Seeing Ning Muyan’s carriage, Bai Lan ran out eagerly, unable to wait for him to dismount.
Jiang Zichun, seeing Bai Lan so giddy—as if he had never seen a man before—cleared his throat, signaling him to calm down. But Bai Lan seemed deaf, as though he wanted to dive straight onto Ning Muyan.
“What are you doing here?” Bai Lan asked.
Ning Muyan smiled. “I wanted to invite you to see a patient.”
“That’s good, then.”
Jiang Zichun interjected unexpectedly.
Ning Muyan, ever polite, bowed slightly. “Doctor Jiang.”
Jiang Zichun, maintaining a stern face, poured tea while asking, “Who are we seeing?”
“My teacher’s wife,” Ning Muyan replied.
Jiang Zichun handed the tea to Ning Muyan, his tone sounding sincere, not at all like a pretense. If he were going to meet someone secretly, he wouldn’t be so openly casual: “Then the earlier you go, the earlier you’ll return.”
Ning Muyan glanced at Bai Lan and saw that his effort hadn’t been in vain; a faint smile curved his brows: “Yes.”
While drinking tea, Bai Lan efficiently packed up the medical kit. Seeing Ning Muyan still leisurely sipping, he prompted: “Let’s go, Young Master.”
“Doctor Jiang, then I’ll take Little Doctor Jiang with me first.”
Jiang Zichun buried his head in writing a prescription, giving a brief nod.
Though appearing unconcerned, as soon as the two stepped out, he quickly turned his head to peek through the clinic, watching Bai Lan being helped into the carriage by Ning Muyan. He clicked his tongue, waiting until the carriage drove away before placing his hands behind his back at the clinic entrance, still staring for a while.
“Truly can’t hold him back—a single nudge and he’s all flustered, following along without thinking.”
Jiang Zichun shook his head helplessly.
“I heard you say your teacher has been serving in the capital. When did he return?”
“Just a couple of days ago to the provincial city. My teacher’s wife hasn’t been in good health. It’s colder in the capital, not suitable for recuperation. Now, as she’s older, she wants to return to the provincial city. At the same time, I’m running the academy—my teacher both accompanied his wife back and came to inspect the academy, so he can also report to His Majesty.”
Bai Lan nodded, then added: “I also heard that the Young Master’s teacher holds the position of Grand Tutor in the court. I haven’t had the chance to examine such a high-ranking official before.”
Ning Muyan took his hand: “My teacher is kind. You’re so capable, he’ll like you. No need to be nervous. Besides, it’s for Madam’s health. Though the two are devoted to each other, when you take her pulse, you will inevitably meet him. But I hope he’ll have a chance to see you too.”
Bai Lan looked puzzled: “Why?”
“Eventually, you’ll have to meet anyway, you fool.”
Bai Lan pressed his lips together, finally understanding the implication: “Oh.”
Though he wanted to ask whether Ning Muyan had discussed their marriage with his family, the words got stuck in his throat. He only replied softly.
He placed his hands on his knees. Ning Muyan’s father had passed away early, and his teacher had been Ning Muyan’s close friend. Bai Lan knew how important this teacher was to Ning Muyan.
Today, although it was just a pulse examination, Ning Muyan bringing him along was already like meeting half a senior relative. It also showed that Ning Muyan genuinely cared about their future. Thinking this way made Bai Lan slightly nervous; he resolved to behave well.
Not necessarily to impress the teacher and his wife, but at least not to embarrass himself.
The carriage headed toward Lihua Garden. Upon arrival, Bai Lan noticed it was at the north side, while the Ning residence was to the south.
He glanced at the Shifu’s sign. The entrance wasn’t overly extravagant, and he carefully followed Ning Muyan inside.
Though the Shifu’s residence had been uninhabited for some time, it was still well maintained by stewards and servants. Everything was orderly.
“Muyan, you’re here!”
A joyful voice called, and a warm, kind-looking woman came forward.
Bai Lan took a deep breath, preparing to bow to Madam Shi. As he looked up, his heart skipped a beat; he suddenly wished he could dig a hole and disappear.
“I should have come to pay my respects to you earlier. The past two days I’ve been busy wrapping up the academy’s affairs, and it delayed my visit.”
“No matter. Your teacher knew you were busy, so he purposely didn’t send letters to disturb you. Finishing your duties and coming here now is just right.”
Ning Muyan smiled: “Madam’s health has never been very strong. I brought a doctor to have her pulse examined.”
“You’re always considerate.”
Seeing Bai Lan still standing behind him, Ning Muyan noticed his hand nervously rubbing his fingers and found it somewhat amusing—this young man was actually shy.
He gently patted Bai Lan’s hand: “Bai Lan, aren’t you going to pay your respects to Madam?”
Bai Lan had no choice but to steel himself, offering a dry smile as he bowed: “Little Doctor Jiang Bai Lan greets Madam Shi.”
Madam Shi, initially surprised that Ning Muyan had the doctor address her as “Madam,” was taken aback when she saw the young man approaching. A smile soon spread across her face: “It’s fate that I meet you, Little Doctor Jiang.”
She hadn’t expected the visitor to be so young, nor the same young man she had seen at the porridge stall in the city.
Bai Lan blushed, recalling that rash encounter. Who would have thought that the young man he’d seen that day—simply a patient of his father—would turn out to be Ning Muyan’s teacher and Madam Shi?
At the time, he hadn’t even paid attention, forgetting to ask his father the gentleman’s full name. If he had known the surname Shi back then, his mind might have been sharper.
“Come in, don’t stand out there awkwardly. Sit inside.”
