The people at the post station had no idea what had happened last night, having drunk Immortal Water, each had slept soundly.
It was only when they groggily woke up that they learned Little Fox Brother and Miss Little Bear had already made an appointment with the County Magistrate at the County Yamen, waiting for them to bring the official documents.
The group quickly gathered their belongings and followed Ah Dao to the County Yamen.
By that time, the commoners who had narrowly escaped death outside the County Yamen had all returned to their homes.
Inside the County Yamen, people from the Ancient Moon Medical Hall, having heard the news, hurried over and were kneeling to beg the County Master to release their master.
Senior Brother Hu tearfully narrated his master’s grievances.
"County Magistrate, with your wise discernment, my master was also trapped by this strange disease. It’s not that his medication was faulty, but that the Gu poison itself is deadly. The real person who should be imprisoned is the deceitful witch doctor. Please, County Master, have mercy and release my master!"
"Please, County Master, have mercy and release my master."
"Please, County Master, have mercy and release my master."
"Please, County Master, have mercy and release my master."
The County Magistrate looked at the people from the Ancient Moon Medical Hall with a complex expression.
In fact, Doctor Hu should indeed be released.
But if he released Doctor Hu, wouldn’t that prove his own foolishness?
Wouldn’t that imply he had arbitrarily detained innocent people without thorough investigation, thus recklessly handling human lives?
At this moment, the County Magistrate felt that releasing him was akin to slapping his own face, yet not releasing him also left him unable to step down.
As he was struggling with the decision, Uncle Master said, "County Magistrate, actually, here’s how I see it.
Admittedly, the entire affair was orchestrated by the witch doctor, who is indeed the most detestable person. However, the fact that Doctor Hu hastily administered medicine without clarifying the situation, resulting in the innocent deaths of over a dozen people, is also true."
"Yes, that’s correct," Uncle Master’s words resonated deeply with the County Magistrate, who nodded repeatedly, his face alight with pleasure.
Uncle Master continued, "To show that the County Magistrate is both just and strict, why not release Doctor Hu?"
"Release him?" The County Magistrate raised his eyebrows, thinking, what nonsense was Uncle Master speaking.
"County Magistrate, please be patient." Uncle Master calmly continued with his strategy, "What I mean is that while the death penalty can be avoided, a lesser punishment can’t be escaped. To teach Doctor Hu a lesson, let’s expel him from An County and allow him to seek refuge elsewhere. What do you think?
By doing so, we not only punish Doctor Hu but also manifest your mercifulness."
"That’s a good idea! That’s a good idea!" The light in the County Magistrate’s eyes almost burst forth.
In this way, it would be proper to release Doctor Hu, and he would no longer trouble the County Magistrate by being in his sight!
Excellent, excellent!
The County Magistrate ordered someone to bring Doctor Hu up.
The platform was right outside the hall, where Bai Junjun and Li Wenli watched the whole farcical scene unfold.
In such a vast forest, indeed, all kinds of birds are present. Look at what foolish things the County Magistrate is doing.
He is actually driving away a physician over a matter of face?
During these tumultuous times, other than warriors, physicians are most crucial. He should be properly venerating this physician, yet he’s driving him away.
What will they do if another illness occurs in the county in the future?
This is truly too ridiculous.
However, they didn’t intervene, watching as Doctor Hu was taken to the stand, disgracefully driven out of the Yamen, and ordered to leave An County by noon today, thoroughly indulging in the spectacle.
Doctor Hu’s initial shock slowly turned into resigned silence, utterly disappointed with the County Magistrate.
He made no attempts to argue or struggle, hanging his head as if he had aged a decade, and after leaving the County Yamen, not a single villager came forward to ask him to stay.