Green trees cast deep shadows, the wind was gentle and the day clear.

In the medicine room, all was silent.

A young attendant entered from behind the door, bringing two cups of medicinal tea that had been cooled to a comfortable temperature, then went to the front to tend to the medicine furnace.

Lu Tong sat at the table.

This was Ji Xun’s medicine room.

Ji Xun held a special position in the Imperial Medical Academy and was quite favored by the nobles in the palace. Since the pharmaceutical preparation room was too cramped and narrow, the Imperial Medical Academy had specially prepared this medicine room for him, allowing him to test prescriptions, prepare medicines, and study medical arts here on ordinary days.

The medicine room wasn’t large.

Long tables and low desks, with the pharmaceutical area and study separated by a carved wooden bookshelf. The shelves were stacked layer upon layer with medical texts, and there were more scattered on the floor. Disorderly prescription papers were casually piled beside the couch, on bamboo chairs, and in corners, giving the place a somewhat cluttered appearance.

On the desk sat incense holders and brush rests, along with silver scissors used for trimming medicinal herb leaves. An ice-blue glazed flower vase held a few branches of gardenia, their fragrance somewhat diluting the heavy medicinal odor of the room.

Dense green branches clustered outside the window, with a pleasant cool breeze that carried none of the scorching summer heat from outdoors. This place seemed like a mountain paradise, naturally possessing leisurely and rustic charm.

Ji Xun’s voice reached her ears.

“After we parted in southern Jiangsu that year, what happened to Physician Lu afterward?”

Lu Tong withdrew her gaze and looked again at the person before her.

Ji Xun sat across from her, his eyes filled with earnestness as he looked at her.

In the past when she was in southern Jiangsu, she had imagined many times what it would be like when she reunited with Ji Xun. When she actually arrived in the capital, she had gradually dismissed this notion.

But perhaps Heaven delighted in playing tricks – the more she didn’t want to be recognized by Ji Xun, the more this moment came upon her unexpectedly.

Lu Tong answered calmly: “After Physician Ji left, the poison I had contracted was soon cured. Afterward, I returned home.” She paused, “Two years ago when my family member died of illness, I came to the capital to seek refuge with distant relatives.”

“Where are these distant relatives now?”

“They passed away.”

“I see.” Ji Xun understood. “So you set up practice on West Street to make a living and support yourself.”

A woman from outside the capital, alone and friendless in the capital, with only medical skills to rely on – setting up practice was indeed a bold choice, yet the best one.

“But why didn’t you come to Changle Ward to find me?” Ji Xun was puzzled. “When I left, I told you that if you wanted to enter the Imperial Medical Bureau, I would help you.”

Lu Tong had practiced medicine on West Street but ultimately participated in the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination, which showed she wanted to enter the Hanlin Imperial Medical Academy.

If she wanted to enter the Hanlin Imperial Medical Academy, the Imperial Medical Bureau would actually have been easier.

“My medical skills are not refined, my knowledge shallow and narrow. Like the River Earl viewing the sea, or a frog in a well glimpsing the sky – how could I dare expose my shortcomings and invite ridicule?”

This sounded almost sarcastic, and Ji Xun frowned.

He said: “I don’t know who your teacher was, but with your medical skills, able to create ‘Spring Water Life’ and ‘Xianxian,’ you’ve already surpassed most students at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Why belittle yourself?”

“After all, I come from humble origins…”

Ji Xun interrupted her words: “So this is also why you still refused to acknowledge me after entering the Imperial Medical Academy?”

Lu Tong paused.

He looked at Lu Tong and shook his head slightly: “You are a physician. Your eyes should see only illness and symptoms, not distinguishing between noble and lowly. Why diminish yourself?”

The room fell silent.

Seeing that she wouldn’t speak, Ji Xun softened his voice: “Your medical talent is exceptional, and you’re intelligent and diligent. Perhaps you hold prejudices against the Imperial Medical Bureau, but what I want to tell you is that the medical classics and pharmaceutical principles taught at the Imperial Medical Bureau cannot be learned at ordinary medical practices.”

