The night was thick and heavy. By Changle Pool, the fireworks had burned out, their remaining smoke scattered by the wind and disappeared into the tide-like darkness.

Qi Yutai, the legitimate son of Grand Tutor Manor, was dead.

He had appeared inside the plague god puppet of the Nuo ceremony. When discovered, he was curled up in the puppet’s belly like an infant hiding in its mother’s womb, his entire body pierced chaotically by the long swords of the Nuo dance, blood having dyed him completely red.

The corpse’s eyes were filled with terror, his fists scraped raw, clearly having struggled desperately before death.

Also discovered were an empty wine flask in the puppet’s belly and powder residue remaining on Qi Yutai’s clothing.

The palace coroner had examined him—Qi Yutai had just consumed Cold Food Powder.

After the Fengle Tower fire, Shengjing had strictly forbidden anyone from taking medicinal powder. No one knew where Qi Yutai had obtained it. In a moment of reckless audacity, he had dared to bring it to the ceremonial gathering. Fearing discovery, he had hidden in the puppet’s belly to consume it, but because the ingestion had clouded his mind, no one noticed. Once the puppet’s belly mechanism closed, he was literally stabbed to death by the exorcism swords inside the plague god.

The Nuo ceremony ritual, under everyone’s watchful eyes—the Grand Tutor Manor’s legitimate son, a Ministry of Revenue official, had died right under the noses of all the court ministers.

The Grand Tutor wept bitterly.

The puppet’s belly mechanism could be latched from the outside. Qi Yutai had hidden inside to avoid detection, but who exactly had closed the latch, preventing his escape?

No one—not the Music Bureau workers, Nuo ceremony dancers, guards, or palace servants—admitted to it.

That was the “plague god.”

Others avoided it like the plague; no one wanted to get close. That Qi Yutai was willing to crawl inside was already highly inappropriate.

Perhaps some music worker passing by had casually fastened the latch, but with things having come to this, no one admitted it.

Qi Huaying knelt long in the hall, weeping and pleading: “Brother must have been murdered by someone! Someone wanted to harm him and trapped him inside the puppet. Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly!”

Third Prince Yuan Yao looked at the beauty below the steps, crying like rain on pear blossoms, and spoke with pity: “But Miss Qi, no one forced Young Master Qi to take the Cold Food Powder.”

He reminded her: “It’s only been a few months since the Fengle Tower fire, and your brother truly learned nothing from it—if anything, he became even worse.”

With the Crown Prince’s position lost and not even appearing at the ceremony, Yuan Yao, who had previously shown some restraint, now had no scruples. He only looked toward the white-haired elder in the hall and sighed in feigned sorrow.

“What cruel irony—Young Master Qi actually died by his own father’s hand.”

Qi Huaying’s entire body trembled.

Qi Yutai had indeed died by Qi Qing’s hand.

At the Nuo ceremony, the first sword to dispel the plague was thrust by “Fangxiang Shi.”

“Fangxiang Shi” killed the “plague god.”

Father killed son.

The dozens of subsequent swords thrust by the following dancers had accelerated Qi Yutai’s death.

Setting aside the Cold Food Powder, if blame were to be assigned, the first person to blame should be Qi Yutai’s own father, the current Grand Tutor.

And the remaining Nuo dance swordsmen had no idea there was a living person hidden inside the plague god.

The law does not punish the masses.

Moreover, on the day of the Tianzhang Platform ceremony, no killing was permitted.

The Grand Tutor bent his aged body even lower. He didn’t argue or plead, but knelt silently and dejectedly on the ground like a broken dead branch that would never bloom again.

White-haired parents sending off black-haired children—the greatest suffering in the world was nothing more than this.

The emperor said nothing, gazing down indifferently at those below.

After a long while, he said: “Grand Tutor, please accept my condolences.”

…

In the imperial city, the medical officials were walking toward the Imperial Medical Academy.

The joy by Changle Pool seemed like it had happened just moments ago, yet all the medical officials were exceptionally silent, the group deadly quiet.

When someone died in the palace, everyone present had to undergo questioning. However, during the Nuo ceremony, the Imperial Medical Academy had been seated at the outer edge by Changle Pool, quite far from the high platform. After questioning them throughout the night, the guards let the medical academy members return first.

It was already dawn, with the sky growing light and a line of white light gradually brightening on the horizon. The early autumn morning already carried a chill, and after the banquet, it felt even more desolate.

