Dong Lin stood in place, watching the group chatting happily. They had already begun taking their seats, with Old Physician An asking that woman to take the seat of honor.

“A teacher for a day is a teacher for life,” Old Physician An said with a smile. “Master, please don’t make this difficult for me.”

Dong Lin’s face twitched again.

What the hell was this relationship? Who was whose master?

“Anyone in this world can be a teacher,” Qi Yue laughed, pushing Old Physician An’s wheelchair to the seat of honor. “Please don’t make this difficult for me either.”

They talked and laughed as they took their seats, seeming to forget that Dong Lin was still standing in the room.

But Dong Lin couldn’t just storm out.

“Uncle An, when did you arrive? No one at the academy knows yet – I’ll go tell everyone immediately,” he said with a forced smile. “Master Cai was just saying a few days ago that he wanted to visit you.”

Old Physician An laughed.

“I’m no longer an Imperial Physician. I’m just an old man enjoying his retirement at home now – I wouldn’t dare disturb everyone,” he said.

Dong Lin stood there watching Hu San sit down boldly as if showing off, while no one invited him to sit. He knew he was being dismissed.

“It’s good that Uncle An is here – my senior brother and I were just worrying,” he said with a smile while pouring wine.

Old Physician An nodded.

“It’s fine, not a big deal, no need to worry,” he said with a smile.

Dong Lin stood frozen in place.

This wasn’t a big deal? Even if heads didn’t roll when the Emperor was enraged, people would still lose skin. Lifetime bans from practicing medicine, exile, military service – those were the light punishments.

Did this group think that just because they pushed the blame onto Zhou Maochun, they’d be safe?

“Although Qianjin Hall acted according to Master Zhou’s instructions, they still cannot escape culpability…” he hurried to remind them, looking deeply concerned.

Before he could finish, he was interrupted.

“From beginning to end, it was Qianjin Hall acting independently. It actually had nothing to do with Master Zhou, except that he happened to be present, so he was charged with failing to observe and prevent, dereliction of duty,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Very good – valuing relationships above all else was excellent. He’d been afraid they might be heartless and ungrateful.

Dong Lin sneered inwardly.

“This whole affair was too absurd!” he said, looking at Qi Yue and shaking his head with apparent earnestness. “Senior… senior brother, you were all far too rash this time.”

He didn’t dare call her “junior martial niece” again.

“Not absurd at all, not absurd. Very well done,” Old Physician An said with another smile.

Dong Lin choked again.

“Didn’t the Imperial Medical Academy investigate? Isn’t what they did very clear? Not absurd at all,” Old Physician An continued.

“How is it not absurd?” Dong Lin said angrily, picking up the thick stack of papers from the table and shaking them, making crackling sounds. “Do you think what senior brother wrote here proves you weren’t being absurd?”

Qi Yue and Hu San both looked at Liu Pucheng.

“Teacher, what did you write?” Qi Yue asked curiously.

Liu Pucheng looked somewhat evasive and embarrassed.

“Nothing, nothing,” he said.

“You know it’s nothing! What you wrote really is nothing!” Dong Lin said angrily, looking as if he was disappointed in him. “An explanation? What kind of person is the Emperor? He’ll listen to your explanations!”

Looking at Liu Pucheng, Qi Yue understood. He had written something hoping to reach the Emperor’s ears.

On the journey back to the capital, they had been watched by those field guards who naturally wouldn’t listen to their explanations with their sarcastic attitudes. Zhou Maochun also completely refused to speak or defend himself, seeming almost pleased by the sudden disaster.

Once back in the capital, Zhou Maochun was imprisoned and couldn’t be seen. Chang Yuncheng was also busy. They had been taken away by Chen Shi, so no one dared cause trouble at Chen Shi’s door, but likewise no one came to inquire about anything. Even wanting to explain and defend themselves, they couldn’t find anyone to explain to.

Qi Yue relied on Chen Shi, while Liu Pucheng had actually come to rely on the Imperial Medical Academy.

