The summer hunt in the capital ended so unexpectedly.

There were no generous hunting rewards, no imperial commendations. The noble young men’s carefully prepared magnificent riding attire hadn’t even been displayed before the grand event came to a close.

The summer hunt was over, but some things were just beginning.

At Huangmao Hill, Crown Prince Yuan Zhen suddenly encountered a tiger attack, and Third Prince Yuan Yao was ambushed in the forest. The two had never gotten along, and for both to have accidents at this crucial moment was truly thought-provoking.

Before the hunting ground’s summer hunt, guards had patrolled the mountains every year without incident. This year’s guard rotation had allowed such chaos to occur. Emperor Liang Ming was furious and ordered a thorough investigation of the guards and imperial troops, suspecting that traitors had infiltrated the guard ranks.

The Crown Prince and Third Prince’s factions each insisted on their own version, both convinced the other harbored ill intentions. Amid the court’s hidden currents and upheavals, a romantic tale still managed to spread.

Commander of the Palace Front Division Pei Yunying seemed to have an unusual relationship with a common female physician from the Imperial Medical Academy.

Once this news broke, it spread throughout the court, from high to low, and at banquets in noble households.

This heir of Duke Zhaoning was young, frequently walked before the emperor, and was naturally elegant and graceful. Even without the Pei family background, just considering his position and talents, he was the most satisfactory marriage prospect in the hearts of many official families in the capital.

Yet Pei Yunying was already in his twenties and hadn’t even settled on a single marriage arrangement. Not only was nothing settled, there hadn’t even been the slightest rumor.

Others said it was because Pei Yunying had high standards, while some said Duke Zhaoning wanted to choose a well-matched noble lady for his son. He himself was kind and courteous, naturally handsome and gentle, without the dissolute arrogance typical of wealthy young men. Since his youth, no romantic scandals had ever been heard about him.

The more this was the case, the more curious people became about which noble lady this person would eventually marry. However, no one expected that this always upright Commander of the Palace Front Division would return from a hunting trip with such news.

The little palace maids at Huanhua Pavilion gathered together, vividly describing what happened at the hunting ground that day as if they had witnessed it themselves—

“At that time, Lord Pei stood in front of Imperial Physician Lu, glaring angrily at Young Master Qi: ‘If you dare harm her in the slightest, I’ll make you regret it forever!’ Then, in front of everyone, he embraced Imperial Physician Lu and strode away.”

The little palace maids listened with flushed cheeks, as if they were the ones being rescued in the legend, sighing deeply and beating their chests in excitement.

“Why did it have to be her? I heard she’s just a common physician with no family background. Even if she’s beautiful, there are many beautiful noble ladies in the capital too!”

“Pah!” Another little maid shook her head. “Lord Pei isn’t a snob. I used to sweep at Huanhua Pavilion and accidentally broke a noble’s dishes. He spoke up for me then and saved me from punishment. He treats us all this way, so clearly he doesn’t judge people by their status.”

“That’s true, but this way he’s offended Young Master Qi…”

“What offense? Is it reasonable to set dogs on people? I heard Imperial Physician Lu was bitten terribly, covered in blood, and almost couldn’t be saved!”

“No wonder Young Master Pei got angry…”

Idle gossip in the palace always spread quickly. Ordinary events, when embellished, became more dramatic than the carefully crafted romantic dramas in fairy pavilions.

In the round pool outside Cining Palace, lotus flowers bloomed in clusters with dense overlapping petals.

A woman in ornate hairpins and golden robes sat in a small pavilion in the inner part of the long corridor, fingering a string of glossy prayer beads and smiling as she looked at the person below her seat.

“Commander Pei, now the palace is full of romantic tales about you. This is quite unexpected for this dowager.”

The young man below her slightly bowed his head.

“For polluting the Empress Dowager’s noble ears, this is my fault. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”

The woman smiled without speaking.

Empress Dowager Li was not Emperor Liang Ming’s birth mother.

When the previous emperor was alive, the former crown prince’s mother had died early, and later Empress Li was made consort.

Empress Li had only one princess under her care. She was gentle and uncontentious by nature, getting along well with the other princes.

Later, when the former crown prince met with misfortune and the previous emperor passed away, Emperor Liang Ming ascended the throne. The Empress Dowager spent most of her time worshipping Buddha at Wan’en Temple, hardly managing palace affairs.

The hunting summer wind blew by, and the pool was filled with lotus fragrance. After a long silence, the Empress Dowager slowly spoke: “A few days ago, His Majesty asked about your marriage.”

“The young lady of the Qi family is seventeen this year, also at the age to choose a husband.”

“Originally, you two could be considered well-matched, a golden boy and jade girl.”

