“Cough, cough, cough—”

Tea splashed from his hand due to violent coughing. He frantically wiped the tea stains from his body, and that face which was always composed and at ease finally showed cracks, becoming unusually animated for once.

Lu Tong found this scene much more pleasing to the eye.

After Pei Yunying tidied up his surroundings, he looked at Lu Tong incredulously: “What are you saying?”

Even though medical practice recognized no gender distinctions, even though Lu Tong had never been associated with shyness or bashfulness, he was still a young man, and for a young woman to speak so bluntly about such matters with him in a room was rather shocking.

Lu Tong found his appearance quite amusing and said curiously: “Master Pei doesn’t know either? It really is a secret then.”

“Of course I don’t know,” he awkwardly brushed tea leaves from his clothes, “how do you know?”

Lu Tong remained silent.

“You…”

“I usually use needles when examining patients,” Lu Tong interrupted him, tapping her medical kit on the table, “seeing one more needle or one less needle makes no difference. Master Pei need not show such an expression.”

These words were extremely cutting. If Jin Xianrong himself had been present, he would probably have died of anger, yet she spoke with complete seriousness, as if completely unaware of the sarcasm within.

Pei Yunying pressed his hand to his forehead: “Don’t say anymore…”

Seeing him like this, Lu Tong actually found it refreshing. This Commander seemed to handle everything with ease, making light of all matters, but apparently couldn’t bear to hear such words – what a waste of his handsome appearance.

Truly, one cannot judge by appearances.

Pei Yunying was quiet for a while before speaking, his expression somewhat complex: “Did you really…”

It wasn’t that he had any prejudice against medical examinations, but Jin Xianrong was morally deficient, and Lu Tong had never been someone to submit meekly. If she had been taken advantage of by Jin Xianrong, something seemed off.

“Of course it’s false.” Lu Tong said.

Pei Yunying was stunned.

Lu Tong, not knowing his thoughts, only said: “Master Pei knows that to me, a man’s body is no different from dead pork – whether I see it or not doesn’t matter. Moreover, though his illness is troublesome, it’s not difficult to treat. Master Pei need not worry excessively.” She pressed the pixiu paperweight onto the prescription she had just written: “The prescription is here. Have them brew and take the medicine as I’ve instructed. I’ll come again in seven days.”

At this point, Lu Tong paused and looked silently at Pei Yunying.

Pei Yunying noticed her gaze and his expression paused: “What?”

Lu Tong nodded, her tone frank: “Master Jin’s condition is common among older men. If Master Pei encounters such troubles in the future and needs help, you might seek me out. Given our relationship, I would also keep Master Pei’s secrets.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell into deathly silence.

For a moment, Lu Tong felt his handsome face had frozen, as if desperately trying to maintain an air of calm indifference. After a long while, Pei Yunying said calmly: “Thank you, but I don’t need it.”

“Is that so?” Lu Tong showed a regretful expression, “What a pity.”

Just as she finished speaking, a cheerful voice came from outside the door: “What’s a pity—”

Duan Xiaoyan poked his head in from outside. Seeing Lu Tong, he was also startled: “Doctor Lu, what are you doing here?”

Lu Tong said no more, shouldered her medical kit, and said coolly to both of them: “I’ll return first.”

She left with her medical kit. Duan Xiaoyan watched her retreating figure and scratched his head: “Strange, why do I feel Doctor Lu seems happier today than usual? Did she encounter some good fortune?”

He turned around again, seeming to just recall what he had seen, pointing excitedly at the chair Lu Tong had occupied: “But brother, you actually let her sit in your chair! Don’t you usually not let anyone touch your things?”

Pei Yunying had a cleanliness obsession and most disliked others touching his belongings. That chair – no one dared sit in it except himself. Yet today he had seen Lu Tong sitting there, and if he hadn’t guessed wrong, Lu Tong had also used Pei Yunying’s paper and brush.

Tsk tsk tsk, he was really quite tolerant of her.

No one answered for a long while.

Duan Xiaoyan turned his face to see Pei Yunying sitting at the desk, hand supporting his forehead, looking like he had a headache.

The young man’s curiosity was immediately aroused, and he leaned closer: “What were you two just talking about? What was Doctor Lu regretting?”

Pei Yunying didn’t raise his head, only reached out to push away the head that had come close, saying coldly: “Shut up.”

…

After leaving the Commander’s residence, Lu Tong didn’t go anywhere else and returned directly to the Imperial Medical Bureau.

In the main hall, Medical Supervisor Chang Jin was instructing other medical officers about their duties. Seeing Lu Tong return, he dismissed the others with a few words and walked over to inquire: “Medical Officer Lu, you’ve examined Minister Jin?”

