When dawn was breaking, Elder Li entered the palace duty room. Two officials quickly stood up to bow, enthusiastically adding tea and pouring water, while Li Tong handed over a hand warmer.

Elder Li showed no excessive enthusiasm toward him, treating him the same as other officials, sitting down and leaning back in his chair with eyes closed to rest.

The room was silent and soundless.

It seemed like a long time had passed when footsteps were heard outside the door.

“Sir, His Majesty wishes to see the memorials,” a soft voice said.

Li Tong, who was pouring tea nearby, paused his hand slightly.

The other two officials were already smiling as they opened the door, speaking warmly to the red-robed eunuch. Both parties tacitly understood not to enter the room, instead closing the door.

Only the grandfather and grandson remained in the room.

“Send them over,” Elder Li said.

Li Tong looked somewhat worried, his gaze falling on the pile of memorials over there.

“Sir, they’ve already been sent by express horse. Perhaps we should wait another two days – Lord Zhou will surely have a response,” he couldn’t help but say in a low voice.

Elder Li opened his eyes and shook his head.

“Don’t you know His Majesty’s temperament yet?” he asked with some severity.

Li Tong naturally knew. He gritted his teeth.

“But these impeachment memorials are false accusations. Miss Qi would never do such…” he couldn’t help but say.

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by a loud thump.

The conversation between the officials and eunuch outside also stopped, but soon they resumed their enthusiastic discussion as if nothing had happened.

Li Tong lowered his head.

“Whether it’s false accusation or not, it’s not your place to say. Don’t mention a small duty official like you – even the Cabinet wouldn’t dare speak on such impeachment memorials. I see you’ve had it too smooth and no longer know who you are,” Elder Li said sternly.

“It’s precisely because of this smooth sailing that your grandson remembers who he is,” Li Tong said with lowered head.

Elder Li looked at him somewhat helplessly.

He naturally understood Li Tong’s meaning. A small matter of internal strife in the Imperial Medical Academy was completely negligible to court officials, especially when labeled as “making light of military affairs.” At this time, who would still court bad luck?

“This time it’s mainly targeting Zhou Maochun. Miss Qi and others are neither officials nor hold positions – at most they’ll receive some scolding and won’t face serious consequences,” Elder Li shook his head and reminded him.

Li Tong just kept his mouth shut and said nothing.

This boy was too honest for the political arena that emphasized flexibility and accommodation. Perhaps he wasn’t suitable for it.

Perhaps the Li family’s troubles would very likely start from him.

Elder Li squinted his eyes slightly.

“Go ahead. Good people have their own fortune. Isn’t Miss Qi a divine physician? Since she’s divine, she can naturally turn misfortune into blessing,” he said blandly, then slowly picked up the hand warmer again. “Don’t try to be too clever. Your actions will backfire instead. Do you think His Majesty doesn’t know?”

Li Tong couldn’t help but shiver.

When Li Tong entered with two eunuchs carrying the memorials, the Emperor was lying on the dragon bed resting with closed eyes. Hearing them enter, he lifted his eyes for a glance.

“Bringing so many at once. Do you think I’m too idle?” he said blandly.

If it were before, Li Tong wouldn’t have found anything wrong with these words, but after Elder Li’s reminder just now, his heart couldn’t help but race.

His Majesty was saying there were too many accumulated memorials.

His Majesty knew these were accumulated…

He didn’t dare speak, lowering his head to arrange the memorials on the dragon desk.

The Emperor didn’t get up either. He reached out to grab one and slowly began reading.

The room was quiet and silent, with attendants standing carefully and cautiously.

The Emperor’s mood had been poor these days, becoming increasingly unpredictable. Several people had already suffered.

Only the sound of slapping echoed in the room – that was the Emperor casually throwing finished memorials on the floor. Though he said nothing, everyone’s hearts were raised, because the Emperor’s sound of throwing memorials grew louder and louder, and everyone’s hearts gradually rose higher and higher, until finally…

With a sharp slap, a memorial was violently thrown out, landing at Li Tong’s feet.

The eunuchs immediately knelt down with a thud, and Li Tong also bent over in a bow.

“I think you don’t need to wait for that old thing to write any explanatory memorial. Have him personally roll over here to explain,” the Emperor’s voice fell coldly from above.

The Emperor indeed knew!

Li Tong’s legs went weak and he knelt down.

“He’s old, so his legs and feet are naturally inconvenient. You send people to escort him back,” the Emperor continued.

This “escorting” was definitely not real escorting!

Li Tong was sweating profusely and was about to speak.

“And you, aren’t you also in a hurry?” the Emperor said coldly. “I permit you to go to the city gates to receive them, lest you wait anxiously.”

