The dust from the imperial examination case had barely settled when another major incident occurred in the capital.

A side consort in Prince Wen’s Manor had poisoned the pregnant Princess Consort, attempting to murder the heir. Fortunately, the Princess Consort and her daughter were blessed—on the day the poison took effect, a female doctor happened to be at the manor delivering medicine and saved both mother and daughter at the critical moment. However, that vicious side consort was unwilling to accept this outcome. In her resentment toward the female doctor, she actually sent someone to secretly assassinate her, but was coincidentally rescued by guards from the Prince’s Manor.

The criminal confessed everything about the mastermind at the patrol post, and only then did everyone learn of this entire lawsuit.

Since the guards escorting the criminal to the patrol post that day had passed through the marketplace and many people witnessed it firsthand, once this news spread, it immediately became the talk of customers and people in the streets and alleys.

Poisoning an unborn child in a pregnant woman’s womb was a deed that damaged one’s virtue. Even common folk couldn’t tolerate such things happening, let alone the high-ranking families who prided themselves on their honor. When this incident occurred, Prince Wen clearly knew his subordinate was in the wrong but didn’t punish the side consort—only lightly confining her to quarters, attempting to cover for her. Having such a heartless and unrighteous husband toward his wife and daughter, people felt even more sympathy for that unfortunate Princess Consort.

If it had only been this, it would have passed. Though rumors damaged the reputation of wealthy noble families, they could usually be suppressed after some time. But this lawsuit involving Prince Wen’s Manor not only didn’t subside after several days, but spread even more fiercely, because it involved a forbidden palace drug—”Child’s Sorrow.”

The poison that affected Princess Consort of Prince Wen was a forbidden palace drug called Child’s Sorrow.

This had originally been a palace secret, unknown to anyone for many years, but somehow someone had dug it up again.

It was said that this “Child’s Sorrow” was colorless and tasteless, easily dissolved in pigments. When consumed by pregnant women, there would be no initial reaction. Gradually, the body would become feverish and the skin would darken. After a few more months, the shoulders and neck would gradually swell. At a certain point, there might be signs of abdominal pain and bleeding. However, even so, the fetus in the poisoned person’s womb would remain stable. Even if doctors examined them, they would only consider these symptoms normal pregnancy signs. Anti-miscarriage medicine would only make the poison penetrate deeper. After ten full months, a stillborn child would be delivered, but the mother would be perfectly safe.

This drug was extremely sinister, and ordinary people could hardly detect it. Even those physician officials from the Hanlin Medical Academy might not be able to identify it, causing widespread panic. This wasn’t all—when the Xuanyi Lang’s manor in the capital learned of this matter, the over-fifty Xuanyi Lang knelt in the great hall the next day during court, beating his chest and demanding to file a complaint, begging the emperor to thoroughly investigate this matter—

Xuanyi Lang suspected that his beloved concubine had also been poisoned with “Child’s Sorrow” when she gave birth to a stillborn child.

Xuanyi Lang fancied himself a romantic, and after his concubine died in melancholy, he was inconsolable with grief, daily scribbling things like “Ten years of life and death, vast and boundless” on walls and in temples everywhere. Now learning there was a chance to clear his concubine’s name, he was as if he had drunk chicken blood overnight, extremely excited. He united with a group of officials who believed their family members had been poisoned with “Child’s Sorrow,” requesting the court to thoroughly investigate this matter.

After all, during the previous emperor’s reign, there had been imperial concubines who used this poison to harm imperial heirs and were discovered. Later, the palace strictly forbade this drug, and it disappeared completely. Now that the forbidden drug had reappeared, where exactly had it come from?

Since it involved the inner palace, it alarmed the Empress Dowager, who was worshipping Buddha at Wan’en Temple. The Empress Dowager returned to the palace that day and personally investigated the inner palace through the night.

This investigation actually uncovered some things.

Palace guards found unused “Child’s Sorrow” in Consort Yan’s palace.

Consort Yan was the cousin of Side Consort Meng Xiyan from the Prince’s Manor.

Consort Yan couldn’t withstand the palace interrogation and revealed that the drug came from the Imperial Medical Academy, requested by Meng Xiyan. Thus, a group of people from the Imperial Medical Academy were all implicated and punished, and both Consort Yan and Meng Xiyan were thrown into prison.

Privately possessing forbidden drugs and attempting to murder imperial heirs—either charge was punishable by death.

These chaotic news items were transmitted from the palace every few days and became the talk of the people. The man at the center of this whirlpool seemed to be ignored—remarkably few people mentioned him.

In Prince Wen’s Manor.

Prince Wen stood before the courtyard. The man who had always cared about appearances now looked somewhat disheveled and unkempt, his face no longer showing the high spirits of recent days, glaring viciously at the person before him.

