After Pei Yunying came to get medicine that day, Lu Tong didn’t see him again for many days.

After the start of winter, the capital grew colder by the day. Seeing the weather, Yin Zheng worried it might snow and asked Tailor Ge across the street to set aside some thick fur to make Lu Tong a cloak.

One day, as Lu Tong sat at the counter reading medical texts, someone entered and stopped at the counter, calling softly, “Doctor Lu.”

Lu Tong looked up, and upon recognizing the visitor, stood up. “Young Master Dong.”

The visitor was Dong Lin from the household of the Director of the Imperial Treasury.

After the imperial examination incident, Dong Lin rarely came to the medical shop. Firstly, his lung condition had improved significantly, requiring less frequent medication. Secondly, the events at the examination grounds months ago had frightened Lady Dong, who already treasured her son like a jewel. After that incident, she kept an even closer watch on him, surrounding him with guards whenever he went out, making it inconvenient to visit West Street.

Today, Dong Lin wore a new honey-colored silk robe. Since his lung condition had improved, his complexion had become much healthier, and he was no longer as plump as before, looking much more spirited than when they first met at Wan’en Temple. Seeing Lu Tong stand, Dong Lin hurriedly said, “Doctor Lu, pardon the intrusion… I… I came today to get medicine.”

He had always been somewhat tongue-tied around Lu Tong. Du Changqing gave him a meaningful look before tactfully pulling A’cheng to the back room.

Lu Tong invited Dong Lin to sit and reached out to check his pulse.

She sat close to him. Already naturally delicate, in winter she wore a dark blue fitted jacket and skirt with rabbit fur trim around the collar, making her face appear even smaller, her bright eyes captivating.

Dong Lin’s heart pounded, and where her fingers touched his wrist felt burning hot. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to look further.

Lu Tong withdrew her hand. “Young Master Dong’s pulse is normal. If there are no more symptoms, you won’t need to continue taking medicine. I’ll prescribe some nourishing tonics that you can drink occasionally. Just pay attention to your diet in daily life.”

“Thank you, Doctor Lu.” Dong Lin expressed his gratitude. “It’s too kind of you to care about my condition while managing the medical shop…”

Dong Lin came to the medical shop after receiving the news.

His servant had told him that a maid from Renxin Medical Shop had visited the Dong mansion, saying that since Dong Lin hadn’t come for a check-up in some time if he had a chance, would he please visit so Doctor Lu could examine his condition?

At the time, Dong Lin had felt a secret joy.

This Doctor Lu was naturally aloof, and even when she visited the Director of the Imperial Treasury’s mansion several times, she showed no intention of currying favor she was more distant than most. It was precisely because of this that the more distant Lu Tong was, the more Dong Lin’s admiration grew.

What’s unattainable is often most desired.

However, the situation perhaps wasn’t as hopeless as he’d thought.

Doctor Lu was busy with the medical shop every day, yet still thought about his health – didn’t this mean… she had him in her thoughts?

Dong Lin set aside his flights of fancy and spoke seriously: “My condition improving so much is entirely thanks to Doctor Lu. I don’t know how to thank you properly. If Doctor Lu needs anything in the future, please just tell me. If I can help, I’ll spare no effort.”

This was meant as a mere courtesy, but upon hearing his words, Lu Tong’s gaze flickered, her brows gradually furrowing as if deeply troubled.

Dong Lin started, tentatively asking, “Doctor Lu… have you encountered some difficulty?”

“Not exactly a difficulty.” The beauty sighed slightly, the touch of melancholy in her expression like fine silk, effortlessly ensnaring him. She said, “There’s something I want to do, but I can’t find anyone to help.” She glanced at Dong Lin, then lowered her eyes silently. “Never mind.”

That “never mind” left Dong Lin’s heart suspended. Suppressing the urge to smooth the wrinkle between her brows, he asked eagerly, “If Doctor Lu trusts me, please speak freely. I won’t tell anyone else.”

Lu Tong showed hesitation.

Dong Lin’s expression was earnest.

After a long while, Lu Tong sighed and looked at him, saying softly, “Does Young Master Dong know about the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination?”

“Spring examination?” Dong Lin was startled.

As the son of the Director of the Imperial Treasury, he naturally knew about the spring examination.

The Imperial Medical Bureau was an academy for training medical officials.

After students at the Imperial Medical Bureau completed their studies in the nine disciplines – major prescriptions, minor prescriptions, wind ailments, ophthalmology, external medicine, oral and throat medicine, acupuncture, and the restricted arts of treating metal implements wounds – they could take the triennial spring examination to enter the Hanlin Medical Academy.

Dong Lin looked at Lu Tong uncertainly: “Doctor Lu, you mean…”

“I want to participate in this year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination.” Lu Tong gazed at him.

Dong Lin was dumbfounded.

As the name suggested, the Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination was for students of the Bureau. Those who studied there generally had good connections – if not from noble families, at least from minor official backgrounds.