“Since you’re willing to enter the Imperial Medical Academy and have such aspirations, you shouldn’t waste your talent. I know that the medical principles you learned in the past differ from those of ordinary medical practices. I’ll find the textbooks used by Imperial Medical Bureau students for you. When you have time, read through them as much as possible. If you have different opinions, you can come here to find me.”

He spoke earnestly, and Lu Tong frowned: “Physician Ji, I’ve made it very clear – I study medicine only to make a living and climb upward, which differs from your original intention of benefiting the world.”

“If you were only doing it to make a living,” Ji Xun looked at her, “you wouldn’t have been in the Imperial Medical Academy for so long without acknowledging me.”

Lu Tong was speechless.

A physician who was only self-interested and focused on climbing upward should have found a way to send word out on the very first day of entering the Southern Pharmacy. Given Ji Xun’s nature, if he could extend a helping hand to strangers met by chance, he would be even more caring toward someone with whom he had past acquaintance.

She said: “Actually, I’m not what you think I am.”

Ji Xun shook his head: “In the past, I misunderstood you as someone who attached herself to wealth and status, lacking medical virtue. That was my fault for listening to biased rumors. I apologize to you.”

If she had wanted to attach herself to him, there was no need to use those rumor tactics – she could have simply used this jade pendant and their past in southern Jiangsu.

Ji Xun felt somewhat emotional.

Lu Tong was an ordinary person who had walked from West Street to the Imperial Medical Academy – no easy feat. Yet even within the Imperial Medical Academy, she still inevitably faced slander and false accusations. Alone and isolated, facing gossip and rumors without explanation, just like that time in the southern Jiangsu inn when she was clearly poisoned with a deadly toxin yet insisted nothing was wrong. The world was unjust – when common people encountered trouble, they always tried their best to swallow their broken teeth with blood, enduring grievances in silence.

Lu Tong was the same.

When he looked at her again, his eyes held more compassion.

Lu Tong noticed this expression.

Her hand gripping the teacup tightened, and she lowered her head to take a sip of the tea in her hands.

It was medicinal tea, rich and bitter, with a heavy medicinal fragrance that made one frown.

Perhaps because she’d been drinking sweet beverages lately, she was no longer accustomed to such bitter taste. Inexplicably, she suddenly missed the cool white lotus flower dew that Pei Yunying had handed her on that summer night with strong winds outside the window.

Much sweeter than this.

As she drank tea, her rolled-up sleeves moved, revealing faint red marks at her elbow.

Ji Xun’s gaze paused.

After a moment, he frowned: “Why hasn’t your wound healed yet?”

Lu Tong was startled.

“The Immortal Jade Skin Ointment is quite effective for removing scars. Whether knife wounds, sword wounds, or burns and scalds, using this ointment makes scars fade quickly. Why is yours still so obvious after more than a month?”

After speaking, he reached toward Lu Tong’s wrist: “Let me see.”

Lu Tong shrank back.

She instinctively reached out and pulled down her sleeve, covering the faint red marks.

Ji Xun was puzzled: “You…”

She said quickly: “I didn’t use it.”

“What?”

Lu Tong steadied herself and regained her composure: “The Jade Skin Ointment is precious. I couldn’t bear to use it, so these past days I’ve only applied ordinary ointment to the wound. I’ve stored away the Jade Skin Ointment that Physician Ji gave me.”

Ji Xun frowned at her, and after a while, shook his head disapprovingly.

“Medicine is a dead object, not as precious as a living person. Though your wound isn’t life-threatening, if scars remain too long, they may not be removable in the future. It should be applied promptly.”

He stood up, pulled open a wooden drawer behind the bookshelf, and took out two new jars of Jade Skin Ointment, placing them in front of Lu Tong.

Lu Tong: “Physician Ji…”

The Jade Skin Ointment was precious – only palace nobles received one jar, yet he was generous with his gifts, giving two jars at once.

“I made this medicine myself.” Ji Xun said: “To me, it’s not particularly precious. Use it freely, and if you run out, I’ll have Zhuling bring you more.”

He looked toward the young medicine attendant who was preparing medicine outside.

The young attendant quickly nodded.

Lu Tong stared at him. Ji Xun’s gaze was insistent. After a long standoff, she could only lower her head and reluctantly agree.

