This relationship was indeed somewhat strange.

“Yongqing Prefecture, Qianjin Hall, that Miss Qi who treats plague…” Li Tong said hurriedly.

“What nonsense!” the elder uncle scolded sternly, “What does this have to do with Duke Deqing! What’s with what!”

“But Miss Qi is being treated as an honored guest by the Chen family,” Li Tong said hastily. Actually, this wasn’t exactly a lie – after all, that Madam Chen indeed treated that Miss Qi as an honored guest. He had merely said some polite words of refusal, and Madam Chen had given him such a hard time.

This statement made the elder uncle and others hesitate.

Was it true or false?

“Uncle, did the Late Emperor’s Empress Dowager Xiaoci once say that grandfather had excessive body heat and needed to be careful with his diet?” Li Tong suddenly thought of something and said hurriedly.

Success or failure would depend on this sentence!

Sure enough, the elder uncle was startled.

“Just now, nephew didn’t believe that physician either, and didn’t introduce my identity, so I politely declined. That Madam Chen directly asked if my surname was Li, then mentioned grandfather’s name, and said this very sentence,” Li Tong continued.

“Which Madam Chen?” the uncle asked.

“The one Chen Wu calls little aunt,” Li Tong said hastily.

Upon hearing this, several uncles including father exchanged glances, their expressions becoming solemn.

“It’s her,” one uncle said in a low voice, “Chen Shi Xueniang.”

“That’s right, back then she was often brought to the Late Emperor’s Empress Dowager Xiaoci’s side,” the elder uncle nodded. “The Late Emperor’s Empress Dowager Xiaoci indeed said this to father.”

Since this was the case, the matter could be confirmed.

“If so, then we cannot neglect this,” the elder uncle pondered for a moment and said. “Take my name card and personally invite her from Duke Deqing’s mansion.”

Li Tong happily stepped forward to receive the name card, but it was intercepted by an uncle.

“Give it to Young Master Jin, let him go,” the uncle said.

Young Master Jin was Li Tong’s older brother. Although not the eldest son, he was the legitimate son.

Li Tong stared blankly as the name card was taken away.

“Alright, you may go,” father said.

But, but…

Li Tong stood outside the door, still somewhat dazed.

This had nothing to do with him anymore?

Li Tong looked back, his eyes somewhat stinging.

So it was like this. For someone like him, even if there was an opportunity, he couldn’t hold onto it.

Duke Deqing’s household soon received the name card sent by Elder Li’s family. This time, the one receiving them was not Chen Wu, but Young Master Chen Anming.

After hearing Young Master Li Jin’s words, Chen Anming looked surprised, but he wouldn’t shout and yell like Chen Wu did. Instead, he smiled and said he needed to ask for instructions.

Li Jin didn’t feel slighted at all. Those divine physicians all had great airs about them, like Zhou Maochun. The more solemnly the Chen family treated this, the more it showed how capable this Miss Qi was. He waited happily.

Here, the young master told the family about the matter, and everyone was greatly surprised.

“This Miss Qi just arrived, and Elder Li’s family has already come to invite her. Her reputation is already this great?” Madam Chen Fang was very surprised.

“Didn’t Xueniang say she was terribly ill back then? Now it seems she’s completely fine. It must be this Miss Qi’s doing,” Third Master Chen nodded.

So that was it – a life-saving grace naturally deserved to be treated as an honored guest.

Now everyone understood.

“Then quickly, we also cannot neglect this,” Madam Chen Fang said, looking at the young master. “Take your father’s name card and personally go to Xueniang’s place to receive her. Use the family’s carriage to send her there.”

The young master was happy to receive permission and came out, asking Li Jin to return and saying Miss Qi would arrive immediately.

Both sides departed happily.

Here, Duke Deqing’s family carriage left, and there Qi Yue also went out.

“I estimate this is enough time for that child to inform his family,” she said, looking at the sky.

“You’re really considerate,” A’Ru laughed.

“That child is clearly not favored at home. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to find me after hearing just a few words from Fan Yilin. Obviously, he himself didn’t believe it either. If I had gone with him rashly, I would have faced embarrassment, and he would have been even more embarrassed,” Qi Yue said.

A’Ru looked at her and smiled.

“What are you laughing at?” Qi Yue asked.

“I want to say something, but it would be funny if I said it,” A’Ru said, covering her mouth.

Qi Yue gave her a look.

“Then hold it in,” she said.

“Miss has grown up, her temper is getting better and better,” A’Ru said with a smile.

“What nonsense,” Qi Yue snorted, slightly raising her chin. Supporting herself on the respectful maid’s hand, she got into the carriage with perfect poise. “This is called having style…”

A’Ru couldn’t help but laugh out loud, reaching out to push her while holding the medicine box and getting in herself.

The maid beside them could only click her tongue.

This, this way of being someone’s maid, wouldn’t she get beaten to death…

The coachman naturally knew Elder Li’s residence, having worked in the capital, and soon stopped at the Li mansion’s entrance.

“Looking for Young Master Tong?” the gatekeeper looked them over.

This beautiful woman looking for Young Master Tong?

Young Master Tong’s status was low, so those who came looking for him couldn’t be of high status either.

“Yes, I’m the physician he invited,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

“Young Master Tong also invited a physician?”

“Didn’t Young Master Jin go to invite a physician?”

“Just joining in the excitement?”

The gatekeepers were very surprised and discussed in low voices.

Qi Yue remained calm, quietly waiting for them to finish speaking.

Because the Emperor was very concerned about Elder Li’s illness, the Imperial Medical Academy also took it seriously, guaranteeing daily visits.

Dong Lin’s expression wasn’t good when he got out of the carriage.

