Though Lüzhu had been a fine person, she had been dead for four years now. Bringing her up again served no purpose.

Wei Jieyu shifted the subject and asked with concern: “A’Yan, you often leave the palace for Huichun Hall. I have heard that quite a few young ladies from noble families fall ill and come to Huichun Hall seeking your treatment. Is there truly not a single one among them that you find appealing?”

Wei Yan smiled with a trace of helplessness: “When I go to Huichun Hall, it is to treat illness and save lives. I have never paid any attention to young ladies from noble families.”

“But I have heard that recently, Commandery Princess Fumin has been persistently pursuing you…”

There were no outsiders present, so Wei Yan had no need to conceal or guard himself, and a thick distaste seeped into his tone: “Setting aside the question of ever starting a family — even if I were to take a wife, I would absolutely never marry a woman who is overbearing, willful, and domineering.”

That distaste and displeasure was clearly genuine.

Wei Jieyu immediately changed her tune: “You are right, you are right — although Commandery Princess Fumin’s birth is noble, her insufferable temperament is indeed something no one could easily bear. Since you have no liking for her, simply keep your distance in future and that will be that.”

Commandery Princess Fumin, no matter how willful she might be, could hardly force Wei Yan to marry her!

Wei Yan gave an affirming sound.

For no discernible reason, a young woman’s face suddenly surfaced in his mind — a face glowing with earnest hope and expectation.

That face was undeniably beautiful and radiant, like a gorgeous, dazzling peony in full spring bloom, and yet she possessed a calm steadiness and keen intelligence that far surpassed girls of her own age.

No wonder the Crown Grandson, who appeared cool and mature well beyond his years, regarded her with particular esteem, and even Prince Yan — who seemed dissolute on the surface yet harbored deep and cunning thoughts — had shown her marked favor.

And she, when she looked at him, had clear, unclouded eyes that held nothing but the respect due a physician — no lingering attachment, no besotted infatuation. It put him considerably at ease. Her tender, protective affection for her twin younger brother had also, in a rare occurrence, kindled in him a faint good impression of her…

“A’Yan, who are you thinking about?” Wei Jieyu’s voice cut through his drifting thoughts: “I called out to you several times and got no answer.”

Wei Yan came back to himself and offered a perfunctory smile: “I suddenly thought of a medicinal formula just now.”

That expression a moment ago had not looked anything like someone thinking about a medicinal formula!

Wei Jieyu cast a glance at Wei Yan but said nothing to expose him, following his words smoothly: “You rack your mind over medicinal formulas every day. It is truly the most draining thing there is. Stay here in Lingbo Hall for the evening meal tonight before returning to the Imperial Medical Bureau. I will have someone go to the imperial kitchen right now to arrange a few dishes you enjoy.”

Wei Yan politely declined: “As an imperial physician, it would always be improper for me to remain in the inner palace for an evening meal. It is better that I return to the Imperial Medical Bureau.”

Wei Jieyu said with reproach: “I am your own full elder sister. Who inside and outside this palace does not know that? If you dine in my Lingbo Hall, who would dare wag their tongues about it? You are far too careful and cautious in everything you do.”

Wei Yan smiled faintly: “Even between full siblings, one must avoid the appearance of impropriety. Better not to give others the opportunity to stir up trouble out of nothing and slander us.” With that, he rose, picked up the cloth shoes wrapped in blue cloth.

Wei Jieyu was very familiar with his temperament. Seeing that he was set on leaving, she had no choice but to rise reluctantly and see him off.

For the sake of allowing imperial physicians to enter the palace at any time to treat the palace’s noble residents, the Imperial Medical Bureau’s offices had been set up just outside the palace walls — a walk of only half an hour to enter the palace.

Two physicians would remain in the palace each day to be on night duty; the rest would stay at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Those with households of their own could return home in the evenings; those without households mostly also kept residences in the capital city.

Wei Yan was an exception.

