Early September, three days after Cold Dew.

It had been a month since Lu Tong’s wedding. The beginning of married life was always especially busy.

There were formal visits to pay, returning home ceremonies, and gatherings to attend. After a month, when the “full month” was reached, the ceremonial obligations could be simplified.

Lu Tong had always been impatient with formalities, and Pei Yunmo wouldn’t deliberately make her unhappy. So with just a casual mention, all the new bride’s post-wedding procedures were simplified. During the special leave days granted by the Emperor, they either watered the hibiscus flowers in the residence or took carriage rides to Dangang Terrace to admire the newly red maple leaves. The couple enjoyed several carefree days together.

However, after the holiday ended, they each became busy with their affairs.

After Yuan Ming’s ascension to the throne, he changed the “Summer Hunt” back to the “Autumn Hunt” as it had been during the previous Emperor’s time. At that time, light cavalry and archers would come and go, with all divisions undergoing inspection. Pei Yunmo spent every day at the training grounds, sometimes working until late into the night. Lu Tong was also busy.

As autumn progressed and the weather turned cold, more and more patients came to Renxin Medical Hall to pick up medicine. Perhaps because Lu Tong had once won first place in the Imperial Physician Bureau’s spring examination and had worked at the Medical Officials Academy for a time, there were many more patients during her clinic hours than during Master Miao’s time – the reputation of the Imperial Medical Academy always carried weight.

Early in the morning, the Medical Formula Bureau was already bustling with activity.

Lin Danqing, half-sprawled across the table, was arguing with Ji Xun about an herbal ingredient.

“Chai Hu, Huang Qin, Sheng Di, Shan Zhu Yu, Dan Pi, Bai Shao,” Lin Danqing pointed at the prescription on the table. “Adding this Xia Ku Cao would be superfluous – remove it!”

Across from her, Ji Xun frowned, his tone calm but firm: “Adding Xia Ku Cao would be better.”

Lin Danqing refused to yield: “This patient has menstrual headaches. During menstruation, the yin blood gathers below, the rushing qi becomes excessive, and the rushing qi mixed with liver qi rises inversely. Doctor Ji, I am a woman, and I understand women’s medicine best – of course we can’t add it!”

Ji Xun pressed his temples.

Since the establishment of the Medical Formula Bureau, such arguments happened daily. It wasn’t just between Ji Xun and Lin Danqing – everyone was collaborating on compiling medical cases, with no distinction between civilian doctors and imperial physicians. Each doctor had different medical practices and prescribed differently. When opinions clashed, faces turned red and necks swelling in argument was common. Sometimes passersby would think the people inside were fighting.

As soon as Lu Tong entered, she saw Ji Xun and Lin Danqing in their standoff. When Lin Danqing saw her enter, her eyes lit up. Taking three steps in two, she grabbed Lu Tong’s arm: “Sister Lu, come look – isn’t this prescription better as I said, without the Xia Ku Cao?”

Lu Tong: “…”

This wasn’t choosing a prescription – this was asking for judgment.

She looked at both prescriptions and carefully chose her words: “Actually, both are fine. Each has its benefits.”

At these words, Lin Danqing showed slight dissatisfaction, while Ji Xun breathed a sigh of relief, casting her a grateful look. He wasn’t good at arguing.

“Never mind about that,” Lin Danqing didn’t dwell on the matter, instead asking Lu Tong: “Why are you here today? Weren’t you supposed to be at Renxin Medical Hall’s clinic?”

Lu Tong replied: “Master Miao heard the Medical Formula Bureau was compiling medical texts, so he organized some old prescriptions for me to bring over.” She set down the medical box and took out the scrolls to hand over. Ji Xun accepted them, saying: “Thank you.”

“The master asked me to tell you that this endeavor benefits all medical practitioners under heaven – it’s a great charitable act requiring no thanks.” Ji Xun nodded and looked at Lu Tong.

