Old acquaintance?
"Old acquaintance?" Miss Jun asked, with a degree of seemingly reasonable surprise.
"Yes." Mr. Gu's expression was gentle, tinged with reminiscence, "He also mentioned that smallpox could be prevented by using poison to counteract poison."
Old acquaintance, Mr. Gu and my master were old acquaintances?
Miss Jun's heart was a tumultuous sea of shock.
Was this true? Or was it just a deception?
"Really?" Miss Jun looked surprised with a hint of joy, "Is Mr. Gu's old acquaintance also a doctor? Where is he from? Where is he now?"
Mr. Gu smiled.
"No, he's not a doctor," he said.
The astonishment in Miss Jun's heart grew even greater than before, mixed with a complex array of emotions.
Master's fame in the world was that of a divine doctor, everyone referred to him as such.
Yet Master always said he wasn't a doctor.
Now there was another person saying the same.
Could it really be an old acquaintance?
Like Zhu Zan?
Master, how many old acquaintances do you actually have?
Miss Jun felt a sourness in her heart.
"Then?" She looked at Mr. Gu with a surprised expression, full of confusion, "Who is he?"
"He is a man of great talent, deserving to be called 'master'," Mr. Gu said.
Miss Jun was not unfamiliar with these words; Mr. Gu had said the same to her when he first arrived at Prince Huai's mansion.
At that time, she had too many thoughts in her mind and only felt that something was odd about his words, but was too indifferent to pinpoint the strangeness.
Now, hearing it again, Miss Jun had a sudden realization - the strangeness lay in Mr. Gu not addressing her master as a divine doctor or physician, like others did.
Could it really be an old acquaintance.
Miss Jun's heart sank into a deep quietude.
"Is that so?" Her expression became somewhat excited, "Although he's not a physician, to think of these things he must indeed be a man of great talent. I wonder if Mr. Gu could introduce me?"
Mr. Gu looked at her for a moment, smiled, and shook his head.
"I can't?" Miss Jun said hastily, somewhat unwilling to accept it, "Although I have found a way to inoculate, there are still many doubts and questions I have. Mr. Gu mentioned that this master had early suggestions, I wonder if he could discuss and resolve my uncertainties."
Mr. Gu's smile was serene, and his expression bore a trace of wistfulness.
"To say he's an old acquaintance is because it's been a long time since we last met," he said, "I don't know how to find him."
Miss Jun uttered a sound of disappointment.
"But a long time apart doesn't necessarily mean forever," she smiled again with a hint of hope, "If Mr. Gu sees him, please make sure to introduce me."
As she spoke, she bowed respectfully.
Mr. Gu hurriedly returned the bow.
"Then, three days from now, Miss Jun, please come back to reassess Prince Huai," he said.
Miss Jun agreed and bowed again, then picked up her medicine box, turned around, and took a step forward.
The gaze from behind followed her.
This gaze was different from Lu Yunqi's - gentle and warm, like watching a child setting off from home.
For some reason, Miss Jun felt like crying.
Of course, it wasn't just Mr. Gu's few words, from an unknown origin and unfathomable mind, that had so unsettled her heart to the point of tears, both sorrowful and joyful. It was because of her master.
This man, who had already disappeared from her life, yet was still so significant and ubiquitous.
"I don't know if he's still in this world."
Mr. Gu's voice suddenly uttered from behind.
It seemed like a question, yet also like he was talking to himself.
Miss Jun's footsteps paused, and she turned her head to look back, seeing Mr. Gu standing with his hands behind his back, smiling at her, and waving his hand.
"Go on, go on," he said.
Miss Jun bowed to him again, turned her head, and left.
She stepped over the threshold, walked the paved path, led by two eunuchs in front.
The dense vitality of March in spring enveloped Prince Huai's mansion, which was lush with flowers and willows.
Yet Miss Jun felt nothing but desolation.
He was no longer there.
He was no longer there.
