When news of Lu Li’s impending marriage reached West Street, the entire Renxin Medical Clinic was stunned.
Du Changqing bounced around the clinic like firecrackers hanging from plum trees during New Year’s: “Marriage? What madness are you talking about?” Even the typically business-minded Miao Liangfang expressed disapproval: “Little Lu, isn’t it rather hasty to suddenly talk about marriage when everything was fine?”
When Lu Tong first arrived at the clinic, she appeared completely detached from love, seeming more world-weary than the nuns at the Wansi Temple convent. Back then, countless virile young men would visit the clinic in broad daylight just to glimpse her beauty, but she never showed interest in any of them. Yet with Pei Yunmo, it progressed from holding hands to marriage in an instant – such a dramatic change that it seemed as if she’d been possessed!
“You’re not… you know?” Du Changqing examined her suspiciously, his gaze falling to Lu Tong’s abdomen. West Street had seen its share of impetuous young men who had to hastily arrange marriages after creating life, and the clinic had witnessed such cases before.
Yinzheng pushed Du Changqing: “Master, don’t speak such nonsense!”
“Then it must be coercion!” Du Changqing declared firmly. “He must be using his authority to force you! I bet Pei Yunmo is threatening you in secret! I knew all men in Shengjing were the same – those pretty faces are nothing but trouble!”
Lu Tong remained silent momentarily before responding: “It was my own choice.”
Du Changqing was distraught: “What kind of potion did he give you?” Lu Tong: “…”
She said: “Marriage isn’t such a big deal. I’ve calculated that it won’t be much different from my current life. Since that’s the case, we can give it a try.”
Her casual tone caused Du Changqing heart palpitations. He exclaimed: “How shortsighted! How foolish! Is marriage something to be tried so carelessly? You’re still young, you haven’t even met many good men yet. Like a flower that hasn’t fully bloomed, you’re hanging yourself on one tree. Tell me, what if you meet someone more suitable in the future and have a change of heart?”
Lu Tong: “Then we’ll divorce.”
“Is divorce that simple?”
“Didn’t the Princess Consort of Wen County divorce?”
Du Changqing was stunned: “What if he changes his heart?”
“Then I’ll poison him.”
Everyone: …
Lu Tong glanced at them: “Of course, I’m joking.”
Acheng spoke softly: “Doctor Lu, your expression just now didn’t look like you were joking…”
After the commotion, Du Changqing’s fierce opposition had no effect. Lu Tong had always been this way, never consulting others before making decisions, as stubborn as an ox. When she wanted to develop a new medicine, she did; when she wanted to participate in the spring examinations, she did; when she entered the Imperial Medical Academy and decided to resign, she did. She lived freely according to her own will. Without parents or elder siblings to restrain her, and caring nothing for others’ opinions, the Renxin Clinic staff could do nothing about her. They could only offer token admonishments and resign themselves to her decisions.
While Lu Tong’s marriage plans faced opposition, the situation was completely different on Pei Yunmo’s side. Upon learning her brother intended to marry, Pei Yunmei was astounded. “You’re getting married? To whom?”
“Who else could it be but Lu Tong?”
The next moment, Pei Yunmei grabbed Pei Yunmo’s arm: “Lu Tong? You’re marrying Doctor Lu?” Tea spilled everywhere as she set down her cup. After a moment of silence, Pei Yunmo asked: “Sister, what’s with that expression?”
Pei Yunmei stared at him suspiciously: “Brother, you’re not deceiving me?”
She was quite fond of Lu Tong and could see her brother’s feelings, but Lu Tong’s feelings were harder to discern. Sometimes Pei Yunmei observed what seemed like affection between them, other times there appeared to be a deliberate distance.
Yet despite their apparent feelings, how did a trip to Sunan suddenly lead to marriage?
“You didn’t…”
Pei Yunmo immediately guessed what she was thinking and frowned: “Nothing of the sort.”
“…Well, that’s good.” Pei Yunmei patted her chest. “I knew you had better judgment.”
“Weren’t you always worried about my marriage? Now that it’s happening, you think it’s too rushed.” Pei Yunmo glanced at her. “Aren’t you worried about me being alone anymore?”
Pei Yunmei glared at him angrily: “That was when I heard the Empress Dowager wanted to arrange a marriage for you. I was worried about you being matched against your wishes, but now…” She suddenly stopped.
With the new emperor’s ascension, Pei Yunmo remained Commander of the Palace Guard. Even as Pei Yunmei moved about the imperial city, she could see the emperor intended to continue relying on him.