Lu Tong had rarely come to the Medical Formula Bureau since her marriage. Several times when he was on duty at the palace, they had missed each other. This was their first meeting since Lu Tong’s wedding.

Compared to her time at the Medical Officials Academy, Lu Tong’s complexion had improved somewhat. Her face was no longer as pale as before. Wearing a water-blue silk dress, her hair like clouds, her appearance bright and clean – it was a vitality completely different from before.

He suddenly remembered giving Lu Tong a willow-green dress in Sunan, but back then, though the dress colors were fresh, her life was bitter. Now wearing similar colors, she finally bloomed with vitality like early spring willows.

Ji Xun paused for a moment, then said: “Let me check your pulse.”

Lu Tong extended her hand, allowing his fingertips to rest on her pulse.

After a moment, Ji Xun withdrew his hand, looking at Lu Tong with some surprise: “Your pulse is much better than before – more stable.”

Lu Tong had fallen ill again twice since returning to Shenjing from Sunan these past six months.

But these two episodes weren’t as frightening as before in Sunan. Though she suffered some pain, her life wasn’t in danger. Ji Xun had examined her and said it should be the old poison gradually leaving her body, though the process might be somewhat difficult.

In the days to come, Lu Tong might fall ill again, but when that happened, it wouldn’t be heading toward a hopeless abyss – it was another kind of hope, meaning her body was gradually healing.

The healing of wounds was always painful, but now she smiled much more often.

Lin Danqing said: “Sister Lu, later there’s a celebration banquet at the Medical Officials Academy to congratulate this year’s selected Imperial Physicians. Why don’t we go together?”

Chang Di hadn’t lied – the medical officials who went to Sunan to fight the epidemic were indeed promoted three ranks at once. Chang Di had already added Lin Danqing’s name to the Imperial Physician candidate list. If she passed the year-end assessment, Lin Danqing would become an Imperial Physician.

For a new medical official, this was a meteoric promotion.

Lin Danqing herself was very satisfied, showing Lu Tong her plans: striving to become an Imperial Physician in one year, Chief Physician in two years, and surpassing Chang Di to sit in the Academy Director’s position in three years.

Lu Tong expressed her support without hesitation.

“Chief Physician Chang told me yesterday he hasn’t seen you in a long time. Come along – he can also have the medicine warehouse give you some good herbs.”

Lu Tong shook her head, saying: “Not today. Master Miao is leaving, and I need to see him off.”

“Master Miao is leaving?” Ji Xun and Lin Danqing were surprised: “When did this happen?”

“He decided earlier but didn’t want me to tell you, nor did he want you to come see him off.” Lu Tong smiled. “The master has his considerations, so I didn’t mention it.”

Hearing this, Ji Xun and Lin Danqing both felt somewhat melancholy.

After all, they had participated in the medical hall’s celebration together, and that old doctor had great insights into medical principles.

As they were talking, the sound of hooves came from outside the Medical Formula Bureau. A vermillion-wheeled carriage stopped at the entrance, and then someone lifted the curtain. Someone sitting in the carriage saw Lu Tong looking and casually waved.

It was Pei Yunmo.

“Oh, Commander Pei is here to pick you up again?” Lin Danqing drew closer. “I’ve heard that whenever he’s not on duty, he comes to West Street every evening to take you home. Such a fine Palace Command Commander has become West Street’s free patrol guard. Though I hear West Street’s security has improved greatly – households don’t even need to close their doors at night anymore.”

She spoke teasingly. Lu Tong said nothing, just picked up her medical box and secured it, hurriedly giving Lin Danqing some instructions before finally saying: “I need to go see off Master Miao now. I’ll come back another time to discuss the medical formulas with you.”

Lin Danqing waved her hand: “Go on then, and give Master Miao my wishes for a safe journey too.”

Ji Xun looked toward the door at the woman’s joyful figure running toward the carriage. As she neared the carriage, that man reached out to steady her arm, helping her up. Then he looked over and gave Ji Xun a slight nod in greeting before lowering the curtain.

Ji Xun lowered his eyes.

