Pei Yunying ultimately never appeared.

The servant Pei Yunshu had sent returned saying that the guards at the Pei residence claimed Pei Yunying had gone out on business the night before and had not yet returned.

Pei Yunshu simply nodded: “So that’s how it is.”

Her tone carried a hint of regret.

Lu Tong didn’t particularly mind. She had come today primarily to check the pulse of Pei Yunshu and her daughter anyway. After exchanging a few more words, she went first to examine little Bao Zhu in her cradle.

Speaking of fortune, when Bao Zhu was born, it had been a matter of life and death, the situation perilous and deeply worrying to behold. However, once that calamity passed, it seemed to truly fulfill the saying “after extreme misfortune comes great fortune.” The “child’s worry” poison appeared to have left no lasting effects on the little girl. She gradually grew from frail to robust, and though premature birth made her slightly smaller than babies of the same age, her body was healthy and strong.

When Lu Tong touched her hand, Bao Zhu’s bright black eyes stared at her unblinkingly, showing no fear of strangers.

Lu Tong spoke with Pei Yunshu about Bao Zhu’s recent condition. Pei Yunshu immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her anxious heart temporarily settling back in her chest. She clasped her hands together repeatedly, thanking heaven for its protection, saying that when she had some free time, she must go to Wan’en Temple to donate some incense money.

Seeing that Bao Zhu was in no serious danger, Lu Tong then took Pei Yunshu’s pulse.

Compared to Bao Zhu, Pei Yunshu actually needed more care and recuperation.

Initially, due to the “child’s worry” poison, Pei Yunshu had been forced to agree to induced labor. During childbirth, she had lost blood and depleted her qi, resulting in deficiency of both nutritive and defensive qi. Later, after giving birth to Bao Zhu, she worried constantly about the child’s health. This was compounded by her divorce from Prince Wen and moving out of the prince’s mansion. With too many concerns weighing on her mind and excessive worry, she developed blood deficiency with insufficient nutritive qi, and defensive qi deficiency leading to unstable body defenses.

Lu Tong prescribed some formulas to strengthen qi and stabilize defenses, nourish blood and restore harmony.

With all this bustling about, half the day passed.

By noon, when it was nearly mealtime, Pei Yunshu pulled Lu Tong to the main hall, laughing: “The household is small and the food simple. I hope Doctor Lu won’t find it lacking.”

Lu Tong followed her into the main hall.

The hall was brightly lit, with a simple square table in the center and several wide chairs. Several maidservants were bringing hot dishes to the table.

Lu Tong and Pei Yunshu sat down at the table.

Unlike at Renxin Medical Hall, when Lu Tong returned to Renxin Medical Hall, Du Changqing would fill the entire table with meat and fish, even the steamed buns were as large as human faces, terrified of letting anyone go hungry. The food at the Pei residence was much more refined.

There was golden rice cooked with chrysanthemums, served in palm-sized blue porcelain bowls, each grain distinct in color. There was tender tofu soup, light yet rich in flavor. Bamboo shoot preserves, sesame spicy vegetables, frozen triple delicacies, golden orange dumplings… There were also meat dishes – white-fried spring goose and pan-fried young chicken, both served on grass-woven plates decorated with seasonal flowers.

Each portion was modest in size, but the presentation was beautiful.

Pei Yunshu ladled a bowl of ginger and orange peel soup for Lu Tong, smiling somewhat embarrassedly: “I don’t know how to cook, and the maids I brought from the prince’s mansion don’t either. The cook in this residence originally worked in a restaurant – A’Ying hired him for me. I don’t know what you like to eat…” Suddenly remembering something, she moved a plate of pastries from the side to Lu Tong’s front: “Oh yes, Doctor Lu, try this.”

Pink lotus flowers rested in emerald green lotus leaf-shaped porcelain dishes, petals and leaves unfurled as if freshly picked lotus, naturally evoking thoughts of evening breezes by summer pools.

