This year’s weather was particularly poor.

By the end of the twelfth month, Suzhou was as hot as summer, with plants sprouting everywhere. Just as the second month arrived, a freezing rain poured down. All the fruit trees south of the Great River suffered complete crop failure this year.

“At least it came early.” The Master and Grand Madam remarked with feeling. “If this rain had come during rice-planting season, the realm would truly descend into chaos.”

The northwestern war was in full swing. Though news hadn’t spread everywhere in Jiangnan, there were already faint whispers of unrest. If this year brought poor harvests as well, even Jiangnan would likely see people starving to death.

The Grand Madam was more concerned about Xu Fengjia’s safety.

“I heard the northwest has already begun suffering food shortages?” she asked the Master. “I wonder if that child Fengjia can withstand hunger. Given Third Brother-in-law’s temperament, I fear he won’t treat him well…”

Duke Pingguo Xu Heng commanded his troops with extreme severity. The soldiers under him truly carried the lingering spirit of the Yue Family Army. To expect such a person to give his son special treatment was pure fantasy. When Xu Fengjia’s concubine-born older brothers trained with their father, their food and lodging were even worse than ordinary soldiers’—otherwise, why would Madam Xu be so furious?

The Master smiled ambiguously. “Has the Xu family sent another letter about marriage arrangements?”

The Grand Madam couldn’t help showing some displeasure. She shot the Master a look but didn’t speak.

The northwestern campaign couldn’t be called very successful. The Northern Rong had come prepared, while Great Qin met them in hasty battle. Though Duke Pingguo commanded with steady authority and had blocked the Northern Rong invasion, provisions were falling behind.

If this battle was lost, the Xu family would fall with it.

At this time, for Madam Xu to want to secure another powerful alliance was understandable.

Moreover, over the years the Xu family had provided considerable support to the Yang family.

The Master could only save face for himself. “This marriage proposal from the Xu family is difficult to accept right now. At the very least we should wait until Fengjia returns from the front lines. Otherwise, if by any chance…”

The Grand Madam had no intention of arguing with the Master. She silently acknowledged his meaning, then asked, “Have the people from the main family sent to audit accounts set out?”

“Spring roads are difficult. They won’t reach Suzhou until at least the fifth month.” The Master sighed. “This year’s harvest in Jiangnan doesn’t look promising either. The grain and rice in the storehouses will certainly be transferred to the northwest. I only hope for some harvest, so the common people of Jiangnan don’t go hungry…”

If the people of Jiangnan went hungry and the government couldn’t provide grain for relief, the consequences were all too imaginable.

The Grand Madam couldn’t help but recite a few Buddhist prayers.

“I only hope we can get through this year safely and peacefully.”

This time the Northern Rong came fiercely. Once they broke through the border defenses and entered to plunder, it would be an unprecedented humiliation in years.

The power struggle in court between the Crown Prince and the Emperor’s eldest son had gradually relaxed.

Whether the Crown Prince could leave his residence to study depended on this battle—whether Duke Pingguo won or lost.

That freezing rain in early second month froze the newly emerged sprouts and also froze the common people who adjusted their clothing with the changing temperatures. From who knows where it originated, but overnight Suzhou city was struck with colds. Whether noble officials or common people, everyone was sneezing.

The “long-missing” young divine physician Quan Zhongbai finally reappeared at this opportune moment, joining hands with the Ouyang family to distribute medicine freely. For a time he saved countless lives and earned a reputation as a little bodhisattva. The city’s noble officials also competed to invite him to their homes to check pulses. For a time, even families without illness had to find some ailment to request the young physician, using it as capital for showing off.

However, speaking of face, naturally no family in all of Suzhou had greater face than the Yang family. Even when the Yang family invited him, Quan Zhongbai came reluctantly—what other family could have greater influence than the Quan family?

Ever since giving birth to Fifth Miss, the Grand Madam had suffered from coughing and wheezing. When busy and flustered, she easily lost her appetite, coughing incessantly. Spring and autumn were when she most often fell ill in bed. After eating the Ouyang family’s prescriptions for several years, they had gradually lost effectiveness. This bout of illness naturally brought Quan Zhongbai to mind—she wanted to try a different prescription.

Thus Quan Zhongbai once again entered the Yang household.

Even Third Miss and Fourth Miss put aside their airs, standing together with Sixth Miss, chattering about Quan Zhongbai.

These past years the Master had been busy with official duties and hadn’t accompanied the Grand Madam to Guangfu. Naturally they had lost opportunities to view plum blossoms and hadn’t been able to witness the jade-faced young divine physician’s elegant bearing.

But the Grand Madam was quite ruthless. Light green curtains were hung tightly, surrounding the path from the main courtyard all the way into the main hall. The young misses could only huddle together behind the curtains, competing to catch a glimpse of the young physician’s gait.

Seventh Miss smiled as she listened to Fifth Miss describe the sisters’ behavior.

“Chattering like little sparrows! As if they’ve never seen a man in several lifetimes.” Fifth Miss was quite disdainful.

Seventh Miss also unfortunately lay ill in bed.