…

Coming out of Ji Xun’s medicine room, Lu Tong let out a gentle sigh.

With the white jade returned to its rightful owner, an old matter was settled. She should have felt relieved, but somehow, this recognition with Ji Xun wasn’t as pleasant as she had imagined.

It felt heavy.

Strangely, though both were reunions after many years, when she recognized Pei Yunying, she had only been briefly surprised before accepting it as natural. But talking with Ji Xun kept her constantly tense, never daring to relax, with complicated emotions.

Perhaps it was because Pei Yunying had already seen her most truly vicious side, so she felt uninhibited. But Ji Xun…

Lu Tong gripped her medical kit strap tightly.

In Ji Xun’s eyes, she was merely a poor, tragic orphan girl who had been bullied and endured countless hardships to climb to the Imperial Medical Academy.

Wearing the false mask of a good and honest person while accepting the other’s sympathy and charity inevitably made her feel uncomfortable.

Turning past the corridor and returning to the dormitory courtyard, Lin Danqing was sitting by the window fanning herself.

Seeing her return, Lin Danqing rose from the bamboo couch: “The Medical Administrator wants us to deliver some prescriptions to Mingxian Temple. There’s nothing at the academy this afternoon – come with me.” She leaned close to Lu Tong’s ear and whispered: “We can stop by Qiaomen to buy some melons to eat.”

Lu Tong agreed, went to the table to set down her medical kit, then opened the wooden cabinet door and placed the two new jars of Immortal Jade Skin Ointment inside.

The porcelain jars were small but felt heavy in her hands.

Lu Tong looked down at them and sighed inwardly.

Previously, Pei Yunying had called her “creditor” repeatedly. Now she somewhat understood Pei Yunying’s feelings.

Owing someone a favor was indeed more uncomfortable than being owed a favor.

…

The Pei Yunying that Lu Tong was thinking of didn’t know her current state of mind at the moment.

In a small room, behind a screen that concealed half a figure, someone was slightly leaning over, lifting a brush to write on silk paper on the desk.

The handwriting was bold and flowing, seemingly written at will – it was a poem called “The Rushing Quail.”

“The quail rushes on, the magpie is strong and bold. This person is not good, yet I call him brother!

The magpie is strong and bold, the quail rushes on. This person is not good, yet I call him lord!”

When Pei Yunying entered, Prince Ning Yuanlang had just finished the last stroke. Seeing him approach, he set down his brush and looked up with a smile.

Pei Yunying nodded: “Your Highness.”

The late emperor had five princes in total.

The former Crown Prince Yuanxi, the current Emperor Liang Mingdi ranked second, and Prince Ning Yuanlang was the youngest.

Yuanlang was not born to the late empress but to an ordinary palace maid from Huanhua Court. Yuanlang’s mother died of illness when he was very young, and the late emperor, pitying his early loss of his mother, raised him under the late empress’s care.

Unfortunately, this didn’t last long. The late empress also passed away eight years later. Fortunately, Crown Prince Yuanxi was gentle and accommodating, quite popular in court, and was willing to protect his young brother, so Yuanlang wasn’t bullied in court.

Later, when the former Crown Prince died in that autumn flood, Yuanlang tended eternal lamps for his brother at Guosi Temple for three years without returning to the capital. During those three years, the late emperor died of grief and depression, and the other two princes also committed crimes and were imprisoned. Emperor Liang Mingdi ascended the throne. When Yuanlang returned to the capital three years later, of the former five princes, only he remained besides the current emperor.

He became the emperor’s only remaining brother.

He was young and had no maternal family protection. Previously gentle and ordinary, he hadn’t even made two enemies. Since no one had paid attention to him anyway, after the board was reshuffled, he was like an insignificant speck of dust cast aside and forgotten, not even worth mentioning in conversation.

Yuanlang was also content to be an idle prince, never participating in court affairs.

Gradually, all of the capital knew of this amiable prince who would personally go to the official lanes and vegetable markets to select cabbage – a good-natured prince.

He was also happy to be at ease.

Others said Prince Ning was unworthy of being imperial family, lacking ambition, mediocre and ordinary, wasting the imperial surname “Yuan.”