After returning to the Imperial Medical Academy, everyone was somewhat exhausted.

Chang Jin told the medical officials to return to their quarters to rest first. Lu Tong was about to go back to her room with Lin Danqing when Ji Xun called her from behind.

“Medical Official Lu,” Ji Xun said, “I have something to discuss with you.”

Lu Tong followed Ji Xun to his medicine room.

The medicine room was quiet. The two sat facing each other. Ji Xun looked at Lu Tong and after a moment said: “Qi Yutai is dead.”

Lu Tong looked at him.

“Previously, when the Academy Director met with misfortune, you substituted for him in treating Qi Yutai. Now, although Young Master Qi died under the Nuo ceremony swords, traces of Cold Food Powder consumption were found in the ceremonial puppet. The palace physicians will certainly examine his past medical records.”

Seeing that Lu Tong didn’t speak, he continued: “Although this matter has nothing to do with you, Grand Tutor Manor might take their anger out on you.”

Lu Tong lowered her head: “I know.”

The Qi family would certainly thoroughly investigate everyone close to Qi Yutai. Over these past months, aside from the servants in Qi Yutai’s quarters, the person closest to him was Lu Tong alone.

Moreover, Lu Tong was an “outsider.”

“Don’t worry,” Ji Xun comforted her. “The Imperial Medical Academy can testify for you—you are innocent.”

Lu Tong smiled slightly. When she raised her head again, her expression had become calm.

She said: “Actually, even if Medical Official Ji hadn’t sought me out today, I was going to come find you.”

Ji Xun was puzzled.

“There’s something I’d like to ask Medical Official Ji to help me with.”

“What is it?”

Lu Tong was silent for a moment before speaking: “Just as Medical Official Ji said, Grand Tutor Manor might take their anger out on me. I come from humble origins and have no parents or siblings living—my solitary death would be of little consequence. However, before entering the Imperial Medical Academy, I worked at a small medical clinic on West Street.”

“The proprietor, maid, assistant, and consulting physician there weren’t familiar with me—we only spent some time together by chance, and they know nothing about me.”

Lu Tong looked at Ji Xun: “I know Medical Official Ji has a kind heart. If I should unfortunately meet with misfortune later, please, for the sake of our few days together in our Sunan hometown, protect Renxin Medical Clinic. Such great kindness would be something Lu Tong could never forget.”

After speaking, she rose and bowed deeply.

Ji Xun was stunned for a moment, then quickly reached out to help her up, frowning: “Why speak this way suddenly? Even if Grand Tutor Manor harbors resentment, without evidence, how could they arbitrarily condemn someone, let alone take anger out on a West Street medical clinic? Medical Official Lu, please don’t say such inauspicious words anymore.”

But Lu Tong was insistent: “If Medical Official Ji doesn’t agree, I won’t get up.”

Though she was usually persistent, she rarely pressed others so forcefully. After a stalemate, Ji Xun said helplessly: “Fine, I agree.”

The West Street medical clinic only housed ordinary common people—with the Ji family’s influence, providing protection wouldn’t be difficult.

The two talked for a while longer. Ji Xun himself showed signs of fatigue and bid farewell to Lu Tong. As he was leaving, he muttered to himself: “Now that all Cold Food Powder is banned in Shengjing, where exactly did Young Master Qi obtain his Cold Food Powder?”

No one beside him answered. When Ji Xun looked up, Lu Tong had already walked away.

She seemed not to have heard his question.

…

Sunlight gradually rose.

Golden-red dawn light like a blazing fire spread across the courtyard of Grand Tutor Manor.

The wailing and weeping of female servants and others, muffled behind doors, was covered by a layer of stuffy fog. Eerily, it resembled the Nuo songs of the dancers at last night’s Nuo ceremony by Changle Pool, inexplicably making one’s hair stand on end.

The main hall was very quiet.

Qi Yutai lay peacefully in his coffin.

Qi Huaying, heartbroken and devastated, had fainted after returning home and remained unconscious. The steward had already sent someone to fetch a medical official for treatment.

Qi Qing sat beside the coffin, holding a silk handkerchief, carefully wiping Qi Yutai’s face bit by bit.

This coffin had originally been prepared for himself.

Advanced in years, he had long ago ordered a coffin prepared and placed in the manor, waiting for the day he would ascend to the immortal realm. He never expected that this golden nanmu coffin, purchased at great expense, would house Qi Yutai before him.

