After a rain in June, Yongqing Prefecture was swept clean of its stifling heat. The people scattered by the rain immediately poured back onto the streets.

“Make way, make way!” noisy voices shouted, and then a group of people ran through the streets carrying someone on a door plank.

The shop assistant standing outside the pharmacy, bored while watching the street scene, immediately stood up.

Business!

“Where is Qianjin Hall?” the person in front shouted loudly.

People on the street immediately pointed the way for them.

The crowd passed by the pharmacy assistant in a chaotic rush.

The assistant sighed and patted his clothes, continuing to be bored.

“We can also treat injuries here…” he said lazily while turning around. The pharmacy was empty, without any human presence. He was too lazy to go inside, where he could hear voices talking and what seemed to be a man crying.

“…I don’t mind them competing for business. Medical halls are also businesses, but it’s wrong for them to step on me like this…” a thin, wiry man sitting in the room said.

Four men sat scattered around, all with unpleasant expressions.

The speaking man raised his head, his face angry, with dark circles around his eyes and swollen red cheeks – clearly he had been beaten.

“…They say it’s all my fault that the wet nurse had her leg sawed off… What right do they have? How can they slander people like this?” he said indignantly. His emotional agitation pulled at his wounds, causing half his face to contort in pain, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

This was the physician who had first treated the wet nurse and lanced her infected sore. Although Qi Yue had advised the wet nurse’s son not to blame this physician, the son ultimately couldn’t swallow his anger and had brought people to give the physician trouble.

The physician protested indignantly.

“That Madam Qi said it was because you didn’t sterilize properly that my mother got infected… infected with tetanus… sepsis and such…” the wet nurse’s son said with a spit.

“Ridiculous, ridiculous! This is how we’ve always treated patients. What right does she have to say it’s wrong!” the physician said angrily.

“What right?” the wet nurse’s son shouted with hands on his hips. “Because she saved my mother’s life! Do you disagree?”

“I disagree!” the thin physician said grievously. “Illness is naturally ever-changing and unpredictable. Being able to cure it is her fate, not being able to cure it is also her fate. Why bully people like this!”

The four men in the room all sighed.

“Because she cured the patient and you didn’t. When we practice medicine, sometimes it’s just that simple and cruel,” one of the older men said. “Forget it, don’t take it to heart. Patient families causing trouble is all too common – who hasn’t encountered it? Even Qianjin Hall has been attacked two or three times.”

This was indeed true.

The thin man lowered his head and said nothing.

“Exactly, Old Zhou, don’t blame Qianjin Hall. They have Prefect, Magistrate, and many other officials backing them up. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not having as strong a backing,” another younger man said indifferently.

The thin physician immediately raised his head again in defiance.

“Enough. We medical practitioners rely on our skills, not our backing. No matter how strong your backing, no one would dare entrust their life to you to play with carelessly,” the older physician said sternly.

The young man smiled and agreed, then said nothing more.

The rain stopped outside, and everyone finished their last cup of tea and dispersed.

The young man and the thin physician walked in the same direction.

“Business has been much worse lately,” he sighed.

“Yes, I estimate I’ll have to close down,” the thin physician said dejectedly.

Practicing medicine was both simple and difficult. What determined whether a physician could make it depended on nothing but the people’s recognition.

If the people recognized your medical skills, they would come to you for treatment. Otherwise, even if you gave yourself the title of divine physician and studied under famous masters, without ability, you still couldn’t make it.

So this was the cruelty of this profession, but it was also compassion for life.

The weight of human life could not tolerate any perfunctory deception.

“Where is Qianjin Hall?” someone on the street suddenly asked, holding a piece of paper.

Enthusiastic passersby immediately gave directions.

Seeing this scene, both men’s faces showed envy.

“Qianjin Hall’s business is really incredibly good,” the young man muttered. “A woman is actually more capable than us men.”

He chuckled and patted the thin man’s shoulder.

The thin man snorted.

“The future is long,” he said.

Qianjin Hall was truly busy. From the moment they opened their eyes in the morning until dark, the queue of people never stopped. The wards that Hu San had once thought were built too many and wasted money were now packed full, forcing Qi Yue to finally harden her heart and only allow those who truly needed hospitalization to stay – those paying for peace of mind were not allowed.

“You’re saying to give these to other pharmacies?” Hu San looked at the prescriptions Qi Yue had written, surprised.

“Yes, everyone must strengthen their awareness of disinfection and sterilization. Only this way can we avoid various infections and prevent small wounds from taking lives,” Qi Yue said, looking at what she had written – precautions and preparations for disinfecting herbal medicines.

“How can that be, Master? This is our Qianjin Hall’s secret formula!” Hu San shouted with wide eyes.

“Secret formula? What kind of secret formula is this? This should be common knowledge for everyone,” Qi Yue laughed. “It’s just public health and epidemic prevention.”

“What? Master, this is so powerful. The Puji Hall in the north of the city survives on just one anti-itch medicine – anti-itch medicine, Master! They guard it more preciously than life itself, wouldn’t trade it for a thousand gold pieces. You, you, and ours…” Hu San jumped anxiously and simply grabbed the paper to his chest. “Anyway, no one can take this without paying.”

Qi Yue was amused by him.

“Hu San, but if we don’t popularize this, the wet nurse’s situation will happen again. We can’t be lucky enough to save everyone every time,” she said.

“That’s not our business, it’s theirs,” Hu San huffed. “Perfect – everyone will choose us, and that solves it.”

Qi Yue shook her head.

“Hu San, we at Qianjin Hall want to be the best. This ‘best’ shouldn’t be when the water recedes and stones appear, but when the water rises and all boats rise with it,” she said.

Seeing Liu Pucheng also nod, Hu San reluctantly agreed.

