The interior of the shop was dimly lit, with fine dust floating and dancing in the air.

A’Cheng’s voice drifted slowly from his chair.

“…The Bureau of Prepared Medicine is government-run. All prepared medicines sold by medical shops and clinics in the capital must pass inspection by the Bureau of Prepared Medicine.”

“Previously, when selling medicinal teas, Renxin Medical Hall had clearly passed the Bureau of Prepared Medicine’s official seal and was permitted to prepare and sell medicines independently. But today…”

Today, people from the Bureau of Prepared Medicine came and, without a word, searched Renxin Medical Hall and found the “Spring Water Life” medicinal tea. They simply claimed the tea formula was wrong and the medicine was fake, confiscating Renxin Medical Hall’s official seal and contract for selling prepared medicines. From now on, Renxin Medical Hall would no longer be permitted to sell prepared medicines.

Yin Zheng asked, “Then the injuries on the shopkeeper’s and A’Cheng’s faces…”

“Those bastards threw the first punch!” Du Changqing gritted his teeth.

Initially, when the Bureau of Prepared Medicine people wanted to confiscate the medicinal tea, A’Cheng couldn’t bear to part with it and reached out to grab it back. Unexpectedly, those people were extremely vicious and wouldn’t spare even a child from their deadly blows. How could Du Changqing watch A’Cheng suffer? He only regretted being a powerless young master himself—joining the fight only meant one more person getting beaten.

Lu Tong looked at Du Changqing: “Why would the Bureau of Prepared Medicine people suddenly target the medical hall?”

Du Changqing slammed his fist on the table and angrily said, “What else could it be? Of course it’s that old turtle causing trouble from behind the scenes!”

“The Bureau of Prepared Medicine people were familiar with my father before. When new medicines were made, they never asked many questions. Today they clearly received advance notice and deliberately came to wreck the shop.”

“Bai Shouyi is despicable and shameless. When he failed to copy Spring Water Life, I thought he had settled down for a while, but I didn’t expect he was waiting for this moment. That old turtle!”

As Du Changqing spoke, his expression grew increasingly resentful: “Those Bureau of Prepared Medicine people too—when my father was alive, they fawned and flattered him everywhere, wagging their tails more enthusiastically than anyone. Now seeing someone down on their luck, they all rush to kick them while they’re down. Bah! A bunch of opportunistic petty people! If my father were still alive, he’d make sure none of them could save face…”

Though his words sounded fierce, his tone was somewhat choked. Du Changqing turned his face away and roughly wiped at it with his hand.

Yin Zheng was startled and, watching his expression, comforted him: “Shopkeeper Du needn’t be so angry. A grown man—how can you cry over a little trouble? When my young lady first came to the capital, she almost ran out of money and had nowhere to stay, much worse off than you, but she never shed a single tear. Shopkeeper Du, you must pull yourself together!”

This comment, rather than helping, only made Du Changqing feel more sorrowful, his nasal tone growing heavier: “What would a little maid like you understand? Back in the day, this young master was surrounded by crowds and flattered wherever he went. Now these people break into my shop and smash it, and I don’t even have anywhere to seek justice. Wouldn’t you feel wronged too?”

Yin Zheng couldn’t argue with him and exchanged a glance with A’Cheng on the reclining chair, then turned to Lu Tong: “Miss…”

Lu Tong said, “I wouldn’t feel wronged.”

Du Changqing’s sobbing stopped abruptly. He wiped his nose and turned to look at her.

Lu Tong sat down at the table: “In the past, they flattered you because you were Master Du’s most beloved son. With Master Du gone, you’re just a useless waste with no abilities, so naturally there’s no need to spend effort flattering you.”

Du Changqing glared at her: “Lu Tong!”

“Before, you were high above, knowing only fine clothes and food, ignorant of worldly suffering. Now you’ve fallen from the clouds, with no support, destitute and down-and-out, you can only be bullied by others.”

“Bai Shouyi can bully you because he has money and property, a profitable Xinglin Hall, and doesn’t forget to carefully cultivate his connections. The Bureau of Prepared Medicine people give him face, so they can trip you up and deal with you.”

Her words were unhurried, her tone even quite gentle: “Such is the way of the world. You are no longer the beloved Young Master Du. If you want others to respect you and not dare bully you, you must climb up yourself, climb to a position higher than theirs, make them flatter you, fawn over you, even fear you.”

“Easy to say,” Du Changqing replied irritably. “Don’t you know? I’m just a waste, a puddle of mud—no good at literature or martial arts. How can I climb up?”

“Why can’t you?” Lu Tong asked him back. “Just because you’ve lost the skin of Young Master Du, you can’t accomplish anything? Don’t you still have a medical hall?”

Du Changqing looked at her.

Lu Tong smiled slightly: “You could convince Master Hu to buy medicine here and support the medical hall for several years—of course you can convince others too.”