“Pei Yunying, get out of this Prince’s way!”

At the courtyard entrance stood dozens of men who looked like imperial guards. The young leader held a silver sword and glanced inside, smiling and “shushing” him: “Quiet—Bao Zhu is still sleeping.”

It would have been better not to mention this, but bringing up Bao Zhu made Prince Wen Mu Sheng’s face turn green.

Two days ago, he had been drinking and feasting with others at a tavern when he suddenly learned that officials had come to the manor to take away Meng Xiyan. He hurried back to the manor and learned that the military patrol post had captured an assassin who confessed in front of everyone that Meng Xiyan had ordered him to harm Lu Tong, the clinic doctor at Renxin Medical Clinic, because Lu Tong had saved Pei Yunshu during her sudden premature labor.

This had originally been a small matter, and Mu Sheng hadn’t taken it seriously, only being furious that the patrol post people were so bold as to touch people from his Prince’s Manor. Who knew this small matter would somehow spiral out of control, implicating palace forbidden drugs, alerting the Empress Dowager, and then Consort Yan and Meng Xiyan successively imprisoned, leaving even him, a prince, somewhat overwhelmed.

Mu Sheng didn’t believe this matter was unrelated to Pei Yunshu, but Pei Yunshu’s courtyard entrance was guarded by Pei Yunying’s people, and even he, the prince, couldn’t enter. Having no choice, he could only shout Pei Yunshu’s name loudly at the courtyard entrance, but that usually weak woman had somehow found courage and ignored his shouting, refusing to see him from beginning to end.

Mu Sheng stared coldly at Pei Yunying. Pei Yunshu had only started being fearless toward him after this brother returned to the capital—this pair of siblings!

He said: “Pei Yunying, what do you want to do?”

Pei Yunying smiled slightly, reached into his robe to pull out a piece of paper, and slapped it onto Mu Sheng’s face.

Mu Sheng was furious, tore off the paper, and saw it was densely covered with writing: “What is this?”

“Mu Sheng,” Pei Yunying’s tone could even be called polite, “at this point, you can’t still think you can muddle through as if nothing happened.” He smiled: “I’ve written the divorce agreement for you—just copy it out.”

Divorce agreement?

Mu Sheng looked down at the paper before him, as if stung, and suddenly laughed coldly: “So this is what you’re after…”

On Mid-Autumn Day, Pei Yunying’s people had taken Meng Xiyan away. Mu Sheng knew the Mohela had problems but still demanded Pei Yunying return Meng Xiyan.

Meng Xiyan was beautiful and understanding. Moreover, Pei Yunying publicly taking away Meng Xiyan was slapping Prince Wen’s face. Protecting Meng Xiyan was protecting himself.

Later, when Pei Yunying returned Meng Xiyan to the manor, Mu Sheng waited several days without seeing him pursue the matter further, put his mind at ease, and even felt somewhat smug. Pei Yunying was ultimately still young and didn’t dare confront the Prince’s Manor directly.

He had thought the matter would end there, never expecting this person’s deep scheming. Previously returning Meng Xiyan was merely to make him lower his guard—the real move had been waiting here. Now not only Meng Xiyan but even Consort Yan in the palace were imprisoned. From the beginning, Pei Yunying had never intended to spare Meng Xiyan. He wanted to deal with Meng Xiyan and also make Pei Yunshu leave the Prince’s Manor.

From the very beginning, he had planned to kill two birds with one stone!

Realizing he had fallen into a trap, Mu Sheng was beside himself with fury. He laughed in his anger, staring at the person before him with a cold smile: “Dream on! Forget a divorce agreement—I won’t even give her a letter of divorce.” His tone carried malicious playfulness: “I’m going to make her waste away in my Prince’s Manor. Even in death, she’ll be a ghost of the Prince’s Manor!”

“Swoosh—”

A flash of cold light passed, and the sharp blade’s chill pressed against his throat, deadly killing intent gradually spreading from his neck.

“You, you’re crazy?” Mu Sheng froze in place, not daring to move.

Pei Yunying’s hand holding the sword was very steady. His face was smiling, but his gaze carried bone-chilling coldness: “What impressive authority the Prince has.”

“I wonder if the Prince was equally impressive last year when he embezzled and concealed the city construction and water conservancy funds?”

At these words, Mu Sheng’s expression changed, and he blurted out: “How do you know?”

“I naturally know.” Pei Yunying smiled faintly: “I’ve always been very concerned about the Prince.”

Mu Sheng’s heart began to tremble.

Apart from his own people, no one else knew about this matter. He didn’t know where Pei Yunying had gotten the information, how much he knew, how much evidence he had, that he held his fatal weakness… He was just a Palace Guard Commander—how could he achieve this level!

