The Lantern Festival was on the fifteenth, and the lanterns were taken down by the eighteenth. After the festival, Lu Tong hung the toad lantern she got from the festival under the eaves of the courtyard. At night, the giant emerald toad emitted an eerie green glow in the darkness, appearing quite frightening.

Because Miao Liangfang had to guide Lu Tong for the spring medical examination, he stayed very late at the clinic every night. When he went to the latrine at night, he was startled and took a nasty fall. Originally only one leg was lame, but now both legs were in poor condition.

He had repeatedly hinted to Du Changqing, both directly and indirectly, that Lu Tong’s toad lantern was ugly and sincerely suggested changing it to a better one, but Du Changqing flatly refused.

“Change what? Haven’t you heard what others say? The toad represents success in the imperial examinations! This lantern must stay up until the spring exam results are posted.”

“I’m warning you,” Du Changqing threatened him, “if you secretly take down the lantern and cause Doctor Lu to fail the spring exam, you’ll be the clinic’s sinner and West Street’s shame!”

Miao Liangfang: “…”

He flicked his sleeve: “Nonsense!”

Speaking of nonsense, it wasn’t entirely so. Everyone at Renxin Clinic was indeed quite anxious and concerned about Lu Tong’s upcoming spring examination.

Yin Zheng went to Dai Sanlang’s place daily to select fresh pork for making soup to nourish Lu Tong. Du Changqing took A-Cheng to Wan’en Temple to get a blessed charm from Manjusri Bodhisattva. When Lu Tong was seeing patients during clinic hours, Miao Liangfang would sit nearby, simultaneously observing Lu Tong’s diagnoses and prescriptions while offering guidance—sometimes the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination also tested on-the-spot diagnosis.

Even Scholar Wu, upon learning of this matter, had Merchant Hu send a message to Lu Tong. He didn’t say much, just told Lu Tong not to be nervous and to stay relaxed.

Lu Tong herself wasn’t nervous; it was the others at the clinic who were anxious.

This anxiety reached its peak on the night before the spring examination.

All the necessary medical boxes and golden needles had been prepared. Du Changqing, fearing he might disturb Lu Tong before the next day’s examination, closed the clinic doors early and went home with A-Cheng. Miao Liangfang, however, remained in the clinic courtyard, helping Lu Tong review the final points to remember.

“The spring examination has nine subjects and lasts three days, not much different from the autumn imperial examinations. Those with weaker constitutions find even a day or two unbearable. In the past, some civilian doctors recommended by the medical community went to take the spring exam, but because they were too old, they didn’t make it through the examination. When I took the spring exam, after three days, my face had become noticeably thinner—it’s truly exhausting.

“Among these nine subjects, only acupuncture requires face-to-face diagnosis. For questions answered on examination papers, studying medical classics helps with reasoning. But the Imperial Medical Bureau has ‘Wang Golden Needle,’ who’s best at teaching acupuncture to students. Every year in the spring examination, Imperial Medical Bureau students score highest in acupuncture, while civilian doctors’ needling techniques have never matched those of the Imperial Medical Academy.

“Little Lu, your needling technique is unique, different from the Imperial Medical Bureau’s style. Though I’ve taught you some, it still depends on specific diagnoses. The final results are hard to predict.”

“Also…”

He rambled on endlessly. Under the toad lantern’s greenish glow that fell on his face, his complexion appeared somewhat pale, with every wrinkle at the corners of his eyes filled with anxiety.

“Master Miao,” Lu Tong interrupted him, “are you very nervous?”

Yin Zheng had gone to the kitchen to boil water, and when the chattering stopped, the night courtyard became extraordinarily quiet.

Miao Liangfang turned his face, and after a while, forced out a smile: “How ridiculous, it’s not me taking the exam, what would I be nervous about?”

“What you just said, you’ve already mentioned once before.”

Miao Liangfang froze, falling silent.

“Master Miao, what are you worried about? You might as well tell me,” Lu Tong put the velvet cloth wrapped with golden needles into the medical box and said, “So I can prepare in advance.”

Since early this morning, Miao Liangfang had been acting particularly unusual.

Usually, except when guiding Lu Tong on medical classics and pharmacology, he was mostly laid-back. In his own words, he had achieved “tranquility after experiencing life’s ups and downs,” and was happy as long as he had wine to drink.

