Chapter 45 On the first day of the fifth lunar month, the sky cleared and the Zhaoyu Hall met with the medical officer...
Ji Mansion, Wutong Courtyard.
The night was quiet and still. The evening breeze passed through the corridors and houses, stirring up the slender branches and leaves of the Xiangfei bamboo under the window, causing them to sway and dance, casting dappled and leaping bamboo shadows on the bluestone ground.
The rustling of bamboo shadows and the distant sound of the water clock added to the serene tranquility of the deep courtyard.
The lamplight flickered on the desk in the room, illuminating Ji Yun's handsome yet slightly solemn profile.
Alone in the dead of night, in the stillness, recalling the daytime incident of intercepting the inspection of Zhaoyutang at the Medical Academy, I no longer feel as at ease as I did then.
Today he stated frankly that Li Jing acted impulsively and should apologize to Meng Yutong, his words resounding with conviction.
However, upon reflection, on the first day of Zhaoyutang's opening, he had not investigated the details before coldly rebuking her for "using falsehoods to intimidate and profit from others."
Even if her actions that day were indeed inappropriate, his condescending assertion was also biased.
In the past two weeks, the Medical Officer's Office has been busy with the formulation of new policies and detailed rules, leaving him overwhelmed and unable to set foot on Peach Blossom Street for quite some time.
However, whenever I have a moment of leisure, I always think of the day she stood in front of the hall, her eyes clear, her words sharp, and her resolute demeanor unyielding.
Perhaps... it's not just Li Jing who needs to apologize?
Li Jing's relentless pressure on her was undoubtedly partly fueled by resentment stemming from him. His failure to supervise Li Jing's actions also reflects a lack of oversight.
Just as his mind was in slight turmoil, there was a soft knock at the door, and Qing Shu's voice came: "Young Master, Madam has arrived."
Ji Yun was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Why was his mother in his room? He got up to greet her.
Li Wan entered gracefully. Seeing her son stand up, a slightly unnatural expression crossed her face. She said gently, "Please sit down. There's no need for formalities. I heard you've been very busy with official duties lately, so I came to see you."
Her voice, usually clear and melodious, seemed to have taken on a softer quality tonight.
Ji Yun sat down as instructed. Li Wan then sat down on a low couch by the window not far from him, her posture still elegant, but the aloofness and indifference that had always shrouded her between her brows seemed to be softened by the lamplight in the room.
The mother and son faced each other, and for a moment neither of them spoke.
Only the night breeze drifted through the hall, stirring the candlelight and casting flickering shadows in the stillness.
The window was wide open, and outside, the clump of Xiangfei bamboo stretched out in the moonlight, its green leaves swaying like gentle waves, the bamboo shadows reflected on the window frame and falling on Li Wan's plain clothes.
Her gaze fell on the swaying bamboo shadows, and after a long while, she sighed softly, "This clump of Xiangfei bamboo... you take excellent care of it."
Ji Yun also turned his head, his gaze falling on the bamboo grove, his thin lips slightly pursed, without uttering a word.
“Yun’er,” Li Wan suddenly looked up, her usually cold eyes now clearly reflecting the candlelight, as well as a hint of deep-seated guilt, softening her usual aloofness and revealing a touch of tenderness, “These years… have you ever resented your mother?”
Ji Yun paused almost imperceptibly, then slowly shook her head, a hint of emotion surging in her cool voice: "It was my son's misbehavior back then, but he has never resented his mother. Over the years, no one in the family has had an easy time."
Looking at her son's increasingly resemblance to her, Li Wan smiled wryly, "I should have told you this a long time ago. The trouble back then wasn't your fault, it was my own... I couldn't get over that hurdle in my heart, I just wanted to escape, I locked myself away, thinking that if I didn't face it, I could pretend nothing happened."
She paused, lowering her voice, "Until a few days ago, I woke up from a long dream and realized how foolish I had been. Cherishing the people and things in front of me and living life to the fullest is the right thing to do. Our family... really shouldn't have let our lives turn out like this."
