Qi Yue felt her head remain dizzy and foggy all the way to Chen Shi’s room.

“What happened to you?” Chang Yinglan had also heard the news and rushed over, asking with a worried expression.

Qi Yue accepted the warm towel that A’Ru handed her and pressed it to her face, feeling the dizzy sensation finally dissipate somewhat.

“Don’t even mention it. Yesterday mother wasn’t feeling well, so I stayed to take care of her. I said I’d just nap for a while, but somehow I slept until dawn. Now those two mother and son think I’m absolutely unforgivable and would love to devour me.” She laughed.

Chang Yinglan was surprised that she could still laugh about it.

“How did sister-in-law fall asleep?” she couldn’t help asking.

Yes, she shouldn’t have been that tired…

Qi Yue frowned.

“Adults are talking, why are you interrupting?” Chen Shi glanced at her daughter and said, “Why ask about such things anyway?”

This wasn’t exactly a good thing, and she was probably feeling terrible about it herself, yet still had to put on a brave face to deal with them…

Chang Yinglan smiled awkwardly and quickly excused herself, leaving only the two of them in the room.

“Child, when he’s angry, you should quickly hide away. That man has no sense of restraint – if you get hurt, there’s no one to feel sorry for you, and you’ll be the one suffering.” Chen Shi looked at Qi Yue and sighed.

Qi Yue smiled.

“Isn’t there still aunt who cares for me?” she laughed.

Chen Shi gave her a reproachful look and composed her expression.

“You don’t need to go to your mother’s place to curry favor anymore.” she said.

Qi Yue was very surprised that she would say such a thing.

Wow, didn’t this Chen Shi appear to have a good relationship with Madam Xie?

“Forget it, you shouldn’t stay in this house anymore either.” Chen Shi said again, as if talking to herself.

“What?” Qi Yue didn’t understand.

“Nothing.” Chen Shi looked up at her with a smile, “I was just about to go speak with the Marchioness and ask to take you back to my maiden home with me.”

Qi Yue looked at her in surprise.

“My sister-in-law’s health has been poor since last year. She’s seen many physicians, but they all say there’s no hope. My mother died early, so I’m like a mother to this elder sister-in-law.” Chen Shi said, “So I’d like to ask you to take a look at her.”

Qi Yue made a sound of acknowledgment.

“But I’m afraid I can’t help.” She waved her hand with a smile, “I’m actually not skilled at internal medicine. External injuries and such are more manageable, but without other physicians to assist, I can’t do it either.”

Chen Shi smiled with pursed lips, taking it as modesty.

“In any case, don’t overthink it. Since they don’t like you, then so be it.” she said, “You don’t need to waste effort trying to please them.”

“Actually, it’s not really like that.” Qi Yue said, “Actually, it’s nothing…”

She suddenly stood up mid-sentence.

“Oh my, I still need to perform surgery on Yan’er! I was so angry I forgot!” She patted her head and hurriedly bid farewell to Chen Shi.

“With things like this, why still do surgery?” Chen Shi stood up and said.

“What kind of problem is this?” Qi Yue laughed with a completely nonchalant expression.

Chen Shi looked utterly astonished.

This wasn’t considered a problem?

“I can’t delay it any longer. Strike while the iron is hot, then momentum wanes. Having postponed it from yesterday to today, if we delay again, Yan’er is young and might not be able to handle it mentally.” Qi Yue smiled while hurriedly saying “Don’t worry, aunt, I’ll come talk with you again” and left with A’Ru at a quick pace.

Once this commotion started, the entire mansion immediately knew about it. Chang Chunlan was in her room wiping tears and crying endlessly.

“This is all because of me…” she cried.

Concubine Huang sighed.

“It’s not because of you.” she said.

“Concubine, if not for performing surgery on Yan’er, why would the young madam need to be so distracted?” Chang Chunlan cried. “Don’t try to comfort me, I know everything.”

Concubine Huang shook her head and reached out to stroke the head of Yan’er, who was leaning against her side blinking and listening to their conversation.

“Can’t aunt perform surgery on me anymore?” Yan’er couldn’t help asking.

“She can.” Concubine Huang smiled at her.

“I think we should wait. The young madam couldn’t possibly be in the mood for this.” Chang Chunlan said through her sobs.

As soon as she finished speaking, a maid’s voice came from outside.

“Miss, Concubine Huang, the young madam sent me to fetch Yan’er.”

All three in the room were startled and looked over to see Que Zhi approaching with a smile.

“Little miss, you haven’t eaten, have you?” she asked again.

Chang Chunlan was stunned for a moment, while Yan’er was already nodding repeatedly.

“Wonderful! Let’s go, the young madam’s carriage is already waiting.” Que Zhi smiled while extending her hand, “Are you afraid?”

Since becoming aware of the world, the outside world’s rejection had already overcome all other fears for this little child. To be able to play in the sunshine like other children, to remove her face covering, so that others wouldn’t have to look away when they saw her – even if it meant climbing mountains of swords and descending into seas of fire, for this child, it would be happiness.

Yan’er didn’t hesitate and immediately placed her hand in Que Zhi’s.

Instead, Chang Chunlan felt breathless and her legs went weak.

“I, I…” she couldn’t speak.

“The young madam said, perhaps Miss should wait at home?” Que Zhi said with a smile.

Chang Chunlan took a deep breath.

