The blazing summer heat was like sitting in a steamer.

As the Greater Heat period approached, even rain couldn’t bring coolness. After a night of rain, the earth remained stuffy and humid.

Since the dog days of summer began, the Imperial Medical Academy had been brewing and distributing cooling teas daily. Even so, the scorching sun remained unbearable. The pharmaceutical preparation room in the small grove, already deserted, now had no visitors at all – preparing medicine in the summer heat doubled the blazing discomfort, making it truly unbearable.

Early in the morning, sunlight filtered through gaps in the small grove, illuminating the courtyard ground. The door to the pharmaceutical preparation room opened, and Cui Min emerged from within.

A servant waiting at the door helped carry his medical kit, speaking carefully: “Head Physician worked through the entire night. Please return to your room to rest first.”

Cui Min shook his head.

The summer heat was unbearable, and the medicine furnace in the pharmaceutical preparation room had been burning continuously. After a whole night, his light long robe was almost completely soaked with sweat, red threads appeared in his eyes, and his expression was particularly weary.

In just a few short days, the head physician of the Imperial Medical Academy, who had always been refined and otherworldly, had developed much white hair at his temples. At a glance, he seemed to have aged several years, no longer showing his former elegant bearing.

He straightened his sleeves, feeling his entire body sticky with sweat, and said: “Prepare water for bathing first.”

“Yes.”

The servant quickly prepared hot water for bathing. Cui Min returned to his room, removed his outer garments, and lay down in the wooden tub. The warm water vapor washed away and diluted his physical aches, but couldn’t wash away the exhaustion in his bones.

His confidant inquired tentatively from outside the curtain: “Sir has labored for several days. Have you found a prescription to cure the illness?”

Cui Min remained silent.

Since taking the position of head physician, apart from practicing medicine for palace nobles, Cui Min rarely entered the pharmaceutical preparation room most days.

Given his status, unless he had strict requirements for himself, he actually didn’t need to research new prescriptions anymore.

However, with Qi Yutai’s incident this time and pressure from the Grand Tutor, Cui Min had been working in the pharmaceutical preparation room for several consecutive days.

After reaching a certain age, one couldn’t compare to youthful vigor. Mental and physical exhaustion showed entirely on his face.

He closed his eyes.

Outside the curtain was quiet, but the silent atmosphere only intensified a certain irritation.

Only when the bathwater changed from warm to slightly cool, causing goosebumps even in the summer, did Cui Min open his eyes.

He reached for the outer robe draped to one side. In that instant, he made a certain decision and turned his head to instruct the person outside the curtain.

“Have Lu Tong come see me.”

…

Lu Tong was summoned to Cui Min’s study while she was organizing medical texts in the library.

During the humid and stuffy season, medical texts were more susceptible to moisture and required constant attention.

She handed over her current work to another physician and followed the guide to Cui Min’s private room. Upon entering, she immediately noticed a rich, subtle fragrance.

Following the scent, she saw wisps of blue smoke rising from a bronze incense burner on the long table. The fragrance carried a hint of familiarity.

Spirit rhinoceros incense.

Cui Min sat behind the long table, apparently having just washed and changed into a fresh, clean blue long robe. However, faint dark circles under his eyes couldn’t hide the weariness between his brows.

Lu Tong bowed respectfully: “Head Physician.”

Cui Min looked up, observing the person before him without showing his thoughts.

The woman wore the blue long robe of an Imperial Medical Academy physician, with a plain face and no jewelry from head to toe, her expression quiet and humble.

Yet it seemed as if he could see through her seemingly submissive exterior to glimpse her stubborn and unyielding spirit, just as she had been when killing Qi Yutai’s hunting dog at Yellow Grass Ridge – untamed.

Thinking of Yellow Grass Ridge, Cui Min’s eyes darkened.

Everyone thought Lu Tong would meet a miserable end after killing the Qi family’s hunting dog. Yet miraculously, she had emerged unscathed from that storm.