Ji Yun suddenly raised his eyes, a subtle ripple passing through his dark, jade-like pupils. His slender fingers, resting on the table, tightened slightly.
“Mother…” He uttered only this one word, his throat moving slightly.
Li Wan gently dabbed her slightly moist eyes with a silk handkerchief, then asked, "Is the calming sachet I gave you last time still working well? Have you been sleeping more soundly these past few days?"
"Yes," Ji Yun nodded, her voice regaining its composure, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I've been sleeping very well these past few days."
Li Wan carefully examined her son and saw that the weariness between his brows had indeed lessened considerably, and his spirits appeared clearer. She then said, "That sachet came from Zhaoyutang, the clinic that Yutong opened on Peach Blossom Street. That child has managed the clinic quite well."
"I've heard that your Medical Academy is implementing new policies, and she's involved in them. I get along quite well with her, so if you have some free time, please look after her for me."
Mentioning Meng Yutong reminded him of the absurd rumor his father had spread.
His doubts deepened. It was understandable that Ji Ming would protect Meng Yutong out of gratitude for saving his life.
But why do her father and mother also protect her so much?
“Mother,” Ji Yun began cautiously, his cool gaze fixed on Li Wan, “there is something I don’t understand. Previously, the Ji and Meng families broke off their engagement, and the rumors were that the Meng family’s daughter had not… taken a liking to the Ji family. Later, I had someone investigate a little, and it turned out that the source of this news seemed to be Father’s doing?”
He paused, his brow furrowed with obvious confusion. "My son doesn't understand."
Upon hearing this, Li Wan paused slightly. Last time, Ji Hongye patted his chest and said that he would handle this matter and told her not to worry. Was this what he had done? And Yun'er had actually found out?
But then I thought about it again. Yun'er has always been only interested in medicine and official duties, and is indifferent to other matters. She didn't ask a single question when the marriage was arranged.
Now that she was willing to spare some attention to investigate a rumor... A sudden thought struck her, and her gaze toward her son took on a deeper meaning.
She remained expressionless, nodding thoughtfully: "This matter is also due to the understanding and reasonableness of the Meng family. Although the Meng family took the initiative to break off the engagement, it also shows that they were considering the interests of my Ji family."
“Your father and I are both grateful for this friendship. Your father said that if the truth were to be spread, it might damage Miss Meng’s reputation. It would be better to… steer the conversation towards the Meng family’s higher standards, making it sound like our Ji family has some shortcomings, which would be more suitable for her reputation.”
She presented Ji Hongye's "fallacies" in a rather grand manner.
Ji Yun remained silent, speechless at this far-fetched explanation.
Seeing that it was late at night, Li Wan did not linger any longer. She told him to rest early and then got up to leave.
After seeing the person off, Qing Shu returned and stood a few steps behind Ji Yun, reporting in a low voice: "Young Master, we have made some progress on the matter of you instructing me to send someone to Jiangling to investigate Old Madam Meng's background."
Ji Yun snapped out of his turmoil and nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.
A hint of surprise flashed in Ji Yun's eyes. He turned around and looked at Qing Shu: "Is it the Jiang family of Jiangling, who was once found to have been poisoned by a rare poison when the brocade they presented as tribute was found to be contaminated, causing the Dowager Consort to fall into a coma, and then the entire family was punished and almost destroyed?"
Although he had a vague idea that Madam Meng was no ordinary person, he never expected that she would be involved in such a sensational old case.
Qing Shu's expression turned solemn, and he nodded, saying, "That's right. Back then, the 'Yun Jin Poisoning Case' was personally overseen by Prince Rong, causing a great uproar throughout the city and filling everyone with fear. However, after more than a month of investigation, no real evidence could be found. During that time, the old master also went to the palace several times to plead with the Emperor to investigate, and also petitioned the Dowager Consort, because of our past friendship."
"Later, it seems that because the Empress Dowager remembered the Jiang family's past contributions and there was indeed insufficient evidence, she ultimately showed leniency and pardoned the entire Jiang family. However, the Jiang family suffered a blow, their reputation was ruined, their business declined, and they gradually faded from people's sight."
