When returning, the rain had lessened considerably.

Yin Zheng waited for her far away at the forest entrance. Every time during such occasions, Lu Tong always had Yin Zheng avoid the scene, feeling that some things were better done alone, with no need to drag unrelated people into it.

Though Yin Zheng had already inevitably been swept into this whirlpool.

By the time they returned to West Street, it was past midnight. Not a soul was on the street, only rainwater from roof tiles dripping steadily from the eaves, leaving puddles of faded color on the ground.

Lu Tong and Yin Zheng crossed the outer courtyard and hurried into the inner room. Yin Zheng helped Lu Tong remove her cloak.

The white cloak was mostly soaked by rain, with rainwater mixed with blood dripping to the floor. Large blood flowers bloomed into mottled red patterns on the snow-white fabric—at a glance, it possessed a shocking beauty under the lamplight.

Yin Zheng was also somewhat startled by the sight. After a moment, she asked Lu Tong: “He’s already…”

Lu Tong hummed in acknowledgment, her gaze passing over the bloodstained cloak in Yin Zheng’s hands, lowering her eyelashes: “What a pity to ruin a piece of clothing.”

The room fell silent for a long while.

After a moment, Yin Zheng spoke quietly: “Miss, please change into clean clothes first.”

“Alright.”

The frosty night rain was cold, with bitter cricket sounds outside. Yin Zheng busied herself helping Lu Tong wash away the blood stains, so she didn’t notice the horrified gaze hidden by night shadows in the courtyard outside the window.

After everything was cleaned up and the cloak put away, Yin Zheng carried the lamp to rest in the adjacent room. Lu Tong extinguished the small table’s candle and got onto the bed.

Outside, rainwater dripped steadily, piercingly desolate.

The room was unlit and completely dark. A thread of wind blew in through the window crack, making one feel cold all over. Listening hazily, it somewhat resembled the hoarse gasping sounds of someone dying.

Like Liu Kun’s screams when dying from Free Oriole poison.

Lu Tong lay facing upward, staring at the canopy above her head.

Liu Kun had been poisoned by Free Oriole. Those poisoned by Free Oriole would feel unbearable itching and pain in their throat several hours after the poison took effect, as if thousands of ants were crawling and gnawing inside their throat.

This poison wasn’t incurable—in fact, the toxicity would naturally disappear after one night. However, most who were poisoned rarely survived. This was because at the depths of suffering, the poisoned person’s mind would become crazed, developing suicidal thoughts.

So most people who died from Free Oriole poison didn’t die from the toxicity itself, but from self-inflicted harm.

She had coated Liu Kun’s letter paper with Free Oriole, then arranged to meet Liu Kun in the letter according to when the poison would take effect. Finally, Liu Kun couldn’t bear the poison’s effects and pierced his own throat, dying before her.

Everything was seamless.

Thinking of Liu Kun’s clawing before death, Lu Tong couldn’t help but cover her neck, as if feeling a trace of itchiness in her own throat.

She too had experienced Free Oriole’s power.

At that time, Falling Plum Peak was in early spring March, with young beauty everywhere and mountain full of orioles’ crisp calls. Yunniang’s hibiscus-colored crossed-collar gauze dress was dyed bright red by evening glow, her full head of black hair combed into a leaving-home bun, sitting in front of the small hut making medicine.

She was in a very good mood that day, explaining each medicinal formula to Lu Tong while making medicine. Lu Tong sat on a stool, sorting herbs while secretly memorizing the formulas.

Finally, Yunniang poured the finished medicine into a white porcelain bowl and handed it to Lu Tong.

Newly made medicine always needed someone to test it. After Lu Tong drank the new medicine, she washed the porcelain bowl clean and waited for the unknown arrival of the drug’s effects.

Usually at this time, Yunniang would have already left. She never had much patience, only returning to observe and record when the drug effects arrived. Today, however, she unexpectedly stayed a while longer.

“I heard an interesting story when I went down the mountain a few days ago.” She suddenly spoke.

Lu Tong said nothing, quietly staring at the ant colony on the ground.

Yunniang looked at Lu Tong with a smile and continued: “It’s said that there was a pleasure house at the foot of the mountain with a courtesan who had a very good voice, surpassing larks and orioles. The madam named her ‘Free Oriole.'”

“This Oriole Sister became famous, so young masters and nobles competed to visit her, finally arousing jealousy from her peers. Someone poisoned her tea and ruined her voice.”

“Oriole Sister could no longer make sounds. The drunk customers who once praised her stopped requesting her services. The madam treated her harshly, servant girls looked down on her. Disheartened, Oriole Sister simply hanged herself with a rope in her room.”

After finishing, she sighed deeply: “How pitiful.”

Though sighing, her expression showed joy completely different from her tone, her beautiful eyes flashing with strange light.

Lu Tong remained silent.

Yunniang said: “When I first heard this story, I found it quite moving, and the name extremely beautiful, so I used it as inspiration to create a new medicine. After taking this new medicine, there’s no abnormality at first, but later, one feels unbearable itching and pain in the throat.”

She glanced at Lu Tong’s stiff expression and giggled.