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell your father if you do this?” Mu Sheng still didn’t give up, trying to use Duke Zhaoning to pressure the person before him. Marriage alliances between families were never personal matters. Clan relations and family interests required consideration of many factors. Pei Yunshu’s wishes were the most insignificant element compared to the entire Pei family’s interests.

Pei Yunying looked at him as if he had heard something ridiculous, speaking with disbelief: “Prince, don’t you understand Duke Zhaoning? If he knew about these matters, he would distance himself from you even faster.”

He thought again: “Though perhaps if you instigate well, you might even see us father and son turn against each other.”

In the young man’s handsome features, coldness and rebelliousness couldn’t be concealed.

Mu Sheng was terrified in his heart—he feared nothing at all.

Pei Yunying withdrew his hand, carefully sheathing the silver sword, looking at him with a half-smile.

“Choose, Prince—divorce agreement or formal accusation.”

…

When news of Princess Consort of Prince Wen’s divorce from Prince Wen spread, everyone found it unexpected yet reasonable.

After all, having such a husband who protected the murderer who tried to kill his wife and child, ordinary people would find it very difficult to continue living together. It was just that among the capital’s wealthy noble families, there were rarely divorces—not for other reasons, but mostly because husbands were unwilling to be laughed at, letting outsiders think they couldn’t even manage their inner quarters. Therefore, most estranged couples, whether they could get along or not, were forced to waste away in withered marriages.

But Princess Consort Pei Yunshu had successfully divorced Prince Wen, and not only divorced—the Princess Consort had also taken away the newborn young miss, fearing the young miss might be secretly harmed again if she remained in the Prince’s Manor.

The Liang Dynasty’s marriage laws stipulated that when a husband intended to murder his wife, it violated ethical principles and should result in “moral severance.” Even if one party disagreed, as long as the other party filed a complaint, divorce was mandatory.

The Liang Dynasty rarely had cases of women divorcing their husbands, especially in high-ranking households. However, in the Prince Wen’s Manor affair, though it appeared to be divorce on the surface, discerning people could see it was no different from a wife divorcing her husband. For a time, mockery and ridicule of Prince Wen were endless, while mentions of the departed Princess Consort and her daughter were met with more sighs and sympathy.

Who would want to marry such an inhuman beast?

The second day after Princess Consort of Prince Wen moved out of the manor, early in the morning, Renxin Medical Clinic’s entrance welcomed a group of people beating gongs and drums.

A procession of sturdy men all dressed in blue, carrying colorful brocade fabric in their hands, made their way to West Street with constant beating and drumming. The West Street vendors had never seen such a spectacle and all followed the ceremonial procession to surround the medical clinic entrance with curiosity about the excitement.

Du Changqing was sweeping with A’Cheng when suddenly a crowd of people blocked their entrance, startling them. He shouted: “What’s this? What’s this? Are you causing trouble?”

Lu Tong came out from the inner shop carrying a bamboo tray for drying medicine, and Yin Zheng walked to the entrance, looking at the crowd outside and asking with a smile: “What’s happening? Why is everyone gathered in front of the medical clinic?”

The leading sturdy man turned to retrieve the colorful brocade fabric from behind him, presented it to Yin Zheng, and loudly declared: “Doctor Lu of Renxin Medical Clinic has a benevolent heart and excellent medical skills, saving our young miss and her mother and daughter. The clan is grateful for Doctor Lu’s great kindness and specially ordered us to deliver thank-you gifts!” He then called to the people behind him, and a group of eight-foot-tall men rolled up their sleeves and kowtowed several times to Lu Tong with loud bangs, shouting in unison: “Medical skills trustworthy, medical virtue respectable! Hanging the pot to heal the world, miraculous hands like divine paintings!”

The sound waves were deafening, the momentum overwhelming.

Lu Tong: “…”

She rarely had excessive reactions to external events, but at this moment, facing the crowd gathered at the medical clinic entrance on West Street, Lu Tong felt a long-absent sense of… embarrassment.

Perhaps even a trace of shame.

The leading strong man was completely oblivious, only earnestly staring at the fabric in Yin Zheng’s hands: “Please look, Doctor Lu!”

Lu Tong looked.

That piece of colorful brocade fabric was about as tall as a person, woven very exquisitely like a thick carpet, with colorful bells hanging below and auspicious pattern silk ribbons on both sides, while the very center had two lines of golden characters embroidered with gold thread in flowing script.

“A benevolent doctor with compassion cures diseases, divine arts silently eliminate ailments—”

In that instant, even the flamboyant Du Changqing couldn’t help but choke.

All around was dead silence.

