Wen Qingci’s voice was scattered by the night wind.
Accompanied by the crisp sound of the wind chime under the eaves, it fell into Xie Bufeng’s heart.
…Qingci, he’s willing to stay here?
Xie Bufeng had grown used to being abandoned.
But just when he had given up hope, Wen Qingci… gently held his hand.
In that instant, the thin layer of ice over those amber eyes shattered.
A heart that had grown numb began to beat anew.
Gone was his usual composure and self-control.
At this moment, Xie Bufeng’s eyes showed a trace of bewilderment.
He stood there, suddenly at a loss like a child.
He even forgot to keep holding Wen Qingci in his arms.
Another gust of night wind blew, and Wen Qingci couldn’t help but cough softly twice.
He patted the back of Xie Bufeng’s hand and said gently, “Your Majesty, let’s go.”
Without waiting for Xie Bufeng to react, Wen Qingci turned, picked up the lantern set under the eaves, and bent down to light it, heading toward the back courtyard.
The faint lantern light flared in his hand, like a fallen star in his palm.
Seeing Xie Bufeng still standing there motionless, Wen Qingci finally couldn’t help but smile, turning to ask softly, “Your Majesty, aren’t you coming?”
Wen Qingci had already reached the courtyard gate.
Just as he was about to step out, footsteps sounded behind him.
Xie Bufeng quickly caught up and, as they left the courtyard, took Wen Qingci’s left hand in his own.
His movement was careful, not daring to use any force, afraid to startle the person beside him.
Wen Qingci’s fingers trembled slightly.
But this time, he did not let go.
Instead, he gently squeezed Xie Bufeng’s hand in return.
The lantern light illuminated the long palace corridor of the Imperial Medical Bureau,
lighting up Xie Bufeng’s cheeks and the smile that lingered at the corner of his lips.
…
Since Wen Qingci’s “death,” Xie Bufeng had moved the political center of Taishu Palace into the small Imperial Medical Bureau.
The original bureau had been forced to relocate.
The new medical bureau was larger, but not as convenient as the old one.
The day after Wen Qingci confirmed he would stay at Taishu Palace, the always stubborn and willful Xie Bufeng listened to him and moved the memorials and documents out of the front courtyard, returning the place to the physicians.
After nearly two years of silence, the courtyard was lively again.
Eunuchs and maids bustled about, moving things back and arranging them neatly.
They were no longer as fearful and tense as before.
The camphor and pine medicine cabinets were filled to the brim.
The imperial physicians stored herbs and couldn’t help glancing toward the door.
Their eyes were filled with barely concealed excitement, and a hint of lingering fear.
Wen Qingci was there too.
He was standing under a tree, speaking softly with Yu Guanlin.
Without the veil, his elegant and refined face was finally revealed, unobstructed.
His slight air of frailty and illness only made his presence more ethereal, as if he might ascend to immortality at any moment…
Last night, only a few dozen people were present here.
But what happened that night spread through all of Taishu Palace in an instant.
Was Wen Qingci truly never dead, or… had he come back to life?
A careful look would reveal that many in the Imperial Medical Bureau today had dark circles under their eyes.
Clearly, they’d spent the entire night pondering this question.
But still hadn’t figured it out.
Especially that young physician who delivered medicine every day-he was completely out of sorts.
He never dreamed that his colleague from Songxiu Manor would turn out to be Wen Qingci!
Too busy sneaking glances at Wen Qingci, the young physician in bright blue official robes nearly tripped over the threshold.
Though he barely managed to keep his balance, the things in his hands crashed heavily to the ground.
“Bang-”
A bronze incense burner rolled down the steps,
spinning several times before finally stopping at Wen Qingci’s feet.
Dressed in moon-white, Wen Qingci paused, then slowly bent down to pick it up.
By now, the young physician had finally come to his senses and hurried over to Wen Qingci.
“S-sorry, Physician Wen.”
Wen Qingci smiled gently and handed the incense burner back: “Why so formal?”
His warm, clear voice pulled the young physician out of his daze.
He froze, then suddenly wiped his hands hard on his robe, and with great solemnity took the incense burner and finally gave Wen Qingci a deep bow: “This subordinate, Huo Yike, greets the Hanlin Lord!”
To be on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau, one had to have some skill and dedication to medicine.
Before, when they weren’t familiar, he’d mostly felt fear toward Wen Qingci.
But now, after spending time with him not knowing his true identity, what he felt was more admiration and respect.
After a pause, Huo Yike took a deep breath and bowed his head, blurting out, “My lord, please don’t hold my past words against me. I hope you… uh, won’t mind anything I said before. It was all a joke, really, just a joke!”
His face was full of regret, and after speaking, he almost wanted to kowtow to Wen Qingci right then and there.
It would have been better if he hadn’t brought it up-mentioning it only reminded Wen Qingci of all the rumors about himself and Xie Bufeng…
For example, it was only recently that Wen Qingci learned from Huo Yike that after his “death,” Xie Bufeng had once locked himself in the bedroom with Wen Qingci’s body and hadn’t come out all night.
At the time, Huo Yike’s description was quite ambiguous.
When Wen Qingci couldn’t help but object, Huo Yike had even added that it was a well-known secret in Taishu Palace.
Wen Qingci, long used to hiding behind a veil, was a little less skilled at keeping a straight face than before.
