"What? Mute now? You were always so sharp-tongued!"
Ming Xiajing's voice pulled Qin Yun back to his senses.
Qin Yun chuckled. "Oh? Who are you again? Let me think for a moment!" Qin Yun crossed his legs, pinched his chin, and feigned deep thought.
"I remember now! Weren't you called Ming Xiajian? That's such a strange name. Why would anyone name themselves 'Xiajian' (lowly/despicable)? Are you afraid people won't know how despicable you are?"
Upon hearing this, the young ladies and gentlemen around them covered their mouths and giggled.
Ming Xiajing was instantly infuriated. "Who are you calling despicable? My name is Ming Xiajing, you ugly monster! What are you yelling about?"
"Aren't you Xiajian? But why does your mouth reek so bad? Did you sleepwalk last night and fall into a cesspool to eat shit?"
The onlookers who had been holding back could no longer contain themselves. At this statement, the crowd burst into boisterous laughter.
Ming Xiajing was furious!
Furious because he had indeed sleepwalked last night, and if not for the timely intervention of his attendant, he would have nearly fallen into the cesspool.
"Nonsense, you ugly monster! Be careful or I'll beat you!" Ming Xiajing said, stepping forward and grabbing Qin Yun's collar, intending to strike him. However, he was stopped by Zheng Haonan.
"Xiajing, the auction is about to start, let's go in!"
Ming Xiajing, still seething, had no choice but to let go.
But as he released his grip, Qin Yun's lips curved into a slight smile, a calculating glint flashed in his eyes, and then he slowly collapsed to the ground, coughing incessantly.
"Cough cough... Ming Xiajian... what did you do to me? Cough cough cough cough..." Qin Yun lay on the ground, trembling all over, his coughs relentless, as if he were about to cough up blood.
His body curled up, his brow furrowed in agony.
The surrounding people immediately stepped forward to observe.
Everyone looked at the suffering Qin Yun on the ground with confusion, then at Ming Xiajing, who had just acted.
Whispers spread among them, wondering if Ming Xiajing had used underhanded tactics and dealt Qin Yun a severe blow.
After all, Ming Xiajing had a bad reputation, being someone who bullied the weak, and he had frequently harassed Qin Yun.
Ming Xiajing panicked. "Why are you all looking at me? I didn't do anything to him! He's trying to frame me, he's faking it!" Ming Xiajing said, squatting down to shake Qin Yun.
Qin Yun painfully lifted his head, his face flushed purple, looking as if he might stop breathing at any moment.
"If I, Qin Yun, die here, all of you must bear witness that it was Ming Xiajian who used foul play against me, cough cough..." Qin Yun said, then fainted onto the ground, becoming motionless!
At this moment, the shopkeeper arrived and quickly fetched a doctor.
The doctor skillfully took Qin Yun's pulse, and as he reached the end, his expression grew increasingly grim.
Initially, Ming Xiajing thought Qin Yun was faking, but seeing the doctor's ever-changing face, he began to doubt himself.
Even Zheng Haonan, standing nearby, became serious.
He had thought it was a small trick by Qin Yun, but observing the situation, it didn't seem so.
"Doctor Qiao, what's wrong with Young Master Qin?" the shopkeeper asked, not wanting any lives lost in his establishment.
Although Qin Yun was considered a good-for-nothing, he was the son of an official, and Qin Yuanzhang was a minor official at least. If provoked, this matter would not be easy to handle.
"This young gentleman has a weak qi and blood, his breathing is extremely faint, and he is in danger of dying at any moment. Furthermore, his pulse is extremely chaotic. I have never diagnosed such a chaotic pulse before."
The crowd selectively heard the first half: faint breathing, danger of dying, but they ignored the latter half, the chaotic pulse.
Suddenly, the wealthy matrons, young ladies, and gentlemen around them began to gossip.
"How could Qin Yun be so weak? He's almost dead already!"
"Indeed! Ming Xiajing is in big trouble now. If someone dies, even his aunt won't be able to save him."
"I heard that young Master Ming is usually arrogant and overbearing, often bullying the weak. Seeing him today, it's confirmed."
"I feel so sorry for Qin Yun. His face was disfigured, turning him into an ugly monster, and he lived a life of weakness. To end up dying so young!"
Qin Yun, lying on the ground, was utterly speechless.
He wasn't dead yet!
Why were they all wishing for his death? Didn't the doctor say his breathing was faint and he was in danger of dying? Wasn't he still alive?
He just needed to lie there for another minute to scare this Ming Xiajian, make him shut his mouth, and show him what "faking an injury" meant.
Ming Xiajing was indeed agitated. "Doctor, please examine him again carefully. I truly didn't touch him, I just lightly grabbed his collar. How can he be on the verge of death?"
"What? Are you doubting my medical skills?" the doctor immediately looked displeased.
"That's not what I meant. I just hope you can examine him more carefully!" Ming Xiajing said respectfully.
"I have examined him very carefully. This young gentleman has just suffered severe internal injuries, leading to a chaotic pulse and faint breathing."
Internal injuries?
How was that possible?
Not only Ming Xiajing but also Zheng Haonan was dumbfounded.
But just then! Qin Yun on the ground began to cough again!
Everyone stepped forward to check on him.
Opening his eyes, Qin Yun weakly called out, "Xiao Ju, where are you? I feel so... unwell, cough cough cough..." Although his voice was intermittent, everyone clearly heard Qin Yun's words.
At this moment, Xiao Ju arrived hurriedly. Seeing Qin Yun, who had been fine just moments ago, now weak and feeble, Xiao Ju instantly burst into tears.
"Young master, what happened to you? If anything were to happen to you, this servant would not wish to live either!" Xiao Ju cried, her tears falling like rain, greatly touching the hearts of the onlookers.
The person happiest to see Qin Yun awake was none other than Ming Xiajing.
Qin Yun wasn't dead, so he was in the clear.
"Doctor Qiao, this ugly monster has woken up. I should be fine now, right?"
Doctor Qiao shot Ming Xiajing a glare, intending to re-examine Qin Yun, but Qin Yun refused.
Qin Yun leaned on Xiao Ju, slowly rising. "Ming Xiajian, you truly have a heart of a viper, to inflict such harm on me. Fortunately, I, Qin Yun, have a strong life, otherwise I would have been killed by you today!" After saying this, Qin Yun's face flushed red, as if the sentence had drained his energy.
"Ugly monster, don't talk nonsense. Look at you... you're fine now, aren't you?" Ming Xiajing's tone faltered significantly at the end.
"Is that so? Why don't we go directly to the yamen? I wonder if you would be so helpless in court?"
Qin Yun's eyes were cold, his demeanor seemingly weak, but his words struck directly at Ming Xiajing's weakness. "Everyone present is my witness. Should I accuse you of disregard for human life? Or of abusing your power? Or perhaps attempted murder? You usually like to abuse your power anyway, so one more or one less for you won't make a difference!"
Ming Xiajing was enraged, clenching his fists, wishing he could beat Qin Yun severely to vent his anger.
But with so many people watching, if he truly resorted to violence, it would be even harder to explain later. He still had that much sense.
"Ugly monster, stop falsely accusing me! Once I return, I will tell my aunt, and then I will report you to His Majesty. See if you still dare to speak so wildly!"