Lixia had been unlucky enough to catch the cold sweeping through the city, went home to rest for a few days, and upon recovering and returning, Seventh Miss had fallen ill instead.

It was unclear whether the illness had passed from Lixia.

Such a minor illness naturally didn’t warrant specially troubling the young physician. However, since they had already summoned Quan Zhongbai, Seventh Miss took advantage of being examined by the young physician personally. Even the old scar on Ninth Brother’s face was arranged for consultation. The Master’s calculations were certainly shrewd.

“This time Father came forward to negotiate, allocating three thousand jin of common medicinal materials to the Ouyang family’s pharmacy for treatment, distributing to traveling people… Only then would the young physician agree to make house calls!” Speaking of this, Fifth Miss couldn’t help but gasp. “These three thousand jin of medicinal materials are worth several thousand taels of silver!”

Though the consultation fee was high, ultimately no silver was carried out from the Yang family storehouses.

Seventh Miss smiled. “It’s also doing good… This year’s weather is abnormal. When the spring peach blossom floods come, there will be epidemics again. Prevention is good.”

She asked Fifth Miss, “Second Young Master Quan will first enter Huansha Pavilion to check Twelfth Concubine’s pulse, right?”

Fifth Miss pursed her lips. “Who knows if Father really wants to invite Second Young Master Quan to check Mother’s pulse, or if Xiang Zhuang’s sword dance is aimed at Duke Pei. Twelfth Concubine has been waiting in the main hall since this morning, just waiting to have Second Young Master Quan check her pulse.”

“Fifth Sister’s learning has grown—you’re even citing ‘Xiang Zhuang’s sword dance, aimed at Duke Pei.'” Seventh Miss teased Fifth Miss with a smile.

Fifth Miss huffed and turned her head away. “Just because you’re clever with words doesn’t mean I can’t cite classics too!”

Before she finished speaking, Seventh Miss coughed lightly again. Bailu hurried over to press her down on the bed, chiding Fifth Miss. “Seventh Miss’s throat is hurting. Please don’t tease her into talking.”

Fifth Miss gave Seventh Miss a look but also fell silent. After a long while, she murmured, “I wonder… if there will be another special examination this year.”

If Duke Pingguo won a great victory this year, there would naturally be a special examination. Otherwise it would be hard to say.

She didn’t know why Fifth Miss was thinking about special examinations again. Seventh Miss’s eyes narrowed slightly. She didn’t respond.

In spring, the warm sunlight spilled freely onto Fifth Miss’s face.

Fifth Miss was now eleven or twelve years old. The charm of a budding young girl was like peach blossoms in bud—meeting sunlight, they gradually unfurled.

“What’s so remarkable about the Quan family’s second young master…” Fifth Miss seemed immersed in her own thoughts. “Speaking of beautiful appearance and bearing, he doesn’t even rank…”

She gazed at the clouds outside the window, staring blankly in a daze.

The room fell quiet for a moment.

Bailu curiously gave Seventh Miss several looks. Seventh Miss gently shook her head each time.

Soon the courtyard became noisy. Several old nannies hurried into the east inner room and, without explanation, lowered the bed curtains.

“Please withdraw, Fifth Miss.” Someone also courteously asked Fifth Miss to leave the east inner room.

Seventh Miss found it both funny and exasperating. She could only watch Fifth Miss leave through a layer of gauzy curtains like clouds and mist.

Two old nannies stood on either side like door gods beside the bed. Bailu and Lixia were so intimidated they didn’t dare approach.

When the Master handled matters, his official manner was truly overwhelming.

Before long, Quan Zhongbai entered the room.

Two second-rank maids in the main hall carried his medicine chest and held the four treasures of the study… the full bearing of a famous physician.

The two old nannies coughed. “Please extend your hand, Seventh Miss.”

Seventh Miss had no choice but to extend her hand outside the green gauze curtain.

Quan Zhongbai sat down on the round stool prepared beside the bed and reached out to check her pulse.

From beginning to end, his expression was solemn, his eyes straight ahead. That air of Wei-Jin romantic elegance had vanished somewhere, leaving only earnest concentration. His brows were slightly knit, long lashes lowered, covering his morning-star bright eyes.

The maids placed a wrist pillow under Seventh Miss’s wrist. Quan Zhongbai gently placed two jade-like fingers on Seventh Miss’s wrist.

His expression suddenly brightened. His lips curved slightly as he laughed heartily.

With that laugh, romantic charm flooded his features. The room seemed to brighten.

“It’s you!” He laughed. “Little girl, it’s only been a few months and you’re sick again?”

The two old nannies looked at each other, momentarily speechless.

Seventh Miss could only cough lightly. “Just a slight cold. Young Master must be laughing at me.”

Quan Zhongbai became animated. “I thought it was some pampered young miss—even checking the Princess’s pulse didn’t have such grand ceremony! So it’s you, this yellow-haired girl.”

He glanced at the two old nannies. “Both of you withdraw. Leave two maids to attend to paper and ink. Such a tiny little girl—is all this fuss necessary?”

When Quan Zhongbai ordered people about, he had a particularly commanding, overbearing air.

After all, he was someone who had emerged from a place of wealth and nobility.