“No need, I’ll go with you.” she said and stepped forward.

Early this morning, people on the street noticed something unusual about Qianjin Hall. While others were opening their doors, they were boarding up theirs, with several disciples standing at the entrance apologizing to those who came for medical treatment or medicine.

“We have business today, closed for one day.” the disciples said.

What business could a medicine shop have? People outside pointed and whispered about Qianjin Hall.

In the inner hall, all the disciples stood in the courtyard, nervously watching the room before them.

“What ghostly nonsense! Surgery! Sterilization!” Young Physician An stood at the outermost edge, his face full of indignation. “Hey, I’m telling you, be careful when you push my father… if something happens, I won’t let you off…”

Why won’t they let me in!

Saying I’m afraid? What a joke! Am I not as good as a woman?

Afraid!

I’ve lived this long and still don’t know what afraid means!

The door opened, and Hu San appeared wearing surgical clothes with a mask and cap, startling Young Physician An.

“What’s this for, dressed like a ghost?” he shouted.

All the disciples in the courtyard glared at him and shushed him in unison.

“Don’t make noise, there’s surgery going on inside!” Hu San shouted.

He wasn’t afraid of this so-called Young Physician An. Afraid of what? His father called his master “master,” so by that logic, I’m your senior uncle!

Thinking of this, Hu San looked at this man who could be his father with particular satisfaction.

“Surgery has begun. Everyone can come in to watch, through the small windows, no loud talking.” Hu San said.

The disciples had already received instructions and nodded busily, filing in one by one.

Young Physician An looked left and right, then also lifted his foot to follow.

Hu San blocked him.

“Junior nephew.” Hu San said with a smile, “You’d better not go in.”

Young Physician An snorted.

“Why can’t I go in… what did you call me?” he glared at the young man before him.

Hu San grinned.

“Haven’t introduced myself yet. My surname is Hu, given name Jin Kui, I’m Young Madam Qi’s eldest disciple. Hey, what a coincidence, your father and I are both of the Jin generation…” he laughed.

Young Physician An spat at him.

Better not to mention this! The more he mentioned it, the angrier he got!

Father was really… really old and confused! Becoming a disciple! What was there to learn from! This woman had nothing worth learning from! Just a broken secret recipe – if she wouldn’t tell, so be it! It’s not like they couldn’t survive without that one secret recipe!

“Get lost.” He pushed Hu San aside and stepped in.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, you’ve never seen this kind of surgery, it’ll scare you to death…” Hu San didn’t mind. Having gotten the upper hand verbally, he was very pleased and laughed from behind.

The disciples in the room had already lined up in a row, looking through the small window lattice toward the opposite side.

Afraid! Young Physician An snorted and flicked his sleeve.

“Move aside, move aside.” he said.

One timid disciple quickly stepped aside.

Surgery! What nonsense! Making it all mysterious!

Young Physician An leaned forward to look.

In the room on the other side, because the roof had a window, the light was sufficient. There was only one bed, a very strange bed. Two table-like extensions stretched out, positioned horizontally above the bed, covered with knives, scissors, plates, stoves, pots, and jars.

Four people stood before the bed, all completely wrapped in gowns covering their entire bodies including hands and feet, wearing caps that covered their faces except for their eyes, distinguishable as male or female only by their build.

A woman and Old Physician An stood in the corner, watching without blinking.

“Marking complete…” Qi Yue said while extending her hand.

The man beside her immediately took the injection needle she handed over.

“Mucosal incision knife…” Qi Yue said.

Coffin Boy placed a knife in her hand.

“Retractor, wipe blood…” Qi Yue said.

Coffin Boy had already picked up cotton cloth with forceps.

Qi Yue lowered her head and slowly cut open the mucous membrane.

Old Physician An heard the increasingly rapid breathing of the woman beside him, and when he saw the child’s exposed nose and mouth become a bloody mess, he cried out softly and leaned against the wall.

Outside, low exclamations gradually arose. For teaching purposes, the surgery was positioned at an angle convenient for the disciples to observe, so most of them could clearly see Qi Yue using knives and scissors to separate and reconstruct the flesh around the nose and mouth.

Indeed, this kind of stimulation was direct. Except for the few who had seen it beforehand at the morgue, everyone else couldn’t help but change color. This felt different from those severe traumatic injuries with blood and flesh.

Someone finally let out a loud shout.

“What the hell… murder… murder…”

At the same time, a trembling voice shouted.

This voice alarmed those inside. Except for Qi Yue and Coffin Boy, everyone else looked over.

Hu San stepped forward and slapped Young Physician An.

“Drag him out!” he put on the airs of a senior uncle and commanded in a low voice.

Two disciples immediately grabbed the already trembling Young Physician An. His body went limp and he didn’t resist as they carried him out.

“Timid as a mouse…” Hu San shook his head and stood in Young Physician An’s former position with a steady, composed demeanor, looking inside, completely forgetting his own terrified state at the morgue initially.

Old Physician An withdrew his gaze and couldn’t help but turn his wheelchair closer, wanting to see more clearly.

A’Ru, who was guarding the blood pressure monitor and stethoscope, immediately waved at him.

Old Physician An quickly stopped and craned his neck to look this way.

Apart from the occasional clinking sounds of instrument exchanges, both inside and outside were so quiet it seemed even breathing had stopped.