The forest was completely silent, with the sounds of birds, beasts, and insects seeming distant and ethereal.

Qi Yutai looked at the person before him who appeared as if fished out of blood, feeling an inexplicable heart palpitation.

The female medical officer was covered in bright red blood, staring at him with deadly eyes, fierce light blazing, like an evil spirit or vengeful ghost about to claim his life.

Qi Yutai instinctively stepped back several paces.

The guards in front immediately blocked his path. Qi Yutai came to his senses and shouted in exasperation, “What are you standing around for? Quickly apprehend her!”

Lu Tong was already exhausted and was immediately restrained by the guards twisting her arms.

Qi Yutai ran toward the gray hound under the tree that had stopped moving, calling out in disbelief, “Qinhu!”

The hunting dog lay motionless, its fur blown by the wind, its body gradually stiffening.

He boldly stepped forward and turned the gray dog over, his breathing suddenly stopping.

Qinhu’s body was covered with sharp puncture wounds, densely packed and horrifying. The dog’s head was almost completely mangled, with flesh grotesquely torn open. He only glanced once at the tragic sight before feeling nauseous, quickly turning his head away, unable to look again. A thought suddenly arose in his mind: How could this weak female medical officer have such strength? How could she strike so viciously?

Following the shock came a surge of anger.

Qinhu was dead.

She had killed Qinhu.

This lowly commoner had killed his Qinhu?

How dare she!

Qi Yutai angrily shouted, “Kill this lowly citizen!”

The guards on both sides were about to act when suddenly, the sound of many horse hooves approached, accompanied by a woman’s cry: “Medical Officer Lu—”

Qi Yutai whipped around to see a group of riders approaching from far away through the forest. The female medical officer at the front quickly ran toward Lu Tong, shouting in front of everyone, “Lu Tong—”

Lu Tong looked at Lin Danqing running toward her and relaxed her whole body. “How did you come here?”

Lin Danqing ran to Lu Tong’s side and saw her covered in blood, becoming shocked and furious. “I saw you hadn’t returned for so long and was still worried, and then I saw the ash marks you left…”

She had finished examining both the Censor-in-Chief and his horse, confirming there were no more troubles, and had planned to go down the mountain with the Censor-in-Chief. Then she thought it better to go with Lu Tong, so she asked a passing guard to inquire whether the Director of the Ministry of Works had finished being treated.

The guard happened to be an old acquaintance of Lin Danqing’s. After asking around, he reported back that the Director of the Ministry of Works had felt it was too cold on the mountain and had run around the hunting grounds in the morning before going down, never staying that long.

Lin Danqing immediately panicked.

That person wasn’t from the Director of the Ministry of Works but had deliberately deceived Lu Tong away—his intentions were truly suspicious. It happened that Chang Jin was coming down the mountain with the Crown Prince’s cavalcade. Lin Danqing reported this matter to Chang Jin, who didn’t dare conceal it. Yuan Zhen already suspected that traitors had infiltrated the mountains, so upon hearing this news, he had the guards search the vicinity for any traces of traitors, wanting to follow the trail to find the mastermind behind it all—the culprit who had caused him to encounter the tiger attack in the hunting grounds.

Huangmao Hill was vast. Lin Danqing followed the direction the guard who had taken Lu Tong had left, not holding much hope, but unexpectedly she actually found the ash marks Lu Tong had left behind.

Before departing, to prevent getting lost on the mountain, Lu Tong had brought a jar of ash powder to make trail markers, which Lin Danqing had laughingly called overly cautious at the time.

Fortunately in this misfortune, Lu Tong had been careful when following the guard, leaving markers all along the way.

“Why are you bleeding so much?” Lin Danqing supported Lu Tong. “I have blood-stopping pills here, quickly take them—”

On the other side, Yuan Zhen reined in his horse and looked toward Qi Yutai. “Young Master Qi, what are you doing here?”

Qi Yutai looked at the increasing number of people and horses behind Yuan Zhen and cursed inwardly.

How could there suddenly be so many people?

He had been on the mountain the whole time. Although he had heard the horn, he hadn’t paid it any mind, so he didn’t know about the Crown Prince encountering the tiger attack, the hunt being halted, and consequently all the nearby princes and nobles also ceasing their hunt and descending the mountain together with the Crown Prince’s cavalcade.

As his thoughts flashed, Qi Yutai cupped his hands in salute. “Reporting to Your Highness, this humble official was hunting in the grounds when Qinhu chased a wild rabbit. I suddenly heard Qinhu’s pained cry from the forest, so I followed the sound here, only to find…” He looked toward the base of the tree.

