Dong Lin stood still, watching the group who were chatting quite happily over here. They were already starting to take their seats, with Old Doctor An insisting the woman take the main seat.

"A teacher for a day, respected for a lifetime." Old Doctor An said with a smile, "Master, don't make things difficult for me." Dong Lin's face twitched again. What in the hell was the relationship here?

Who was whose master? "Anyone under heaven can be a teacher." Qi Yue laughed, pushing Old Doctor An's wheelchair to the main seat.

"Your Grace, don't you make things difficult for me either." They settled down amidst laughter and conversation, seemingly forgetting that Dong Lin was still standing in the room. But Dong Lin couldn't just storm out.

"Martial Uncle An, when did you arrive? No one in the compound knows yet; I'll go tell everyone right away," he said with a forced smile.

"Official Cai was just mentioning a few days ago that he wanted to pay you a visit." Old Doctor An smiled. "I am no longer an imperial physician.

I am just an old man enjoying his retirement at home now. I dare not disturb anyone." he stated.

Dong Lin remained where he was, watching Hu San swagger over and sit down casually, yet no one invited him to take a seat. He realized this was the signal for him to leave.

"It's good that Martial Uncle An is here. My senior brother and I were just worrying," he said, pouring wine with a smile.

Old Doctor An nodded. "It’s nothing, not a major issue, no need to worry so much," he replied with a pleasant expression.

Dong Lin froze in place, stunned. This wasn't a major issue?

His Majesty's wrath meant a loss of skin even if the head wasn't taken; being permanently barred from practicing medicine or being exiled to the military was the least of it. Did this group think that by shifting the blame onto Zhou Maochun, they would all be safe?

"Although Qianjintang acted under the direction of Official Zhou Maochun, they are still inescapably guilty..." he quickly reminded them, looking deeply worried. He was interrupted before finishing his sentence.

"From beginning to end, it was Qianjintang acting alone. It actually has nothing to do with Official Zhou.

It's just that he happened to be present, so he was charged with the crime of negligence for observing but not stopping it," Qi Yue said with a smile. Good, sentimentality was best; he had genuinely feared they were heartless and unjust.

Dong Lin scoffed inwardly. "Then this undertaking was too preposterous!" He looked at Qi Yue, shaking his head with an expression of deep concern.

"Martial... Martial Brother, you were far too rash this time." He dared not call him Martial Nephew again this time.

"Not preposterous, not preposterous, it was done very well," Old Doctor An chimed in with another smile. Dong Lin choked again.

"Didn't the Imperial Medical Academy investigate? What they found is perfectly clear.

It wasn't preposterous," Old Doctor An continued. "How is it not preposterous?" Dong Lin said, agitated, picking up the thick sheaf of papers from the table and shaking it so it rustled loudly.

"Do these papers you wrote prove you weren't being preposterous?" Qi Yue and Hu San both looked towards Liu Pucheng. "Teacher, what did you write?" Qi Yue asked curiously.

Liu Pucheng looked away with some embarrassment. "Nothing, nothing at all," he mumbled.

"You know it's nothing! What you wrote truly is nothing!" Dong Lin exclaimed, looking at him with the disappointment of an elder watching a protégé fail.

"An explanation? What kind of person is the Emperor?

Does he listen to your explanations!" Qi Yue looked at Liu Pucheng and suddenly understood. So, he had been writing something to present to the highest authority.

On the way back to the capital, watched by those palace guards, the sarcastic people naturally wouldn't listen to them, and Zhou Maochun hadn't offered any defense or argument. Instead, he seemed almost delighted by the sudden calamity that had befallen them.

Upon returning to the capital, Zhou Maochun was imprisoned and unreachable. Chang Yuncheng was also busy.

They were taken in by the Chen family, and no one dared bother them at the Chen residence, but equally, no one came to question them. There was no venue to explain or defend themselves, even if they wanted to.

Qi Yue relied on the Chen family; Liu Pucheng had actually tried to appeal to the Imperial Medical Academy. Being spoken of like this publicly made Liu Pucheng even more awkward.

