The young assistant from Luyuan Pawnshop entered the room and soon brought out two enormous copper trays. The trays were lined with rose-red velvet, and various jewels had been wiped clean and arranged for display.

The old shopkeeper smiled: “These are newly received jewelry pieces. Miss may choose freely.”

In the two copper trays, one contained mostly jade, precious stones, and agate hairpins and ornaments of rather expensive quality, while the other displayed plain silver bracelets and rings, some cracked pendant loops and necklaces of ordinary quality.

Lu Tong set down her teacup and looked at the two copper trays, her fingers slowly tracing the carved edges of the trays.

After Ke Chengxing’s death, the Ke family’s business suffered. Old Madam Ke had to compensate for debts and could only sell family possessions.

When Lu Rou married, though the family was poor, given their parents’ temperament, they would never have skimped on Lu Rou’s dowry. After Lu Rou’s death, no one knew how much of her dowry the Ke family had used, but presumably, if anything remained, Old Madam Ke would be the first to exchange it for money.

As for the Ke family’s new daughter-in-law, Mrs. Qin, she was now eager to distance herself from the Ke family and would most likely not keep any remnants of the former young mistress.

Lu Tong rummaged through the copper tray twice, picking out an exquisite bamboo-joint hairpin, a reasonably lustrous silver bracelet, and finally, passing over the dazzling array of fragrant red and emerald ornaments on the velvet, took a silver-gilt bejeweled hibiscus flower hairpin.

The flower hairpin seemed to have been used for a long time—the pin body had been worn smooth, yet the tiny gemstones embedded in it still sparkled brilliantly.

Lu Tong selected these three items and looked at the old shopkeeper: “I want these.”

The old shopkeeper had his assistant remove the copper trays and said with a smile: “Miss has excellent taste. These three items are all newly received pawned goods. The bamboo-joint hairpin is five taels of silver, the bracelet fifteen taels, and this gemstone flower hairpin is a bit more expensive at one hundred taels. However, seeing that Miss is a new customer visiting for the first time, I’ll round down and Miss need only pay one hundred taels total.”

“So expensive?” Yin Zheng couldn’t help but exclaim. “It’s not even tourmaline or coral. Old master, don’t try to deceive us thinking we don’t know values!”

The old shopkeeper wasn’t offended and patiently smiled: “Miss doesn’t understand—though this hairpin’s materials aren’t as fine as tourmaline or coral, it excels in its exquisite and unique craftsmanship. One hundred taels is absolutely fair. If Miss finds the price unsuitable, why not look at something else?”

Lu Tong remained silent.

She had come for this hibiscus flower hairpin, but the price was beyond her expectations. Even buying only the flower hairpin, she was still short half the money.

Now she was truly in a difficult position.

While Lu Tong and Yin Zheng were trapped by financial constraints in the pawnshop, someone walked downstairs from the adjacent Yuxian Building.

The young man wore a crimson narrow-waisted official robe with silver brocade patterns embroidered on his arm guards, gleaming darkly in the sunlight. He walked downstairs, untied the horse’s reins, and was about to mount.

The youth behind him followed and suddenly spoke: “Eh? Isn’t that Dr. Lu?”

Pei Yunying paused in mounting his horse and looked up.

Not far across the street in the pawnshop stood two familiar figures. Lu Tong’s white dress and flower hairpin were quite eye-catching, and she looked so delicate and fragile that a gust of wind could blow her away. Standing in the shop, it would be hard not to recognize her.

Duan Xiaoyan was somewhat excited: “Didn’t expect to see her again here so soon after parting at the temple. What a coincidence.”

Pei Yunying looked at her thoughtfully for a long moment before saying: “Very coincidental indeed.”

In Luyuan Pawnshop, Yin Zheng was still arguing with the old shopkeeper: “Shopkeeper, no matter how exquisite the craftsmanship of this hairpin, the materials are only so-so. If my young lady didn’t like it, others certainly wouldn’t want to spend one hundred taels for it. Why don’t you sell it to us for less? We’ll come back to buy things here in the future.”

The old shopkeeper’s face remained gentle, but he wouldn’t budge an inch: “Miss jests. To be honest, our shop is located on Qinghe Street in the south of the city where rent is more expensive than elsewhere. We’re also a small business. If Miss mentioned reducing it by three to five taels, that would be fine, but asking for fifty taels off right away… that really puts this old man in a difficult position.”

“But…” Yin Zheng wanted to say more.

A hand reached over from beside her, placing a silver ingot on the table, and someone behind them spoke: “No need to argue. I’ll pay for her.”

Lu Tong looked up and met a pair of smiling dark eyes.

“Lord Pei?” Lu Tong frowned slightly.

She hadn’t expected to encounter Pei Yunying here.

He seemed to have just finished official business, still wearing his official robes without having changed. His official cap covered his topknot, making his features appear handsome and his bearing carried a touch of romantic flair. The crimson official robe looked dazzling on this person.

He smiled at Lu Tong: “Dr. Lu, we meet again.”

