October festival—winter’s beginning was near.

The surface of Guangyun River was gradually forming thin ice. On the broad river, a giant ship slowly approached the shore.

A group of people wearing deep blue cotton robes descended from the ship’s deck one after another. From a distance, they looked like a line of ants crossing the wilderness, walking alone.

There was a temporary teahouse by the riverside. The teahouse owner brought several pots of hot tea and steaming noodles, setting out braziers. The crowd gradually became lively.

Lin Danqing sneezed and complained: “So cold.”

A medical official beside her comforted: “We’re about to pass Mengtai. It’s colder by the river, but it’ll be much better after Mengtai.”

The convoy heading to southern Jiangsu had been traveling for half a month. The Guangyun River section required boat travel, and after winter’s beginning, the river surface froze. With continuous rain for days, their journey was delayed.

The capital was in the north, where winters were always cold. They had thought southern Jiangsu, being further south, would be much warmer in winter. Unexpectedly, it was not only not warm but added a dampness to the cold that was worse than the capital’s. Even their cotton robes felt as if they had been soaked in ice—cold and heavy. They hadn’t even reached southern Jiangsu yet, and some medical officials already had frostbite on their hands.

Chang Jin came out from the teahouse’s back kitchen, handing Lu Tong and Lin Danqing each a bowl of hot soup. “Drink this while it’s hot to warm yourselves,” he said, then looked at Lu Tong: “How are you feeling, Medical Official Lu?”

Lu Tong’s face was pale as she accepted the hot soup from Chang Jin’s hands, nodding: “Much better.”

The long journey was especially torturous for Lu Tong compared to other medical officials—she suffered from seasickness.

Crossing Guangyun River by boat took seven days. Lu Tong had never traveled such a long water route. Despite taking considerable seasickness medicine, she still vomited so severely that she was dizzy and disoriented. When she disembarked, her face had thinned visibly.

“Sister Lu, I’ve always seen you as capable of anything, never expected you to be a landlubber,” Lin Danqing patted her shoulder, then mused, “Perhaps Heaven is fair—giving you some talent in medicine while making other things unpleasant for you. Otherwise, why would only you and Medical Official Ji among so many people get this seasick?”

She wasn’t the only landlubber—Ji Xun was too.

However, Ji Xun was somewhat better than Lu Tong; at least seasickness medicine worked for him.

Hearing them discussing him, Ji Xun looked their way.

Lin Danqing, caught red-handed, calmly stood up with her hot soup and walked to Chang Jin’s side, pretending to make conversation. Lu Tong lowered her head to drink her soup.

The soup was white radish and duck soup made by the teahouse owner’s family—clear, sweet, and fresh. With one sip, her stomach gradually felt soothed.

As she was drinking, someone suddenly appeared beside her. Lu Tong turned her head to see Ji Xun sitting down next to her.

She was momentarily startled, then heard Ji Xun speak: “Are you feeling better?”

Lu Tong nodded.

All the medical officials joked that they were the only two landlubbers on the entire ship, sharing a sense of sympathy for each other’s plight.

“I wanted to make a seasickness remedy for you, but didn’t manage to create one before we disembarked. My apologies,” he said.

Although Ji Xun also suffered from seasickness, he improved immediately after taking seasickness medicine. Lu Tong was different—she suffered for a full seven days.

Among an entire ship of medical officials, mostly veteran medical officials of advanced age, not one could find a reliable prescription. Even the genius medical official Ji Xun couldn’t do it—the seasickness medicine he made had no effect on Lu Tong whatsoever.

To speak of it publicly would truly make people doubt whether this group could actually solve southern Jiangsu’s plague.

Ji Xun looked at her with a somewhat strange expression: “However, why do all seasickness medicines have no effect on you whatsoever?”

“Perhaps it’s a heart ailment,” Lu Tong answered frankly. “I have fears in my heart, so no matter what medicine I use, it’s useless.”

This might not be entirely unreasonable.

Ji Xun nodded, didn’t continue this topic, and turned to something else: “After Mengtai, a few more days’ travel will bring us to southern Jiangsu.”

