Chapter 1: First Meeting

Chapter 1: First Meeting

In the third month of spring, the grass grew and the orioles flew.

Ye Chutang had just spread out her medicinal herbs in the courtyard to dry when she heard a knock at the door.

"Is anyone there?"

She brushed off her clothes, waited for the faint, bitter scent of herbs to dissipate slightly, and went to open the door.

"Coming."

Lian Zhou was waiting anxiously in front of the door. When he caught sight of the young girl behind it, he was momentarily stunned.

The girl looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen. She wore a plain, begonia-embroidered jacket and skirt that accentuated her slender frame, her dark hair held up simply by a wooden hairpin.

She had an oval face, arched brows, and skin that surpassed snow in fairness.

What was particularly striking were her clear, dark eyes—clean, gentle, and incredibly pure.

Just standing there, she was as graceful as a spring begonia that had never weathered frost or rain, making one instinctively lower their voice.

Lian Zhou regained his senses and cupped his hands to state his purpose: "Hello, I am looking for the doctor of this clinic."

Ye Chutang nodded slightly. "That would be me."

Lian Zhou was even more surprised, then frowned, looking back at the carriage with worry.

He and his master had traveled in haste to reach this place, and his master’s condition had worsened to the point where it could no longer be delayed, so he had intended to find a clinic for treatment.

Who would have thought that the person who came out would be such a young woman?

He turned to the carriage and asked in a low voice, "Master, shall I look for another clinic?"

Ye Chutang raised her eyebrows.

When she first came to Jiangling three years ago to open this clinic, no one trusted her medical skills either.

These master and servant appeared to be from out of town, passing through; it was only natural for them to react this way.

A moment later, a cold, low voice drifted from the carriage.

"She will do."

Even in the early spring weather, the voice sounded as if it were wrapped in a thin layer of frost, carrying a bone-chilling coolness.

Lian Zhou acknowledged the order and walked back, his attitude a bit more polite than before.

"The consultation fee is not an issue, but please, you must do your utmost to treat my master."

Ye Chutang was about to speak when she heard Auntie Yang shouting from the end of the street.

"Doctor Ye! This is bad! Your Fourth Brother is fighting with someone at the academy again!"

Ye Chutang’s expression remained unchanged, as if she were long accustomed to such things. She asked gently, "What happened?"

Auntie Yang was breathless. "I heard he got into a brawl with the Second Young Master of the Cao Family Restaurant and his gang! They can't even pull them apart! You’d better go take a look!"

The Cao Family Restaurant was the largest in Jiangling. It was said that the owner’s cousin was the Magistrate’s wife; the family was wealthy, powerful, and overbearing.

Young Master Cao always had several lackeys around him, well-versed in cockfighting, dog-walking, and every form of debauchery.

If they were fighting...

Ye Chutang turned to Lian Zhou. "Please, come in."

"...What?" Lian Zhou looked at Auntie Yang, then back at Ye Chutang.

If he heard correctly, her family was in trouble? Was she not going to check on it?

Just as Ye Chutang turned away, she seemed to remember something and turned back to remind him, "By the way, the consultation fee is one hundred taels."

Lian Zhou was incredulous. "One hundred taels?!"

Even the clinics in the capital wouldn't dare charge such a price!

Ye Chutang sighed inwardly. What else could she do? If she didn't extort them, where would she find the money to compensate the others for her Fourth Brother’s medical bills?

He had beaten up quite a few people this time!

"Whether you choose to be treated is entirely voluntary." Her gaze lingered on the carriage for a moment. "However... if your master delays any longer, I fear it will not end well."

Lian Zhou felt a chill in his heart.

From her tone, could it be that she had already sensed his master’s critical condition—no, that couldn't be right. His master had been inside the carriage the whole time; how could she have seen him?

He must be too on edge from recent events, seeing enemies everywhere.

She was just a young woman in a small-town clinic; it would be impressive if she knew even the basics. How could she possibly know so much?

Ye Chutang thanked Auntie Yang and invited the guests into the clinic.

Auntie Yang looked at that slender, graceful figure and shook her head in sympathy.

"Oh, a young girl, supporting her whole family alone—it’s truly hard..."

...

Once Ye Chutang entered the room and saw the patient, she regretted it—she regretted asking for such a low fee, and she regretted taking this case even more.

The man looked to be about twenty. He had a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and an air of hidden brilliance. Despite his pale complexion, he was strikingly handsome.

He was the best-looking man she had seen in Jiangling—no, in both of her lifetimes.

His attire was understated, his temperament cold, and he carried an indescribable air of nobility.

How could this be an ordinary gentleman?

He had two wounds, one on his left chest and one on his right abdomen, both pierced by sharp arrows. It looked like it had been some time, but the wounds were festering and refused to heal—it was clear they were poisoned!

Someone was trying to kill him! Anyone could tell that only a deep-seated hatred would lead to such a lethal strike.

If she wasn't careful, she would be dragged into this too.

Ye Chutang: "..."

She hated patients who lacked boundaries.

Seeing her expression darken, Lian Zhou grew anxious. "What? You can't treat him?"

He knew he shouldn't have held out hope for such a small clinic...

After taking his pulse, Ye Chutang stood up and felt like laughing at his words.

As the thirty-first successor of an ancient medical family, she didn't know how many people had begged for her treatment in vain.

When she died unexpectedly, she hadn't yet become the sect leader, but she had spent the first twenty-plus years of her life preparing for it, striving to master every skill. She was a true workaholic, yet here she was, reborn, only to have her professional abilities questioned repeatedly.

"I can treat him." She wrote out a prescription and handed it to Lian Zhou. "Turn right out the door and go get the medicine. Also, this is a secret family recipe; it’s two hundred taels."

Lian Zhou: "..."

He refused to leave. His master was left with only him now, and with danger lurking everywhere, he couldn't let his guard down.

"I must stay with my master."

Ye Chutang said calmly, "If he doesn't drink this medicine within an hour, your master won't need you to guard him anymore."

Lian Zhou’s eyelid twitched. Just as he was about to retort, he saw his master smile slightly.

"Go."

Lian Zhou had no choice but to obey and hurried out.

The room was left with only the two of them, very quiet.

Ye Chutang picked up a pair of scissors and looked at the man lying on the bed, gesturing toward his left chest.

"I’m going to start. You don't mind, do you?"

The man looked at her with deep, dark eyes and smiled faintly.

"Please."

...

When Lian Zhou returned, he saw his master lying there with his eyes closed, his clothes in disarray.

"Master!" He rushed forward in a panic.

"The dressing has been changed." Ye Chutang took the medicine he had brought back, preparing to decoct it. As she walked out, she said, "He is severely injured, and there is residual poison in his body. He is weak, so let him rest. He can drink the medicine once it’s ready."

Only then did Lian Zhou realize he had misunderstood, and his heart finally settled.

"Th-thank you!"

Ye Chutang had only taken a few steps when a small, milky toddler rushed out of the courtyard and threw himself at her.

She looked down at that chubby, fair little face and couldn't help but smile.

"Awake? Are you hungry? Do you want some osmanthus cake?"

The toddler looked at her with eyes like black grapes and nodded vigorously.

Ye Chutang pinched the toddler’s cheek.

In the room behind them, the man lying on the bed opened his eyes at some point.

Lian Zhou finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! Who would have thought the doctor of this small clinic actually has some real skills? She’s truly hiding her talents!"

Shen Yanchuan watched the scene in the courtyard quietly, thoughtful, and nodded slightly.

"Indeed. Unexpectedly, she is so young, yet her child is already this big."