Under Lin Yue's careful management, the Jishi Medical Hall became a place of hope for patients in the palace and among the common people. As soon as the first rays of dawn broke through the carved window lattices and spilled onto every corner of the medical hall, Lin Yue would start her busy day. She walked hurriedly, shuttling between the patient rooms. Her eyes were focused and determined, not missing any subtle changes in the patients' symptoms. The pulse pillows and silver needles in her hands seemed to be endowed with mysterious healing powers under her gentle yet precise operations.
During her free time, Lin Yue always imparted the medical knowledge she brought from modern times to those young doctors without reservation. Her voice was gentle and patient, echoing softly in the medical hall, just like the warm sun in spring, giving these young students who had just entered the medical field endless warmth and inspiration.
Li Yunfei, the man who had closely guarded Lin Yue through countless life - and - death moments, had long been deeply integrated into her life and become an indispensable part of her. They had once traveled over mountains and through valleys together, searching for rare herbs, seeking vitality on the edges of steep cliffs. They had both racked their brains to treat difficult and complicated diseases, staying up through countless long nights, witnessing too many miracles and passings - away of life. The trials and tribulations they had experienced together had made their relationship grow deeper and more unshakable over time. They had thought that this relationship would be like a towering mountain, standing firm despite the passage of time and the onslaught of wind and rain, and that they would walk hand in hand through every spring, autumn, winter, and summer in the future.
However, the gears of fate always turn quietly and unexpectedly. A painful seed was quietly sown on an ordinary - looking day.
Good news came from the palace. To celebrate the effective control of the border epidemic, the Emperor decided to hold a grand banquet to reward the ministers and at the same time demonstrate the prosperity of the Great Tang Dynasty. Lin Yue was also among the invitees. The moment she learned the news, her eyes sparkled with joy. She carefully selected a light - blue dress with delicate orchids embroidered on the hem. The silk threads glistened with a soft luster in the sunlight, and each orchid was vivid, just like the newly - bloomed flower buds in spring, exuding a fresh and elegant aura. She applied a little makeup, and her carefully - drawn eyebrows and eyes were full of anticipation. She was looking forward to meeting Li Yunfei at the banquet, sharing their experiences and joys during this period, and feeling this rare peace and happiness in this lively and bustling atmosphere.
On the day of the banquet, the entire imperial palace was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, bustling with excitement. The magnificent palaces were illuminated by the lights, resplendent and magnificent. The glazed tiles sparkled with a dazzling light under the illumination of the lights, as if countless bright stars were inlaid on them. The melodious sound of silk and bamboo instruments floated gently in the air, like the gurgling mountain streams, clear and pleasant, adding a bit of elegance and romance to the banquet. The dancing girls, dressed in gorgeous dance costumes, had graceful figures and danced gracefully. Their light steps were like the butterflies fluttering among the flowers, lively and beautiful. Tables and tables were filled with sumptuous delicacies, and the aroma of wine filled the air. Each delicate dish exuded an alluring fragrance, and every dish was like a work of art, making people salivate. The ministers, dressed in splendid clothes, raised their glasses to celebrate, with joyful smiles on their faces. The entire banquet hall was filled with laughter and chatter.
Lin Yue shuttled through the crowd, her eyes eagerly searching for Li Yunfei's figure in the sea of people. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a sweet smile, and her heart was
full of anticipation. She nodded politely to the people around her from time to time, responding to their greetings, but her mind was completely not on this lively banquet. Her heart and eyes were only on the person she missed so much, longing to see him soon.
Just then, a slight commotion attracted everyone's attention. A woman in a gorgeous palace dress walked gracefully. She was Liu Shihan, the daughter of Minister Liu in the court. Liu Shihan had a beautiful face and skin as white as snow, as pure and flawless as the first snow in winter. Her bright eyes sparkled, as if they contained the stars in the sky, dazzlingly beautiful. Every gesture of hers exuded elegance. She was not only outstanding in appearance but also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with remarkable talent. She was the dream girl of many young masters in the capital. Her appearance instantly became the focus of the banquet, like the most dazzling star in the night sky, attracting many young masters to gather around her, vying to pay her compliments, hoping to win her favor.
