Although he wanted to stay together a while longer, Chang Yuncheng still sent Qi Yue back to Chen Shi’s home.

“Aunt is also worried, and you should rest—you’ve been up so long,” he said.

“Since Madam Chen is the Prince’s aunt, why doesn’t the Prince also move in?” A’Hao suggested from the side.

A’Ru tugged at her from behind.

How could that be the same!

A’Hao stuck out her tongue.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t mind and shook his head with a smile.

“That would be inconvenient,” he said, while pointing out to Qi Yue where he was staying. “Around that street corner, first house on the left in the alley. A’Ru and the others all know—you can find me anytime.”

Qi Yue nodded. Although things had taken a turn, everything ultimately depended on that Emperor. How things would actually turn out was still undecided—it wasn’t yet time for them to breathe easy and celebrate.

After this day passed, the news of Zhou Maochun staying in prison spread throughout the capital.

“…Is he saying he was wronged?”

“…So pitiful…”

“…At his age, I heard he’s a very skilled imperial physician…”

Such conversations gradually spread. Although no one dared say who had wronged him, everyone understood the meaning.

The atmosphere in court became somewhat strange.

What was Zhou Maochun trying to do? Didn’t he understand the Emperor’s temperament?

Had he really become senile? Was he determined to die?

Palace lanterns were lit, accompanied by the silent opening of the hall doors as someone entered from outside.

“Your Majesty, these are today’s memorials,” Li Tong said with a bow.

The Emperor raised his hand.

Li Tong understood and placed the stack of memorials in his hand on the left side of the desk.

There was already a thick pile of no less than twenty or thirty stacked there.

Li Tong withdrew with his head lowered. Just before leaving, he heard the Emperor speak.

“…These are all impeaching you…”

His ears twitched.

Of course he knew the Emperor wasn’t speaking to him, and from the corner of his eye saw Zhou Maochun kneeling on the ground.

“Let them impeach—it would be strange if they didn’t,” Zhou Maochun said lazily, while touching his disheveled hair, which still had bits of straw in it.

The Emperor put down the notebook in his hand, changed position, and propped his head on his hand while looking at Zhou Maochun.

“Speak—what exactly do you mean?” he asked. “Don’t play dumb or act crazy with me.”

Zhou Maochun sighed.

“Is Your Majesty asking why I deliberately made things bigger?” he asked.

The Emperor looked at him, lightly tapping his knee, saying nothing.

Being accused, he never defended himself from start to finish.

Having evidence for confrontation, he still didn’t defend himself but threw tantrums instead.

“You just want to make a scene, want to anger me, don’t you?” the Emperor said, half-smiling. “You think I’m the type who likes to go against people, don’t you?”

“I have no other meaning. My making such a fuss was actually to show Your Majesty how difficult it is to accomplish something,” Zhou Maochun said.

How many petty people, how much questioning, how many kicking someone when they’re down.

The Emperor frowned.

Zhou Maochun sighed again.

“Your Majesty, I’m about to die,” he said.

The Emperor’s expression paused slightly.

This was the second person in these few days to say this to him.

What was going on?

“I want to entrust someone to Your Majesty,” Zhou Maochun continued, his expression melancholy.

The Emperor continued lightly tapping his knee.

“A woman—really worth risking your life to make a fuss!” he said with a sneer. “Just because she treated some wounded soldiers? Zhou Maochun, don’t take me for a fool.”

Wounded soldiers were just wounded soldiers. Even if she saved these people’s lives, a large portion would ultimately be unable to return to battle.

Though the comparison to the past looked shocking, for an Emperor who surveyed the entire realm, being able to nod and praise it as “not bad” was already good.

Physicians valued life, but for those in power, dignity and interests were more important.

Treating wounded soldiers ultimately couldn’t compare to attacking cities and capturing strongholds, taking prisoners and displaying military might.

Zhou Maochun obviously understood this and nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Of course I’m not doing this for that matter, but because she dared to do that matter,” he said seriously.

The Emperor smiled slightly, leaning forward to pick up the teacup on the desk.

“What daring or not daring? She’s just a troublemaker!” he said. “If she were smart, how would she create today’s troubles?”

He tapped the desk as he spoke.

“Marquis Dingxi’s heir’s wife, Qi Yueniang, claimed to treat illness but made wagers and curses, saved lives but was falsely accused, nearly died from group assault; prevented epidemics but caused citywide resentment…” he continued leisurely.

In these two days, the Emperor had thoroughly investigated Qi Yueniang’s affairs.

Some things even Zhou Maochun was hearing for the first time.

“How did she bet on treating illness?” he asked curiously.

“There was a patient, and a doctor said Qianjin Hall had treated him badly and he would die, demanding Qianjin Hall take responsibility. She said they hadn’t treated him badly and he wouldn’t die. Over such a thing, couldn’t she speak properly? In just a few words she started glaring and making oaths, saying whoever lost would kneel at the city gate. Is this something a woman should do?” the Emperor said, leaning forward slightly.

“Oh,” Zhou Maochun said with a curious expression, “then how did she nearly get beaten to death?”

“That one’s even more ridiculous. The story is… cough…” the Emperor said, stopping halfway through with a heavy cough, sitting up straight with a darkened face. “Zhou Maochun, I didn’t come here to chat with you!”