But from early this morning, Miao Liangfang had been jumping around and fidgeting so much that even Yin Zheng suspected he had been possessed by Du Changqing.

Meeting Lu Tong’s puzzled gaze, Miao Liangfang finally sighed: “I heard that this year’s examiner for the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination has been changed to Cui Min.”

“Cui Min?”

“Cui Min is the current Chief of the Imperial Medical Academy.” Miao Liangfang’s hands resting on his knees tightened. “He particularly dislikes civilian doctors. In years when he’s been the examiner, no civilian doctor has ever made it onto the spring examination’s red list.”

Lu Tong frowned, looking at the person before her, suddenly having a realization.

She asked, “Is he the one who harmed you?”

Miao Liangfang was startled.

Then, the man’s expression rapidly changed, as if glimpsing something—or someone—he deeply hated, his indignation impossible to conceal. It took a very long time before he gradually calmed down.

When he finally looked up again, only weariness remained in his eyes, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

His voice was also mournful, tinged with a hint of helpless bitterness.

“Yes, he’s the one who reduced me to my current state.”

In his youth, Miao Liangfang was quite proud and arrogant.

He was born in an obscure small village in the Yunling area, where his family had practiced medicine for generations as barefoot doctors. He was the youngest child in the family, and while his brothers and sisters couldn’t inherit their father’s medical skills, he showed exceptional talent in this field from birth, surpassing his predecessors. At a young age, he could practice medicine independently, and many people from other places came seeking treatment after hearing of his reputation.

Others said that Miao Village had produced a “young miracle doctor.”

“When I was twenty, I heard about the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination in the capital. My family gathered enough silver to send me to the capital for the exam.”

The young Miao Liangfang came to the capital carrying hopes for the future and admiration for the Imperial Medical Academy.

Because there was still about half a year until the spring examination, he found work at an apothecary.

There were many apothecaries in the medical district. The one where he worked wasn’t small, and because they were short-handed, they hired him as an assistant for preparing medicines.

The monthly wages for assistants at capital apothecaries were very low, almost nonexistent, but room and board were provided. The food wasn’t good, and as for lodging, they just cleared out a space in the firewood storage room behind the apothecary where medicines were kept, laid down a simple mat, and that was where one slept.

“At that time, another person was living in the firewood room,” Miao Liangfang said. “That person was Cui Min.”

Cui Min was also a shop assistant.

He was about the same age as Miao Liangfang, very frail, didn’t talk much, and was constantly ordered around and beaten by the shop owner. Sometimes when Miao Liangfang couldn’t bear to watch, he wanted to stand up for him, but Cui Min would stop him—Cui Min’s parents had died early, and he had no relatives. Without this job, he might end up on the streets.

“Back then, every night after the shop closed, I would hide in the firewood room to study medical classics, preparing for the spring examination, just like you are now.” As Miao Liangfang spoke of the past, there was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. “Cui Min never disturbed me, just sat quietly beside me, refilling the lamp oil.”

Even now, Miao Liangfang would occasionally recall that scene.

Two shop assistants, huddled on the floor covered with worn mats, reading books at night, away from the arrogant shop owner and the day’s clamor. The thin blanket with cotton falling out couldn’t keep out the winter night’s cold, nor could it suppress young people’s hopes for the future.

Cui Min was literate.

He had worked at the apothecary for over ten years, and before Miao Liangfang came, he handled everything from preparing medicines to cleaning. The pot-bellied shop owner wanted to use one person as ten but had one point of leniency—allowing Cui Min to read the medical books in the shop.

Through constant exposure and watching doctors diagnose and prescribe medicines daily, Cui Min learned a lot. He was clever and quick-witted, and after several conversations, Miao Liangfang discovered that this person’s medical knowledge was not inferior to those of doctors.

This made Miao Liangfang very excited.

Perhaps because they both came from ordinary families and worked at the apothecary, besides feeling close to Cui Min, Miao Liangfang also felt a kindred spirit’s understanding. The only thing he looked down on was Cui Min’s timid, fearful, and submissive nature.

“Later one day, there was trouble at the apothecary when a customer claimed we had prepared the wrong medicine. The person was a local bully, and the shop owner, afraid of causing trouble, wanted to settle things peacefully by saying I did it. I got into an argument with them, and Cui Min spoke up for me, resulting in both of us being thrown out.”

