The night was dark and drowsy. When Lu Tong returned to the Medical Officials’ Court, all the dormitory lights were already out. Qing Feng’s carriage had dropped her off at the entrance, departing only after seeing her go inside. Chang Jin seemed to have already returned to the dormitory to sleep, and there wasn’t a single person in the courtyard.

After walking around the long corridor, just as Lu Tong reached her room’s entrance, she saw Lin Danqing coming in from outside, holding a lantern in one hand and an empty washbasin in the other. Upon seeing Lu Tong, she cleared her throat and said casually, “I just came back from washing clothes,” before pushing open the door and entering first.

Lu Tong watched her back, understanding in her heart.

All of Lin Danqing’s clothes were usually collected and taken home during the monthly breaks for the household servants to wash. Having shared a room with her for so long, this was the first time Lu Tong had seen her washing clothes at night—an excuse that wasn’t very well thought out.

Moreover, there wasn’t even a drop of water in the basin.

The room’s lamp was lit, and Lu Tong followed her in, closing the door.

Perhaps because of last night’s drunken rambling, Lin Danqing’s behavior wasn’t as natural as usual. Looking carefully, there was even a hint of awkwardness.

She noticed this suffocating awkwardness and sat down at the table, pulling out a handful of pine nuts from the drawer and offering them to Lu Tong, asking, “Want some?”

Lu Tong shook her head, put the medical box back on the table, and stood up to make the bed.

Lin Danqing had no choice but to eat by herself. After eating a few nuts, she suddenly spoke up: “Did you leave with Commander Pei today?”

Lu Tong’s bed-making movements paused.

She turned back: “You saw?”

“I wasn’t eavesdropping!” Lin Danqing hurriedly explained, “I was coming out of the medicine room when I saw you talking with Medical Official Ji. You know how much I fear Medical Official Ji, so I was waiting for him to leave before coming over. Who knew Commander Pei would suddenly appear and take you away.”

“I swear, I didn’t hear a word you said. I at least have that much discretion.”

Lu Tong fell silent for a moment, then turned back to continue making the bed, only saying, “Deputy Xiao from the Palace Guards suddenly had a headache and summoned me for consultation.”

Lin Danqing peeled open a pine nut, “If Deputy Xiao had a headache, they could have just sent someone with a message. Why did Commander Pei need to come personally? I don’t think that’s the real reason.”

Lu Tong smoothed out the last wrinkle in the bedding, turned back to sit on the edge of the bed, and looked at Lin Danqing: “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what you’re thinking,” Lin Danqing continued peeling pine nuts, throwing the shells onto the coarse cloth beneath and the nuts into a small sauce dish, sighing, “Little Sister Lu, I’m best at reading people. Before, when I went to other people’s homes for banquets with my family, I could tell at a glance that the relationship between the eldest young master and his stepmother wasn’t normal. No one else noticed, but sure enough, half a year later, the scandal broke.”

“I feel like my eyes were born to spot things that aren’t quite right.”

Lu Tong looked at her: “So what did you notice that wasn’t right?”

Lin Danqing seemed to have become interested, sitting cross-legged in her chair, continuing to peel pine nuts without stopping, “That your relationship with Commander Pei isn’t ordinary.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Earlier when Director Cui asked you to examine Jin Xianrong, he spoke up for you. I originally thought it was to repay you for saving his sister’s niece, but something felt strange.”

“What’s strange about it?”

She sighed like an elder, “Those of us who serve in the palace fear two things most: owing favors and getting entangled with others. Little Sister Lu, you offended Director Cui as soon as you entered the Medical Officials’ Court, and you might offend others in the future. If he wanted to repay you, he could have used more aboveboard methods, rather than showing others you have a private connection.”

“He’s a clever person, knowing this isn’t advantageous yet still doing it—that’s very intriguing.”

Lu Tong was silent for a moment: “You don’t think he has ulterior motives toward me?”

“I didn’t say that.” Lin Danqing said with a grin, “But at least you must be special to him. Are you two close?”

Close?

Lin Danqing’s question stumped Lu Tong.

Were she and Pei Yunying close?

It didn’t seem like a particularly close relationship—they had once crossed blades, and even now neither had completely let down their guard with the other.

But they also seemed closer than ordinary people, as Pei Yunying knew her background and enemies, and she knew about the scars on his back and his secrets. She could be completely unguarded with him, interacting more openly than with others.

Lin Danqing’s voice came to her ears: “But Little Sister Lu, as a friend, I should still advise you. Although Commander Pei has an extraordinary background and is counted among the most handsome men in Sheng Jing, he’s a hot potato. In your daily interactions with him, remember to keep some distance, otherwise you’ll offend others and end up suffering yourself.”