The first time Liu Shihan saw Li Yunfei, she was attracted by his handsome face and sturdy figure. Especially the resolute and brave temperament on him was like a magnet, deeply attracting her and making her heart pound. Since then, Liu Shihan began to approach Li Yunfei intentionally or unintentionally. She often dressed up carefully and "encountered" him on the way where Li Yunfei patrolled. Every time, she greeted him with a sweet smile, pretending to be casual; or she found various excuses to get close to Li Yunfei, actually wanting to spend more time with him and get to know each other better.
At first, Li Yunfei didn't take Liu Shihan's actions to heart, just regarding them as the momentary curiosity and playfulness of a young lady. He politely responded to Liu Shihan's enthusiasm, keeping an appropriate distance in every conversation, and the words were just polite greetings. However, as time passed, Liu Shihan's offensive became more and more fierce. She not only frequently created opportunities to meet Li Yunfei but also often gave him some carefully - prepared gifts, such as a sharp sword with dazzling gemstones inlaid on the scabbard, which sparkled charmingly in the sun; or a landscape painting painted by herself, with her talent and affection flowing between the lines. In her words, she didn't hide her admiration for Li Yunfei at all.
Li Yunfei gradually became a bit at a loss. Although he was deeply in love with Lin Yue, faced with Liu Shihan's such passionate pursuit, he couldn't help feeling a bit flustered. He began to deliberately avoid Liu Shihan. Every time he saw her coming, he would find an excuse to leave in a hurry. But Liu Shihan didn't seem to care at all and still went her own way, which put Li Yunfei in a dilemma, full of entanglement and helplessness.
Lin Yue was a woman with a delicate mind. She quickly noticed Li Yunfei's strangeness. He no longer came to her as soon as he was free to share the little things in life with her. When they were together, he often seemed absent - minded, and there seemed to be some unspeakable worries in his eyes. Lin Yue felt faintly uneasy. She really wanted to have a good talk with Li Yunfei to figure out what was wrong with him. But every time she saw the tired look on her beloved's face, the words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back. She felt sorry that he was so tired every day and didn't want to add to his troubles at this time. She chose to wait silently, hoping that Li Yunfei would take the initiative to confide in her.
Finally, on a moonlit night, Lin Yue, as usual, took a walk in the garden, trying to relieve the boredom in her heart. The moonlight was like mercury, spilling on the path, like a layer of silver frost. It was quiet all around, and only the occasional chirping of insects added to the tranquility of the night. As she walked, she suddenly saw two familiar figures in front of her. In the moonlight, Li Yunfei and Liu Shihan were standing beside a flower bed, talking. Liu Shihan had a shy face, slightly lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, and from time to time, she raised her head and looked at Li Yunfei affectionately. And in Li Yunfei's eyes, there was also a
trace of tenderness that had never been there before, an expression that Lin Yue had never seen in his eyes.
At that moment, Lin Yue felt as if the sky was spinning and the earth was turning, as if the whole world had collapsed in an instant. Her feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, unable to move an inch. The pain in her heart surged like a violent tide, completely submerging her. She just couldn't figure out how Li Yunfei, who had shared life and death with her, could develop feelings for another woman in such a short time. Were all the trials and tribulations they had experienced together, all the vows and promises they had made, just an illusory dream?
Lin Yue held back her tears and turned around to run back to her room. As soon as she entered the room, she could no longer control her emotions, and the tears burst out. She threw herself on the bed, covered her head tightly with the quilt, and her suppressed sobs echoed in the quiet room. That night, she didn't sleep a wink. Pictures of Li Yunfei and Liu Shihan together kept emerging in her mind. The pain in her heart was like a sharp blade, stabbing her heart again and again, making her miserable.