“Medical Official Lu is from southern Jiangsu. With homecoming imminent, are you nervous?”

Lu Tong lowered her eyes: “Nervousness is useless.”

“I thought Medical Official Lu actively requested to go to southern Jiangsu for the sake of your hometown.”

Lu Tong remained silent.

Among the veteran medical officials going to southern Jiangsu, setting aside Ji Xun, having Lin Danqing, a newly appointed medical official, mixed in was already quite irregular. Before departure, Lu Tong was added as well.

Anyone with eyes could see that Lu Tong had gone far to southern Jiangsu to avoid the Grand Tutor’s Manor’s retaliation. However, some people also believed that since Lu Tong was from southern Jiangsu, her active request to go might be out of concern for her hometown.

But throughout this journey, when medical officials discussed good strategies and prescriptions for treating the plague, Lu Tong remained very calm, appearing somewhat cold-blooded.

After a moment of silence, Lu Tong said: “Whatever Medical Official Ji thinks it is, that’s what it is. In any case, I’m already on the road.”

Ji Xun looked at her, thought for a moment, then hesitated before speaking: “There’s something I want to ask Medical Official Lu.”

“What is it?”

“Before the Qi family’s young master’s incident, Director Cui first diagnosed him, then Director Cui was blamed and you replaced Director Cui’s position. Only you could review Young Master Qi’s medical records.”

“Correct.”

He said: “Although the Grand Tutor’s Manor claimed Young Master Qi fell ill from shock due to the Fengle Tower fire, based on symptoms I heard from others, Young Master Qi seemed more like he had epilepsy. I remember Medical Official Lu once asked me: poria, poria with pine root, myrrh, dragon’s blood, magnolia bark… adding one measure of mountain centipede—how would that be? I said that if this prescription were used, it could temporarily soothe emotions and calm epilepsy in the short term. But with long-term accumulation, residual toxins would accumulate in the body, numbing the mind. On the surface it would seem better, but actually the illness would worsen, making future relapses difficult to treat.”

Ji Xun glanced at Lu Tong, saw her expression remained calm without refutation, then continued: “Later Young Master Qi repeatedly fell ill…”

“What does Medical Official Ji mean by this?” Lu Tong interrupted him.

“I was treating Young Master Qi’s illness, and Young Master Qi didn’t have epilepsy. This point has been repeatedly explained by Director Cui and the Grand Tutor’s Manor. There’s no reason in the world to convict someone based on a single question.”

She continued: “Moreover, Young Master Qi died at his father’s hands during the Nuo sacrifice—this is a fact witnessed by everyone. Medical Official Ji is settling scores after autumn. Could it be that you believe no matter what, as long as I once visited the Qi manor, with the noble Young Master Qi dead, I, a commoner-born person who was his medical official, cannot be allowed to live and must be buried with him?”

This response was sharp. Ji Xun was startled: “That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what does Medical Official Ji mean by deliberately seeking evidence of my crimes?”

Ji Xun was speechless.

Qi Yutai had indeed died at Qi Qing’s hands—this had nothing to do with Lu Tong.

He also knew that if Lu Tong hadn’t followed the plague relief medical officials to southern Jiangsu, she might have been implicated in this incident.

His suspicions about the medical records instead made Lu Tong as skittish as a startled bird—he hadn’t considered this thoroughly.

“I apologize,” Ji Xun said. “I’m not suspecting you, just that there were some puzzling aspects in the medical records. I won’t ask you about them in the future.”

Lu Tong said nothing. As the two sat in silence, suddenly Acorus hurried over from the distance, his expression somewhat panicked.

Among the accompanying medical officials, Acorus was usually the most easygoing and carefree. When not discussing plague treatment, eight or nine times out of ten he was sleeping, with the remaining one or two times eating. It was rare to see him so panicked.

Acorus ran up in one breath, grabbed Chang Jin, and pulled him aside. Faint voices could be heard: “People from Mengtai courier station came over to meet us just now. Something big has happened in the capital!”

