Under the window, jasmine had bloomed halfway, fragrant branches flourishing, with clear fragrance wafting from among the green leaves, diluting some of the medicinal odor in the room.

In the garden outside Qi Yutai’s door, Qi Qing stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

The setting sun had fallen into the pond water, dyeing the pool with a layer of light red. Rippling glimmers arose together, like swaying flames burning at the bottom of the water, with lingering red splendor.

Qi Qing watched quietly.

Nearly ten days had passed since the great fire at Fengle Tower that night.

During these ten days, the court had been in constant dispute. Yuan Yao pressed forward step by step, and the Crown Prince’s people had come several times – Emperor Liang Mingdi’s attitude was subtle, and he could no longer contain himself.

While the court was in various disputes, he claimed illness and stayed home, guarding Qi Yutai day and night.

Footsteps came from behind. The old steward crossed the courtyard, walked to Qi Qing’s back, and said in a low voice: “Master, the matter of the cold food powder has been settled.”

“Good.”

On the second day after the Fengle Tower fire, someone reported that Qi Yutai had consumed medicinal powder in the building. How could Yuan Yao not seize this opportunity and force the emperor to investigate thoroughly in front of all the officials?

Among noble young masters, countless secretly consumed cold food powder. As long as it was well hidden on the surface, no one would pursue it relentlessly.

But it had to be now.

Qi Qing had someone find a scapegoat to bear the blame. The person who consumed the medicinal powder was someone else, naturally having nothing to do with Qi Yutai.

This matter was thus settled.

The old steward said: “Young Master’s incident that day, and being reported the next day – it’s too much of a coincidence. Master, could this matter have been a trap set by the Third Prince from the beginning?”

Qi Qing shook his head.

Yuan Yao had an impulsive temperament, relying on the emperor’s favor and being obstinately self-willed. If he had intended to set a trap, he wouldn’t have used such a roundabout method. Moreover, while Qi Yutai’s consumption of medicinal powder could be said to have been heard through rumors, Qi Yutai’s old illness… apart from the Qi family, only Cui Min knew about it.

Unless Cui Min didn’t want to live, there was absolutely no possibility he would voluntarily reveal this matter to others.

“Let’s go.” Qi Qing turned around. “I’ll go see him.”

In Qi Yutai’s room, the door was tightly closed.

When he had episodes, he would cry out in shock and anger, loudly scolding everyone around him. In just a few days, several batches of servants attending him had been changed.

The steward pushed open the door. A maid knelt in front of the door with blood still flowing from her forehead. Broken porcelain covered the floor. Two young servants stood guard beside the couch, nervously watching the person on the bed.

The old steward gave the bleeding maid a look, and she pressed her forehead wound and withdrew. The two young servants quickly made way when they saw Qi Qing arrive. Qi Qing slowly stepped forward and drew back the hanging bed curtains.

On the purple sandalwood lotus-patterned bed, Qi Yutai huddled in a corner, a thin blanket carelessly wrapped around him, staring blankly at the four-cornered sachets hanging above his head.

Qi Qing’s hand gripping the corner of the curtain tightened.

When Shuhui had episodes years ago, she had been just like this.

Unable to listen to others’ words at all, sometimes lowering her head to whisper secretively to non-existent people. Yutai had suffered an episode several years ago, but not as severely as now. His current disregard for everything made one suspect he might never regain consciousness again.

Qi Yutai in the corner seemed to finally hear movement. His eyes moved, and his gaze slowly shifted to the two people entering the room.

“Father.” he suddenly called out.

Qi Qing was silent for a moment, then grasped his hand: “Yutai.”

The withered, aged hand and the young, pale hand clasped together, making the desolation and death-like stillness even more apparent.

Qi Yutai said in a small voice: “Father, someone wants to harm me.”

These past days, Qi Yutai would occasionally mutter this phrase.

Qi Qing held his hand, like a father looking at a still-young child, asking gently: “Yutai, tell Father, who wants to harm you?”

The loving tone seemed to embolden Qi Yutai somewhat. His expression became confused for a moment: “I saw painted eyebrows…”

“Where are there painted eyebrows?”

“In Fengle Tower, on the wall, a large painting with painted eyebrows, so many painted eyebrows—”

Qi Qing’s expression shifted.

The old steward behind him looked up in surprise.

Since Qi Yutai had been brought back to the mansion, he had been mentally confused daily, always saying he saw painted eyebrows.

Perhaps the great fire at Fengle Tower had, in his shock, reminded Qi Yutai of the great fire at the Yang family in Mangming Township years ago, thus evoking memories of the painted eyebrow incident.

But today was the first time he had mentioned a “painting” in Fengle Tower.