In such a high position, many things were beyond one’s control – including marriage.
After a moment of silence, she said: “If you’re truly certain about Lady Lu, then marrying sooner is better.”
Pei Yunmo looked at her: “Sister…”
Pei Yunmei smiled: “Let’s not discuss this further. Since this was decided between you and Lady Lu, with Mother away, I should handle the arrangements as your sister. I’ve been managing your salary and properties all these years. Once Lady Lu enters the household, I’ll hand everything over to her to manage, saving me from worrying about these matters.”
“You two need to exchange birth charts and check compatibility, then select an auspicious date and time…”
“Oh right, we haven’t prepared the betrothal gifts. I need to have the storehouse inventoried. You’re marrying their daughter, we can’t slight them. And the wedding clothes – should we prepare those from our side? What else… ah, the guest list! Write down your Palace Guard colleagues for me…”
She rambled on with calculations as if the wedding ceremony would be held tomorrow, her earlier doubts completely forgotten as she busied herself with preparations.
When news of Pei Yunmei’s enthusiastic support and planning for her brother’s marriage reached the Commander’s mansion, all five hundred ducks fell silent.
Xiao Zhufeng sat at the table, his expression sour, tone extremely caustic: “How did he manage it?”
Being fellow sufferers in love’s bitter sea, having one suddenly reach shore left an unsettling feeling in one’s heart.
“I know, I know!” Duan Xiaoyan walked in after feeding Zhizi, eagerly explaining: “Brother Pei went to Sunan and happened to find Doctor Lu ill. Though I don’t know exactly what illness, it seemed quite serious at the time. As they say, hardship reveals true feelings. Brother stayed by Doctor Lu’s side constantly while she was sick. They’re both young, so naturally feelings developed over time!”
Xiao Zhufeng gave a cold laugh of disdain.
“Perhaps Duan Xiaoyan’s peach blossom red string worked,” Pei Yunmo glanced at him, adding leisurely: “You should wear it daily, maybe something will happen.”
Xiao Zhufeng: “Absurd.”
“Fine, I’m being absurd.” Pei Yunmo brought over a teacup and took an unhurried sip. “But I’ll be busy preparing for the wedding these days. Deputy Commander Xiao, when you’re not working, feel free to come help. If you still want a chance at becoming my brother-in-law.”
Xiao Zhufeng: …
Pei Yunmo gave a light laugh and stood to leave.
Duan Xiaoyan asked: “Brother, where are you going?”
“To choose wedding geese. There’s much to prepare for a wedding.” He waved lazily. Duan Xiaoyan was speechless for a moment, then looked up in surprise: “Deputy Commander, why do you look so upset?”
News and rumors always spread quickly in the imperial city. Word of Pei Yunmo and Lu Tong’s engagement reached not only the Palace Guard but also the Imperial Medical Academy.
When Ji Xun came to the clinic to perform acupuncture on Lu Tong, his manner was more subdued than usual.
The room was quiet, with Yinzheng helping Miao Liangfang sort herbs in the front room. The two sat facing each other at the table as silver needles fell one by one onto the skin. While carefully inserting the needles into the six points, Ji Xun asked: “You’re marrying Commander Pei?”
Lu Tong was somewhat surprised he would bring this up, and replied: “Yes, though not immediately.”
Ji Xun remained silent.
There had been rumors in the Imperial Medical Academy about Pei Yunmo and Lu Tong’s relationship while in Sunan. When Lu Tong fell ill, Pei Yunmo stayed constantly by her sickbed. Ji Xun wasn’t entirely unaware, but he had been unwilling to acknowledge it.
It seemed some things, once acknowledged, left no room for turning back.
He had always acted straightforwardly before, facing everything honestly, except in this matter where he had been deceiving himself. Now, even self-deception was impossible.
“Why engage so early?” he spoke slowly, his needle placement focused as if making casual conversation. “Marriage should be approached with careful consideration.”
Surprised that this usually quiet colleague would engage in such discussion today, Lu Tong paused before smiling: “Doctor Ji knows I’ve never been one for careful consideration.”
“When treating patients, I’ll use whatever methods necessary to save them. Similarly, when you have someone in your heart, you should be together. No one can predict the future – the important thing is to cherish the present.”
At the words “someone in your heart,” Ji Xun’s hands paused briefly.
The final needle fell on her wrist, and he looked up at the woman before him.
