The snow on the mountain had stopped.

Frost blades hung cold and sharp from the plum tree branches. Lu Tong suddenly shivered.

Pei Yunying looked down at her.

She stood before him, her gray-blue cotton robe wrapped around her thin body, making her appear even more pale and frail. Everyone who had seen Lu Tong thought her gentle and delicate. Those who understood her better knew of her calm madness, yet no one knew that she had spent many years alone as a test subject on this snow-sealed desolate mountain.

Test subject.

Pei Yunying’s eyelashes trembled.

That stone tablet—the roughly carved stone tablet with crude yet familiar handwriting. Even more familiar was the name “Mo Ruyun.” He had heard it once from Miao Liangfang’s mouth during the celebration banquet at Renxin Medical Hall.

“That day, the official investigators dug up many children’s bones from this Miss Mo’s backyard. Only then did they learn that this Miss Mo had been secretly keeping and buying children as test subjects.”

“At first it was just the servant girls and female children in her courtyard, but frequent turnover of servants in a month would inevitably arouse suspicion. Later she bought poor children from various human traffickers. Because she paid well, she gradually gathered a group of people who specifically sought out beggars and farmers’ children in the capital to buy.”

“She hid these children in secret chambers, provided them food and drink, fed them various poisons, then administered antidotes, repeating this process. Young children’s bodies are naturally fragile—how could they withstand such torment? At most they lasted a few months before dying.”

According to Miao Liangfang, this medical official who kept test subjects ultimately perished in flames, but the stone tablet on Luomei Peak now proved that Mo Ruyun had not died.

He didn’t know how Mo Ruyun had escaped from the capital, but he was very clear that Lu Tong, who had carved the words “respected teacher,” was definitely not merely this vicious medical official’s “good disciple.”

Behind the stone tablet were rows of nameless graves—sixteen in total. When he first met her, she had called herself “Seventeen.”

Seventeen, the seventeenth test subject, the seventeenth person about to be buried in the graves.

Pei Yunying’s heart shook violently.

Many things he hadn’t understood before suddenly became clear in this moment.

The first time he saw Lu Tong, she was collecting corpses at Sunan’s execution ground. Li Wenhu had also mentioned encountering her at the execution ground again later—she had collected corpses more than once.

Secret intelligence from Changwu County described Miss Lu San as spoiled, willful, lively, and clever, but the Lu Tong who later appeared at Renxin Medical Hall in the capital was cold, completely different from the descriptions.

What must a young girl who left home at an early age have experienced to be able to kill and bury bodies without changing expression? When she sought revenge, she was desperate and frenzied beyond determination.

Why she always refused to mention her past in Sunan, why she could move freely on desolate mountains that others avoided, the strangely sized rope in the grass hut, the deep fingernail marks on the walls… that day at the celebration banquet, her unusual distraction.

In the farmhouse courtyard of Mangming Township’s tea garden, she had held a tea bowl and said to him with flat sarcasm: “Then Your Excellency might be disappointed—I’m immune to all poisons.”

She was truly very good at enduring.

He had noticed nothing at all.

Those deliberate distances, the so-called “absolutely impossible,” the madness and weakness revealed at certain moments—finally in this instant they suddenly coalesced into a picture, piecing together a complete answer.

“Lu Tong,” Pei Yunying looked at her and spoke softly. “Were you once Mo Ruyun’s test subject?”

Lu Tong stiffly raised her head.

When they first met, he had always been superior, confident of victory, teasing, probing, questioning—like an annoying shadow that couldn’t be shaken off. She had been determined to drag him down, to remove his perpetually composed mask.

Later, as they came to know each other, became familiar, and confronted each other, he understood her hidden depths, and she also knew he wasn’t as simple as he appeared on the surface.

The deliberately drawn distances had been crossed by both sides without either realizing it. His gaze toward her had become increasingly gentle, his smiles no longer held their past indifference. Like now, his gaze was so complex—complex enough to make her eyes sting and her heart surge.

She couldn’t face it.

Instinctively, she wanted to flee.

She wanted to escape this ending that was heading toward sorrow and tragedy. She hoped her story would end more lightly, even if suddenly, rather than sinking into the quagmire so heavily and slowly, making the spectators on the shore grieve for her as well.