After the Fengle Tower fire, the Qi family had also suspected the fire wasn’t accidental and sent people to investigate deep into the building. However, the top chamber where Qi Yutai had been was precisely where the fire had started. The fire suppression crews had extinguished the fire downstairs, but were powerless for the upper floor, which had been burned clean by the night fire, leaving not a trace.

Nothing could be found.

But…

In Fengle Tower’s layout, the guest rooms did indeed have silk paintings hanging on walls facing them.

Qi Qing leaned forward, his tone becoming even gentler: “Yutai, tell Father what that painting looked like.”

“It was… many, many birds in a tea garden…”

Qi Yutai stared into empty space, as if seeing a silk painting invisible to others, murmuring: “And that old man, he was watching me together with the painted eyebrows… blood flowing from his eyes… Father!” He suddenly became terrified, grabbing the blanket and burying his head in it frantically. “There are ghosts, there are ghosts, the Yang family’s vengeful spirits have come!”

“Get away—”

He began crying and cursing in terror. The two young servants quickly stepped forward to restrain him as much as possible.

Qi Qing looked down at the bloody marks Qi Yutai had suddenly scratched on his wrist and sighed heavily.

“Young Master… seems to show no improvement…” the steward spoke hesitantly.

So much time had passed, yet Qi Yutai still spoke confused and deranged words, showing not the slightest sign of recovery.

Qi Qing shook his head.

In the room’s incense burner, spirit rhinoceros incense burned quietly. Outside came a gentle knocking, and then the door was pushed open as Cui Min entered carrying a medicine bowl.

Seeing Qi Qing present, Cui Min bowed: “Sir.”

Qi Qing waved his hand.

Cui Min then stepped forward, placing the medicine bowl in his hands on a high table temporarily out of Qi Yutai’s reach. Seeing the two young servants restraining Qi Yutai, he had them release him, then took out a red pill from a medicine bottle in his medical kit and fed it to Qi Yutai.

Qi Yutai gradually quieted down.

The calming pill could only make him focus and calm for a short while, briefly restoring peace through stupor. Cui Min had the servants bring the medicine bowl and, taking advantage of Qi Yutai’s calm state, fed it to him spoonful by spoonful.

After finishing the bowl of medicine, Qi Yutai had completely calmed down, his eyelids drooping as he grew drowsy. The servants helped clean the medicine that had accidentally spilled on him, helped him lie down and covered him with a quilt, then lowered the bed curtains. The room finally settled down.

Qi Qing looked at Cui Min packing his medical kit. After a long while, he spoke: “Physician Cui, Yutai’s condition shows no improvement.”

Cui Min’s movements paused.

He turned around and respectfully bowed to Qi Qing: “This subordinate’s medical skills are inadequate. After many days of treatment without effect, I’m ashamed to have failed your trust and feel deeply mortified.”

Qi Qing said indifferently: “Why does the Physician speak so modestly? Years ago, your book ‘Cui’s Pharmaceutical Principles’ was praised by all physicians in the capital. If you claim inadequate medical skills, then no one in the Liang Dynasty would dare say they understand medical principles.”

He continued: “Physician, you also treated my son before. Why is this time different from the last?”

Cui Min’s palms grew slightly damp as he answered unhurriedly: “Replying to your lordship, the young master’s illness arose from shock and fright. Because he suddenly encountered fire and faced a life-or-death situation, his heart and courage were frightened, causing his soul to be unsteady. Last time, though the young master was shocked and disturbed, the source of shock didn’t seem life-threatening. This time, perhaps the situation was more dangerous, hence more severe.”

He didn’t mention the word “madness,” nor did he mention the strangeness in Qi Yutai’s words, treating it as merely an ordinary difficult case.

Qi Qing was silent for a while, then asked: “Physician Cui, this is my only son.”

“Yutai has been weak since childhood, with a gentle temperament. Though occasionally mischievous, he’s also quite obedient.”

“I was past forty when I had this son. When Yutai’s mother was dying, she only worried about Yutai. If something happens to Yutai, I’ll have no face to meet my wife in the afterlife.”

“Therefore, this old man only wants to ask you one question,” Qi Qing looked at Cui Min. “Can Yutai’s illness be cured or not?”

The room was quiet, making the low, confused muttering from behind the curtains particularly clear.

The old man’s pair of gray, defeated eyes looked at him calmly. Due to his advanced age, looking carefully, there seemed to be a layer of faint cloudiness, but looking again, that gray film seemed to be an illusion.

Cui Min felt his hands hidden in his sleeves gradually breaking out in fine sweat. That fine sweat seemed to grow, creeping from his palms to his spine, then dripping drop by drop from his forehead, silently disappearing into his collar.

He lowered his eyes. Within his field of vision, the wool carpet’s patterns were bright and colorful, with dark brownish-red spots where crystal-decorated petals were. When Qi Yutai had episodes, he often grabbed anything in the room that could be thrown and hurled it around. Not long ago, a young maid had been killed here.