But only those who knew understood that those willing to lie dormant never aimed shallow.

Pei Yunying stepped forward and presented the letter in his hand: “Your Highness, regarding the people we captured before, their confessions have yielded results.”

Prince Ning nodded and reached out to take the letter, but didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he placed it on the desk, sat down at the table himself, and sighed.

“What troubles Your Highness?”

Prince Ning shook his head: “Today reports came from local areas – locust disasters are ravaging southern Jiangsu. The people suffer unspeakably.”

“Though the succession between the Crown Prince and Third Prince has been decided, my brother remains undecided. Court officials fight daily while the locust disaster goes unaddressed. It’s the common people who suffer.”

“Trouble arises from resentment, disaster springs from small beginnings. I fear if this continues, the realm will fall into great chaos.”

After a moment of silence, Pei Yunying replied: “Good rulers don’t forget to ride horses, good archers don’t forget their bows. Good superiors don’t forget their subordinates.”

Prince Ning smiled: “Are you criticizing my brother or praising this prince?”

“Both.”

“Such words could lead to execution of nine generations if spoken publicly.”

“Then this subordinate thanks Your Highness in advance.”

Hearing this, Prince Ning burst into hearty laughter.

“Minister Yan used to say you were full of rebellious spirit and gave him headaches. Given his personality, not being driven to illness by you shows his broad-mindedness.”

“No wonder you dared to publicly refuse the Grand Tutor’s Manor’s face and leave that old fox no room…”

Speaking of the Grand Tutor’s Manor, Prince Ning suddenly paused and stared at the young man: “Speaking of which, your female physician that you’re protecting – last time Hongman said she had taken her to Yuxian Tower once last year.”

Pei Yunying: “…”

“You actually protected her at Yuxian Tower,” Prince Ning’s eyes were full of curiosity. “Last time during the hunt, this prince didn’t get to see her. Yunying, when do you plan to marry her?”

Pei Yunying had a headache: “Your Highness, she and I are just friends.”

Prince Ning waved his hand: “Such words might fool that old bachelor Minister Yan, but this prince was once young and impetuous too. If you didn’t like her, why alarm the Grand Tutor’s Manor at this time?”

Pei Yunying paused.

After a long moment, he said: “My apologies.”

“I’m not blaming you.” Prince Ning sighed. “Your late mother was kind to me. Since you’re her son, of course this prince hopes you’ll marry and have children like other men, living an ordinary life. This was also your mother’s wish.”

“Now that you have a girl you’re fond of, this prince doesn’t want you to miss the opportunity for other reasons.”

He spoke earnestly, moving Pei Yunying, who was about to speak when Prince Ning continued.

“One Minister Yan breaking hearts is enough.”

Pei Yunying: “…”

The emotion he’d just felt was immediately swallowed back.

“In any case, when you have free time, let this prince meet your beloved girl. Minister Yan, Deputy Commander Xiao, even Hongman have all seen her. This prince can’t fall behind. But if I peek secretly, it would be improper since she’s your sweetheart. So next time there’s a hunt or similar gathering, have someone quietly tell this prince.”

“Once this prince has seen her, I’ll consider us acquainted.”

He talked for a while, gradually returning to these random matters. Though he knew Prince Ning’s nature was always thus – quite serious when serious, but also quite absurd when wandering off topic, gossiping more than market vendors, making him truly difficult to handle.

Pei Yunying gave a few perfunctory responses, then raised his hand to take leave and hurriedly departed.

Only after leaving Prince Ning’s secret residence did Pei Yunying breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Such gossiping behavior truly didn’t seem like someone bearing the Yuan surname.

Simply outrageous.

Qinghe Street was lined with wine houses and restaurants. After sunset, the evening wasn’t as hot as the afternoon, and it gradually became lively.

Below Hongxing Tower, under the flower pavilion selling pearl and jade hair ornaments, an elderly woman with white hair was calling out her wares along the street. Fresh jasmine floated in wooden basins filled with water, snow-white clusters with intense, nose-piercing fragrance.