He was no longer there.
He … was no longer there.
............…..
Miss Jun was eager to return to Jiuling Hall; she was desperate to look at that handwritten note, which had been at the bottom of her medicine chest and hadn't been opened since she took it out.
Before the Jinyiwei's carriage had come to a complete stop, she lifted the curtain, jumped down, and went straight into Jiuling Hall.
"I'm back," Miss Jun looked around the hall.
Just as quiet as before, Jiuling Hall was, however, now filled with people: Seventh Chen, Jinxiu, Liu'er, the shop assistants, and Manager Liu were all there, turning their heads at the sound.
They appeared surprised.
Surprised? Surprised that she returned so quickly?
Miss Jun smiled at them.
"I'm back," she repeated, "Prince Huai is in good health and doesn't need any medicine."
Nobody responded to her words, not even Liu'er, who would normally have been jumping and calling out with joy; they just stood there, still looking at her with expressions of amazement.
"What's going on?" Miss Jun asked, somewhat puzzled.
Seventh Chen and Manager Liu stepped aside, revealing several chests wrapped in red cloth in the center of the hall.
What was this?
"Miss Jun." Manager Liu spoke with a complicated expression, "Thousand-Man Commander Lu intends to take you as his concubine; you know this, right?"
Take me as his concubine?
Miss Jun was astonished.
And what was that tone? How would I know?
The air in Jiuling Hall felt strange.
Miss Jun looked at the chests in the hall.
The red lacquer and red cloth highlighted a strong sense of joy, which clashed starkly with the strange atmosphere.
"When did this happen?" she asked.
It was truly bizarre.
She had been gone for less than half a day; how could such a thing have happened?
As her voice fell, Seventh Chen breathed a sigh of relief, and Fang Jinxiu gave a thumbs up.
"Just like Jinxiu said, Miss Jun would definitely be unaware of this," he said.
Of course, she was unaware.
This was utterly absurd.
But on second thought, it wasn't entirely absurd, as Miss Jun's gaze swept over the people present.
Seventh Chen said Jinxiu knew for sure that she would be unaware, which meant that she believed the matter of Lu Yunqi taking a concubine had nothing to do with her.
This kind of thought might be easy to have but was not something that everyone would naturally come to.
She had resided in Prince Huai's mansion for a month, and as Prince Huai's brother-in-law, Thousand-Man Commander Lu had also been around day and night. Then she stayed at Guanghua Temple for nearly two months, and Lu Yunqi, obeying the orders of the Jinyiwei, had also resided there for two months. Moreover, the two of them had a rather intense confrontation under the watch of the townsfolk.
For the public, a fierce confrontation between a young man and woman wasn't much to be concerned about, and it might even be considered a good story.
Especially since afterwards, the two had spent such a long time in each other's company, back and forth.
With Prince Huai's illness cured, the difficult struggle against smallpox overcome, and both family and state affairs ending happily, and even this morning he came to invite her to Prince Huai's mansion, caring for Prince Huai, and as his savior from death, Princess Jiuli would certainly be extremely grateful and respectful.
In such a situation, the arrival of Thousand-Man Commander Lu's betrothal gifts should be a reasonable and delightful matter, perhaps even believed to be something already agreed upon by them.
Hence Manager Liu's probing tone and Seventh Chen's sigh of relief.
Miss Jun looked at the betrothal gifts, frowning.
What is all this?!
This matter is too baffling, but it does make sense upon consideration.
No wonder Manager Liu and Seventh Chen would think this way.
Except for Fang Jinxiu.
Fang Jinxiu furrowed her brow.
"That's because you don't know her," she said. "A person like Jun Zhenzhen, how could she become someone's concubine."
"Exactly," Liu'er chimed in. "Even if she were to marry, our Miss would have to be the principal wife, not even a princess would do."
Manager Liu exclaimed in annoyance, what nonsense this foolish girl was spouting.