Dong Lin had been watching the palace gates all along. The memorial had been submitted five days ago, but there had been no movement, so he guessed someone was playing tricks.

“Sir, Miss Qi is the Li family’s lifesaver. Going through the Cabinet would be inconvenient for submission… and they would certainly tip them off…” Dong Lin couldn’t restrain himself from saying.

Medical Director Cai’s expression was calm.

“That’s exactly why these memorials were sent to the Cabinet,” he said.

Dong Lin was confused.

“People who value loyalty and righteousness are rare in this world – the more the better,” Medical Director Cai said with a smile, with some sentiment.

Dong Lin was even more confused.

But now he understood. Watching a team of factory guards charging out like wolves and tigers, heading directly northwest, and seeing at the city gates that the Li family’s bastard son who had struck lucky was already wearing the clothes of a gate clerk, he couldn’t help but want to laugh heartily.

When someone insists on seeking death, even the King of Hell can’t stop them.

At a lone grave in the suburbs, Dong Lin arranged the wine and food, then sat down himself, first pouring a cup of wine before the grave.

“Master, oh master,” he sighed heavily, looking at the tombstone before him.

It was a simple white jade tombstone with only three characters “Meng Xianglin” carved on it, with the names Liu Pucheng and Dong Lin side by side in the lower corner.

“You insisted on driving me away back then, saying I was more trouble than help, not appreciating how I served you like a filial son and grandson for so many years, truly heartless and ungrateful to want to drive me out of the capital. Instead, you recommended Liu Pucheng to stay at the Imperial Medical Academy. Tell me, what did he do better than me? I’m truly heartbroken,” Dong Lin said to the tombstone while pouring another cup of wine. “You said I needed to hone my medical skills to avoid ruining the master’s reputation in the future. Look now – who’s more trouble than help, and who can preserve the master’s reputation?”

He drank the wine in one gulp with a satisfied expression, then poured another cup.

“You said the capital was full of trouble, that Liu Pucheng was honest and could seek peace, that I was slick and would surely bring disaster,” he continued, holding the wine cup and looking at the tombstone with a mocking shake of his head. “Master, you can see how ridiculously wrong you were. That Liu Pucheng has hidden outside the capital, yet trouble still finds him, while I’m in the capital about to become Medical Judge. Don’t you want to gouge out your own eyes?”

He laughed heartily at this, tilting the wine cup to pour, but stopped after pouring half and looked at his own cup.

“Master, you probably wouldn’t appreciate the wine I brought. How about this – when senior brother comes down to accompany you, I’ll have him bring more wine so you master and disciple can drink to your hearts’ content,” he laughed loudly and drank the remaining wine in one gulp.

At this time in Zhangye Wei City, Zhou Maochun was also drinking wine with great satisfaction.

The door was pushed open with a bang, and Qi Yue rushed in with a body full of cold air.

“Ah, daughter, you’re back just in time! Quickly go to the kitchen and cook me some dishes to go with wine!” he said happily.

Qi Yue had rushed back on horseback with Chang Yuncheng. Despite having a cloak and hood for protection, she couldn’t withstand the northwest wind after all. It had blown her face nearly to cracking, and for a moment she couldn’t speak.

“Where’s Chang Yuncheng? That boy didn’t come, did he? Even if he came, I wouldn’t let him in to eat. Daring to secretly entice you to cook for him…” Zhou Maochun was still talking while looking behind Qi Yue.

“He went to the General’s residence to see if he could intercept those people, whether the memorial could still be stopped,” Qi Yue said while rubbing her face. “Father, such a big matter – why didn’t you say anything? Why aren’t you hurrying back? Even if you can’t go back, you should at least write a situation report or something. You’re still here drinking…”

Zhou Maochun looked at her and chuckled.

“You found out so quickly too? Good news doesn’t travel far, but bad news spreads a thousand li,” he laughed.

Qi Yue couldn’t laugh. Although the fighting had stopped, treating the wounded was still far from over. She was determined to let Qiao Minghua and others witness miracles, devoting all her energy to caring for those wounded soldiers. When Zhou Maochun left to return to Wei City, she hadn’t paid attention, thinking he had lost interest after the novelty wore off in a few days. She hadn’t expected to just learn from Chang Yuncheng that he had actually caused big trouble.

How could this be called causing trouble?

Although the scope of treating wounded soldiers was limited, and treating wounded soldiers was basically negligible in battle reports, there was merit even without achievement. How did something good suddenly become trouble? And get impeached?

“I’ve implicated you all,” Chang Yuncheng said apologetically. “The eastern barbarians came fiercely this time. Although we ultimately resisted their main force, the losses were still heavy – it’s been many years since losses this severe. It’s normal for the court to be furious.”

When there’s nothing wrong, nothing is wrong; when there’s something wrong, everything is wrong.

