In the marketplace of the western district, the morning mist gradually dispersed as a vendor selling oil cakes dropped flatbread into his pan, creating a rich aroma with a sizzling sound.

The fragrance drifted far, slipping into a medical clinic bearing the plaque “Spring Return Hall.” The clinic’s owner, Dr. Li, stroked his graying beard and, seeing no patients had yet arrived, called inward: “Xiao Xi, come out and count today’s medicinal supplies.”

With a responding “Yes,” a clean-featured assistant with an oval face, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, lifted the curtain and emerged. Though his eyes still held some timidity, his hands and feet were quite nimble. In the blink of an eye, he had sorted several bags of medicinal materials by category into rows of medicine cabinets.

After carefully counting all the medicinal materials and confirming nothing was missing, he let out a long sigh of relief. As if remembering something, he quickly rushed into the inner room to pour a cup of tea and place it before Dr. Li.

Dr. Li smiled as he picked up the teacup, seeming quite satisfied with his performance, though he still muttered: “You’ve only been here a short while. Though your mind is fairly sharp, you still need to observe and learn more. Only by mastering the skills early and being able to treat patients can our clinic afford to keep you—we can’t support idle hands.”

Xiao Xi pulled up a stool to sit beside him, smiling sincerely: “Of course! I’m so grateful that Dr. Li was willing to take me in and teach me medicine. I’ll certainly work very hard!”

Dr. Li was momentarily dazzled by his bright smile, then noticed that his originally delicate and tender hands had developed some calluses. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: such a fine young lady, who clearly hadn’t suffered hardship before—what circumstances had brought her to this marketplace to make a living?

On second thought, this girl seemed well-educated and reasonable, probably a maid who had run away from a wealthy household. If not for misfortune, she wouldn’t have lowered herself to such circumstances. The girl was intelligent and eager to learn—given time, she would certainly achieve something in medicine. He was quite fond of her, and his youngest son was twenty and still unmarried. Perhaps he could arrange a match between them someday.

But Yuanxi, disguised in men’s clothing, was unaware of his thoughts. She only looked down at the symptom records covered with her markings. Though she had read many medical texts in her chambers and recognized many herbs, she had never actually treated patients. After studying with Dr. Li for half a month, she discovered that even the same illness could require many variations in treatment. She learned with great interest and didn’t find it burdensome.

Dr. Li’s eyes narrowed as his thoughts grew more delighted, and he couldn’t help asking: “Speaking of which, why did you come to our clinic as an apprentice that day? Where is your family?”

Yuanxi paused slightly, her gaze moving away from the book before her as her thoughts drifted to the day she left the Chancellor’s residence.

That day she had inquired about that secret path and slipped out unnoticed. To avoid arousing Xiao Du’s suspicion, she brought nothing when leaving, only hiding several bank notes on her person. She had planned to find an inn first and survive on these notes for some time, then find a boat to leave the capital and somehow support herself. No matter where she went, as long as she could get as far from him as possible.

But she had overestimated herself. Having rarely been on the streets since childhood, she had never been to such a chaotic marketplace. Only when she truly walked alone on the main street, simply wanting to buy a steamed bun, did she discover that no one could make change for such large bank notes. She wandered hungrily and confused for a long time, seeing that the Marquis residence had sent many people to search for her. So she dodged into a clothing shop and bought men’s clothing to disguise herself. But she didn’t know that carrying such large denomination notes, someone had already been secretly watching her.

Finally, beside a dark alley, several fierce-looking men surrounded her, forcing her to hand over her bank notes. Trembling with fear, she threw down the notes and ran. Fortunately, some officials passed by just then, and though those men took the money, they didn’t pursue her further.

Fearing discovery by the officials and pursuit by the bandits, she ran desperately until she stumbled and fell, her hands bloodied by rough stones. Only then did she realize how useless she was, and couldn’t help kneeling on the ground and crying aloud.

But after crying, she still had to continue. With no broad chest to shelter her from wind and rain, she had to stand up by herself. So she wiped away her tears and tried to figure out what to do. Then she saw the Spring Return Hall plaque ahead.

A small medicine hall where she could earn a living without attracting attention—truly the best choice. So Yuanxi boldly entered and asked if they accepted apprentices. Dr. Li had just seen off a patient and only glanced at her sideways before saying coldly: “Where did this little girl come from? Don’t interfere with my patient care.”

Yuanxi blushed immediately when he saw through her disguise. She lowered her head and clutched her clothes, but stubbornly stood in the corner refusing to leave. Seeing she wouldn’t go, Dr. Li only snorted coldly and continued with his work. Yuanxi stood until her legs went numb. Having eaten nothing for a day, she felt dizzy and faint but still persevered.