Water dripped from under the wooden bucket, falling together with sweat under the flower pavilion. The shopkeeper selling gold-threaded pearls frowned and loudly drove her away. The old woman was forced to leave. Qinghe Street had many wealthy customers and noble households – common vendors weren’t allowed to hawk their wares. The old woman walked a few steps with her head down, then, lacking strength, temporarily leaned against a stone wall and slowly sat down.

The wooden basin sat at her feet, the delicate white flowers like jade, their fragrance dispelling some of the summer heat and dryness. People came and went on Qinghe Street, but no one stopped for the flower fragrance.

A pair of boots stopped before her.

The woman looked up.

A handsome young gentleman stood before her.

The gentleman wore deep red brocade with gold threading, had red lips and white teeth, and a face like fine jade. In the setting sun covering the ground, he bent down and picked up a string of jasmine.

The old woman quickly rubbed her knees and stood up, enthusiastically calling out: “Young master, buy a string of jasmine! Fresh jasmine – wear it in your hair and it’s so fragrant! One coin per string!”

The gentleman smiled, a small dimple appearing at the corner of his mouth. He simply reached out and lifted all the jasmine strings from the wooden basin, then took out a silver ingot from his coat and placed it in her hands.

“I’ll buy them all. You can go home now.”

The woman was stunned.

But the young man had already stood up, holding the large bunch of jasmine, and walked straight ahead.

…

At the entrance of the flower market on Guanxiang, crowds flowed like water.

Summer offered a complete variety of flowers, and flower buyers lingered reluctantly.

After delivering prescriptions to Mingguang Temple, Lin Danqing pulled Lu Tong to eat at food stalls near Guanxiang, watched some street performances, and only when the sun set and it grew late did they plan to return to the Imperial Medical Academy.

Before returning, Lin Danqing pulled Lu Tong to Lianxiang Workshop to buy some pastries to take back and secretly eat in the dormitory when hungry at night.

“Lily crisps, rose cakes, honey orange cakes, sand-filled cakes, little red tops…” Lin Danqing pointed at names on the menu, then turned to ask Lu Tong: “What do you want to eat? You’re not allowed to say ‘anything is fine’!”

Lu Tong: “…Jasmine fragrant cakes?”

Last time, the basket of jasmine fragrant cakes that Pei Yunying had sent to Renxin Medical Hall had been very sweet.

The female shopkeeper laughed upon hearing this: “Oh my, young lady, you have good taste – you picked the one thing we don’t have here.”

Lin Danqing became interested: “If you don’t have it here, where does?”

“Shiding Pavilion on Qinghe Street!”

The shopkeeper continued: “But that was only in the past. Jasmine fragrant cakes are difficult to make and don’t keep well. I heard Shiding Pavilion stopped making them several years ago. They didn’t hide the recipe though – we tried it before too, but it’s troublesome and doesn’t make as much money as other pastries, so we got lazy and stopped.”

“You can’t buy them at other pastry shops either!”

Lu Tong was puzzled: “But I tasted them recently…”

The shopkeeper was startled: “Then it was probably homemade – takes quite a bit of effort.”

Lu Tong didn’t hear clearly what the shopkeeper said afterward, as Lin Danqing went with her to select pastries. Lu Tong stood at the doorway, stunned for a while.

On the summer evening, just before dark, in the humid and stuffy air, suddenly a refreshing fragrance drifted over.

She looked up to see a girl in a red dress selling flowers pass by the door, holding strings of jasmine and humming a little tune.

Lu Tong turned to watch.

“When feeling bored, I go to the garden to find flowers to wear…

Suddenly looking up, I see jasmine flowers lined up on both sides…

I reach out to pick a flower to wear…

The flower is picked, but its heart hasn’t opened…

If I had known you were heartless…

Flower, I wouldn’t have come to pick you after all…”

The melody drifted melodiously, playful and gentle, gradually floating away with the girl’s footsteps, leaving only a trace of clear, quiet fragrance that secretly swirled around one’s heart like a gentle current.

She watched intently, not turning around for a long time, until Lin Danqing came from behind with the purchased pastries: “Let’s go, Sister Lu, I’ve bought everything.”

Only then did Lu Tong withdraw her gaze, hummed acknowledgment, and followed her away.

“When feeling bored…” — from Feng Menglong’s “Hanging Branch Songs”