The old shopkeeper also recognized Pei Yunying and quickly forced a smile—this time much more genuine than when facing Lu Tong earlier, tinged with a hint of hidden fear: “Had I known this young lady was Young Lord Pei’s friend, this old man wouldn’t have taken the young lady’s money. Please take these three jewelry pieces, Miss—consider them a meeting gift from this old man.”

He reached out to push the silver back, but a hand pressed down on the silver ingot.

Pei Yunying leaned against the table, saying nonchalantly: “Old sir, your shop is located on Qinghe Street in the south of the city where rent is more expensive than elsewhere. Since it’s a small business, why speak of making you pay?”

He returned the old shopkeeper’s words verbatim, and the old shopkeeper’s face stiffened.

Pei Yunying tapped the table with his finger: “Please trouble the shopkeeper to wrap these up for her.”

This time the old shopkeeper didn’t dare delay and quickly had his assistant wrap the three selected jewelry pieces and hand them to Yin Zheng.

Lu Tong and Yin Zheng collected their items and walked out of the pawnshop to find Pei Yunying waiting outside the shop, with that youth called Duan Xiaoyan beside him. Seeing Lu Tong and Yin Zheng, Duan Xiaoyan quickly waved to greet them.

Lu Tong returned the courtesy and walked behind Pei Yunying, saying: “Thank you for just now, Lord Pei.”

He turned around, looking down at Lu Tong: “Dr. Lu’s judgment isn’t very good.”

Lu Tong looked at him.

“You seem to have been cheated by that old fellow,” he glanced at the cloth bundle in Yin Zheng’s hands. “Just those few things, and he dared charge you one hundred taels.”

The old shopkeeper of Luyuan Pawnshop appeared honest and kind but was actually shrewd. Lu Tong knew this well—without being clever, one couldn’t keep a shop open for years in a prosperous area like Qinghe Street.

Yin Zheng was stunned, then gathered courage to speak: “Then why didn’t Lord Pei remind our young lady when you were in the pawnshop?”

Pei Yunying crossed his arms and looked at Lu Tong, suddenly smiling: “Because if I had spoken up, I wouldn’t have had the chance to have Dr. Lu owe me a favor.”

His expression was ambiguous and his tone subtle, causing Lu Tong to furrow her brow slightly.

Lu Tong said: “The fifty taels I owe Lord Pei, I’ll fetch them immediately when I return home.”

“No need.” Pei Yunying looked at her: “I heard Dr. Lu’s medical hall has a medicinal tea called Spring Water Life that sells very well. Use that to settle the debt.”

“Fine.” Lu Tong agreed readily. “Give me your residence address, Lord Pei, and I’ll have someone deliver it tomorrow.”

“No trouble needed,” he smiled. “West Street isn’t far—I’ll come collect it myself another day.”

Lu Tong stared at him. His expression was natural, as if his words were perfectly normal.

After a moment, Lu Tong nodded and said calmly: “Fine.”

Lu Tong and Yin Zheng left first. Duan Xiaoyan followed Pei Yunying toward Yuxian Building, saying: “This Dr. Lu doesn’t wear any jewelry, so I thought she didn’t like hairpins and bracelets. Didn’t expect her to be like ordinary girls after all.”

Pei Yunying said leisurely: “Indeed. So after you finish your duties, go to the pawnshop and ask which family today’s three jewelry pieces came from.”

Duan Xiaoyan said “oh,” then suddenly realized: “Why are you asking about this? You helped her yesterday at Wuhuai Garden too. Brother, I feel like you’re particularly concerned about Dr. Lu’s affairs.”

Pei Yunying walked to Yuxian Building, untied the horse’s reins, mounted, smiled, and said: “When dealing with a woman who might kill someone, how can one not pay attention?”

With that, ignoring Duan Xiaoyan, he spurred his horse and rode away.

Duan Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment, quickly mounted his horse to follow, asking: “Kill someone? Who?”

…

As summer approached, the nights gradually became less cool.

The roses Yin Zheng had planted in front of the courtyard had sprouted several branches and would bloom soon.

Inside the room, Lu Tong sat at the table, staring at the hibiscus flower hairpin in her hands.

Mrs. Qin, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ke family, had indeed not taken this flower hairpin. As part of Lu Rou’s dowry, this hairpin had been the first thing Old Madam Ke pawned.

The hairpin was exquisite. Under the dim candlelight, the gemstones cast a hazy, aged glow, like the evening clouds over the mountains of Changwu County in early summer.

It seemed to be on a night like this—Mother sat by the lamp doing needlework while she had just bathed and lay with her head on Lu Rou’s lap, letting Lu Rou use a cloth to dry her wet hair.

Lu Rou combed her hair and laughed: “When our little sister grows up and puts up her hair, she’ll look beautiful too.” Then she bent down and whispered in her ear: “Don’t worry, sister won’t use this hairpin. Sister will keep it for you. When you meet a young man you fancy, sister will dress your hair.”

She was still young then and spoke without thinking: “Alright, when I meet a young man I fancy, I’ll bring him to ask you for it. Sister, you can’t go back on your word.”

Mother glared at them both: “Shameless girls.”