The gray dog’s bloody corpse fell under everyone’s gaze.

“Oh?”

The Crown Prince looked at him suspiciously. “The medical officer from the Hanlin Medical Bureau said someone claiming to be an injured Director of the Ministry of Works led away a Hanlin medical officer. How did this happen to be where you are?”

“Director of the Ministry of Works?” Qi Yutai looked confused. “This humble official hasn’t seen any trace of the Director of the Ministry of Works.”

Lin Danqing couldn’t help saying, “But it was indeed a guard who led Medical Officer Lu away. Medical Officer Lu,” she looked down and asked Lu Tong, “how did you end up here?”

Lu Tong looked at Qi Yutai.

Qi Yutai looked back at her with confusion.

After a long moment, she calmed her breathing and spoke peacefully, “I followed the guard to this place. When I sensed something was wrong, before I could speak out, I was knocked to the ground by the vicious dog. The vicious dog attacked people, and in self-defense, I had no choice but to accidentally kill the hunting dog.”

These words were quite meaningful. Chang Jin immediately realized this was bad news.

Sure enough, Qi Yutai frowned. “Is Medical Officer Lu saying that I deliberately lured you to this place to have Qinhu attack you?”

“Simply absurd!”

He sneered coldly. “Setting aside the fact that Medical Officer Lu and I have no grievances—why would I commit such a harmful act? Since this Hanlin medical officer says a traitorous guard led you away, everyone present at the time can testify. Please look carefully—is the face of that traitor among the guards beside this young master?”

Qi Yutai only had a few guards with him. Lin Danqing carefully examined them and showed disappointed expression.

The guard who had delivered the message was not among them.

A trace of smugness flashed in Qi Yutai’s eyes, then he angrily said, “This young master doesn’t know who the person you’re talking about is. But our Qi family’s reputation cannot be slandered at will! Moreover, even setting this matter aside, Qinhu was truly killed by someone!”

Hearing this, everyone looked toward the hunting dog’s corpse under the tree.

The gray dog’s body had been turned over, revealing the bloody mess on the other side. Its intestines spilled out like water from its belly, and the hunting dog’s head had not a single piece of good flesh, with stark white teeth exposed, looking even more terrifying than when it was alive and vicious.

Qi Yutai’s hunting dog was known to everyone as vicious and untamable, more formidable than a grown man, unafraid even of leopards and wolves. Now dead in such a miserable state, it was truly heart-stopping.

Qi Yutai pointed at Lu Tong. “Qinhu died by her hand!”

Lu Tong?

Everyone followed his pointing finger and looked over, their gazes filled with doubt.

This weak female medical officer who seemed like she could be blown over by a gust of wind could kill such a fierce and vicious dog?

It could have torn her to shreds.

“Is what Yutai said true? How could Medical Officer Lu possibly kill Qinhu?” Jin Xianrong spoke up, still somewhat disbelieving.

He had encountered the Crown Prince’s cavalcade descending the mountain during his hunt. Upon hearing that a fierce tiger had suddenly appeared in the mountains, he immediately sensed something was wrong and followed behind the Crown Prince’s cavalcade back down the mountain. Along the way, they also encountered the Second Prince, Fourth Prince, Grand Secretary Yan from the Privy Council, and other officials, who were now gradually gathering around.

Qi Yutai kept a stern face. “Lord Jin, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t dare believe it either.”

Lu Tong had actually been able to kill his Qinhu!

He still remembered her eyes looking at him—blood-red and cold, like a wild beast eyeing its prey, filled with murderous intent.

Qi Yutai shivered and suddenly had a thought.

This woman cannot be allowed to live!

He made a decisive decision, lifted his robe, and knelt down, addressing the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, Qinhu was bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. Yutai carefully raised it to its current magnificent appearance. Although Qinhu was not human, it understood human nature, was loyal and clever, and stayed by Yutai’s side for so long, yet now it has suffered this calamity…”

His face showed shame. “Yutai deserves death ten thousand times for failing to protect Qinhu. I will request punishment from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for this fault, but destroying an imperial gift… Medical Officer Lu also cannot escape responsibility. Please, Your Highness, make the decision!”

“Ridiculous!”

Before the Crown Prince could speak, Lin Danqing flew into a rage first. “Medical Officer Lu has already been bitten into this condition, severely injured and untreated, yet Young Master Qi still wants to pursue responsibility? What kind of reasoning is this?”

Lu Tong was slightly stunned.

She hadn’t expected that at this moment, Lin Danqing would still risk offending the Qi family to speak for her.