The familiar dull pain in her chest gradually came, like a surging bitter tide about to drown her in an instant. Lu Tong pushed him away and turned to walk back.

After taking just a few steps, she couldn’t help covering her chest and slowly bent down against the wall.

Seeing this, Pei Yunying stepped forward to support her collapsing body, saying anxiously: “What’s wrong?”

Lu Tong turned her head and with a “wa” sound, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Pei Yunying’s expression changed dramatically as he caught her in his arms: “Lu Tong?”

“I…”

The pain in her chest was more severe than any previous episode. All the pain she had desperately suppressed came flooding at once. She trembled all over, instantly breaking into cold sweat, curling up in his arms, saying with difficulty: “Take my flowers back… the golden mushrooms…”

After saying this, she could no longer hold on. Her vision went black and she fainted.

The last thing she heard was Pei Yunying’s urgent shout.

“Lu Tong!”

…

Lu Tong had a brief dream.

She dreamed of that heavy snow year in Changwu County, when she encountered Yunniang about to board a carriage at the gate of Magistrate Li’s residence.

Yunniang helped up the kowtowing her, saved the Lu family, and she followed Yunniang to Sunan, moving into Luomei Peak.

Testing medicines, testing poisons, learning medicine, learning pharmacology—she spent many years on Luomei Peak, walking through every place. When she finally descended the mountain, she looked back once at the lonely little wooden house left on the mountain, and the seventeen graves hidden deep in the vegetation, chaotic and desolate.

The seventeenth grave didn’t contain her.

It contained Yunniang, who had brought her up the mountain.

When she woke up, everything before her was white. She felt herself lying on someone’s back, being carried down the mountain.

The person walked quickly, his back safe and warm. She moved her fingers and turned to look: “Pei Yunying?”

The warm breath from her breathing fell by his ear. Pei Yunying was startled: “You’re awake?”

“What are you doing?” Lu Tong said weakly. The pain from earlier was no longer obvious now, like a fierce incoming tide that left only calm after passing.

But her body was very tired—so tired that even saying one more sentence felt strenuous.

“You fainted just now. There are medical officials down the mountain.” Pei Yunying continued walking without stopping, carrying her on his back. “Hold on, I’m taking you down the mountain now.”

Lu Tong had just had an episode.

He had checked her arms and found no peach blossom or purple cloud spots, so it wasn’t the epidemic. However, the way she had trembled all over in his arms just now was alarming.

He wasn’t a medical official. The only thing he could do was quickly take Lu Tong down the mountain to find Chang Jin.

“Where are my flowers?”

“They’re all here.”

Lu Tong felt relieved.

Her hands gripped his neck. For some reason, her heart was actually very calm at this moment. Like a giant stone suspended in the air that had finally crashed to the ground at a certain moment—beyond helplessness, there was only relief.

Pei Yunying had finally found out.

She actually had never wanted him to know. She had actually tried hard to save herself. But after staying on Luomei Peak for those years, those poisons had become part of her body, forever fused with her physical being.

Perhaps no poison in the world could poison her anymore.

Similarly, no medicine in the world could save her anymore either.

She was destined to sink into the quagmire, yet at the very last moment before sinking, she had encountered someone she wanted to be with.

How regrettable.

Lu Tong closed her eyes.

“You’re crazy,” she had tears in her eyes but smiled slightly, complaining in a small voice, “daring to go down the mountain without me to guide you.”

Pei Yunying, with his back to her, spoke in a gentle tone: “I tied red cloth as markers when going up. Dr. Lu can rest assured—the Palace Command selection isn’t based on looks alone.”

Lu Tong laughed with a “puchi” sound.

He had said this before, when he didn’t know everything, when she had once foolishly imagined a future. Teasing and funny, but hearing it now, even the joke contained some sadness.

“Why aren’t you wearing a cloth band either?” She touched Pei Yunying’s eyes, his long lashes like fluttering light butterfly wings, slightly tickling in her hand. “Aren’t you afraid of going blind?”

“It is very dangerous, so Dr. Lu, look at me, don’t sleep.”