These words carried quite suggestive implications, and Lu Tong asked: “Who are these ‘others’?”

Lin Danqing’s pine nut-peeling hands stopped.

She turned to face Lu Tong and said solemnly: “The Grand Tutor’s mansion.”

Lu Tong’s heart stirred.

She glanced sideways: “What does this have to do with the Grand Tutor’s mansion?”

“Of course it’s related!” Lin Danqing lowered her voice: “This is top-secret palace information, don’t ask me where I heard it from, but the Empress Dowager intends to arrange a marriage for Young Lord Pei, and she has her eye on the Qi family’s young lady!”

Pei Yunying and Qi Huaying?

Lu Tong’s eyes flickered slightly.

Back when she didn’t know Pei Yunying’s background and they were still testing each other, she had maliciously speculated that Pei Yunying would become Qi Qing’s son-in-law. However, after getting to know him, she didn’t notice Pei Yunying having any other intentions toward the Qi family.

Otherwise, knowing that she was targeting the Qi family, shouldn’t he have “brought her to justice” for his future father-in-law’s family long ago?

Why let things drift and watch coldly from the sidelines?

This didn’t seem like the behavior of people about to become family.

Lin Danqing lowered her head to peel pine nuts again: “From what I see, I don’t know if the flowing water has feelings, but the falling flowers have intention. If the Qi family truly didn’t want this marriage, given the Grand Tutor’s mansion’s forceful and cautious style, this top-secret information would never have reached my ears. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, that’s why I’m warning you.”

“They say beauty brings disaster, and the same goes for handsome men. In any case, be careful in your daily interactions, don’t let others misunderstand and cause trouble.”

Lu Tong fell silent.

Lin Danqing remembered something else and added: “What I just told you, you can’t tell anyone.”

Lu Tong agreed, lowering her head in deep thought.

If what Lin Danqing said was true, at least the Qi family was currently interested in forming a marriage alliance with the Pei family.

She suddenly recalled the time she encountered Qi Yutai at Yu Xian Lou when she was hiding in Pei Yunying’s embrace and only heard Qi Yutai’s words hinting at wanting to be friendly with Pei Yunying, although Pei Yunying refused at the time…

She had only seen the Grand Tutor’s daughter once, a fleeting glimpse below Bao Xiang Lou. Although her face was covered with a thin veil at the time and couldn’t be seen, just looking at her figure and bearing showed she was outstanding and graceful. She had also heard that Miss Qi was well-versed in poetry and literature, a famous talented lady in Sheng Jing. Even without the title of the Grand Tutor’s daughter, she was enough to make countless men bow in pursuit.

Pei Yunying was also a man.

On one side was a father-in-law as wealthy as a nation with a powerful background, on the other was a gentle, beautiful, and virtuous wife—any ordinary man would know how to choose. If Pei Yunying chose to become Qi Qing’s son-in-law, it would be a perfectly natural progression.

However, this would put him in opposition to her.

Her lowered brows and thoughtful expression fell into Lin Danqing’s eyes, inadvertently confirming Lin Danqing’s suspicions, and causing her to feel some pity. She pushed forward the small dish containing the peeled pine nuts and stood up, saying: “I’ve peeled these pine nuts for you, remember to eat them tomorrow morning. Being so thin, how can you not take better care of yourself?”

She got up to return to her bed, but Lu Tong called out from behind: “Danqing.”

“Yes?”

After hesitating for a moment, Lu Tong finally spoke: “Do you know which noble household in Sheng Jing most likes to use gold utensils?”

“Gold utensils?” Lin Danqing was stunned for a moment: “Why are you asking about this?”

Lu Tong didn’t speak.

During her visit to the Commander’s mansion, the new prescription, Pei Yunying showed her, although the medicinal ingredients had changed, the content was still the same as the prescription she had seen before: if served in gold vessels, a life-saving medicine would instantly become a bone-chilling poison.

She felt something wasn’t quite right.

Seeing her silence, Lin Danqing didn’t continue asking, but just smiled and said: “Gold utensils are precious things, but they’re too magnificent. Wealthy merchants love to use such items, but the noble families in Sheng Jing prefer jade plates and cups to show their honor. If I have to say… the palace uses gold utensils.”

Lu Tong suddenly raised her head: “The palace?”

“Yes.” Lin Danqing nodded.

She said: “Little Sister Lu, don’t you know? All the utensils used by the imperial family in the palace are made of gold and silver.”

…

Late at night, the lights were still bright in the Commander’s mansion.

Xiao Zhufeng came in from outside, glanced at the young man sitting at the table handling official documents, and said: “Has she left?”

“She has.”

He then said coldly: “You went to great lengths.”