But Qi Yutai was very insistent, persistently kowtowing. “Please, Your Highness, make the decision.”

Lu Tong had killed his dog. Even if it was just a dog, it was still the Qi family’s dog.

The hunter had been pecked blind by the bird. Today he had wanted to vent for Qi Huaying, waiting to watch Qinhu tear Lu Tong into pieces of rotten mud. He never expected that she would live while Qinhu died.

When had he—when had the Qi family—ever suffered such a loss? He wanted this lowly woman to know that even offending a dog of the Qi family would require her to pay a price.

He wanted her dead!

The Crown Prince’s position as heir was unstable, His Majesty’s attitude was intriguing, and undercurrents flowed between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince. Even though he didn’t understand court affairs, he clearly knew that now the Crown Prince and the Qi family were on the same boat. Yuan Zhen would always stand on his side…

Since he couldn’t use Qinhu to kill her, he would use the capital’s laws to kill her. The grave crime of destroying imperial gifts was punishable by beheading!

The surroundings were utterly silent.

No one spoke, only the quiet wind seemed to carry the air of slaughter and bloodshed.

Qi Yutai lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over the woman under the tree.

Lu Tong lay in Lin Danqing’s arms.

Her robes were stained with blood, her hair disheveled, her face pale as paper, only her lip color bright red like blood.

No, not like blood—that was blood itself.

She had bitten Qinhu’s throat so tightly that Qinhu couldn’t break free, finally being left with dozens of bloody holes by her hairpin.

Shocking to behold.

She looked at him with thread-like breath, appearing weak yet causing a chill to flash through Qi Yutai’s heart.

Qi Yutai kowtowed again. “Please, Your Highness, make the decision!”

No one would speak for her.

At most, just those pedantic medical officers from the Medical Bureau.

But what of it? Powerless, influential, backgroundless common medical officers were a dime a dozen in the capital. Their words would go unheard and carry no weight, just as people wouldn’t listen to the thoughts of ants—in fact, even less than ants.

“Improper.”

Qi Yutai suddenly froze.

Lu Tong, lying in Lin Danqing’s arms, also raised her head.

Everyone looked toward the voice.

Ji Xun—that young medical officer who always remained aloof from others—stepped forward, walked to Lu Tong’s front, half-knelt down, and carefully examined Lu Tong’s visible wounds before bowing to Yuan Zhen.

He said, “Your Highness, this humble official has just examined Medical Officer Lu’s wounds. They are all injuries from a vicious dog.”

“The Analects says: When the stable burned, Confucius returned from court and asked: ‘Was anyone hurt?’ He did not ask about the horses. He valued people over beasts, so he did not ask about them.”

He nodded, his voice unhurried.

“This humble official believes that the urgent matter at hand should be treating Medical Officer Lu’s injuries first, then making other plans.”

Lu Tong silently watched him.

Qi Yutai secretly gritted his teeth. “Doesn’t Medical Officer Ji understand? This is an imperial gift…”

Ji Xun remained calm. “It’s just livestock.”

Just livestock.

These words sounded particularly grating to Qi Yutai’s ears.

He looked up and carefully studied the young medical officer before him.

This Ji Xun relied on his family of scholars and was quite proud and aloof, always keeping to himself. He hadn’t expected him to speak for Lu Tong.

His words couldn’t be said to carry no weight—at least they were much more important than those useless medical officers.

Qi Yutai was still unwilling and wanted to speak again when another person spoke: “That’s also true. Young Master Qi, the Grand Tutor has a compassionate heart, giving out porridge to help the poor every year, accumulating great merit. Why not show mercy and spare Medical Officer Lu this once? Medical Officer Lu was also severely injured by the hunting dog and knows her mistake.”

Qi Yutai’s face darkened.

They were actually bringing up his father.

He looked toward the speaker—a man called Chang Jin, a very ordinary-looking middle-aged man who quickly lowered his head when he saw him looking, avoiding his gaze with a somewhat fearful expression.

Another ignorant lowly citizen.

Before he could speak, Jin Xianrong also cleared his throat softly and said quietly, “…Indeed, this should be considered an accident. I see that Medical Officer Lu is also severely injured. If not for the emergency, she probably wouldn’t have acted so impulsively.”

Jin Xianrong secretly glanced at Lu Tong.

He really didn’t want to wade into these muddy waters. He had finally gotten closer to Qi Yutai, only to return to square one because of these few words.

But Lu Tong controlled his descendants’ bloodline.