“Now…”

Her voice paused, and she said lightly: “This dowager wants to ask you, what do you mean by this?”

Pei Yunying bowed, as if he hadn’t heard the hint in her words, and answered calmly.

“The young lady of the Qi family is gentle, elegant, and observant of propriety. I am crude and rash, truly not a good match. I dare not reach so high.”

Dare not reach so high.

He spoke calmly, but this made the other party pause. After a moment, Empress Dowager Li raised her eyes and carefully studied the young man before her.

Handsome and spirited, with brilliance hidden beneath his gentle exterior, yet like the silver blade at his waist—bright and sharp.

Indeed outstanding.

No wonder the proud Qi family took a liking to him at first sight, willing to arrange a match with their precious daughter.

Empress Dowager Li sighed: “Actually, not marrying into the Qi family isn’t entirely without benefits.”

“It’s just that you went too far.”

“I know my guilt.”

The Empress Dowager pressed her brow: “Now everywhere people are saying you flew into a rage for beauty’s sake, arguing with Qi Yutai over a female physician… Do you really have an affair with that female physician?”

Pei Yunying said: “I dare not deceive the Empress Dowager. I spoke for Imperial Physician Lu because she has done me a past favor. On the day my sister gave birth, it was Imperial Physician Lu who discovered the poison in her womb and saved both my sister’s and the baby’s lives.”

“I have no affair with Imperial Physician Lu. I spoke up only because Qi Yutai was being excessively bullying. Please investigate clearly, Your Majesty.”

This wasn’t a secret—everyone in the palace knew about it.

The Empress Dowager carefully studied his expression. Seeing his eyes clear and honest, not seeming false, she relaxed slightly.

“Very well.”

She said: “I’ve already spoken to His Majesty about your matter. It’s just a small dispute, and His Majesty won’t be too hard on you.”

“As for the Qi family…”

Pei Yunying: “I understand.”

The Empress Dowager nodded: “Good that you know. Go now, His Majesty is still waiting for you.”

Pei Yunying bowed to express his gratitude and then took his leave.

Only when his figure could no longer be seen in the long corridor did the Empress Dowager stop fingering her prayer beads.

“It seems he doesn’t want to marry into the Qi family.”

The female official beside her said quietly: “Lord Pei has disappointed Your Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager shook her head.

“He has his own plans. Duke Zhaoning can’t control his marriage, and this dowager might not be able to either. It’s within expectations, not really disappointing.”

“Moreover, his impulsiveness this time actually suits His Majesty’s intentions better.”

The female official pondered: “Lord Pei isn’t an impulsive person. Perhaps it was intentional.”

“This dowager would rather it was intentional.”

The female official dared not speak. A dragonfly skimmed over the lotus leaves, creating small ripples.

After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager suddenly remembered something and asked the female official beside her: “However, have you ever seen that female physician?”

The female official was startled.

“What does she look like?”

The Empress Dowager was curious: “Is she more beautiful than the young lady of the Qi family?”

…

Lu Tong was unaware that she had become the center of discussion throughout the palace overnight.

After the summer hunt ended, she went directly back to West Street.

Chang Jin had approved her leave, letting her rest for a few more days on West Street. Besides recovering from her injuries, it was also to avoid the limelight. With rumors currently rampant and Qi Yutai having suffered a setback, it was best not to appear at this time.

The neighbors on West Street didn’t know the inside story and only thought she had been injured by wild beasts on the mountain while accompanying the imperial party. They came to visit with local products. Dai Sanlang slaughtered a fat pig and kept the two largest bones for Du Changqing to make soup for Lu Tong, saying it was “healing like with like.”

Duan Xiaoyan had also visited once, bringing many wild game—all spoils from this summer hunt.

When Pei Yunying came to the medical hall, Du Changqing intercepted him in front of the small courtyard.

“Oh, Lord Pei.”

The young proprietor put one hand on his hip, his face full of displeasure, smiling without warmth as he looked at the young man before him.

“What wind brought you here too?”

Pei Yunying smiled: “I came to see Dr. Lu.”

The courtyard was empty. It was evening, with dim yellow twilight. Clothes and handkerchiefs hung on hemp ropes, colorful and half-dry, dripping water that accumulated in small puddles on the ground. When the wind passed, it seemed to moisten people’s faces as well.

“Dr. Lu is still recovering from her injuries,” Du Changqing sighed. “Lord Pei, please leave your gifts and come back another day to see her.”

“Dr. Lu isn’t at the medical hall?”

“She’s here, but just went to rest. She’s badly injured and can barely get out of bed. She gets breathless just from talking a few words. I’m truly sorry.”

