Wind seeped through the window cracks, making the shadows on the ground sway gently.

If last night was an unspoken test, today had become a tense confrontation.

Lu Tong looked at the person before her, thinking that this Commander of the Palace Front Guard had arrived faster than expected.

Sudden joy flashed in Duan Xiaoyan’s eyes as he called out: “My Lord!”

Pei Yunying glanced at him: “Why are you sitting on the ground?”

The young man’s handsome face turned bright red, and after hemming and hawing, he shamefully replied: “I was bitten by a venomous snake. I have half an hour before the poison takes effect, and I dare not move vigorously.”

Hearing this, Pei Yunying raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the woman grinding medicine in the room.

“What is Doctor Lu’s intention?”

Lu Tong’s expression remained calm, showing no sign of panic at the additional person in the room. She seemed almost indifferent to Duan Xiaoyan sprawled on the ground.

“Lord Pei, your man sneaked into the medical hall late at night, rummaged through my kitchen at will, and was bitten by a venomous snake I had acquired for medicinal purposes, thus being poisoned. Are you going to blame this on me as well?”

She mocked: “I’ve memorized the ‘Liang Dynasty Laws,’ and there’s no such clause.”

Pei Yunying looked at Duan Xiaoyan on the ground, who dared not speak.

After a moment of silence, he stepped back a few paces, simply leaning against the doorway with folded arms, and smiled: “Then what does Doctor Lu want?”

Direct and decisive, this man had no wasted words.

Lu Tong’s movements paused as she put down the medicine pestle, “I don’t want anything.”

“This poison has no cure, and even if there were one, it couldn’t be made in such a short time.”

Duan Xiaoyan’s face turned pale.

She looked at Pei Yunying again, her eyes carrying mockery: “He’s just a servant, what does it matter if he dies? Why should the Commander care so much?”

Duan Xiaoyan’s temple throbbed.

What did she mean by “just a servant”? What did she mean by “what does it matter if he dies”?

What kind of healer could speak such cold words?

He had wrongly thought Lu Tong was like a Bodhisattva before – tomorrow he would go to the temple to apologize to the real Bodhisattva!

The room fell silent, with only the night wind causing the flame to cast faint shadows, and under the firefly lanterns in the courtyard, the wind chimes tinkled with a subtle, pleasant sound.

Pei Yunying’s gaze fixed on her, and suddenly his lips curled.

He said: “Chijian.”

As soon as he spoke, a guard-like man silently appeared at the kitchen door, and before him, a young woman had her hands tied behind her back, looking at Lu Tong with hidden fear.

Lu Tong’s expression changed slightly.

She had told Yin Zheng to hide well outside the medical hall…

The young man sighed, took a chair, walked over, and sat down opposite Lu Tong, his smile particularly bright and radiant in the lamplight.

He said: “Doctor Lu was thoughtful about her maid, but unfortunately, your maid was too loyal, worried about you, and returned midway.”

He stared at Lu Tong with interest: “Now, does Doctor Lu still want to say, ‘he’s just a servant, what does it matter if he dies’?”

Lu Tong’s eyes darkened slightly.

Many people in Sheng Jing called her “Doctor Lu.”

Du Changqing said it casually, Acheng said it with admiration, and Master Hu and other neighbors said it with warmth and caution, showing the respect they held for her as a true healer.

But no one said it with the mockery that Pei Yunying did.

His smiling black eyes, contemptuous tone, and casual demeanor all clearly showed that he saw through her – she wasn’t a “doctor” of benevolence and virtue at all.

From the doorway came Yin Zheng’s regretful voice: “I’m sorry, Miss, I…”

Lu Tong looked directly at Pei Yunying: “What do you want to do?”

Before Pei Yunying could answer, Duan Xiaoyan jumped in: “What else? Doctor Lu, give me the antidote, and my lord will release your maid. Everyone will be happy, it’s a win-win situation, and we’ll stay out of each other’s way in the future.”