Fate was cruel.

The clothes on the person in the coffin had been changed, and his entire body had been cleaned thoroughly, no longer resembling the horrible, fierce appearance when pulled from the puppet’s belly. Yet Qi Qing continued wiping non-existent bloodstains from the corpse’s face, unwilling to stop.

He wiped very carefully, stroke by stroke, using slightly more force. The corpse’s mouth corner was lifted slightly by his wiping, as if revealing a strange smile.

The old man’s movements slowed, his cloudy old eyes moving slightly.

When Qi Yutai was small and got his face dirty while eating, he would do the same—hold his son on his knee and carefully wipe the remnants from the corners of his mouth.

Qi Yutai would grab his beard and call out unclearly: “Papa, Papa!”

When Qi Qing had Qi Yutai, he was no longer young, and it was just when his career was at its peak—with a beautiful wife and young child, his honor and favor were limitless.

He loved Qi Yutai very much, just as he loved his young, gentle wife.

But his in-laws had hidden a great matter from him—his wife suffered from madness; she was originally insane.

He couldn’t let others discover he had a mad wife. The ladder to climb higher was watched by many people, all hoping for his downfall.

So Shuhui died in Grand Tutor Manor.

By then, Huaying had already been born.

He hoped, harboring a thread of wishful thinking, that the two children wouldn’t inherit their mother’s terrible hereditary disease. For this, he widely sponsored religious ceremonies, built bridges and roads, accumulating merit and virtue over the years.

Both fortune and misfortune fell upon him simultaneously.

Qi Huaying grew up safely without incident.

But Qi Yutai began showing symptoms in childhood.

Originally, Qi Yutai should have died too.

But when he saw the child he had placed such hopes in, whom he had watched grow up, looking at him with adoring eyes, he finally couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Qi Yutai lived.

His momentary compassion hadn’t brought good results. Over these years, expensive rhinoceros horn incense was burned daily in the manor to soothe Qi Yutai’s emotions and delay and maintain his condition. However, this child who had been clever and bright in youth became increasingly mediocre as he grew up, even dissolute. He lacked patience, was irritable, and occasionally moody and unpredictable—Qi Qing suspected these were also symptoms accompanying his madness.

Qi Yutai was also unable to produce offspring. All the concubines arranged in the manor bore no children. When Qi Qing learned of this, he was both disappointed and relieved.

What if the children born also had madness?

But if no heirs could be produced, who would inherit the Qi family business in the future?

He was already old and couldn’t have a second son.

Qi Qing wiped his son’s face over and over. The cold, stiff skin passed under his fingers, and that chill seemed to seep into his very bones.

Over these years, he had been unwilling to accept it, yet not ruthless enough. He thought he despised this son, but when Qi Yutai truly died, he seemed to have aged ten years overnight.

A husband who killed his wife, a father who lost his son.

In the spacious hall, by the gorgeous coffin, he sat hunched over, a drop of cloudy tears falling on the coffin before being quickly wiped away.

The steward entered from outside, speaking mournfully: “Master, the young miss was overcome with grief. The medical official has seen her and given her medicine—she’s now asleep.”

Qi Huaying and Qi Yutai had deep sibling affection. At yesterday’s grand ceremony, Qi Qing had specifically instructed Qi Huaying to watch over her brother. In the end, Qi Yutai died under everyone’s watchful eyes, leaving Qi Huaying inconsolable.

After a long while, Qi Qing said: “Take good care of the young miss.”

She was his only daughter now.

The steward bowed: “Master, what should we do next?”

Although Qi Yutai died at the Nuo ceremony, Cold Food Powder was also discovered. Third Prince wouldn’t miss this opportunity—that Emperor Liang Ming was allowing him to take the body home for burial was already due to past sentiment.

Everything appeared to be coincidence.

But it was definitely not coincidence.

Qi Yutai had been confined to Grand Tutor Manor these past days, not stepping foot outside, with manor servants watching closely. How could he have obtained Cold Food Powder?

After Fengle Tower, all merchants in Shengjing avoided the topic like a taboo.

No one dared take risks at such a time.

These past days, Qi Yutai had been well-behaved daily, only waiting for Lu Tong to come for treatment.

Qi Qing’s wiping motion stopped.

Lu Tong.

Over these two months at Grand Tutor Manor, the only outsider who had come and gone was Lu Tong alone.