He paused, then added, "The inside story of this case seems to be extremely complicated back then, and many details seem to have been deliberately covered up. All I can find out is the general outline that is on the surface."
Qing Shu paused briefly, then dropped an even more startling piece of news: "There's another matter... According to old friends in Jiangling, when Madam Meng was young in Jiangling, she and my grandfather knew each other. The two... seem to have had a childhood sweetheart relationship."
Ji Yun suddenly looked up. Old Madam Meng and her grandfather had known each other since Jiangling? What was their relationship? Was it this relationship that led her and her grandfather to arrange her marriage to Meng Yutong?
A cloud of doubts suddenly filled his mind.
After Qing Shu finished reporting, seeing that Ji Yun was deep in thought, he tactfully bowed and quietly left the study, gently closing the door behind him.
Ji Yun sat back down at his desk, but his mind was even more chaotic than before.
He sat quietly at his desk for a while, then wearily rubbed his temples. Oh well, he seemed to have been paying too much attention to her affairs…
He turned his thoughts back to other things. He remembered that he hadn't been to Ji'an Hall for some time, so he spread out a sheet of plain white Xuan paper, intending to write down the names of some of the medicinal herbs commonly used in Ji'an Hall so that he could get them from the Imperial Medical Academy the next day.
Dip the brush tip in ink and hold it on the paper.
In a daze, a drop of thick ink suddenly fell, spreading into a black blot on the pristine white Xuan paper with a "smack".
He picked up his pen subconsciously, and as if possessed, he began to draw lines on the ink stain, his brushstrokes extending to the left and right, his wrist moving unconsciously.
The ink lines flowed, resembling painting rather than writing.
When he suddenly came to his senses and looked down, he saw a pair of women's eyes clearly displayed on the snow-white paper.
His dark pupils were as bright as lacquer, his eye shape was smooth and beautiful, and the corners of his eyes were slightly upturned, outlining a breathtaking and ethereal charm.
Those eyes seemed to pierce through the paper, gazing silently at him.
Her eyes sparkled with a gentle admiration, yet also held an endless tenderness. The way she gazed at him was as familiar and intimate as if she were looking at a close relative.
Ji Yun's wrist trembled, and the ink, fully dipped in his brush, dripped again, precisely onto the corner of the eye in the painting. The ink quickly spread, like a teardrop.
A sharp pain suddenly shot through his chest without warning. His fingers loosened, and the purple brush fell to the table with a "thud," splattering several ink stains.
Ji Yun suddenly stood up, making a soft creak as he sat down.
He flipped the sheet of rice paper with the eyes drawn on it over and strode to the open window.
The night breeze, carrying a chill, swept over me, but it couldn't dispel the sudden surge of restlessness and apprehension in my heart.
He raised his hand to press his throbbing temple, his brow furrowed.
What's wrong with me lately?
*
On the first day of the fifth lunar month, the sky was clear.
As dawn broke, golden threads pierced through the lush new leaves of the old persimmon tree in the backyard of Zhaoyutang, sifting out dappled light on the bluestone ground.
A gentle breeze rustles the green leaves, causing them to sway lightly along with the herbs hanging under the eaves.
In a corner of the backyard, against the newly built wall of the pharmacy, a small, rare shady spot has been carved out. The sunlight rarely reaches it, and the humidity is slightly high, making it an ideal place to cultivate shade-loving medicinal herbs.
Meng Yutong bent down and carefully spread the freshly picked patchouli on a bamboo tray to dry, filling the courtyard with a faint, fresh herbal fragrance.
Looking at the shady open space, she suddenly thought of something.
She remembered that in the dead of winter that year, an epidemic broke out in Lin'an City. At that time, Ji Yun, as a key member of the Medical Academy, worked day and night, running between the epidemic area and the Medical Academy, preparing prescriptions and treating patients. In the end, due to exhaustion, he contracted the most virulent type of the virus.
The common anti-epidemic decoctions developed by the Imperial Medical Academy had no effect on him. After examining him, Old Master Ji sighed deeply and mentioned a rare medicine called Purple Snow Ginseng.
