The afternoon sun slanted through the window as Qin Jiuye leaned against the edge of the Su family’s overly spacious bed, eventually drifting off into a nap.
Since returning to her room the previous night, she had hardly closed her eyes. Her father’s words had been looping incessantly in her mind, and whenever she shut her eyes, countless strange thoughts would emerge from the darkness.
She had fluctuated between sleep and sudden wakefulness. In her dreams, she seemed trapped in a sea of fire; from the flames, a blood-red giant fish swam toward her, darting into her mouth in the blink of an eye. It left her panicked and nauseated. She struggled and gagged, catching glimpses of countless terrifying secrets in her delirium, yet the moment she jolted awake, she remembered nothing. Only a lingering palpitation and a sense of irritability remained.
She finally endured until dawn, but the courtyard remained deathly silent—not even the chirp of a bird could be heard. She lifted the covers to feel the mattress beneath her and let out a soft sigh of relief.
It had been a long time since she dreamt of fire. When she was a child, however, she often dreamt of soaring blazes, and she would wake up to find she had wet the bed. This hadn't stopped until she was eight or nine.
It was one thing for a child to wet the bed, but if a visiting physician like her were to soil the host’s linens, she would never be able to show her face in public again.
She blamed it all on that overly lifelike vegetarian fish from last night’s dinner.
The thought of a hundred gold taels continued to itch at her heart. She pondered how to further discuss the Second Miss’s condition with the Su household today, but though she waited and waited, not a soul appeared.
Qin Jiuye felt inexplicably restless. She had been perfectly composed yesterday while busy, but now that she was idle, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering.
She didn't want to just sit and wait for death, but after her father’s surreptitious appearance last night, there had been no further word from him. In this vast Su Manor, she didn't even know where she was once she stepped out of the courtyard, let alone where to find anyone.
She finally managed to endure until lunchtime. She grabbed the servant delivering her meal and refused to let go until he nodded and promised to relay her request for an audience.
The weather grew increasingly gloomy, looking as though it might rain.
The muggy air was draining. Coupled with her sleepless night, Qin Jiuye felt drowsy after eating. She leaned against the bed and opened her medical chest, intending to flip through her clinical records to sharpen her mind while waiting for news from the Su family. Instead, she fell asleep without realizing it.
By the time she was startled awake by a knock and groggily opened her eyes, the sun had already passed its zenith.
From the age of ten, when she left home to study medicine under her master, to settling in Dingweng Village and opening Guoran Clinic, she had never had the luxury of an afternoon nap, nor had she ever slept so late.
She scrambled up, looking down at her somewhat tattered outer robe. Her first instinct was to hide the patches on her clothes, but she quickly realized the gesture was redundant. Giving up, she haphazardly tidied her hair and went to open the door.
Today, it was not the purple-clad Xinyu, but a maid in pink.
Hearing the movement, the girl turned around. Her round face featured a small mouth pressed tightly together in an expression of forced decorum. Facing Qin Jiuye’s dark-circled eyes, she smiled and bowed.
"I am Shangqu. Sister Xinyu sent me to ask: did Shopkeeper Qin rest well last night?"
To come knocking at this hour to ask about "last night"—any later and it would be dark again.
Qin Jiuye gave a stiff, mirthless smile. "Very well, very well. I wonder if the Second Miss received the message I sent..."
The pink-clad Shangqu raised the tray in her hands. With her other hand, she lifted the silk kerchief covering it, revealing several pieces of bright, white silver shimmering in the light.
After cooling her heels for half the day, Qin Jiuye had never expected to be greeted by such a pleasant surprise upon opening the door. Her previous irritation vanished instantly, and her face brightened, though she still felt compelled to offer a polite, insincere refusal.
"Oh, what is this for? I haven't even tested a proper prescription yet. How can I possibly accept this consultation fee..."
"Shopkeeper Qin misunderstands." The maid showed a touch of well-timed surprise before giggling twice. "This is only fifteen taels of silver. It is for your entry into the manor and yesterday's consultation."
Qin Jiuye’s face instantly burned with embarrassment.
She couldn't be blamed; even though she had worked herself to the bone for years to save up scraps of silver, she had never seen so much solid silver at once. Consequently, she had no idea how much fifteen taels of silver looked like when neatly arranged.
There was a brief stagnation in the air, but she quickly adjusted.
Over the years, the movement she had practiced best was "bending the waist."
Respectfully taking the tray of silver and placing it carefully on a small side table behind her, she thanked the maid repeatedly.
"Thank you, Miss Shangqu. I am unworthy of such generosity. However, I spent the entire night deliberating and have some new insights into the Second Miss’s illness. Perhaps today..."