This was clearly someone deliberately taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble.

Qi Yue naturally understood and sighed.

“I wonder whether it’s you or me who offended someone,” she muttered, sitting down and taking the wine pot herself.

“Of course it’s me,” Zhou Maochun laughed. “For someone as brilliantly intelligent and rare in the world as me, it would be strange if I didn’t attract envy.”

Qi Yue was drinking from the wine pot with her head tilted back when she choked after just one sip.

She felt somewhat between laughter and tears.

“This kind of joke isn’t funny at all right now,” she said with a bitter smile.

Whether funny or not, the guards from the capital arrived with wind and storm.

For a time, all routes in the northern frontier were filled with alarm and everyone was silent as cicadas in winter. Far from speaking up for Zhou Maochun, no one dared even to come see him. This formed a stark contrast to when Zhou Maochun had arrived to crowds of people clustering around to curry favor.

Most outrageous was that they had brought a prison cart. Qi Yue was furious.

“He hasn’t even been convicted yet! He’s so old, yet you’re making him ride in a prison cart!” she was angry, shocked, and furious.

The factory guards had no good attitude toward this woman. For them, even the Gansu General wouldn’t dare speak loudly when seeing them.

“This is His Majesty’s decree,” they said coldly.

Qi Yue was about to say more when Zhou Maochun cheerfully climbed in.

“I’ve ridden in all kinds of vehicles, but never this one,” he laughed.

This made Qi Yue both heartbroken and anxious. She simply wanted to climb in too, but was stopped by Chang Yuncheng.

The factory guards were amused.

“This lady, don’t be anxious. For now you can only be inconvenienced to follow the cart on foot. When we reach the capital and crimes are determined, you’ll have your turn to ride,” they laughed.

Everything had its hierarchy, and this was no exception – first deal with the big fish, then clean up the small fry.

At this point, Chang Yuncheng’s personal guards ran in.

“Sir, everything is prepared and we can depart immediately,” they said.

Everyone was somewhat surprised and looked at Chang Yuncheng.

The garrison commander who had been hiding also couldn’t help but step forward and pull Chang Yuncheng’s sleeve.

“Don’t be reckless. Without His Majesty’s decree, how can you enter the capital? Now we don’t dare seek merit, only to avoid mistakes. You mustn’t anger His Majesty,” he advised in a low voice.

Chang Yuncheng just smiled.

“Don’t they say relatives should protect each other? My father-in-law and wife are suspected of crimes and going to the capital – naturally I should follow,” he said.

At these words, everyone present was somewhat surprised, except for Qi Yue.

Even without prior discussion, she knew Chang Yuncheng would certainly do this.

Still lusting after beauty at such a time!

The garrison commander stamped his feet. At this time, this beauty was a deadly blade – it was too late to avoid her, so how could he voluntarily approach?

Chang Yuncheng just smiled faintly without speaking.

“In your dreams! Who let you call him father-in-law!” Zhou Maochun spat.

The factory guards put away their surprise and resumed their indifferent expressions.

“Since that’s the case, General, please do as you wish,” they said, no longer wasting words as they turned to call for departure.

Just as they walked out the door, another group of people galloped over – it was Liu Pucheng with disciples from Qianjin Hall.

Seeing them come, Qi Yue shook her head and sighed, knowing there was no need for more words.

“Carriages and horses are all prepared, and everything is packed,” Hu San said, pointing to four horse carts behind them.

“Medicine has been left in sufficient quantities for those military physicians. Master can rest assured,” Zhang Tong said.

Liu Pucheng just nodded without saying anything.

Qi Yue sighed and said “good.”

The factory guards here also smiled and said “good.”

“Saves us from making a second trip. Let’s all go together then,” they said.

Because of the large number of people, this procession looked quite lively on the street, but this time there were no onlookers, no officials seeing them off. Wherever they passed, human figures were rare and doors were tightly closed. If Qi Yue and others weren’t familiar with this place, they would have thought they were in a deserted city.

Watching this group of people become a black dot on the main road, Qiao Minghua, who had been standing on the earthen slope for who knows how long, finally withdrew his gaze and moved his stiff body.

“Master, why must you do this? You haven’t had much contact with them before,” a disciple beside him said with some panic and unease, while speaking and looking around warily, full of vigilance. “Everyone is hiding now, afraid of being implicated. Why are you still coming to see them off? Miss Qi and others are definitely going to be in terrible trouble. Although we didn’t approach them, if someone with ulterior motives reports us, we’ll be in trouble too.”

Qiao Minghua showed his trademark cold smile.

“In terrible trouble?” he scoffed. “How could such people be in terrible trouble? Truly ridiculous.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Such people? What kind of people? How could they not be in terrible trouble?

The disciple was completely confused and hurried to follow.