Ning Muyan noticed Bai Lan’s unusual demeanor but didn’t question him, simply answering Madam Shi: “All right.”
Bai Lan followed stiffly, already feeling like he might burst into tears—what should have been a simple meeting had him flustered before it even began.
Inside the main hall, he immediately saw Master Shi carrying pastries from the kitchen: “Muyan, I made your favorite crab custard puffs today. Taste them and see whether Madam or I made them better…”
He stopped mid-sentence, his sharp eyes catching Bai Lan trailing behind Ning Muyan like a tail.
“Little Doctor Jiang is here too?”
Bai Lan silently prayed that Master Shi wouldn’t notice him. The Grand Tutor’s bright, observant eyes, honed from years in court, naturally didn’t miss a thing.
He could only grit his teeth and bow: “Greetings, Master Shi.”
Shi Zizhan laughed heartily at Bai Lan’s timid demeanor: “You can just call me Uncle—it’s fine.”
Ning Muyan glanced at Master Shi, then at Bai Lan, raising an eyebrow: “You know my teacher?”
Shi Zizhan smoothed the situation: “Met once at the porridge stall in the city. Now, sit down.”
Ning Muyan opened his mouth but stopped, respectfully following Master Shi’s instructions.
“Muyan, you’ve managed Qingshan Academy wonderfully. I imagine His Majesty must feel at ease. These past years, top candidates for the imperial exams have been scarce. You must carefully cultivate students who can serve the court.”
“The students will not fail His Majesty’s trust,” Ning Muyan replied.
Shi Zizhan nodded: “After I retire and return home, I plan to take up a classroom at the academy as well, to spend my later years quietly. Thinking about it, that seems quite pleasant.”
Ning Muyan smiled: “If teacher will be teaching at the academy, it will indeed be a blessing for the scholars.”
Shi Zizhan himself had risen from humble origins, yet had been appointed the top scorer of the imperial exams by His Majesty, rising through the Hanlin Academy to the Cabinet, admired by scholars across the land. Even having a single student of note was no disgrace.
The two joked together for a while, and then Ning Muyan gestured to Bai Lan, who was sitting to the side: “Since Madam has returned to the city to recuperate, I specially brought Bai Lan to examine her pulse. Although young, he once tended to my grandmother’s headaches, which have greatly improved since.”
Bai Lan bowed along with the elders and stepped forward to examine Madam Shi’s pulse.
Shi Zizhan remained silent; during his time in the capital, imperial physicians had already been consulted. Her weak constitution could not be cured, only managed carefully.
Still, he liked this young doctor and wanted to see if he had inherited his father’s medical skill: “Little Doctor Jiang, how is my wife’s health?”
Bai Lan, slightly embarrassed by the question, blushed and coughed lightly: “Madam Shi was born with a weak constitution, likely a premature birth. Her heart and lung function is weaker than normal.”
Shi Zizhan and Madam Shi exchanged a glance: “And treatment?”
Bai Lan shook his head honestly: “If carefully managed in youth, there might have been a chance for recovery, but overthinking as a child only worsened her constitution. Now, only maintenance is possible.”
Madam Shi nodded approvingly: “Little Doctor Jiang speaks precisely to the point. Though we have long known her body cannot be cured, it is remarkable for someone so young to have such discerning insight. In the capital, several imperial physicians were consulted before reaching a diagnosis.”
Ning Muyan said: “Since Madam will stay in the city for the winter, Bai Lan may as well look after her health.”
Shi Zizhan agreed: “Very well. This leave from His Majesty isn’t long. I must return to the capital to resume my duties and won’t be back until the new year. Without a reliable physician, I cannot be at ease.”
Seeing his teacher’s approval, Ning Muyan smiled warmly at Bai Lan, inviting him to sit beside him.
Shi Zizhan and Madam Shi noticed, eyebrows slightly raised.
“The medicine should be prepared today as well. Little Doctor Jiang, could you show me? You’ll need to care for me over the next few days.”
Bai Lan rose upon hearing this: “Of course.”
As Bai Lan followed the servants to the kitchen, Madam Shi took a sip of tea: “Muyan has grown up. Now he knows to treat young gentlemen gently.”
“I still remember one winter gathering for snow. Many families from the city attended. A young lady caught Muyan’s eye, and he stepped forward to compose poetry with her. Muyan, being serious, thought she truly wanted to write poems and kept posing difficult challenges, until the young lady, frustrated, ran off in tears.”
Shi Zizhan laughed: “I remember that too. Your father even joked about how his nature might be troublesome in the future.”
“Teacher and Madam, forgive me. I truly did not know how to interact with these young ladies and gentlemen.”
Madam Shi covered her mouth to laugh: “Earlier, I noticed how gentle you were with Little Doctor Jiang, speaking kindly.”
“Muyan, tell Madam—do you have feelings for him?”
Ning Muyan did not hesitate. His gaze softened: “Madam, you are perceptive. I cannot hide it.”
Hearing a definite answer, Shi Zizhan and Madam Shi exchanged knowing smiles.
“Now that you have established your career, your marriage is not just a concern of your grandmother; I worry as well. Seeing you with someone you cherish brings joy.”
Shi Zizhan continued: “But… what status will you give Little Doctor Jiang? He is your only child, not one to chase wealth or status. Surely you wouldn’t give him to a high-ranking concubine.”
“I only wish to marry him,” Ning Muyan said quietly, but firmly.
Shi Zizhan, feeling reassured, furrowed his brow: “But your grandmother may not agree.”
Ning Muyan expected this. He suddenly stood and performed a deep bow to both Shi Zizhan and Madam Shi: “I brought Bai Lan here not only for you two to meet him, but also to make a request.”