In the following days, Lin Yue fell into the abyss of pain and was absent - minded all day long. When she was diagnosing and treating patients in the medical hall, she often lost her focus and couldn't read the medical books in her hands. The luster in her eyes was gone, and they became dull. She became increasingly haggard. Her originally rosy cheeks became as pale as paper, and her figure seemed to have become much thinner, as if a gust of wind could blow her down. However, it seemed that fate thought she wasn't suffering enough and presented her with an even more difficult problem. Soon after, Liu Shihan suddenly fell ill, and her condition was very tricky. She had a persistent high fever, extreme weakness, red spots on her skin, and severe coughing. Every cough seemed to be tearing her body apart, making her suffer terribly. She was lying weakly on the bed, with pain and helplessness in her eyes. Liu Shihan's father, Minister Liu, was extremely anxious. He visited famous doctors everywhere but got nothing. Hearing that Lin Yue had superb medical skills and had successfully treated many difficult and complicated diseases, Minister Liu personally came to the medical hall and begged Lin Yue to treat his daughter. He came to the medical hall, looking anxious, with worry in his eyes. When he saw Lin Yue, he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Miss Lin, my daughter is seriously ill. Please save her."
After learning the news, Lin Yue's heart was full of bitterness. On one side was the new love of the man she loved deeply who had fallen in love with another, and on the other side was the duty of a doctor. She was caught in a painful struggle, constantly entangled and conflicted in her heart. She hated Liu Shihan for stealing Li Yunfei. During those painful days and nights, she had spent them in yearning and heart - break. But as a doctor, saving lives and curing the sick was her mission. How could she stand by and watch a patient die? After a painful choice, Lin Yue finally decided to put aside her personal feelings and focus on her medical skills.
Lin Yue came to Liu Shihan's residence. She took a deep breath, tried to calm her emotions, and endured the pain in her heart to carefully diagnose and treat Liu Shihan. She gently held Liu Shihan's wrist, seriously took her pulse, feeling the subtle changes in her pulse; then carefully observed her tongue coating and inquired about her daily life and symptoms. Relying on her superb medical skills and rich experience, Lin Yue judged that Liu Shihan's illness was caused by the imbalance of yin and yang in the body and the invasion of external pathogenic factors. This kind of disease was very complex and required a lot of energy and time to treat.
Back in the medical hall, Lin Yue plunged into the piles of medical books. She flipped through a large number of medical books, combining modern medical knowledge, trying to find the most effective treatment method. In the dim light, she flipped through the pages one by one, sometimes frowning tightly, sometimes thinking thoughtfully. The yellowed pages turned under
her fingertips. She didn't miss any potentially useful information. When she was tired, she would rub her sore eyes and continue to look up. After several days and nights of hard work, she finally developed a detailed treatment plan for Liu Shihan, including traditional Chinese medicine conditioning, acupuncture treatment, and dietary regulation.
During the treatment process, Lin Yue went to Liu Shihan's residence on time every day to give her acupuncture and medicine. Every time she faced Liu Shihan, her heart was bleeding, but she never slacked off for a moment. She focused on inserting the needles for Liu Shihan, carefully adjusting the angle and depth of each needle. Each silver needle that fell carried her responsibility and commitment as a doctor. She personally decocted the traditional Chinese medicine, watching the medicine soup rolling over the fire, silently praying in her heart that Liu Shihan would recover soon. Although there was pain in her eyes, there was more firmness and responsibility as a doctor, a kind of respect and protection for life.
As time passed, Liu Shihan's condition gradually improved. Her high fever subsided, the red spots slowly disappeared, and her cough has eased a lot. Liu Shihan was extremely grateful to Lin Yue. She took Lin Yue's hand, with grateful tears in her eyes, and said, "Miss Lin, if it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have already lost my life. Your great kindness and virtue, I, Liu Shihan, will never forget." Lin Yue forced a faint smile and said softly, "This is my duty as a doctor. I'm also very happy that you can recover."
However, Lin Yue became even more haggard during this period. The ruddiness on her face was gone, and her eyes were full of fatigue and pain. She didn't know how to face Li Yunfei, nor did she know where this relationship was going. Whenever it was late at night and everything was quiet, she would sit alone by the window, looking at the bright moon, and crying silently. The pain in her heart didn't ease at all because of Liu Shihan's improvement but became even heavier. And Li Yunfei also seemed to notice Lin Yue's strangeness. Looking at Lin Yue's increasingly haggard face, his heart was full of guilt and worry. But he still didn't have the courage to explain to Lin Yue. The relationship between the two became more and more delicate, as if a layer of tissue paper, which could be easily pierced but no one dared to touch. This relationship was tottering in the wind and rain, and the future road was full of confusion and unknowns.