True, for the sake of fairness, every year the medical community would nominate some civilian doctors who weren’t Bureau students to take the spring examination. These doctors were usually older practitioners with extensive experience whose medical skills were widely trusted in the capital. The Hanlin Medical Academy would make exceptions to allow these doctors to take the examination and possibly enter the Academy.

But… Lu Tong wants to take the examination?

Dong Lin asked in confusion: “Does Doctor Lu want to enter the Hanlin Medical Academy?”

Lu Tong nodded.

Dong Lin was even more puzzled. While the Hanlin Medical Academy did have female medical officials, Lu Tong was doing well at Renxin Medical Shop. Even if she entered the Academy, though it might seem more prestigious, she would have less freedom than working independently. Moreover, the medical officials there, mostly Bureau graduates, looked down on “amateur doctors” from outside. Outsiders who entered faced who knew what kind of bullying.

Furthermore…

Dong Lin looked at Lu Tong, not believing she could pass the Bureau’s examination.

Although she had saved him and recently saved the Prince Consort’s wife and daughter, and her “Spring Water” and “Slender” medicines were selling well in the capital, the Bureau’s instructors were all current Hanlin medical officials. Lu Tong hadn’t even properly studied the medical disciplines – how could she pass the nine-subject examination? In recent years, very few of the elderly civilian doctors nominated by the medical community have passed.

“Why does Doctor Lu want this?” Dong Lin advised kindly. “Being a medical official only means a bit more money than here, with many more palace rules to follow. If Doctor Lu needs money, I can…”

“Young Master Dong,” Lu Tong interrupted him, smiling at him. “When I came to the capital, it was to fulfill my master’s dying wish to enter the Hanlin Medical Academy…”

Dong Lin was dazzled by her smile, his heart burning hot. Hearing her speak of her “master’s dying wish,” he felt both admiration and pity. His words of discouragement died in his throat, and he could only carefully ask, “How can I help with this matter?”

“I thought, since your father is the Director of the Imperial Treasury, he must have good relations with the medical community. If he could mention adding me to this year’s examination nominees…”

Hearing this, Dong Lin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He had thought Lu Tong wanted his help to influence the final results of the spring examination. After the recent imperial examination scandal, all official examinations in the Liang dynasty had become stricter than in previous years, and no one dared to take risks at this time. If Lu Tong had made such a request, he would have found it difficult to agree. But she only wanted a position to take the examination.

“That’s no difficulty at all,” Dong Lin smiled. “The medical community can’t even fill their yearly quota of nominated doctors. It’s a small matter – leave it to me, Doctor Lu.”

Lu Tong’s expression relaxed slightly, and she gratefully said, “Thank you for your help, Young Master Dong.”

Having played the hero for his admired beauty, Dong Lin felt elated, his voice becoming more spirited. He chatted with Lu Tong for a while longer, only taking his leave when patients began arriving at the shop, departing reluctantly.

Du Changqing, eating melon seeds behind the felt curtain, watched Dong Lin’s retreating figure and spat a shell into his cloth pouch, muttering, “Who knows what they talked about for so long? His face was beaming like that – some Director’s son he is, looking so cheap.”

Yin Zheng came in carrying a basket of white thorns and, seeing this, gave Du Changqing a curious look. “Manager Du, you’re being strange.”

“How so?”

“You’re so protective when Commander Pei shows interest in Miss, but I don’t see you stopping Young Master Dong?”

Du Changqing would disparage Pei Yunying to Lu Tong every few days, as if afraid she might be swept away by him at any moment. Yet when Dong Lin’s eyes were practically glued to Lu Tong, Du Changqing hadn’t said a single extra word.

“How can those be the same?” Du Changqing rolled his eyes. “Look how Pei Yunying looks, and look how Dong Lin looks. Young ladies all love handsome men. Lu Tong might be captivated by Pei’s face, but Dong? She won’t be interested in him, so why should I worry?”

Yin Zheng thought for a moment: “You’re worried about Miss being captivated by Commander Pei… Manager Du, could it be you have feelings for our Miss and you’re jealous?”

“Cough cough cough—”

Du Changqing nearly choked on a melon seed shell. After finally spitting it out, he angrily said, “How could that be possible?”

“Then why do you look so displeased whenever Commander Pei is mentioned?”

“Should I just wait for him to sweet-talk Doctor Lu into his Pei family gates?” Du Changqing said irritably. “Once a woman marries, she loses her freedom. Especially into an official family like theirs.”

“If Doctor Lu went with Pei, would he let her keep running my medical shop? My shop is finally doing well, in a few years we could buy a place in the South City. Pei trying to seduce Doctor Lu is like stealing my money. Cutting off someone’s finances is like killing their parents – when I see my mortal enemy, how can I look pleased?”