"There will be no need to trouble Shopkeeper Qin with a consultation today."
*Hmm? What does that mean?*
Qin Jiuye looked up in shock, only to see Shangqu reach out and point to the waist token Qin Jiuye had kept tied to her belt.
"That token—Shopkeeper Qin may return it to me now."
Qin Jiuye’s mind raced. As she untied the token, a realization began to dawn on her.
"Has Master Kang’s prescription already taken effect?"
"After the Miss took the medicine, she said she felt much better this morning."
Shangqu took the token without further explanation, that half-smile still fixed on her face. Qin Jiuye truly didn't see what was so funny about her question; she could only convince herself that the girl simply had a strange face.
"Much better? How could she be much better? Didn't they say no one could cure her before? Did he diagnose something different..."
She was truly both confused and unwilling to accept this. Given yesterday’s situation, even if that man named Kang had discovered some secret she hadn't, how could a single dose of medicine have cured her? Was she, Qin Jiuye, truly that incompetent, or had she underestimated Kang Renshou’s medical skills?
"As for those questions, a lowly maid like me wouldn't know the answers."
Qin Jiuye refused to give up, but she tried a more roundabout approach, speaking with a final glimmer of hope.
"I do not mean to pry. I am simply concerned for the Miss’s condition. I wish to know if the ailment has truly been uprooted or if it is merely a temporary reprieve. You must know that some symptoms can be suppressed in the short term, only to rebound and become even more severe later..."
She spoke with great earnestness, yet internally she loathed her own rhetoric.
She wasn't concerned for Su Muhe; she was concerned for those hundred gold taels she hadn't even touched.
But she couldn't control herself. Although fifteen taels was a bountiful harvest, she simply couldn't stomach the loss. Was she really going to lose a hundred gold taels to an old fogey who kept his eyes on the top of his head? She had confidence in her medical skills; if a condition she couldn't diagnose showed improvement after someone else gave a single dose, then her Guoran Clinic would likely never rise again, forever relegated to being a mere village apothecary.
The pink-clad maid listened quietly to her rambling, but offered no reply.
Qin Jiuye spoke until her throat was dry. Finally reaching the crux of the matter, she lowered her voice.
"Could you perhaps do me a favor and pass on a word? Just say that I drafted a new prescription last night and have a few more questions for the Second Miss. It is rare for medicine to work this quickly; shouldn't we wait a few more days to see? Of course, I am not questioning Master Kang, I am simply speaking on the facts of the matter..."
She pleaded her case painstakingly, and the maid finally seemed to waver.
"It’s not that I don't want to help you, but my Miss has already retired to rest after taking her medicine. If you want to see her, it would have to be tonight."
"No problem, no problem," she agreed hurriedly, fearing the other would change her mind. "I don't have much to do at my clinic. Waiting a few more nights is no trouble at all."
"Very well. If Shopkeeper Qin wishes to stay..."
Just as the maid was about to hand the waist token back to her, before the joy could even reach Qin Jiuye’s brow, a familiar voice rang out from behind her.
"Stay for what? Better to send her out quickly."
She turned around, only to see a blur of garish colors flash before her eyes.
The maid named Shangqu immediately knelt in greeting. "Greetings, Second Young Master."
Xu Qiuchi had changed into an outfit with a begonia-embroidered base and a green gauze overshirt today. He looked even more flamboyant than he had in the carriage. His complexion was rosy and radiant, making her own sallow, sleep-deprived face look like it belonged to a ghost by comparison.
How could someone be so glowing and yet so loathsome at the same time?
He was draped in wealth and glory, with no idea how much she had suffered over the years just to have a place to call her own. With a single casual sentence, he was about to ruin her grand plan. She had no idea how she had offended him.
Qin Jiuye’s anger flared. When she spoke again, she cast aside all notions of status and forgot to wonder why Shangqu recognized this playboy. She only wanted to vent her frustration.
"The Second Young Master is certainly at leisure. When we met at the Red Pheasant Quarter that night, you were quite drunk and insisted on dragging me into a long conversation. I wonder how many jars you’ve had today?"
The Red Pheasant Quarter was a famous district of pleasure houses. Those who visited at night were almost exclusively there for wine and women. Any young lady from a prestigious family would steer clear of such a disreputable, debauched playboy.
Yet, for some reason, Shangqu didn't dare utter a peep, waiting submissively to the side.
While Qin Jiuye watched in bewilderment, Xu Qiuchi seemed entirely unsurprised. He narrowed his eyes and launched a counterattack.
