Novel Bin Chapter 504 - 504: Blackmail
Li Yu knew from his expression that he knew coal. She looked at him in surprise.
Chu Qing smiled and said, “Madam Li, the teacher from the Directorate said that this is something called stone carbon. It can be burned as firewood. The Ministry of War uses this to refine iron and copper weapons.”
“Stone carbon!” Li Yu muttered and nodded. “This name is appropriate.”
Since Great Yong already knew about coal, and she had been here for so many years, why had she never seen anyone burn coal? Then would anyone buy the briquettes she made?
Chu Qing looked curiously at the black briquettes arranged neatly on the ground. “Madam Li, is this honeycomb made of charcoal?”
Li Yu glanced at Chu Qing. “Yes, it’s made of charcoal. Shopkeeper Chu, why have I never seen anyone use charcoal among the commoners?”
Chu Qing smiled and said, “We discovered this thing many years ago. No one has announced it among the people. In fact, it’s more convenient to burn firewood.”
“There were also officials from the Ministry of War who took it back and used it. They felt that the smoke was too strong and it was not as convenient to use as the frost charcoal, so it was put away. Someone might be using it in places where there was a lack of firewood. Where did Madam Fu Li find the coal?”
“I found this at the back of the mountain His Majesty gave me. I was about to ask if you were willing to do this business!”
Chu Qing hesitated for a moment and bowed. “Thank you, Madam Li. I’ll go back and write to the chief steward to discuss it with him before replying to you. What do you think?”
Li Yu replied readily, “Alright, go back and discuss it with the shopkeeper. I’ll take my time.”
After Chu Qing bade farewell and left, Li Yu waited for the briquettes to dry up a little before getting Mao Dou and the others to put the briquettes into a wicker basket and carry them onto the carriage. She also carried a coal stove and iron tongs and went to the pharmacy.
Before she reached the pharmacy, she saw that it was surrounded by people from afar. Li Yu thought to herself, Could it be that someone is causing trouble?
As soon as the carriage reached the entrance of the shop, Maizi jumped out of the car and squeezed in nimbly. Soon, he came out again.
“Madam, someone carried a man over and placed him in the shop. They said that the medicine Old Master concocted was poisonous and harmed his brother. ”
Li Yu got out of the carriage and walked into the courtyard to the shop in front. She saw Doctor Zou sitting there with a livid expression.
The shop assistant explained anxiously to the fat man at the door. A middle-aged man with a face like that of a paper effigy lay on the door beside him.
A long-faced woman knelt on the ground and cried, “You killed someone. My husband was killed by you. How can we continue to live as a widow and orphans? Ah… Ah.. ”
When the shop assistant saw Li Yu enter from the backyard with the wheat, he hurriedly went forward and said, “Madam, Doctor Wen and Seven Pounds went out for a consultation. This person said that the medicine he got here hurt his brother and wants us to compensate him with silver. Doctor Zou asked him to carry him in to take a look, but he was unwilling. He made the commotion here and asked us to compensate.”
“Yo! Madam is here. That’s easy. As long as you pay the money, we promise to walk immediately.”
When the man saw Li Yu, he revealed a wretched smile and wanted to lean forward to talk to Li Yu.
Ah Gen, the clerk, pushed him away. “Go away. You’re blind.”
The woman also looked up at Li Yu who saw that her eyes were red and her face was covered in tears. “Madam, please do me a favor. Please…”
Li Yu ignored the woman and looked at the man coldly. “Where did you say you got the medicine at the pharmacy? Show me the prescription and signature.”
The man shook the prescription in his hand. “Everyone, take a look. My brother is as strong as me. He only became like this because he drank this shop’s medicine. So what if he’s rich? Can he use fake medicine and poison to harm people?”
The onlookers whispered to each other. Passerby A sighed and said, “That’s right! How can they continue to live as a widow and orphans?”
Passerby B said, “What a pity. He’s so young. I’m afraid he won’t be able to do heavy work even if he’s cured!”
Passerby C also said, “I’ve even gotten medicine from them before. Fortunately,
I’m fine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a place to reason even if I died.”
Doctor Zou looked at the few people who had taken medicine for free from the pharmacy and felt a little disappointed. He said to himself, “No wonder people say that it’s difficult to be a good person! It’s better to be a bad person.”
Doctor Zou took the booklet and went forward. He bowed to Li Yu and said, “Madam Li, the prescription he’s holding is indeed prescribed by our shop. It’s just an ordinary prescription.”
“I asked him to bring the medicinal dregs over. After I saw the medicinal dregs he brought, it looked like the beefsteak plant I originally prescribed was changed to Cuscuta chinensis. Even if they used Cuscuta chinensis, the patient wouldn’t be in this condition. I think he’s most likely here to blackmail us.”
The man looked at Doctor Zou fiercely. “It’s clearly your Wen Medical Hall’s medical skills that are not good enough and made my brother half-dead. Now, you’re even playing the blame game. Is there still justice?”
Li Yu walked to the door and squatted down to take a closer look. Although his face was pale , the small piece of skin exposed on his neck was clearly rosy. She placed her hand under his nose and could feel weak breathing.
Li Yu stood up and said to Ah Gen, “Go to the government office and report to the officials that someone claimed that our medical center has a case of malpractice. Let the government office investigate what happened.”
Ah Gen hesitated before going.
Seeing that Ah Gen had indeed reported it to the officials, the woman cried and went forward. She said to Li Yu, “Madam, we commoners are unwilling to see the officials. Compensate us with dozens of taels of silver to buy a coffin for my husband. When he leaves, I’ll bury him and never cause trouble for your shop.”
Li Yu looked at her coldly and turned around to take out the thickest needle from the silver needle box on the table. She handed it to her. “Since you want silver so much, I’ll give you a chance to earn big money. Take this silver needle and stab him 20 times in the foot. I’ll give you ten times the silver.”
The woman looked at the shiny silver needles in Li Yu’s hand and wiped her tears. “Madam, my man is about to die. Why should you let him suffer? Take pity on us and compensate us with some funeral silver. I’ll carry my man back.” Li Yu said coldly, “You’re not going to stab, are you?”
“Madam, please don’t make things difficult for me. Sob… pity me…” The woman knelt down and kowtowed.
The onlookers discussed softly. “That’s right! They’re too ruthless. These rich and powerful people are all good-for-nothing. This man is about to die, but they are not letting them off.”
Li Yu looked at everyone coldly and turned to look at the Maizi. “Maizi, come over. Put a needle in the sole of his foot 20 times. After you’re done, I’ll give him ten times the silver.”
“Yes, Madam.” Maizi took the silver needle and walked to the door. He took off the man’s shoes and socks, revealing his smelly feet. Maizi’s expression did not change as he raised the silver needle and poked it down.
There was a loud cry. The man on the door panel jumped up and turned to run. Maizi grabbed him and kicked him in the leg, knocking him to the ground.
The man standing by the door turned around and ran. Li Yu grabbed the pulse pillow on the table and threw it out. The pulse hit the man’s back and he fell to the ground.
Seeing that the situation was bad, the woman hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to beg for mercy. Li Yu stood in front of her.. “Why? Did you fail to extort me and decided to beg for mercy instead?”