This indeed sounded like a good deal – one person for one person, very fair.

Lu Tong was quiet for a moment, then raised her head: “What if I say there is no antidote?”

Duan Xiaoyan was stunned.

No antidote?

How could that be possible?

Instinctively, he felt this was nonsense, but faced with Lu Tong’s indifferent expression, he suddenly became uncertain and grew nervous.

“Doctor Lu, you… you must be joking.”

He had completely relaxed after Pei Yunying’s appearance, believing Lu Tong was just trying to scare him – surely she wouldn’t watch him die?

What benefit would his death bring her?

But Yin Zheng looked earnestly at Lu Tong and spoke: “Miss, don’t worry about me. Don’t let me become your burden. The fortune teller once said my life would be short, not living past nineteen. Trading my life for a Palace Front Guard is worth it.”

Hearing this, Duan Xiaoyan anxiously said: “Not worth it, not worth it, I’m not worth it! Sister, please reconsider!”

“How is it not worth it? People live once and are buried when they die. Miss, we’ll be sisters again in the next life.”

Their exchange somewhat lightened the tense atmosphere, and amid this tragicomic dialogue, Lu Tong spoke.

She said: “If Young Master Duan dies here today, Lord Pei will avenge him by killing my maid. I imagine tomorrow he won’t spare me either, nor Renxin Medical Hall.”

“After all, Lord Pei is an Imperial Guard, of noble status. Dealing with commoners like us would be as easy as turning his hand.”

“Since death is inevitable anyway…”

She looked up, calmly gazing at the person opposite her.

“Then let none of us leave this doorway today, let’s all die together.”

At these words, not only Duan Xiaoyan but even Chijian at the door was shocked.

Jumping straight to mutual destruction over a disagreement?

What kind of approach was this?

Lu Tong lifted her chin, speaking calmly amid the shocked gazes.

“A medical hall deals in medicine and manufacturing drugs, there are medicinal catalysts and poisons everywhere in the storehouse. Easy to come in, but not so easy to leave. Someone barging in carelessly, accidentally stepping on or touching something poisonous – it happens often.”

She looked at Pei Yunying: “Isn’t that right, Lord Pei?”

No one spoke.

On this lingering autumn night, the candle flickered, filling the room with an alluring yellow glow.

Pei Yunying looked at her, his deep eyes black as onyx, and suddenly let out a light laugh.

“You want to die together with me?”

He smiled: “That won’t do. Sharing a bed in life, sharing a grave in death, living together in one tomb – these things I only do with my wife.”

The words were frivolous, yet he maintained a serious expression, his eyes smiling, as if he weren’t the scheming, needle-hiding-in-cotton Commander, but rather a romantic patron under candlelight and flower shade.

Lu Tong was silent for a moment, then asked: “Do you have a wife?”

Pei Yunying was slightly taken aback.

Duan Xiaoyan also froze. What did this mean? Why did Lu Tong suddenly ask about this? Could it be that Lu Tong wanted to trade the position of Pei Yunying’s heir’s wife for his antidote?

A moment of silence.

Pei Yunying said: “No.”

Lu Tong nodded: “That’s good then. If you die today, you won’t need to worry about a wife, and your household can save on betrothal gifts.”

Her tone was so calm that everyone in the room couldn’t quite tell if she was serious or joking.

The wind rustled outside the window. Pei Yunying looked at her quietly, then suddenly sighed.

“Thank you for thinking so thoroughly on my behalf, but we haven’t reached the point of discussing life and death yet.”

“Doctor Lu, why don’t we have a proper discussion?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Duan Xiaoyan glanced at the water clock on the table, “Let’s not be so agitated, we can talk this through, everything can be negotiated.”

After a moment of silence, Lu Tong asked: “What do you want to discuss?”

The lamplight flickered quietly, the dim yellow candlelight enveloping the person opposite, the silver thread eagle pattern on his arm guard reflecting cold, scattered light, both beautiful and dangerous. The young man’s features were bewitching, but his words concealed an icy edge.

