The snow in the capital kept falling until the twelfth month arrived.

The red plum blossoms in the small courtyard were mostly in bloom, and the elegant bookstore on West Street had begun selling New Year’s peach wood charms in large quantities.

Renxin Medical Clinic displayed their new facial cream “Jade Dragon Balm,” made by blending aromatics with medicinal oils into a paste that could prevent skin from cracking in the cold. Because it wasn’t expensive, common people often bought it along with pastries and Guanyin statues as holiday gifts. After the introduction of “Jade Dragon Balm,” Renxin Medical Clinic’s income gradually maintained a stable balance.

Early in the morning, Du Changqing had gone out with Yin Zheng and A-Cheng to distribute porridge.

Distributing porridge was a tradition left by Du Changqing’s father, Old Master Du. Every winter solstice, everyone from Renxin Medical Clinic would go to the temple entrance on West Street, set up a stall to cook “Seven Treasures Five Flavors Porridge,” and give it to the poor.

Since the clinic would be empty and Du Changqing knew Lu Tong was busy preparing for the spring examination, he didn’t ask her to go along, leaving her to mind the clinic.

In the inner shop, Miao Liangfang sat in a reclining chair with a thin blanket over his legs, watching through half-closed eyes as Lu Tong wrote in her examination books nearby.

Ever since that morning when he came to see Lu Tong, they had reached a subtle understanding. Miao Liangfang tacitly agreed to teach Lu Tong medical principles to help her pass the spring examination, and Lu Tong tacitly agreed that if she truly passed, she would fulfill Miao Liangfang’s request.

He would come every morning and teach Lu Tong until late at night before leaving. Although Du Changqing grumbled, he still provided three meals a day, which was better than starving. Thinking that as a former Hanlin Medical Academy official, teaching a doctor wouldn’t be too difficult, especially since this female physician from Renxin Medical Clinic had a good reputation and was intelligent, the task didn’t seem too challenging.

But Miao Liangfang quickly discovered he was wrong—

“Little Lu, how can you use saltpeter water for scabies?” Miao Liangfang glanced at Lu Tong’s examination book and couldn’t help but hold his head.

“Why not?”

“Saltpeter water is highly toxic, applying it will worsen suppuration.”

“That’s only for open wounds and bleeding. Without wounds or blood, using brine is harmless.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve used it.”

“You’ve used…” Miao Liangfang’s words got stuck in his throat as he stared at Lu Tong. “You’ve used it?”

Lu Tong nodded.

Miao Liangfang felt like he was punching cotton, leaving him feeling frustrated and powerless.

She’d used it?

He didn’t believe it for a second!

Having taught Lu Tong for over half a month now, from initial subtle expectations to current exasperation, Miao Liangfang was shocked by Lu Tong’s “medical skills” every single day.

Because Lu Tong needed to prepare for the spring examination, and he knew nothing about her past, on his first day of teaching, he wrote test papers covering all nine disciplines to assess Lu Tong’s foundation.

However, the assessment revealed something startling about Doctor Lu that truly alarmed Miao Liangfang.

Lu Tong’s writing on pharmacology and medical classics, though not thorough, was passable. However, her prescriptions for symptoms were truly outlandish and unorthodox.

Common prescriptions were fine, but for any slightly challenging conditions, while Lu Tong’s diagnosis was fairly accurate, her prescriptions always included one or two toxic ingredients.

At first, Miao Liangfang thought this was just Lu Tong’s habit of writing prescriptions, but as she wrote more, some prescriptions he had never heard of gradually made him realize something was amiss.

This Doctor Lu, rather than understanding medical principles, seemed to better understand various poisons.

She specialized in treating illness with poison!

Miao Liangfang had tried to probe indirectly, attempting to find out if Doctor Lu had any special proclivities or personality issues, so he said to her: “Urgent prescriptions with toxic ingredients can reduce the force of illness through upward and downward purging. There are gentle prescriptions without toxins, where the absence of poison means slower effects… Why don’t you try a different prescription?”

Lu Tong frowned: “I don’t know how.”

The answer was quick and decisive.

After several attempts at probing, Miao Liangfang gradually came to understand that Doctor Lu truly didn’t understand medical principles, nor had she received proper medical training. It seemed she had learned medicine entirely through self-exploration, and her foundation was in poisons.

Her familiarity with poisons and the ease with which she handled them alarmed Miao Liangfang.

Even more alarming were the prescriptions Lu Tong wrote.

Miao Liangfang prided himself on mastering hundreds of good prescriptions, but Lu Tong’s prescriptions were completely unheard of. His curiosity piqued, he couldn’t help but secretly try a few of the milder prescriptions on himself, only to discover they had remarkable effects.

Those prescriptions worked!

Yet when he questioned Lu Tong about them, she would simply say “I’ve tried it” and dismiss him.

As if she’d tried them!

Miao Liangfang didn’t believe it for a second. Those prescriptions contained highly toxic ingredients and were treated in all sorts of bizarre conditions. If Lu Tong had truly tried them all herself, how could she still be alive? Even test subjects weren’t treated so cruelly.

