After raining for two consecutive days, the weather finally cleared.

In the Imperial Medicine Academy, Shi Changpu moved the damp medicinal materials to dry under the sun and sat in a chair at the courtyard entrance for a nap.

The duties at the Imperial Medicine Academy weren’t as busy as those at the Medical Academy, but they couldn’t be called leisurely either. However, for someone with no ambition who just wanted to muddle through life, this was a wonderful position.

Shi Changpu had entered the Imperial Medicine Academy twenty years ago. In a flash, twenty years had passed. The colleagues beside him had either been promoted upward or fallen to their deaths while climbing, but only he remained steady and stable, very much having the momentum of not giving up until he held this Medical Supervisor position until the end of time.

His superiors always scolded him with disappointment, saying that the Imperial Medicine Academy, like the Medical Academy, offered plenty of good prospects as long as one gained favor from noble persons. But he had been in the palace for many years—forget about gaining favor from nobles, he hadn’t even received a single word of praise, taking the word “mediocrity” to its extreme.

Every time his superiors scolded him, Shi Changpu appeared submissive on the surface, looking deeply remorseful and self-reproaching, but inwardly he rolled his eyes to the heavens.

What did they understand?

This Imperial Medicine Academy and the neighboring Medical Academy were filled with sick people competing with each other. Today I make six bottles of medicine, tomorrow he makes seven. Today he lights candles and burns wax until midnight to figure out health formulas for noble persons, tomorrow I absolutely won’t rest before the hour of the ox.

In the end, those who competed exhausted their bodies, growing white hair all over their heads at a young age, benefiting those high and mighty nobles in the palace for nothing, just to earn a word of “regard” from them.

Hmph.

Shi Changpu scoffed.

Anyway, though the salary wasn’t abundant, he didn’t spend much money himself. By doing everything moderately, others had no great expectations of him, so he didn’t need to force himself to be ambitious.

Living life meant one should muddle through when possible.

Shi Changpu turned over, finding a comfortable position under the sun. His eyes hadn’t even closed when he suddenly heard: “Changpu!”

He jumped up alertly: “Director, sir.”

The person who came was Qiu He, Director of the Imperial Medicine Academy.

Qiu He was already over sixty. When he ran, his snow-white beard and eyebrows trembled. Shi Changpu feared his old bones would fall apart while running, so he quickly stood up to greet him: “Director, what’s this about…”

“Dream Pills…” The old director steadied himself by holding Shi Changpu’s arm, speaking breathlessly.

Shi Changpu thought to himself: Sure enough, here it comes again.

Every year after the Dream Pills were made and sent to Consort Rou, without question they would soon receive a thorough scolding from Consort Rou’s palace people, nothing more than complaints about mediocre effects and insufficient quantities, calling the Imperial Medicine Academy a bunch of good-for-nothings who only knew how to eat without working and should all be driven out of the palace.

Fortunately, over the years Shi Changpu had gained experience listening to these words and had developed methods to muddle through. Before Qiu He could speak, he immediately bowed low and began confessing his faults.

“The Director is right. This year’s Dream Pills weren’t effective, it’s all my fault.” He admitted his mistake with particular sincerity: “It’s all my fault. My pharmaceutical skills are mediocre, disappointing Consort Rou’s trust. But the raw material Red Fragrant Catkins wasn’t much to begin with, and their medicinal properties fade quickly—it’s really hard to think of a solution. Director, rest assured, I will definitely work hard to research and strive to find a method to consolidate the medicinal effects by next year, helping Consort Rou solve her insomnia and sharing her worries.”

Qiu He: “You…”

Shi Changpu nodded: “Yes, yes, yes, it’s my fault. If the Director should dock my salary, dock it; if you should scold me, scold me. I have absolutely no objections.”

Qiu He: “I…”

Shi Changpu: “Right, right, right, the Director worries about me daily. Changpu feels deeply ashamed. You must not anger yourself to illness—everyone in the Imperial Medicine Academy depends on you.”