Lu Tong paused.

It was a plate of lotus flower pastries.

Pei Yunshu’s voice came from beside her: “…Doctor Lu, try them while they’re hot. A’Ying said you like eating these.”

Lu Tong’s hand holding the chopsticks paused: “Master Pei?”

Pei Yunshu laughed: “I really didn’t know what you liked to eat. That day I was worrying over planning the menu, and A’Ying happened to come visit Bao Zhu, so I casually asked him.”

“I hadn’t expected him to know, but surprisingly he actually told me.”

She looked at Lu Tong: “Do you really like eating these, Doctor Lu?”

After a moment of silence, Lu Tong nodded: “Yes.”

“That’s wonderful then. But…” Pei Yunshu looked puzzled, “How does he know Doctor Lu likes lotus flower pastries? Did you tell him?”

Lu Tong recalled that night at the Southern Pharmacy, when she had hidden in that abandoned, dust-covered storage room and finished the entire basket of lotus flower pastries that Pei Yunying had brought.

Actually, she had already forgotten what those pastries tasted like. At the time, she had been tired and hungry, only concerned with filling her stomach, with no mind to savor them carefully. She vaguely remembered they were sweet.

Lu Tong came back to her senses and replied gently: “Perhaps I mentioned it to Master Pei when I was at the prince’s mansion before.”

After all, at that time, she and Pei Yunying had spent quite some time together at Prince Wen’s mansion.

Pei Yunshu nodded, gazing at Lu Tong with what seemed like meaningful intent: “From this, it appears Doctor Lu and our A’Ying are quite familiar.”

The next moment, she leaned closer, a glint of mischief in her eyes: “But after all this time, why haven’t I seen that fiancé of yours?”

Lu Tong: “…”

She silently picked up a piece of lotus flower pastry, deciding to avoid this unanswerable question with silence.

This meal was extremely difficult to endure.

For some unknown reason, Pei Yunshu suddenly developed tremendous interest in her nonexistent “fiancé,” probing and inquiring indirectly.

This person was entirely her fabrication, so she could only respond vaguely. The meal left Lu Tong with a throbbing headache.

After finishing the meal, Bao Zhu had already fallen asleep. Children of this age spent most of their time eating and sleeping, with only brief periods of play.

Lu Tong saw there was still some time left. During the meal, Pei Yunshu had mentioned that recently, perhaps from holding Bao Zhu too much, her back constantly ached. Lu Tong examined her and learned she had kidney strain with injured meridians, further invaded by wind and cold, causing qi and blood to clash, resulting in back pain. She had Pei Yunshu go into the room and lie face down on the bed while she massaged and relaxed her waist, hips, and lower limbs. Then she took acupoints including Yaoyangguan, Sanjiaoshu, Shenshu, Dachangshu, Zhibian, Huantiao… and others, applying acupuncture with the method of first reducing then tonifying.

After completing these treatments, Pei Yunshu’s back pain was indeed much relieved. Lu Tong also prescribed some herbal formulas and instructed Fang Zi accordingly.

When busy, one hardly notices time passing. By now the sun was gradually setting westward, dusk had arrived again, and the setting sun cast the outer courtyard in warm red light. Bao Zhu also awakened from her sleep, babbling as she looked for her wet nurse.

Lamps were lit in the room. Feeling the chill, Pei Yunshu went inside to change into thicker silk brocade clothing. When she came out, she immediately noticed Lu Tong standing with her back turned, intently studying a hanging painting in the main hall.

Pei Yunshu walked over and looked up at the wall painting, asking: “Is it beautiful?”

Lu Tong nodded: “Beautiful.”

Actually, she didn’t understand calligraphy and painting.

In her childhood, she had only heard her father say that the ancients claimed painting people was most difficult, followed by landscapes, then dogs and horses, while pavilions and specific objects were easiest. Things like “painting has eight styles” and “meaning achieved through spiritual transmission” – she understood only partially, seemingly comprehending but not really.