Though his tone was as gentle as possible, Lu Tong could see there was no smile on his face. She had never seen Pei Yunying with such an expression—it reminded her of that night at Prince Wen’s mansion when Pei Yunshu was giving birth to Baozhu.

That kind of helplessness while desperately trying to maintain calm.

She suddenly felt heartbroken.

The person left behind suffers greatly. She knew that feeling.

She didn’t want Pei Yunying to experience that feeling either.

But looking at the current situation, things would ultimately go against her wishes.

The crisp fragrance from his body was gentle yet cool. Lu Tong rested her head against his cheek, somewhat dazedly whispering: “You smell so good… I like the scent of this sachet.”

Pei Yunying was startled.

She had mentioned wanting his “Xiaoguang Leng” more than once. At first he thought it was a joke, later discovering she didn’t understand the meaning of “lover’s fragrance.” He had restrained himself and avoided it to prevent misunderstandings, but now at this moment he regretted it.

Why hadn’t he discovered it earlier?

Why was he only starting to regret now?

Too late, he was always too late.

Pei Yunying softened his voice: “If you like it, when you get better, I’ll give you a sachet, alright?”

Lu Tong didn’t answer.

She was very thin, like a snowflake, both heavy and light, lying on his back, breathing weakly, more obedient than ever before.

But he would rather she was still like when they first met—formidable and clever, making everyone dance to her tune. At least then she was vivid, like a flame, rather than now when that flame was gradually burning out, leaving only dying embers about to be extinguished.

Lu Tong tilted her head, leaning against his ear, her lips soft, warm yet light, mumbling a few words.

Pei Yunying turned back. Her voice was very soft, instantly buried in the wind and snow, unclear.

“What did you say?”

Lu Tong turned her head.

The snow on Luomei Peak had begun falling again in scattered flakes. The previous light snow had become heavy snowfall, falling abundantly on people. She lay on Pei Yunying’s back, covered with a cloak, and snow particles quickly covered both their heads. Looking from afar, they actually resembled white-haired companions.

“It’s snowing?”

She reached out one hand toward the vast sky, catching a snowflake from afar. The snowflake fell in her palm in a complete shape, gradually melting bit by bit until it became nothing.

Lu Tong murmured softly.

“Snow and moon are most fitting, plum and snow both pure and perfect… Last year when I saw snow in Jiangnan, plum flowers bloomed at month’s end…”

“This year early plums open, still the same moon as then… Cold beauty’s solitary light shines bright, only lacking… a bit of snow…”

Pei Yunying was startled and asked gently: “What poem is this?”

She didn’t speak, resting her head on the young man’s shoulder and quietly closed her eyes.

…

The snow from Luomei Peak drifted down, and when it reached Sunan City, it had lost some of its harshness.

At the execution ground, overnight, two more corpses of plague victims had been added.

The bodies of plague victims were buried in the earth, with deeper snow covering them. In the vast expanse, it gradually became impossible to distinguish which grave was where.

Chang Jin’s expression was very grim.

Every day the epidemic claimed new lives, with medical officials snatching people from the King of Hell’s hands. That Sunan’s epidemic was no longer spreading was fortunate in the midst of misfortune, but for those infected, it seemed they had fallen into even deeper despair.

The purple cloud spots on Cuicui’s body had also worsened. She had been unconscious twice the previous night. The poison of houbian had not yet been neutralized, and her body was already weak from illness. She wouldn’t be able to hold on like this.

Ding Yong’s only wish before dying was to hope his daughter would live. The medical officials treated nobles in the capital, dealing mostly with minor ailments. Their gradually cooling hearts had come alive again at Sunan’s life-and-death juncture, once more feeling the poignancy of life and death separation.

After the yamen runners who buried the corpses left, Chang Jin returned heavily to the quarantine station. As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Danqing and Ji Xun sorting medicinal materials at the table.

Seeing Chang Jin approach, Lin Danqing stood up, and Ji Xun’s expression also seemed wrong.

“What’s the matter?” Chang Jin asked.

