The night was deep and silent, silver candles exhaling smoke.

In the dormitory room, the wooden windows remained unclosed, and wind scattered the prescription papers from the table all over the floor.

Lu Tong bent down to pick up the papers blown to the ground when Lin Danqing entered from outside.

During the day, Cui Min had assigned Lu Tong to work together with Cao Huai in treating Left Vice Minister of Revenue Jin Xianrong. Lin Danqing still hadn’t given up hope. Since Cui Min had gone to the palace for duty, Lin Danqing could only seek out Medical Supervisor Chang Jin to plead her case.

After pestering Chang Jin for most of the day, she still couldn’t change the outcome – Chang Jin couldn’t make that decision either.

Lin Danqing crouched beside Lu Tong, helping to gather the scattered papers. As she collected them, she let out a long sigh: “Sister Lu, how did you think to go treat Jin Xianrong?”

No matter how Lin Danqing thought about it, she couldn’t understand. During the day, Lu Tong had clearly already escaped from this terrible assignment. Pei Yunying had spoken up, and Cui Min had nodded in agreement, yet at the last moment Lu Tong had actively volunteered for the treatment.

Could it be that her hints hadn’t been obvious enough? Did Lu Tong still know nothing about Jin Xianrong’s shamelessness?

She sighed, her usually bright eyes filled with worry: “Since you weren’t in the palace before, you probably haven’t heard about his affairs. Jin Xianrong is an old lecher who harasses any pretty girl he sees. Getting involved with him never leads to anything good. Even if nothing happens when you go to treat him this time, your reputation will likely suffer.”

Lu Tong folded the collected papers neatly, placed them on the table, and weighted them down with a stone paperweight to prevent them from being blown away again by the wind. She only said: “Director Cui did this intentionally. I could refuse once, but I couldn’t refuse a second time. Besides, if not Jin Xianrong, there would be others.”

Lin Danqing’s movements stopped.

This wasn’t untrue.

Cui Min’s actions during the day appeared unimpeachable on the surface, but upon careful consideration, one could suddenly sense deeper meaning. Being assigned to the South Pharmacy right after entering the palace, then getting involved with an old lecher right after returning… it was hard to say these were all coincidences.

But without evidence, such speculation would seem like a petty person’s suspicions.

Lin Danqing thought for a moment, then took out a paper packet from her bosom and handed it to Lu Tong: “Take this.”

“What is this?”

“Knockout drug.”

Lu Tong looked up in astonishment, almost thinking she had misheard: “What?”

“Knockout drug!” Lin Danqing said matter-of-factly: “When you treat Jin Xianrong tomorrow, if he dares to lay hands on you, give him a dose of this. This knockout drug works really well – just smelling it makes you dizzy… Keep it for self-defense, and don’t let yourself suffer any losses.”

For such words to come from a medical officer’s mouth was rather improper. Lu Tong looked at the medicine packet in her palm, momentarily speechless.

“Don’t be soft-hearted.” Seeing that she didn’t move, Lin Danqing carefully instructed: “I heard from my father that there was once a female medical officer from the Imperial Medical Bureau who treated Jin Xianrong. Somehow, she got entangled in rumors and gossip. Later she left the Imperial Medical Bureau, and after another six months, she became a concubine in Jin Xianrong’s household.”

“You’re the first place winner on the spring examination red list. If instead of making a name for yourself at the Imperial Medical Bureau, you end up being entangled with Jin Xianrong, wouldn’t that be a terrible injustice?”

Speaking of this, Lin Danqing showed some irritation on her face: “Why don’t we go plead with Director Cui again? If that doesn’t work, I’ll go back and beg my father to put in a good word for you. How can the Director have you treat Jin Xianrong’s illness?”

After speaking, she was about to leave, but Lu Tong grabbed her arm.

Lin Danqing turned around.

“No need to waste effort. Words have been spoken – spilled water cannot be gathered. Moreover, for ordinary people like me who want to make a name at the Imperial Medical Bureau, such situations are inevitable sooner or later.” Lu Tong released her hand.

Common medical workers without status or background, unlike those students from the Imperial Medical Academy, always faced more difficult paths. Not to mention others – one need only look at He Xiu and Mei Erniang from the South Pharmacy to understand.

Lin Danqing sighed, her tone somewhat melancholy: “It’s hard for commoners.”

Every step up the ladder was difficult.

Lu Tong murmured: “Yes, it’s very hard.”

Just getting close to Qi Yutai required such effort and complications, with repeated setbacks…

Revenge was truly difficult.

The sound of drip-drop arose – raindrops from outside hitting tree branches and falling onto the stone slabs under the eaves.

Lu Tong turned to look out the window.

It was raining.