This medicine clears heat and detoxifies, invigorates blood and regulates menstruation. It is especially effective for critical cases in the later stages of an epidemic where "heat toxins enter the blood and rashes turn purple and dark." Its efficacy is far superior to that of ordinary heat-clearing medicines.
If one could obtain this ginseng, it might save Ji Yun's life from the brink of death.
However, this ginseng grows in extremely dangerous places deep in the mountains where few people go, and it is very difficult to dig and preserve. Despite searching all over Lin'an, no results were found.
She searched through medical books to no avail, so she had no choice but to return to the Meng family mansion to seek advice from her grandmother. Her grandmother recalled seeing the Purple Snow Ginseng on the summit of Phoenix Mountain when she was young.
Phoenix Mountain is uniquely shaped with sheer cliffs that are often shrouded in mist. Purple Snow Ginseng grows on these damp, moss-covered cliffs.
It was the dead of winter, and heavy snow had blocked the mountain passes. Without consulting the Ji family, she resolutely hired several daring mountain people to venture into the mountains. Halfway there, even those men who were used to treacherous paths turned back due to the wind, snow, and bitter cold.
Only she, with her courage and unwavering determination, used both hands and feet to climb ice and tread snow, facing the brink of despair several times, finally reaching the summit and finding a small cluster of precious purplish-purple ginseng seedlings in the crevices of the cliff.
While harvesting ginseng, the ice and snow beneath her feet loosened, and she nearly fell into a bottomless abyss.
On the way back, his legs were frozen and numb, and his plain satin embroidered shoes had long been torn by jagged rocks and icicles and soaked with blood. It was only by sheer willpower that he was able to deliver the life-saving herbs to the Ji residence.
Her gaze returned to the damp, secluded corner before her, and Meng Yutong's eyes darkened as she began to make her plans.
Once the clinic has some free time, she must go to Phoenix Mountain again. Now it is early summer, the wind is gentle and the sun is warm, the mountain road is not as harsh as in winter, and with the guidance of her past life's memories, finding that cluster of Purple Snow Ginseng should not be difficult.
She spread the last few herbs evenly and was about to turn back to the front hall when she saw Wu Ming hurrying towards her.
"Master!" Wu Ming wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and spoke very quickly, "This morning, an official from the Imperial Medical Academy came to say that the registration documents you submitted yesterday have been verified. They have assigned a medical officer to our Zhaoyu Hall. Please be sure to bring the medical records and treatment details from the hall to the Imperial Medical Bureau at the beginning of the morning to meet with your superior and discuss the follow-up rules and regulations and other precautions."
His eyes swept over the medicinal herbs drying behind Meng Yutong, and he continued shrewdly, "This is a serious matter and cannot be delayed. You should go and prepare quickly. I'll keep an eye on things at the inn, so don't worry!"
Meng Yutong nodded, turned and went inside. After washing her hands and changing her clothes, she took out a wax ball pen and plain paper, and carefully put away the recent medical records and income and expenditure ledgers of Zhaoyutang, putting them into her medical kit, and then went out.
The Imperial Medical Bureau was located on the southern section of the Imperial Street, near the Imperial Ancestral Temple. This office was dedicated to training medical personnel and served as a place for aspiring physicians to study. Senior medical officers from the Imperial Medical Academy often came here to give lectures and instruction.
Its architecture is dignified and rigorous, with blue bricks and gray tiles, vermilion-lacquered columns, and clean stone steps in front of the gate, giving it a solemn and dignified academic atmosphere.
When Meng Yutong arrived at the gate of the Imperial Medical Bureau, the official on duty saw that she was carrying a medical kit and had a calm demeanor. After looking her up and down, he asked, "Are you Doctor Meng from Zhaoyutang on Peach Blossom Street?"
"Indeed." Meng Yutong bowed slightly. "I have been summoned to meet with the medical officer in charge."
The official, with a friendly expression, stepped aside to lead the way: "Please follow me."
The two walked through the courtyard, past the lecture hall filled with the sound of students reading aloud. Students who had just finished class were walking out in twos and threes. When they saw a woman carrying a suitcase entering, they all cast curious or inquisitive glances at her. They walked to the door of a hall called "Assembly Hall".
