The Medical Canon documented a thousand rare medicinal herbs, and the herbs had no connection to one another — it was easy, partway through recitation, to lose the thread and forget one’s place.

Yet Chen Baoxiang not only recited over three thousand characters in a single breath, she even had the leisure to remind the servant beside her to add water and grind more ink.

Pei Ruheng felt his own heart skip several beats.

“I realize I have never really known you,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “I assumed you were illiterate — it seems I was wrong. I assumed you were accustomed to making a spectacle of yourself with empty tricks — that too was wrong. I even assumed that you drew close to me only to climb to something better — and I suppose that was small-minded of me as well.”

That part, at least, isn’t wrong.

Chen Baoxiang thought guiltily: she had drawn close to him for exactly that reason — to climb higher. After all, among Shangjing’s houses with a bright future and approachable standing, the Pei Family was truly one of the few worth aspiring to.

And this gift for memorization wasn’t even hers — she was simply basking in the Great Immortal’s light.

Yet Pei Ruheng was deeply moved. He rose and took a step toward her, then stopped himself deliberately. After a long pause, he offered her a scholar’s bow.

“I should not have looked down on you,” he said, his brow creased as he glanced at the tray beside him. “And I should not have tried to fob you off with these vulgar things — it was an insult, and you were right to call me on it. I was presumptuous.”

And with that, he raised a hand. A servant promptly whisked the entire tray of jewelry away.

“Wait —” Chen Baoxiang reached out. “What — what are you doing?”

“I will personally see to your care until you have made a full recovery,” Pei Ruheng said sincerely. “I won’t put it off any longer.”

He could take care of her all he liked — but that didn’t conflict with sending the gold as well.

She watched the pile of treasures recede into the distance, wailing inside: Great Immortal, how could you possibly pick a fight with perfectly good gold?!

Zhang Zhixu gave a cold sniff. Filthy lucre. What use is it?

Enormous use!

Chen Baoxiang shrieked inwardly.

It gives you presence — it makes the nobles of the fifth rank and above look at you differently. And that’s not even mentioning that it can be converted to money — that whole pile would fetch at least eight hundred thousand coins!

You have nothing in your head but money.

Zhang Zhixu curled his lip. Eight hundred thousand coins — not enough to buy a decent horse, not enough to buy a house. Let it go.

What a wretchedly rich mortal and wretchedly rich immortal!

Chen Baoxiang gnawed her handkerchief in fury. This was truly a great sum of money to her — she could eat street-stall meat buns on it for seventy years.

Seething inside, she had no choice but to smile at Pei Ruheng and put on a dignified air: “That arrangement suits me perfectly.”

“The hour is getting on — let’s eat first,” Pei Ruheng said. He carefully set aside the manuscript pages and had a servant bring a small table to her side.

Chen Baoxiang picked listlessly at her food.

Zhang Zhixu was deeply unsatisfied. Did the Pei Family change their cook? Today’s meal is remarkably dreadful.

She pursed her lips. Is it possible that we’re simply in too much pain to have any appetite?

Ah. That would explain it.

He gave Pei Ruheng a withering look across the table. Next time something like this happens, can you please just kick him out of the way?

There won’t be a next time.

Chen Baoxiang fumed. Getting hurt this badly and not even walking away with a single ornament — this is a losing bargain, and whoever wants to make it can make it themselves. I’ll be keeping well clear of it.

Blunt and unapologetic in her self-interest, not bothering to hide a single bit of it.

Zhang Zhixu shook his head with a quiet laugh. In his usual life, he moved among men of high character and integrity — were it not for a trick of fate, he would never have crossed paths with someone like her.

“Second Young Master — Baoxiang.”

Just as they were eating, Physician Wang came in. He greeted Pei Ruheng and then turned to her with urgency: “Did your master ever teach you that method of resuscitation — the Revitalizing Needling Technique?”

What?