"Miss Jun, what exactly is going on?" he asked, his expression grave. "You really didn't know about it?"
"Of course, I didn't know," Miss Jun replied.
These past few days, Lu Yunqi, aside from keeping his gaze fixed on her, had not approached her, nor had he spoken anything more, although he seemed to have something to say. The way he looked at her was different from before, but she truly did not expect him to take such an action.
It's not to say it's completely unexpected, she actually did know why Lu Yunqi would take such action, only that she didn't anticipate it would be so abrupt.
She looked in a certain direction, towards Lu Yunqi's private residence, at those women he kept, those who resembled Princess Jiuli in eyebrows, eyes, facial features, figure, or voice.
Speaking of resemblance, although her appearance had changed, if she wished, who in the world could resemble Princess Jiuli more than her?
That incident had stopped Lu Yunqi from further questioning and doubting her motives, but it completely captured his attention.
Even though he did not question or observe any further, just like Mr. Gu said today.
"People like Thousand-Man Commander Lu don't speculate about things; they just act."
It is not surprising that he would do such a nauseating thing.
"Oh, this isn't surprising at all!" Seventh Chen also had a moment of realization and clapped his hands. "Since Miss Jun didn't know, then this matter becomes clear."
How does that make it clear?
The people in the room all looked at him.
"It's very clear," Seventh Chen said, pointing towards the sign outside the door, "Thousand-Man Commander Lu harbors a grudge against our Jiuling Hall. He's determined to smash our hall's plaque, but since he couldn't fulfill his wish last time, and now first Miss Jun has cured Prince Huai, followed by finding a way to control smallpox, both of which have greatly increased her fame. The emperor is going to bestow rewards, and the people respect and protect her; Thousand-Man Commander Lu won't have any opportunity to find fault now."
As he spoke, he walked a few steps, the gaze of everyone followed him.
"So Thousand-Man Commander Lu thought of this plan," he stopped, his expression indignant, pointing at Miss Jun, "saying he wants to take Miss Jun as a concubine."
"Does this mean Miss can no longer open a medical clinic?" Liu'er asked.
Seventh Chen waved a finger at her.
"Naïve," he said. "Do you think men like Thousand-Man Commander Lu would be so simple as to just lock someone up to solve the problem?"
Liu'er pouted.
"He doesn't really want to take Miss Jun as a concubine," Seventh Chen said with a somber expression. "He wants to destroy Miss Jun's reputation."
Miss Jun is a doctor, and moreover, a female doctor, now she just treated Prince Huai and immediately after, Prince Huai's brother-in-law took a fancy to her and wants her into his household—once this spreads, what will people think?
Everyone will react like Shopkeeper Liu, or even worse, they will simply think that Thousand-Man Commander Lu and Miss Jun have engaged in improper relations.
Even if she is the benefactor who cured Prince Huai, Princess Jiuli would not want to see someone tempt her husband.
"Our Miss just has to refuse to prove there's nothing like that," Liu'er said.
But the people in the hall did not look relieved at all.
"Refuse, of course, she will refuse, but refusal can't have an absolute effect," Seventh Chen said.
"Manager Chen is right," Shopkeeper Liu added, "Such behavior, such venomous and despicable tactics, are indeed their style."
They naturally referred to the Jinyiwei.
Especially since Miss Jun had become famous by treating women of noble households, if every time she went to visit a household to treat someone and the man of the house took a fancy to her, who would dare to invite her in the future.
Liu'er's eyes widened.
"My Miss is beautiful, and a good person, being liked is only natural. What does it have to do with my Miss? Just to treat someone, should she disfigure her face?" she said. "Instead of teaching their own men, they envy my Miss—let these people die of illness, who cares about them."
Indeed, Seventh Chen and Shopkeeper Liu were speechless for a moment, looking at Liu'er, as Miss Jun laughed.
"Yes, who cares," she said, stretching out her hand to pat Liu'er's head.