The two nannies could only retreat pitifully outside the door, along with the two second-rank maids from the main room—still peering reluctantly through the window at the young physician’s back.

Seventh Miss also sat up halfway.

Through the thin curtain, Quan Zhongbai’s expression softened considerably.

Casually checking Seventh Miss’s pulse, he straightened up and complained. “This is just the cold going around the city. You could pick up a dose of medicine at the Huiqing Temple gate and it would be better after brewing it.”

Bailu ventured boldly, “But that’s distributed free to common people…”

“Aren’t we all one nose and two eyes? We’re all human—who’s more noble? Even if the Emperor caught this cold, I’d still prescribe this formula!” Quan Zhongbai sat at the table and began writing the prescription with vigorous strokes. “I’ll also write you a general tonic. I haven’t checked your pulse in several months, and your vital energy seems even weaker. Why don’t you know how to take care of yourself? Ah, I’m too lazy to lecture you again!”

Seventh Miss’s heart stirred.

She asked Bailu, “Why haven’t you poured tea for Young Master Quan?”

This was indeed Bailu’s oversight.

Bailu hurried out of the east inner room.

Only Lixia remained in the room to serve.

Seventh Miss asked Quan Zhongbai, “Young Master Quan, do you think Twelfth Concubine can keep her pregnancy?”

Quan Zhongbai’s jade-like wrist stopped.

He glanced at Seventh Miss.

Even through the curtain, Seventh Miss could see the calculation, assessment, and speculation hidden in that glance.

Truly from a great family… even with his naturally unrestrained nature, he was no less careful.

“I fear it will be difficult.” Quan Zhongbai only paused before answering casually. “I don’t think she’ll make it through even this month.”

“Did Young Master Quan tell Twelfth Concubine the truth?” Seventh Miss couldn’t help but ask.

This matter was too important for her plan.

Quan Zhongbai looked at her again, his writing brush slowing.

“If I said that, I’m afraid she wouldn’t even make it through today.” He answered very seriously and candidly.

That air of casual joking had completely vanished.

Seventh Miss smiled at Quan Zhongbai. “I understand. Thank you, Young Master…”

Quan Zhongbai lowered his head to continue writing prescriptions, lips slightly pursed, extremely serious.

Before long, he had written two prescriptions and stood to hand them to Lixia.

“One is for the cold. Two doses should cure it. The other is for poor appetite and excessive worry.” He kept a straight face, his tone proper and serious. “The instructions are all written here.”

He seemed about to take his leave.

Seventh Miss hurriedly asked again, “May I ask if Young Master knows of a poison in the world that should be colorless and tasteless… or perhaps sweet, that can make people gradually waste away, their complexion darken, eyes become clouded, coughing unstoppably…”

A divine physician like Quan Zhongbai wasn’t someone who could be summoned at will.

Moreover, looking at him, he didn’t seem like someone who gossiped… she might as well ask!

But Quan Zhongbai’s expression changed.

He showed dawning realization.

“No wonder… no wonder…”

In a few large strides he returned to the bedside and grabbed Seventh Miss’s wrist.

“I felt something wasn’t quite right…” He closed his eyes and murmured, slowly sitting down. “No wonder you have congenital deficiency… Wait! This pulse…”

He suddenly raised his head and pulled back the bed curtain.

He examined Seventh Miss’s face with great care.

Those eyes like flowing water and drifting mist, seemingly forever containing romantic charm, now scrutinized Seventh Miss’s face directly.

Seventh Miss felt somewhat uncomfortable. “Young Master Quan, I’m not talking about myself…”

“I know.” Quan Zhongbai murmured distractedly. “Stick out your tongue.”

Seventh Miss obediently stuck out her tongue, saying indistinctly, “It really isn’t about me…”

“I know.” Quan Zhongbai grabbed Seventh Miss’s wrist again, closing his eyes to carefully check her pulse.

After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, he opened his eyes and looked at Seventh Miss.

Then he sighed.

His eyes were already filled with sympathy.

“The person who was poisoned was your birth mother, wasn’t it?”

Still so direct…

Seventh Miss frankly admitted, “Yes, but I fear the poison was administered after childbirth…”

“I know.” Quan Zhongbai said again.

He let out a long sigh.

“How does Young Master Quan know everything?” Seventh Miss tried to make a joke. “What else do you know?”

“I know why your siblings’ pulses are so different, why your pulse is so faint… showing signs of damaged vital energy at such a young age. Your younger brother was probably taken away right after birth, so he never drank your birth mother’s milk, right?” Quan Zhongbai lowered his eyes, not meeting Seventh Miss’s gaze. His long lashes were like a door, shutting his thoughts inside. “Seventh Miss, though your birth mother only took poison after giving birth, you drank her poisoned milk… You also carry this poison in your body. Though the amount is small, it will gradually, bit by bit, erode your vital energy, making you weaker than ordinary people.”

He smiled self-deprecatingly again. “I was negligent. Looking at it this way… you’re not lax in self-care but diligent in it! Who knows how many children like you died in their swaddling clothes.”

Seventh Miss finally couldn’t hold back and drew in a sharp breath.