His illness was now improving, and his bedroom skills had greatly advanced. He was still hoping that Lu Tong could help him reach even greater heights in the future. If Lu Tong really died, even if he pleased the Grand Tutor’s manor and reached high positions in the future, he would only be lonely at the top.

Thinking it over, the lower half of his body was still more important than the lower half of his life.

Once he spoke, Qi Yutai’s expression changed several times.

Ji Xun, Chang Jin, Jin Xianrong…

One by one, they all came to speak for Lu Tong.

He had originally thought Lu Tong was just an ordinary medical woman who had seduced Pei Yunying with her beauty, making Huaying sad. But now it seemed she was far more capable than he had imagined.

To make so many people risk offending the Grand Tutor’s manor to speak for her.

Especially Ji Xun.

How had she bewitched Ji Xun?

The surroundings were completely quiet when suddenly the woman’s calm voice rang out.

“The Liang Dynasty Code clearly states: ‘For livestock and biting dogs that trample and bite people, if the marking and restraining are not proper, or if mad dogs are not killed, the punishment is forty lashes; if people are killed or injured as a result, it shall be judged as negligent homicide. If deliberately released to kill or injure people, it is one degree less than fighting and killing.’ “

The words came suddenly, and everyone around looked at her.

Lu Tong said, “Young Master Qi kept a mad dog that killed and injured people, which should be judged as negligent responsibility. And my fighting and killing the vicious dog, according to the Liang Dynasty Code, is not wrong and should not be questioned.”

She looked at the Crown Prince surrounded by everyone, like making a final desperate gamble, her eyes gray and cold.

“Please, Your Highness, make the judgment.”

Yuan Zhen’s expression shifted.

His gaze swept over everyone. The Crown Prince had already seen through Qi Yutai’s clumsy charade. If it were in the past, going along with Qi Yutai’s words would have been acceptable.

But today Ji Xun was present.

Though the Ji family didn’t take sides in the court’s undercurrents, they were not insignificant figures. Moreover, after being assassinated in the forest today, he was already in low spirits. Seeing Qi Yutai causing him such trouble, he felt somewhat impatient.

“Medical Officer Ji speaks reasonably.”

Yuan Zhen spoke: “Although Medical Officer Lu killed the dog, the hunting dog injured people first, which is understandable and doesn’t warrant severe punishment.” He looked at Qi Yutai with a warning tone: “Why don’t we both step back?”

This was hinting that Qi Yutai should not persist.

Qi Yutai’s heart sank.

Yuan Zhen’s words left no room for maneuvering. At least today, he couldn’t get his way.

So many people together had protected Lu Tong.

The bloody smell in the air was thick. For some reason, his forehead began to ache faintly, and an inexplicable fire rose in his heart, like returning to the moment of craving Cold Food Powder. Restless, violent, wanting to destroy all living things.

Struggling to suppress his unwillingness, taking another look at Qinhu’s corpse on the ground, Qi Yutai cupped his hands again: “Since Your Highness has spoken, Yutai dare not disobey. Actually, Yutai doesn’t want to make things difficult for Medical Officer Lu either, it’s just…”

He changed his tone, already putting on an expression of deep pain.

“Qinhu has accompanied me since childhood, understanding and loyal. Now it has died so miserably…”

Everyone followed his gaze.

The gray dog’s miserable death was chilling.

“Yutai requests that Medical Officer Lu kowtow three times to Qinhu, and this matter will be settled.”

Lu Tong suddenly froze.

Qi Yutai turned his head, looking at her as if being very accommodating.

He knew this wasn’t right, he knew this would damage his previous public image, and even when he returned to the manor, his father would certainly punish him.

But this woman’s eyes made him uncomfortable, and he simply couldn’t control his impulse.

The impulse to destroy the other party.

Anyway, these were all “his people” here. The powerful always covered for each other. What happened today might not spread outside, and even if it did, there were plenty of “his people” to testify.

The more noble and proud the other party was, the more he wanted to humiliate her.

Lu Tong clenched her fists and stared at Qi Yutai, a towering rage rising in her heart.

Kneel, kowtow, to a dog.

And just a quarter-hour ago, this dog had bitten her all over, nearly killing her. Now the victim had to kowtow to the perpetrator.

This was truly the most absurd thing in the world.

Yuan Zhen nodded. “Very well.”

With those words.

Lu Tong couldn’t help wanting to refuse but was secretly tugged on the sleeve by Lin Danqing, meeting her worried eyes.

Lin Danqing gently shook her head at Lu Tong.

Lu Tong bit her lip tightly.

She understood what Lin Danqing meant.

For medical officers like them, whether treating officials in daily life or entering the palace to treat nobility in the future, dignity was always the cheapest thing.

