Don't disturb me, I won't be a concubine

After seeing off Envoy Chen, the people gathered at the door congratulated Doctor Tan.

It's a rare thing for a medical clinic to get a plaque written by the emperor himself.

Doctor Tan and his two sons were returning the greeting.

Dong Jiafu remembered that the woman who was seeing the doctor was still waiting for her, so she turned and walked inside.

"Afu——"

Hearing Meng Dong's voice, Dong Jiafu stopped and saw her squeezing out of the crowd.

"Afu, I'm so glad to see that you're okay. During the time you, Master, and Brother were out of town, I was so worried about you that I couldn't eat or sleep."

Dong Jiafu looked at Meng Dong's chubby face and said, "Well, why do I feel like you look... better than when we left?"

Meng Dong touched his cheek and said fiercely, "It's all Ji Bai's fault. He knew I had no appetite during this period, so he always bought me candied fruits. I became fat because of this."

"Afu, you have to believe me, I am really worried about you." Meng Dong felt aggrieved. With such a big face, his words just now lost their persuasiveness.

"Of course I know, but seeing that someone cares about you so much, I'm actually happy for you."

Dong Jiafu had guessed a little about Ji Bai's feelings for Meng Dong. Although Meng Dong was always in a bad mood every time she mentioned him, she might not even have noticed that she mentioned Ji Bai more often.

"He's not really concerned... Never mind, let's not talk about him." Meng Dong's brows relaxed and he showed an excited expression, "I came too late and missed it. I heard that Master received a reward from the Emperor, and it was written by the Emperor himself."

"Yes, the director of the Imperial Hospital who came to deliver the plaque has just left."

"Where is the plaque? Can I see it?"

"Of course, right here in our clinic."

Dong Jiafu took Meng Dong in to see the plaque.

"Wow, this is the emperor's calligraphy?" Meng Dong reached out and carefully touched the border of the plaque. "I didn't expect that I could see the emperor's handwriting."

"Just watch first. I'm going to go talk to the patient."

The apprentice prepared the medicine, Dong Jiafu collected the consultation fee, handed the medicine to the woman, and gave her a few instructions.

After seeing the woman off, Doctor Tan and his colleagues also returned.

Since the emperor asked Envoy Chen to deliver the plaque to the clinic, it naturally had to be hung up.

Doctor Tan asked his apprentices to hang the plaque in the most conspicuous place in the clinic, and everyone stood below and looked up.

This plaque became the best signboard of Hui'an Hall and it immediately produced an effect. Many people came to the clinic to see doctors.

Meng Dong followed Dong Jiafu to her clinic and watched her writing something on the table with a hesitant look on her face. Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted.

The apprentice said at the door: "Miss Dong, the master asked a few patients to come to your side for consultation. Shall we let them in now?"

Dong Jiafu stopped writing and looked up, "Okay, you arrange for them to come in."

Immediately afterwards, a woman in her forties came to the clinic. Meng Dong swallowed the words he had not said and turned around to go out to help.

The clinic was particularly busy that day. Dong Jiafu saw patients all day and only returned home when it was almost dark.

As soon as she entered the door, she found that the atmosphere in the house was unusual, and the servants all smiled when they saw her.

She walked towards her residence in confusion and saw Xia Zhi at the door.

Like those people, Xia Zhi was also full of joy, "The girl is back, Madam asked you to come over."

"Is there some happy event at home? Why are you all so happy?"

"The girl will know when she goes there."

"You're still keeping me in suspense..." Dong Jiafu suddenly remembered what Chen Yuanshi said and had roughly guessed what it was about.

When she went to the main room, Dong Jiafu saw that her parents and second brother were there.

"Why did Afu come back so late?" Xu Yiwan stood up with a smile on her face, took her hand and sat down aside, "Is there a lot of work in the clinic?"

"The emperor bestowed a personally written plaque on Master and Senior Brother, and suddenly many more people came to see the doctor. Master even asked me to treat several patients with other illnesses."

"My daughter is really amazing. You don't know. When the eunuchs from the palace came to give me the reward today, I was shocked."

As expected, Dong Jiafu asked, "Is this a reward from His Majesty?"

Xu Yiwan nodded, "Yes, you already know it. I wanted to tell you in person and give you a surprise."

"Envoy Chen told me this when he came to the clinic."

Dong Jingtang, who was sitting next to him, said, "After the morning court session, the emperor summoned me, praised you, and gave me some gifts. Ah Fu, you really made your father proud."

"Mother Guo, Chuncao, quickly bring the emperor's reward to show Afu." Xu Yiwan ordered.

It took two trips for Mother Guo and Chuncao to get all the items.

The rewards on the table included various gold and jade jewelry, fine brocade materials, and neatly stacked silver ingots.

Dong Jiafu couldn't help but smile after reading it, thinking that His Majesty was quite good at giving gifts, whether it was the plaque for the master or these for her, they were all very useful. They were not the kind of utensils that would be touched if they were put out, but it would be the same as if they were not given if they were put away.

"These things are for you. Let them deliver them to your room later." Xu Yiwan noticed her expression and said with a smile.

"Don't use the money. I don't need it. Give it to my mother to help with the household expenses."

"The household expenses are enough from your father's salary and your second brother's earnings. I will keep these for you first, and put them in your dowry when you get married in the future."

Dong Jiafu opened her mouth but said nothing. She just let her mother arrange it as she pleased.

After looking at the reward, Dong Jingtang took it away. Then he thought of another thing.

"With the plaque inscribed with the emperor's personal handwriting, Hui'an Hall has become very famous in the capital. There will definitely be a lot of people coming to see the doctor in the future. Ah Fu, you must be careful not to get too tired."

Xu Yiwan also reacted, "Yes, Afu, you must not be stubborn. Rest when you are tired. There will be patients coming every day, and you will never be able to see them all."

"Father, Mother, don't worry, I know what to do." Dong Jiafu replied.

After delivering the things, Mrs. Guo and her companions came back and started to set the table.

In the next two days, people who came to Hui'an Hall to see a doctor lined up outside. It was expected that Doctor Tan and his colleagues had been well prepared, but they were still very busy.

That day, Dong Jiafu had just finished seeing a patient when Meng Dong came in from outside.

"Afu, the third aunt from the Duke's Mansion is here and is anxious to see you."

Dong Jiafu thought for a moment and said, "Tell the patient at the back to wait for a moment. Please ask Yaying to come over."

Cui Yaying came in shortly after Meng Dong went out.

Seeing that she looked unhappy and anxious, Dong Jiafu asked with concern: "Yaying, what's wrong with you? Is there something serious?"

When she asked this question, Cui Yaying almost burst into tears.

"It's my elder brother, Afu, something happened to my elder brother——"

Cui Qiyan?

Dong Jiafu's heart skipped a beat. "What happened to him?"

"After entering the capital, my eldest brother did not return to the mansion. Instead, he went to the other courtyard and only let Ji Bai in. He did not see anyone else, not even my father and mother. Oh, by the way, Ji Bai invited a doctor to come over. He asked Ji Bai if my eldest brother was sick, but he refused to say a word and only said that my eldest brother was fine."

"But it doesn't look like everything is alright. Ji Bai definitely didn't tell the truth. We can only guess that Big Brother might have been infected with the plague. Otherwise, why didn't he see anyone?"