Du Changqing frowned: “But now the Bureau of Prepared Medicine won’t let us prepare and sell medicines.” He suddenly paused and looked at Lu Tong: “You have a solution, don’t you?”

Lu Tong didn’t speak.

Du Changqing suddenly became excited and grabbed Lu Tong’s wrist: “Dr. Lu, you must help me!”

Lu Tong lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on his hand. Du Changqing coughed lightly and sheepishly withdrew his hand, looking at her and speaking again: “Dr. Lu, you have a way to help me, don’t you?”

Lu Tong said, “I have a way.” Before Du Changqing could smile, she continued: “But why should I help you?”

Du Changqing was stunned and instinctively replied: “Friends should naturally show loyalty!”

Lu Tong remained silent.

The small oil lamp was like a frozen ball of light, making the atmosphere stagnant. Yin Zheng and A’Cheng cautiously kept quiet, while Du Changqing looked at the person at the table, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

Lu Tong was the strangest person among everyone he knew.

Du Changqing had been a wastrel young master for many years, surrounded by fair-weather friends like himself who only knew eating, drinking, and making merry, ignorant of worldly suffering.

But Lu Tong was different.

This young woman’s character was completely opposite to her delicate, fragile appearance—always cold and calm. You could call her indifferent, yet she aimed to inherit her master’s legacy, willing to serve as a resident physician without charging for medicinal tea. You could call her kind-hearted, yet seeing her methods against Xinglin Hall—using minimal force to maximum effect, planning step by step—even someone as cunning as Bai Shouyi couldn’t gain any advantage from her.

He looked at Lu Tong, choosing his words carefully: “We’ve known each other for several months now, and we’ve shared hardships for many days. Aren’t we friends… ?”

The final “aren’t we” was spoken without much confidence.

Lu Tong only smiled without speaking.

He still wouldn’t give up: “If this shop can’t sell prepared medicines, it definitely won’t last long. When the shop closes, you, as the resident physician, will also end up on the streets. Even if you find another position elsewhere, where else could you find an employer as considerate and perceptive as this young master… Tell me, what do you want?”

Lu Tong said, “I need money.”

Du Changqing jumped up shouting: “Didn’t I just give you a hundred taels a few days ago?”

Lu Tong: “I spent it all.”

Du Changqing immediately turned to look at Yin Zheng, who nonchalantly looked away, avoiding his gaze.

“Let’s speak plainly, Shopkeeper Du. You don’t want to remain a useless young master accomplishing nothing and being trampled by others, and I need money to establish myself in the capital. Since we’re both facing difficulties, we should cooperate. From now on, I’ll continue as the resident physician at the medical hall. For the prepared medicines I make and sell, you and I will split the profits fifty-fifty.”

Du Changqing: “Fifty-fifty?”

Honestly, this wasn’t an unreasonable request—after all, the prepared medicines were made by Lu Tong. It’s just that for the currently cash-strapped Young Master Du, it was still somewhat heartbreaking.

A’Cheng quietly tugged at Du Changqing’s sleeve corner and whispered with his swollen mouth: “Master, asking for only fifty-fifty, Dr. Lu is already being very generous.”

“I know.” Du Changqing replied irritably, then looked at Lu Tong, hesitantly speaking: “You proposed this condition readily enough. If I agree, how will you overcome the difficulties? You’re unfamiliar with people and places in the capital—how can you make those bastards at the Bureau of Prepared Medicine relent? Don’t just talk big.”

Lu Tong stood up and said, “Simple.”

Du Changqing looked at her with doubt.

Lu Tong had already gotten up and walked outside the shop.

Outside Renxin Medical Hall, the Dong family’s canopied carriage still waited. The shops on both sides of West Street were all looking this way—after all, since Master Du’s death, aside from Master Hu, it had been a long time since such a distinguished carriage had come seeking medical treatment.

The Dong family’s servant woman was still waiting outside. Seeing Lu Tong emerge, she hurried forward with a smile: “Dr. Lu.”

Lu Tong smiled apologetically at her: “Young Master Dong’s chronic illness hasn’t fully recovered yet. I wanted to prepare some mild medicines for nourishment. Madam sent nanny to the medical hall to collect medicine, but I’m afraid nanny has made a wasted trip today.”

The woman was startled and asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Lu Tong stepped aside slightly so the woman could see the mess inside the shop clearly. She sighed, looking troubled: “A few days ago, the medical hall developed a new medicine for nasal congestion with excellent healing effects. Somehow it alarmed the Bureau of Prepared Medicine. The shopkeeper and assistant were both injured, and we temporarily cannot continue selling prepared medicines.” She apologized to the woman: “Please ask nanny to return to the manor and explain to Madam.”