Du Changqing hypocritically apologized while reaching out to take the expensive medicinal materials from Pei Yunying’s hands: “Never mind, I’ll definitely convey Lord Pei’s intentions… Oh my, so many medicinal materials, you must have spent quite a lot of silver? You’re too formal, bringing gifts for a sick visit.”

Then he changed the subject: “But medicinal materials are good too. That Young Master Duan came over last time and brought lots of wild game, all bloody. We didn’t dare pile them in the courtyard, and A’Cheng and I don’t know how to butcher them. Yin Zheng and Dr. Lu are two weak women… This is a medical hall, not a slaughterhouse. We really don’t know what to do!”

Just as he finished speaking, he saw Lu Tong come out of the small kitchen, her white apron covered in blood. She also had some splattered on her face, holding a knife in one hand and half a wild deer in the other, expressionless like a real butcher.

Du Changqing: “…”

Pei Yunying looked at him: “Weak woman?”

After a long moment, Du Changqing threw up his sleeve: “I’m really talking nonsense!”

He turned and lifted the felt curtain to go outside.

Lu Tong didn’t know what madness had suddenly seized him, only looking at Pei Yunying: “Why did you come?”

“To see you.”

He walked to Lu Tong’s side and looked her over.

After resting for so many days, she looked fairly well, though her face was slightly pale, even more frail than before, now looking like a ghost covered in blood who had just finished eating someone.

Pei Yunying bent down and picked up the half-processed deer from Lu Tong’s hands: “You’re injured, why aren’t you resting properly?”

Lu Tong watched him put the deer in a large basin and scoop water from the water jar to skillfully wash away the blood, then said: “The wild game Duan Xiaoyan sent couldn’t fit in the kitchen, so I couldn’t make medicine.”

Pei Yunying paused.

Lu Tong looked accusatory.

With so many game carcasses piled in the kitchen, those who didn’t know might think this was Dai’s meat shop. In summer the weather was hot, and meat couldn’t be stored long. Du Changqing was stingy and thought the hunting ground wild game was precious, reluctant to give it to others.

In the end, only Lu Tong and Miao Liangfang took turns crouching in the kitchen to process them.

“Next time if you don’t like it, just refuse,” Pei Yunying said. “Or you could have him butcher them before bringing them back.”

Next time?

Lu Tong was speechless for a moment, then said: “I appreciate the thought, but it would be better if there were no next time.”

She watched Pei Yunying place the basin containing deer meat on the stone table in the courtyard. Yin Zheng came out with a salt jar to cure it, then went into the house.

Seeing Pei Yunying standing still, she said again: “Come in.”

Summer days grew dark late, only gradually darkening by the You hour. Lu Tong lit a lamp in the room and had just sat down when she saw a woven food basket appear on the table.

The basket was exquisite, elegant and emerald-like, seeming to be woven from green bamboo. Lu Tong looked at Pei Yunying: “What’s this?”

“Jasmine flower cakes from Shiding Pavilion.”

Pei Yunying withdrew his hand and sat across from her: “Should suit your taste well.”

Lu Tong was startled.

She had heard Du Changqing mention this tea house in the south of the city. Not only were the items expensive, but it was also very difficult to queue for them. Once when A’Cheng had a birthday, Du Changqing wanted to buy a box of ruyi cakes. He went to queue before dawn, but when it was his turn, they had just sold out. This angered Du Changqing so much that he cursed for half a day at the medical hall.

Lu Tong asked: “Why buy this?”

“When visiting the sick, you can’t come empty-handed.”

“I thought the Commander came to tell me other news.”

He looked at her with interest: “Such as?”

“Such as how you made Qi Yutai suffer this setback.”

She had been recuperating on West Street for five or six days, during which everything had been peaceful with nothing happening. There was no news from the Imperial Medical Academy. It seemed as if the incident of fighting the vicious dog at Huangmao Hill had been quietly suppressed.

With the Qi family’s methods, this was completely unreasonable. Even if Qi Yutai wouldn’t openly try to kill her now, causing some trouble would be effortless, not to mention there was Cui Min lurking in the shadows with ulterior motives.

The only possibility was that Pei Yunying had interfered.

“What did you do?” she asked.

Pei Yunying looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Nothing much, just added a few people to the hunting ground guards.”

He said: “People recommended by the Qi family.”

Lu Tong was suddenly stunned.

The Crown Prince encountered a tiger at the hunting ground, and the Third Prince was ambushed on the mountain. The hunting ground that the guards had searched shouldn’t have had such dangers, but once something happened, someone had to be blamed.

And it happened to be people recommended by the Qi family.