But it was indeed a lovely scene of devotion.

In the carriage, after Lu Tong settled in her seat, Pei Yunmo handed her a cup of tea.

Lu Tong took a sip and asked: “Why did you come so early?” It was earlier than the time she had previously arranged with Pei Yunmo.

“No military training today, and nothing urgent at the office. Besides, if you see Old Miao earlier, you’ll have more time to talk with him.” Speaking of Old Miao, Lu Tong let out a long sigh – Miao Liangfang had decided to return to Miao Family Village.

Half a year ago, when Lu Tong had just returned to Shenjing and resigned from her position at the Medical Officials Academy, Miao Liangfang had seemed to want to tell her something but held back. Later, after her marriage to Pei Yunmo was settled, Old Miao finally hesitantly told Lu Tong his plans one day after the medical hall’s new year.

“Little Lu, I haven’t returned to Yunling for over twenty years. I don’t know what Miao Family Village looks like now.”

He tapped his damaged leg. “Before, I stayed in Shenjing because I harbored resentment in my heart. I wasn’t resigned to my fate and didn’t have the face to return like this. Thinking about it now, it was truly meaningless behavior.

“Now past matters are settled, right and wrong determined. I want to go back and see how my family is doing. They must have worried without news of me all these years. I plan to open another medical hall in Miao Family Village. It’s not like Shenjing with countless medical talents. I want to bring back the medical skills I’ve learned in Shenjing these years, so those barefoot doctors in Yunling can save people just like the medical officials in Shenjing.

“Little Lu,” he looked at Lu Tong, “I didn’t mention this before because the medical hall couldn’t be without a resident physician. But now you’re no longer an Imperial Medical Academy official, and I see you’re dedicated to medical practice – I can rest assured.”

Lu Tong wanted to persuade him to stay, yet didn’t know how. Miao Liangfang had been away from home for over twenty years – she understood better than anyone the feeling of a wanderer wanting to return home. There was no reason to stop him.

Yet no matter when facing farewells, she was never prepared.

Seeing her downcast expression, Pei Yunmo squeezed her shoulder, comforting her gently: “Don’t be sad, it’s not like you’ll never see him again.”

Lu Tong: “Yunling is far from Shenjing. I can tell Master is determined not to return. We might never see him again.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” His eyebrow quirked. “If you want to see him, we can take a trip to Yunling someday – it would make for a nice journey.”

Lu Tong smiled mockingly: “With the Commander’s daily busy duties, we probably won’t manage that for forty or fifty years.”

Pei Yunmo snorted, his expression lifting slightly, tone suddenly turning playful: “Are you complaining that I’ve been too busy lately and neglecting you?”

Lu Tong’s face was expressionless: “You’re being presumptuous.”

He nodded, speaking deliberately: “Fine, after all, I’m not a physician – I can only be presumptuous, nothing else.”

His words were serious, but his tone was utterly suggestive as if hinting at something.

Lu Tong: “…”

She shouldn’t have bothered talking to him.

At the Jiulin River dock, by the ferry crossing,

Yinzheng and Du Changqing handed several fully packed bundles to Miao Liangfang.

Originally on the verge of tears at the impending departure, seeing these heavy packages, Miao Liangfang held back his tears and stared with dry eyes: “Have you all gone mad? I’m going to Miao Family Village in Yunling – it’s dozens of miles of mountain roads. My leg is already bad – are you trying to break my other one too?”

“It’s just some inexpensive herbs,” Du Changqing said irritably. “We know you can’t handle too much strain, so we specifically chose light ones. Don’t be ungrateful after getting such a good deal.”

Ah Cheng stuffed an oiled paper bag into Miao Liangfang’s hands. “Uncle Miao, I grabbed some lung-nourishing chicken from Official Street early this morning. It’s still warm – take it for the journey. The food on the boat isn’t reliable, not as fresh as what we have here in Shenjing.”