The woman, hearing her speak so helplessly and seeing Du Changqing emerge with a bruised and swollen face, made her own guesses. She only smiled and replied to Lu Tong: “Dr. Lu, what are you saying? This isn’t your fault. Dr. Lu needn’t worry too much. I’ll explain everything clearly to Madam when I return—it’s no big matter.”

After exchanging a few more words with Lu Tong, she left with the Dong family carriage. Du Changqing watched the carriage’s shadow and asked puzzledly: “Whose people are these? They sound quite important.”

“The Dong family of Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.”

Hearing this, Du Changqing’s eyes widened: “The Dong family? That Dong family with the consumptive young son? How did you get connected with them?”

Du Changqing had indeed been a playboy in the capital and was well-informed about the private affairs and secrets of various noble households.

Lu Tong looked toward the end of West Street: “If I remember correctly, the Bureau of Prepared Medicine is under the jurisdiction of the Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.”

Du Changqing’s heart stirred: “You want to…”

“Using power to bully others—who doesn’t know how to do that?”

Lu Tong said softly, “If you’re going to use power, use something big.”

…

The Bureau of Prepared Medicine was located under the South Corner Tower in the outer market of the capital. It was the current dynasty’s civilian government pharmaceutical bureau. All prepared medicines sold by medical halls and pharmacies throughout the capital had to be verified by the Bureau of Prepared Medicine.

Medicine Verification Officer Lou Si was in a very good mood at the moment, leaning back in his chair humming a tune.

He wasn’t a medical officer in the bureau’s prescription research department, nor was he a busy inspector who never had time to rest. The position of Medicine Verification Officer was truly a lucrative job. All prepared medicines from major pharmacies passed through his hands, and whether they could be sold depended entirely on his whim.

This power was insignificant in the Imperial Medical Bureau or Hanlin Medical Academy, but in this Bureau of Prepared Medicine, it was the best position for making extra money.

He was sitting in his chair calculating which restaurant to visit for entertainment after work when suddenly a young medicine clerk came in from outside and told him: “Sir, Ji Xun, the medical officer from Hanlin Medical Academy, has arrived.”

Lou Si was startled and sat up straight: “Ji Xun? What’s he doing here?”

He had just stood up to arrange his clothing when he saw a hand lift the long curtain, and a young man with refined features walked in from outside.

The Bureau of Prepared Medicine was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs, wafting like mountain valley clouds. The young man wore a light blue lake silk plain-faced straight robe, his long hair bound with a single green jade hairpin into a topknot. He was tall and thin, like a solitary crane in the sky, naturally possessing an air of refined, otherworldly elegance.

As he approached, Lou Si hurried forward with a smile: “Medical Officer Ji, what brings you here?”

This crane-like young man was called Ji Xun, currently the youngest imperial physician in Hanlin Medical Academy. Speaking of Ji Xun, he was quite unusual—his father Master Ji was a Scholar of the Guanwen Hall, his grandfather was a Hanlin Scholar, and his elder brother was a Direct Scholar of the Fuwen Pavilion. The whole family consisted of civil officials, yet he had been passionate about medicine since childhood. In his youth, he refused to take the imperial examinations and secretly took the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination behind his family’s back, becoming the youngest imperial physician in Hanlin Medical Academy.

Ji Xun was exceptionally intelligent with a cool, steady temperament. Scholar Ji had initially disagreed with his youngest son becoming a medical officer in the palace. Who knew Ji Xun’s medical skills were superb—during his time at Hanlin Medical Academy, he developed many new prescriptions that were adopted by the Imperial Pharmacy. Both His Majesty and the Empress praised him highly. Even without relying on the Ji family’s reputation, Ji Xun was now a favored person in the palace, universally praised as a genius medical officer.

Such a favored person was not someone Lou Si, a mere Medicine Verification Officer, could afford to offend. Knowing Ji Xun’s noble character, Lou Si anxiously inquired: “What brings Medical Officer Ji here today?”

Ji Xun had a young attendant step forward, who presented a red paper booklet.

He said: “The Imperial Pharmacy has selected a batch of official prescriptions to send to the Bureau of Prepared Medicine, which may be prepared and sold at the Bureau of Prepared Medicine.”

Lou Si received it with gratitude, smiling: “For such a small matter, a word would have sufficed and this subordinate would have come to collect it myself. Why trouble Medical Officer Ji to make the trip personally?”

“No matter.” Ji Xun’s expression was indifferent.

Having delivered the prescription booklet, he seemed about to turn and leave. Lou Si was just thinking of offering a few more compliments when the earlier medicine clerk ran in again, looking somewhat strange, and said: “Officer Lou, someone outside requests an audience.”

“Who?” Lou Si glared at him. “Don’t you see Medical Officer Ji is here?”

“They say they’re from Renxin Medical Hall.” Seeing Lou Si frown as if unable to recall, the medicine clerk added: “The one we went to West Street today to confiscate medicinal tea prescriptions from.”