The stifling air pressed heavily on his head. Cui Min stared at that red stain for a long time before uttering two words: “It can be cured.”

Qi Qing was relieved: “Good.”

“The Physician has a benevolent heart and skilled technique. In the Imperial Medical Academy, this old man trusts only you. When the Empress originally intended to promote Ji Xun to Deputy Physician, it was this old man who dissuaded her. Physician Ji is ultimately too young, not as mature and steady as Physician Cui.”

He slowly stood up, affectionately patted Cui Min’s shoulder, and said: “Physician, don’t disappoint this old man’s trust.” He left with the steward’s support.

Cui Min stood in place until Qi Qing and his companion’s shadows could no longer be seen outside the door before raising his head.

His spine, which had been slightly bent earlier, now felt stiff and painful. He wiped his forehead.

Cold sweat covered his body.

…

The last trace of evening glow sank away, and the moon rose.

The Imperial Medical Academy fell into silence.

When Cui Min returned to the Imperial Medical Academy, the night was already deep.

Green branches swayed in the small grove, with no one around. His confidant wasn’t at the Imperial Medical Academy. Today he had gone to the Grand Tutor’s Manor to practice medicine and should have returned home directly.

But Cui Min didn’t want to go back.

The medicinal fragrance in the Imperial Medical Academy seemed to calm him somewhat.

He entered the study and closed the door.

Medical texts were piled high on bookshelves and tables throughout the room. Since becoming the head physician, he had searched everywhere for various rare medical texts. His subordinates also knew of this hobby and often spent large sums to buy and present them to him. Others said it was because he came from humble origins – the Liang Dynasty’s various medical texts were all collected by the Imperial Medical Bureau, and commoners like Cui Min who hadn’t studied at the Imperial Medical Bureau needed to make up for all the medical classics and pharmaceutical principles they hadn’t learned after entering the Hanlin Imperial Medical Academy.

But that wasn’t the case.

He simply wanted to prove himself.

Cui Min sat down at the desk.

The new medical text was half-written, but no matter how he revised the prescriptions, he remained unsatisfied. In fact, by the fifth year after “Cui’s Pharmaceutical Principles” was published, he had already begun feeling anxious.

Common medical workers struggled in the Imperial Medical Academy. Every year, the Imperial Medical Bureau had new physician appointees. Among those young students were many with powerful backgrounds. This alone wasn’t particularly frightening. What was more frightening was that those with superior family backgrounds and circumstances weren’t all mediocre – among them were many with excellent medical skills and exceptional talent.

Like Lin Danqing, like… Ji Xun.

Thinking of Ji Xun, Cui Min’s eyes darkened.

This young genius physician had displayed astonishing talent immediately upon entering the Imperial Medical Academy. Moreover, he was naive about human nature and worldly affairs. Whenever he had different opinions on medical matters, he would speak bluntly regardless of the occasion, several times pointing out errors and omissions in his prescriptions, leaving Cui Min unable to save face.

Yet Ji Xun’s family background was good, so even if he wanted to punish and dismiss him, he couldn’t find the opportunity.

Unable to dismiss Ji Xun, he could only watch him become increasingly comfortable in the palace, feeling increasingly anxious. He decided to write another medical text.

One book might be coincidence, but two books would at least secure his position as head physician temporarily against challenge.

This was Cui Min’s thinking, but the more anxious he became, the fewer prescriptions he could produce. He was like an old scholar whose talent had run dry, even his ink seeming to carry the scent of decay. So he searched everywhere for obscure medical texts, broadening his knowledge to compensate for his lacking talent, trying to prove he wasn’t mediocre.

The book said: “My appearance is dull, inferior to others; my talent is mediocre, inferior to others. But studying day by day, persisting without slacking, until achieving success – then I no longer know what dull and mediocre mean.”

How could everyone in this world be a genius? As long as he was diligent and hardworking, he would be indistinguishable from those geniuses.

This was his thinking, but after several years passed, Cui Min sadly discovered a fact.

Geniuses and mediocrities were different from the start.

Ji Xun became increasingly comfortable in the palace while he could only watch helplessly, feeling his position as head physician becoming precarious. Ji Xun’s background was better than his own. Given equal medical skills, a young nobleman would be more suitable as head physician of the Imperial Medical Academy than an aging commoner.

Just when Cui Min was gradually accepting his fate, something happened to Young Master Qi Yutai from the Grand Tutor’s Manor.

Qi Yutai had somehow been startled and spoke deliriously. Grand Tutor Qi asked him to make house calls at the manor. Cui Min knew his opportunity had come. After careful treatment for several days, Qi Yutai indeed recovered.

Qi Qing was very grateful to him.

This gratitude manifested when someone in the palace suggested Ji Xun could now serve as Deputy Head Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy – Grand Tutor Qi spoke up to block it.

