“Doctor, Doctor!” A voice, urgent and fearful, echoed from outside the door, accompanied by the clamor of footsteps. Four or five people carried a howling injured man on a door plank, rushing into the Hall of a Thousand Gold. “This way,” the apprentice in charge of emergencies directed them to an open space on one side of the room. These emergency cases, drenched in blood, invariably stirred up a slight chaos in the main hall. Those waiting for prescriptions, and others awaiting consultation, would watch with curiosity mingled with sympathy. “...Guest, your medicine is ready…” The runner fetching ingredients called out loudly, “…Thirty-eight wen. Keep it safe.” “Next patient, please this way…” The attendant guiding patients respectfully ushered the waiting queue forward. “The Five Spirits Decoction is brewed, which senior brother needs it…,” The apprentice in charge of decoctions rushed out holding the bowl, their steps quick, yet the medicine remained steady in their hands, not spilling a single drop. This was the daily scene at the Hall of a Thousand Gold.

Hu San squatted before a stove, watching a pot of medicine bubbling furiously above the flames. “Hu San,” a voice called from the doorway, “Hurry over here.” Hu San was familiar with being summoned by such tones, but recently, he noticed a hint more politeness woven into the voice than before. “I’m still brewing medicine here,” Hu San turned back to reply, imbued with an unfamiliar confidence. “Senior Brother, we’ll watch it, go quickly,” Two other apprentices immediately stepped forward, smiling as they spoke. “Can you two handle it? This medicine requires precise heat control,” Hu San stated, unhurriedly. “Hu San!” The person at the door grew impatient, raising their voice. Only then did Hu San smile and respond, quickly covering the distance in three steps. “Senior Brother, what instruction do you have for me?” he asked, grinning at the man. “That’s enough of that,” the Senior Brother glared at him crossly, tossing his head toward the interior. “Master wants to see you.” Hu San shot inside like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Inside the hall, an injured man was moaning, surrounded by weeping men and women. Liu Pucheng was mixing medicine, moving with a slight limp. “Master,” Hu San called out loudly. Liu Pucheng glanced at him, his hands never pausing their work. “Stop the bleeding first, so I can apply the medicine,” he instructed. Hu San acknowledged the order, rolled up his sleeves, and stepped forward. On a table in the room lay various instruments. He approached, skillfully washed his hands among them, and picked up a square cloth to cover his mouth and nose. The injured man’s family watched the apprentice, strangely attired and behaving, with confusion. “Doctor, this—this—” They voiced their doubts about Hu San’s ability with a note of apprehension. “Your family member’s wound is too deep, and the blood flows too fast. My medicinal paste won’t reach the injury site if the bleeding isn’t staunched first,” Liu Pucheng explained to the family. Naturally, the family accepted his explanation, yet they still stared at Hu San in astonishment.

Hu San cleared his throat, adopting an air of studied profundity, and stood before the patient. The injury was on the head—a large gash, flesh torn open, bleeding relentlessly. Hu San adopted his posture and began to probe around the wound with his fingers. Just as the family members’ eyeballs started to ache from staring intently, his hand settled motionlessly on one spot. Watching Hu San, who appeared completely absorbed as if in meditation, the family members were momentarily dumbfounded. “This—this is…” they stammered, asking. Is this the spell-casting of a Daoist or an Onmyōji? “The bleeding has stopped!” someone with keen eyes suddenly exclaimed. At this, everyone’s eyes widened again. Looking at the wound that had been spurting blood, it had indeed ceased flowing. Their gaze toward Hu San grew even more astonished. It really was… spell casting.

“Good. I can apply the medicine now,” Liu Pucheng said, approaching. “Master,” Hu San suddenly called out. Liu Pucheng looked at him, pausing the hand that was about to sprinkle powder. “We should clean the wound first,” Hu San suggested. The other apprentices listening couldn’t help but glare at Hu San. “Hu San, Master doesn’t need you to teach him,” a Senior Brother hissed under his breath, kicking subtly at Hu San. Hu San gave an awkward laugh, but before he could speak, Liu Pucheng nodded. “Good,” he said, turning to the other senior brothers. “Go prepare some water.” Hu San and the others were utterly surprised, staring blankly at Liu Pucheng. “Yes, Master,” one who recovered quickly shouted, then turned and rushed out. Watching the apprentices scramble away busily, Hu San could no longer suppress a broad grin.

When the workday ended, Hu San didn't go straight home. He touched the wages he’d received in his pocket, his face blooming with happiness. Normally, an apprentice like him, a general helper, only received meals but no wages. Recently, however, because he had participated in several successful treatments, Master had instructed the accountant to prepare some wages for him. Though not much, this was something Hu San hadn’t dared to expect, or rather, he had expected it, but never imagined this day would arrive so swiftly. All of this was thanks to the Female Master. Even though the Female Master hadn't formally accepted him as an apprentice, Hu San was determined to use his very first earned money to offer thanks.

Hu San selected a box of fruit, spending every coin before it had even warmed in his hand, and happily made his way toward the Estate of Marquis Dingxi. When he arrived, he finally understood the sheer grandeur of the Marquis’s Estate: towering gates, mounting blocks, stone lions, and gatekeepers dressed richly and built like brick houses. A single glare from them was enough to frighten him into stopping before he could take another step. “Gentlemen,” After hesitating for a long time, and seeing the sky turning dusky, Hu San gathered his courage and approached, forcing a careful smile as he asked, “Pardon me, I’m looking for someone.” The gatekeepers were already preparing to light the lanterns and bring in the stools for the evening. They had noticed the young man peeking around nervously for some time. They spared him a condescending glance; no one paid him any mind. “Gentlemen…” Hu San approached another step, his smile strained. “Hey! Watch your step! Where are you treading? Careful not to dirty our ground,” a large man shouted, glaring. Hu San quickly retracted his foot and stepped back two paces. “Sirs, may I inquire if you have a physician in your household?” he seized the opportunity to ask. The large man was about to turn away but looked back at him. “What physician? We don’t need a physician in our residence,” he stated flatly. “No, no… I mean the physician in your residence. I wish to see them, if you could pass along a message,” Hu San hastily clarified. The big man frowned deeper. “Are you mad? Where would we have a physician in this residence?” he scoffed.