The official knocked lightly on the door and respectfully called out, "Physician Ji, Doctor Meng from Zhaoyu Hall has arrived." After speaking, he bowed and withdrew.
"Please come in." A clear, familiar voice came from inside the door.
Meng Yutong paused on the door, then gently pushed it open.
The interior was simply and elegantly furnished, with a large ebony table in the center, flanked by several matching official hat chairs.
Ji Yun sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a moon-white casual robe, his figure tall and elegant.
A book was open in front of him, and he was looking down as he flipped through it.
He looked up at the sound, his gaze sweeping over her indifferently. He didn't stand up, but merely gestured to the seat opposite him, his voice flat and emotionless:
"Please have a seat, Doctor Meng."
Meng Yutong placed the medical kit on the corner of the table and sat down opposite Ji Yun as instructed.
Her gaze swept subtly across the solemn assembly hall, and she finally understood that Ji Yun was the liaison physician for Zhaoyu Hall.
With so many medical clinics of all sizes in the city, why did Zhaoyutang end up in his hands?
She suppressed the subtle doubt in her heart, smiled faintly, and nodded in greeting: "Physician Ji, how have you been?"
Ji Yun glanced at her, closed the book he was reading, and pushed it in front of Meng Yutong.
"Dr. Meng, during the implementation of the new policy, I will be in charge of all verification matters at Zhaoyutang. This is the 'Detailed Rules for Verification of Medical Institutions' drafted by the Medical Academy. Please take it back and read it carefully."
His voice was clear and calm, devoid of emotion. “From now on, I will convene the heads of the three clinics under my jurisdiction at irregular intervals each month. Firstly, to verify whether the monthly treatment records are compliant and whether there are any false reports; secondly, to take this opportunity to exchange information. If there are any difficult or complicated cases, we can also pool our wisdom and efforts to discuss solutions together.”
"Physician Ji is entrusted with important responsibilities, yet he still personally handles such trivial matters. We, his humble establishment, are truly flattered."
Meng Yutong spoke politely, but in her heart she was thinking, "Why would someone as busy as him bother with such trivial matters as verification?"
If he is in charge of the verification of Zhaoyutang in the future, won't it be inevitable that we will meet with him often?
For no apparent reason, she recalled the day Zhaoyutang opened, when he witnessed her treating Sun Shi and was quite dissatisfied with her actions, even scolding her harshly.
This shows that she and Ji Yun did not get along well in their medical practice.
"The implementation of the new policy involves matters of great importance, no matter how small. As the person in charge of policy-making, I should personally take charge," Ji Yun replied calmly.
The person who proposed the policy... Meng Yutong's eyes flickered slightly. Although she guessed that the new policy was related to Ji Yun, she did not expect that he would be the main promoter.
Upon closer examination, this new policy is indeed ingenious: by registering them in the official register, the resources of medical clinics in Lin'an City can be integrated, making it easier to manage them in a unified manner; in the event of a major epidemic, resources can be quickly mobilized and deployed in different areas, greatly improving the efficiency of treatment.
Looking at the implementation details, the Medical Officers' Court not only assigned dedicated personnel to check and prevent fraud, but also used this as a platform for communication, which greatly benefited various medical clinics.
With a heart for the people's livelihood, a pragmatic and hardworking attitude, and setting aside personal entanglements, this person truly possesses exceptional talent in both medicine and politics.
Since he will be in charge of the verification work from now on, she should get used to working and getting along with him as soon as possible.
Thinking this, she nodded in agreement and reached out to take the book.
Her fingertips had just touched the spine of the book when she felt the pressure on the other end hadn't eased. She looked up in confusion, meeting Ji Yun's gaze.
His expression was slightly stiff, and upon closer inspection, his eyelashes trembled very slightly, as if he was suppressing something.
“There is one more thing,” Ji Yun said, his voice lower than before. “Last time at Zhaoyu Hall, I failed to realize that Sun was acting under Li Jing’s orders, and I rashly concluded that Doctor Meng was ‘using false words to intimidate and profit from it’… What he said was indeed biased.”