Lu Tong nodded.

He looked Lu Tong over: “Nothing happened, did it?”

Lu Tong said: “No.”

Chang Jin breathed a sigh of relief.

He was a good-natured man. During the spring examination, Lu Tong’s paper was the first perfect answer sheet he had graded, so he always paid special attention to Lu Tong. When Cui Min assigned Lu Tong to examine Jin Xianrong, Chang Jin had worried for quite a while. After all, given Jin Xianrong’s character… hardly anyone in the entire Imperial Medical Bureau was willing to go examine him.

He had already prepared for Lu Tong to return crying, ready to shamelessly beg the Director to let him take over the assignment instead. Who would have thought that Lu Tong appeared completely normal, her expression no different from usual – this was truly unexpected.

“Medical Officer Lu,” Chang Jin said, “there’s something I must tell you. Cao Huai suddenly caught a cold and is bedridden. He’s taken leave, so these coming days he probably can’t accompany you to the Jin residence.” He watched Lu Tong’s expression: “I’ll report to the Director to assign another medical officer to go with you…”

Before he could finish, Lu Tong interrupted: “That won’t be necessary.”

Chang Jin paused.

“I examined Master Jin’s condition today. It’s not serious – one person is sufficient. Having another would actually be troublesome. There’s no need to delay everyone else’s time for my sake.”

Chang Jin’s prepared words were suddenly stuck in his throat: “…Is that so?”

Even if it wasn’t Jin Xianrong, for ordinary examinations, having someone to share the burden was good. Yet Lu Tong had just refused his kind intention?

She even seemed somewhat disdainful.

Lu Tong nodded to him and went into the courtyard with her medical kit.

Chang Jin stood in place, watching her retreating figure for a long while, murmuring: “Worthy of being first place on the spring examination red list, answering the diagnostic section perfectly…”

“Truly not an ordinary person.”

Suddenly remembering the one who had taken leave, his expression darkened.

“Not getting a cold early or late, but choosing to fall ill at this time.”

He left with a flourish of his sleeves.

…

“Achoo—”

In the Cao residence, Cao Huai lying in bed suddenly sneezed.

The servant in the room, seeing this, spoke with concern: “Young master, you haven’t really caught cold, have you?”

“Go away,” Cao Huai looked impatient: “Don’t bring such bad luck.”

Early this morning, he hadn’t gone to examine patients with Lu Tong. After returning to the Imperial Medical Bureau, he immediately took leave from Cui Min. With the changing spring weather, many at the Imperial Medical Bureau had caught colds. Cui Min had no mind to investigate whether a new medical officer was truly ill or feigning, so he smoothly returned home.

Cao Huai had done this deliberately.

He had never been particularly broad-minded since childhood. On the day of the spring examination, Lu Tong had embarrassed him in front of his fellow students at the examination hall, and Cao Huai had harbored resentment for a long time. When Cui Min initially assigned Lu Tong to the South Pharmacy, he had secretly gloated. Who knew Lu Tong would somehow catch the eye of Imperial Pharmacy Director Qiu He and return to the Imperial Medical Bureau after going in circles.

Whether deliberately or not, Cui Min had assigned him to examine Jin Xianrong together with Lu Tong. Honestly, Jin Xianrong was someone not only women avoided but men also found disgusting. During his month of treating Jin Xianrong, he was daily subjected to cold mockery and criticism, constantly finding fault. Jin Xianrong’s scrotal carbuncle was particularly difficult to treat, and seeing no improvement, Jin Xianrong’s patience wore thin day by day. Just when a scapegoat appeared, it was perfect timing to dump this hot potato.

So he took leave without hesitation.

This way, he both escaped the troublesome assignment and gave Lu Tong trouble – truly killing two birds with one stone.

Cao Huai leaned against the headboard and snorted with disdain in his eyes.

So what if Lu Tong put on airs of being above everyone else? She was still a commoner without status or background. After treating Jin Xianrong for a few days, she might end up like that previous female medical officer from the Imperial Medical Bureau, becoming another of Jin Xianrong’s concubines, serving as someone’s slave.

Thinking this way, his mood improved considerably. Cao Huai put his hands behind his head and leaned back, looking at the canopy above, as if already seeing Lu Tong following behind Jin Xianrong in a servile manner. He sighed with satisfaction.

The servant, seeing this, carefully asked: “How long does young master plan to recuperate this time?”

“A cold requires several days of rest.” Cao Huai smiled: “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

…

Just one trip to the Jin residence to examine Jin Xianrong had stirred various thoughts in different quarters, but Lu Tong neither knew nor particularly cared about these undercurrents.

