Snow continued to fall in the courtyard as the windows were closed once again. Lin Danqing sat down in front of Lu Tong, frowning slightly as she took her pulse. After a long while, she withdrew her hand and looked at Lu Tong with suspicion, “Strange, there’s nothing wrong.”

“Don’t worry,” Lu Tong said, “Perhaps it’s because I’ve been staying up too late these past few days.”

Lin Danqing shook her head, “I thought you had caught the plague.” When she first entered the room, she saw Lu Tong sitting lost in thought by the window, with blood trickling from her nose, which had startled her. Although the medical officials wore medicine pouches and used plague-repelling incense daily, as well as taking anti-plague decoctions, several medical officials had unfortunately contracted the plague these days.

The elderly, the weak, and those with pre-existing conditions were most susceptible to the plague. Lin Danqing, Ji Xun, and Lu Tong were young, making them among the least concerned of the plague-treating medical officials.

“It’s not that.” Seeing her serious expression, Lu Tong voluntarily rolled up her sleeve to show her, “I don’t have any peach blossom marks.”

During the Southern Su plague, those infected would gradually develop red patches on their bodies and hands that resembled peach blossoms, hence the name “peach blossom marks.” When these marks turned from red to purple, becoming “purple cloud marks,” the patient would gradually lose their chance of survival.

Before Cuicui’s mother died, her entire body was covered in “purple cloud marks.”

The exposed arm was pale without any trace of marks. Lin Danqing breathed a sigh of relief, but her brows furrowed again as she gripped Lu Tong’s arm.

“How did you become so thin?” she said, “I can wrap my hand completely around your arm.”

Lu Tong had always been slender. Previously, Lin Danqing thought this was the graceful delicacy characteristic of southern women, but looking carefully now, she was indeed too thin.

“Your complexion isn’t good either,” Lin Danqing examined her, “Much weaker than when you were in Sheng City.”

Lu Tong withdrew her hand and lowered her sleeve, “That’s not true.”

“Sister Lu, you mustn’t disregard your health,” Lin Danqing shook her head, “The patients are important, but you need rest too. If you collapse first, how will you treat the Southern Su citizens with plague? Even if it’s not the plague, a nosebleed for no reason must mean your body is unwell.”

“I’ll tell Medical Director Chang later that you shouldn’t be assigned to night duty at the plague ward these next few days. Just rest more in your quarters.”

“There’s no need…”

“What do you mean no need? Listen to me.” She took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood stains on Lu Tong’s dress. After wiping twice, the stains became more mottled, a frightening patch of red.

“Rest more, eat more,” she said, “Now that Pei Yunying has brought medicine and food supplies, we’re not going hungry anymore, understand?”

Her words were firm, and Lu Tong remained silent for a moment before nodding, “Mm.”

…

Perhaps Lin Danqing had said something to Chang Jin because, for the next two days, Chang Jin wouldn’t let Lu Tong go to the plague ward.

The plague ward was busy with affairs. When Chang Jin found time to visit Lu Tong, he was very serious. Not only did he take her pulse personally, but he also had Ji Xun check her pulse once. Only after confirming she hadn’t contracted the plague did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Chang Jin believed her nosebleed was due to overwork and physical weakness, and ordered her to rest well in her quarters. During this time, Duan Xiaoyan came once, bringing lots of dried food and meals – the best that could be done under the current circumstances. He also hinted indirectly that she must eat more to nourish herself, and if she needed anything, she could ask him for help.

Lu Tong knew who had sent the message through him and thanked him sincerely.

Not going to the plague ward meant she didn’t need to make medicine pouches. While in her quarters, Lu Tong began writing prescriptions for the plague.

Currently, in Southern Su City, rashes were used to confirm plague infection, but by the time rashes appeared, it was already too late. The plague initially caused no pain, gradually developing into body aches and fever, severe chills, affecting the surface but not the interior.

The medical officials now treated both the interior and surface, but the decoctions only slowed the deepening of the rashes, with no obvious effect.

Lu Tong looked at the prescription and frowned, crossing out the herbs written on it.

Still not right.

Just as she was thinking, Lin Danqing came in from outside.

She brushed off the snow on her body and, seeing Lu Tong’s written prescription, read aloud: “Three-Dispersing Drink… Reaching-Origin Drink plus Three-Yang Channel herbs – Chai Hu, Ge Gen, Qiang Huo, Da Huang…”

“A prescription for dispersing and dredging,” she pondered, “This prescription is quite similar to the new one written by Medical Officer Ji and Medical Director Chang.”

Lu Tong raised her eyes: “New prescription?”