Miao Liangfang repeatedly expressed his thanks, patted Ah Cheng’s head, and smiled: “Study well under your master, learn to read and write more. In the future, you’ll care for your master in his old age.”

Du Changqing’s eyebrows twitched: “Are you cursing me? This young master will naturally marry and have children. Why would I need this little tiger to care for me in my old age?”

Miao Liangfang narrowed his eyes, speaking suggestively: “Oh? So when do you plan to marry? Do you have someone in mind?”

Du Changqing: “…”

Yinzheng pretended not to notice Miao Liangfang’s expression, turning around to look behind them, her eyes brightening: “Miss is here!”

Everyone turned to look – a vermillion-wheeled carriage had stopped at the dock. The curtain was lifted, and a woman jumped down, running toward them without regard for the person behind her. It was Lu Tong.

She came to a stop before everyone and looked at Miao Liangfang: “Master.”

“We were just waiting for you,” Miao Liangfang said cheerfully. “How come you brought Young Master Pei along too?”

Pei Yunmo, who had followed Lu Tong over, raised an eyebrow: “Sounds like I’m not welcome?”

“Not at all, Commander, you’re overthinking it,” Miao Liangfang said. “You’re now West Street’s son-in-law, after all.”

The title “West Street’s son-in-law” was said to have originated from Widow Sun and Sister Song. Because Pei Yunmo’s daily trips to pick up Lu Tong were so conspicuous, the women with daughters had given him this title, saying that in the future, when finding husbands for their daughters, they should look for someone handsome and caring like this, though finding someone who also served in the palace might not be so easy.

Seeing Pei Yunmo’s frozen expression, Miao Liangfang’s smile grew even more relaxed.

He had once been very afraid of this young Commander, always feeling there was some malicious blade hidden behind his warm smile. However, since Lu Tong’s marriage to Pei Yunmo, this fear had gradually dissolved, mainly because Pei Yunmo always yielded to Lu Tong, so the medical hall staff felt emboldened by Lu Tong’s presence.

A man with a weakness was much easier to deal with.

As Miao Liangfang thought this, he saw Lu Tong open her medical box and take out several books from the medical texts to hand to him.

“What’s this?”

“Master is returning to Yunling, and I have nothing else suitable to give. Money would only attract bandits on the road, making it unsafe to carry too much.”

Lu Tong continued: “I asked Chief Physician Chang earlier and got several Medical Officials Academy texts from him. These are from the Imperial Physician Bureau masters’ teachings these past ten years. I don’t know if they’ll be useful to Master, but I’m bringing them all the same.”

“Little Lu…”

Miao Liangfang gripped the medical texts tightly, visibly moved.

Having once been a medical official at the Academy, he naturally knew how precious these Imperial Physician Bureau texts were. They had been kept in the Academy’s medical library before, inaccessible even to Shenjing’s medical community. This was why those few “refined copies” he had casually left at the West Street bookstore had been especially treasured.

“Little Lu, thank you,” Miao Liangfang composed himself and gave Lu Tong a formal bow.

“There’s no need for thanks, Master,” Lu Tong said. “Perhaps one day, medical knowledge will be shared freely, Shenjing’s medical debates will spread to Yunling, and Yunling’s prescriptions will circulate in Shenjing. By then, ordinary medical texts won’t be ‘precious’ as before, and there will be more people in the world helping and saving others.”

Miao Liangfang was stunned. Pei Yunmo glanced at Lu Tong – the woman’s expression was gentle, her tone calm, as if speaking of an imminent reality.

Miao Liangfang burst into laughter: “Well said, ‘shared medical knowledge’ – if such a day truly comes, it will be a blessing for all under heaven.”

Lu Tong smiled: “It certainly will.”

He wanted to say more, but at the dock, someone called out twice. Yinzheng said: “The boatman is urging passengers to board, Master Miao.”

