Chapter 516 - 514: Quit While You’re Ahead

Chapter 516: Chapter 514: Quit While You’re Ahead

After Su Qing started distributing grain from his stores.

Many of the wealthy merchants in the County City began to discuss the matter.

Among them were the Zhou, Wang, and Li Families.

All three were the most powerful and influential families in the County City.

"Whose family runs the Qingsu Medical Clinic in the East City Suburb?"

"How do they have grain?"

A member of the Li Family was the one asking.

The Zhou Family replied, "He’s just a Doctor."

"He’s not one of ours."

The Wang Family added, "Nor is he with the Wang Family."

The Li Family said, "A small medical clinic actually has so much surplus grain. Fine, let him play savior. Let’s see how much he really has."

"In that case, we’ll just wait and see."

"Agreed!"

...

...

Over the next week, Su Qing continued to distribute medicinal porridge.

The three great families in the city were all completely baffled.

They had all investigated this Physician Su Qing.

But none of them could discover where he was getting his grain.

More importantly, the sheer volume of porridge he was giving out had to be larger than his entire courtyard.

And Su Qing showed no intention of stopping his relief efforts.

The most crucial part was, after driving off the Jia Mountain Bandits, the nearby refugees had been given a chance to catch their breath thanks to Su Qing’s aid.

However, this was a year of famine.

This bit of medicinal porridge wouldn’t be enough unless he could keep it up for a full year.

But if Su Qing really were to provide aid for an entire year, it would likely alarm everyone.

Su Qing was also troubled by this.

’It’s already been seven days.’

’There are quite a few spies outside my door. They must be from the merchants and powerful families in the city.’

’If I keep distributing porridge, I’ll alarm more than just them.’

Su Qing sighed.

The more this went on, the deeper he feared he would be dragged into it.

As for the refugees, his kindness was already immense. If he gave any more, he was afraid it would backfire on him in his current state.

It would force him to reveal his martial prowess.

But that was the last thing Su Qing wanted.

His luck had been improving recently.

This was precisely because Su Qing was truly acting like a Hidden Dragon.

Lying dormant here.

For the sake of this rare fortune, Su Qing did not want to expose himself so soon.

Therefore, distributing medicinal porridge for a week was already his limit.

Any longer, and he feared he would be swept up in the consequences.

’Starting tomorrow, no more porridge.’

’If I stop now, I’ll at most be resented.’

’But if I continue for another week, the people in the city might not be able to sit still any longer.’

’And I wouldn’t be able to extricate myself.’

He had to act within his means.

「The next day.」

Su Qing did not distribute any porridge.

As a result, many refugees who came found nothing.

"Divine Physician Su, are you not giving out porridge today?"

"Sigh..."

"I’ve run out of grain. The little I had could only last for so many days."

"Everyone should go hunt for some game in the mountains, while you still have the strength and aren’t yet emaciated."

Su Qing said with a pained expression.

"Please, everyone, disperse."

Many of the refugees left, but some were insatiably greedy.

"Divine Physician Su, you must have some grain left in your house! Otherwise, what would you eat?"

"Have pity on us! Just give us a little more."

"That’s right, have pity on us! We don’t know how to hunt in the mountains."

Su Qing’s face instantly turned cold.

He had been trying to maintain appearances, but seeing these people clinging to his trouser leg and refusing to let go, and even fake-crying, Su Qing’s disgust reached a new height.

"Everyone, if you do not release me, then know this: though I am a physician, I also know a thing or two about fisticuffs."

Su Qing’s words were cold.

He had already provided aid for a whole week.

With that week of time, instead of doing something to sustain their own lives, they were still pinning their hopes on whether Su Qing would hand out porridge every day.

People like this were either stupid, malicious, or just plain lazy.

This was the first time Su Qing had seen such shameless, groveling tactics.

But Su Qing turned a deaf ear.

He didn’t want to save the world.

He just wanted to peacefully reach the Perfection of the Twelfth Realm.

The women and children still tried to cling to his trouser leg, refusing to let go.

Su Qing violently shook his leg to break free.

"Everyone, I will be closing the clinic for a few days."