“Yes,” Lin Danqing said, “Since the plague won’t improve, everyone discussed changing the prescription, but it’s quite bold. Brother Ding volunteered to test the medicine. He started taking a dose last night,” she was puzzled, “I thought Medical Officer Ji had already told you about this.”

Lu Tong frowned.

Ji Xun had indeed mentioned this to her before, but she had also clearly expressed her disagreement. She thought it wouldn’t happen so quickly, but unexpectedly, Ding Yong had already started taking it.

She suddenly stood up, shouldered her medical box, and headed for the door.

Lin Danqing grabbed her: “Where are you going?”

“To the plague ward,” Lu Tong paused, saying, “I’m going to check on Ding Yong.”

…

Lu Tong went to the plague ward.

She had stayed in her quarters these two days without going out. When Cuicui saw her come, she happily sought her out to talk.

“Earlier, Medical Director Chang said you were sick and couldn’t come, Sister Lu. Are you all better now?”

Lu Tong said: “It’s nothing.”

“That’s good.” Cuicui smiled, “I was worried for a long time.”

Lu Tong looked up, her gaze sweeping around the plague ward until she finally caught sight of Ding Yong. He had just raised his hand to drink a bowl of brown medicine and wiped his mouth, and the bowl wasn’t the usual white porcelain one. Beside him sat Ji Xun, who was lowering his head to write something on paper.

Lu Tong walked to their side.

“Medical Officer Lu is here.” Seeing her arrive, Ding Yong hurriedly stood up to greet her.

Lu Tong nodded slightly and looked at Ji Xun: “Medical Officer Ji, I have something to discuss with you.”

Ji Xun was startled, looking at her with some surprise, but said nothing. He put down the empty bowl and followed Lu Tong to the grass shelter outside the plague ward.

Under the grass shelter were bamboo baskets containing medicine pouches. Several guards watched the plague ward’s main gate – after the last incident when assassins appeared in the plague ward, Pei Yunying had assigned several people to take turns guarding against unexpected situations.

Outside, light snow was falling. This winter in Southern Su was particularly cold, the snow seemingly never stopping. The accumulated snow on the ground grew thicker day by day, and looking into the distance, heaven, and earth were a singular white.

“Why did you let Ding Yong become a medicine test subject so early?” Lu Tong stopped and spoke directly.

“Test subject?”

Ji Xun was stunned for a moment, explaining to her: “He’s not a test subject…”

“An untested new medicine used on a patient’s body – if that’s not a test subject, what is it?”

Under the woman’s piercing gaze, Ji Xun held out for a long while before finally yielding.

“You could say that,” he said, “The peach blossom marks on Ding Yong’s body are gradually turning purple, and the previous decoctions had no effect on him. If we don’t quickly change to the new prescription, he definitely won’t last seven days.”

“The Medical Director and I believe that rather than hopelessly prolonging things, we might as well try another possibility,” he looked at Lu Tong, “Besides, you’ve seen the prescription that Ding Yong is using.”

New prescriptions had to be examined by every plague-treating medical official. Only when it was confirmed that no more flaws could be found would they be used.

Ji Xun said: “The previous prescription was conservative, but now it seems the evil qi has invaded both surface and interior, lurking in the membrane source. For half-surface-half-interior conditions, we should switch to a stronger prescription. Didn’t you once say that Tianxiong and Wuyuan are the most potent of medicines, but good doctors use them to save lives? As diseases change in thousands of ways, so must medicines.”

These were words Lu Tong had once said to Ji Xun at the Medical Officials’ Academy. At that time, he hadn’t agreed, but now he gradually accepted the reasoning, yet she became unwilling.

“But for Ding Yong, everything is still unknown.”

Ji Xun: “The Medical Director and I have informed him of all possible consequences. It was Ding Yong’s own choice; he knows what he will face.”

Lu Tong suddenly raised her head: “He doesn’t know.”

Ji Xun was stunned.

“What a medicine test subject will endure – not to mention the results of the new medicine – perhaps during the treatment he will suffer unbearable pain throughout his body, perhaps he will become blind and disabled, perhaps he will lose his mind and become a senseless mass of decay… no one can guarantee these results won’t happen. He knows nothing at all.”

The wind blew, and snow swirled in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, falling one flake at a time onto people’s bodies.

Ji Xun looked at her: “Medical Officer Lu…”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind: “I know.”

Lu Tong paused and turned around.

Ding Yong stood behind her, his hands nervously clasped together. He stepped forward, gathering the courage to speak to Lu Tong: “Medical Officer Lu, I know everything.”

“Medical Officer Ji told me that once the new medicine is taken, no one knows what the result will be. But even without the new medicine, I won’t live much longer.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the marks on his arm. The red marks there were gradually deepening, much more intense than when Lu Tong had last seen them, gradually trending toward purple.