Being spoken to this way in public, Liu Pucheng’s face became even more embarrassed.

“If he won’t listen, then he won’t listen. It’s fine, it’s fine,” Old Physician An said with another smile.

This time, not only Dong Lin but also Qi Yue, Liu Pucheng, Hu San, A’Ru, and A’Hao all looked at him.

This was the third time he’d said this since entering.

Once was consolation. The second and third times being consolation – wasn’t that too false? Or was it that there really was nothing wrong?

Dong Lin wasn’t stupid either. His eyebrows twitched, feeling somewhat uneasy.

“Well, since Uncle An says it’s fine, then it’s fine,” he said with relief, looking at Old Physician An with some gratitude, then holding up the stack of papers. “I’ll take these to present to the Medical Director immediately and submit them to the palace.”

Old Physician An continued smiling.

“Junior brother, stay for the meal before leaving,” Liu Pucheng said.

Dong Lin couldn’t possibly eat now. He quickly shook his head.

“How can I think about eating at a time like this? Once this matter is resolved, I’ll settle accounts with you properly!” he said with feigned anger.

But this anger was completely different from his anger before Qi Yue and the others had arrived.

Liu Pucheng sighed inwardly. It seemed he still had to listen to his master’s words.

He remembered when his master was dying, holding his hand without leaving instructions about medical techniques or posthumous affairs, only telling him to keep this junior brother at a respectful distance.

Thinking of his master, he sighed again, resolving to visit his master’s grave later.

Dong Lin had reached the door when Hu San remembered something and called out to him.

“Oh right, this… martial nephew,” he called.

Dong Lin nearly stumbled.

That bastard!

He turned around with barely concealed anger.

Hu San had already walked over with a smile, boldly placing his hand on Dong Lin’s shoulder.

“It’s correct to call you martial nephew, right? I see you address my senior brother as martial uncle,” he said with a laugh. “Age really does trump generational rank – I’m truly embarrassed.”

I can see you’re very embarrassed!

Dong Lin cursed inwardly.

Hu San, afraid he didn’t understand, patted his shoulder.

“There’s really no help for it. I originally insisted on becoming Master Liu’s student, then bowed to Madam Qi as my master, never expecting Old Physician An to insist on taking Madam Qi as his master…” he said with a laugh. “So I rose with the tide.”

Dong Lin forced his mouth into what passed for a smile.

“So martial nephew, see clearly – don’t mix up the generational ranks next time,” Hu San said, giving him a final heavy pat before escorting Dong Lin to the door.

Hearing the door slam shut behind him, Dong Lin’s face was livid. He rubbed his aching shoulder where he’d been patted, glared fiercely at the room, and walked away.

Qi Yue paid no attention to what Hu San had said to Dong Lin, instead looking at Old Physician An with confusion.

“Sir, are you telling the truth?” she asked. “Is there really nothing wrong?”

“Nothing wrong, nothing wrong,” Old Physician An said with a smile, adding, “Because you’re Qianjin Hall.”

Qi Yue smiled bitterly.

“Sir, please don’t tease me. What time is this?”

“The time hasn’t come yet, the time hasn’t come yet,” Old Physician An continued smiling.

Qi Yue looked at him suspiciously.

“Are you all hiding something from me? Am I the only one worrying and getting worked up?” she asked.

Liu Pucheng, Hu San, and the others also looked over.

Old Physician An laughed and patted his legs.

“Since these legs became useless, this is the first time I’ve returned to the capital,” he said.

Everyone was confused, not understanding why he’d started talking about his legs.

“These legs of mine became useless right here in the capital. Every time I come back, it’s like reliving that process all over again,” Old Physician An continued, his expression growing heavy as he sighed.

It certainly hadn’t been a pleasant process.

Everyone’s expressions darkened.

“Can we have the food served now? Let’s eat while we talk – it’s rare for teacher to treat us,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Liu Pucheng naturally understood that Qi Yue wanted to change the subject and quickly nodded in agreement, telling Hu San to hurry the service.