Just then a batch of medicinal materials arrived, and Dr. Li had an assistant sort and store them. Yuanxi watched the assistant place each item, then suddenly her eyes lit up. She rushed over and pointed at the labels on the medicine cabinet: “This medicine is placed wrong. This is white root, not white front. Though they look very similar, they can be distinguished by their stems.”

Dr. Li looked at her in surprise: “You can identify medicinal materials?”

Yuanxi nodded eagerly. Dr. Li pondered a moment, then grabbed several handfuls of herbs and placed them before her: “Then identify these for me one by one. What medicines are these?”

Yuanxi carefully identified each one. Only then did Dr. Li show approval, his eyes rolling as he said: “This is a small clinic with few patients normally. Apprentices get no wages, only room and board. Will you do it?”

Holding her terribly hungry stomach, Yuanxi nodded excitedly: “As long as there’s food to eat!”

Remembering that embarrassing situation, Yuanxi found it somewhat amusing. Fortunately, she finally had shelter and could study medicine, which interested her most—truly heaven’s blessing. She lowered her head and replied vaguely: “My family met with disaster. My parents are gone, so I had to come out to make a living.”

Dr. Li looked at her with pity and didn’t continue questioning. Just then, the clinic began to bustle with activity. Patients arrived in twos and threes, and Dr. Li began earnestly taking pulses and making diagnoses. When medicines needed preparation, Yuanxi helped in the pharmacy. The rest of the time she sat beside Dr. Li, assisting and taking notes. She loved learning and asked many questions, and Dr. Li was willing to teach her. In half a month, her medical skills had greatly improved, though she still couldn’t treat patients independently.

Who knew that just when she thought her days would pass peacefully, she would suddenly encounter great trouble.

One day, a burly man pushed a woman on a cart to Spring Return Hall, crying loudly for Dr. Li to save his wife and child. Dr. Li quickly came out with medical tools. The woman was suffering from difficult labor with uncontrolled bleeding, now convulsing all over with only breath going out, none coming in. Dr. Li frowned after examining her condition, but could only shake his head helplessly: “There’s no saving her. Accept my condolences.”

The man stared at Dr. Li in disbelief, then covered his face and let out a desperate wail. Yuanxi watched from inside the hall as this seven-foot-tall man cried like a helpless child, holding his nearly lifeless wife and refusing to let go. Her heart suddenly ached, and she thought of another person’s appearance.

So she walked to Dr. Li’s side, hesitantly wringing her clothes: “If we used golden needles to stimulate acupoints, couldn’t we still treat her?” But Dr. Li glared at her fiercely: “What do you understand? This is no place for you to speak! Go back inside.”

But the man had already heard their conversation and rushed to Yuanxi, grasping her sleeve with bloody hands: “Can you cure my wife? Please, please!” Then he fell to his knees with a thud, about to kowtow to Yuanxi.

Yuanxi was both frightened and flustered, pulling the man to get him to stand up. She had only read in texts that for difficult labor, using golden needles to seal acupoints might offer a glimmer of hope. Pitying the man’s desperate love for his wife, she had spoken impulsively, but Dr. Li’s expression had already told her this method wouldn’t work.

The man continued pleading desperately when someone in the crowd suddenly cried: “Your wife has stopped breathing!”

The man’s eyes widened as he rushed over, indeed finding that the woman on the cart had ceased breathing. Her gray-white pupils stared straight ahead, with dirty blood pooled everywhere. His legs gave way as he knelt and wailed over the corpse, then suddenly looked up with a fierce expression, glaring at Dr. Li and Yuanxi: “You refused to save her! You killed my wife! I’ll make you pay with your lives!”

He charged like a wild beast, and the other two young assistants in the shop quickly rushed out to restrain him. But he struggled desperately with a twisted face, shouting: “You killed my wife! I’ll report to the authorities and have your clinic shut down!”

Dr. Li’s expression was very ugly as he turned to glare reproachfully at Yuanxi. Yuanxi felt cold from her feet up, biting her lower lip and nearly crying. She had thought that as healers, they should have parental hearts and try to save any life with even a glimmer of hope. But she didn’t understand how complex and ugly people could become when pushed to extremes.

Just as everything was about to spiral out of control, a clear voice emerged from the crowd: “Who wants to report to the authorities?”

Yuanxi’s heart jumped—that voice… impossible, it couldn’t be him!

Then a man in blue robes emerged from the crowd, elegant in manner and extraordinary in bearing, like a jade tree in the wind or clear water reflecting shadows, naturally drawing everyone’s gaze. He brushed his sleeves and said to the man: “I am unworthy, but happen to be a court official. You may tell me whatever the matter is.”

Yuanxi gazed at that familiar face, her heart relaxing as tears flowed uncontrollably. She whispered gratefully in her heart: “Young Master…”