Young Master Ji from the Scholar Ji’s household and Palace Guard Commander Pei Yunying had successively spoken up for her. Especially Pei Yunying – who knew what he had said to the Empress Dowager, but he had actually made the Qi family suffer a hidden loss.

Originally thinking the Qi family’s loss was temporary and there would be future opportunities to deal with a commoner easily, who could have predicted that the Fengle Tower fire would occur? Now the Qi family had no time to bother with a small female physician, allowing her to luckily escape.

Cui Min stared at Lu Tong.

A young and beautiful commoner physician who could climb to her current position with just some medical skills – calling it merely luck was impossible. Now rumors about romantic affairs between Pei Yunying and Lu Tong were flying everywhere, but these rumors maintained a perfectly balanced position – ambiguous yet open, ultimately becoming like a protective charm that made even those dissatisfied with Lu Tong in the Imperial Medical Academy hesitant to act rashly.

Cui Min’s fingers moved slightly.

The heir of Duke Zhaoning was unexpectedly devoted to a commoner female physician.

Now Lu Tong’s backer was Pei Yunying. At this critical moment, she shouldn’t be provoked, but given the urgent circumstances, he couldn’t consider too much.

After a moment of silence, he lowered his head and drew out a paper scroll from the desk drawer.

“Physician Lu,” he slowly unrolled the paper on the desk surface, “this is your spring examination paper for the Major Pulse Diagnosis subject.”

Lu Tong stepped forward, her gaze passing over the paper on the desk, pausing slightly: “Yes, Head Physician.”

“During the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination, except for the Symptom Verification subject, your other nine examination papers all differed in format from previous years at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Especially the diagnosis and prescription section – looking into it, the medication was aggressive and truly irregular.”

“This subordinate is ashamed.”

“But I still ranked you first on the red list. Do you know why?”

“This subordinate doesn’t know.”

Cui Min looked at her: “Common medical workers face difficulties in studying medicine, with no physician instructors. Though your medication was irregular, you truly have talent and could already develop new prescriptions when practicing at the market.”

“You and I both come from common origins. I cherished your talent and couldn’t bear to see a pearl covered in dust. Therefore, despite opposition from everyone in the Imperial Medical Academy, I still made you first on the red list, hoping you would apply benevolent medical skills in the future to enhance the reputation of common people.”

Lu Tong: “Sir’s favor overwhelms me with gratitude and fear.”

Cui Min paused, his fingertip touching the edge of the paper scroll on the desk. After a long while, he said: “I’ve reviewed all nine examination papers. You seem to have considerable insight into developing new prescriptions, with new prescription discussions at the end of each of the ten subjects. This is very rare.”

The final question on each of the Imperial Medical Bureau’s nine examination papers was a difficult problem specially created by senior physicians. Ordinary medical practitioners mostly wouldn’t attempt to answer, only those exceptionally proficient in medical arts and brilliantly talented geniuses would write responses.

Like that commoner medical worker Miao Liangfang from twenty years ago.

Cui Min looked at Lu Tong, then changed direction: “I’ve tried some of these medical prescriptions of yours, each with insights and truly effective. But there’s one prescription I don’t quite understand, so I’m asking you to personally clarify—”

He pushed the examination paper toward Lu Tong.

It was the Major Pulse Diagnosis examination paper.

The final question clearly described a patient’s symptoms: visual hallucinations and confused perception.

Lu Tong was startled.

Cui Min carefully watched her eyes, not missing any change in her expression.

The Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination question for Major Pulse Diagnosis’s final question was written by him.

Years ago, when the Grand Tutor’s Manor had invited him to treat Qi Yutai, though Qi Yutai ultimately recovered his sanity, Cui Min always felt uneasy.

Mental illness treats symptoms but not the root cause. If Qi Yutai were to relapse in the future, he wasn’t sure if his previous treatment methods would still be effective.

So he kept this in mind, adding questions based on Qi Yutai’s symptoms with slight modifications to the Major Pulse Diagnosis section of each year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination, trying to find inspiration in candidates’ answers.

Disappointingly, talent was rare. Very few in the spring examinations could answer the final question, and even when answered, the prescriptions couldn’t withstand scrutiny and were full of errors.