…

“It’s raining.”

In the Guard Station, a young man hurried through the courtyard from outside. As soon as he entered the room, he brought in the cold air of a deep spring rainy night.

The black dog hiding under the eaves heard the movement, lazily pricked up its ears for a glance, then curled back up, quietly listening to the rain in the courtyard.

Fine rain fell continuously, and the endless curtain of rain shrouded heaven and earth. The young man stood by the window, his silhouette appearing cold and lonely in the dim lamplight.

Duan Xiaoyan entered the room, shaking off raindrops from his body. Seeing the figure by the window, he was immediately delighted: “Brother, when did you return?”

Pei Yunying hadn’t returned to the Commander’s residence for several days. With Xiao Zhufeng’s taciturn nature, the Commander’s residence had become much more boring than usual.

Hearing the sound, the person by the window turned around.

The young man’s scarlet brocade robes appeared alluringly gorgeous in the lamplight, but his expression was completely different from usual – cold and distant.

He paid no attention to Duan Xiaoyan. When Duan Xiaoyan wanted to speak again, he heard the person before him say: “Chi Jian.”

Chi Jian appeared at the doorway: “My lord.”

After a moment of silence, Pei Yunying spoke: “Why didn’t you tell me about Lu Tong being imprisoned in the Shennong Shrine?”

Duan Xiaoyan froze, immediately becoming nervous.

This was going to be a reckoning!

The young man didn’t dare speak, becoming silent as a cicada and pressing himself against the wall corner, trying as much as possible to consider himself a useless vase or an ant that happened to pass by, attempting to make the people in the room ignore his existence.

Night rain soaked the fallen flowers, leaving the courtyard covered with wet red petals, always adding a touch of desolation to what should have been a beautiful evening.

Chi Jian moved his lips but said nothing.

Before Pei Yunying left, he had said to keep a close eye on Lu Tong’s situation. Chi Jian wasn’t unaware of Lu Tong being imprisoned in the Shennong Shrine, but Xiao Zhufeng had intercepted the news.

Chi Jian had agreed with this decision.

That Medical Officer Lu had an ambiguous identity and acted too boldly. In the imposing imperial city, who knew when she might be exposed. Getting entangled with her was not a good thing – they should stay as far away as possible.

But their master seemed particularly concerned about her.

He had followed Xiao Zhufeng’s lead, thinking his master was just momentarily interested and would soon forget the matter. But from the current situation, they had all been wrong.

The atmosphere in the room became cold and condensed. In the silence, Pei Yunying suddenly smiled slightly: “Do you want to be Xiao Zhufeng’s man?”

Chi Jian shuddered and immediately knelt down, his voice carrying a trace of panic: “This subordinate knows his crime!”

Their master was usually good to his subordinates, so much so that they had almost forgotten what their master looked like when he was angry.

He never showed mercy.

The night was quiet, with only the soft sound of rain pattering against the windows.

The young man lowered his eyes. After a long time, until the incense burning in the room had burned halfway and the ash fell onto the table, scattered by the wind, he spoke indifferently: “Go receive your punishment yourself.”

Just receiving punishment, not being thrown out?

Duan Xiaoyan finally released the breath he had been holding.

This could be considered showing mercy. It seemed that although Pei Yunying was in a bad mood, it hadn’t reached a terrible extreme.

Chi Jian silently acknowledged and left without a word.

Only then did Duan Xiaoyan breathe a sigh of relief. Looking up, he suddenly realized the room was empty except for himself. Fearing it would be his turn next, he quickly pressed against the wall, raised both hands high, and loudly protested: “…I suggested it! I proposed writing to tell you! They wouldn’t allow it – I couldn’t make the decision!”

Pei Yunying glanced at him and took something from his bosom, tossing it into his hands.

Duan Xiaoyan looked down and saw a slender white porcelain long-necked bottle, and couldn’t help but be puzzled: “What is this?”

“Appetite stimulant pills.”

Pei Yunying said mockingly: “For digestion and appetite. Keep them for yourself.”

“How did you know I’ve been overeating lately?” Duan Xiaoyan looked suspicious, but soon became happy.

Going out and still not forgetting to bring him a gift? Then he probably hadn’t been blamed after all.

He was indeed still the most favored one in the Commander’s residence!

The young man carefully tucked the slender medicine bottle into his bosom and smiled brilliantly: “Thank you, brother!”

…

The night passed, and spring rain dyed the pond water green in front of the gate. The entire pond was filled with flowers and plants that had been knocked down by last night’s rain.

Lu Tong left with her medical kit on her back.

Yesterday Cui Min had instructed her to visit the household of Left Vice Minister of Revenue Jin Xianrong today to treat him together with Cao Huai. Before leaving, Lin Danqing chased out to give her several more careful reminders, until Chang Jin urged from behind, and only then did she leave with repeated backward glances.