Zhou Maochun also sat up straight, somewhat sheepishly.

“If you won’t say it, then don’t. I’ll ask my daughter personally later,” he muttered.

The Emperor spat.

“First see if you’ll live to ask!” He set the teacup down hard on the desk. “Speak! Zhou Maochun, since the founding emperor, you’ve been shown special favor and respect. Has anyone else received such honor? And how have you repaid me? Tell me, how will you repay me?”

“I wish to recommend Qi Yueniang of Qianjin Hall to Your Majesty,” Zhou Maochun said without hesitation, kowtowing.

The Emperor was both angry and amused.

“So you’re repaying me with this troublemaker?” he asked.

“Your Majesty, precisely because she dares to cause trouble, I must recommend her to Your Majesty,” Zhou Maochun said. “Your Majesty, you also know how much trouble Qi Yueniang has caused. But if I may say, I don’t think she’s causing trouble—she’s experimenting, bringing hope, destroying to rebuild.”

The Emperor looked at him without speaking.

“Your Majesty, I’ve practiced medicine for decades and know physicians’ mentality all too well, especially in this Imperial Medical Bureau. Because we serve high officials and nobles, we’re even more cautious. Since Your Majesty knows about Qi Yueniang’s troubles, you naturally know what she faced and the results. I ask—if it were another physician, or if Qi Yueniang weren’t such a troublemaker, what would the outcome have been?” Zhou Maochun continued.

The Emperor still didn’t speak, only humming softly.

“Your Majesty might say those things didn’t have to be done that way, that other methods could have achieved good results. Your Majesty, it’s often said that physicians don’t avoid danger—not that physicians don’t know danger, but that physicians understand danger very clearly. But the dangers physicians face are often swift and urgent, not allowing time for careful consideration. Your Majesty, didn’t Qi Yueniang know the consequences of acting that way? She truly had no time for careful deliberation and comprehensive planning. Knowing the consequences yet still acting—this isn’t troublemaking, this is courage. If I must use one word to describe her actions, I’d prefer ‘vanguard,'” Zhou Maochun said, kowtowing heavily again and prostrating himself.

“Your Majesty, I don’t look down on the Imperial Medical Bureau’s physicians, nor do I belittle the realm’s doctors. I’m just worried that after I die, if another noble encounters swift illness like the founding empress, there will be no physician available,” he said gravely.

The Emperor fell silent. He had been young then, but clearly remembered all the imperial physicians being helpless, until the unknown young Zhou Maochun stepped forward and used extremely risky methods to save the empress dowager’s life.

When he grew up, he learned it wasn’t that Zhou Maochun’s skills were superior, but that he was bold enough. Those physicians knew how to treat and could treat, but because the risks were too great, they all shrank back and didn’t dare act.

In worldly matters, doing more means more mistakes; not doing means no mistakes and safety.

“Your Majesty, only those who can cause trouble are those who don’t fear trouble. She doesn’t fear, so she won’t dread, won’t shirk, won’t delay. As long as she takes it on, she will definitely give her all,” Zhou Maochun raised his head to look at the Emperor, his expression melancholy. “Having such a person by Your Majesty’s side, I can die in peace.”

The Emperor spat.

“Look how highly you regard yourselves! Can’t I live without you?” he scolded.

“No—we can’t live without Your Majesty,” Zhou Maochun said seriously, looking at the Emperor. “We are vanguards, Your Majesty is the main general. Without Your Majesty backing us up, we’d just be charging ahead, not being generals.”

The Emperor spat again.

“Get lost,” he scolded. “Clearly causing trouble for me to clean up, yet speaking so righteously!”

This matter was finally settled. Zhou Maochun responded affirmatively and turned to leave.

The Emperor called him back.

“You—when will you die?” he asked, his voice carrying tension he himself didn’t notice.

Life and death seemed mysterious and unpredictable, but in fact these accomplished physicians could all determine their own death dates, just like the former Medical Director Meng Xianglin, who had smiled and taken his leave while giving the Empress Dowager a routine pulse examination.

“Empress Dowager, I won’t be able to serve you anymore,” he had said with a smile and a kowtow.

At the time, the Empress Dowager and others thought he meant he wasn’t feeling well or something. They didn’t expect that Meng Xianglin, after returning home that night, washed and groomed himself, called his family and disciples to arrange his affairs, and closed his eyes at dawn.

Zhou Maochun turned around with some melancholy.

“Death—everyone must die, whether sooner or later, everyone must die. When it’s time to die, then you die…” he said while stroking his beard with mysterious profundity.

The Emperor was stunned, then realized what was happening and grabbed the teacup from the desk to throw at him.

“You old fool, daring to trick me!” he scolded.

This time Zhou Maochun didn’t linger, running away in a flash with smooth, fluid movements—where was there any sign of someone about to die?

The eunuchs standing outside and Li Tong, hearing the sound of something breaking inside, were all startled.

It was over—the Emperor must be angry.

Just as they worried, Zhou Maochun came rushing out in a flash, running away without stopping. Everyone was stunned, then heard laughter from inside.

“That old bastard!”

Hearing this scolding, Li Tong couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. His body remained standing steady, but his hands hanging at his sides trembled uncontrollably.

Thank heaven and earth—safe and sound!