Convinced that Lu Tong had a mysterious background and must have inherited ancient prescription books from her ancestors, but getting nowhere after several inquiries, Miao Liangfang gave up. After all, his goal was to get Lu Tong into the Hanlin Medical Academy, but now it seemed—

Miao Liangfang sighed: “Miss, at this rate, it’s impossible for you to enter the Hanlin Medical Academy.”

He suggested tactfully: “The spring examination covers nine disciplines, each with its format. Your prescriptions might cure symptoms, but answering like this on the examination will fail.”

“In our Hanlin Medical Academy, as medical officials, we don’t fear prescriptions that fail to cure people, we fear prescriptions that kill people. When you start by adding several toxic ingredients, the examiner will throw out your paper as soon as they see it. What hope is there then?”

Reasonably speaking, Lu Tong was intelligent and grasped many medical principles quickly, almost able to memorize things at a glance. Miao Liangfang dared say that even those noble children in the Imperial Medical Bureau who had been taught the nine disciplines by tutors for years might not be as gifted as Lu Tong.

But it’s not slow students who are scary, it’s students who are too opinionated. Lu Tong ultimately understood poisons better than medicine, and when she answered with her ideas, Miao Liangfang felt faint just looking at it.

“Those old fogies in the Medical Academy are all cowards, being overly cautious even when writing beauty prescriptions. You’re so wild, using medicines so aggressively, even veterinarians aren’t this bold!”

A voice suddenly spoke from behind.

“Who’s becoming a veterinarian?”

Lu Tong’s hand paused mid-writing as she looked up toward the door.

The clinic’s main door was wide open, and a young man walked in from outside, wearing an embroidered cape with gold thread trim over his official clothes, appearing even more dazzling and eye-catching in the snow and ice.

Lu Tong put down her brush and said coolly: “What brings the Commander here?”

Since that night when he had come uninvited and she had helped him avoid Shen Fengying’s search, Lu Tong hadn’t seen this person for many days, not knowing if he was dead or what.

This was good. Frankly speaking, Lu Tong didn’t want to have too many entanglements with him. She hadn’t forgotten that after Pei Yunying was injured, the capital had been under martial law for half a month, supposedly because someone had attempted to assassinate someone in the palace. An imperial guard suddenly became an assassin—one could imagine the danger involved.

She just wanted to mind her own business; what Pei Yunying did was none of her concern. It would be best if, like that heavy snow at the temple in Sunan, by the next day bridges were bridges roads were roads, and nobody knew anybody anymore.

As if not noticing Lu Tong’s coldness, Pei Yunying walked into the inner shop and said: “I’m here to get Baozhu’s medicine.”

Baozhu’s medicine would be collected by Pei Yunyu’s people every so often, and Lu Tong would occasionally visit in person. Baozhu’s remaining poison was now very minimal; with luck, after another half year of treatment, she could be fully recovered.

As Baozhu’s uncle, it wasn’t strange for Pei Yunying to come to collect the medicine. Lu Tong stood up and went behind the medicine cabinet to get the pre-packaged medicine.

Miao Liangfang sat with his head down in the corner, looking like a patient waiting for consultation. Pei Yunying glanced back casually, and his gaze suddenly froze.

“I’ll… I’ll go to the back courtyard to get some herbs!” Miao Liangfang jumped up and hurriedly turned to flee behind the felt curtain, leaning on his cane.

However, he had only taken two steps when he was called to stop by the person behind him.

“Why run, Medical Official Miao?”

Lu Tong raised her head in surprise.

Miao Liangfang froze in place, not daring to move for a long while.

The wind rose in the long street, slipping through the clinic’s main door into the room, making the papers on the table flutter noisily. Lu Tong’s gaze moved between the two of them as she slowly furrowed her brow.

In the suffocating silence, Miao Liangfang slowly turned around, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying at Pei Yunying.

“Young… Young Master Pei.”

Pei Yunying looked at him quietly: “It’s been a long time indeed.”

“Master Pei knows Mister Miao?” Lu Tong put down the prepared medicine and asked.

Pei Yunying casually placed down the medicine payment and sat down at the small table in the inner shop.

“Medical Official Miao, once highly sought after in the Hanlin Medical Academy,” his smile was very faint, “how did you end up here?”

Lu Tong’s gaze fell on Miao Liangfang, who stood awkwardly with an uncomfortable expression. Lu Tong then said: “Mister Miao is the teacher I invited to instruct me in medical principles.”

“Teacher?” Pei Yunying glanced at him, “Back then when Medical Official Miao left the Medical Academy, his whereabouts were unknown for many years. I didn’t expect to chance upon him here today.”

Lu Tong’s gaze flickered slightly.

Pei Yunying’s attitude toward Miao Liangfang could hardly be called friendly, though it wasn’t clear if they had had past grievances. What had happened in the Hanlin Medical Academy back then, and why Miao Liangfang had been crippled and expelled from the Medical Academy, nobody knew. Du Changqing had tried to inquire from Miao Liangfang, but he was unwilling to elaborate, only saying he would reveal everything after Lu Tong passed the Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination.