When she reached the entrance of the alley, she didn’t see Cao Huai’s shadow. Instead, his little medicine apprentice was waiting under a pillar. Seeing Lu Tong, he explained: “Medical Officer Lu, my young master was temporarily delayed and needs to arrive at the Jin residence later. He asked me to tell you to go first, and he’ll come afterward.”

Not having business early or late, but being busy precisely at this moment – Cao Huai was clearly doing this deliberately.

Lu Tong said nothing and went on her way with her medical kit.

The little medicine apprentice stood under the pillar, watching Lu Tong’s retreating figure with a flash of sympathy in his eyes.

Everyone knew that Minister Jin Xianrong was not someone easy to deal with. Such a young and beautiful female medical officer going to his door alone was like a sheep entering a tiger’s den. They said that young ladies were thin-skinned – if she were verbally harassed a few times, she might impulsively throw herself into a lake.

What a sin.

…

The household of Left Vice Minister of Revenue Jin Xianrong was particularly quiet today.

On the decorated glass screen, a large painting depicted a beauty blending fragrances. The room was filled with the rich, sweet fragrance of lily incense, carrying a cloying sweetness. By the desk under the window, someone was leaning back in a chair.

This person had a dark face, withered yellow hair, a bulbous nose, hedgehog-like eyes, and broken eyebrows. He wore a brand-new yellow robe that made his slightly hunched back appear even more prominent.

At this moment, this person was holding a lotus-patterned blue and white bowl containing something black and unknown, about to bring it to his mouth.

A servant stood at the door and said: “Master, Concubine Ru and Concubine Wen have come and are waiting outside in the courtyard.”

“Bang!”

The man with broken eyebrows set down the bowl, his tone thoroughly irritated: “Tell them I’m still sleeping and haven’t woken up. I won’t see them!”

The servant didn’t dare to respond and obediently left.

The room became quiet again.

The man looked at the blue and white bowl before him, his expression very ugly.

This man was Left Vice Minister of Revenue Jin Xianrong.

Jin Xianrong was thirty-five this year, in his prime. He had some real ability in his official career and good luck too. If one ignored his rather ugly appearance, he could also be considered a winner in life.

However, perhaps people want most what they lack. Jin Xianrong, despite his own unattractive appearance, was extremely lustful. He had taken eight concubines into his household, each one beautiful as flowers and jade. Standing together with him, they were like the saying in story books: “Delicate orioles perching on old trees, stubborn stones accompanying exotic flowers” – truly unbearable to look at.

He was also quite cunning. All his concubines were chosen from among those who were beautiful but from poor families struggling to maintain basic sustenance. Over the years, his household had managed to avoid any major incidents.

But perhaps even Heaven couldn’t stand the sight of an ugly man with beautiful women. Some time ago, Jin Xianrong had developed scrotal carbuncle. While this disease wouldn’t endanger his life, it was unbearable for men, especially for Jin Xianrong who loved women like his life.

He hadn’t been intimate with any of his household concubines for nearly two months – not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t. Like now, when two concubines had come to his courtyard door, he could only resentfully send them away.

What a sin!

Just as he was thinking this, the servant who had gone to deliver the message returned: “Master…”

“What now?”

“…A medical officer from the Imperial Medical Bureau has arrived.”

Seeing Jin Xianrong’s displeased expression, the servant added: “Today it’s a new medical officer.”

Hearing this, Jin Xianrong sneered: “What new medical officer – just another quack!”

Since he had developed this scrotal carbuncle, the Imperial Medical Bureau had assigned him several medical officers. Those medical officers collected their salaries and appeared more dignified and capable than each other, but after so much time had passed and medical officers had been replaced one after another, his condition showed no improvement – it even seemed to be getting worse.

These quacks!

Jin Xianrong was furious, his tone becoming even more unpleasant: “Tell him to get in here!”

The one who had been treating him recently was a new medical officer named Cao Huai, a young newcomer. What did young people know about pharmacology? As expected, there was no effect. Jin Xianrong had been holding back for dozens of days and had long wanted to explode in anger. Since Cui Min was fooling people like this, and today the other party had walked right into it, he planned to severely scold this person to vent his anger.

The door was pushed open, and someone walked in from outside.

“You quack…”

He hadn’t finished speaking when he looked up and the remaining words stuck in his throat—

A woman had entered.

And she was a young woman.

She looked even younger than that young man Cao Huai, about seventeen or eighteen years old. She wore the same water-blue round-collared robe embroidered with orchid patterns that medical officers wore, with a waist sash also designed like orchids. Most of the room’s screen reflected her face, and the charming beauty painted on that screen suddenly became noisy decoration, setting off this girl’s quiet and moving coldness.