“I’m going to die anyway, so I might as well try the new medicine. I want to stay with Cuicui a little longer.” Ding Yong looked toward the plague ward entrance, where Cuicui was poking at the charcoal in the fire basin. Seeing him looking her way, she waved at her father, and Ding Yong smiled and waved back at his daughter before turning to look at Lu Tong again.

“Even if it doesn’t work, at least it can provide some experience. It might help when you develop an antidote in the future, something Cuicui might be able to use.”

Ding Yong said with a smile, “I’m not as thoughtful as Medical Officer Lu thinks. To be honest, it’s all just for Cuicui.”

His tone was sincere as he bowed to Lu Tong: “Medical Officer Lu, I truly am willing.”

The snow grew heavier.

More snowflakes fell on Ding Yong’s head, making it impossible to distinguish between snow and white hair.

Silence surrounded them, with only the soft sound of falling snow hitting the ground.

Lu Tong looked at the man in the snow for a long while before lowering her eyes and saying, “I understand.”

“Wonderful!” The man became excited, gratefully bowing to her several more times, as if finally breathing a long sigh of relief, and cast an appreciative glance at Ji Xun.

“Father—” Cuicui called him from over there, so Ding Yong bid farewell to Lu Tong and Ji Xun and walked toward the plague ward entrance. Lu Tong watched his retreating figure for a while before turning and leaving without a word.

“Medical Officer Lu.” Ji Xun caught up with her.

“Is there something bothering you?” he asked.

Lu Tong didn’t stop walking: “What does Medical Officer Ji mean?”

“You’re particularly cautious about trying the new medicine. But previously at the Medical Officials’ Academy, your prescriptions were always bold. This behavior is different from your usual self.”

Lu Tong said: “People change, Medical Officer Ji. Weren’t you the one who used to advise me to be conservative in practicing medicine?”

“But trying the new medicine is an expedient measure. With your rationality, you shouldn’t strongly oppose it.”

Lu Tong stopped in her tracks and faced him.

“Medical Officer Ji,” she began, “Whether the plague evil is in the surface or interior, or transmitted between both, it might recur repeatedly. This new medicine contains a portion of Houbien, which is toxic. None of our colleagues have found a way to counter Houbien’s toxicity. Even if the new medicine can temporarily suppress the peach blossom marks on Ding Yong’s body, once it recurs, with both Houbien’s poison and the plague toxin acting simultaneously, he won’t be able to endure it.”

“Even if he can endure it temporarily, using it back and forth continuously will damage his body. Ding Yong has never been a medicine test subject before. Is it appropriate to use something on him when even the medical officials don’t know its effects?”

Ji Xun was speechless.

Lu Tong rarely spoke so much.

Previously at the Medical Officials’ Academy, during most of her off-duty time, she would quietly read medical books in the corner.

Even after coming to Southern Su, she maintained an appearance of indifference to everything. Patients in the plague ward had secretly told Lin Danqing that they often felt Lu Tong was cold toward people. Even when the yamen runners took away new corpses each day, she would just look on impassively, as if it were commonplace.

She was like a thin fallen leaf, floating in water, drifting with the current.

Only on this matter did she show such an intense attitude.

Snow fell silently on both of them as they stood facing each other in silence in the vast snowy landscape.

In the distance, more people approached, suddenly stopping when they saw the two.

Duan Xiaoyan grabbed Pei Yunying’s sleeve: “Brother, it’s Ji Xun and Medical Officer Lu!”

Pei Yunying: “I can see that.”

“Their expressions seem off,” Duan Xiaoyan observed, “Like they’re arguing. Should we go add fuel to the fire?”

Pei Yunying said impatiently: “Shut up.”

Duan Xiaoyan carefully closed his mouth.

He stood in the wind and snow, discreetly watching the people in the distance.

Further away, Ji Xun’s expression changed slightly as he stared at the person before him and tentatively spoke: “Medical Officer Lu.”

“Are you… hiding something from us?”

“If you have something difficult to say, you can tell me. I won’t tell others,” he said.

Ji Xun felt something wasn’t quite right.

If someone’s behavior differs from usual, there must be a reason, but he knew too little about Lu Tong. Thinking about it now, apart from knowing she had once run a clinic on West Street, he knew nothing else.

Lu Tong paused, saying: “No.”

“But…”

“Medical Officer Ji.” A voice suddenly cut in from the side. Ji Xun turned his head to see Pei Yunying walking over unhurriedly from another direction.

Pei Yunying walked up to them, glanced at Lu Tong before turning away, and said coolly to Ji Xun: “Guard Duan suddenly feels unwell. Since you’re here, please examine him, Medical Officer Ji.”

