Chapter Nine, Ancestry

Cao Jueming nodded with a smile: "Alright, I will have someone inquire shortly. I believe that families with vacant rooms there will not refuse to rent their houses to me for a few months. I am a respectable person and have never defaulted on rent."

Cao Jueming's expression was somewhat perplexed; he was unsure if he had fully understood Qingyun's words. However, he quickly redirected his attention back to the main topic: "You can take your time to recall; perhaps one day, you will suddenly remember everything from the past. I will always be here with you, and if you feel any discomfort, do not hesitate to seek me out."

The queen and the princess's maternal family members, with bright prospects ahead, inexplicably abandoned their official positions and left, leaving even their relatives unaware of the reasons. This is completely illogical, unless...! ... he has gotten himself into serious trouble, and this trouble is such that even individuals of high status like the queen and the princess cannot assist him. Moreover, the person he has offended may very well be the queen or the princess!

"It is truly an astonishing theory." Qingyun Dao, "However, it makes a lot of sense. Brother Cao, if you continue to research this topic, you may become a master of your generation!"

Outside the medical hall, there was a sense of tranquility, but as soon as they stepped inside, they immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere

I do not see it that way. Cao Jueming smiled confidently, "I am also a doctor, having studied medicine since childhood and seen many patients. As far as I know, it is indeed common for children to suffer from persistent high fevers for several days and become mentally impaired after recovery. Some may be fortunate enough to walk and speak like ordinary people, but their mental faculties may be somewhat inferior. This may not be apparent in daily life, but with careful observation, it can be detected. However, you are not in such a situation. When I spoke with you just now, I found you to be smarter than most girls your age, with quick thinking and very coherent speech. This indicates that your high fever may not have caused you serious aftereffects, and your forgetfulness may not necessarily be due to that reason."

Cao Jueming's face flushed: "Of course I will. I will adhere to the rules that should be followed, but you are my sister. As for future matters, I cannot make decisions. However, since your family is not around at the moment, and I have found you, I have the responsibility to take care of you, so it is only natural that we should live close to each other."

Qingyun slightly opened her mouth: "Then why do you think ... ... I would forget the things from the past? Forgetting everything completely, not even being able to remember who my parents are?"

Qingyun took a deep breath: "I can go back if you want, but... can I not live with my father's stepmother? I mean... the whole family knows she doesn't like my dad. By the way, I still have my biological grandmother and uncle, right? If you think it's not suitable at my grandmother's place, then there's my uncle, right? He shouldn't dislike me, should he?"

Cao Jueming nodded and said, "You are still young, and you have lost your parents; how can you leave your loved ones?"

Qingyun hurriedly stepped forward, but was stopped by Cao Jueming. She turned to look at him and saw him smile slightly: "How can a girl do such things? Leave it to me." After saying this, he took out a palm-sized blue silk pouch from his bosom, opened it, and drew out a shiny silver needle.

Dr. Qian did not lift his head: "Qing Jie'er, come over and lend a hand. The two over there are bleeding, hurry and bandage them up, I can't manage alone."

"He is the current acting chief clerk of the Qinghe County government, Liu Xie." Qingyun's expression softened, "He is a well-known good person and has helped the refugees a lot. He knew that my parents had passed away, and since I was about the same age as his deceased daughter, he took me in as his goddaughter"

"A few months?" Qingyun secretly curled the corner of his mouth, "Brother Cao, you mentioned that you have been studying medicine since childhood, so your medical skills must be quite good, right?"

Cao Jueming hesitated slightly: "Is this... the clinic of the money doctor you mentioned?" It is really small, even smaller than the guest rooms of Tongfu Inn!

Cao Jueming looked at her troubled expression and instead smiled to comfort her: "Sister Jiang, there is no need to rush; just take your time to think it over. One day, you will remember it."

Cao Jueming smiled slightly: "I will accompany you to stay in Qinghe for a while, first sending news of your parents back to Heyang, and inquiring with the Jiang family about what should be done. I also need to clearly explain your situation to them. Once they make a decision, they will send someone to pick us up. I originally intended to take you back directly, but considering that the bandits in the Qinghe area have just been subdued, I am unsure if the roads are safe. It is indeed not prudent for just the two or three of us to travel, so I think it is better to wait for someone from the Jiang family to come."

The lofty aspirations have long remained unspoken

Qingyun's mouth opened wider, but she quickly closed it again. If she had not witnessed it with her own eyes and heard it with her own ears, she might not have believed that this ancient youth could arrive at such a conclusion! In modern terms, it is akin to psychological trauma leading to memory loss, which falls within the realm of Western psychology, does it not? Qingyun blinked several times, feeling a hint of admiration for Cao Jue Ming.

Half an hour later, they stood at the entrance of Dr. Qian's small clinic, with a warm smile on Qingyun's face as he cordially invited Cao Jueming to enter and take a look around

Qingyun was very eager to ask Jiang Lingfan whether he had been caught up in the court's affairs, but she was unsure if Cao Jueming was entirely trustworthy. After hesitating for a moment, she restrained herself and forced a smile, saying: "So, even if my father reappears in the capital, the authorities will not apprehend him? And no one will make things difficult for me because of this?"