Only the young assistant A’Cheng joyfully took the woven carpet from Yin Zheng’s hands, admiring the golden characters with amazement before happily asking: “This is for our Doctor Lu? Can we hang it on the main entrance wall of the medical clinic?”

“Of course.” The strong man leader answered earnestly: “Doctor Lu’s miraculous hands and benevolent heart deserve praise.”

Du Changqing couldn’t help but cover his face with his hand: “Too embarrassing…”

The Widow Sun watching the excitement at the entrance poked the man’s sturdy arm and asked curiously: “Young man, who is your family’s young miss? Looking at this group of people, such impressive momentum didn’t seem like what ordinary families could produce.”

The blue-clothed man cupped his fists: “Our master is the eldest daughter of Duke Zhaoning’s manor,” he paused and added, “the former Princess Consort of Prince Wen.”

When Duke Zhaoning’s eldest daughter was mentioned, people were confused for a moment, but when Princess Consort of Prince Wen was mentioned, the onlookers immediately understood.

Oh, so it was that unfortunate Princess Consort from the other day!

Tailor Ge across the street stopped cracking sunflower seeds and couldn’t help adding: “So the female doctor who saved Princess Consort and her daughter is Doctor Lu?”

“Exactly!”

At these words, the crowd erupted again.

Everyone in the capital now knew about the Prince Wen’s Manor affair. As for the mysterious female doctor in this strange tale, she had never been mentioned. First, Du Changqing and Lu Tong weren’t boastful people and hadn’t deliberately brought up this matter. Second, in the Prince Wen’s Manor affair—estranged spouses, favored concubines destroying wives, protecting criminals, palace forbidden drugs… each and every one of these was more shocking than a small female doctor.

She was like an insignificant weed, overlooked in the blink of an eye. Only now when someone mentioned it did the West Street people realize that the female doctor—the one who saved Pei Yunshu and her daughter and was later targeted for assassination by the vicious side consort—was actually an indispensable key figure in this story.

The way West Street people looked at Lu Tong immediately changed.

That was the person who saved Princess Consort of Prince Wen!

This entire West Street was full of small businesses. Previously, having a wealthy merchant was remarkable—someone with Master Hu’s status would be treated as an honored guest on West Street. Having an official appear was extremely rare. Renxin Medical Clinic was doing well—first saving the son of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Minister and establishing connections with him, now saving Princess Consort and her daughter. Though the Princess Consort had divorced, she was still Duke Zhaoning’s daughter!

What luck had Renxin Medical Clinic struck? Where had the playboy Du Changqing found such a treasure? If Doctor Lu’s reputation spread and those nobles all came for treatment, perhaps their entire West Street would prosper!

If not now, when would they curry favor?

Thinking this, the crowd suddenly surged toward the clinic, saying “congratulations” and “celebrations,” nearly pushing Du Changqing out the main door.

Yin Zheng smiled and greeted everyone, while A’Cheng had already taken the huge woven carpet and climbed on a chair, comparing left and right to see where to hang it most prominently. The small clinic was suddenly lively and crowded, with Du Changqing’s angry scolding echoing throughout West Street.

Lu Tong stood in the inner shop, watching the noisy yet comical scene before her. Watching and watching, somehow, a trace of smile gradually appeared in her eyes.

Pei Yunying sending such a grand colorful weaving was ostensibly to express gratitude, but actually to boost her reputation. After today, all of West Street, or even half the capital, might know she had saved Pei Yunshu and her daughter.

This was also a warning to Prince Wen’s Manor.

Now everyone knew Meng Xiyan had hired assassins to deal with her. If she remained safe, that was fine, but if anything happened to her in the future, everyone would naturally suspect Prince Wen’s Manor. At least in the short term, Mu Sheng wouldn’t move against her. Even if Mu Sheng had no shame, Prince Wen’s Manor couldn’t withstand successive questions about their reputation.

She was temporarily safe.

This was good—she had more energy and time to do her own things.

Such as… dealing with the Grand Tutor Manor.

Lu Tong looked up. A’Cheng had hung the carpet properly on the wall facing the main door. The carpet was thick and huge, with golden characters glittering. Once hung, the entire clinic showed a kind of crude grandeur, with an incongruous sense of wealth.

Du Changqing’s roar came from behind: “So ugly! Take it down! Take it down immediately!”

A’Cheng retorted: “Boss, I think it’s very good. Don’t be too picky.”

The gongs and drums outside started up again, as if determined not to stop until the entire West Street heard.

Amid the chaos of chickens flying and dogs jumping, Lu Tong lowered her head and smiled slightly.

Pei Yunying’s thank-you gift was a bit flamboyant, but it was given with great sincerity.

At least for now, he had solved her urgent problems.