“The male corpse found on Wangchun Mountain last night was Liu Kun, the owner of Liu’s Noodle Shop on Queer Street in Sheng Jing.”

“Coincidentally, Liu Kun’s younger son just participated in this year’s imperial examinations and is now imprisoned, implicated in the examination fraud case.”

“Doctor Lu,” he asked Lu Tong, “did you know Liu Kun?”

“No.”

“But before that, you had eaten at Liu’s Noodle Shop.” He smiled. “Don’t you remember?”

Lu Tong’s heart skipped a beat.

This man moved fast.

Her contacts with the Liu family, the Fan family, and even Qi Chuan hadn’t been deliberately planned, precisely to avoid arousing suspicion. But Pei Yunying had still discovered it.

Though he was from the Palace Front Guard, his methods surpassed those of the Imperial City Guard.

She looked up, meeting Pei Yunying’s eyes directly, her water-like eyes carrying a hint of mockery.

“Lord Pei,” she spoke each word deliberately, “is the Palace Front Guard always this meticulous in investigations? You’ve been investigating me for so long without taking action, and now the examination case is settled, with all the guilty officials from the Ministry of Rites having fallen.”

“Want to use my hand to kill someone? Shouldn’t you be… thanking me?”

In an instant, the air in the room turned cold.

In the flickering lamp on the table, the lamp tassel formed tiny star-like sparks, one small spark falling in the night wind, its embers disappearing in an instant.

No one in the room spoke, all were silent as cicadas in winter.

Pei Yunying sat opposite Lu Tong, the smile gradually fading from his extremely black and bright eyes, murderous intent spreading in an instant.

He slowly leaned forward, staring into Lu Tong’s eyes.

“Doctor Lu, who are you working for?”

She remained unmoved, smiled slightly, and challengingly met his gaze, uttering two words.

“Guess.”

Pei Yunying’s eyes flickered slightly as he stared steadily at the person before him.

The lamp had burned low, growing increasingly dim.

In the hazy lamplight, her eyes were clear and delicate, her appearance frail, like the white mist of early autumn morning that would dissipate instantly with wind and sunlight.

Yesterday when he saw her, her complexion was pale and weak, but today she seemed to have applied a light rouge. That faint red-like plum blossoms on branches gave her a touch of allure, though that allure also contained coldness.

Such a deeply calculating woman with ruthless methods, whose appearance and reality were at odds, harboring hidden intentions, yet in people’s eyes she was a female Bodhisattva, practicing medicine and helping the world.

He let out a mocking laugh, his smile somewhat piercing.

He said: “Doctor Lu, is this your confidence?”

“The Commander is welcome to try.”

The room fell silent for a long while.

Duan Xiaoyan looked at the woman at the table in disbelief, muttering: “You’re mad, daring to threaten my lord like this?”

To threaten so openly, without even trying to hide it – wasn’t she afraid of trouble later?

Lu Tong lowered her head and smiled slightly, speaking indifferently: “Yes, I am mad, so don’t provoke me carelessly.”

She looked at Pei Yunying, her voice very soft: “Besides, haven’t you already benefited?”

Pei Yunying’s pupils contracted slightly.

“Lord Pei,” Lu Tong spoke slowly, “you investigate your cases, I practice my medicine, and we don’t interfere with each other.”

“Don’t interfere with each other?”

He nodded, looking at her thoughtfully: “So this is what Doctor Lu wanted to say today.”

Lu Tong looked at him calmly.

The night was deep, no more cold footsteps sounded in the courtyard. In the flickering yellow light, the two looked at each other, their gazes meeting like the dark currents flowing beneath Sheng Jing’s night.

After a moment, he leaned back, tugging at the corner of his mouth: “I’ll consider it.”

He said, “Consider.”

Lu Tong’s heart sank, but before she could speak, she saw Pei Yunying turn his head and say to the guard at the door: “Release her.”