When Lu Tong came to the Commander’s mansion, Pei Yunying used his sudden headache as an excuse. Since they were putting on an act, they had to do it properly—he had originally wanted to go to the training grounds for archery practice, but instead had to stay in his room pretending to be weak.

Lu Tong even took his pulse for real, saying his blood qi was rising, and wrote him two prescriptions.

He hadn’t fallen ill even once in several years, but this one time pretending to be weak caused all the Commander’s mansion guards to show concern, each asking after his health.

Pei Yunying turned a page of official documents without raising his head: “You’re the Deputy Commander, you have high status—using you makes it seem more important.”

Xiao Zhufeng didn’t want to engage with his companion’s hypocritical flattery. He sat down at the table opposite and asked, “Did she look at the prescription?”

“She did, it’s the same as before.”

Xiao Zhufeng was silent for a moment, then said: “It seems His Highness’s side already knows.”

Pei Yunying’s lips curled: “It’s something we all know in our hearts—just more evidence to make it clear.”

Xiao Zhufeng didn’t respond.

The room fell silent except for the rustling sound of turning pages. After a while, Xiao Zhufeng spoke up: “Is it all right that Lu Tong knows about the prescription?”

The young man’s writing hand paused.

He looked up: “I only let her see the prescription, I didn’t reveal anything else.”

“But she’s very clever,” Xiao Zhufeng reminded him. “Piecing things together, she might figure it out.”

“You’re overthinking it. She’s busy with revenge, she’s not that free.”

Xiao Zhufeng: “What about you then? Always helping her—you haven’t fallen for her, have you?”

The room grew quiet for a moment.

After a while, Pei Yunying let out a derisive laugh: “Am I Duan Xiaoyan?”

“If you were Duan Xiaoyan, you could like whoever you want.”

Xiao Zhufeng maintained his gloomy face and official tone, “His Highness is already planning to make his move. At this crucial moment, we can’t afford any mistakes. Oh right,” he suddenly remembered something and asked, “Did you refuse the Qi family’s invitation again?”

Pei Yunying gave an absent-minded “mm” in response.

Xiao Zhufeng showed an “as expected” expression.

“Qi Qing wants you as his son-in-law, but you keep refusing his goodwill every time—he thinks highly of you.” His words carried sarcasm, but his face remained serious.

Pei Yunying’s lips twitched: “He doesn’t think highly of me, he thinks highly of the Pei family.”

“It’s all the same.”

The night was exceptionally quiet as he turned to look out the window.

Sheng Jing’s summer nights were cool, the moonlight like silver, with the faint fragrance of night-blooming jasmine carried into the courtyard by the evening breeze.

He looked for a while, then turned back.

“Xiao Er.”

“Mm.”

“The royal hunt in the outskirts will be soon.”

Xiao Zhufeng’s eyes flickered slightly, and after a long pause, he murmured: “Time flies.”

“Indeed.”

The young man gazed at the dancing flame in the bronze lamp on the table. The flame cast a warm reflection in his dark eyes, yet made his gaze appear even more indifferent.

“Time flies.”

…

The royal hunt in the outskirts was considered a major event among Sheng Jing’s nobility.

Grand Tutor Qi Qing disliked noise and commotion, preferring tranquility, and being advanced in years, he did not participate in such occasions. However, his son Qi Yutai, being young, had to attend.

While other officials’ sons were busy practicing horsemanship and archery, hoping to show their prowess at the hunting grounds, the Grand Tutor’s eldest son Qi Yutai was exceptionally idle.

He wasn’t skilled in competitive riding, and his archery was merely average. Qi Qing wouldn’t allow him to engage in such brutish killing activities, so every year at the hunt, he would just carry his bow and casually make a round for appearance’s sake. When others asked, he would say it was due to his father’s Buddhist influence, making him unable to bear taking life.

The Ministry of Revenue had approved his leave, and he stayed in the mansion daily. Perhaps it was from being confined for too long, but these past few days he had been particularly restless. The more restless he became, the more idle he felt, and the more idle he felt, the more restless he became. It was during these aimless days that he happened to find something worthwhile to do—investigating who that woman was who had made his sister cry.

A few days ago, when Qi Huaying was passing by the alley near the Medical Officials’ Court in her carriage, she saw a woman behaving intimately with Commander Pei Yunying of the Palace Guards. Pei Yunying was someone the Grand Tutor’s mansion had their eye on—wasn’t this like a slap in the face?

Moreover, Qi Huaying’s maid said she saw that the person being intimate with Pei Yunying was wearing the robes of a female medical official from the Medical Officials’ Court. Qi Yutai immediately sent people to investigate.

The information came back quickly—in just one day, they found out that only one female medical official had gone out for night visits that day: Medical Official Lu Tong from the Hanlin Medical Office.

As soon as Qi Yutai learned this news, he rushed to tell Qi Huaying.