She had never been able to calm her mind to appreciate these landscape moods. Wasn’t it just a painting?

Therefore, whenever she saw Lu Qian and Lu Rou discussing such things eloquently, she felt extremely impatient.

But later, spending long periods alone on Luomei Peak, her temperament was gradually worn smooth, and with abundant free time, she gradually learned to appreciate one or two aspects.

Lu Tong stared at the painting on the wall.

The silk was evenly clean, the ink colors clear. It depicted a young woman in light-colored robes leaning by a window, painting. Below the window was a flower garden with butterflies fluttering about. The girl in the painting lowered her brows and wiped away tears, her heart full of unspoken sorrows. The brushwork was extremely lifelike and vivid, truly capturing the meaning “still like seeing among flowers, pairs flying together. For no reason mixing tears with rouge powder, causing both wings to droop.”

“This was painted by my mother.”

Pei Yunshu’s voice came from beside her.

Lu Tong was somewhat surprised.

The late Duchess of Zhaoning?

Her impression of this Duchess of Zhaoning was limited to what she’d heard from Du Changqing and Jin Xianrong – that woman who was ultimately abandoned by her husband while in rebel hands. She had never expected to glimpse a completely different side in this painting.

Pei Yunshu gazed at the silk painting, remaining dazed for quite a while before saying: “My mother loved to paint.”

“When A’Ying and I were small and mother was still alive, every New Year she would paint a family portrait to hang in our home.”

“Later she passed away, and all the paintings in the mansion were buried with her. I secretly hid one, but when the Jiang family entered our household, the painting couldn’t be displayed properly. When I married into Prince Wen’s mansion, I worried the servants might not care for it properly and damage the painting. But now that I’ve established my own household and live separately, I can openly hang it here without fear of others’ gossip.”

Lu Tong spoke softly: “Madam painted very well.”

Pei Yunshu pulled her clothing tighter: “Actually A’Ying paints very well too.”

“Master Pei?”

Pei Yunshu smiled: “A’Ying learned painting directly from my mother, and even the academy teachers praised him highly…” She paused before continuing: “But after mother passed away, he never painted again.”

At this point, her tone became somewhat melancholy.

Lu Tong remained silent.

It appeared that the Pei Yunshu siblings had been extremely close to the late Duchess of Zhaoning.

Just then, Fang Zi walked into the main hall from outside: “Madam, the Young Master has returned.”

Pei Yunying had returned.

Lu Tong looked in the direction of Fang Zi’s gaze.

The last traces of sunset glow faded from the sky, flowers bright and moon dim. Garden lanterns lit up one by one, and a tall figure passed through the courtyard, gradually approaching. Pei Yunying wore a crimson robe with linked pearl and paired sheep and bird patterns. Though his handsome face carried a hint of severity in the dim light.

As he drew closer, with the lanterns growing brighter, that touch of severity gradually faded. The young man’s eyes became gentle like a warm spring breeze, rippling across a stream of spring water.

Pei Yunshu smiled at him: “We were just talking about you, and here you are. It’s not a rest day, so why are you back so late? You missed dinner entirely.”

Pei Yunying replied with little concern: “Official business.” Then he glanced at Lu Tong, his lips curving slightly: “Doctor Lu is here too.”

His tone was somewhat distant.

Lu Tong said nothing.

He smiled again: “What were you saying about me just now?” He bent down to play with Bao Zhu, who was being held by the wet nurse.

Bao Zhu grasped his finger, trying to put it in her mouth, but Pei Yunying stopped her.

Pei Yunshu said: “Nothing much. You’ve returned at just the right time. Doctor Lu will be heading back to West Street shortly. It’s dangerous for a young woman to walk alone at night. Since you’re back now, you should escort her.”

“No need,” Lu Tong said.