Speaking of it, since Lu Tong began visiting, Qi Yutai had indeed become much more well-behaved.

The guards in the room hadn’t noticed anything unusual—he had thought it was because Qi Yutai’s condition had stabilized.

But if it was something else…

Qi Qing looked up, gripping the silk handkerchief tightly.

“Where is Lu Tong?”

…

When Lu Tong returned to Renxin Medical Clinic, it was already evening.

Du Changqing and Miao Liangfang had both gone home. Yin Zheng was standing at the door about to close up when she suddenly saw Lu Tong appear at the entrance, immediately overjoyed: “Miss, why have you suddenly returned?”

Lu Tong smiled: “Yesterday was the palace grand ceremony. Afterward, the Imperial Medical Academy has a day of rest, so I’ll go back tomorrow.”

Yin Zheng was both happy and regretful: “Why didn’t Miss mention this earlier? The kitchen didn’t save any food… What would you like to eat? I’ll make it.”

Lu Tong pulled her along: “I’m not hungry yet. Let’s go inside and talk first.”

Yin Zheng agreed.

The door was closed.

The two entered the house. Yin Zheng lit a lamp and placed it on the table. Seeing Lu Tong standing in front of the courtyard looking out the window in a daze, she asked: “What is Miss looking at?”

“Flowers.”

Lu Tong said: “When you and I first moved here last year, there wasn’t a single flower.”

Under the window, the planted chrysanthemums had bloomed two or three flowers. An autumn breeze passed, making the stamens cold and fragrant, with pure and chaste beauty.

Yin Zheng loved raising flowers and cleaning the small courtyard. Since they moved to this courtyard, different flowers bloomed throughout the four seasons, always fresh and beautiful.

“The courtyard belongs to others, but the life is ours. A few flowers don’t cost much, and seeing them makes one feel comfortable.” Yin Zheng laughed: “If Miss likes them, we could also raise some fish in our courtyard. I’ll go to Official Lane later to pick some pretty ones with red tails—I see all the wealthy households do this.”

Lu Tong smiled.

Yin Zheng observed her: “Miss seems to be in a good mood today. Has something good happened?”

“I suppose so.” Lu Tong turned to enter the house. “Oh, Yin Zheng, I have an important engagement tomorrow. Please help me choose a nice outfit.”

Hearing this, Yin Zheng immediately became excited. Without another word, she hurried into the house and brought out several dresses from the yellow wooden cabinet.

“I had new clothes made for Miss at Tailor Ge’s earlier. Miss can’t wear them during daily treatments, but they’re perfect now that it’s getting cold.” She spread the dresses on the bed. “But Miss, what kind of important engagement is it? If it requires formal dress, this fabric might still be too coarse—shouldn’t we have another outfit made? Is it palace nobility?” Her eyes sparkled. “Or Marshal Pei?”

Since Pei Yunying’s birthday, Yin Zheng hadn’t seen him again.

She didn’t know what had happened between Lu Tong and Pei Yunying, but for a long time afterward, Lu Tong seemed more silent than usual. Sometimes she would sit by the window, staring into the distance for long periods.

She vaguely sensed something and wanted to ask Lu Tong about it several times, but Lu Tong would skillfully change the subject. After several attempts, she understood.

She felt sorry for Lu Tong but didn’t know how to comfort her.

Yin Zheng moved closer to Lu Tong: “Have you and Young Master Pei made up?”

“It’s not him.”

Lu Tong smiled as she selected a jade-colored embroidered dress with folded branch and piled flower patterns from the bed full of clothes: “How about this one?”

“Beautiful!” Yin Zheng nodded. “Miss looks best in such light colors!”

Having received confirmation, Lu Tong set the dress aside and folded the other clothes. She pulled out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Yin Zheng.

Yin Zheng was puzzled: “What’s this?”

“Tonight at xu hour, deliver this letter to Duan Xiaoyan at the Marshal’s Manor and have him give it to Pei Yunying.”

“For Marshal Pei?” Yin Zheng hesitated. “Why doesn’t Miss give it to him personally?”

“There are some things I cannot say clearly to his face. Yin Zheng, can you help me?”

Yin Zheng paused, then spoke hesitantly: “Miss, you’re not planning to cut ties completely with Marshal Pei and clear up any involvement, are you?”

Lu Tong only looked at her without speaking.