Lu Tong’s heart stirred as she looked up toward the direction where the two had walked away.

Something big happened?

Acorus brought the news from the courier station to Chang Jin. Before long, the entire group of plague relief medical officials knew.

Something big had indeed happened in the capital.

A few days ago, the convoy was busy traveling, rushing day and night. Later, crossing Guangyun River, they spent seven days and nights on the water where no letters could reach them.

So this news had already reached Mengtai, and everyone was suddenly shocked to learn of it.

His Majesty had died.

Third Prince Yuan Yao had set an ambush outside the Hall of Diligent Government. He launched a palace coup during a nighttime imperial audience, assassinating the emperor and seizing the throne. His Majesty was severely wounded. The Crown Prince blocked a sword meant for His Majesty and unfortunately died at Yuan Yao’s hands.

Prince Ning, Yuan Lang, rushed into the palace, captured the Third Prince, and threw him into Zhao Prison. Before His Majesty’s death, he issued an imperial edict transferring the throne to Prince Ning, Yuan Lang.

In just a few days, the Crown Prince was dead, the Third Prince imprisoned, and Prince Ning had ascended to the dragon throne.

This was extremely strange.

Although Emperor Liang had been in poor health in recent years, and everyone knew there might be a battle between the Crown Prince and Third Prince, overnight everything was turned upside down. It had always been “sons succeed fathers, younger brothers succeed elder brothers.” Emperor Liang still had the Second Prince and Fourth Prince who could inherit the throne—why bypass them to pass the throne to Prince Ning?

And how could that prince who spent his days smiling, only knowing how to frequent markets and alleys buying flowers and vegetables—that waste of a prince—manage to capture rebels single-handedly?

Court affairs were thousands of miles away. The medical officials of the Imperial Medical Academy, lowly in position and obscure in reputation, kept silent as cicadas, not daring to ask a single question.

An elderly medical official spoke tremblingly: “Medical Director, are we still going to southern Jiangsu?”

The southern Jiangsu plague relief roster had been approved by Emperor Liang. Now the dragon throne had a different occupant—such were the vagaries of life.

The north wind howled past. Chang Jin shivered from the cold.

“Go,” he steadied himself. “What does this have to do with us?”

They were people going for plague relief. No matter who sat on the dragon throne, the fact that southern Jiangsu’s people were suffering from plague was real. There was absolutely no reason to turn around and abandon their duties.

Moreover, with a new emperor ascending the throne and the capital in turmoil, returning now would actually be inadvisable. It was better to stay peacefully in southern Jiangsu and return to the capital after the plague was resolved and everything settled.

They were ants, humble small people who couldn’t shake the greater situation. They could only go with the flow and try their best to maintain their original intentions.

Learning such startling news, all the medical officials were somewhat unsettled, gathering together to discuss in low voices. Lu Tong put down her medicine bowl and walked toward Chang Jin.

Chang Jin was standing outside. Seeing her approach, he turned around.

“Medical Director,” she paused, softening her voice somewhat, “in the news from the courier station, was there any mention of recent events concerning the Grand Tutor’s Manor?”

Chang Jin looked at her in surprise, quickly understanding. He glanced at the medical officials warming themselves by the fire in the distant teahouse, then moved closer to speak in a low voice: “There was.”

He said: “The Third Prince’s regicide case implicated many people, bringing out quite a few court officials. The Qi family was also among those helping the Third Prince. All marquises who had contact with the Grand Tutor’s Manor were hunted down, and their entire faction was exterminated. The Qi family was executed along with three generations of their clan.”

Lu Tong was stunned for a while.

On the surface, the Qi family had clearly been the Crown Prince’s people. However, in court struggles, once defeated, implicating someone and convicting them was as easy as turning one’s hand.

From southern Jiangsu she had returned to Changwu County, then from Changwu County killed her way to the capital, advancing step by step with careful planning. She had successively eliminated Ke Chengxing, killed Liu Kun, brought down Fan Zhenglian, and finally schemed to have Qi Yutai die at his own father’s hands.

Now Qi Qing was also dead—her last enemy had vanished from the world.