"If he doesn't listen, he doesn't listen. It's fine, it's fine," Old Doctor An said with a smile again.

This time, not just Dong Lin, but Qi Yue, Liu Pucheng, Hu San, A'ru, and A'hao all looked at him. This was the third time he had said this since entering the room.

The first time was reassurance. The second and third times were also words of comfort—were they too false?

Or did it truly mean nothing was wrong? Dong Lin wasn't a fool; his brow twitched.

He felt a flicker of unease. "Well, since Martial Uncle An says it's fine, then it's fine," he sighed in relief, looking at Old Doctor An with a touch of gratitude, then clutching the stack of papers.

"I'll go present this to the Head of Medicine immediately. And submit it to the palace." Old Doctor An remained smiling.

"Junior Brother, why don't you eat before you leave," Liu Pucheng suggested. Dong Lin couldn't possibly eat.

He shook his head hastily. "Who has time to eat now?

Once this matter passes, I'll settle accounts with you properly!" he said, feigning anger. But this manufactured anger was entirely different from the frustration he felt before Qi Yue and the others arrived.

Liu Pucheng sighed inwardly; it seemed listening to his Master's words was unavoidable. He remembered when his Master passed away, gripping his hand, he hadn't given instructions on medicine or funeral rites, only mentioning one thing: keep this Junior Brother at arm's length.

Thinking of his Master, he sighed again and made up his mind to visit his Master's grave later. Just as Dong Lin reached the doorway, Hu San called out to him, remembering something.

"Oh yes, this... Martial Nephew," he called out.

Dong Lin nearly stumbled and fell. That scoundrel!

He turned back, his face etched with barely concealed rage. Hu San was already walking over, a grin on his face, and he threw his arm casually over Dong Lin's shoulder.

"I called you Martial Nephew, right? I noticed you called my Senior Brother Martial Uncle," he chuckled.

"Age really does dictate seniority, I feel quite embarrassed." I bet you feel very pleased! Dong Lin cursed silently.

In case Dong Lin didn't understand, Hu San patted his shoulder again. "There was just no helping it.

After Master Liu insisted repeatedly, I became Qi Niangzi's disciple. Unexpectedly, Old Doctor An insisted on taking Qi Niangzi as his Master..." he laughed.

"So I just rose along with the tide." Dong Lin managed a strained smile. "So, Martial Nephew, take clear note next time so you don't mix up the seniority," Hu San finished with a heavy pat, ushering Dong Lin out the door.

Hearing the door slam shut behind him, Dong Lin's face turned ashen. He rubbed his aching shoulder, shot a venomous look back at the room, and walked away.

Qi Yue ignored the exchange between Hu San and Dong Lin, instead looking at Old Doctor An with confusion. "Old Sir.

Are you being serious?" she asked. "Is it truly nothing?" "Nothing, nothing," Old Doctor An chuckled, adding one sentence, "Because you are Qianjintang." Qi Yue managed a wry smile.

"Old Sir, please stop teasing me; look at the gravity of the situation." she said. "The time is not yet right, the time is not yet right," Old Doctor An continued to smile.

Qi Yue looked at him suspiciously. "Are you hiding something from me?

Am I the only one worrying myself sick?" she asked. Liu Pucheng and Hu San, along with the others, also looked over.

Old Doctor An smiled and patted his own leg. "Since these two legs were crippled, this is the first time I have returned to the capital," he said.

Everyone paused, confused why he was talking about his legs again. "It was in the capital that I lost these legs.

Every time I return, it feels like I am reliving that entire process," Old Doctor An continued, letting out a deep sigh, his expression somber. That certainly could not have been a pleasant experience.

The faces of those present grew heavy. "Can the food be served now?

We can talk while we eat; it's rare for Teacher to treat us," Qi Yue said brightly. Liu Pucheng naturally understood that Qi Yue was trying to change the subject, so he quickly nodded in agreement and asked Hu San to hurry the service along.

"Listen to me finish before you eat," Old Doctor An said with a smile, raising his hand to stop Hu San. Hu San had no choice but to sit back down.