Yin Zheng hadn’t expected Du Changqing’s reasoning to be so unique. After a moment of speechlessness, she said, “I see, I underestimated Manager Du.”

Du Changqing stuffed the melon seeds into his pouch: “I’ve told you to stop thinking about romance and think bigger.”

He lifted the felt curtain with a sigh: “We can’t let our golden phoenix Doctor Lu be carried off by some nonsense. She should stay in our humble chicken coop and gild it properly!”

Yin Zheng: “…”

As he went outside, his figure proud and unrestrained, Yin Zheng pursed her lips, looking at him with some sympathy, and whispered, “That might not be how it goes.”

…

While Du Changqing was thinking about keeping Lu Tong as his medical shop’s golden phoenix and treasure, Young Master Dong, having received Lu Tong’s request, went to the medical community that same afternoon.

The Medical Official was lying on his couch drafting the list of civilian doctors to be nominated for this year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination. Seeing the Director of the Imperial Treasury’s young master suddenly arrive, he immediately threw down his hand warmer and rushed out barefoot to welcome him.

Dong Lin was escorted through the gates by a group of people. Once the doors were closed and he explained his purpose, the official in charge immediately patted his chest: “For such a small matter, why did Young Master Dong come personally? Sending someone with a message would have sufficed.” He peered at the list of names from various medical shops and asked uncertainly, “The person Young Master Dong mentioned is… is…”

“Doctor Lu Tong of Renxin Medical Shop.”

Hearing this, the official’s eyes lit up with sudden understanding, and his gaze toward Dong Lin changed: “Ah, that Doctor Lu!”

Renxin Medical Shop has gained some fame in the capital’s medical community over the past half year, though not because of some unknown female doctor from elsewhere creating two new medicines. Rather, it was because when Lou Si from the Prepared Medicines Bureau had taken money to cause trouble for Renxin Medical Shop, he had been thoroughly embarrassed by the Dong family’s guards who came to support them. This incident quickly spread through the medical community.

The tiny Renxin Medical Shop had the Director of the Imperial Treasury’s backing.

The medical community had been skeptical of these rumors, but today the Dong family’s young master personally came to request a favor for Doctor Lu – it seemed the rumors were true after all.

The Medical Official mentally added another note about that small shop on West Street, while verbally agreeing: “Rest assured, Young Master Dong. The medical community can never fill its yearly quota for spring examination nominees. You’ve helped solve our urgent problem. We’ll add her to the list right away, and definitely won’t delay Doctor Lu’s spring examination this year.”

Dong Lin smiled and expressed his thanks, listened to some flattering words from the official, and then left.

After he left, the official’s medicine apprentice asked, “Sir, who is this Doctor Lu really, to have Young Master Dong personally requesting favors for her?”

Even though she had treated Dong Lin, she was still just a common citizen – the Director of the Imperial Treasury’s son shouldn’t need to go to such lengths for her. Dong Lin’s actions clearly showed how much he cared about this matter.

The official snorted: “Who knows?”

He put his hands in his sleeves. “I’ll find an opportunity to mention this to Lady Dong.”

“Eh? Why tell Lady Dong?”

The official rapped the apprentice’s head and walked away, shaking his head.

“Foolish boy, we don’t help for nothing.”

Outside, the servant helped Dong Lin into his carriage. The bitter wind was cold, making hands and feet like ice. Dong Lin sneezed, and the servant quickly handed him a hand warmer.

As the carriage turned a corner and gradually left the main street, the servant couldn’t help asking, “Young Master, do you want to help Doctor Lu enter the palace?”

When had their young master ever suffered such trouble to personally request favors for a spring examination candidate?

Dong Lin smiled as he held the hand warmer, its slight heat reminding him of the small patch of skin where Lu Tong’s fingers had taken his pulse, which had burned just as hot.

He replied distractedly, “I’m just letting her take the examination. It’s not certain she’ll pass and enter the palace.”

In recent years, besides the Imperial Medical Bureau students, how many of the old doctors nominated by the medical community have passed? True, those old doctors weren’t mediocre in their skills, but examinations and practicing medicine were sometimes two different things, especially for someone as young as Lu Tong.

Dong Lin knew clearly that even if Lu Tong took the examination, the final result would likely be disappointing.

But such an action could win him the beauty’s favor.

More than his mother’s opposition, he had always been more concerned about Lu Tong’s distance from him. But today was different – she had actively shown concern for his health, and he had helped fulfill her wish. Dong Lin believed he could see Lu Tong’s attitude softening toward him. Perhaps Doctor Lu wasn’t entirely indifferent to him after all.

The servant asked, “What if Doctor Lu doesn’t pass the examination?”

“That would be even better.”

The servant was startled.

The carriage wheels rolled over loose stones, making it bump slightly. Dong Lin lowered his head to grip the hand warmer that had nearly rolled away, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

“Then I’ll go directly to propose marriage and bring her into our Dong family gates.”

Du Changqing: You’re dreaming!