“I didn’t mind much at the time, since I wasn’t planning to be someone’s assistant forever anyway—worst case, I could return to Miao Village. But Cui Min was kicked out for speaking up for me, so I felt guilty.”

“There were only three months left until the spring examination, and I had a sudden idea to suggest that Cui Min try it too.”

Lu Tong asked, “Did he agree?”

Miao Liangfang smiled bitterly: “At first, he refused.”

When Miao Liangfang shared his thoughts with Cui Min, the other person was startled.

“No… I’ve never studied… I won’t pass the spring examination,” Cui Min said quietly. “Besides, without a medical community recommendation quota, I can’t participate.”

Miao Liangfang patted his chest: “What’s so difficult about that? It’s just a matter of silver—I’ll pay for you!”

At that time, it wasn’t as difficult for civilian doctors to take the spring examination as it had become in recent years; you just needed to give some silver to people in the medical community to be added to the register. Miao Liangfang himself had just arrived in the capital and was given silver, and for Cui Min to take the spring examination, bribing was necessary. Miao Liangfang took out all his remaining silver and the monthly wages he had saved from working at the apothecary, scraping together just enough.

Cui Min still resisted: “This is wasting silver… I’m just a shop assistant, there’s no way I could pass.”

“A-Min,” Miao Liangfang earnestly persuaded him, “trust me, you’re much better than those doctors. If you feel you owe me, then study hard, pass the examination, enter the Imperial Medical Academy, and use your first month’s salary to treat me to wine!”

The silver had already been given, and the name was added to the spring examination register. Pushed into this situation, Cui Min had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

“He worked very hard.”

Miao Liangfang gazed at the distant night sky and sighed.

Cui Min’s personality was completely different from Miao Liangfang’s. Miao Liangfang was proud and impulsive, always looking on the bright side. Cui Min was melancholic and cautious, always striving for perfection in everything. Perhaps afraid of wasting the silver, or perhaps cherishing this hard-won opportunity that might come only once in a lifetime, Cui Min only slept two hours each night, spending the rest of the time studying medical classics—it could be said he studied as diligently as the ancient scholars who tied their hair to a beam to stay awake.

During the day, they helped carry cargo at the docks to earn some scattered wages, and at night, they lived in an abandoned house, reading books on the ground. This life continued until that year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination.

Lu Tong said, “He passed the spring examination.”

Miao Liangfang smiled: “Yes, that year in the spring examination, among civilian doctors, only we two entered the Medical Academy.”

Even now, Miao Liangfang still remembers the excitement of that moment when the results were posted. He and Cui Min stood beneath the red list, searching for their names one by one. Miao Liangfang’s name was ranked third, easily visible, while Cui Min’s was further down. When Cui Min’s name appeared on the red list, Miao Liangfang was even happier than when he had passed himself.

His friend stood dumbfounded beneath the red list, as if not believing his own eyes.

Miao Liangfang punched his shoulder, his excitement beyond words: “I told you you could do it!”

Cui Min rubbed his eyes, staring at the red list for a long time, and finally pinched himself hard—he pinched so hard that tears welled up in his eyes—before coming to his senses, muttering, “I… passed.”

He had passed that year’s spring examination.

“We… both entered the Imperial Medical Academy,” Miao Liangfang said.

One was a barefoot doctor from a remote mountain village, the other a nameless assistant who had worked at an apothecary for over ten years, yet both had passed the Imperial Medical Academy examination. For both of them, it was a life-changing event that became a widely circulated story, especially for Miao Liangfang, who was unrivaled at the Medical Academy that year.

“Little Lu,” Miao Liangfang gave a bitter smile, “you only see the Imperial Medical Academy’s glorious exterior, but you don’t know that when commoners enter the palace, it’s different from when their Medical Bureau students enter. People like us in the palace are destined to be bullied.”

“Good tasks never come to you, but all the dirty and exhausting work gets dumped on you. When problems arise, everyone disappears, pushing you out to take the blame. Do you know how many medical officials have died in the Medical Academy over these years? Among those dead officials, eight or nine out of ten were civilian doctors. Was it because their medical skills were poor? No, it was because their lives were considered worthless!”

“Here, if you don’t grow some street smarts, there are plenty who’ll sell you out and have you counting the silver for them!”