"I certainly remember that spring night. Shopkeeper Qin was being chased by a housing broker. I wonder if the rent price was simply too high. May I ask if Shopkeeper Qin has gathered enough silver now? I hear the consultation fee at the Su Manor is quite generous. Shopkeeper Qin should put in more effort and use her brain; don't let this god-given opportunity slip away."
She attacked his character; he struck back at her impure motives for practicing medicine. In a few sentences, he had completely exposed her desperate need for money and her mercenary intentions.
Since they had already dropped all pretenses, Qin Jiuye reached her limit. She raised a trembling finger in accusation.
"You... you person! Even a good dog doesn't block the path. Why are you blocking my way to fortune?!"
Xu Qiuchi glanced at her sideways, clearly unimpressed by her fury.
"Who is blocking your fortune? I was the one who built the bridge to this fortune for you."
In her heat, Qin Jiuye didn't react immediately.
"What bridge did you build? I was sent an invitation..." She stopped mid-sentence as realization finally dawned on her. She stammered, "That... that female bandit is your person? The invitation to the manor was given by you?"
He didn't answer her immediately, instead turning his head toward a large elm tree nearby with a chuckle.
"Xin'er, she says you look like a bandit."
Before his voice had even faded, a red figure descended from the sky, landing directly in front of Qin Jiuye.
"I have a name. My surname is Jiang, and I am called Jiang Xin'er. When did I ever threaten you? When did I ever try to take your life or steal your money? By what right do you call me a bandit?!"
Staring at that familiar face, a sense of absurdity at being manipulated washed over Qin Jiuye, followed by a wave of unease.
Could her coming to the Su Manor really be just a coincidence? Had she exposed something that day at the Treasure Mirage Pavilion? What was this man surnamed Xu really after? Was he seeking revenge, or...
She should have realized it sooner. With the meager reputation of Guoran Clinic, how could she have possibly received an invitation from the Su family? Someone must have been pulling strings behind the scenes. But if they had gone to such lengths to get her into the manor, why were they trying to kick her out now?
Qin Jiuye sniffed, feeling that the very air was thick with the scent of a conspiracy.
She didn't know what the conspiracy was, but her instinct told her not to let him have his way. However, looking up at the fiery eyes of the woman in red, her useless legs began to tremble.
If she had Li Qiao and Jinbao by her side at Guoran Clinic to bolster her courage, here she was "in the enemy camp, fighting alone." Facing the woman’s barrage of questions, she could only shrink back dejectedly.
"Heroine Jiang, Grandma Jiang, I am but a lowly physician. I do not know many figures in the martial world; I never intended to be disrespectful. There must be some misunderstanding. However, I am still a guest of the Su Manor, and the Second Miss’s consultation is not yet over. Shall we settle the grievances between us later? What do you think?"
Jiang Xin'er said nothing, her face clearly reading "I don't think so."
Qin Jiuye felt that the woman didn't necessarily loathe her; she was simply arrogant. She had never viewed a "useless scrap" like Jiuye as an equal, so why would she care for her excuses?
Fine, if that was the case, she would just get lost.
"Then, if Miss Jiang has nothing else..."
Just as her foot shifted half a step to the side, Jiang Xin'er’s nearly cold voice rang in her ear.
"The Young Master hasn't spoken yet. You think you can leave?"
Qin Jiuye wanted to cry but had no tears.
She couldn't stay, and she couldn't leave. What exactly did they want from her?
Perhaps the heavens heard her silent plea, for another familiar voice sounded from the direction of the main gate.
"What is happening?"
The young Commander stood upon the steps, scanning the courtyard. He seemed somewhat annoyed by the scene before him.
But Qin Jiuye, stuck in the mire, had no time to discern the look on his face. She felt as if she had just witnessed a bodhisattva manifesting to save her from suffering. Resisting the urge to throw herself at him, she rushed forward a few steps and cried out in a trembling voice.
"Com... Commander Qiu! I was commissioned by the Su family to come for a consultation and need to stay a few more days to clarify the symptoms. This Master Xu and his maid have been obstructing me for some reason, and their behavior has been quite boorish. Commander, you are wise; please, help me!"
She had never spoken in such a wronged tone. After the last sentence left her mouth, even she felt she was overacting and perhaps trying too hard to drag him into her mess. But what was said could not be unsaid, and she truly felt this was her only chance to turn the tables. She could only thicken her skin and try.
Qiu Ling’s brow twitched slightly as he looked toward the "evil master and servant" in the center of the courtyard.
He saw Xu Qiuchi still leisurely waving his fan. Far from retreating, the man laughed loudly, then sauntered over to Qin Jiuye. Right in front of her, he draped an arm over Qiu Ling’s shoulder.
