Chapter 26 The engagement has been called off.
Dusk bathed the Apricot Blossom Courtyard, and the daylight gradually faded away.
The evening breeze brushed past the eaves, causing the flowering trees in the courtyard to rustle softly. The clusters of pink and white petals on the branches trembled slightly, and a faint fragrance floated in the gradually darkening courtyard.
Meng Yutong had scoured almost every bookstore in Lin'an City today, and finally, at dusk, he found several volumes of compilations of questions from previous years' medical examinations at the Imperial Medical Academy.
She had already registered at the medical academy in the afternoon, and the exam would be held in seven days.
After a quick dinner, I took a short walk around the courtyard to digest my food before rushing back to my room. I lit the candles and prepared to study these books carefully, just in case.
Under the warm yellow light, Meng Yutong intently turned the pages. The pages rustled as they turned.
In previous years, the exam questions were mostly set by the current academy director, Zhu Zhi. The questions were conventional and all derived from classics such as the "Huangdi Neijing" and "Shanghan Lun". They tested the diagnosis and treatment methods of common diseases.
If things continue in this manner this year, she has nothing to fear given her knowledge.
As her fingertips traced the yellowed pages, she felt a little more at ease.
Just as she was engrossed in reading, Bai Zhi came in with light footsteps and whispered in her ear, "Miss, the old lady has gone out. Judging from the direction she's heading, she's going to the Ji family. The gatekeeper overheard that the old master of the Ji family has returned."
Ji Huaijin, the patriarch of the Ji family, was a leading figure in the medical industry in Lin'an.
He was a master of traditional Chinese medicine from a young age, and his medical skills were superb, making him famous in his time.
Later, he became the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, where he was in charge of medical treatment in the palace and the nation's medical administration for decades. He compiled the book "Pharmacology," which was widely circulated throughout the country. He made outstanding contributions and had many students. The current head of the academy, Zhu Zhi, is one of his most outstanding students.
The old patriarch of the Ji family was a calm and wise man, with a rigorous, almost demanding, approach to scholarship. Although he had retired from officialdom and returned home to devote himself to writing, his prestige remained. He had gone on a trip some time ago and had finally returned.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yutong's eyes lit up, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. "Grandmother must have gone to the Ji family to break off the engagement!"
She could no longer concentrate on the words in the book and closed it.
He instructed Bai Zhi: "Go quickly and find a clever servant to quietly stand guard by the gate. As soon as Grandmother returns, report to me immediately."
He paused, then added, "I'll secretly invite Granny Wu over later and tell her I have something to ask her."
Bai Zhi responded and left. Meng Yutong sat back down in her chair, but felt restless and unable to calm her mind. She got up again and paced back and forth in the not-so-spacious room.
The candlelight stretched and shortened her shadow, casting it on the wall and revealing a rare hint of anxiety.
Bai Zhi returned quickly and, seeing her mistress in such a state, couldn't help but feel anxious herself. She asked in a low voice, "Miss, is it really possible to annul this engagement?"
When she first heard that the young lady was planning to break off the engagement, she was still in a daze, thinking that such a respectable marriage could not be broken off so easily.
Besides, the old lady is so deep and unfathomable, can the young lady really persuade her?
Now that she saw the old lady personally visit the Ji family, she suddenly realized that her young lady's plan was actually about to succeed!
First came the lady's dowry, then the matter of opening a clinic, and then the marriage with the Ji family. Any one of these things would be difficult to achieve, but the young lady managed to do it all in just a few days.
For a moment, her gaze toward Meng Yutong held not only the usual loyalty, but also a newfound respect and even a hint of pride.
I have a feeling that she might also be able to accomplish great things!
As the moonlight shifted, the night deepened in the Apricot Blossom Courtyard, and all was silent.
The candlelight flickered inside the window, with the wick occasionally catching a spark with a soft "crack," which was then swallowed up by the silence of the room, making the night seem even quieter and deeper.
Holding a small pair of silver scissors, Meng Yutong absentmindedly trimmed the charred and curled wick in front of the flickering candle flame.
Two hours have passed, and Grandmother has still not returned home.
The old master of the Ji family, known for his stern and rigid demeanor, has just returned. Could there be some twist in this matter?
I don't know how close my grandmother is to him, or whether she can persuade him this time.
The thought of her grandmother facing the Ji family alone filled her with unease.
After sitting there for an unknown amount of time, footsteps finally sounded outside; it was Bai Zhi returning.
"Miss! The old lady is back!" Bai Zhi rushed in like a whirlwind, saying hurriedly, "Granny Wu has also been invited and is waiting outside the door!"
Meng Yutong paused, immediately put down the silver scissors, and got up to go out to greet them.
"Thank you for coming so late, Granny. Please have a seat." Meng Yutong had regained her usual composure and led Granny Wu to sit down.
Bai Zhi hurried to pour tea, but Granny Wu waved her hand, her voice weary: "Miss, don't bother. This old servant is here on the orders of the old lady to deliver a message. I'll leave as soon as I finish speaking, and I wouldn't dare to delay your rest."
She raised her eyes, her gaze heavy as she looked at Meng Yutong: "The old lady asked me to tell you, young lady: the matter is settled. You can rest assured. But..." She paused, "The old lady also said that she hopes you will not forget the 'one-year deadline.' If it doesn't work out by then, she hopes you will return as promised and marry in peace."
"It's all taken care of." Meng Yutong's expression remained unchanged, but her voice sounded weak and feeble, as if all her strength had been drained away.
She held onto the back of the rose-covered chair behind her and slowly sat down. The anxiety that had been hanging in the air finally subsided, and the taut string in her heart finally relaxed completely, a huge sense of relief washing over her.
"Please tell Grandmother," she said in a steady voice, enunciating each word clearly, "Yutong has remembered. I will do my utmost to live up to Grandmother's expectations."
She gradually calmed down, and naturally she had to do her best. She was determined to get the clinic listed in the official register and seize this opportunity to firmly grasp her future in her own hands.
Granny Wu sighed softly and lowered her voice: "Miss, if this old servant dares to say one more thing."
"The old lady is getting on in years, and she supports such a large family day and night. What she worries about is ensuring that all the businesses are running smoothly and that there are no major problems; and that all her children and grandchildren are safe and sound, without any disasters or difficulties."
She paused, her tone unusually earnest: "Miss, you grew up under the old lady's care. No matter what she says to you, the old lady's heart is ultimately different towards you. This old servant begs you, Miss, not to let her down."
Grandmother did indeed turn a blind eye to the annulment of the engagement and the opening of the clinic.
Meng Yutong felt a warmth in her heart, lowered her eyes, and nodded obediently: "I remember what you said, Granny. It's late, you should go back and rest."
Granny Wu rose, bowed, and, led by Bai Zhi, quietly withdrew.
Meng Yutong was the only one left in the room.
She gazed quietly at the lamp in the room, at the flickering flame, and finally, in a long, silent breath, exhaled the pent-up air that had been in her chest for so long.
The matter of breaking off the engagement has been settled.
The road ahead may be difficult, but she has taken that first, most difficult and crucial step.
A note from the author:
The next chapter will be a VIP chapter, with a 10,000-word update. Subsequent updates will be scheduled for midnight daily, still daily! [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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