Jin Xianrong stared with wide eyes.

He hadn’t been close to any beauties for over two months. To avoid dealing with those concubines, he simply refused to see them at all. He had been longing for such contact, and suddenly seeing such a fairy-like person, he momentarily forgot about his illness and immediately stood up from his chair, taking two steps forward: “This lady is…”

The servant quickly said: “This is the new Medical Officer Lu Tong from the Imperial Medical Bureau.”

“Medical Officer Lu…” Jin Xianrong smiled obsequiously. When he smiled, his two broken eyebrows twitched as if the back halves were about to fly off his face.

The servant quietly withdrew, thoughtfully closing the door as he left. Lu Tong placed her medical kit on the table, and when she turned around, she faced Jin Xianrong’s smiling face.

After a pause, she said: “Please sit down, Master Jin. I shall take your pulse.”

Since the beauty had spoken, he naturally had to give her face. Jin Xianrong said: “Good, good, good.” He plopped down in the chair, quickly rolled up his sleeves, and extended his hand toward Lu Tong: “Medical Officer Lu, please proceed.”

Lu Tong found padding fabric and placed it under Jin Xianrong’s hand before placing her fingertips on his pulse and beginning the examination.

Jin Xianrong moved his chair closer to Lu Tong, bringing them very close together.

Up close, he could see even more clearly that the female medical officer was truly beautiful – her bright eyes resembled a Jiangnan beauty, yet she had an additional coolness that Jiangnan beauties lacked, like a flower growing in deep mountain valleys, making one’s heart itch.

How had the Imperial Medical Bureau selected people this time to find such a wonderful person? Looking at her, she had even more charm than those concubines in his back courtyard. Although his illness wasn’t cured yet, having such a wonderful person in his courtyard would be pleasing to the eye even if he couldn’t touch her for now!

He must bring her into his courtyard!

In an instant, Jin Xianrong made up his mind.

He fancied himself an expert at handling women and took advantage of Lu Tong taking his pulse to reach out with his other hand, touching the jade hand that was feeling his pulse, while speaking tenderly: “Medical Officer Lu is new here and looks so young. May I ask your age?”

He expected this female medical officer to show an embarrassed and angry expression, angrily withdrawing her hand – after all, that’s how it had always been before. However, contrary to his expectations, the woman before him didn’t move at all, allowing him to touch her without even a ripple of change in her expression.

She didn’t even acknowledge him.

Jin Xianrong was stunned.

Young women were typically thin-skinned, and those who could enter the Imperial Medical Bureau usually had some pride. But her expression remained unchanged, as if what had fallen on her hand wasn’t a strange man’s hand but the paw of the dog that guarded the food shop at the gate – only being touched by a dog would warrant such indifference.

Bah! How could he compare himself to a dog?

Jin Xianrong cursed himself mentally, but due to her coldness, his interest diminished somewhat. He wasn’t as excited as before and instead felt rather bored.

Just as he was thinking this, she withdrew her pulse-taking hand, and that cool, slender little hand slipped away from under his like silk. Jin Xianrong looked up to see her walking to the table and opening the medical kit placed there.

Looking at that graceful figure, Jin Xianrong’s interest, which had just dimmed, suddenly surged again. He deliberately placed his hand near his nose as if lightly smelling the lingering fragrance from the beauty’s fingertips, and spoke frivolously: “Medical Officer Lu, you know what illness I have. The previous medical officer had to apply medicine for me daily. Today, will you apply medicine for me?”

After speaking, he deliberately pointed lewdly toward his lower waist.

To apply medicine, wouldn’t he have to take off his pants?

What unmarried woman could remain calm after hearing such words?

This female medical officer looked cold and proud, making his poor male ego unable to assert itself. Jin Xianrong thought his earlier action of touching her hand had been too subtle – he should be more direct to see this cold medical officer’s face change color with shock.

However, he was disappointed.

Upon hearing this, the female medical officer looked in the direction his finger pointed. Her gaze remained as calm as before, like a cold mountain lake, piercingly cold. Whether it was Jin Xianrong’s imagination or not, when she looked at that part of him, it was like looking at an organ on a corpse or a piece of dead pork – without any emotion whatsoever.

It was even somewhat eerie.

He felt somewhat uneasy and heard her ask: “How long has Master Jin had this illness?”

“Scrotal carbuncle? It’s been nearly two months since onset.” Jin Xianrong answered.

“It’s not scrotal carbuncle.”

The female medical officer’s tone was cold and calm, but her words were like a bolt from the blue, catching him completely off guard.

“I’m asking Master, how long have you been impotent?”