Chen Ji looked out of the clinic door. The area in front of the steamed bun shop was now empty, as if no one had ever stood there gazing at them.

He spoke, “We need to figure out first if this person was following the Young Master or the County Princess. Young Master, have you ever been followed by this person when you were alone?”

The Young Master shook his head, “No.”

“County Princess, have you ever encountered this person when you were out alone?”

Bai Li replied, “Yes, I have. I remember at the Lantern Festival temple fair last year, my brother was drinking with his jianghu friends, and I took my maid to guess lantern riddles. That person was also hidden in the crowd, secretly watching me.”

“County Princess, have you ever mentioned this to Consort Yun?”

“Yes, I did. My mother told me not to overthink it, saying it might just be a coincidence.”

Chen Ji was slightly taken aback.

By a normal person’s logic, if their daughter were being followed by a strange man, their first reaction would be to send someone to protect her, not to tell her not to overthink it.

Consort Yun likely knew who that person was.

Just then, a burst of hoofbeats interrupted Chen Ji and the others’ thoughts. A reddish-brown steed abruptly stopped in front of the Taiping Clinic.

Everyone in the clinic stopped talking, their gazes drawn towards it. The reddish-brown steed and its rider seemed born to be the protagonists on a stage, always the most dazzling, whether performing a *qingyi* or a *huadan* role.

The reddish-brown steed was drenched in sweat, shimmering with a misty haze in the early winter sun.

Its wooden saddle, inlaid with silver, was adorned with gold threads and gemstones. A girl in red dismounted, casually tossing her riding crop, which the steed, as if intelligent, caught in its mouth.

The reins didn’t need to be tied anywhere; the reddish-brown steed simply stood by the clinic entrance, not moving.

The girl, dressed in a practical polo outfit, walked directly into the Taiping Clinic and asked loudly, “Who is Chen Ji?”

Everyone instinctively looked towards Chen Ji, who stood calmly behind the counter and said, “I am.”

The girl, as if no one else was present, approached the counter and meticulously scrutinized the wooden hairpin in Chen Ji’s hair and his grey cloth robe, which had been washed so much it had lost its sizing and turned whitish.

The girl looked at Chen Ji across the mahogany counter and asked directly, “Have you studied?”

“Yes, I have.”

The girl continued, “Among *The Great Learning*, *The Analects*, *Mencius*, and *The Doctrine of the Mean*, which one are you most proficient in?”

Chen Ji paused, “I’m not proficient in any of those.”

The girl frowned slightly and asked again, “Among the Six Arts—five rites, five forms of archery, six types of music, six methods of charioteering, six styles of calligraphy, and nine mathematical operations—which one are you skilled in?”

Chen Ji thought for a moment before replying, “I suppose I’m decent at the nine mathematical operations.”

The girl’s frown deepened. “Can you write poetry? If you have, let me see some.”

Chen Ji shook his head, “No.”

Liu Quxing, She Dengke, Bai Li, the Young Master, and the others exchanged bewildered glances, still trying to understand the situation.

This girl had appeared so abruptly and forcefully, as if she had fallen from the sky.

The girl stood before the counter, scrutinizing Chen Ji. She remained silent for a long moment, appearing conflicted or struggling with something.

Finally, she briskly rolled up her sleeve and placed her slender wrist on the counter. “Diagnose me.”

Chen Ji softly said, “Miss, I am only a junior apprentice at this Taiping Clinic. My studies are incomplete; I cannot diagnose patients yet. The elder over there is my master; you should consult him for a diagnosis.”

*Clang*.

The girl took a silver ingot from her waist pouch and slapped it onto the counter, stating curtly, “I want *you* to diagnose me.”

Just as Chen Ji was about to speak, Old Man Yao had already picked up the silver ingot.

As Old Man Yao slowly tucked the silver ingot into his sleeve, he leisurely said, “If a patient makes such a request, we doctors should comply, for an ailment of the mind is also an illness.”

The girl looked at Chen Ji. “Your master has spoken. Don’t waste time.”

Seeing her arrogant attitude, Bai Li immediately stepped forward to argue, but the Young Master pulled her arm, drawing her back.

Chen Ji observed the girl. She wore a deep crimson jade hairpin in her hair, translucent like a sunset cloud. Her phoenix eyes were sharp and piercing.

But how could he diagnose a patient?

When he first transmigrated, Chen Ji had considered catching up on medical skills. However, he later discovered that Old Man Yao’s personal disciples were not taught medicine at all, but rather the “Mountain Lord’s Path,” so he had completely given up on studying.

Now, how was he supposed to diagnose someone?

Chen Ji remained silent for a moment, then said, “Hello, Miss. I need to ask you a few questions. After you answer, I will make a judgment and rate it on a scale of five levels: ‘None,’ ‘Very Mild,’ ‘Moderate,’ ‘Severe,’ and ‘Very Severe.’ Is that acceptable?”

This, he was familiar with.

The girl opposite the counter first froze, then her expression grew serious. “Are you making fun of me?”

Chen Ji calmly replied, “It was you who made fun of me first.”