After dark, Qi Yue and A’Ru finally walked out of Qianjin Hall.

“I’m starving. I saw the cafeteria made big buns earlier. Why don’t we eat before going back?” Qi Yue said.

“Better not eat them. A’Hao also made something delicious tonight,” A’Ru smiled.

The two were chatting and laughing when they suddenly heard someone behind them call out “Yueliang.”

This name had been… so long, so long, so long…

Qi Yue didn’t react at first.

Until the voice behind them called out “Yueniang” again.

Qi Yue stopped and turned around.

“Chang Yunqi?” she called out in surprise.

Under the streetlight, a young man in fine clothes and jade crown stood tall.

The smile on Chang Yunqi’s face was somewhat bitter. She no longer responded to being called Yueliang…

“Yes,” he quickly hid his bitterness and smiled.

“Third Young Master is truly a rare guest,” A’Ru said indifferently.

Since Qi Yue left the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion, the Chang sisters had visited and sent things even when they didn’t visit. Only Chang Yunqi had vanished as if he didn’t exist. Even when Qi Yue nearly died and the heir had run back from so far away, he still hadn’t appeared, as if he didn’t know someone named Qi Yueniang existed in this world.

Chang Yunqi paid no attention to A’Ru’s sarcasm and continued smiling.

“I passed the county examination,” he said. “I came to tell you that the meals you cooked for me weren’t wasted.”

Qi Yue was stunned, then smiled.

But what was a county examination?

“Are you the top scholar?” Qi Yue asked in surprise.

Chang Yunqi laughed.

“No, I’m a scholar,” he smiled.

So much effort just to become a scholar? Qi Yue clicked her tongue in amazement.

“But I can take the provincial examination next year,” Chang Yunqi said. “At this rate, I should be able to bring you back a top scholar title by the year after next.”

Only then did Qi Yue understand and said “Oh.”

“That’s wonderful,” she smiled. “I’ll wait for you to ride a fine horse through the streets.”

Chang Yunqi smiled.

“Top Scholar, our madam hasn’t eaten yet. Unlike you idle people, she’s been busy until now,” A’Ru said coldly.

“Yueniang, you still owe me a beggar’s chicken,” Chang Yunqi said.

Qi Yue was stunned. Had that happened?

“Sure, no problem. Do you want to eat it now?” she smiled and gestured. “I’ll go back and make one for you.”

A’Ru tugged at her clothes from behind.

Chang Yunqi looked at her and smiled, shaking his head.

“Wait until I become top scholar,” he said.

A’Ru laughed coldly.

“Right, and before coming, better ask your mother properly. Don’t make the old lady angry,” she said.

Qi Yue shook her head at her.

Chang Yunqi wasn’t bothered.

“Yueniang, you must live well,” he said.

Qi Yue nodded.

“Of course I’ll live well,” she smiled.

Chang Yunqi smiled and nodded.

“Live well and wait to see me avenge you,” he said.

What? Qi Yue was stunned.

But Chang Yunqi said nothing more, smiled at her, turned and walked away.

“Hey,” Qi Yue couldn’t help calling out. “Don’t do anything rash.”

Chang Yunqi waved at her without turning back and strode into the night.

Qi Yue stared at the street in a daze.

“What did he mean by revenge?” she said quietly.

A’Ru also looked puzzled.

At the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion, Chang Yunqi becoming a scholar wasn’t celebrated. Everything continued as before – no, not as before. The atmosphere in the house always had an inexplicably depressing quality.

“Madam, the steward asks whether Third Young Master’s flower-pinning banquet will still be held,” Nanny Su came in to ask.

Madam Xie’s face was iron-blue as she pushed away the invitations in her hand with a rustle.

“What’s to celebrate? What’s so great about becoming a scholar? Wait until he also receives the emperor’s reward,” she said irritably. “Sitting at home reading books in comfort – how can that compare to Yuncheng? What great achievement is that? The marquis is so pleased, but it’s just reading – doesn’t cost any flesh and blood. What’s there to be proud of?”

Nanny Su said nothing and let her vent.

“Really, what kind of families are these girls from, sending them to me! What status does our Yuncheng have? They should think about it – how shameless!” Madam Xie slammed the table and swept more of the scattered invitations to the floor.

Nanny Su stepped forward to pick them up, seeing they contained birth dates and portraits of various families’ daughters. She glanced casually – actually, some of these families weren’t bad, just couldn’t compare to the Rao family from Shandong…

Madam Xie required that the family background couldn’t be lower than the Shandong Rao family. This might be manageable nationally, but around Yongqing Prefecture, it was difficult to find.

Madam Xie had been getting extremely angry about this lately.

“Madam, madam, something’s wrong!” a little maid outside shouted and crashed in.

“I’m not dead yet, what are you wailing about!” Madam Xie roared.

The little maid was frightened and knelt on the ground, her face pale, pointing outside.

“Madam, madam, Concubine Zhou has returned,” she said in a trembling voice.

What?

Madam Xie suddenly stood up.

At this moment, outside the mansion gate, a small blue cloth carriage stopped. A servant woman lifted the curtain, a hand reached out, and then a woman emerged. Although her middle-aged body had grown plump, her allure was still hard to conceal. She wore the most ordinary, even somewhat worn plain-colored dress, her hair simply arranged, with a hat on her head and hanging gauze concealing her face.

“Mistress, the inner gate carriage has come,” the servant woman said quietly.

“No need, let me walk,” Concubine Zhou said gently, reaching up to lift the hanging gauze. Not having been seen for a long time, her face was thin but appeared even more beautiful. She looked up at the high-hanging mansion gate and showed a faint smile. “I haven’t walked the roads of home for a long time.”