“Don’t be nervous, Little Seventeen. This medicine just makes the throat uncomfortable—it won’t kill anyone. Even if you take it, your life won’t be in danger. I just want to know…”

Yunniang’s slender fingertips brushed over Lu Tong’s head, her tone carrying innocent curiosity: “Can you endure it or not?”

She smiled and left the grass hut with her silver jar. After she left, Lu Tong rolled and crawled into the house, rummaging through boxes and cabinets until she finally found two fist-thick hemp ropes.

She knew Yunniang never lied. Each time her “understatements” would end up being extremely “painful and unbearable.” Since she used the word “endure,” it meant Free Oriole’s itching and pain definitely wouldn’t be just a little bit.

Evening glow sank inch by inch, and a silver-white moon gradually rose over the mountain. Yunniang didn’t return. Lu Tong curled up alone in the pitch-black grass hut, using hemp rope to tie her arms to the posts at the head of the bed.

The method for tying dead knots with one hand was taught by Lu Qian when she was small. Back then, the two siblings played games, competing to see who could untie the dead knots on the other’s hands.

No matter how tightly she tied them, Lu Qian could always easily break free. After losing too many times, Lu Tong simply changed the game rules, having everyone tie themselves up.

Lu Qian called her domineering while indulging her nonsense. Finally, the young man laughed and scolded with hands on hips: “In the whole world, only you would play this game. Who would tie themselves up with rope for no reason? It’s not like it could save lives.”

Who could have predicted his words would come true.

When the moon rose to the mountain’s highest point, Free Oriole’s effects began.

The itching and pain in her throat couldn’t be described in any language. Her hands were tied too tightly by herself to break free from the rope’s shackles. She felt both grateful and hateful, her bent fingertips digging into her palms, trying to use pain to resist the throat’s torment.

She curled into a ball on the ground in discomfort, her bound wrists turned purple-red from the hemp rope, both eyes red with blood. At the most painful moments, she wished someone could hand her a knife—suffering like this, death would be more pleasant.

Yet reason told her she couldn’t think this way. Only by living could she have a chance to go down the mountain. Her parents and siblings were still waiting at home—she couldn’t… couldn’t die here in vain.

So she gritted her teeth, thinking of what she’d read in books during the day, reciting intermittently:

“Untroubled by favor or disgrace, the liver wood naturally calms… Moving and still with reverence, the heart fire naturally settles… Eating with moderation, the spleen earth doesn’t leak… Regulating breath and speaking little, the lung metal naturally preserves… Nurturing spirit and limiting desires, the kidney water naturally sufficient…”

Spring night maiden’s reading voice usually spoke of romance and flowers.

Only the burned-out candle stub heard the sobbing and crying within.

Until the next day, when faint dog barking came from outside. She lay on the ground and saw the door pushed open a crack, golden morning sun flooding in from the gap, so bright it made her squint momentarily.

Yunniang carefully walked to her side. Seeing she still responded, she was quite surprised. Gathering her skirt, she crouched beside her and praised: “Well done, you actually survived.”

Lu Tong had no strength left in her entire body, only seeing a strange shadow in Yunniang’s pupils—a madwoman with blood-red eyes, pale face, and fierce expression.

She hardly looked like a living person.

Yunniang looked thoughtfully at her hands bound to the bedhead, seeming to understand what had happened. After a moment, she took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, giving her a soft smile.

“Little Seventeen, congratulations—you passed another test.”

Her throat seemed to still retain traces of that original itchiness. Outside, autumn rain fell steadily.

Lu Tong turned over, closed her eyes in the darkness, and thought calmly: How wonderful.

She had passed another test.

…

The next day, the rain stopped.

Du Changqing and A’Cheng had just reached the clinic entrance when they encountered Master Hu coming to get medicine.

The old scholar’s face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition, with two particularly prominent black eyes and a bruised corner of his mouth.

Du Changqing exclaimed “Aiya!” and hurriedly pulled him into the shop, chanting Buddhist prayers: “Which damned bastard beat my uncle into this state? Treating an elderly person this way—is there no law left in this world? Absolutely outrageous!”

Everyone on West Street had heard about Master Hu getting into a dispute and fight with officers searching the Wu family home, then being taken away. Though Lu Tong knew the situation, she hadn’t expected Master Hu to be injured so severely.

Mentioning this matter, the old scholar showed no dejection but was particularly proud and pleased. While waiting for Lu Tong to write prescriptions and prepare medicine, he snorted: “Don’t just look at this old man getting beaten—those people didn’t get off easy either. Too bad Changqing wasn’t there that day to see this old man’s heroic bearing.”

Du Changqing’s mouth twitched as he casually appeased: “Yes, yes, yes. But I heard from Sister Song that Uncle, weren’t you taken away by officers? When were you released?”

All the scholars and common people involved in the brawl that day had been taken away by officers. Precisely because this incident had angered the masses, Scholar Wu’s “Mountain Saplings and Valley Pines” later spread throughout the entire capital.

Master Hu shook his head proudly: “That Court of Judicial Review’s master who arrested people has improper conduct and can’t protect himself. I estimate he’s in trouble this time and can’t be bothered with us anymore. Everyone was released yesterday afternoon.”

