something in hushed tones, so he quickly rushed over. There, he saw that Chen Jun had already been rescued and breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet, anger welled up in him as he looked at Chen Jun, wanting to scold him. Chu Yun, noticing this, shook his head at him.

Only then did Chen Ping hold back his words.

Chu Yun hastened to change the subject. “Second Uncle, on my trip to the royal city, Prince Qi conferred upon me the title of Earl. I am no longer a commoner, but a noble.”

“What? You’re a noble now? An Earl?” Chen Ping cried out in astonished delight.

“Yes, I am an Earl now!” Chu Yun replied with a smile, taking out his jade badge of nobility.

“Haha, wonderful! Yun’er has become an Earl! Brother Chu, if your spirit knows of this, you can rest in peace!” Overjoyed, Chen Ping knelt and bowed toward the west, for that was where Chu Yun’s father had fallen in battle.

Yang Liu’er, not wanting Chen Ping to dwell on Chen Jun’s suicide, interjected, “Auntie, let’s catch a chicken to cook. Uncle, go buy some lamb. We must celebrate today.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Chen Ping replied enthusiastically, turning to buy the meat at once.

Thus, the family gathered in harmony to prepare a sumptuous meal. As they ate, they enjoyed Chu Yun’s stories of his journey to the royal city, though Chu Yun left out the dangerous parts to keep them from worrying.

Just as they were relishing their meal, an unexpected group arrived outside. There were twenty-seven of them; except for the few at the front, all were burly men, making for an intimidating sight.

Standing at the front were several people Chu Yun recognized: Boss Wu, Li Duofu, Chu Fugui, and Chu Shiniang. There were two others as well—one dressed in a white coat bearing the emblem of the Witch Doctors’ Order, likely the medical officer Cheng assigned to Chu Family Town. Beside him stood someone who surprised Chu Yun and enraged Chen Ping’s family: none other than Wang Shuangxi, the heiress of Auspicious Restaurant.

“Hmph. I was just about to deal with these people myself, but they’ve come right to my door. Good, I’ll settle everything at once,” Chu Yun thought coldly. Unhurriedly, he set down his chopsticks and said, “Liu’er, Aunt, please go inside and hide.”

Li Sanniang and Yang Liu’er, knowing they could do nothing to help, rose and made their way to the inner room, advising, “Be careful.”

Chu Yun smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

After his mother and sister-in-law were safely inside, Chen Jun turned to Wang Shuangxi. “Why? I treated you so well. I taught you how to make soft pancakes, how to prepare soy milk, tofu pudding, and several tofu dishes, all so Auspicious Restaurant could be revived and your business flourish. Why would you do this to me?”

He was heartbroken, never expecting the woman he loved most to repay kindness with cruelty.

Wang Shuangxi glanced at Chen Jun with disdain, then snuggled into Medical Officer Cheng’s arms and sneered, “You toad, dreaming of eating swan meat. As long as you’re alive, I’ll never have peace. Only when you’re dead can I rest easy.”

“You want to kill me?” Chen Jun looked at her in disbelief, unable to imagine she would say such a thing.

“That’s right, I want to kill you!” Wang Shuangxi replied coldly.

“Why? Why?” Chen Jun shouted, unable to understand.

“Because you like me. It disgusts me!” Wang Shuangxi retorted icily.

Seeing her so heartless, Chen Jun’s eyes reddened, pain twisting within him like a knife.

Chu Yun patted his shoulder. “Don’t be sad. Such a woman isn’t worth your sorrow.”

Chen Jun nodded softly.

Chu Yun then turned to Medical Officer Cheng. “Wang Shuangxi says she wants to kill Chen Jun. Judging by the number of you here, you’ve come to kill us, haven’t you?”

Medical Officer Cheng nodded. “That’s right. We have indeed come to kill you. However, if you agree to our terms, you’ll be spared.”

Chu Yun remained silent.

Medical Officer Cheng continued, “Promise us you won’t open your own clinic. Instead, you’ll practice medicine with me at Wu’s Pharmacy, and you won’t accept private payments. Your salary will be distributed by the Witch Doctors’ Order.”

Boss Wu echoed, “Chu Yun, the Witch Doctors’ Order values you and wants to recruit you as a medical officer. You should kneel down and thank them.”

The neighbors, intimidated by the imposing group, dared not come out to watch, but they peered through the windows. Hearing that the Witch Doctors’ Order wanted Chu Yun as a medical officer at Wu’s Pharmacy, they grew disheartened. If that happened, they’d be afraid to fall ill, for they simply couldn’t afford treatment. They could only hope Chu Yun would refuse, though they knew he likely wouldn’t dare, for the Witch Doctors’ Order was too powerful. Years ago, Doctor Ye was exterminated along with his family for refusing them.

But Chu Yun only laughed, “How ridiculous! At the royal city, your Grandmaster Zhou personally invited me to join the Witch Doctors’ Order as Chief Medical Officer, and I refused. Did you really think I would agree to become a mere junior officer in this small town?”

Medical Officer Cheng’s brow furrowed at these words.

Wang Shuangxi, by his side, snorted, “Husband, stop wasting time. Just kill them.”

Boss Wu threatened, “Chu Yun, think carefully. Doctor Ye refused us, and his clinic was shut down, his family slaughtered. And you—you practiced medicine here without the Witch Doctors’ Order’s permission and killed a patient. We have the right to execute you on the spot.”

Chen Ping snorted, “Wu, you scoundrel, stop spewing nonsense! When did Yun’er ever kill a patient in this town?”

Boss Wu only smiled, shaking his head. “Still denying it? Magistrate Chen, haven’t you always wanted to know who burned down Chu Yun’s clinic before it even opened?”

With that, he looked toward the crowd. “Come out!”

At his command, a ragged, impoverished man stepped forward from behind the group.