Partings always brought reluctance. Miao Liangfang looked at Pei Yunmo, then pulled Lu Tong aside, speaking in a low voice: “Little Lu, the medical hall will be in your care from now on. Little Du has a kind heart but is easily deceived. With you watching over things, I can rest easy. As for your husband…”

He glanced at Pei Yunmo and lowered his voice further: “After all, he works in the imperial city. He’s good-looking, and you’re young to be married to him. Never let yourself be wronged. As you said before in the medical hall, if you change your heart in the future, get a divorce. If he changes his heart, poison him to death – do it cleanly, don’t leave any evidence.”

Pei Yunmo, who had heard everything: “You might want to speak a bit louder.”

Miao Liangfang coughed lightly, stepped back twice, and looked at everyone: “Well, I’ve said everything I needed to say repeatedly – you must be tired of hearing it. I won’t say more.”

“Seeing a friend off a thousand miles still ends in parting, and there’s no feast that doesn’t end. Let’s stop here.” He turned, carrying his luggage onto the passenger boat, and waved to everyone. “Go back now.”

There was no wind on the river. Seeing the last passenger board, the boatman pushed off with his oar, rowing toward the distant shore. Birds flew overhead, and the boat became like a bird on the river. Then the riverside mountains rose high and low, until only a blurry dot remained, gradually disappearing. Ah, Cheng rubbed his eyes.

After spending seasons together at Renxin Medical Hall, though West Street wasn’t particularly prosperous, it had its mundane charm. The departure of a family member always brings sudden melancholy.

“Cheer up,” Du Changqing looked at everyone’s downcast faces. “Stop looking like you’re at a funeral. We still have to live our lives and still have to make money. Tomorrow the medical officials are coming for inspection, and today we need to go back and organize the medicine cabinets and account books. No one gets to slack off. Come on, let’s head back.”

He gathered everyone to return, took one last look at the riverside, then left without looking back. Lu Tong and Pei Yunmo followed behind, walking instead of taking the carriage on their return journey.

Along the riverside were vendors selling paintings and books. As they passed, a vendor sitting on the ground enthusiastically held up several volumes to Lu Tong: “Miss, these are new storybooks that just arrived in the market. Why not buy a few to read? Guaranteed to be good!”

Lu Tong shook her head and sighed. Pei Yunmo asked: “Why are you sighing?”

“Thinking of a storybook I read last night.”

“Oh? What was it about?”

“It was about two lovers who overcame hardships to be together.”

“Isn’t that good?” Pei Yunmo smiled. “A happy ending.”

“But I wanted to read more,” Lu Tong said as he held her hand, walking forward slowly. “I wanted to see how they lived their ordinary lives afterward, perhaps having children, then grandchildren filling the house, or even after a hundred years… It feels incomplete. Why must the story end here?”

He laughed.

“Lu Tong,” Pei Yunmo corrected, “only story books have endings. Stories don’t.”

She blinked. The man before her looked down at her, eyes smiling, his dimpled smile endearing. She paused for a moment, silently repeating his words in her mind, gradually understanding.

Life had its joys and sorrows, its sweet and bitter moments. Before reaching the end, no one knew the conclusion. Though there might be nostalgia and reluctance to part, one had to look forward.

The story wasn’t over yet. Though she still disliked farewells, she was no longer as afraid as before.

Pei Yunmo said: “It’s still early. Before going to the Medical Officials Academy, let’s go to Official Street to buy some food. I heard they have new flower cakes this year – the kind you like.”

“There are too many things – I don’t know what I like.”

“That’s fine, we have plenty of time. We’ll find out slowly.”

She squeezed his hand: “Alright.”

On the riverbank, the leaves were half green and half yellow. The west wind dispersed the summer heat. By the dock, in the autumn light, departing travelers and their seeing-off friends recited poetry in farewell. Further away, the bustling calls of vendors on Official Street could faintly be heard. Shenjing seemed to have changed, yet also seemed unchanged.

The couple, holding hands tightly, gradually disappeared into the bustling crowd.

It was the eighth day of the ninth month in the forty-first year of Yongchang. The golden autumn had arrived, with high clear skies and pure white dew. It was truly the finest season in the human realm.