He had originally forgotten about this matter, but when he returned from treating patients at the Qi family a few days ago, in his desperation, he suddenly remembered that in this year’s Imperial Medical Bureau spring examination, someone had written complete prescriptions for all ten subjects, even creating a new verification method for the Symptom Verification subject.

He had people prepare several prescriptions, and while the effects weren’t immediate, they weren’t entirely useless either. Because of this, he recognized that Lu Tong might have some real ability, and was willing to offend the Dong family to keep this commoner medical worker.

He hadn’t had time to carefully examine the prescription under Major Pulse Diagnosis, since Qi Yutai’s last episode was many years ago.

Thinking of this, Cui Min had gone to the medical records storage overnight to find Lu Tong’s examination paper.

The final question indeed contained a new prescription for treating the illness.

Like finding a lamp in a dark room, he held that new prescription as if grasping all hope. After carefully confirming the new prescription was harmless and testing it on others for several days, he finally used small amounts on Qi Yutai.

It indeed had effects.

Though not immediately restoring clear consciousness, Qi Yutai was obviously less manic than in previous days, no longer experiencing hallucinations and confusion, though he remained fearful and drowsy, unable to recognize people around him.

This prescription worked.

But it wasn’t perfect – it seemed to lack something to completely cure Qi Yutai’s current madness.

Cui Min had tried to improve the prescription himself, making it more comprehensive. Unfortunately, after struggling in the pharmaceutical preparation room for several days until his hair turned white, he still couldn’t grasp the key.

He couldn’t figure it out.

With no other choice, Cui Min could only turn to Lu Tong.

Since Lu Tong could conceive this prescription, perhaps she could also improve it.

“Physician Lu,” he pointed at the prescription, “Ophiopogon japonicus, polygala, salvia, anemarrhena… this prescription calms the soul and stops frightening. But if the patient also has symptoms of confused stupor, irritable evil fears, and unreliable speech, this prescription seems to have shallow medicinal effects. Perhaps it can reduce hallucinatory symptoms, but the state of unsteady spirit and frightened heart and courage remains. How should it be improved?”

Lu Tong hesitated briefly, then asked with confusion: “Head Physician, is this a performance evaluation?”

New physician appointees would undergo year-end performance evaluations, with future layer-by-layer selections possibly leading to promotion as Inner Imperial Physicians to treat the royal family.

Cui Min smiled slightly: “Just discussing medical principles with you.”

He said: “In medical arts, there’s no distinction of age. At this moment, you and I aren’t superior and subordinate, merely fellow physicians. I’d like to hear your insights.”

Lu Tong lowered her head.

After thinking for a while, she spoke: “Replying to the Head Physician, during the spring examination, answering time was brief. This prescription was hastily written and indeed has many improprieties. Actually, after leaving the examination hall, this subordinate thought carefully and indeed felt it was written too superficially.”

At this point, she hesitated to continue.

Cui Min looked at her encouragingly: “Please speak freely.”

“Symptoms of confused madness don’t have a single cause. Some have congenital heart conditions, born with afflictions; some have evil wind entering the blood, with frightening invasion; others have emotional changes and excessive stimulation. I wonder which type the Head Physician is referring to?”

Cui Min considered: “What about emotional changes and excessive stimulation?”

“That belongs to external causes and can be treated.”

“How to treat it?”

Lu Tong thought, carefully choosing her words: “Frightening confusion has both fire and phlegm. This subordinate dares to speak presumptuously – if we add white root, sesame, light bamboo sap, cork tree bark, cypress seeds, dragon’s blood…” She mentioned many ingredients in succession, “supplemented with golden needle insertion, the patient’s frightened heart and courage symptoms might be greatly reduced.”

After speaking, the room fell silent.

Outside the window was sweltering heat, with the dog days flowing like molten gold.

The woman stood before the desk, her clothes neat and speech refreshing, not showing the disheveled state of struggling for many days, young and completely different from him.