The old director stamped his foot and angrily said: “Will you let me finish speaking or not!”

Shi Changpu immediately closed his mouth.

“Someone from Consort Rou’s palace just came to say that this year’s Dream Pills you sent had quite good effects, and she specifically gave a reward.” Qiu He patted his shoulder, his smile full of comfort. “Changpu, in the past I worried you weren’t ambitious enough, but I didn’t expect you were quietly working hard in secret. Heaven doesn’t shortchange those who are prepared—your good fortune has arrived!”

Shi Changpu: “Huh?”

…

After the old director came to give instructions, he called Shi Changpu to receive the reward together.

Even after the great palace maid from Consort Rou’s side left, Shi Changpu still felt dazed and confused, somewhat unreal.

Good heavens, this was truly unexpected wealth, good fortune striking so suddenly it caught him off guard. However, for Shi Changpu, this wasn’t a good thing. The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. All his life he just hoped to muddle through as a Medical Supervisor in the Imperial Medicine Academy for a lifetime. Who knew he would suddenly gain Consort Rou’s favor? Look, the way his surrounding colleagues looked at him immediately became wrong—they wouldn’t really think he secretly got up in the middle of the night to develop new medicines, would they?

Twenty years of effort ruined in one moment. Shi Changpu’s heart was bleeding.

Which bastard was trying to harm him!

Qiu He turned around and spoke to him in a gentle tone he’d never used in all these years: “But Changpu, which step in the medicine-making process did you change to make this year’s Dream Pills so much more effective? Consort Rou is not someone easily pleased.”

Change the formula?

Shi Changpu answered in confusion: “In response to the Director, this subordinate has shallow knowledge and poor medical skills—how would I dare rashly alter medicinal formulas? This year’s Dream Pills used the same formula as before. The medicine-making process was also no different.”

This wasn’t a lie. After all, someone who could muddle through whenever possible—why would he make trouble for himself when there was none?

It wasn’t like he had nothing better to do.

Qiu He frowned: “Really?”

“Absolutely true!”

This was strange. Consort Rou had specifically sent someone with a reward—the effectiveness of the Dream Pills couldn’t be fake. And in the Imperial Medicine Academy, all Dream Pills were made personally by Shi Changpu, never delegated to others. If he hadn’t changed the formula and the medicine-making process was the same as before, why were the effects different?

The old director pondered for a while and said: “Take me to see the medicine room.”

“Yes.”

The medicine room wasn’t far. Shi Changpu helped Qiu He over. As soon as they entered the medicine room, the entire room’s bitter medicinal fragrance hit them.

Shi Changpu pointed out his medicine-making location to Qiu He: “Director, I make medicine here. During the medicine-making days, no one else came here. This is half a bottle of waste medicine left over.”

Qiu He nodded and picked up the medicine bottle, pouring out a few pills to smell lightly under his nose.

Shi Changpu turned his head and caught sight of three or four leftover Red Fragrant Catkin branches scattered on the medicine room floor, bright red, looking like red blood lines in the dimly lit medicine room, very eye-catching.

Probably missed during cleaning the previous two days. Red Fragrant Catkins gradually lost their toxicity after being picked, becoming completely ineffective after seven days at most. These scattered branches were useless. Shi Changpu crouched down and picked up two residual branches from the ground, planning to throw them in the bamboo basket.

The herbs had no toxicity, so naturally they also lost their scent. When the flower branches brushed past his face, they no longer had the dizzying fragrance, becoming bland, yet their color remained as bright as blood.

They looked exactly like they’d just been picked.

Hmm… just picked?

Shi Changpu was startled and suddenly realized, quickly rubbing his eyes and carefully looking at the herbs in his hand.

The red flowers were extremely bright, with remaining flower catkins clinging to the emerald green branches, even more attractive than winter plum blossoms.

Shi Changpu stared at the flower branches in his hand, his expression gradually becoming strange.