Her great revenge was completely fulfilled. Having accomplished everything, she should have felt satisfaction. Yet after that satisfaction, it was like the distant winding river with its thin ice—vast and boundless, flowing toward an unknown destination.

Seeing her silence, Chang Jin comforted her in a low voice: “Medical Official Lu, when you return to the capital this time, you won’t need to worry about the Qi family’s retaliation anymore.”

With the Qi family defeated, no one would stand up for them anymore.

Lu Tong nodded but didn’t immediately leave.

Seeing this, Chang Jin asked: “Does Medical Official Lu have other matters?”

Without the brazier, the wind outside still felt cold. Lu Tong paused before speaking softly.

“Medical Director, did you hear any news about Marshal Pei?”

Chang Jin was startled.

The rumors about Lu Tong and Pei Yunying had spread throughout the Imperial Medical Academy. Lu Tong had always been indifferent to his affairs, yet now she was actively inquiring about Pei Yunying’s news. It seemed there might be feelings between them after all.

“He went to Qishui.”

“Qishui?”

“There’s military unrest in Qishui. His Majesty previously sent General Zhenwei to quell the rebellion. With the Third Prince committing such crimes, Duke Chen’s entire lineage was implicated. His Majesty withdrew their military authority and ordered Marshal Pei to go to Qishui. He departed several days ago.”

“They travel fast. Qishui is not far from southern Jiangsu—they might arrive at their destination even earlier than us.”

Lu Tong fell silent. Chang Jin looked at her, wanting to say something but ultimately saying nothing.

With Prince Ning ascending the throne and the Third Prince’s faction widely implicated, Pei Yunying seemed relatively unaffected. His Majesty even confidently let Pei Yunying lead troops to Qishui—clearly intending to give him important responsibilities.

That young commander already had excellent prospects, and after this, his future was limitless. But Lu Tong was of commoner birth.

Sometimes differences in status mattered more than anything else.

He said nothing more, sighing slightly in his heart as he turned to speak with the teahouse owner.

Lu Tong returned to the teahouse.

Inside, the brazier was warm and toasty. Lin Danqing saw her return and handed Lu Tong a hand warmer, leaning sideways to ask: “What did you discuss with Medical Director Chang?”

“Asked about plague relief matters.”

Lu Tong lowered her head, holding the hand warmer. Warm heat gradually spread through her fingers. The alternation of cold and warmth momentarily made her feel somewhat dazed.

Pei Yunying had actually gone to Qishui.

He was Prince Ning’s man, having secretly planned for a long time—all for this moment. Now that the overall situation was decided and Prince Ning had ascended to the throne, being treated as before was a good thing.

He had greater ability to do what he wanted to do and protect those he wanted to protect.

Lin Danqing’s voice came from beside her: “This weather is getting colder and colder. I thought southern regions would be warmer than our capital, but winter here is even harder to endure than in the capital.”

She rubbed her hands, looking at the raging north wind outside, muttering quietly: “I wonder if it will snow when we reach southern Jiangsu?”

Lu Tong looked up.

The sky was overcast. Southern regions rarely snowed in winter. The last heavy snowfall in southern Jiangsu was six years ago.

Six years ago, during the Great Cold, the day she first met Pei Yunying.

Lu Tong lowered her eyes, reaching to touch her chest where lingering pain faintly remained.

She had always thought she would die in the capital, never expecting it would ultimately be southern Jiangsu.

Where the story began, where the story would end.

Perhaps dying there wouldn’t be so bad either.

…

Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, winter began.

In the early morning, fog arose in the streets.

The fog was gray and murky too, piercing and oppressive when it settled on people.

Household doors were tightly shut on both sides of the street. What should have been a noisy, bustling morning market was silent as death—not a single person on the streets. Thick smoke gradually rose in the distance, mixed with the acrid smell of burning flesh. Rolling gray smoke drifted skyward, condensing a thick layer of haze across the sky.

Jiangsu County Sheriff Li Wenhu stood beneath the city wall, cursing under his breath.