“Chief Medical Officer,” Ji Xun glanced at the patients in the quarantine station and walked outside with Chang Jin to talk. “The people transporting chimuteng sent word that heavy snow has delayed their journey. The chimuteng from Pingzhou might arrive three to five days late.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Jin’s expression changed: “Three to five days? No, they can’t wait that long!”

Even these two days were cutting it close. Waiting another three to five days would only add more corpses to the execution ground.

Lin Danqing walked over, her brows worried.

Now only chimuteng could neutralize the poison of houbian, but the nearest supply from Pingzhou couldn’t arrive in time. They had found no other substitute medicines either—the situation was extremely difficult.

“Could we have Commander Pei’s people go to meet them? His guards might travel faster.”

Better not to mention it—mentioning it only made Chang Jin more anxious.

Pei Yunying had gone up Luomei Peak with Lu Tong yesterday.

These two people weren’t usually impulsive and acted steadily—who knew what madness had suddenly possessed them to enter the mountains in such heavy snow. What’s more, Pei Yunying’s subordinates didn’t seem concerned about this, rejecting Chang Jin’s proposal to immediately lead people into the mountains to search.

A day and night had passed without their return—who knew what had happened.

Ji Xun said: “Chief Medical Officer, why don’t we speak with Magistrate Li’s people again about going into the mountains?”

The medical officials couldn’t command the guards, but Sunan City’s magistrate might be easier to persuade.

Chang Jin was about to speak when Lin Danqing beside him suddenly looked animated, pointing toward the distance and calling: “Chief Medical Officer, isn’t that Sister Lu? They’re back!”

Everyone looked in the direction she pointed.

In the swirling wind and snow, a figure gradually approached. The young man dragged a medicine basket in his hand and carried someone on his back. Seeing this, everyone hurried toward him. When they got closer and could see clearly, the person on his back had her eyes tightly closed, lying on Pei Yunying’s shoulder, her face pale as paper—it was Lu Tong.

Lin Danqing was startled: “Sister Lu?”

Lu Tong was silent and unresponsive.

Pei Yunying set down the medicine basket, turned and held her in his arms, his expression cold and condensed: “Take her back to the quarters first.”

“Right, right, right,” Chang Jin said. “The snow is too heavy here. Take Medical Officer Lu back first.”

They hurried all the way back to the medical officials’ quarters. Pei Yunying placed Lu Tong on the bed, and Lin Danqing quickly sat by the bedside, pulling up Lu Tong’s sleeves.

“I checked—no peach blossom spots,” Pei Yunying said.

“Then this is…”

“She vomited blood once on the mountain. I don’t know what happened to her, whether it’s an old ailment, but she seemed to be in great pain.”

“Vomited blood?” Chang Jin’s expression changed. He pushed everyone aside and personally took Lu Tong’s pulse.

Everyone in the room watched him anxiously.

After a moment, Chang Jin withdrew his hand and looked at the person on the bed with a frown: “Strange.”

“What?”

“Her pulse is thin and weak, deficient in qi and strength, but other than that, there’s nothing abnormal. How could she suddenly vomit blood?”

Lin Danqing thought for a moment: “Could it be because she’s been too exhausted from treating the epidemic these days? Sister Lu had a nosebleed before.”

Ji Xun shook his head: “Exhaustion wouldn’t cause such pain.” He looked at Pei Yunying: “Commander Pei just said she was in great pain?”

Pei Yunying nodded silently.

He still remembered how Lu Tong had trembled while curled up in his arms. He knew Lu Tong was always very good at enduring—if she weren’t in extreme agony, she wouldn’t even make a sound.

“First prepare a bowl of spirit-calming and qi-nourishing medicine for her to take,” Chang Jin said. “Yesterday’s heavy snow made the mountain cold. She has no vitality at all right now.”

Ji Xun nodded and was about to turn and leave when he suddenly heard Pei Yunying speak: “Wait.”

Everyone looked at him.

He said: “Ordinary medicines are useless for her.”

Ji Xun frowned: “Why?”

“She was a test subject.”

Upon hearing this, the room suddenly fell silent.

Lin Danqing looked at him in disbelief: “What did you say?”

Pei Yunying lowered his eyes, his tone bitter.

“Lu Tong was probably a test subject for many years.”