Lu Tong knew nothing about Miao Liangfang’s past, but in the subtle atmosphere between Pei Yunying and Miao Liangfang, she glimpsed some clues.

Miao Liangfang stood by the felt curtain, hands clasped, somewhat nervously raising his eyes, “Yes, yes, indeed what a coincidence.”

Lu Tong pondered silently. Miao Liangfang had left the Hanlin Medical Academy over ten years ago when Pei Yunying had been just a green youth of about ten years old—what grudge could exist between these two?

“Medical Official Miao has changed quite a bit over these years.” Pei Yunying smiled as he looked him over, his gaze lingering for a moment on his crippled right leg.

Miao Liangfang’s expression grew even more rigid.

Since Miao Liangfang had started teaching Lu Tong at Renxin Medical Clinic, compared to his previous slovenly, drunk self who was worse than a beggar, he was like a different person. At least his formerly straw-like messy hair was now neatly combed, and his clothes had been changed to clean cotton garments—Du Changqing was worried about the clinic’s image.

Lu Tong had never seen Miao Liangfang’s previous appearance, but hearing Pei Yunying’s reminder, she could guess how spirited and promising the original Miao Liangfang must have been.

Seeing Miao Liangfang’s hands at his sides gripping tighter and tighter, she spoke up: “The newly delivered white wormwood in the kitchen hasn’t been sorted yet, Mister Miao, could you go in and help me organize it?”

Hearing this, Miao Liangfang shot Lu Tong a grateful glance, quickly replied “Yes,” and escaped behind the felt curtain.

Pei Yunying looked at Lu Tong, and Lu Tong calmly returned his gaze.

After a while, he smiled: “To have the once-illustrious Medical Official Miao personally teaching you, Doctor Lu certainly has extensive connections.”

“After all, we of humble status can only rely on ourselves. Without a medical official’s instruction, how could we compare with those noble children in the Imperial Medical Bureau?”

Lu Tong placed Baozhu’s pre-packaged medicine on the small table and sat down opposite Pei Yunying.

He looked at the medicine on the table and asked: “You’re going to take the Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination?”

“Didn’t the Commander already know?”

This matter had caused quite a stir, and with Pei Yunying’s widespread network of informants, Lu Tong didn’t believe he was just finding out now.

“Hearing rumors is one thing, hearing it directly is another.” He leaned back in his chair lazily and said: “I thought Doctor Lu would hold onto the Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments as a powerful supporter.”

“Why?”

“The Dong family’s young master has always been obedient, yet he quarreled with his mother over you. Taking the spring examination at this time is like slapping the Minister’s face. If you fail, that’s fine, but once you pass, you’ve made an enemy.” He glanced at the medical texts piled around the inner shop and the examination books Miao Liangfang had compiled for Lu Tong, his eyebrows twitching slightly, “Don’t tell me Doctor Lu is serious about this?”

Lu Tong: “As you can see.”

“Is Doctor Lu not afraid of offending the Minister?”

“No.”

His expression grew more serious as he stared steadily at Lu Tong, finally speaking thoughtfully after a long while.

“Not afraid of officials, not afraid of assassins, not afraid of killing, not afraid of burying bodies…”

“Doctor Lu,” he asked, “is there nothing and no one in this world that you fear?”

Lu Tong’s heart trembled slightly.

The young man’s eyes were clear and bright, but their depths were unfathomable. At first glance, his gaze seemed concerned, but looking carefully, there was an elusive sharp edge.

Always waiting to dissect someone completely inside and out.

She lowered her eyes and suddenly smiled.

“Originally there was. However…”

“However what?”

“However,” Lu Tong raised her head, “those things have already happened, so there’s nothing left to fear anymore.”

Pei Yunying was slightly stunned.

The woman’s voice was as gentle and cool as ever, but beneath the calmness, certain deeply rooted hatred and world-weariness still leaked through the cracks, like glimpsing the tip of an iceberg.

No one spoke, and the inner shop was very quiet. One could faintly hear the sound of northern wind brushing past the treetops outside, and accumulated snow falling with soft rustles.

After who knows how long, Pei Yunying nodded, reached for the medicine package on the small table, and stood up.

He looked down at the seated Lu Tong, his lips curving upward: “Then I wish Doctor Lu good luck.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll take the medicine then.” The young man’s voice became light and cheerful again. After glancing at the felt curtain leading to the back courtyard, he walked out with the medicine package, “Keep the change from the consultation fee as tea money.”

His figure gradually receded.

Lu Tong remained seated without moving, just watching as he disappeared at the end of the clinic. Miao Liangfang came out from the courtyard at some point, craning his neck to look outside, and only after confirming the other person had truly left did he pat his chest in mixed confusion and lingering fear: “Finally gone… Um, Little Lu, are you very familiar with Young Master Pei?”

Lu Tong was silent for a moment, then turned to face him.

“Mister Miao.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you afraid of Pei Yunying?”