These words seemed both a warning and a bitter statement. Lu Tong remained silent, quietly waiting for Miao Liangfang to continue.

“When I first entered the Medical Academy, I was fortunate enough to help cure the Empress Dowager’s years-long cough, and was often summoned by her, gaining some prominence for a time.”

“At that time, I became arrogant, relying on my superior medical skills and the favor of nobility, often offending others. Each time, it was thanks to Cui Min’s guidance and mediation that I could escape unscathed.”

“But I didn’t realize it then, still thinking it was my ability. Whenever Cui Min advised me, I ignored his words, and eventually, he stopped speaking up.”

Miao Liangfang couldn’t remember exactly when he and Cui Min had grown apart.

He was always busy then, preparing medicinal foods for princesses one day, treating generals’ old ailments the next—he was the busiest in the Imperial Medical Academy. Everyone said he would surely become the Academy Chief, and he thought so too. Surrounded by those who flattered and envied him, he could no longer see Cui Min’s shadow.

One day, returning to the Medical Bureau after seeing the Emperor, he happened to encounter Cui Min. Cui Min was being bullied by several medical officials, and he loudly rebuked them. Cui Min looked at him and respectfully called him “Deputy Chief,” and only then did he realize how estranged they had become.

The friend he once shared everything with, his companion who studied by lamplight in the firewood room, now seemed like someone from a previous life.

Miao Liangfang’s voice became very soft, and Lu Tong asked, “Did you have a falling out?”

Miao Liangfang came back to himself: “No.”

Rather than a falling out, it was more like once-inseparable friends gradually drifting apart.

“Later, Imperial Consort Yan, the Emperor’s favorite, suddenly fell unconscious after taking the medicinal food I had sent. Medical officials found poisonous substances harmful to the heart in the food, and I was thrown into the dungeon.”

“Consort Yan?” Lu Tong frowned slightly.

She remembered Consort Yan, the cousin of Meng Xiyan from Prince Wen’s mansion. It was Consort Yan who had given the “Child’s Sorrow” to Meng Xiyan, allowing her to harm the child in Pei Yunzhu’s womb.

Later, when the “Child’s Sorrow” incident was exposed, Consort Yan had already been dealt with. Lu Tong hadn’t expected to hear Consort Yan’s name here from Miao Liangfang.

Miao Liangfang didn’t notice Lu Tong’s unusual expression and continued: “I knew Consort Yan had framed me. Ten years ago, when she first entered the palace, there was open and hidden strife in the back palace. She wanted to recruit me to help her harm others, but I refused, and I suppose she came to hate me for that.”

“But I never expected her to buy off Cui Min.”

“That bowl of medicinal food—it was Cui Min who added the poison.”

Miao Liangfang still remembered that day, a summer afternoon when the air was stuffy and humid, with lightning flickering in the clouds. He was brewing the medicinal food when he suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain as if he had eaten something bad. He wanted to wait until the medicine was finished brewing before leaving, but the pain became increasingly unbearable.

Just then, Cui Min walked in.

As if seeing a savior, Miao Liangfang said without thinking, “A-Min, please watch the medicinal food for me, I’ll be right back!”

Cui Min naturally took the bamboo fan from his hand and sat in his place: “Go ahead.”

He had never thought Cui Min would harm him. Even though they were no longer as close as when they had shared the firewood room, in Miao Liangfang’s heart, Cui Min had always been a friend.

A friend who would never betray him.

So later when the incident occurred and the Academy Chief questioned people, when others asked if Cui Min had entered the medicine preparation room and Cui Min shook his head, saying he had never entered, Miao Liangfang was shocked.

He was imprisoned in the dungeon and was originally meant to lose his life. But because he had once been greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, she spoke up, sparing him from death and instead sentencing him to fifty strokes of the cane and expulsion from the Medical Academy.

The executioner beat him severely, and he was also bullied in prison, breaking one of his legs. It was in prison that he learned Cui Min had replaced him, becoming the new Deputy Chief of the Medical Academy.

The truth was finally clear.

“Do you hate him?” Lu Tong asked.

Miao Liangfang paused, nodded, then shook his head, and finally smiled with a complex expression, “It was my fault for trusting others too easily, and as a medical official, passing the medicinal food preparation to someone else—this fate was self-inflicted, but…” his tone grew heavy, “Cui Min, he took my ‘Miao’s Medical Methods.'”