Cui Min understood this was the Grand Tutor’s Manor repaying him.

For several years afterward, no one coveted his position as head physician.

Cui Min understood this was the Grand Tutor’s Manor’s contribution. Yet sometimes in the depths of night, he still felt uneasy.

Like a hollow person forced into high position, knowing there was nothing inside to support him, he was always fearful and trembling.

Until today, his fears became reality.

Qi Yutai had another episode.

This episode was more severe than the last. After several days, there was no sign of improvement. Cui Min himself was anxious. Madness was inherently difficult to treat. Qi Yutai had relied on spirit rhinoceros incense to regulate his emotions and maintain clarity since childhood, but once episodes became frequent, medicine and stone were powerless.

Very troublesome indeed.

Cui Min remembered what Qi Qing had said in Qi Yutai’s room that evening.

He had asked him: “Can Yutai’s illness be cured or not?”

That wasn’t asking whether he could cure it – it was asking whether he still wanted to live.

Cui Min’s lips were pale.

He knew clearly in his heart that Qi Qing sought him rather than Ji Xun to treat Qi Yutai not because he believed his medical skills exceeded Ji Xun’s, but because in Qi Qing’s eyes, he was more easily manipulated than Ji Xun.

As a nobleman’s son, Ji Xun had family support. He would treat Qi Yutai earnestly but wouldn’t falsify Qi Yutai’s medical records like he would.

Nor would he help conceal the fact of Qi Yutai’s madness.

That fact the Grand Tutor’s Manor most wanted to bury.

He was still alive now only because the Grand Tutor’s Manor needed him. If Qi Yutai truly never recovered and could never regain consciousness, he wouldn’t survive either.

When noble patients had accidents, commoner medical workers died with them – this had always been the case. Even head physicians were no different.

Cui Min scratched his hair, his usually calm and otherworldly face full of anxiety, showing the nervousness of someone at his wit’s end.

If only there were a new prescription, if only there were a new prescription that could treat confused and manic states.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t write one himself. This illness was difficult to treat. Over the years, none of the new physician appointees at the Imperial Medical Academy could create new prescriptions. Even Ji Xun had no solution for this condition.

The new people who passed the spring examination wouldn’t work either…

Spring examination…

Suddenly, Cui Min’s expression changed.

He stood up abruptly, apparently thinking of something. Carrying a lantern, he turned and left, hurrying through the small grove until he reached the medical records storage, unlocked it, and entered.

The medical records storage was empty, with fine dust and old ink fragrance lingering at his nose. Cui Min walked around the corridors and quickly reached a wooden cabinet, using a key to open the lock.

Inside the cabinet were neatly stacked piles of scrolls.

These were the nine-subject examination papers from students in the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examinations over the years.

Cui Min placed the lantern on the ground and began searching hurriedly.

He searched quickly, examination papers flying past rapidly. In the night, only rustling sounds could be heard. Soon, the sounds suddenly stopped.

Cui Min pulled out one scroll from the thick pile and held it with trembling hands under the lantern.

The lamp light was weak. He squinted, reading word by word by the flickering flame, then gradually became excited.

“Found it…”

The man silently moved his lips, his eyes showing rare joy.

The handwriting on the examination paper was sloppy. The name line with the torn seal strip, under the dim lamplight’s wavering blur, gradually became clear—

Lu Tong.

…

“What was that sound?”

In the dormitory, Lu Tong looked toward the wooden window.

“Probably rats.” Lin Danqing sat by the window reading. Hearing this, she reached out to close the window. “It’s been hot these past two days, and there are lots of rats in the Imperial Medical Academy. A couple days ago when cleaning, we dragged out a big handful of peanuts from wall holes in the main hall, plus half a bag of rice and half the walnuts I was eating that went missing.”

“Shameless creatures,” Lin Danqing cursed, “always doing sneaky, thieving things.”

Lu Tong smiled faintly.

“Speaking of which, I saw the head physician’s room light was still on earlier.” Lin Danqing glanced outside. “Coming back to the Imperial Medical Academy so late at night – the head physician is really working hard.”

After the Fengle Tower fire, Cui Min was often absent from the Imperial Medical Academy. Academy affairs were too busy to handle, so even Chang Jin was transferred from guarding the library to temporarily resume his position.

“I heard Qi Yutai’s illness hasn’t improved yet. I think it must be quite serious. Otherwise, why would the head physician be like this? What time is it now? I’ve never seen him stay up this late before.”

She sighed again: “But with such a serious condition, I suppose Head Physician Cui will be very busy for some time to come.”

Outside the window, the night was quiet with gentle wind, soundless and noiseless, with only sparse dark shadows from the forest burying the moonlight overhead.

Lu Tong turned a page of her book and nodded absentmindedly.

“Indeed,” she said, “he should be very busy.”

“My appearance is dull…” — from “A Study Guide for Nephews”