There is a god in the sky

Chapter 288 The Broken Engagement Scandal 3

Shen Lan was restless.

She felt she had heard too much.

She didn't have any good suggestions on this matter, and even if she did, they would be detrimental to Zhao Xuan, and the Xiao family elders might not agree.

While the Xiao family was still considering a win-win solution, Zhao Xuan had already made her move.

After being driven away by Xiao Ji, she became increasingly resentful.

She thought her forbearance would earn Xiao Ji's pity, but she never expected that he would break off the engagement for that woman.

"If you're ruthless, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Zhao Xuan said fiercely, carrying out the plan that she had previously abandoned.

The shopkeeper of Qiwen Bookstore stood in front of her.

"The last catalog must have made Guibao Store a lot of money, right?"

Shopkeeper You said happily, "It's all thanks to the young lady's excellent painting skills. Her paintings are bold and beautiful, and everyone likes them very much."

Zhao Xuan gave a disdainful smile. "Those so-called upright scholars are all filthy inside. On the surface, they like virtuous and gentle women, but in reality, which one of them doesn't like prostitutes?"

This was a difficult question for Manager You to answer.

"Young lady, did you summon me today because you have a new picture book to publish?"

"No, that's not it. But your bookstore is doing well, and the customers are either high-ranking officials or scholars. I suppose you're quite interested in the woman in the picture album last time. I have a business opportunity, and I wonder if you dare to take it."

"Please speak," Shopkeeper You said excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

Zhao Xuan's gaze was intense as she slammed a stack of silver notes on the table. "Manager You only needs to have a storyteller tell you a story in the shop every day."

"This...we've never done it this way in our shop before."

"Then let's start tomorrow. A bookstore needs customers to do business. What's wrong with hiring a storyteller to tell some of the latest popular stories?"

Shopkeeper You thought it was a good idea. "Young lady, you're brilliant! This is indeed a good idea, but what story would you like him to tell?"

Zhao Xuan gave a wink, and a maidservant brought over a thin storybook.

"Just read it exactly as it's written here, not a single word can be changed!"

"What about these banknotes?" No businessman would turn down money.

Zhao Xuan was generous, not only giving him silver notes but also offering him a path to wealth, so he had no reason to refuse.

"This is for hiring a storyteller for you. Invite the most famous storyteller in Bianjing. Remember, I want the whole city to hear this story!"

After Zhao Xuan left, Manager You curiously flipped through the booklet, but after reading only two pages, he closed it in alarm.

This...this is absolutely absurd!

She's not giving him a path to wealth, she's leading him to a dead end!

The story in this book matches the previous picture book perfectly, and the woman's identity is also clearly stated: she is Shen Lan, the female coroner of the Criminal Investigation Department!

Many people didn't know this person before.

But ever since the Emperor personally appointed her as an eighth-rank coroner, stories of Coroner Shen began to circulate outside.

Her experiences, including traveling north with Xiao Ji and solving cases together, have also become widely known.

Teahouses and restaurants also turned these stories into tales, which were more captivating than romance novels.

Jifeng Bookstore tried this before, and their storybooks sold extremely well.

Regardless of what outsiders say, the fact that this girl was brought back to the capital by Lord Xiao and moved into the Xiao family must mean that their relationship was extraordinary.

He so blatantly humiliated her, how could Lord Xiao let him get away with it?

But he has already accepted the banknotes and agreed to the terms. What should we do?

Shopkeeper You hurriedly ran to find his employer.

Few people know that the owner behind Qiwen Bookstore is the eldest son of the Xie family.

Xie Jingfeng was at the pharmacy asking Old Chen to make a house call.

He has a beloved woman who is being kept outside the home and is over eight months pregnant, but recently her health has been deteriorating.

"Young Master, that woman's medical skills must be quite good. The waiter went with her and saw her enter the Xiao residence. Why don't we invite her to join us for a consultation?"

Xie Jingfeng asked impatiently, "Which Xiao family?"

"That's the family of Judge Xiao, who's been making waves lately. That woman might be the eighth-rank coroner appointed by the Emperor himself."

"What? A coroner? How can a coroner know medicine?"

Xie Jingfeng thought Old Chen had gone mad.

Coroners only know how to manipulate corpses, how could they save lives?

“Young Master, I have personally witnessed her medical skills, and they are absolutely infallible. It is normal for you to have doubts. However, I am not confident about that person's condition. Asking for another person to consult will only increase the chances.”

Xie Jingfeng had no choice but to agree.

"He will go to the Xiao family to invite her right away."

He thought that, given his status as the eldest son of the Xie family, it would be easy for him to hire a coroner.

But in reality, he didn't even get to see Shen Lan before the Xiao family rejected him on her behalf.

Although the identity of a coroner is not a good thing, it would not be good for Shen Lan if outsiders knew that a coroner could also treat the sick and save lives.

When Shopkeeper You brought the storybook to the owner, Xie Jingfeng was throwing a tantrum.

"What a Xiao family! What a Shen Lan! They show me no respect at all. Do they really think I can't do anything about them?"

The servant frantically tried to signal to Manager You with his eyes, "You should leave now. Don't bother the young master with anything important today."

Manager You originally intended to leave, but upon hearing the name Shen Lan, he couldn't move.

He braced himself and stepped forward, saying, "Young Master, I happen to have some matters concerning Counselor Shen to report."

"Say!"

An hour later, the Xie family's carriage stopped again in front of the Xiao family's house.

This time, Xie Jingfeng wasn't so polite. "Go tell your master that if I don't see Shen Lan today, he'd better not regret it!"

The atmosphere in the Xiao family was somber because of Xiao Ji's intention to break off the engagement.

The servant leading the way had no smile on his face, and the mansion was quiet, making people wonder if something had happened to the Xiao family.

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Xie. Miss Shen will be here shortly."

Shen Lan was originally going out to the bookstore, as the matter of the anti-book incident had not yet been completely resolved.

Hearing that the eldest son of the Xie family had come to see her and that there would be serious consequences if she didn't, she came, but she was completely confused.

"What advice do you have for me, Young Master Xie? This is probably our first meeting."

Xie Jingfeng sneered and tossed the storybook to her. "Take a look for yourself. If you don't come with me today, the contents of this storybook will definitely spread like wildfire within a day."

Shen Lan flipped through several pages at a glance, her expression growing increasingly grim.

Without a doubt, this thing was made by Zhao Xuan.

"Does Young Master Xie have a favor to ask of me?"

Xie Jingfeng countered, "You know medicine?"

"I know a little bit."

"If you only had a smattering of knowledge, Chen Yue wouldn't have praised you so highly. He must have told you about the house calls. You'd better have excellent medical skills, otherwise..."

Shen Lan raised an eyebrow, not expecting it to be something that Physician Chen had mentioned last night.

It seems that I have no choice but to make this trip.

"I see. The reason I didn't agree last night was because I was worried that my medical skills were not good enough to save people, and I didn't want to cause trouble."

Since Young Master Xie has so sincerely invited me, then I will go and take a look.

But you should know that a fetus over eight months old is already quite large; if it dies in utero, it could very well result in the death of both mother and child.

Xie Jingfeng's face darkened, and he turned and left, saying, "You don't need to tell me that! Just do your best!"

Shen Lan was puzzled.

The Xie family is the largest family of doctors in Bianjing, so why would they need outside help to treat a pregnant woman?