The atmosphere in the hall lightened a bit because of her laugh, or perhaps because they confirmed it was not a mutual affection but a conspiracy.
...............….
Imperial Physician Jiang inside the Imperial Hospital was somewhat surprised as he looked at his disciple.
"What did you say?" he asked. "What did Lord Lu send to Jiuling Hall?"
Doctor Geng's expression was peculiar.
"The engagement gifts have been delivered," he whispered, winking and grimacing.
Imperial Physician Jiang was at a loss for a moment.
"Why?" he asked.
Doctor Geng chuckled.
"Of course, it's because Miss Jun is formidable. In one month of treating illnesses at Prince Huai's mansion, and two months at Guanghua Temple, she not only cured Prince Huai and saved the people, but also captured the heart of Thousand-Man Commander Lu," he said.
Imperial Physician Jiang finally caught on, his expression stunned, then he frowned with a look of disdain.
"What utter nonsense," he said, "Ridiculous."
Doctor Geng chuckled.
"Master, your kind heart is devoted to the practice of medicine, and you're unaware of the thoughts of these young ladies," he said. "For them, it is also a talent. That is Thousand-Man Commander Lu after all..."
He stroked his chin as he spoke.
"Though Thousand-Man Commander Lu may be intimidating by reputation, he actually isn't bad-looking, and he holds a position of great power and influence. Marrying him means wealth and honour for the whole family. Although Thousand-Man Commander Lu has kept many women outside, they were all just playthings given to him, none even worthy of being a concubine. This is the first time he has given an engagement gift; Miss Jun is indeed very capable."
Imperial Physician Jiang's face grew serious before he suddenly laughed.
Thousand-Man Commander Lu captured by a young girl?
Could Thousand-Man Commander Lu really be such a man? That would be too laughable.
"I've long said that Thousand-Man Commander Lu is not that kind of person," he said. "It seems when he does act, it's enough to make one sick."
So what if you're noble and virtuous, and a savior to the world?
All it takes is one pull from a hand reaching out of a filthy mud pond, and you're stained with their rotten mire.
"Indeed, it takes villains to polish a good person," Imperial Physician Jiang swept away the resentment in his brow that had been accumulating for days, leaning back in his chair with a light smile, stroking his beard, "We're not the ones to deal with Miss Jun. Let's leave it to Thousand-Man Commander Lu."
*********
Two chapters combined into one update.
Thank you to Purple Star Qi Yue, Ice from the South, ?The Last Shot?, and _momo_lina for rewarding with He's Bi.
Suddenly feeling the various encounters this book has had along the way, I choose to borrow the lyrics of "Ninety-Nine Eighty-One" to share and encourage a reflection with friends who've been with us throughout the journey.
On the road, encountering tigers and bears in Gongzhou.
Archer on horseback, the Sand River blocking the difficult path.
On the ridge, advancing against the strong yellow winds.
Fire Cloud striking openly, while hidden arrows are hard to defend against.
Demons from all sides thirstily drinking my vulnerability.
A myriad of evils collapse my silence.
Bearing the burdens of this rough road on my shoulders,
I've no need for others to engage in chatter if I remain silent.
Many authors mock my greed,
Don't fault my half-life of foolish passions.
Living as a suave traveler, charmed by tender beauties,
I only wish to devote myself to the true beauties of this world.
The fleeting life of a thousand trials washes away my contours,
Even amidst the dust and storm,
As thunderstorms rage, I still sing loudly.
Seventy-two types of courage,
This time I decide not to dodge.
World Venerable Buddha questions my determination.
Back when I carved my name in the Turquoise Pool,
I made a commotion carefree, without thinking too much.
Culpability manipulated my karma,
But my stubborn heart refuses to admit mistakes, unwilling to reflect.
---The chargeable word count is 4000, 4400 words, currently at 4200, the excess is not charged for, it has been considered and cut, please be assured.