“Fangzi,” he asked the person beside him, “it’s already this late—they’re not coming, are they?”

The middle-aged man standing beside him wore a wrinkled long robe, his face frozen blue, constantly stomping his feet and rubbing his hands, yet his expression remained determined: “Let’s wait a bit more. They should arrive today no matter what.”

Li Wenhu looked toward the distant, empty city gate.

Southern Jiangsu had suffered a locust plague.

The locust plague destroyed crops, and without food, famine quickly followed.

The disaster relief grain and silver distributed by the court were delayed, and plague arrived in southern Jiangsu first.

This plague came fiercely. In just a few months, more than half the city’s population had died.

The prefect said they would send people for plague relief, but for unknown reasons, they were long overdue. More and more people died, and the county office couldn’t escape either. Finally, one night, the county magistrate secretly left the city with his entire family and never returned. Only County Deputy Cai Fang and County Sheriff Li Wenhu were left looking at each other helplessly.

When it rains, it pours. This year southern Jiangsu was exceptionally cold with daily rain. The accumulated corpses couldn’t be burned fast enough, and many more poor people died from cold and hunger. Southern Jiangsu’s medical markets were depleted of medicinal materials, and doctors fell ill one after another. If this continued, before long, all of southern Jiangsu might become a ghost town.

“I think they won’t come,” Li Wenhu said. His originally robust body had thinned considerably from days of running around, his belt visibly loose. “If the court cared about us, how could they delay until now? They said they’d send people for plague relief months ago, but we haven’t seen hide nor hair of anyone. I think they want us to fend for ourselves and die!”

He glanced again at the steamed buns Cai Fang was carrying, becoming even more irritated: “So many people starve to death in the city every day, and you’re still preparing steamed buns for them. Who knows if those precious people from the capital would even deign to look at these corn bread buns. What a damn waste of effort!”

Cai Fang rubbed his hands: “Say less!”

“What, can’t even speak now?”

Li Wenhu didn’t like officials from the capital.

After the plague appeared in southern Jiangsu, the county magistrate immediately requested aid from the court. The reports went layer by layer through the prefect, governor, and provincial governor, reaching the capital only days later. Capital officials were busy with affairs of state daily and had no mind to care about the life and death of a small county.

In between, several so-called “high officials” from the capital had come to “manage the locust plague,” staying in southern Jiangsu for three to five days before returning. They ate half a month’s worth of the county office’s provisions and wrote an elaborate “Treatise on Locust Control.”

The county office treasured it and followed their advice—it was completely useless.

Having learned from this experience, Li Wenhu looked at medical officials from the capital’s Hanlin Medical Academy with particular disdain. Those medical officials had studied in the Imperial Medical Academy since childhood and mostly came from good family backgrounds. How could people with such backgrounds feel comfortable sending their children to risk their lives in plague areas? The medical officials dispatched this time were either forced and unwilling, or medically mediocre incompetents—the Medical Academy’s discards, people forced into service like ducks driven onto a perch, just as incompetent as those previous people.

“If you want to wait, wait by yourself,” Li Wenhu abandoned his post. “I’m going back to move corpses. The execution ground from yesterday is almost overflowing with bodies!”

He turned to leave, but after just two steps, he suddenly heard Cai Fang shout from behind: “They’re coming!”

Coming?

Li Wenhu turned back.

In the distance, several hundred paces beyond the city gate, a convoy of carriages and horses gradually approached.

The convoy moved at a moderate pace, but for southern Jiangsu city, which had seen no one for months, it was like a ray of fresh sunlight suddenly appearing after long gloom, immediately lighting up the eyes of the two men before the city gate.

The carriages rolled forward with a “rumbling” sound, stopping before the city gate.

A middle-aged man wearing a cotton robe and hat jumped down from the carriage.

“You…” Cai Fang excitedly stepped forward.

The man cupped his hands toward Cai Fang, his voice polite and courteous.

“I am Chang Jin, Medical Director of the Hanlin Medical Academy. By imperial command, I lead the Medical Academy’s accompanying medical officials to southern Jiangsu for plague treatment.”