Since leaving the Imperial Medical Academy and returning to West Street, she seemed to be doing quite well, her complexion much better than before. Her eyes held less of their previous solemnity, showing more animation. He had noticed that Lu Tong smiled much more here than she had at the Academy.
When she smiled, she was as gentle as the moon, as graceful as a flower.
Ji Xun lowered his gaze.
He had always been detached, indifferent to worldly matters. In his youth, his family often said he was pitifully slow in matters of human relations, except for medicine. He hadn’t felt slow before – not everything in life required keen perception, and he preferred focusing his attention on more important matters. Now he began to understand what his slowness had cost him.
His realization came too late; he had lost even the chance to try.
“Doctor Ji?” Lu Tong’s voice reached his ears.
Ji Xun came back to himself and looked at her. After a while, he spoke softly: “Back at the Imperial Medical Academy, when I said your treatment methods were reckless and lacking in medical ethics, I spoke harshly due to prejudice. I apologize again.”
“Doctor Ji needn’t apologize. Didn’t I deceive you as well?”
“But…”
“I was wrong to hide things from Doctor Ji, so your criticism then was justified. In the future, I’ll remember Doctor Ji’s teachings and be more careful when prescribing treatments.”
She spoke with rare playfulness in her tone. Watching her, Ji Xun seemed affected by her lightness and finally smiled in return.
“His Majesty has approved the Chief Physician’s plan to establish a separate Medical Formula Bureau in Shengjing. Both civilian doctors and Imperial physicians can join to discuss medical formulas, which will be compiled into books and distributed by the Medical Department to all clinics in Shengjing,” Ji Xun said. “Previously, most medical texts were kept in the Imperial Medical Bureau, and civilian doctors could only rely on their own experience. With the Medical Formula Bureau compiling texts, it will benefit people throughout the realm.”
“Really?”
Ji Xun nodded: “So, Doctor Lu, we’ll need your help when compiling the medical texts.”
“I’m no longer an Imperial physician, Doctor Ji needn’t address me so formally,” Lu Tong said. “But if I can help, I’m happy to do so.”
Ji Xun bowed slightly in thanks.
After a few more words, today’s acupuncture session ended, and Ji Xun packed up his medical box to leave.
Lu Tong saw him to the door, where they discovered it had begun raining outside, the fine drops dampening West Street’s stone paths.
The medical apprentice Zhuling stood up from his chair and followed behind Ji Xun. Lu Tong glanced at the sky and took an umbrella from behind the clinic door to hand to him: “Use this.”
“Thank you.”
He opened the umbrella and walked out of the clinic with Zhuling. The lane was nearly empty, with occasional carriages passing by. The steady rain dripped from the umbrella onto puddles below, while above, a large hibiscus bloomed brilliantly on the umbrella’s surface.
Ji Xun stared at the blooming hibiscus, momentarily lost in thought.
He seemed to recall, long ago, walking through Sparrow Street and encountering someone…
A woman’s umbrella had brushed his clothes, the cool raindrops falling from the umbrella’s flowered surface to wet a large patch of his collar.
She had turned back, their eyes meeting with momentary surprise. He hadn’t noticed, merely nodding slightly before passing by without looking back.
The man held his umbrella, his elegant figure showing a touch of loneliness in the spring rain. The young apprentice watched, his face showing a hint of regret.
Poor master, upright and proper, as noble and pure as a white crane, but unfortunately slow to recognize matters of the heart. A gentleman who could not take a wrong step – it was precisely this gentlemanly heart that made him one step too late.
What a pity that his first stirring of love for someone was missed before it could begin.
“Master, where are we going now?” Zhuling asked.
Ji Xun paused, then said: “Back to the Imperial Medical Academy.”
“What?” Zhuling grew anxious. “The Old Master said there’s a family gathering today and wanted you home early. If you go to the Academy now, he’ll scold you again.”
“The Medical Formula Bureau is newly established with many complex matters. There are countless medical texts to organize. I have much work to do.”
Zhuling fell silent. This was his master – barely a moment of heartache before burying himself in medical studies again. But if he were truly defeated or spent time sighing, that wouldn’t be his master either.
The young apprentice hurried after the man’s steps, still trying to persuade him: “But, the Old Master said you’re at the age to establish a family. Today’s gathering includes the daughter of an old family friend. The Old Master is trying to play matchmaker for you. At least go take a look – there are plenty of fish in the sea…”
“No.”
The rain blurred the silhouettes of those walking away, their voices gradually fading into the distance.