She was just a newly appointed physician at the Imperial Medical Academy, not even reaching the level of imperial physician, knowing nothing about the whirlpools and undercurrents in court. But even so, she understood the severity of this matter.

Busy dealing with the emperor’s suspicions, the Qi family was indeed too occupied to pay attention to her small disturbance.

“How is it?” Pei Yunying looked at her with a smile: “Is Dr. Lu satisfied with this gift?”

Lu Tong looked at his nonchalant smiling face, feeling somewhat complicated.

She hadn’t expected Pei Yunying to approach it from this angle.

Although this action put the Qi family in a difficult position, with their methods, it was probably only temporary. Once this matter passed, Qi Qing might well trace it back to Pei Yunying.

Clearly, Qi Qing had been thinking of winning him over as a prized son-in-law just days ago, but after this incident, it would be impossible.

He really left himself no way out.

Seeing Lu Tong staring at him without blinking, Pei Yunying was puzzled: “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Lu Tong looked away: “I was just thinking that losing this marriage alliance with the Grand Tutor’s mansion, Lord Pei has suffered a great loss this time.”

Pei Yunying’s smile stiffened: “What nonsense are you talking about again?”

“Just stating facts.”

Pei Yunying was about to speak when he thought of something, his expression suddenly changed. He tilted his head to study her, slightly curving his lips: “You can’t say things carelessly. After all, I’m already engaged.”

“…”

This time it was Lu Tong’s expression that changed.

“I already said it’s not you.”

Pei Yunying lazily nodded: “Oh.”

Lu Tong was exasperated. His manner clearly showed he didn’t believe her.

The room was silent. Outside, Yin Zheng finished sweeping the courtyard and was splashing clean water with a basin. The water hit the bluestone slabs with soft “splashing” sounds.

His smile faded slightly as he asked Lu Tong: “How are your injuries?”

Actually, on the day they came down from Huangmao Hill, Lin Danqing had already examined her. Although the bloody wounds looked frightening, since Lu Tong had protected her vital areas at the time, it was much better than imagined. The only concern was scarring.

However, Ji Xun had sent Immortal Jade Skin Cream. They said that medicine removed scars very quickly, and Miao Liangfang also praised it greatly: “People don’t recognize quality, but money does. The ointments used by palace nobles are indeed good.”

Thinking of this, Lu Tong said: “Thank you for the Jade Skin Cream, Commander. It’s almost healed. In another five or six days, I can return to the Imperial Medical Academy.”

Pei Yunying followed her gaze and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Two identical medicine bottles sat side by side on the table. He picked up one bottle, his expression somewhat strange: “Why are there two bottles?”

Immortal Jade Skin Cream used precious materials, and the Imperial Pharmacy had almost no surplus—all were distributed to palaces and noble mansions. Pei Yunying’s bottle was a reward from the Empress Dowager, but Lu Tong had two bottles on her table.

He asked: “Who else sent you a bottle?”

Lu Tong: “Physician Ji.”

“Ji Xun?”

He was startled, his brow slightly furrowing: “Last time I saw you, you were still being lectured by him.”

He continued thoughtfully: “And at the hunting ground, when Qi Yutai was making things difficult, he also spoke up for you.”

“Strange.” His beautiful eyes stared at Lu Tong, speaking thoughtfully: “When did you two become so close?”

Lu Tong sat at the table, answering calmly: “Physician Ji is a white crane among clouds, upright and impartial, a gentleman who doesn’t follow vulgar ways. Seeing Qi Yutai bullying others with his power, he naturally helped out of righteousness.”

“Previous grudges, once misunderstandings are cleared, no longer count.”

“Colleagues sending medicine is also quite normal.”

Pei Yunying’s eyes moved: “Gentleman?”

He looked deeply at Lu Tong, his tone slightly cool: “You have quite a high opinion of him.”

Lu Tong didn’t understand the meaning of his sudden sarcasm.

“Even if he is a gentleman,” Pei Yunying didn’t dwell on this topic but turned to something else: “But you just said you’d return to the Imperial Medical Academy in five or six days. Don’t you need to rest a few more days?”

He reminded her: “The Qi family is too busy to pay attention to you now. When more time passes…”

“I need to return to the Imperial Medical Academy,” Lu Tong interrupted him.

Pei Yunying paused.

“In Lord Pei’s eyes, am I someone who just sits waiting for death?”

Her expression was calm, and on her pale face, her eyes were deep and dark in the lamplight, like deep spring water with hidden currents.

“Qi Yutai set his vicious dog on me. Either it should have bitten me to death, or he should go die himself.”

Pei Yunying stared at her: “What did you do?”

Lu Tong lowered her eyes.

“What I should do.”