At night, the gates of Renxin dical Hall were firmly shut.
Ah Cheng and Miao Liangfang had both gone ho, and after Lu Tong had finished organizing the dicinal materials in the backyard, she returned to her room and saw Yin Zheng sitting under the lamp, sorting through newly sewn threads.
Lu Tong set down the lamp, and Yin Zheng looked up at her and smiled, "Ge Tailor Shop has just brought in a few rolls of fabric. Fall is upon us, and it won’t be long before it cools down. You should find so ti to make a couple of new outfits."
Lu Tong nodded, sat down beside her, thought for a mont, and finally asked what had been on her mind.
"Shopkeeper Du had...before,"
Yin Zheng was taken aback, then said with a sense of resignation, "How could Ah Cheng tell you everything?"
That was as good as an admission.
"You rejected him?" Lu Tong asked, "Don’t you like Shopkeeper Du?"
It was only the early spring of last year when she had arrived in Shengjing, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the second Qixi Festival. Lu Tong wasn’t keen on prying into Yin Zheng’s private affairs. Since she had started at the Hanlin dical Institute, she had been too busy to attend to the many matters of the dical hall. Not to ntion matters of the heart—she herself was still naive. When did Du Changqing fall for Yin Zheng? Since when did the undercurrents between the two begin? Only now did she realize the subtleties.
"Whether or not he likes , what does it matter," said Yin Zheng, looking down as she gathered the silk threads, "We’re not a good match."
"Why aren’t you a good match?"
Yin Zheng paused her gathering of threads, pursed her lips, and sighed as she looked at the scraps of fabric in the basket.
"Shopkeeper Du doesn’t know my background. Are you unaware of it too?" she asked softly, "What I was like before, ordinary n would avoid like the plague. Though Shopkeeper Du has his shortcomings, he is a good man. There are plenty of good won suitable for him—how could he end up with soone like ?"
Lu Tong said, "I don’t think your status makes you unworthy of him."
Yin Zheng was taken aback for a mont, then smiled at her gratefully.
"I know you have never looked down on , and what you just said was sincere. But it’s different."
Lu Tong furrowed her brow, "How is it different?"
Yin Zheng didn’t reply.
Lu Tong continued, "Even if you now tell Du Changqing about your past, he might not despise you. It seems that you have preemptively sentenced him."
Having spent a long ti in Renxin dical Hall, Lu Tong thought she understood Du Changqing to so extent. He was not the type to judge people based on their status. He had a kind heart, or else he wouldn’t have agreed to allow the destitute Miao Liangfang to practice dicine in the hall in the first place.
Scattered scraps of fabric lay tangled on the table while Yin Zheng gave a bitter smile.
"Mistress, I’m not afraid of his contempt. You’re right, even if Shopkeeper Du now knew that I fell to the Su Nan Brothel, he might not scorn . But what I fear is the truth that though he may not care now, a thorn might grow in his heart later on."
She shook her head, "I’ve spent so many years in the brothel, seen too much of the fickleness of the human heart. What if he can’t endure the whispers behind his back later on? What if he cos to regret it?"
"I don’t want to spend the long days ahead wearing down our affection, becoming a resentful couple. Nor do I want to gamble. Right now, living a quiet life is good enough for ."
"But," Lu Tong said, "if you truly like him, it would be a pity to let this slip by."
Yin Zheng smiled again.
Picking up the half-read storybook from the table, she said, "Mistress, look at these romantic dramas, each with a true tale and a happy ending. But where in the world are there so many perfect outcos? Therefore, it’s best not to start sothing that has no ending."
"I fear his regret, so I’d rather not begin at all. Do you understand, Mistress?"
Lu Tong shook her head, "I don’t understand."
All she felt was regret for Yin Zheng.
"If you don’t understand, then so be it," Yin Zheng said with a smile, bowing her head and standing up with the basket in her arms, "I would rather you never understand, for if soone steals your heart, you shouldn’t worry about anything and just be together happily."
Glancing at the diminishing lamp oil, she said, "It’s getting late, I have to prepare dicines for Mr. Miao early tomorrow. You should also rest soon—reading too long at night is bad for your eyes." After murmuring a few more instructions, she carried the basket and left.
After Yin Zheng left, Lu Tong still sat at the table.
It was quiet at night, she had already freshened up, planning to take down her hairpin and change her inner garnt.
Just as she raised her hand, her fingertips brushed the hair ornant and hesitated montarily.
The hair comb was exquisite, and as she ran her fingers over it, she felt the slightly raised engravings.
Yin Zheng’s words echoed in her ears.
Better not to start sothing that has no ending.
...
A few days passed, and the air grew heavier with moisture that ford frost, welcoming the White Dew season in Shengjing.
According to the "Compendium of Materia dica," the dew on the tips of a hundred herbs in autumn, if collected before it evaporates, can cure hundreds of diseases, quench thirst, lighten the body, and nourish the skin.
The maidservants from the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion rose early to collect the autumn dew in plates, brewing it into tea to clear the lungs and prevent autumn dryness.
Qi Qing lifted the cup of tea from the table, took a sip of the freshly brewed White Dew tea—its sweet and llow taste tempering the slight dryness of recent days.
The Crown Prince had been placed under house arrest.
At this critical juncture, with the Third Prince Yuan Yao’s influence growing and the Qi Family facing continuous troubles, Emperor Liang Ming’s move was undoubtedly kicking the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion while it was down, with no regard for its dignity.
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