Cui Min quietly watched her, his fingers hidden in his sleeves gradually turning white.

He had sought Lu Tong only to ask about inadequacies in her prescription. If she could offer some thoughts helpful to him, it would already be an unexpected joy.

But he hadn’t expected that Lu Tong could speak a new prescription off the top of her head in such a short time.

This should have been good news, at least solving his current urgent pressure from the Grand Tutor’s Manor, yet at this moment he felt no joy whatsoever.

As if in this moment he clearly realized the gulf-like difference between himself and others.

Another genius.

The woman before him was only seventeen, while he was decades older. If Ji Xun was a young genius because of his superior birth, studying medicine from childhood, reading all medical texts, with family support, then what about the person before him?

She was clearly just like him, merely a commoner medical worker.

Unwillingness, anger, jealousy.

His fingertips dug deep into his palms, yet Cui Min’s face showed a relieved smile.

“I see. Physician Lu, your insights are indeed unique.” he said.

“Sir,” Lu Tong hesitated, “this subordinate’s prescription hasn’t been verified, just written down based on random guesses about the symptoms. I’m not certain. If this prescription is to be used, its medicinal effects must be verified first.”

Cui Min nodded: “I know. But what you’ve said has given me considerable inspiration.”

“Sir’s praise overwhelms this subordinate.”

Cui Min smiled faintly, put away the examination paper on the desk, then looked at her gently and asked: “With previous affairs being complex, I didn’t have time to ask Physician Lu – how has your injury healed?”

Lu Tong paused, lowering her already bowed head further, her voice gentle: “It has mostly healed. Thank you for the Head Physician’s concern.”

Cui Min slightly narrowed his eyes.

Since returning to the Imperial Medical Academy after Yellow Grass Ridge, Lu Tong seemed much more compliant, actively resigning from Jin Xianrong’s position and spending her days organizing medical texts in the library and reading medical books.

She rarely went out.

After all, she was of commoner origin. Though possessing Ji Xun’s medical skills, she lacked the Ji family’s foundation.

She still had to be cautious and careful in her actions.

This was the fate of commoners.

Contempt rose in his heart, but that contempt also seemed like self-mockery. He merely sighed softly, looking at her with pitying eyes.

“You’ve suffered, Physician Lu.”

…

Lu Tong left Cui Min’s private room and walked through the corridor back to the dormitory.

The small courtyard was beautifully adorned with green bamboo and red peach blossoms. Even in the dog days, the warm breeze felt particularly refreshing.

When she returned to the room and pushed open the door, she saw Lin Danqing standing on the table, holding a bamboo pole used for drying clothes and poking around everywhere. The room was in complete disarray.

Pausing in her steps, Lu Tong asked: “What are you doing?”

Lin Danqing turned to look at her and planted the bamboo pole on the ground: “Sister Lu, you came at the perfect time – we have a rat disaster in this room!”

“Rat disaster?”

“Yes! This morning when I got up, I saw a gray rat this big run under the bed,” she gestured, “as big as a kitten, and I found a rat hole under the wall.”

“A few days ago I told you there were rats in the academy’s main hall, and today they’ve reached our room! I swept up so many melon seed shells under the bed – disgusting! Today I must catch that stinking rat!”

Lu Tong entered the room, bent down to right the overturned stool on the floor, and said: “Why make such a big fuss? Just make some rat poison.”

Lin Danqing was stunned: “What?”

“Rats in sewers are hard to catch. Why dirty your hands? Better to make rat poison and mix it into bait.”

“Don’t worry about him stealing – worry about him not stealing.”

Lin Danqing was dazed for a moment, then clapped her hands: “You’re right!”

“People say rats are cunning – they’re really hard to catch. Better to scatter some rat poison to handle it.” She jumped down from the table and leaned the bamboo pole against the wall corner. “I’ll go make the poison right now. Today I must poison this little bastard to death.”

The Imperial Medical Academy rooms had no ice blocks, unlike Cui Min’s cool private room. Lu Tong sat by the window and rested her forehead in her hand, seeming somewhat tired.