“Confiscated medicinal prescriptions?” Lou Si remembered: “Oh, that one!”

Ji Xun paused in his steps and looked at Lou Si: “Why were prescriptions confiscated?”

Lou Si smiled apologetically: “Medical Officer Ji doesn’t know—Renxin Medical Hall was originally a proper medical hall, but after the old shopkeeper died, he left the medical hall to his good-for-nothing youngest son. That boy is a wastrel who spends his days racing horses through the streets, only knowing how to eat, drink, and make merry. How could he understand medicine? A few days ago, he recklessly developed a medicinal tea formula to sell in the capital. As the Medicine Verification Officer of the Bureau of Prepared Medicine, how could I let them treat people’s health as child’s play? Naturally, I had to stop it.”

Ji Xun asked: “Were there problems with the prepared medicine?”

Lou Si hesitated, then replied: “Naturally! I sent their medicinal tea back for verification—the medicinal properties were chaotic, the ingredients inconsistent, truly unsuitable for patients to drink.”

Ji Xun nodded.

Lou Si secretly breathed a sigh of relief and righteously told the medicine clerk: “Since I have verified the medicinal tea as defective and handled it fairly, tell them to go back and stop coming to plead!”

“But… but…” the medicine clerk looked troubled.

“But what?”

“But that young lady is accompanied by people from Grand Minister Dong’s household.”

The Dong family?

Lou Si was choked speechless.

The Bureau of Prepared Medicine was under the jurisdiction of the Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When had Renxin Medical Hall developed connections with the Dong family? Lou Si stole a glance at the silent Ji Xun, his mind in turmoil.

Ji Xun was an imperial physician at Hanlin Medical Academy, a favored person before the Emperor, with a noble and otherworldly character—he’d never heard of him being easily swayed by flattery. In comparison, the Bureau of Prepared Medicine frequently dealt with the Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. They saw each other regularly, and there would be many more days of future interaction—the Dong family couldn’t be offended.

But with Ji Xun here…

Lou Si looked at Ji Xun and deliberately scolded the medicine clerk: “Medical Officer Ji is here now, whatever it is can wait until later…”

He intended to hint that Ji Xun should leave, but unexpectedly, the man looked at him and said calmly: “No problem, I’ll be behind the screen. Officer Lou may converse with them freely.” With that, he walked directly to the screen in the back of the medicine bureau, concealing his figure.

Lou Si was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth inwardly—this was clearly coming to monitor him.

But he also feared delaying too long and angering the Dong family. Thinking that although the Dong family was backing them, a resident physician from Renxin Medical Hall probably wouldn’t dare be too arrogant, he told the medicine clerk: “In that case, let them in.”

The medicine clerk hurried out and soon returned leading several people.

Lou Si recognized both men—one was Master Du’s precious darling, the famously useless Du Changqing. The other was a tall man in guard attire, Sheng Quan, a bodyguard from Madam Dong’s retinue.

Standing between them, however, was an unfamiliar young woman.

This woman had attractive features and wore a white cloth dress. Like the medicinal fragrance of the Bureau of Prepared Medicine, she had a clear, austere quality. Standing there, she looked like a painting of a fairy maiden. Lou Si vaguely remembered hearing that Renxin Medical Hall’s resident physician was a woman, and couldn’t help but wonder—could this be that female doctor? But she looked really young, and unexpectedly beautiful.

Before he could speak, the woman spoke first: “I am the resident physician of Renxin Medical Hall. The ‘Spring Water Life’ prescription came from my hand. May I ask Officer Lou, why is Renxin Medical Hall suddenly forbidden from selling medicinal tea?”

Lou Si steadied himself. He had originally wanted to offer some comforting words for the Dong family’s sake, but suddenly remembered Ji Xun was still behind the screen. Naturally, he couldn’t take all the blame on himself, so he coughed and said seriously: “Naturally because Renxin Medical Hall’s medicinal tea doesn’t conform to medical principles.”

“Liar!” Du Changqing couldn’t help but curse. “Clearly when I brought the prescription before, you approved it. How can you suddenly say it’s no good? Obviously you took someone else’s bribes and are deliberately making things difficult for us!”

Lou Si sneered: “Young Master Du, you can’t say that. Examining medical prescriptions naturally takes time. I’m just telling the truth.”

Hearing this, Lu Tong nodded and calmly said: “Since Officer Lou insists that Spring Water Life doesn’t conform to medical principles, may I ask Officer Lou—where exactly doesn’t it conform to medical principles? Which medicinal ingredient doesn’t conform to medical principles? Is it conflicting medicinal properties, or excessive potency? Or are the medicinal materials slightly toxic? Which medical text, which pharmacological principle, which book, which passage?”

“I am ignorant,” she said slowly, “Please enlighten me, Officer.”