Yin Zheng sighed and took the letter from Lu Tong: “I understand.” After a pause, she asked: “But why xu hour?”

Lu Tong looked toward the window: “I won’t go to the Imperial Medical Academy until later tomorrow. Tonight I want to eat braised duck with lychee kidneys from Renhe Restaurant. Go buy a bowl, and when you return, you can deliver the letter to the Marshal’s Manor on the way, alright?”

“You want lychee kidney braised duck now?” Yin Zheng looked troubled. “Renhe Restaurant’s lychee braised duck always has a long queue…” As she spoke, she noticed Lu Tong smiling at her, perked up, and thought for a moment: “Miss really does seem to be in a very good mood today.” She stood up. “In that case, I’ll go queue now and buy some wine-braised fragrant snails while I’m at it.”

Lu Tong nodded.

Yin Zheng was about to leave when she heard Lu Tong call from behind: “Yin Zheng.”

She turned back: “What?”

Lu Tong looked at her for a while, shook her head with a smile, and said: “Be careful on the road.”

Yin Zheng left, and the courtyard returned to quiet.

Lu Tong stared at the plum tree outside the window for a while, then withdrew her gaze and picked up the jade-colored dress from beside the bed to change into. She walked to the dressing table and sat down.

The woman in the mirror was in the bloom of youth, with bright teeth and clear eyes, and a pair of extremely dark eyes with an indifferent gaze.

She picked up the wooden comb from the table and carefully combed her full head of black hair, meticulously arranging her hair bun. Finally, she inserted a hibiscus flower hairpin.

The flower hairpin was delicate and slender. Lu Tong looked at it for a moment, then lowered her head to select two black gold paper-cut butterflies from her cosmetic case. These were what Yin Zheng had bought at the lamp market during the Jingde Gate Lantern Festival—she had never worn them.

Lu Tong pinned the butterflies on both sides of her hair bun. When she moved slightly, the butterfly wings fluttered as if about to take flight.

Beautiful and clean.

After finishing all this, she left the dressing table and opened the wooden cabinet, taking out four porcelain jars.

The porcelain jars were cool and small. Lu Tong pressed her cheek against them for a long, long time, lovingly nuzzling them.

She carried the porcelain jars to under the plum tree, poured out the soil from the jars, and buried it all in the flower soil, then put the jars back in the cabinet.

Finally, Lu Tong took one more look at the small courtyard, closed the door, and left the medical clinic with a lamp.

Night fell, lanterns swayed under the eaves of West Street, creating a peaceful atmosphere. From the low, flat houses, bits of dim yellow light seeped through window cracks. A child leaned against a table by the window, stammering through the Three Character Classic.

“…Dou Yanshan had a righteous method. He taught five sons, and all became renowned…”

“…Raising without teaching is a father’s fault. Teaching without strictness is a teacher’s laziness…”

Lu Tong stopped in her tracks.

It seemed that long ago, when she had done something wrong and returned home, her father had also punished her by making her copy the Three Character Classic.

Her mother had wanted to protect her but was pushed out by her father. The wooden ruler was wide and long, reflecting her father’s furious face.

“Raising without teaching is a father’s fault. Lu Tong, you are so willful and disobedient. If I can’t teach you properly, people will point fingers at my spine in the future!”

Raising without teaching is a father’s fault.

When one’s own child makes mistakes, it should naturally be the father who provides discipline.

It should be so.

It ought to be so.

Lu Tong gazed at the shadow in the window, her eyes completely indifferent.

“Creak—” came a sound.

The door was pushed open, dim yellow light spilling across the ground. Tailor Ge’s wife came out carrying a water bucket, paused when she saw Lu Tong standing under the window: “Doctor Lu?”

Lu Tong nodded.

The woman splashed the waste water from the bucket onto the ground outside the house and asked with a smile: “So late—where are you going?”

Lu Tong smiled: “Going home.”

“Oh.” The woman nodded and went back inside with the bucket.

After taking two steps, she suddenly realized: “That’s not right. Isn’t Renxin Medical Clinic back there? Why is Doctor Lu walking south?”

She opened the window and stuck her head out to look. In the night mist, she couldn’t see the woman’s shadow.

Lantern light swayed at her feet. In the thick, cold fog, the warm light drove away all the chill.

Lu Tong smiled as she walked through the night, her expression completely peaceful.

She was going home.

Finally, she could go home.