As soon as she spoke, both Pei Yunshu and Pei Yunying looked at her.

Lu Tong’s expression remained composed: “I have something to discuss with Master Pei.”

Pei Yunshu looked puzzled.

Pei Yunying turned his head, his dark eyes quietly fixed on her.

After a moment, he straightened up, releasing his hand from playing with Bao Zhu, and said to Lu Tong: “Go wait for me in the study first.”

“I’ll come after changing clothes.”

Lu Tong: “Alright.”

Fang Zi led Lu Tong to Pei Yunying’s study, and Pei Yunying also went to change clothes. Only Pei Yunshu and the maidservants remained in the hall.

Pei Yunshu stepped back a few paces and sat down in a chair, suddenly remembering something. She asked the nanny beside her: “A’Ying just said to have Doctor Lu wait for him in the study?”

The nanny confirmed this.

“Strange…”

Pei Yunshu blinked in puzzlement.

Pei Yunying had always disliked people entering his room. Even Pei Yunshu rarely entered his study, worried it might contain court documents that could cause problems if disturbed.

Looking at Lu Tong and her brother, they seemed politely distant rather than close or familiar, yet Pei Yunying had casually let Lu Tong go to his residence and even enter his study that others couldn’t access?

Not to mention that plate of lotus flower pastries – could there be something between the two of them that she didn’t know about?

…

While Pei Yunshu pondered these thoughts, Lu Tong was unaware of them.

Pei Yunying’s residence was right next to Pei Yunshu’s, separated only by a wall, so it was just a few steps away.

However, this mansion appeared much more desolate than Pei Yunshu’s residence.

Perhaps because there was no crying baby to enliven Pei Yunying’s side, or perhaps because the household had few people and was maintained too pristinely, it even appeared somewhat cold and hard. Walking into it, one immediately felt a layer of serene, cold silence.

Fang Zi led Lu Tong through steps and corridors, around a small courtyard, and stopped before Pei Yunying’s study: “Miss Lu, please enter. The Young Master will be here shortly.”

After saying this, she bowed her head and left.

Lu Tong pushed the door and entered.

The study was quite simple.

By the window was a desk, and toward the east side of the room was a low table with book lamps, incense burners, inkstone mountains, brushes and ink arranged on it. Near the writing desk was also a display shelf with various antiques and vessels, including a narcissus bonsai.

This room was simple and casual. Compared to the extreme luxury of Qi Yutai’s Ceremonial Supervisor residence, it was almost austere to excess. It was completely different from Pei Yunying’s usual magnificent appearance, emanating a cold severity.

Lu Tong walked a few steps into the room and noticed that in the deepest part of the room sat an extremely small round table with something piled high on top. Curious, she walked closer for a look—

It was a small tower.

It was entirely made of finger-sized wooden balls carved from wood, not perfectly square but reasonably round. They were stacked one by one from bottom to top into a small tower, towering majestically. At first glance it was quite spectacular – if you didn’t look closely, you might think it was an intentionally arranged landscape piece.

Lu Tong noticed that the topmost wooden piece seemed to have been blown askew by wind or something else, with half of it hanging outside the tower’s peak, precarious and appearing ready to collapse at any moment. After thinking about it, she reached out her hand, wanting to push that piece at the tower’s top inward—

“Don’t touch it.”

“Crash!”

A sudden tremendous sound.

The young man’s voice of warning and the thunderous crash of the wooden tower collapsing rang out almost simultaneously.

The tall wooden tower instantly shattered, like a waterfall frozen through an entire harsh winter suddenly finding release, cascading down with a thunderous roar, scattered pieces flowing across the entire floor.

Lu Tong spun around abruptly.

Pei Yunying stood at the doorway. His gaze swept over the instantly collapsed wooden tower, and he spoke expressionlessly: “Did you do that on purpose?”

Lu Tong: “…”

This time she truly hadn’t done it intentionally.