Lu Tong was writing prescriptions with her head down. Hearing this, her eyes flickered slightly: “Is that so?”

“Absolutely true!”

It turned out that after the examination compound case emerged, a group of Ministry of Rites officials were investigated, and even the Court of Judicial Review was implicated. Judicial Review Official Fan Zhenglian was taken away. Initially, the Fan family tried to hide this, hoping to suppress the matter, but things became increasingly serious. Since this case involved imperial examinations, under the emperor’s thunderous rage, no one dared to risk bad luck by speaking for the implicated parties. Fan Zhenglian’s head might not be saved.

The Court of Judicial Review itself was covered in dirty water—how could they have the mind to detain scholars? Fearing these scholars might get angry and block censors’ carriages again, they naturally released them early.

Lu Tong asked: “What about Wu Youcai’s body?”

Du Changqing glanced at Lu Tong. Lu Tong kept her head down writing prescriptions, not noticing his expression.

Master Hu said: “I asked—it’s still being held at the Criminal Court. We can take it away tomorrow. This old man discussed with fellow scholars—Youcai has no other relatives in the capital, so our poetry society will take charge of his funeral. Bury him with his mother.”

After speaking, he sighed somewhat melancholically: “If only Youcai were still alive… Alas!”

But the dead were gone. Now these officials who colluded and disrupted the examination grounds had been caught—Wu Youcai could only know this from the underworld.

After chatting for most of the day, Master Hu left satisfied with Du Changqing’s full concern and a basket of medicinal plasters. After he left, Du Changqing took advantage of A’Cheng not paying attention to sidle up to Lu Tong and ask quietly: “Scholar Wu’s matter is settled, right?”

Regarding Wu Youcai’s poisoning case in the examination compound, by now the implicated officials were imprisoned, establishing the truth that Wu Youcai had no choice but to poison himself.

So where the poison came from and who sold it were no longer important.

Lu Tong nodded.

Only then did Du Changqing breathe a long sigh of relief: “That’s good.” He turned back to remind her: “This time is over, but next time don’t be so kind-hearted, helping with everything. The capital’s waters run deep—one careless step could cause major chaos!”

Just as he was speaking, Xia Rongrong and Xiangcao entered from outside. Du Changqing was startled: “I thought you were in the courtyard. Where did you go so early in the morning?”

Xiangcao smiled: “Miss wanted to take a walk, so we strolled around nearby.”

Du Changqing was about to say more when Xia Rongrong had already turned aside, raising her hand to support her forehead: “Cousin, I’m somewhat tired and want to rest in my room first.”

Du Changqing was stunned: “Oh… alright then.”

The two of them lifted the felt curtain and entered the inner room. Du Changqing frowned and looked toward Lu Tong, speaking suspiciously: “Hey, now when she talks she doesn’t even deign to look at you. You two have been quarreling this long without making up? What’s it really about?”

These days, Xia Rongrong avoided Lu Tong like a snake or scorpion. Today she didn’t even greet her—truly strange.

Lu Tong lowered her eyes, thinking of the mutton-fat jade bracelet that had flashed briefly under Xia Rongrong’s concealing sleeve earlier. The bracelet had a lustrous, translucent quality, delicate and charming—clearly quite valuable.

She pressed her lips together and said: “I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Xia Rongrong, who had entered the inner room, quickly shut the door and walked to the bed area in two or three steps, her face suddenly pale.

“Miss, you were too nervous just now. Be careful not to let Dr. Lu notice.”

Xia Rongrong couldn’t help trembling all over: “I can’t help it. Now I get scared just seeing her face. You know about last night, don’t you?” She grabbed her maid’s arm: “She… she kills people!”

Last night the rain was heavy. Xia Rongrong woke from her dreams in the middle of the night, hearing what seemed like movement from the courtyard. She feared thieves might be stealing—after all, though there were patrolling officers, the clinic had no guards and housed only young women, making it dangerous.

Xiangcao was awakened by her but still drowsy. Xia Rongrong had already gotten up and tiptoed out of the room, only to unexpectedly discover that Lu Tong’s room actually had lamplight.

It was already deep night, yet their room had faint talking sounds, discussing something unknown.

As if possessed by ghosts, Xia Rongrong didn’t make a sound but held her breath and silently walked to under the window, secretly peering inside through the window crack.

Lamplight flickered. A woman stood before a small table, her long hair slightly dampened by rain. She was removing clothes—that white cloak on her body had large, mottled bloodstains like mist.

Xia Rongrong’s breathing caught.

For some reason, at that moment her intuition told her that Lu Tong had definitely killed someone.

Perhaps not for the first time either.

Thinking of last night’s scene, Xia Rongrong felt her hair standing on end, her voice trembling: “Xiangcao, I’m… I’m scared.”

“Don’t be afraid, Miss.” The maid was much calmer than her, gripping her hand: “Don’t forget we met Shopkeeper Bai today and what he instructed you.”

Xia Rongrong paused, looking at Xiangcao. Xiangcao nodded at her.

She swallowed and whispered: “…Watch Lu Tong and wait for his news.”