The fiery girl frowned. “When did I make fun of you?”

Chen Ji said, “You didn’t come here to see a doctor. As soon as you entered, you started asking all sorts of irrelevant questions. I don’t even know who you are or your name. Answering those questions was already very polite of me.”

The girl pursed her lips. “I just wanted to see what you’ve learned after two years at this clinic.”

Chen Ji calmly replied, “What I have or haven’t learned is of no concern to you. I assume you are a straightforward and forthright person, so you can speak directly. There’s no need for indirect probing.”

The girl did not get angry; instead, she slowly calmed down. “You really are just as the rumors say.”

“What do the rumors say about me?”

The girl thought for a moment and said, “The rumors say you are dull and eccentric, with unpredictable moods. They say you gamble excessively year-round and frequent pleasure quarters like Red-Clothed Lane, and that you became an apprentice at Taiping Clinic because your family cast you out.”

Chen Ji nodded. “What they say is true. It is indeed so.”

The girl was taken aback. “You won’t defend yourself?”

Chen Ji smiled and said, “Since it’s the truth, there’s no need to defend myself… Or rather, no need to defend myself *to you*.”

The girl raised an eyebrow. “My name is Zhang Xia.”

“Zhang Xia?” Chen Ji’s eyes showed a hint of confusion as he looked to the side. Liu Quxing gestured frantically, but no one could understand what he was trying to convey.

Zhang Xia looked puzzled. “You haven’t heard of me?”

Chen Ji honestly replied, “No, I haven’t.”

Standing outside the counter, Zhang Xia spoke as if no one else were there. “You don’t need to pretend you haven’t heard of me. I came to the clinic today to instruct you on a few things: where I go and what I do in the future are my own affairs; don’t interfere. Being petty will only bring you unhappiness.”

“As long as you behave yourself, I will send you money to spend every month. But you must not go to gambling dens or Red-Clothed Lane again. If I find out you’ve shamed me outside, I will cut off your allowance.”

“Oh, and you should also reduce your interactions with the Chen family. During festivals, I will arrange for gifts to be sent on your behalf, but it’s best if you go back less often.”

Silence fell over the Taiping Clinic.

She Dengke’s hand, holding the copper scale to weigh herbs, hung suspended in mid-air. Liu Quxing’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit an entire steamed bun. The Young Master’s grip on Bai Li’s arm tightened considerably.

Old Man Yao slowly stroked his pure white beard, his expression complex.

Chen Ji sighed softly. “Miss Zhang Xia, have you misunderstood something? I don’t understand anything you’re saying.”

Zhang Xia leaned her hands on the counter and said in a deep voice, “My father is currently at your Chen family mansion. And you say you don’t understand? I merely came here to give you a heads-up and tell you how we’ll get along in the future.”

Seeing her directness, Chen Ji dropped all the chess pieces he held into the basket and laid his cards on the table. “Miss Zhang, I don’t even return to the Chen mansion; they cannot decide my affairs. I can tell you look down on me. If that’s the case, why don’t you directly persuade your father to abandon this absurd idea?”

Zhang Xia shook her head. “This is a parental decree; their decision is final. Besides, for me, living with anyone is the same, as long as they’re obedient. You don’t need to feel wronged. As a legitimate daughter, marrying you, a concubine’s son, brings you honor. In the future, you won’t have to worry about food or clothing, and you can live a good life.”

Chen Ji looked at Zhang Xia across the counter. “Please go back and tell Master Zhang that I will sign a contract with Prince Jing today. I also ask him not to pursue the cement formula. Miss Zhang, regardless of what you think, I currently have no plans to start a family. Please leave.”

Zhang Xia was astonished. “You don’t like me? What right do you have? You’re not even remotely comparable to your legitimate elder brother Chen Wenzong. I don’t know what my father sees in you.”

Bai Li, standing by, finally couldn’t help but interject, “What you just said, how is it any different from marrying into your family as a son-in-law? Even if Chen Ji is a concubine’s son, he would never be so spineless as to marry into your Zhang family!”

Zhang Xia squinted at Bai Li. “And who are you? What does my business with him have to do with you?”

Bai Li angrily retorted, “We are his closest friends; we won’t allow you to belittle him like this! And you said he’s not as good as Chen Wenzong? We happen to think he’s a hundred times better than Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao!”

Zhang Xia looked confused. “Are you mad? Chen Wenzong just won *jieyuan* today, he’s well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and skilled in the Six Arts of a gentleman. You say Chen Ji is a hundred times better than Chen Wenzong—better in what way?”

Bai Li’s neck veins throbbed with anger. “He just is better than Chen Wenzong!”

Zhang Xia didn’t continue to argue with Bai Li. She turned to Chen Ji and said, “If you don’t fancy me, that’s fine. Go tell your father yourself and make him drop my father’s idea. If you’re too scared to say it, then do as I just told you.”

With that, Zhang Xia turned and left the clinic.

She stepped over the clinic threshold, took the riding crop from the steed’s mouth, and swung onto its back. “Zaobao, let’s go home!”