Red Fragrant Catkin flower catkins were poisonous, but as their medicinal properties faded, their color would gradually fade too. However, the two Red Fragrant Catkin branches in his hand now, though they no longer had fragrance, still maintained the appearance of recently picked flowers without any withered state.

This was different from previous years.

He suddenly spoke: “Director…”

“What?”

“It’s the flowers…”

He turned around, bringing the flower branches before Qiu He, speaking excitedly: “It’s not the formula, it’s the flowers—the flowers changed!”

…

When the Southern Medicine House received news from the Imperial Medicine Academy, it was during the afternoon rest period.

Zhu Mao was awakened from sleep. His shoes weren’t even properly on as he tied his outer robe belt while hurrying out of the room to greet the visitors.

When he reached the courtyard, he indeed saw two people sitting in the main hall. One had graying hair, the other was younger, wearing a stone-colored robe, looking around at the surroundings.

Zhu Mao hurried into the door and bowed to the gray-haired old man: “Director Qiu.”

The visitor was Qiu He, Director of the Imperial Medicine Academy.

Although the Southern Medicine House belonged under the Medical Academy, the Imperial Medicine Academy and Medical Academy also had dealings with each other. Medical Academy Director Cui Min still showed Qiu He some courtesy, let alone a small Medical Supervisor like him.

While instructing servants to serve tea to the two men, Zhu Mao smiled obsequiously: “I don’t know what brings Director Qiu here suddenly?”

A Director of the Imperial Medicine Academy could just send word if he had business—why personally make a trip to the Southern Medicine House? Zhu Mao rarely even saw Cui Min usually, so suddenly having such a “big shot” arrive, he naturally didn’t dare take it lightly, mustering all his energy to respond.

Qiu He didn’t speak, only coughed lightly. Shi Changpu beside him took the initiative to speak: “We’re disturbing you today, actually about the Red Fragrant Catkins sent to the Imperial Medicine Academy previously…”

Red Fragrant Catkins?

Zhu Mao was stunned: “What about the Red Fragrant Catkins?”

Shi Changpu exchanged a glance with Qiu He before turning to ask Zhu Mao: “Medical Supervisor Zhu, this year’s Red Fragrant Catkins were different from previous years… I wonder if you changed the person cleaning the medicinal materials?”

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Mao’s heart skipped a beat.

Red Fragrant Catkins were poisonous, so the Red Fragrant Garden area had always been handled by He Xiu. He Xiu was timid and dull—over the years, picking and cleaning Red Fragrant Catkins hadn’t caused any problems. Until this year… this year among those picking Red Fragrant Catkins, there was an additional Lu Tong.

Lu Tong’s face showing no brown poisonous spots was just an excuse he’d used to find fault. But truly speaking, whether Lu Tong had actually picked Red Fragrant Catkins and what she’d done while cleaning medicinal materials—no one was clear about that.

She wouldn’t have really tampered with the Red Fragrant Catkins, would she? Zhu Mao’s heart was filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

How dare she!

Thinking of this, Zhu Mao made a quick decision and suddenly stood up: “In response to the Director, this year there was indeed one additional medical worker picking Red Fragrant Catkins. Different from previous years.” He turned and called to a medical worker outside: “Someone, go call He Xiu!”

The medical worker quickly left and soon returned leading He Xiu into the room.

He Xiu had been checking medicinal materials in the medicine storage when she was suddenly led away by a medical worker. Her heart was uneasy, not knowing what Zhu Mao wanted with her. When she entered the room and before she could see clearly who was inside, she was met head-on with Zhu Mao’s shouted question: “He Xiu! Previously you said Red Fragrant Catkins picking and cleaning was completed entirely by Lu Tong alone—is this true?”

He Xiu was startled. Not understanding the situation, she quickly knelt down to argue: “My Lord, what I said was absolutely true. Physician Lu definitely wasn’t lazy. On the contrary, seeing that I was troubled by Red Fragrant Catkin flower catkins and had difficulty breathing, she took on most of the Red Fragrant Catkin picking herself. And the subsequent medicinal material cleaning was also entirely done by Physician Lu.”