Lu Tong pressed her lips together: “I apologize. I’ll help you rebuild it.”

“No need.”

Pei Yunying bent down, picked up a piece of wood that had rolled to his boot, walked to the low table and set it down.

Lu Tong looked at him. Whether it was her imagination or because Pei Yunying was in a bad mood, she felt he was especially distant today, as if deliberately maintaining distance.

However, Lu Tong had no interest in knowing about Pei Yunying’s mood or why he was acting this way. This included why he had stacked such a wooden tower in his study, all mysterious-looking, when there weren’t even any secret scrolls hidden inside.

There wasn’t even a gold brick.

Such pretense.

Noticing her gaze, Pei Yunying smiled slightly. Ignoring the chaos scattered across the floor, he sat down at the low table and asked Lu Tong: “What does Doctor Lu want to see me about?”

Lu Tong fell silent, then sat down across from him, not speaking for a moment.

He raised an eyebrow: “Is it that difficult to say?”

Actually, it wasn’t difficult to say.

It was just that currently, she really had nothing with which to make a deal with Pei Yunying.

Lu Tong said: “Master Pei has eyes and ears everywhere. Even secrets that the Imperial City Department of the capital cannot discover, Master Pei knows about.”

“What are you referring to?”

Lu Tong leaned forward, staring into his eyes: “Grand Tutor Qi Qing was devoted to raising birds, but five years ago, the Grand Tutor’s mansion stopped keeping birds. Master Pei, do you know what happened in the Qi family five years ago? What did Qi Yutai do?”

She asked: “Why does he detest thrushes?”

The room suddenly fell silent.

In the distance, night winds rustled against the flower-carved windows, making the quiet night so still you could hear a pin drop.

Lu Tong’s gaze moved past the low table to fall on the wooden pieces scattered across the floor.

Qi Yutai’s mother suffered from madness, and Qi Yutai might have also had episodes of madness in his youth. That’s why the Grand Tutor’s mansion had used calming Lingxi incense to nurture Qi Yutai for years, never even using other types of incense pills.

Everything seemed quite stable.

But five years ago, the Grand Tutor’s mansion secretly summoned Cui Min for medical consultation. That vaguely written medical record revealed something different.

Those prescriptions and medicines for calming the mind seemed to indicate that Qi Yutai showed signs of having episodes.

But what was the cause of his episodes?

If it was simply time for his condition to manifest, why did Qi Yutai particularly detest birds, especially thrushes?

Thrush birds…

Just as Lu Tong had watched Yunniang poison Wu Yun and ever since then would tremble uncontrollably upon seeing black puppies, Qi Yutai must also detest seeing thrushes for some reason.

If she wanted to prepare an untraceable poison for Qi Yutai, she needed to know who the most important medicinal catalyst was.

However, the Qi family wielded tremendous power, and secrets concerning Qi Yutai were always buried, leaving not a trace to be found. Lin Danqing didn’t know why Qi Yutai detested thrushes, Miao Liangfang didn’t know, and Master Cao at the Pleasure House didn’t know…

But Pei Yunying might know.

To learn the truth, she could only ask the person before her.

Collecting her thoughts, Lu Tong looked across at him.

The young man had changed out of the crimson brocade robe he’d worn when returning home, now wearing only a frost-colored snow-white long robe. The loose robe emanated a cool feeling under the lamplight.

“Winter’s yin and yang urge short days, while frost and snow at world’s end clear the cold sky.” That cool white tone made his handsome features appear sharp-edged as well. In the dim lamplight, he possessed a coldness completely different from his usual demeanor.

Pei Yunying looked at Lu Tong, his eyes calm.

The flickering lamplight danced in his dark pupils, which also faintly reflected Lu Tong’s image.

After a moment, he lowered his lashes: “I know.”

Lu Tong’s heart leaped with joy.

“But Doctor Lu,” he spoke, his tone suddenly sharp: “Why should I tell you?”