Wu Shan carefully carried the medicine box following behind.

“Sir, it’s not that this subordinate is useless, but the gold shop owner refused to reveal the customer’s identity, so we couldn’t find out about that woman,” he said quietly and aggrievedly.

Useless, Dong Lin cursed in his heart, but was also somewhat surprised. He knew gold shops would keep some customers’ identities secret, but that was only for people with status. Those without status had nothing to keep secret.

“Sir!” Wu Shan suddenly shouted.

This startled Dong Lin, who was lost in thought.

“She, she, she…” Wu Shan pointed ahead, his face pale with terror as he stuttered.

Dong Lin looked in that direction and saw two young women standing in front of the Li mansion. One was tall and graceful with a beautiful figure, very eye-catching.

Although he had only seen her once from afar, such a woman was naturally unforgettable.

Dong Lin narrowed his eyes.

So it was true that you could search everywhere and find it where you least expected…

“…Where are you from as a physician? How can you be a physician as a woman?” the gatekeepers were still slowly grinding their teeth.

“Miss Qi?”

A voice interrupted, cutting off their words.

This voice was unfamiliar. Qi Yue also looked over and saw a middle-aged man with a square face, dignified clothing and hat, and a peaceful demeanor.

She didn’t recognize him…

“Are you Miss Qi from Qianjin Hall in Yongqing Prefecture?” Dong Lin asked again.

Was her reputation really already this great?

Qi Yue was slightly surprised.

“You are?” she asked politely.

“I suppose my senior brother hasn’t mentioned me to you?” Dong Lin said with a smile.

Qi Yue immediately understood.

Liu Pucheng certainly hadn’t mentioned it. If not for Old Physician An saying so, she wouldn’t have known that the unremarkable-looking Liu Pucheng actually had a medical officer master, as well as a junior brother in the Imperial Medical Academy.

“You are teacher’s junior brother,” she said with some surprise.

Dong Lin nodded.

“You’ve come to the capital? Has my senior brother also come?” he asked.

“No, teacher said he would come in November,” Qi Yue replied.

“It’s teacher’s memorial day,” Dong Lin nodded.

The gatekeepers didn’t recognize Qi Yue, but they recognized Dong Lin and respectfully invited him in.

“Master Dong, please come quickly. Master Gong and the others are already inside,” the gatekeeper said.

Dong Lin nodded, about to leave, then thought of something and looked at Qi Yue.

“You are here to?” he asked.

“I’m here to treat illness,” Qi Yue smiled.

“She says our Young Master Tong invited her,” the gatekeeper added.

Young Master Tong? Dong Lin didn’t recognize him. Those he knew were all Li family young masters with qualifications and prospects, so this one could naturally be ignored.

He really didn’t know how she had been found – had she recommended herself?

Right, Elder Li’s illness was known to everyone in the capital. This woman had been proclaiming in Yongqing Prefecture that only Qianjin Hall was first, so now she had come to the capital to do the same?

But this was the capital, not Yongqing Prefecture.

Dong Lin smiled slightly and nodded.

“That’s good, you can also take a look,” he said. “Perhaps you’ll have a solution.”

“I wouldn’t dare. Let me take a look first,” Qi Yue replied.

How impolite…

Dong Lin was slightly stunned, but sneered inwardly.

Indeed, just as he had heard, this woman was arrogant and conceited, with a violent temper.

But this was even better. Such people would jump into any pit that was dug for them.

“You’re being modest. Senior brother often praises you,” Dong Lin said with a smile.

“Teacher mentioned me to you?” Qi Yue turned back and asked, somewhat curious.

Of course not.

“Even if senior brother didn’t mention it, Miss Qi is now famous throughout the land. Who doesn’t know?” Dong Lin said with a smile.

This statement could be understood as Liu Pucheng having mentioned her, or as not having mentioned her. In any case, it depended on how you interpreted it.

Qi Yue smiled.

“Please go ahead,” she said politely.

“Don’t be polite. Since you’ve come to the capital, if you need anything, just tell me,” Dong Lin said kindly. “This time you came to…”

“Just visiting relatives,” Qi Yue answered simply.

“If your accommodations are inconvenient, the Imperial Medical Academy has several affiliated inns. You could move there to save money,” Dong Lin said.

“Thank you, my lodging is fine,” Qi Yue replied with a smile.

As they talked, they walked, and soon reached Elder Li’s quarters.

Upon entering the courtyard, they could smell the strong scent of medicine, with people coming and going looking somber.

Three men were already in the room, speaking in low voices.

“Master Gong,” Dong Lin stepped forward to bow.

Qi Yue saw an elderly man in official robes turn and nod. Dong Lin also greeted the other two, but didn’t bow, suggesting they were of equal rank.

“…You’ve come at the right time. Take a look at whether this medicine can be added,” Master Gong said.

Dong Lin agreed and stepped forward.

Qi Yue stood to the side, ignored, listening to these physicians discuss medicine. After hearing a lot of incomprehensible talk, during which Dong Lin was very focused and seemed to forget he had brought a junior apprentice sister with him…

Qi Yue didn’t mind. She looked up at the inner room with its hanging curtains.

“Is Elder Li inside?” she asked quietly of a maid passing by carrying a spittoon.

The maid didn’t know who she was, but since she could enter here, she naturally wasn’t ordinary. She quickly nodded.

Qi Yue gestured to A’Ru and went inside.

In the room, three or four attending maids were quietly busy – changing water, wiping things.

On the bed lay an elderly man of about seventy, thin, with somewhat unclear consciousness and rapid breathing.

Seeing her enter, the maids all paused.

Who was this woman?