Qingyun widened his eyes: "Do you want to stay? Or... do you still want to return to the Jiang family yourself?"

Cao Jueming sighed: "Well, I actually thought about it before. If I were to stay in Qinghe for a while, I would open a medical clinic. Now that there is a ready-made place, how could I refuse?"

So, apart from a grandmother who is practicing in the Jiang family's ancestral temple, does Sister Jiang Qing have no other blood relatives living?

Cao Jueming paused and said: "I am not clear about the details, but as far as I know, the Jiang clan from Heyang once inquired at the Chu royal residence. The Chu princess was very angry about this. If it had been someone else, she would have already ordered a manhunt to uncover the truth. However, considering the reputation of the Jiang family, the Chu princess suppressed the matter, stating only that Jiang Lingfan had fallen seriously ill and could no longer hold his military position, which is why he requested to resign and leave the capital. Since he is related to the empress and with the Chu prince vouching for him, the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War did not make things difficult, treating Jiang Lingfan as someone who was ill and returning home. However, the clan members all know that the truth is not as such, and therefore they have been searching for his whereabouts for many years.

Cao Jueming was unaware that she looked down on him so much; he simply withdrew his hand with a flushed face and cleared his throat awkwardly: "Let’s go in."

Qingyun happily shook his hand: "Thank you, Brother Cao, you are truly a good person!" She readily sent him a card, but in her heart, she thought that Old Doctor Qian could finally breathe a sigh of relief this time. Although she did not know how skilled Cao Jueming was in medicine, since he had studied medicine since childhood, even if he was just assisting Old Doctor Qian, it would be better than having two young servants.

A group of burly men lay sprawled across the floor, each disheveled, with bruised faces and swollen features, all bearing injuries. A few appeared to be bleeding profusely, indicating serious wounds. Seven or eight tall, strong men were divided into two teams, standing on either side, confronting each other. Meanwhile, Dr. Qian was crouched down, tending to a heavily bloodied man. Two young attendants were hiding behind the counter, daring only to peek out slightly, their eyes filled with fear

Qingyun was taken aback for a moment and couldn't help but chuckle: "Brother Cao, are you not a man?"

Qingyun could hardly believe: "Are they all dead?!"

Qingyun pressed her lips together and cautiously asked, "Do we really have to go back?"

I think... you fell ill right after the unfortunate passing of your parents. Perhaps you were too heartbroken to bear the blow, which led to your illness. " Cao Jueming tilted his head and pondered, "And after you recovered, you may still be unwilling to accept that your parents have passed away, thus burying the truth deep within your heart. It is possible that it was buried too deeply, to the point where you have forgotten the past completely

Then she asked: "What does Her Majesty the Queen say about my father's resignation and departure? What does the Princess of Chu say? My father was originally a guard at the residence of the Prince of Chu, correct? Since both the Queen and the Princess are his cousins, they surely would not ignore his disappearance, would they?"

Qingyun furrowed her brows, lost in deep thought, feeling quite conflicted. If Jiang Lingfan had truly gotten into trouble, her body belonged to his daughter, and she would inevitably suffer some consequences. However, now that Jiang Lingfan and his wife were both deceased, and she had taken over the body of Jiang Qingjie without any memories of the original self, would this mystery not remain unsolved forever? She was not someone with an overly curious nature; she was simply afraid that one day she might encounter misfortune without knowing the reason behind it. If Jiang Lingfan had truly gotten into trouble, her body belonged to his daughter, and she would inevitably suffer some consequences. However, now that Jiang Lingfan and his wife were both deceased, and she had taken over the body of Jiang Qingjie without any memories of the original self, would this mystery not remain unsolved forever? She was not someone with an overly curious nature; she was simply afraid that one day she might encounter misfortune without knowing the reason behind it.

This is indeed the case; since Jiang Lingfan dares to use his real name, it is evident that he is fully confident. Even if the officials know who he is, they would not make things difficult for him

Cao Jueming lowered his head, his cheeks slightly flushed, and coughed lightly: "I misunderstood; I should have asked for clarification before speaking." He then inquired: "Regarding the tall lady you mentioned, does her family have any vacant rooms available for rent?"

Cao Jueming comforted her, saying, "You need not worry; the Jiang family will surely make appropriate arrangements."

It would be strange if I could remember! Qingyun said irritably, "What if I can't remember? I had a high fever for several days, and the doctor said I was on the verge of becoming a fool; just losing my memory is already a stroke of great luck!"

What could be the reason?