Chen Baoxiang nearly choked on her rice: “Revitalizing Needling?”

Zhang Zhixu quickly spoke for her: “He taught me the Stabilizing Origin Needling Technique, but I never mastered it fully. I wouldn’t dare apply it carelessly — with General Cheng’s standing, if something went wrong, it would be all the worse.”

“In that case —” Physician Wang hesitated before continuing, “— is there any way to invite your master to come in person?”

Across from her, Pei Ruheng reacted first: “What’s happened to my uncle? Wasn’t he said to be out of danger?”

“General Cheng was out of danger,” Physician Wang said with a sigh, “but his temperament got the better of him. He refused to wait any longer while I slowly gathered the finest medicinal herbs, and insisted on having a physician extract the arrowhead himself. Midway through, the pain overwhelmed him and he lost consciousness — it has been more than an hour now, and no matter how we call to him, he won’t wake.”

“That Stabilizing Origin Needling Technique was passed down by my master only to my senior martial brother. It can’t truly raise the dead — but it can settle the spirit and call the soul back. Given General Cheng’s current state, if he could only be made conscious, everything else would still be manageable.”

Zhang Zhixu listened and nearly couldn’t keep the corners of his mouth from lifting. Can’t wake up, how splendid — Cheng Huaili had better not wake up for the rest of his life.

But his expression had to look suitably worried: “My master left the capital on a long journey just last month — I’m afraid…”

“Physician!” Another person came running in from outside, breathless: “We’ve found out — the Physician God Sun returned to the capital today and has already been picked up by the Zhang Family!”

Pei Ruheng thought briefly. “Shoumo — take the General’s calling card to the Zhang Mansion at once. We’ll call on them after the midday hour.”

We?

Chen Baoxiang held her spoon and thought optimistically: by “we,” he must mean himself and Physician Wang.

Then Physician Wang turned to her and said: “My senior martial brother has a peculiar temper and doesn’t get along with people easily — I’ll need to trouble you, junior niece, to help put in a good word.”

What?

She sputtered and coughed twice. Why must I go along? That Physician God doesn’t know me at all — if I actually go to meet him, won’t everything fall apart immediately?

Backing out now will also make everything fall apart.

Zhang Zhixu offered a plan. Agree first. We’ll improvise once we’re inside the Zhang Mansion.

Fine.

Chen Baoxiang steeled herself and said to Physician Wang: “My senior uncle is right — after all, he is my master. If I speak up, he should listen. Ha. Haha.”

“Wonderful.” Physician Wang was greatly pleased. He rose to examine the transcribed medicine scroll nearby, and the more he read, the more delighted he was. “With my senior martial brother’s help, and with these rare medicines secured, I am confident I can save the General’s leg.”

Pei Ruheng said nothing further. He finished his meal quickly, then fetched a cape and brought it to her.

“A gift for me?” Chen Baoxiang raised an eyebrow.

“You still have a wound,” Pei Ruheng said, pressing his lips together. “The wind outside is strong — you need to dress warmly.”

Pure, unblemished rabbit fur — soft and warm. She turned back the lapel and found a single character embroidered inside: Heng.

Pei Ruheng turned away and left the room first, the tips of his ears tinged faintly red.

Chen Baoxiang stood where she was, puzzled. Great Immortal — isn’t this something he’s already worn? He’s giving me a used cape? That’s awfully stingy of him.

Zhang Zhixu: ???

Are you made of wood?!

He laughed despite his exasperation: He’s showing you affection — an intimate gesture of affection. What stingy?!

Affection, then? Chen Baoxiang smiled and put the cape on, though she couldn’t quite stop herself from muttering: If it’s affection, why not a new cape? A fox-fur one would be ideal.

Zhang Zhixu had nothing left to say.

He was beginning to think that Chen Baoxiang’s long failure to win Pei Ruheng’s heart had nothing to do entirely with the circumstances of her birth.