“‘Miao’s Medical Methods?'”

“It’s a book of prescriptions passed down by my Miao family ancestors, recording the prescriptions developed during our years of medical practice. My father passed it to me, and when I entered the Imperial Medical Academy, I had planned to compile these prescriptions along with the ones I had developed during my practice into a book, for the benefit of all medical practitioners.

“In the second year after my expulsion from the Medical Academy, I heard that the Deputy Chief Cui of the Medical Academy had compiled a book called ‘Cui’s Pharmacology,’ which was praised by every medical practitioner in the capital. It was because of this that Cui Min rose from Deputy Chief to Chief.”

Lu Tong pondered thoughtfully: “You mean…”

“I bought that book, ‘Cui’s Pharmacology’—it was identical to my ‘Miao’s Medical Methods.'”

Speaking of this, Miao Liangfang’s hands resting on his knees unconsciously tightened.

During the days they shared the firewood room, and when they first entered the Medical Academy, when civilian medical officials were frequently bullied upon entering the palace, he had told Cui Min about his plans many times. Cui Min had helped him organize those prescriptions, sometimes even arguing endlessly about the medicines used in a single prescription.

Cui Min had never shown the slightest covetousness toward these prescriptions. In Miao Liangfang’s heart, this submissive person who always yielded to others had always remained that young shop assistant who would refill his lamp oil at night in the firewood room. He hadn’t expected Cui Min to act so ruthlessly.

“I tried to find him, but he was already the high and mighty Chief of the Medical Academy—I couldn’t even get near him. No one would believe a criminal’s words; they said I was talking nonsense. All those who used to flatter me disappeared, afraid of being implicated by association.”

“In ten years, you’re the first,” Miao Liangfang looked at Lu Tong, “you’re the first person who said they would help me take revenge.”

That day at Renxin Clinic, he had been flustered and angry about his identity being exposed, like a mole long hidden in the darkness whose burrow of tiles and stones had been uncovered, feeling humble and unaccustomed to the sunlight above ground. Yet Lu Tong sat before him and calmly said, “I can help you get revenge.”

Revenge.

Miao Liangfang closed his eyes briefly.

For commoners like them without status or position, taking revenge against noble officials was incredibly difficult—Miao Liangfang knew this better than anyone. If the younger him still had the pride to refuse the noble young master of the Zhao Ning mansion, ten years of wandering and suffering had made him face reality.

It was impossible to succeed.

But he still felt shamefully tempted by Lu Tong’s proposal.

Perhaps it was because Lu Tong’s tone was too calm, inexplicably inspiring trust, or perhaps ten years had worn down his temperament but not his resentment.

“Little Lu, I’ve told you, entering the Imperial Medical Academy as a commoner isn’t as easy as you think. The palace is a place that devours people whole, you’re still young. Even if you want to spite the Minister of Imperial Warehouses, it’s not worth sacrificing your life for,” Miao Liangfang said.

He had always hoped Lu Tong would pass the spring examination, but now, learning that Cui Min was this year’s examiner and that Lu Tong would most likely fail, he felt strangely relieved.

It was a pit of fire—no matter how beautifully decorated, it couldn’t change the fact that it devoured people.

He didn’t want Lu Tong to be sacrificed there like he had been.

Moreover, revenge itself was an unreachable thing.

Lu Tong said, “I promised that if you help me pass the spring examination and enter the Imperial Medical Academy, I would help you get revenge, and I keep my word.” She looked at Miao Liangfang: “Master Miao, just help me.”

In the night, the young woman’s eyes were clear and distinct, her gaze without the slightest hesitation.

Miao Liangfang was puzzled.

He only knew that someone from the Minister of Imperial Warehouses’ mansion had humiliated Lu Tong, and in her anger, she had made a bold claim. But in their interactions these days, he felt that Lu Tong wasn’t someone who acted on impulse.

How could such a person willingly put herself in danger over mere verbal disputes? She was more capable than anyone of calmly weighing advantages and disadvantages.

After hesitating for a moment, Miao Liangfang suppressed his doubts and patiently advised: “Cui Min won’t let commoners pass…”

“Let’s try.”

Lu Tong interrupted him, “We won’t know the result until we try.”