At night when everyone at the Imperial Medical Bureau was asleep, Lu Tong and Lin Danqing walked along the corridor of the medicine storehouse.

Though Jin Xianrong’s condition was now clear, curing it wouldn’t happen overnight. Besides changing prescriptions, Lu Tong also planned to create a new medicine. Some medicinal materials needed to be allocated by the Imperial Pharmacy, while some common ones were available in the Imperial Medical Bureau’s storehouse.

Lin Danqing had initially thought that Lu Tong’s visit to the Jin residence today would be mostly unpleasant, but unexpectedly, when Lu Tong returned, her expression was normal. After asking a few more questions, she gradually relaxed. When Lu Tong said she needed to get materials from the storehouse, Lin Danqing volunteered to accompany her.

“That Jin fellow probably suffered from his scrotal carbuncle and isn’t so arrogant anymore. I heard from my father that when he was debauched before, he would grope even female dogs passing by. Speaking of this matter,” Lin Danqing whispered to her, “Heaven probably couldn’t stand it either, which is why he got this disease. Honestly, if you weren’t a medical officer going to treat him, I’d really wish he had impotence and could never harm anyone for the rest of his life.”

She spoke without restraint. Lu Tong just smiled and continued selecting the herbs she needed from various medicine cabinets.

Lin Danqing helped her pick while asking: “But Sister Lu, you also went to the Commander’s residence today. How was it?”

Lu Tong: “How was what?”

“How were the guards there!” Lin Danqing said: “I heard that the guards at the Capital Garrison Commander’s residence all had to pass multiple selections, not only based on martial skills but also height and appearance. They say all the most handsome men in the capital are at the Capital Garrison Commander’s residence. You can tell from their Commander too. When you went today, how did you find them? Are they all handsome men? Are they impressive?”

Lu Tong closed the medicine drawer: “If you want to go, I’ll speak with Medical Supervisor Chang and let you take my assignment.”

She was focused on Qi Yutai at the Ministry of Revenue. Running between two places was a waste of energy, and facing Pei Yunying’s probing wasn’t pleasant either. It would be better to give this matter to Lin Danqing – a good deed for all.

Lin Danqing was startled: “You’re too generous.” After thinking, she shook her head: “One of my family’s ancestors said that women looking at handsome men more is another form of self-care, making one cheerful and pleasant. After you’ve seen Jin Xianrong’s face and suffered eye damage, looking at the men at the Commander’s residence on the other side to repair the damage would offset the harm.”

“Sister Lu, as a friend, I absolutely will not steal your prescription!”

Lu Tong: “…”

Truly, what was one person’s honey was another’s poison. What she desperately wanted to avoid had become a panacea in someone else’s mouth.

After saying a few more words, all the needed medicinal materials had been collected in the bamboo basket. Lu Tong and Lin Danqing left the storehouse, planning to return to the dormitory. Just as they reached the courtyard gate of the storehouse, they suddenly heard footsteps ahead.

Immediately after, a childish voice suddenly rang out: “Who’s there?”

The two looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw that at some point, two long black shadows had appeared in the yellowish area lit by lantern light under the locust tree on the distant stone steps.

One shadow was shorter, trailing behind a young medicine apprentice in green clothes. As for the other…

It was a slender young man with elegant features. He wore a light blue brocade robe, his black hair bound into a topknot with a green bamboo hairpin. Like a lone crane in the clouds or a rustling bamboo in the night, he had an air of distant elegance and righteousness, slowly approaching Lu Tong and her companion from afar.

He stopped at the stone steps in front of the courtyard gate. Lin Danqing seemed to recognize this person. Taking advantage of the lantern light to see his face clearly, she quickly spoke: “Medical Officer Ji.”

Medical Officer Ji?

It sounded like a medical officer from the Imperial Medical Bureau, but his robes weren’t the blue robes worn by medical officers.

Lu Tong said nothing, only followed in bowing respectfully.

The young man’s gaze swept over the bamboo basket in Lu Tong’s hands: “Why are you still collecting medicinal materials so late?”

Lin Danqing smiled: “Medical Officer Lu’s assigned patient has a somewhat difficult condition. She plans to use these materials to develop a new prescription and see if she can create some new medicine.”

Medical officers at the Imperial Medical Bureau always sought stability, and so-called new medicines were rarely attempted by anyone. Hearing this, the man called “Medical Officer Ji” was startled and looked at Lu Tong with surprise.

This look made him pause.

The woman stood below the stone steps of the medicine storehouse courtyard. The night wind stirred the water-blue hem of her skirt, that blue color also a faint touch, as quiet as the lowered brows and eyes of the skirt’s owner.