Ever since he had entered the Imperial Medical Bureau, Wei Yan had continued to live within it. Each night he would study medical texts until deep in the night. Later, after the founding of Huichun Hall brought him great renown, and the Emperor came to appreciate and rely on him, making him the Emperor’s personal physician, Wei Yan spent at minimum ten days of each month on overnight duty in the palace; for the remaining days, he would still return to the Imperial Medical Bureau.

The post of imperial physician was not a lowly one, yet neither could it be called particularly prestigious or enviable. Walking through the palace day after day, the palace maids and eunuchs — being the calculating, status-driven creatures that they were — rendered their salutes and greetings according to the person’s importance.

Yet all along Wei Yan’s path, every palace maid and eunuch who caught sight of him without exception offered eager and fawning smiles.

Wei Yan’s expression remained composed and unhurried — neither overly warm nor distant. He gave a slight nod and continued on his way.

Tian Dong, the medicine boy walking behind Wei Yan, instinctively straightened his back. In his heart, he swelled with pride and self-satisfaction.

Among all the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau — inside the palace or out — who could match the renown that Imperial Physician Wei commanded? He, as this physician’s medicine boy, had truly chosen the right master to follow. No matter where he went, he was looked upon with a few extra degrees of esteem.

After returning to the Imperial Medical Bureau, Tian Dong hurried to fetch the evening meal from the main kitchen.

The food had already gone somewhat cold. Wei Yan was indifferent about eating, and he finished his evening meal quickly, after which he bathed and changed his clothes, then sat down to study his medical texts.

Tian Dong had long grown accustomed to Wei Yan’s habits and specifically lit two extra candle stands. He then went about preparing the late-night snack.

In the bright candlelight, Wei Yan sat with his head slightly bowed, his expression focused and intent. When he reached a particularly engrossing passage, he would pick up his brush and write notes or annotations.

His fine, gentle profile in the candlelight seemed to emit a quiet, clear radiance.

Tian Dong was not left idle either — he busied himself with a small carved wooden figure, using a golden needle to learn the locations of the acupuncture points.

He had been orphaned in early childhood and had lived with his second uncle’s family. Later, his second uncle died as well. His aunt remarried, and he was turned out of the house. He had been only eight or nine years old at the time, and to survive, he had no choice but to become a beggar.

Later, he had the misfortune to contract a severe illness and had nothing left but to wait for death. To his unexpected good fortune, he was rescued by Imperial Physician Wei, who happened to be leaving the palace that day. Afterwards, when Wei Yan established Huichun Hall, he became the very first patient Wei Yan had cured.

After his recovery, with nowhere to go, he had shamefacedly asked to sell himself to Wei Yan as a servant — in truth, he was utterly without options and only hoped someone would take him in so he could go on living.

Wei Yan had looked him over — scrawny as a bamboo pole that he was — deliberated briefly, and then nodded his agreement. He gave him a new name, and then brought him into the Imperial Medical Bureau as a medicine boy.

A servant remained a servant for life — fit only to wait upon others. A medicine boy, however, was nearly half a disciple, able to learn medicine at Wei Yan’s side.

From the very day he became a medicine boy, Tian Dong had been utterly and wholeheartedly devoted to Wei Yan.

Not only him. The staff at Huichun Hall were mostly people with backgrounds similar to his own, equally devoted to Wei Yan without reservation.

There was also Han Yi, the manager of Huichun Hall, who had once received a great kindness from Wei Yan. Otherwise, given Han Yi’s background and history, why would he have been willing to serve as a mere manager in a medicine hall?

Tian Dong was lost in his wandering thoughts when, without thinking, the golden needle pricked his finger. He let out an immediate hiss.

Ten fingers, all connected to the heart!

It hurt all the way through!

Imperial Physician Wei looked up, a note of reproach in his gaze: “I told you to practice identifying the points and applying the needles, and here you are daydreaming and letting your mind wander again. Now you have only pricked your own finger — that is still a minor matter. But what happens in future if you insert a needle in the wrong point on a patient? Off by the smallest margin, wrong by a thousand miles — one moment of carelessness can not only fail to cure the illness but can cost a person their life.”

Tian Dong’s face flushed red. He dared not let his mind wander again and bent himself earnestly back to his practice.