“Let me finish speaking before we eat,” Old Physician An said with a smile, raising his hand to stop Hu San.

Hu San had to sit back down.

“Back then, a noble’s child fell ill. As for what illness, Madam Qi has seen it too,” Old Physician An said, looking at Qi Yue.

Qi Yue thought briefly and understood, nodding.

“That illness was indeed difficult to treat, coming on fiercely, and you didn’t have… didn’t have the proper medicine,” she said quickly.

Old Physician An smiled.

“But back then, I was just like Madam Qi – I believed it could be treated,” he said.

Qi Yue was somewhat surprised, remembering that when she was at Old Madam Xie’s house, the An family physician had flatly declared the illness incurable and refused to even examine the patient.

“At that time, all the physicians said it couldn’t be treated. I took on this sick child and, being defiant toward several senior colleagues, made enemies on all sides,” he said, a smile appearing on his face.

Though he spoke lightly and casually, Qi Yue and the others could imagine that the situation then would not have been light or casual.

Illness was dangerous, and treating illness was, to a certain extent, also dangerous – especially when facing difficult cases and illnesses that other physicians declared incurable. It was like walking a tightrope at great heights. The physician had to bear not only the dangers of the illness but also the dangers imposed by those around them. Success meant universal joy, but failure…

Qi Yue’s gaze fell on Old Physician An’s legs.

Old Physician An noticed and patted his legs.

“When I was halfway through the treatment, the condition hadn’t improved, so I thought I was wrong this time. Combined with the surrounding discussions, I felt I couldn’t cure this child. Rather than drag it out until death, I might as well admit defeat early,” he said with a smile. “Later, the noble showed mercy and only took my legs while sparing my life.”

“That’s too excessive – others didn’t treat and had no problems, but you treated and were found guilty,” Hu San couldn’t help saying.

“That’s how things are in this world – do more, err more; do nothing, err nothing,” Old Physician An said with a smile. “Moreover, in our physician profession, people only look at results, not process. So whatever you say or do is useless – the key is still the results.”

Liu Pucheng nodded.

“So with this matter, whatever we say is useless because the result of this war campaign is already determined,” he said.

“But what does that have to do with us? Whether they win or lose battles, we only care about rescuing the wounded soldiers, and the wounded soldiers we rescued were real,” Hu San shouted.

“Rescuing wounded soldiers – how many did we rescue?” Qi Yue shook her head. “Do you know what the total casualties were in this battle? How many people and how much property were plundered? How many cities were damaged?”

Compared to those numbers, their numbers were like small pebbles thrown into the sea – you couldn’t even hear a splash.

Self-defense? The Emperor wouldn’t care about what you wrote in your memorial! On the contrary, reading it would only make him angrier!

Hu San sat down dejectedly.

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat heavy.

Old Physician An laughed and patted his legs.

“I haven’t finished speaking yet, and you’re interrupting again,” he said with a smile. “Before, I thought having my legs crippled wasn’t unfair, but after meeting Madam Qi, I realized I was truly wronged.”

“No, sir, this wasn’t your fault – it was your conditions…” Qi Yue hurried to explain.

Old Physician An raised his hand to stop her from continuing.

“No, madam, I’ve carefully studied the prescription you gave me,” he said.

After that apprenticeship ceremony, Qi Yue had written out detailed accounts of how she treated the child at Old Madam Xie’s house and sent them to Old Physician An. This was what he considered a prescription, though more accurately it was a case study.

“I discovered that what I did back then was essentially the same as what Madam Qi did, except that at the most dangerous step, I couldn’t persevere. If I had persevered and continued the medication, after three days, the child would definitely have shown improvement,” Old Physician An said, his eyes lighting up, then dimming again. “Unfortunately, I truly couldn’t persevere at that time…”

External doubts, pressure from family members, his own lack of confidence – all of this had ultimately led him to give up.

“I was truly wronged,” he said with a long sigh, heavily patting his legs, then looking at Qi Yue. “So Madam Qi, rest assured – I, we, will not let you, let you all, also lose a pair of legs.”