"Shopkeeper Qin, this is my elder brother. Why don't you come and pay your respects?"
Qin Jiuye froze. Her eyes darted left and right, but no matter how she looked, she couldn't find a trace of sibling resemblance in those two vastly different faces.
Xu Qiuchi... Qiuchi? The Qiu family?
A voice whispered in her heart: *He must be joking, right? This playboy surnamed Xu must have run out of ways to resolve the situation, so he’s trying to laugh it off with a joke.*
However, in the next moment, Qiu Ling’s voice shattered her illusions.
"Does Father know you’ve come to the Su Manor to cause trouble? If the family asks later, I won't cover for you."
Following the glorious incident of being caught with an erotic book during a reunion with an old acquaintance, she had now achieved the feat of "accusing and slandering" his own brother right in front of him.
Who was to blame? She could only blame herself for always focusing her gaze on the eldest son of the Qiu family, never thinking to investigate the other members of the Qiu household.
Qin Jiuye’s back slumped deeply, as if she wished she could turn into a crooked tree in the courtyard and merge with the earth.
Beside her, Xu Qiuchi admired her spectacular expression while waving his fan at Qiu Ling.
"Brother, there’s no need to be difficult. I just came on a whim today, thinking to check on my future sister-in-law. There’s nothing to hide. Speaking of which, aren't you the same? It was one thing to stand guard at the gate yesterday, but you’ve come in person today. You truly are deeply concerned."
He was likely referring to Su Muhe, but for some reason, his gaze kept drifting toward Qin Jiuye.
Qin Jiuye felt a chill from that look. Having seen through the malicious nature of this wealthy scion, and then thinking of the true reason Qiu Ling had appeared before her twice, her heart sank further.
As she lowered her gaze, she saw the patches on her sleeves that she couldn't hide. They were just like her current awkward and absurd situation. A complex, bitter emotion surged within her, followed by a sudden wave of revulsion. She just wanted to leave this place of trouble.
It seemed she was simply not destined for gold. Those hundred gold taels were not meant to be hers.
Once she accepted this, the anger in her heart suddenly smoothed out.
A person with nothing has nothing to fear. Who among the others present wasn't wealthier than her? Whose words didn't carry more weight? Here she was, spinning in circles over a bunch of grapes she couldn't reach, while they watched her like a joke, clearly intending to thwart her. There was truly no reason for her to linger.
The momentum that had been suppressed by Jiang Xin'er returned in an instant. Qin Jiuye turned, grabbed the silver she had set down, and carefully tucked it into her small chest. Then, shedding her previous disheveled state, she mimicked Master Kang’s posture, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked up to the two brothers.
"Thanks to you two lords, I can no longer stay in the Su Manor. Though I am of humble origin, I am not an idle person to be toyed with. Besides consultations, I have a clinic to run, and two mouths at home waiting to be fed. If you have no other business, I shall take my leave. Stay where you are; no need to see me out."
With that, she didn't look at anyone else's expression. She hoisted her medical chest and stomped out of the courtyard.
Silence returned to the courtyard. A moment later, the woman’s figure doubled back. She seemed to have taken a wrong turn; keeping her head down and ignoring everyone, she crossed the courtyard and headed in the other direction.
The silk-clad young master stared blankly, even forgetting to wave his fan. Only when her figure had almost vanished into the winding garden scenery did he burst into uncontrollable laughter.
However, he seemed to be the only one in the courtyard who found it funny. Everyone else stood in silence.
When he had laughed his fill, he finally stopped and turned to the maid in pink.
"Sister, please have someone show her the way. Otherwise, that stubborn, blockheaded duck will just keep wandering back, and I'm afraid she'll be stuck in your manor all day."
Shangqu stole a quick glance at the Qiu brothers, who bore such different temperaments. She gave a low response and withdrew.
Xu Qiuchi’s amusement hadn't faded. He still seemed to find the previous scene hilarious as he turned to his brother.
"Don't you think she looks like a stubborn duck..."
The laughter on the young man’s face froze halfway. Not far away, the young Commander’s retreating back radiated a sense of suppressed tension.
"Mind your own business. If you have nothing else to do, leave quickly."
The mirth gradually drained from Xu Qiuchi’s eyes, leaving only a slight curve at the corners of his mouth that looked somewhat mocking.
The red-clad woman, who had been silent, finally spoke up hesitantly. "Young Master..."
Xu Qiuchi waved his hand, signaling her to say no more.
"Elder Brother has spoken. Let us return to the manor for today."
***
**Glossary**