She still thought Zhu Mao was calling her about Lu Tong’s laziness, so she immediately gave all the credit to Lu Tong. Who knew Zhu Mao’s next sentence nearly scared her soul away.

Zhu Mao said: “So the one who tampered with the Red Fragrant Catkins was Lu Tong alone?”

“Tampered?”

He Xiu’s unfinished words instantly stuck in her throat, momentarily confused: “What tampering?”

No one answered her. Zhu Mao turned around, bowing low to the two seated men with rare seriousness: “Director, you heard it all. The Red Fragrant Catkins picking and cleaning were all done by these two people.” After a pause, he continued: “For many years past, He Xiu alone completed the work without error. This year, thinking to add personnel to the medicine room, this subordinate specifically sent one additional person to help in the medicinal garden. I didn’t expect this woman to harbor evil intentions… it’s all due to this subordinate’s lack of oversight.”

Though these words were asking for punishment, every sentence was shirking responsibility, imperceptibly removing himself from the entire affair.

Shi Changpu, who often took the blame for his superiors, looked down on this behavior with great disdain.

Looking again at the medical worker trembling on the ground, he couldn’t help feeling some sympathy for a fellow sufferer.

Zhu Mao continued: “Lu Shi is still in the Southern Medicine House. If the Director wishes to punish…”

“Punish? Who said anything about punishment?” Shi Changpu interrupted him.

Zhu Mao’s voice stopped abruptly.

Shi Changpu tucked his hands in his sleeves, deliberately walking slowly to He Xiu’s side, looking down at her with a pleasant expression: “You just said all the Red Fragrant Catkin cleaning and organizing was done by Physician Lu alone?”

He Xiu’s body trembled.

She gradually understood Zhu Mao’s earlier words—this batch of Red Fragrant Catkins sent to the Imperial Medicine Academy had problems. But no one knew what Lu Tong had actually done. She wanted to cover for Lu Tong, but being naturally timid, facing the sharp gaze before her, she finally didn’t dare lie and honestly answered: “…Indeed so. Physician Lu’s movements cleaning Red Fragrant Catkins were quick, and she wasn’t troubled by the flower catkins. Seeing that the Red Fragrant Catkins she cleaned were cleaner than mine, I didn’t stop her…”

“This batch of Red Fragrant Catkins sent to the Imperial Medicine Academy were all cleaned by Physician Lu.”

Shi Changpu said “Oh” and nodded meaningfully.

Zhu Mao sensed something was wrong. This wasn’t quite what he’d expected. Uneasily he said: “Medical Supervisor Shi, what exactly…”

“Changpu,” Qiu He, who had been sitting silently, finally couldn’t stand it and scolded with raised eyebrows: “Stop teasing Medical Supervisor Zhu.”

Only then did Shi Changpu turn around, showing a genuine smile: “Fine then. Medical Supervisor Zhu, actually we came not to assign blame, but to reward merit. This batch of Red Fragrant Catkins had strong medicinal properties, and the Dream Pills made from them were quite pleasing to Consort Rou. The Director came to the Southern Medicine House to meet the physician who cleaned the Red Fragrant Catkins.”

“To have such skillful methods—that person is not to be underestimated. We never knew the Southern Medicine House was such a place where dragons and tigers hide.”

He spoke seriously, then looked around: “I wonder where that Physician Lu is now? Please bring her out to meet us!”

With each sentence he spoke, Zhu Mao’s expression stiffened more, until Shi Changpu asked the final question. Zhu Mao stood in place like a stone statue eroded by wind, his face very ugly.

No one answered for a long time.

Just as Shi Changpu showed confusion, He Xiu suddenly prostrated herself on the ground and said loudly: “In response to My Lord, I know where she is.”

“Physician Lu is currently in the Shennong Shrine in the back courtyard, kneeling in contemplation!”