A faint flush crept up his cheeks, and he deliberately changed the subject: “It’s nothing. No need to be so formal with me. If you have any questions in the future, you can bring them to me as before and we’ll discuss them together.”
“No, no,” Huo Yike shook his head at once, speaking excitedly, “It’s not discussing, my lord should be instructing us!”
Neither of them lowered their voices.
Hearing this, a few other physicians nearby couldn’t help but come over.
They began introducing themselves and chatting with Wen Qingci in quick succession.
Especially those who had gone to Lianhe-they seized the chance to get closer to Wen Qingci.
-The plague in Lianhe had been solved by finding the cause through autopsy.
Because of this, those who benefited gradually let go of their prejudices.
The conversation between the Empress Dowager and Wen Qingci yesterday had already spread.
Knowing Wen Qingci would be staying at the Imperial Medical Bureau, they naturally assumed he intended to take disciples.
“…Would Physician Wen be willing to accept disciples?”
“If your medical knowledge is not passed down, wouldn’t that be a great loss!”
Standing to the side, Yu Guanlin stroked his beard and smiled as he asked, “Indeed, Physician Wen, since you’ve decided to stay, why not take on a disciple and pass on your knowledge?”
At his words, everyone immediately nodded in agreement.
Wen Qingci smiled and slowly let his gaze fall on the crowd.
The Imperial Medical Bureau had a strict hierarchy; everyone present today was at least a regular seventh-rank physician.
Ninety percent of them were older than Wen Qingci.
Being stared at with such reverence made Wen Qingci a bit uncomfortable…
He looked away.
After a moment, he said, “I don’t intend to take disciples.”
“What…”
Not taking disciples?
The smiles around him froze.
Even Yu Guanlin couldn’t help but look at Wen Qingci with a bit of surprise.
In this era, medicine, like all crafts, was passed down through a master-apprentice system.
After formally apprenticing, a master would teach skills hand-in-hand.
But for Wen Qingci… that system always seemed too closed and fragile.
In the Valley of Divine Physicians, there was a teaching method more like a private academy.
If he wanted to truly spread medical knowledge, this was the best way.
Wen Qingci smiled gently and said, “To be honest, I plan to open a school here at the Imperial Medical Bureau.”
“A school!” Huo Yike couldn’t help repeating.
He realized the tone was inappropriate, but Wen Qingci didn’t seem to mind.
At that moment, all the physicians stopped what they were doing and looked over at Wen Qingci.
Their excitement, already high, surged even more.
“Yes,” Wen Qingci nodded lightly, slowly explaining his plan, “The master-apprentice system is too inefficient, too small in scale, and easily becomes stagnant. Opening a school and teaching by specialty is much more systematic.”
Memories of attending medical school in his previous life resurfaced clearly in Wen Qingci’s mind.
In just a few sentences, he had already sketched out the plan in his head.
Wen Qingci’s ideas were certainly unconventional.
Yet in an instant, they ignited everyone’s passion.
After a few seconds of silence, the Imperial Medical Bureau erupted with excitement:
“Wonderful, wonderful!”
“When does Physician Wen plan to start?”
“Will the private school be set up right here?”
The physicians were so enthusiastic, it seemed they wished classes could start that very day.
Hearing the lively chatter around him, Wen Qingci belatedly realized that he had already planned everything out-except for the most important thing: reporting it to the current emperor.
The Imperial Medical Bureau was the empire’s core medical institution.
What he was proposing was, in effect, a major reform.
“…This matter is not yet settled,” Wen Qingci quickly added after that thought, “I must report it to His Majesty before making a decision.”
“There’s no need for such trouble.”
“No, no, this is a serious matter. His Majesty must be informed before we proceed.”
Wen Qingci said this instinctively, then realized the voice that had just replied sounded very familiar…
He turned around in a daze and saw Xie Bufeng, just returned from court, walking into the courtyard in a dark dragon robe, smiling as he stood behind him.
Then, in front of all the physicians, Xie Bufeng openly took off his black dragon-embroidered robe and gently draped it over Wen Qingci’s shoulders.
“In the future, you don’t need to ask me about such small matters,” Xie Bufeng said softly as he carefully straightened Wen Qingci’s collar. “Autumn is coming soon; wear more layers so you don’t catch cold-that’s what matters.”
The familiar scent of dragon’s blood incense wrapped around Wen Qingci.
His cheeks instantly flushed.
The surrounding physicians quickly turned their eyes away, unable to resist gossiping but not daring to look for long.
Only the elderly Yu Guanlin, whose legs were not so nimble, heard their wise and mighty emperor, who held countless lives in his hands, lower his voice like a child and quietly say to Wen Qingci:
“Since you’ve decided to open a school, you must teach without discrimination… Over the past year, I’ve read through all the medical books you left behind and have become interested in medicine myself. When the school opens, I want to attend your lectures too. Would you mind, Physician Wen?”
What Wen Qingci replied, Yu Guanlin didn’t hear.
All he could be sure of was-Xie Bufeng wasn’t interested in medicine.
He was interested in the one teaching it!
Otherwise, why hadn’t he come to discuss medicine with him all year?
Tsk… or maybe he was just overthinking it.
The words “beloved minister” sounded a bit odd coming from the emperor’s lips, too.