Su Qing said no more, his face cold.

He didn’t find these people pitiful.

’There are so many people. If not on this Star, then on another.’

’There are plenty near the Taichu Daoist Palace.’

Su Qing had no desire to save the world.

He was utterly cold-blooded now.

Once, he could have saved everyone in the world, bathed in Immortal Qi, never aging, dying, tiring, or hungering.

’But was it any use?’

’It would only incite greater desire, filling their emptiness with more want.’

Su Qing chose to close his clinic directly.

This was to let those who were watching know that Su Qing could only protect himself.

With so many refugees around, the suburbs all but required local strongmen to keep order.

Otherwise, one could easily be killed by the refugees.

Without food, their rationality would only continue to decline,

until they devolved into pure beasts.

So, Su Qing left the suburbs.

And went to the Inner City.

He pulled a White Cloak over his head. Aside from his height, it would be difficult for anyone to recognize him as Su Qing.

’It seems I can’t keep those two small courtyards anymore.’

’I’ll have to go rent a shop in the Inner City.’

....

「Brokerage.」

"Well, if it isn’t Great Benefactor Su?"

"I’m looking for a house in a good location to rent for a year," Su Qing said to the man at the brokerage without preamble.

"Easy enough."

"It’s just that the price is a bit steep."

"Tell me about it." Su Qing nodded, asking for the details. He couldn’t appear too wealthy.

’It would be too abnormal otherwise.’

"For a two-story building in a prime location, the rent is at least 800 taels of silver a year."

"I’m not a merchant. Give me a place near the Government Office." Su Qing wanted stability, so being near the homes of the powerful in the County City would be safer.

’They would handle any trouble.’

"There is one, but it’s also expensive. At least 600 taels of silver a year."

"Can you go any lower?"

"If you ever need my medical services in the future, it’ll be half price."

Su Qing haggled.

"Aiya, the silver doesn’t go into my pocket, Divine Physician Su. We’re all just common folk here."

"That’s the lowest price."

"Fine."

It was a swift decision.

They negotiated in the morning.

By the afternoon, Su Qing had already moved in.

His true body also came here to the second-floor bedroom for Cultivation.

The first floor would continue to be a medical clinic.

As for the matter of the refugees, that could only be left to the Prefect to manage.

Su Qing felt he had already done his best.

—

The members of the Zhou, Wang, and Li Families gathered together again.

Li Family: "Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on opening our granaries for disaster relief?"

Wang Family: "The Prefect has already given the order. What other thoughts could there be?"

"What use is that connection of yours in the Capital City? We have no choice but to open the granaries."

Zhou Family: "Let’s open them."

"However, I feel like there’s something not right about that Divine Physician Su."

"Have you all noticed?"

Li Family: "Now that you mention it, I also feel something is off. He seems like someone from the Observatory."

The head of the Zhou Family said seriously, "Yes, perhaps he might even be an Immortal."

Hearing this, the man from the Li Family burst out laughing. "An Immortal? If there were an Immortal here, I’m afraid even the Holy Emperor in the Capital City wouldn’t be able to sit still."

"Impossible."

...

...

Five days after renting the clinic, Su Qing opened for business.

It was still named the Qingsu Medical Clinic.

But this time, the consultation fee was much higher.

The consultation fee was one tael of silver, but the price of medicinal herbs remained unchanged.

One tael of silver.

For an ordinary commoner, one tael of silver was enough to live a simple life for a year.

This was because normal commoners were self-sufficient, with the men tilling the fields and the women weaving. They had very little need for money.

Many of the wealthy families in the city came to have Su Qing examine them.

One tael of silver.

It was still an acceptable price for them.

He was specifically targeting their wealth.

As a result, very few people came to Su Qing’s clinic for treatment.

Now, things were truly quiet and leisurely.

In a chaotic world, studying medicine cannot save people.

Just like that.

Su Qing leisurely passed another year.

Many things happened during this year.

But none of them had anything to do with Su Qing.

The year of famine had passed.

The rains this year were plentiful, so it seemed the harvest would definitely be a good one.

Su Qing couldn’t be bothered to pay it any mind.

....