Lin Danqing glanced at her: “It’s really hot in here. Rest a bit and drink some water.”

Lu Tong hummed acknowledgment.

Lin Danqing flew out like the wind, and the room returned to silence.

Lu Tong’s face remained buried in her palms.

After a while, low laughter spilled from between her fingers.

As if encountering something extremely amusing, she laughed until her shoulders shook.

After a long time, she finally raised her head.

Her eyes still held remnants of laughter, the woman’s gaze frighteningly bright.

So even clever rats could be just as laughable when they acted foolishly.

She had been worried about how to approach this thieving rat, never expecting he would deliver himself to her door.

This was truly…

Too wonderful.

…

Evening gradually brought wind.

Large clusters of roses bloomed throughout the courtyard. A gardener was pruning the branches.

Pei Yunshu held Baozhu while sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air.

When Pei Yunying arrived, he heard Fangzi instructing the gardener by the flower bed: “Keep the soil underneath clean – the manor had rats recently.”

He smiled: “How did we get rats?”

Pei Yunshu saw him arrive and was also happy, only saying: “It’s the heat. There were some a few days ago, but Qiongying found a flower cat to keep, and it’s been much better these past days.”

Pei Yunying nodded and took Baozhu in his arms. Baozhu now recognized people and seeing him arrive, giggled and opened her arms to hug his neck.

“Have you eaten?” Pei Yunshu had Qiongying bring him some pastries while fanning herself. “You came back from duty and didn’t eat properly again, I think. You’ve gotten thinner.”

“If this talk reached the Imperial City, others would think sister was criticizing the Palace Guard for withholding food.” Pei Yunying was unconcerned.

Pei Yunshu glared at him. Seeing Fangzi bring a bowl of osmanthus soup and a plate of Concubine Red cakes to place in front of Pei Yunying, she smiled again: “However, the pastry chef you found this time is quite good.”

A few days ago, Pei Yunying had hired a pastry chef from outside.

This chef had originally made pastries at Shiding Pavilion on Qinghe Street. Pei Yunshu actually didn’t like sweet pastries and felt it unnecessary to spend the money, but Pei Yunying said that when Baozhu grew up, little girls always loved sweets, so they kept him.

Though Pei Yunshu herself wasn’t fond of sweets, she had to admit this chef’s skills were indeed excellent.

She said: “When you’re walking around the Imperial City, find time to send a basket of pastries to Physician Lu. Last time she came, I noticed she quite liked sweets.”

Pei Yunying smiled without saying yes or no.

This attitude of his was infuriating. Pei Yunshu patted him: “Don’t think I don’t know about the Yellow Grass Ridge incident. Those rumors have reached my ears. Tell me honestly – what exactly is your relationship with Physician Lu?”

Pei Yunying only played with Baozhu using the silk cord in his hand, smiling: “Friends.”

“Stop being evasive.” Pei Yunshu glared at him. “I know your personality. There’s clearly something wrong here. No one has friends like this.”

He sighed with a helpless tone: “A perfectly innocent relationship, yet you make it sound unseemly.”

“Scoundrel!” Pei Yunshu pretended to hit him, but he dodged while holding Baozhu with a turn.

“I’m too lazy to argue with you,” Pei Yunshu pointed at him. “Next month on the seventh, my birthday – no matter what method you use, invite Physician Lu for me.”

“Sister,” Pei Yunying frowned: “The seventh is the Qixi Festival.”

“Of course I know it’s Qixi!” Pei Yunshu took a sip of osmanthus soup, looking frustrated: “What do you understand?”

On Qixi day, lovers gather.

Her stubborn brother refused to admit anything, but in the Imperial City, there were plenty of vigorous young men – the competition was truly fierce.

Though Pei Yunying was quite handsome, brave women still feared persistent suitors.

Moreover, Lu Tong had a fiancé, though who knew if it was real or fake.

She just wanted to help her brother work harder to win her over.

This was maddening!

“So dense.”

She shook her head, looking at the young man who was holding Baozhu up to the flower rack to make her laugh, and sighed heavily.