Qi Huaying was lounging on a soft couch, casually flipping through a book of poetry. When she saw Qi Yutai come in from outside, she gave him a listless glance before lowering her head, continuing to stare blankly at the pages in her hands.

Ever since returning from that carriage ride, Qi Huaying had been like this—dispirited and melancholic, unable to take interest in anything.

“Sister, I found out!”

As soon as he entered the room, Qi Yutai quickly stepped forward, sat down beside Qi Huaying, and said: “The woman who went out with Pei Yunying that day is a new medical official from the Hanlin Medical Office, named Lu Tong.”

Qi Huaying was stunned for a moment: “Lu Tong?”

She had never heard this name before.

“She’s a commoner medical official, who used to run a clinic on the street. I saw her once before when she went to the Ministry of Rites to treat Jin Xianrong.”

There was hidden excitement in Qi Yutai’s brow.

When the person investigating returned with the news that the female medical official who went out with Pei Yunying was called Lu Tong, Qi Yutai was also greatly surprised.

He remembered Lu Tong—Jin Xianrong’s problem down there had spread among the officials, and several medical officials from the Medical Officials’ Court had failed to treat it, yet it had gradually improved under this female medical official’s care. The last time he had nightmares at the Ministry of Rites, he had seen Lu Tong, and she had even taken his pulse.

To be fair, that female medical official was quite beautiful, with a cool demeanor completely different from Sheng Jing’s young ladies. Qi Yutai had almost developed feelings at the time, but since she was just a servant and his father had been particularly strict lately, he had eventually dismissed the thought.

Now knowing that this female medical official was the culprit who had made his sister cry, he was naturally furious.

“Sister,” Qi Yutai looked at Qi Huaying’s seemingly thinner face with heartache, “What is she? Nothing but a lowly commoner, not even worthy to be your servant, yet she dares to make you sad.”

“Brother will get revenge for you. Tomorrow I’ll make her taste some suffering, let her know the price of offending the precious daughter of our Grand Tutor’s mansion!”

Qi Huaying was startled: “Brother, you must not!”

“Sister, I’m getting revenge for you.” Qi Yutai showed confusion.

Qi Huaying knew well that although this brother of hers appeared courteous and respectful, he had been impulsive since childhood. With their father’s restraint, he could still maintain appearances in public, but in private when no one was around, he would always do things that brought trouble, which was increasingly worrisome.

She said: “Brother, you’re also a man. Since Commander Pei is infatuated with that medical woman, they must be deeply in love. If you intervene, wouldn’t that make an enemy of him?”

Qi Yutai sneered: “Make an enemy over a commoner?”

Seeing Qi Huaying’s disapproving look, Qi Yutai coldly smiled: “I’ll have people handle it cleanly, no one will know it was the Qi family.”

Qi Huaying just shook her head: “Father has said the Palace Guards’ methods are not to be underestimated… and even if he doesn’t know it was you, if something happens to that medical woman, she’ll become a lasting pain in his heart, something he’ll never forget.”

“Most importantly…”

Qi Huaying lowered her eyes, “I’ve already decided to give up on him.”

“Sister?”

“Since he has someone in his heart, why should I embarrass myself? Besides, with my status, competing with a commoner for love would only lower my dignity. Brother, don’t try to persuade me and don’t do anything else. Father says many people are watching the Grand Tutor’s mansion lately, and his birthday is coming up soon. At this crucial time, don’t cause any more trouble to worry Father.”

Although she still looked unhappy, her tone was very firm. As soon as Qi Yutai heard her mention their father, he got a headache. This sister was smarter than him, more beautiful than him, and conducted herself with proper dignity, but her only flaw was that when she lectured him, she was exactly like their father, making him feel nervous.

He coughed lightly, not daring to continue this topic. Just as he was about to get up to leave, his eyes swept over the drawer, and suddenly remembering something, he narrowed his eyes, sat back down, and said softly to Qi Huaying: “Sister, about what I mentioned last time about borrowing some silver…”

Qi Huaying sighed, called over a maid, and took out a thick stack of silver notes from the drawer to give to him: “Don’t let Father know.”

“Of course, of course,” Qi Yutai took the silver notes and squeezed them, immediately delighted. He stood up smiling and said: “Sister treats me the best.”

“That bastard Pei Yunying doesn’t know what’s good for him, he’s not worthy of my sister,” he said: “Just wait, in a few days at the summer hunt, I’ll have someone catch you a snow-white little fox from the hunting grounds for you to keep as a pet and cheer you up.”

Qi Huaying shook her head, only watching his retreating as she urged, “Brother, now that you have the silver, don’t take that medicine powder anymore.”

“Of course, of course.”

Qi Yutai agreed readily, smiling as he walked out the door.