Lu Rou laughed until she couldn’t straighten up, pinching her face teasingly: “No problem. When the time comes, bring him to see me. I want to see which family’s young man has such honor to catch my sister’s special attention.”

Wind came through the window, making the candle flame flicker slightly. Lu Tong came back to herself and put the hairpin in a box.

Yin Zheng entered from outside carrying a water basin. Lu Tong handed her the remaining silver bracelet and bamboo-joint hairpin: “These are for you.”

“For me?” Yin Zheng was surprised. “Won’t Miss use them herself?”

“I only bought them as a cover. I don’t usually need such things.”

Yin Zheng took them and paused before speaking: “Should I pawn them at another shop? We spent one hundred taels at the pawnshop today. Not to mention Lord Pei’s fifty taels, we still owe Shopkeeper Du money. Constantly borrowing from Shopkeeper Du isn’t a solution—he doesn’t seem to have much left either.”

“As you wish.”

Yin Zheng looked at Lu Tong. Lu Tong sat at the table like a tea flower bud waiting to bloom in an early summer night, more fresh and beautiful than the flower in her hair.

Just looking at her appearance, she was truly pitiable.

“Miss,” Yin Zheng spoke carefully, “that Lord Pei has helped you out of trouble several times and today said you needn’t repay the money… Does he like you?”

Seeing Lu Tong remain silent, Yin Zheng thought again: “He’s the heir of Duke Zhaoning, handsome and skilled. If he really has feelings for you…”

“No.” Lu Tong interrupted her.

“He doesn’t like me. He’s testing me.”

That Young Lord Pei’s eyes held no trace of affection when looking at her—rather, it was as if he could see through all her secrets, making her wary.

However, whatever Pei Yunying’s purpose in testing Lu Tong, Lu Tong had no time to care.

For several consecutive days, Lu Tong was busy preparing medicine for Dong Lin.

The Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices’ household was not to be offended for now, and since the Dong family paid generous consultation and medicine fees, Du Changqing couldn’t complain. Lu Tong worked for several days before finishing the medicine, having Du Changqing personally deliver it to the Grand Minister’s residence.

Just as the medicine was delivered, people from the Bureau of Prepared Medicine arrived.

The medicine clerk from the Bureau of Prepared Medicine stood before Lu Tong and said respectfully: “Dr. Lu, the Spring Water Life formula has been improved by the Imperial Pharmacy and adopted as an official medicine. From now on, Spring Water Life medicinal tea can only be purchased from the Imperial Pharmacy and Bureau of Prepared Medicine. Other medical halls and merchants may no longer continue selling it.”

Du Changqing had just returned from the Dong residence when he heard this. Unable to control himself, he grabbed the messenger’s collar: “What did you say?”

The medicine clerk was still young and stammered: “…This is a good thing! Having a formula adopted into the Bureau’s official medicines is supreme honor. The shopkeeper should be happy.”

“Happy my ass!” Du Changqing couldn’t help cursing. “He took away the formula—how am I supposed to make money? Is that Lou guy doing this on purpose? That bastard turtle—is he not even listening to the Grand Minister now?”

“This is… this is the Imperial Pharmacy’s decision,” the medicine clerk said helplessly. “This humble one cannot make such decisions. Please, shopkeeper… calm down…”

Taking anger out on a young medicine clerk wasn’t the solution. Du Changqing released his grip, his face changing color with rage, gritting his teeth: “Shameless!”

Lou Si didn’t dare offend the Dong family and permitted the medical hall to continue selling medicinal materials, but at this crucial moment, he pulled the rug out from under them by adopting the Spring Water formula as an official Bureau medicine. For ordinary medical halls, this would indeed be an honor, but for Renxin Medical Hall, which currently relied on Spring Water Life as its main source of income, it wasn’t good news.

When money was tight, reputation couldn’t compare to profit.

A’Cheng and Yin Zheng looked at each other. A’Cheng carefully looked at Lu Tong: “Dr. Lu, what should we do now?”

Since they could no longer sell Spring Water Life, Renxin Medical Hall had lost its most important source of income and was back to square one.

Lu Tong said nothing. She accepted the medicine clerk’s official seal, saw the young clerk off, then turned back to the inner shop, saying: “Don’t worry.”

Three pairs of eyes stared at her in unison, with Du Changqing’s gaze holding a glimmer of hope.

“The same medical hall can have at most one prepared medicine formula requisitioned as official Bureau medicine. Since Spring Water Life was adopted by the Bureau of Prepared Medicine, it means that all other prepared medicines made and sold by Renxin Medical Hall from now on will never again be subject to Bureau control.” Lu Tong said: “Shopkeeper Du, you’re free.”

“What’s the use of freedom?” Du Changqing said irritably. “The money’s gone—I’d rather be a prisoner of wealth!”

“Money can be earned again when it’s gone.” Lu Tong’s voice was calm. “When one medicine is taken away, make another.”

“Make another?” Du Changqing stared at her somewhat doubtfully. “Easy to say—can you actually do it?”

Lu Tong didn’t speak.

After a while, she said: “I can.”