Hu San paused in surprise. “A female doctor, surname Qi, about twenty years old, looks especially… especially…” Hu San stammered out the description. Before he could finish, the large man waved him away impatiently. “Stop talking nonsense! Where would we have a doctor, let alone a female doctor! Scram, scram! The lamps are being lit. Get away from here, or we’ll break your legs!” the man bellowed. Hu San had no choice but to quickly retreat, standing some distance away to watch the Marquis’s great gate close. The two lanterns flanking the entrance cast a bright, ominous red glow. “None…?” He scratched his head, completely bewildered. He glanced back at the gate one last time, then sighed and turned to leave. “Never mind, I’ll ask Yuanbao when I see him.”

As the sky brightened fully, Qi Yue stepped out of her door once more. “Young Mistress, where would you like to inspect today?” The elderly matron following closely behind asked respectfully. A Ru trailed behind them, carrying a thick cushion. “The day before yesterday we saw the pigs and sheep; yesterday, the orchard. Today, let’s look at the fishpond,” Qi Yue said with a smile, pointing towards a nearby area. The fishpond was not far from the main residence, located just outside the village. Legend had it that in ancient times, this was a lake that later dried up. The original estate owner had repurposed the area into a pond, intending it for scenery, but before renovations could begin, his family fell into ruin, and the property was sold to the Marquis of Dingxi. The Old Marquis wasn't one for artistic pastimes; he promptly decided it was best used as a fishpond for raising and catching fish for food. It was already late autumn; the lotuses planted in the pond had finished blooming, leaving behind a dense scattering of withered pads. “We planned to net them out in the next few days,” the matron following said, sounding slightly anxious, fearing she might be perceived as lazy. “Leave them be. They can be ornamental, and they can be used as fertilizer—quite useful,” Qi Yue smiled. She turned to A Ru. “I’ll sit here for a moment. These lotus leaves are quite lovely to look at.” A Ru complied, laying down the cushion. The matron stared at the pond, completely unable to discern what was so lovely about the withered leaves. “You can return now. The weather is fine today; air out the bedding in the rooms,” Qi Yue said, having suddenly thought of something. The matron quickly agreed and left. “You go keep watch too. Our things…” Qi Yue then instructed A Ru. They had arrived in a hurry; besides a few changes of clothes and some jewelry, they had only brought Qi Yue’s medical chest. Qi Yue did not wish for anyone else to see those items. A Ru understood immediately and quickly turned to go. “Young Mistress, don’t wander off,” she cautioned, unable to shake her worry. “Where could I possibly wander off to?” Qi Yue laughed. “You go. It’s fine; this is right by the front door. See, you can spot me from the main gate.” A Ru looked over and confirmed it was true, nodding before hurrying away.

How quiet it is. Qi Yue turned her gaze toward the pond, supporting her chin with her hand. This village wasn't large, and judging by the scattered houses, there were quite a few people. But these past few days, she had barely seen anyone. This was because the estate servants had informed the villagers beforehand that since the masters were present and a female relative was staying, everyone should keep indoors and avoid coming out. Consequently, the respectful villagers had indeed kept to their homes.

How can I return? Must I really stoop to flattering that man with pretty words? Qi Yue felt a wave of nausea, yet what choice did she have? “Think of those underground operatives back in the day, hiding in enemy territory, maneuvering against those they deeply hated. Wasn't their situation harder than mine?” she muttered through gritted teeth. “What do I have to fear! Even if it’s nauseating, I must endure the shame and carry the burden!” She instinctively threw up a fist to encourage herself, only to suddenly notice something flash in the water of the pond. Qi Yue immediately stood up and walked toward the edge. The waterside reeds were withered and slick. Qi Yue leaned over to look and saw the flick of a fish tail in the water, splashing a few droplets. “What a fat fish,” Qi Yue couldn't help but brighten. She leaned further down— “Yueliang!” A shout suddenly came from behind her. Qi Yue jumped in surprise and quickly turned to look. Chang Yunqi was galloping toward her on horseback, approaching at speed, his face a mask of alarm. He vaulted off the horse before it had fully stopped. “Why are you here?” Qi Yue asked, surprised. She turned, unfortunately, and her foot slipped, sending her tumbling toward the water with a loud cry of fright. Chang Yunqi also shouted, lunging forward and grabbing her arm, pulling her back. Qi Yue tumbled into his embrace, narrowly avoiding falling into the water. “Oh, that scared me half to death,” Qi Yue laughed. Before she could finish speaking, she heard Chang Yunqi’s voice boom down at her. “Are you insane? What are you doing? Why would you want to give up on life like that!” he barked, his voice a mixture of rage and terror. This child has misunderstood, Qi Yue thought, startled, before regaining her composure and smiling. “Hey, I didn’t…” she laughed, reaching out to pat him, then remembered she was still in his arms and quickly gestured for him to let go. Chang Yunqi hadn't spoken yet when a woman’s shriek rang out. “You—you both…” A Ru’s horrified voice echoed from nearby.