They had to kneel to countless people, bow to countless people. Compared to life, what was dignity?

Worthless.

Chang Jin, fearing she might be stubborn and hoping to quickly settle the matter peacefully, urged: “Medical Officer Lu, what are you standing around for?”

“Medical Officer Lu,” Jin Xianrong also chimed in, “you should thank Yutai for being soft-hearted.”

Thank him.

Lu Tong found it laughable.

She looked up. Qi Yutai stood beside the gray dog, his gaze showing hidden satisfaction, as if he had already sensed how humiliating kneeling and kowtowing was for her, and thus became even more interested, wanting to see her suffer.

The wounds bitten by the gray dog seemed to start slowly showing pain only now. Lu Tong was so angry she ground her teeth.

Lin Danqing was right. For them, dignity was worthless, and there would be many more people to kneel to in the future.

But who was the person before her?

It was Qi Yutai!

It was this person who had killed Lu Rou, this person who had caused Lu Qian to become a prisoner and be abandoned in the wilderness, her father to be buried at the bottom of the water, her mother’s bones to be lost forever. The great fire that consumed everything of the Lu family was all thanks to him!

How could she kneel?

How could she kneel to this enemy!

Her heart filled with extreme hatred, her eyes seeming ready to drip blood. Lu Tong looked up and carefully examined the crowd around her. Never had she hoped more than now that someone would step forward to rescue her, to spare her from this pathetic, laughable, pitiful, and lamentable humiliation.

She looked at every single person.

Chang Jin shook his head slightly at her. The Crown Prince sat high on his horse, already somewhat impatient. Jin Xianrong frantically signaled for her to quit while she was ahead. There were also the Second Prince, Fourth Prince, many distinguished nobles and close ministers she didn’t recognize… and Ji Xun.

Ji Xun looked at her with an expression of sympathy but didn’t speak. Lu Tong knew he had already spoken for her just now to save her life—this was already the utmost benevolence.

He couldn’t say more. Behind him was the Ji family, and he couldn’t drag the Ji family into these muddy waters as well.

The wind quietly blew through the dense forest, with peaceful sounds all around.

Lu Tong looked and looked, then suddenly smiled self-mockingly.

No one would come.

In those past years, at Luomei Peak, when the pain was unbearable, she had countless times called out her family members’ names. She thought it would be good if father and mother were there, if Lu Qian were there, if Lu Rou were there, but she knew they wouldn’t come.

Just like now.

No one would come to save her.

Commoners suffering and commoners apologizing was natural and proper in the eyes of the powerful—it was already great mercy.

Lin Danqing supported her as she slowly stood up.

Her whole body was covered with bite wounds from the hunting dog. Every movement tore at her wounds painfully. With an expressionless face, she walked step by step to the gray dog’s corpse under the tree.

Qi Yutai watched her, his eyes feigning grief but full of malice.

Lu Tong’s gaze fell on the hunting dog’s corpse on the ground.

The dog’s corpse was a mess, bloody and nauseating, but only the golden collar around its neck still gleamed brilliantly, proclaiming its master’s distinguished status.

Suddenly, Lin Danqing’s words from before going up the mountain echoed in her ears.

“Look at that golden collar around its neck. I’ve never worn gold of such quality. This world really is one where people are inferior to dogs.”

People inferior to dogs.

All around were the powerful, all around were noble houses, and only she was a commoner of cloth, lowly and ordinary. Even the dog on the ground was considered more noble than her in those people’s eyes.

Lu Tong clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

Her knees felt as if they had grown thorns. Every centimeter they bent downward, her heart ached more.

The heavy and absurd worldly conditions fell upon her back like an irresistible mountain, bringing her down bit by bit.

Unavoidable.

Unable to break free.

Just as her knees were about to touch the ground, sudden horse hooves sounded behind her, accompanied by a person’s cold voice.

“Don’t kneel.”

Lu Tong was stunned.

Immediately after, someone dismounted, and an arm reached from behind her, firmly supporting her spine that was about to bend.

She suddenly turned around.

The young man must have galloped all the way from outside, his robes slightly wrinkled, but the arm supporting her was very strong, helping her stand upright and letting her lean against him.

“General Commander Pei?”

After brief surprise, Qi Yutai’s face darkened. “What are you doing?”

Pei Yunying protected Lu Tong in front of him, still smiling on his face, but as he smiled, his expression gradually turned cold, and his affectionate eyes took on a murderous air.

He spoke with a contemptuous tone.

“I said, how can a person kneel to livestock?”