The guard called Chijian loosened his grip, and Yin Zheng hurriedly ran over, rushing to Lu Tong’s side, watching the people in the room warily.

Duan Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, growing so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead as he wailed: “My lord, how could you release her? I haven’t gotten the antidote yet!”

Pei Yunying glanced at him: “Fool, it was just a black snake.”

“Black snake?” Duan Xiaoyan looked at the dead snake on the table, confused for a moment. “Wasn’t it Seven-Steps-Scatter?”

Lu Tong’s gaze fell on Duan Xiaoyan, her lips curving.

She said: “Seven-Steps-Scatter is a venomous snake. A medical hall and pharmacy exist to save and treat people, how could we secretly keep such deadly items? Besides, Young Master Duan is from the Palace Front Guard – who would risk their life plotting against an Imperial Guard?”

She returned his earlier words to him verbatim, and finally looked at him, her expression sincere, “I was just joking with Young Master Duan earlier, surely you didn’t take it seriously?”

Duan Xiaoyan: “…”

So it was fake?

But her manner and tone earlier hadn’t seemed like she was joking at all.

Pei Yunying lowered his head and smiled, standing up.

He said: “We’ve disturbed Doctor Lu tonight. Another day, I’ll have Duan Xiaoyan come to apologize properly.” Then he glanced at Duan Xiaoyan, “Aren’t you getting up?”

Duan Xiaoyan was speechless for a moment, then scrambled up from the ground, rubbing his forearm as he followed, looking as if he had more to say but couldn’t, full of frustration.

Just as they were leaving the medical hall, they heard someone call from behind: “Wait.”

Pei Yunying paused, turned around, and saw Lu Tong walking out of the shop carrying a lantern.

The woman walked to the medical hall entrance holding the limp dead snake, waving it at Duan Xiaoyan, who was still shaken and instinctively stepped back.

Lu Tong said: “Young Master Duan, though it wasn’t Seven-Steps-Scatter, this black snake still cost me two taels of silver. Since you killed it, you should compensate me.”

Duan Xiaoyan: “…”

He had been bitten, he had been terrified, and in the end, he still had to pay compensation. Who would have thought Renxin Medical Hall had the potential to run a racket?

However, Lu Tong stood before him, and after tonight’s events, when Duan Xiaoyan looked at this female Bodhisattva again, he instinctively felt somewhat frightened, so he could only obediently take out silver from his pocket and hand it to Lu Tong with both hands.

Lu Tong took the silver and tried to hand the dead snake to Duan Xiaoyan. When he dared not take it, she hung the snake corpse on Pei Yunying’s arm, saying coolly: “The snake is yours now.”

With that, she said no more and closed the medical hall’s main door with a “bang” right in front of them.

The long street was quiet, with tree branches casting uneven shadows in the dim lantern light.

The young man gazed at the tightly closed door before him, his eyes dark and unreadable.

After a long while, Duan Xiaoyan at his side swallowed and carefully spoke: “Brother, she’s so arrogant.”

Though just a resident doctor at a medical hall, appearing delicate and lovely, tonight she hadn’t shown any weakness in her bearing. Seeing her aggressive manner had been quite frightening.

Seeing Pei Yunying’s cool gaze sweep over, he quickly coughed lightly: “I know, I was wrong today. Don’t worry, I’ll accept my punishment when we return. But…” He moved closer to Pei Yunying and asked in a low voice: “You couldn’t find out her identity after investigating for so long, but just now when you probed her, did she admit she has someone backing her?”

Pei Yunying had previously had Mulian investigate Lu Tong’s identity, but her household registration proving her identity was fake – refugees coming to the capital often got fake registrations from the woodworker who carved seals under the East Gate Bridge. Such crude registrations only cost one hundred wen each.

For medical halls with registered owners like Du Changqing, they would carefully check the resident doctor’s registration. The owner of Renxin Medical Hall must have noticed. That Lu Tong practiced medicine in the hall with a fake registration only showed her boldness, and Du Changqing was even bolder – such an odd pair made it impossible for Mulian to find any traces that could prove Lu Tong’s identity.