Qingyun painfully covered his face, feeling that this kind of background was simply more melodramatic than that of Jiang Lingfan's old man

Cao Jueming nodded with a bitter smile: "Moreover, your grandfather passed away last year due to illness, so only... your step-grandmother and your uncle's family are left in the house"

Qingyun tried hard to persuade him: "It's only a few months. If you don't want to waste time, the best way is to do what you are best at—treating people! But if you only open a clinic for a few months, wouldn't that be too troublesome? If you are willing to see patients here, you won't have to worry about the storefront, nor about the procurement of medicinal materials, and there are ready-made attendants to serve you. You just need to sit there and wait for patients to come! Isn't that very convenient?" She revealed a sweet smile, and in the past, whenever she did this, even the most difficult individuals found it hard to refuse her. If you are willing to see patients here, you won't have to worry about the storefront, nor about the procurement of medicinal materials, and there are ready-made attendants to serve you. You just need to sit there and wait for patients to come! Isn't that very convenient?" She revealed a sweet smile, and in the past, whenever she did this, even the most difficult individuals found it hard to refuse her

Qingyun did not wipe away her tears; instead, she stared at him with tear-filled eyes and asked, "So... you have agreed? You truly are willing to practice medicine here?"

That will do! Qingyun interrupted him, smiling with her eyes and brows curved. "Since you will be staying in Qinghe for a few months, idling away each day would be a waste of time. Why not do something more meaningful instead?"

Cao Jueming blinked and said: "Uh... it's not too bad, of course, I still have many shortcomings and need to study harder..."

Cao Jueming could not help but laugh: "Of course not. The Jiang family is a distinguished household. How could they allow their own descendants to become wanted by the authorities? Moreover, if the government truly issued an order to apprehend someone, your father would have been found long ago, as he uses his real name on the household registration documents and travel permits."

I see... Qingyun thought for a moment, "Indeed, there is an empty room at the home of Aunt Gao, but I am not sure if she would be willing to rent it to you. She has mentioned before that she only rents to female guests. However, there are other landlords on the street behind the county office who are willing to rent out their houses. If you are looking for a place to stay, you can go and inquire there."

Sister Jiang Qing's father, Jiang Lingfan, has a truly astonishing background and experiences, far beyond what Qingyun could have ever imagined! This is simply more dramatic than his own background!

This statement has no comforting effect at all. Qingyun merely spread his fingers apart and shot him a glare through the gaps: "It's easy for you to say! I am the one who has to live my life. If I really have to live with my uncle's family, I might as well stay here! I have no memory of the past, but here I have familiar faces like Manager Wang, Grandpa Qian, and my godfather. I would rather live with my godfather! At least he treats me well." I have no memory of the past, but here I have familiar faces like Manager Wang, Grandpa Qian, and my godfather. I would rather live with my godfather! At least he treats me well.

Cao Jueming merely looked at her in silence. Seeing that her smile was ineffective, she had no choice but to withdraw, secretly pinching her thigh, and then looked at him with tearful eyes: "Doctor Qian saved my life. If it weren't for him back then, I might have died long ago. Even if I had survived, I could have ended up as a beggar or sold by human traffickers! In the clinic, he is the only doctor on duty, and he occasionally has to go out of town to treat patients. At his age, he works so hard every day that I truly fear something might happen to him... then looking at him with tearful eyes: 'Doctor Qian saved my life. If it weren't for him back then, I might have died long ago. Even if I had survived, I could have ended up as a beggar or sold by human traffickers! In the clinic, he is the only doctor on duty, and he occasionally has to go out of town to treat patients. At his age, he works so hard every day that I truly fear something might happen to him... Good brother!" She held his hand, "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. You are also a doctor, aren't you? I beg you to help him!"

Seeing someone enter, both teams turned their heads in unison to look, startling Qingyun: "Grandpa Qian, what is this... what happened?"

But why did he ultimately abandon his official position and leave

Cao Jueming's brows furrowed even deeper: "Although you say he is a good person, you are after all not related by blood, and even if you acknowledge him as a godparent, it would still be inappropriate for you to live with him"

Cao Jueming shifted his sitting posture somewhat uncomfortably. Upon seeing this, Qingyun felt a chill in his heart: "What? Is it possible that my father has a grudge against his biological brother?"

Qingyun shrugged: "We do not live together. He resides in the clerk's room at the county office, which is only a single room, and I cannot fit in when I go there. Therefore, he rented a room for me from a tall lady on the back street of the county office, allowing me to keep her company, learn needlework, and cook. When he is not busy with official matters, he comes over to have a meal with us." She smiled sweetly at Cao Jueming: "Brother Cao, rest assured, my godfather knows his limits; he is more knowledgeable than some who do not abide by the rules."

The incident mentioned by Cao Jueming that occurred seven years ago in the capital is indeed too complex for her to understand the details. However, the timing of Jiang Lingfan's departure is rather sensitive, leading her to suspect that there may be some connection.

Cao Jueming's face turned red all of a sudden, and he hurriedly pulled his hand away from hers: "I understand now, quickly wipe your tears."

Cao Jueming frowned: "Godfather?"

No..." Cao Jueming said with some difficulty, "In fact... about five or six years ago, a fire broke out at your uncle's home, and both he and his wife, along with their children... all...