Duan Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly cried out “Aiyou” while clutching his stomach: “Yes, yes, I’ve been having headaches since early this morning.”

This exaggerated action made Ji Xun frown. Just as he was about to speak, Lu Tong had already nodded to them and turned to leave.

Ji Xun wanted to follow, but Pei Yunying shifted slightly, blocking his path, and smiled: “Medical Officer Ji?”

He had effectively stopped him.

Watching Lu Tong walk further and further away, Ji Xun withdrew his gaze and looked at Pei Yunying.

The other man’s lips held a smile, but his eyes were cool.

After a moment of tension, it was Duan Xiaoyan who stepped forward, pushing his arm into Ji Xun’s hands: “Medical Officer Ji, come on, take my pulse first.”

…

Lu Tong returned to her quarters.

The new medicine controversy quickly passed, and in the following days, she became busy again.

Ding Yong had switched to the new prescription, but that portion of Houbien in the medicine still made her uneasy, so she pored over medical books day and night, hoping to find some new methods from them.

However, surprisingly, Ding Yong’s plague symptoms began to improve day by day.

On the third day of taking the new medicine, the red marks on Ding Yong’s arms stopped deepening. By the fifth day, they appeared lighter than the previous days. By the seventh day, the fading of the red marks was very obvious, and by the ninth day, only a faint red color remained of the peach blossom marks.

Cuicui was overjoyed, hugging Ding Yong’s neck and expressing gratitude to all the medical officials.

“The peach blossom marks on my father’s body have faded so much, my father is getting better! Medical Director Chang told me earlier that once Father recovers, they’ll give the new medicine to everyone in the plague ward. Assistant Magistrate Cai also said that the plague god is about to leave Southern Su, and the epidemic is ending!”

Everyone in the plague ward was happy about Ding Yong’s improvement.

The new medicine working meant everything had hope. No one wanted to wake up and become just another corpse under the execution ground; the daily deepening marks on their bodies and hands always caused anxiety.

Cuicui hid in Ding Yong’s embrace, smiling with curved eyes, and handed Lu Tong a newly woven grasshopper.

“I’ve already learned how to weave grasshoppers from father. When spring comes and the banks of Southern Su River are full of green grass, I’ll weave them with fresh grass. Green grasshoppers can even jump! I’ve already promised all the uncles, aunts, and grandparents in the plague ward that I’ll set up a stall at the temple entrance to sell grasshoppers then, and everyone has promised to come to support me!”

She spoke cheerfully, her laughter melodious, making everyone in the plague ward couldn’t help but smile.

Ding Yong also smiled, looking at the medical officials surrounding everyone, and said softly, “Thank you all for saving my life. When there’s a chance in the future, the Ding family will repay you.”

The medical officials all said it was their duty and dispersed to continue their unfinished work.

Lu Tong also felt relieved.

She had been worried about the unclear effects of the new medicine, fearing it might cause other harm to Ding Yong, but now everything seemed to be improving. After observing for a few more days, they could try giving this medicine to other patients in the plague ward.

With improvements showing, the patients were comforted, and the medical officials gained new motivation. Cai Fang was especially energetic, considering adding more wells for distributing medicine decoctions once the new medicine proved successful.

At night, when no one was in the quarters, Lu Tong sat under the lamp and pulled out a volume from her medical box.

Ever since Lin Danqing caught her having a nosebleed that day, Lu Tong had told Chang Jin that she had been sleeping lightly lately and wanted to sleep alone, so Chang Jin had given her a separate room.

At this moment, it was quiet both inside and outside the room. Lu Tong spread the volume on the table.

The volume wasn’t very thick, already half-filled. Under the dim lamplight, she picked up her brush and carefully added a few notes to the volume.

After finishing, Lu Tong put down her brush and picked up the volume, flipping back a few pages. As she kept flipping, she gradually became lost in thought.

Until “Bang—” the door was suddenly struck loudly, Lu Tong started, quickly closing the volume and stuffing it into the wooden drawer beneath her hand.

“Sister Lu!”

It was Lin Danqing who had returned. She seemed to have just run back from outside, covered in snowflakes from head to toe, and spoke breathlessly: “Something terrible has happened!”

Lu Tong asked: “What happened?”

“Ding Yong, something’s wrong with Ding Yong!”

Lin Danqing’s face was grim: “He was fine during the day, but while sleeping at night, Cuicui called out that her father was having convulsions. When the night duty medical official went to check, Ding Yong had started vomiting blood.”

“The peach blossom marks on his body… have turned purple! In just a moment, they’ve become purple cloud marks!”