Chapter 46: Remembering the Encounter

As the Attendant Student to a noble son, he certainly knew Dudang Wine was alcohol.

He felt that this poem could also apply here; for others, wine was the solace, but for the noble son, perhaps a beautiful woman was his wine.

"Miss Jun should have already returned to Jiuling Hall by now, no one else is heading to Guanghua Temple anymore," Xiaoding said, "On my way here, I saw several medical clinics setting off firecrackers, all of these clinics' doctors had followed Miss Jun in treating smallpox before, and now they all have hung up the banners of Jiuling Hall's smallpox vaccine and are ready to see patients for vaccinations."

The time was also about right; Ning Yunzhao smiled and exhaled.

It was always like this; seemingly caught in perilous and hopeless situations, this woman would always find a way out, making it look effortless and natural.

It was a relief that everything was fine.

He looked up to see Xiaoding's odd expression.

These people would never understand; even if mutual affection wasn't possible, he believed they were friends, friends who had drunk together and discussed love at first sight.

To put it more plainly, they were acquainted.

To be concerned for someone he knew was a very normal thing, regardless of gender, and certainly irrespective of unrequited longing.

But still.

Ning Yunzhao hesitated for a moment, feeling a slight tension.

He didn't know whether she knew about the Ministry of Rites' examination results.

That thought was somewhat harsh.

None of her family had taken the imperial examinations, and she herself was busy with matters concerning her own life and death and that of the people in the world; she, a young lady, paid attention to events that men of her acquaintance had never had cause to consider or experience.

A hint of a smile appeared on the corner of Ning Yunzhao's mouth as he was about to pick up a piece of written text when a servant boy came in quickly from outside.

"Tenth Noble Son, there's a congratulatory gift for you."

The list of successful candidates had been posted today, and many classmates and friends who saw it would send congratulations; although the final court examination had not yet begun and the final outcome was still undecided, at least he was now a palace graduate, which was enough for many to celebrate.

Ning Yunzhao nodded with a smile, gestured for Xiaoding to take it, but showed no intention of looking at it, planning to wait until after the court examination to return the favor.

Xiaoding took the invitation and, after a glance, his expression froze, and he uttered a surprised sound.

"Sir, it's Miss Jun's congratulatory gift," he said, passing it over.

Ning Yunzhao was slightly startled, looking at the invitation in Xiaoding's hand, adorned with the elegant small script and the seal of Jiuling Hall, and he smiled.

He wasn't as thoughtful as she; thinking she might not even look at the list from the Ministry of Rites' exam, they were old acquaintances from the same place, after all—wasn't it only proper to ask and offer congratulations?

Ning Yunzhao didn't reach out to take the invitation but smiled at Xiaoding.

"Okay, put it away for now," he said, picking up the text on the desk and focusing on it as he started to make revisions.

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"What does it matter how he did in the exam?" Fang Jinxiu spoke, tapping on the table, "What's it to you?"

"It's none of my business," Miss Jun replied with a smile to Fang Jinxiu, "But we're acquainted."

Fang Jinxiu snorted.

"More than acquainted, you're enemies," she said.

Miss Jun shook her head in response.

"He hardly counts as an enemy," she said.

Fang Jinxiu was about to speak when a shop assistant came in from the front hall with a tense look on his face.

"Miss Jun, Thousand-Man Commander Lu is here," he said.

Thousand-Man Commander Lu, huh.

Now, this was a true enemy.

Miss Jun steadied herself on the corner of the table as she rose to her feet.

The Jinyiwei had surrounded Jiuling Hall; such was the customary procession of Lu Yunqi when he traveled.

Miss Jun saw Lu Yunqi standing inside the hall and bowed her head in greeting.

For Miss Jun, Lu Yunqi should be no stranger by now.

The previous conflicts, the surveillance by Prince Huai's mansion, and the detention at Guanghua Temple, though these interactions were not pleasant, aside from the initial conflict, when she thought carefully about it, the following two issues showed that he had not obstructed or interfered with her actions—in fact, this detention was just what she needed.

Even though it was not Lu Yunqi's intention.

Thanks to the presence of the Jinyiwei at Prince Huai's mansion and Guanghua Temple, the outside world's prying eyes were blocked, and no one was able to get the information they wanted through the Jinyiwei's blockade, except for the emperor.

Everything Miss Jun did, of course, was not intended to deceive the emperor, so that was sufficient.

During peaceful times, she naturally could not create conflict; provoking a maverick madman was not an act of bravery.

"What instructions does Your Excellency have?" she said, looking down.

Her appearance was calm, her voice soft, and there was a certain compliance in her demeanor.

But for Lu Yunqi, it was still clear the retreat behind the compliance.

For him, however, these were usual and inconsequential.

What did he care about others' attitudes towards him?

As this thought passed, his expression paused slightly, save for that one person.

That person was no longer present.

"Can Prince Huai be examined again?" he asked.

Hearing this question, Miss Jun, with her gaze downturned, fluttered her eyelashes slightly.

She understood what this question meant; when the vaccination at Guanghua Temple was successful, Zhu Zan had raised this issue.

But Zhu Zan's phrasing had been more explicit.

"Start by vaccinating Prince Huai," he had said.

At that time, Guanghua Temple was still under martial law.

"Martial law? What does martial law count for? Could Lu Xiaozao and his lot stop me? If they could have, then I wouldn't be here now, who am I? Someone who can take ten thousand as payment for a deal, do you need to look at me with such eyes?"

Perhaps because the conversation had turned to himself, pride in his achievements surfaced, and Zhu Zan, uncommonly, started to talk more as he used to do in Runan.

"My point is, now is not yet the time to vaccinate Prince Huai," Miss Jun interrupted with a smile, "After all, the smallpox virus is a poison, and there's danger for those in poor health or too young, so we must wait a bit longer."

Whether stated bluntly or indirectly, the implication was that Prince Huai also needed vaccination, which meant that Prince Huai's earlier affliction wasn't truly smallpox.

This was a fact well understood by many though dared not and would not be spoken out loud by anyone.

Miss Jun allowed herself a wry smile internally.

But she was always willing to go to Prince Huai's mansion.

"It's indeed time for a follow-up examination," she said, "I'll take a look."

Lu Yunqi gave her a smile, although she, maintaining a lowered gaze, didn't see it, Liu'er did, and looked at Lu Yunqi with somewhat surprised and wide eyes.

Lu Yunqi turned and went out first.

"Miss, that man can actually smile," Liu'er said, reaching for the medicine box and unable to help adding while pulling on Miss Jun.

Of course, he could smile; she was actually a bit surprised he wasn't smiling.

Miss Jun thought, and then paused—Liu'er wouldn't have mentioned it for no reason, so had he just smiled at her?

As she had previously found his smile pleasing, now she felt not the slightest bit of joy.

Miss Jun's eyebrows knit together slightly.

"Miss," Liu'er handed her the medicine box and spoke, interrupting Miss Jun's reverie.

Fang Jinxiu also emerged from the inner hall, lifting the curtain.

Miss Jun smoothed her brows, offered them a smile, took the medicine box, and turned to leave.

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Tuesday is the day to file reports, (*^__^*) hehe…