He suddenly frowned slightly.

Lu Tong could feel the other’s scrutinizing gaze falling on her face like cool evening wind, then heard his clear, cold voice.

“Haven’t we met somewhere before?”

Lu Tong suddenly froze.

Something gradually surfaced from the bottom of her heart, like a not particularly beautiful dark stone hidden at the bottom of black water, unexpectedly seeing daylight again, causing shallow ripples on the calm water surface.

She slightly clenched her fingertips, pressing her lips together without speaking.

The man took another step closer.

Lu Tong’s body stiffened slightly.

The other person frowned slightly as he stared intently at her face, as if wanting to see her features clearly and distinctly. Looking straight ahead from her position, she could see the delicate patterns embroidered on his collar and smell the light, bitter medicinal fragrance.

He stared for a long time, so long that even Lin Danqing beside them sensed something wrong and was about to speak to interrupt, when the medicine apprentice beside them seemed to think of something, his eyes lighting up as he spoke in reminder: “Young master, you have met this medical officer before. It was on Sparrow Street when it was raining. You got your clothes wet by water from someone’s umbrella and were delayed for a banquet… The one who wet your clothes was this medical officer!”

At these words, both standing people were startled.

The flower patterns on the person’s collar seemed to blur in the night’s haze, and as they blurred, they became that desolate autumn rain on Sparrow Street.

At that time, shortly after the imperial examination case, Liu Kun had died, Wang Chunfang had gone mad, two sons were locked in prison cells. She had seen the Liu family’s fate, but when turning around was startled by the Qi family carriage, accidentally poking a passerby with her umbrella tip.

Lu Tong still remembered that person in snow-white robes standing in the fine rain, distant like an indistinct pale shadow in a water-ink painting. He had passed by her, gradually disappearing in the crowd like a damp illusion after rain.

Now the illusion had become reality, solidifying into an even more silent shadow in the night.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Lin Danqing sensed the strange atmosphere. She held back, but finally couldn’t help tugging at Lu Tong’s sleeve, showing the young man a smile: “Medical Officer Ji, it’s getting late. If there’s nothing else, we’ll go first.”

The other person finally came to his senses, said nothing more, nodded faintly at the two of them, and walked up the stone steps with the medicine apprentice.

After he left, Lin Danqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Tong asked seemingly casually: “Who was that person just now?”

“Ji Xun.”

“Ji Xun?”

Lin Danqing looked surprised: “You haven’t heard of Ji Xun’s name? That shouldn’t be. Those old men at the Imperial Medical Bureau have his name on their lips all day – ‘outstanding medical skills before reaching maturity,’ ‘even though his family aren’t scholars, ordinary families could certainly become wealthy through medicine’… When studying at the Imperial Medical Academy, I heard these words so much my ears developed calluses.” She sighed again: “Such a graceful young gentleman, yet I feel annoyed just seeing his face.”

Lu Tong asked: “His family are scholars?”

“Of course. His father Master Ji is a Scholar of the Guanwen Hall, his grandfather is an Imperial Academy Scholar, his elder brother is a Direct Scholar of the Fuwen Pavilion. The whole family are civil officials, but this genius medical officer is obsessed with medicine. Instead of entering government service like his father, he came to plague us.”

“Sister Lu, you don’t know – before there were spring examinations, every year during evaluations, I was always first at the Imperial Medical Academy. This year with the spring examination, you appeared and I became second. We two could be considered the twin prodigies of the medical academy’s apricot grove. But him? Before even reaching maturity, he could be summoned by the Empress Dowager to serve in the palace and holds a nominal position at the Imperial Medical Bureau.”

“You and I answer questions, but he sets them. This year’s Imperial Medical Academy spring examination questions that looked so outrageous were all created by this Medical Officer Ji. Look at that gentle, tender face – how can his heart be so cruel?”

She finished this long speech in one breath without feeling tired, then sighed again: “I heard he went out some time ago and thought he wouldn’t return for a while. I didn’t expect him to come back so early. This is troublesome – he’ll be setting all sorts of strange questions to test people from time to time. We new medical officers’ good days are probably coming to an end!”

She lamented to herself while Lu Tong turned back to look toward the stone steps. In the night, the two figures could no longer be seen, only the swaying locust branches trembling in the wind.

The night wind blew gently, and a locust blossom was knocked down by the wind, swaying and spinning as it drifted down, then was stepped on by a blue boot.

The walking steps suddenly halted.

“That’s not right.”

The medicine apprentice walking ahead was startled and instinctively looked at the person beside him: “Young master, what’s not right?”

“The location is wrong.”

The young man stopped walking and frowned: “The first place I saw her wasn’t Sparrow Street.”