Is he apologizing?
That's quite unusual.
Meng Yutong was slightly taken aback, but then understood. Her smile remained as gentle as ever: "Physician Ji, you flatter me. We had a few words exchanged in the heat of the moment, but I have long since forgotten them."
"If the physician finds this inappropriate, and if Zhaoyutang is ever lacking in any way in the future, we hope you will be lenient and forgiving."
After speaking, she gently pulled the book away with a slight effort from her fingertips.
The booklet was opened, and the title page prominently displayed the words "Medical Clinic Inspection Guidelines." Her eyes quickly scanned the table of contents, the core of which was to regulate the medical practices of medical clinics, with items such as "Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses must be based on facts and should not be exaggerated" and "Fees must be within a reasonable range and should not exceed the needs of the illness."
Upon reading this, Meng Yutong paused, pointing to the words "reasonable range," then looked directly at Ji Yun, her tone calm yet questioning: "Physician Ji, illnesses are ever-changing, and patients have different constitutions. What do you mean by 'exaggeration'? And where is the boundary of this 'reasonable range'?"
The apology he had just given her stirred something within her, making her think that he had changed his mind.
Looking at these cold, rigid signs now, I realize I was overthinking things.
This rigid and inhumane style remains unchanged.
“Sun accidentally ate croton seeds and experienced symptoms of fainting and vomiting. This is a case of food damaging the spleen and stomach,” Ji Yun said calmly, explaining in detail. “He only needs to take a few doses of Huoxiang Zhengqi Decoction to dispel dampness and harmonize the middle jiao, supplemented by rest and quiet recuperation. The cost will be less than two hundred coins.”
“Even if the amount varies slightly depending on the individual’s constitution, the reasonable range is no more than two hundred to four hundred coins. Your charge of one thousand coins far exceeds the usual amount, which is an exaggeration.”
"Doctor Ji only discusses the symptoms, not the cause and effect?" Meng Yutong raised his eyebrows slightly and said unhurriedly, "Madam Sun vomited twice in my hall that day, soiling several feet of brocade used to cut the sachets, and also soiling the bedding and the floor."
"Shouldn't the manpower and resources spent on cleaning be included in the losses? Is it excessive to include this compensation in this thousand coins?"
"One thing at a time." Behind Ji Yun, pale golden sunlight streamed in through the window, framing his cold, handsome features with sharp lines, making them even more defined. His words left no room for argument. "Treatment costs are treatment costs, and compensation for damages is compensation. Doctor Meng can settle the accounts with Madam Sun separately afterward, instead of mixing it into the consultation fee and making things vague."
"Imagine, if you charge a thousand for this ailment today, but only two hundred for the same symptoms tomorrow, isn't the pricing of a clinic a joke? If someone later uses this to attack Zhaoyutang for unfair pricing and manipulates things, how will you defend yourself?"
His face was solemn, and he did not yield an inch: "A thousand people have a thousand faces, the same disease requires different treatments, medicines may be added or subtracted, and prices may fluctuate; this is the norm."
"Whether it is exaggerated or reasonable, Dr. Meng, as a doctor, should have a scale in his heart and be able to weigh it himself."
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into complete silence.
The only sound was the soft rustling of leaves as the wind blew through the trees outside the window, making the room even more tranquil.
Meng Yutong lowered her eyes, her gaze returning to the densely packed small characters on the booklet in her hand.
From Ji Yun's perspective, half of her profile was bathed in a pale golden light, her nose was slender and elegant, and her gentle face was outlined with lines that showed a stubbornness.
Like an apricot blossom glistening with dew on a branch after a spring rain, it silently reveals a remarkable resilience that evokes a subtle, indescribable pity in the viewer's heart.
Ji Yun frowned almost imperceptibly, wondering if his words had been too cold and austere.
However, words of comfort and reassurance were not his usual style, and he found it difficult to utter them at this moment.
He pursed his thin lips slightly, then suddenly reached for the medical kit he had placed on the table, opened the lid, and fumbled around inside for a few moments.
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