"There was a noble's child who fell ill back then. As for the exact illness, Qi Niangzi has seen it," Old Doctor An said, glancing at Qi Yue.

Qi Yue thought for a moment and knew immediately, nodding her head. "That illness was indeed hard to treat, aggressive in its onset, and you lacked...

lacked the necessary medicine," she quickly stated. Old Doctor An smiled.

"But back then, I was just like Qi Niangzi. I believed it could be cured," he said.

Qi Yue was somewhat surprised, recalling how the physician at Old Master Xie's residence had flatly declared the illness incurable, refusing even to examine the patient. "Back then, every physician said it couldn't be cured.

I took on this patient, and because I acted out of spite and showed disrespect to several senior colleagues, I made enemies on all sides at the time," he said, a smile appearing on his face. Although he spoke casually and lightly, Qi Yue and the others could imagine.

The situation at that time could not have been light or easygoing. Illness was a dangerous matter, and treating illness, to a certain extent, was also a dangerous undertaking, especially facing complex diseases and illnesses other doctors had deemed untreatable.

It was like walking a tightrope high above the ground; the physician had to endure not only the imminent danger of the illness but also the danger posed by those around them. If successful, everyone rejoiced; if not...

Qi Yue's gaze fell upon Old Doctor An's legs. Old Doctor An saw her look and patted his legs.

"Halfway through the treatment, the patient's condition didn't improve, and I realized I had made a mistake this time. Coupled with the discussions swirling around me, I felt I couldn't save this child.

It was better to admit defeat early than to drag it out until death," he narrated, then smiled. "Later, the noble showed mercy and only took my legs, sparing my life." "That's too extreme.

Others didn't treat it and were fine; you treated it and were punished," Hu San couldn't help but interject. "That's just how things are in this world.

Do more, make more mistakes; do nothing, make no mistakes," Old Doctor An said with a smile. "Moreover, in our profession as doctors, people look only at the results, not the process.

So, whatever you say or do is useless; the crucial thing is the outcome." Liu Pucheng nodded. "So for this current matter, whatever we say is useless, because the outcome of this battle is already determined," he said.

"But what does that have to do with us? Whether they win or lose the fight, we only care about treating the wounded.

The wounded we treated were real people," Hu San argued loudly. "Treating the wounded, how many did you treat?" Qi Yue shook her head and said.

"Do you know the total casualties of this battle? How many people and properties were plundered?

How much the city was damaged?" Against those figures, their contributions were like small pebbles dropped into the sea—not even a ripple was heard. Self-defense?

The Emperor wouldn't care about the words on your memorials! In fact, he might be even angrier after reading them!

Hu San sat down gloomily. The atmosphere in the room grew somewhat heavy.

Old Doctor An smiled and patted his legs. "I haven't finished speaking, and you're interrupting again," he chuckled.

"In the past, I thought losing my legs was justified, but later, after meeting Qi Niangzi, I realized how utterly wronged I truly was." "No, Old Sir, this wasn't your fault; it was your constraints..." Qi Yue quickly began to explain. Old Doctor An raised his hand to stop her.

"No, Niangzi, I studied the prescription you gave me intently," he stated. After that initial discipleship meeting, Qi Yue had written down the details of treating the child at Old Madam Xie's residence and sent them to Old Doctor An.

This was what he considered the prescription—though, more accurately, it was a case study. "I discovered that what I did then was strikingly similar to what you, Qi Niangzi, did.

Only, at that most perilous stage, I failed to persevere. If I had held on and then continued with the medication, the child's condition would have shown improvement within three days," Old Doctor An said, his eyes shining, before quickly clouding over.

"It's just a pity; I truly couldn't hold out at that moment..." The external skepticism, the pressure from the family, and his own lack of self-confidence ultimately led him to give up. "I really was wronged," he breathed out, patting his legs heavily, then looking at Qi Yue.

"So, Qi Niangzi, rest assured, I, we, will not let you, or you all, lose a pair of legs as well." (To be continued) RT