She was like someone who had appeared in Sheng Jing out of thin air.

Duan Xiaoyan lowered his voice further: “Who do you think is behind her? The Third Prince?”

In this examination case, the Ministry of Rites was most heavily implicated, the Crown Prince was recently overwhelmed, while the Third Prince’s faction remained unfazed. If the Third Prince had sent Lu Tong to secretly manipulate things, it wasn’t impossible.

Pei Yunying didn’t speak, appearing deep in thought.

Duan Xiaoyan looked at his throbbing wound and sighed again: “She tormented me all evening for nothing, clearly just venting her anger. Brother, if she is the Third Prince’s person, and with such a strong desire for revenge, what if she complains to the Third Prince and causes trouble for us?”

Pei Yunying snapped out of his thoughts and sneered, flinging his hand so the dead snake fell into Duan Xiaoyan’s arms, startling him.

He turned around, his voice cold.

“If she is the Third Prince’s person, we’ll take her to Zhaoyu Temple for strict interrogation. Perhaps then she’ll be willing to talk properly.”

…

In the room, Lu Tong put the lantern on the ground and sat down.

After everyone left, she finally felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from her body. She opened her palm – it was completely wet with sweat.

Yin Zheng was full of remorse: “Miss, it was all my fault. If I hadn’t returned then, they wouldn’t have been able to threaten you.”

Lu Tong shook her head: “It’s fine, he wasn’t planning to move against us anyway.”

Yin Zheng was startled: “Why?”

Lu Tong smiled lightly: “You don’t think he wasn’t arresting me because he couldn’t find evidence, do you?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

“Of course not.”

Lu Tong spoke calmly, “The waters run deep in Sheng Jing. Don’t think he’s a good person.”

Pei Yunying had suspected her at least since Ke Chengxing’s death, and afterward, he had repeatedly tested and probed her, including Duan Xiaoyan’s surveillance at the Fan residence – all were this Commander’s methods.

In fact, as the Commander of the Palace Front Guard and the heir of Duke Zhaoning, if he truly suspected someone, he wouldn’t need evidence – there were other ways to make her suffer. For the powerful, controlling commoners was always as easy as turning their hand.

But he hadn’t.

Lu Tong had thought about it for a long time and had a vague guess.

Perhaps he was wary of someone.

Just as Liu Kun had Fan Zhenlian behind him, and Fan Zhenlian was connected to the Grand Tutor’s mansion, people in official circles always looked out for each other. You never know if today’s nobody might turn out to be tomorrow’s important person’s distant relative.

Pei Yunying’s reluctance to move against her at least showed that in the examination case, it hadn’t harmed his interests – perhaps he even welcomed it.

Duan Xiaoyan’s appearance today was unexpected, but her negotiation with Pei Yunying was intentional. He was probing her, and she was probing him too.

Pei Yunying’s reaction told her she had gambled correctly – he was indeed suspicious that someone was backing her.

Since that was the case, she would follow Pei Yunying’s suspicions, confuse his vision, and let that nonexistent “important person” become her false talisman of protection.

Yin Zheng handed her a handkerchief, and Lu Tong took it, wiping the sweat from her palms.

Though he appeared bright and smiling, he was sharp and dangerous. In confronting him, she had to be thorough and unfathomable, showing no weakness, and not letting him see her cards.

All was pretense.

Yin Zheng asked: “Will Commander Pei come again?”

Lu Tong shook her head: “Not for now. He thinks I have backing and wants to use me, so he won’t move against me for a while. However…”

However, whether he could use her would depend on his ability.

Hearing this, Yin Zheng grew more worried, “But paper can’t wrap fire – what if he discovers there’s no one behind Miss? With his official position, wouldn’t it be easy for him to find an excuse?”

Lu Tong’s hand-wiping motion paused.

After a moment, she said: “What is there to fear?”

“If that day comes, if he tries to block my path…”

“I’ll kill him.”