Ruan Qingsi suddenly developed a high fever in the first half of the night.

Zhenniang was terrified and quickly went over to wake Xu Qixi from her bed, and Xu Qixi promptly used the physical fever-reducing methods taught by Lin Miao.

In the end, even acupuncture, which she wasn’t proficient in, was used to reduce the fever.

Fortunately, after midnight, Ruan Qingsi’s fever indeed subsided.

Also, she was young, otherwise, it would have been hard to say.

It was also a miracle of life.

After having a fever the whole night, Ruan Qingsi’s lips had cracked from dryness. According to Lin Miao’s medical advice, she was not to eat anything for twelve hours, and could only moisten her lips slightly with water.

Finally, they waited for Ruan Qingsi to breathe smoothly.

Only then was she fed half a bowl of warm rice soup; after getting this half bowl of warm rice soup down, Ruan Qingsi’s spirit somewhat improved.

The toughest hurdle was considered passed.

Adding to this the current cold weather, the probability of inflammation at the incision site greatly decreased, after all, bacteria breed faster in humid environments.

Even though she wasn’t Lin Miao’s patient, the surgery was performed by him, so the next day he still drove to Baoan Hall for a follow-up.

He checked the incision, probed the pulse, left a prescription for the "Heavenly King Heart Supplement Elixir" and then left.

The remaining matters, Baoan Hall could handle well enough, without his further involvement.

...

The Xu Family, main hall.

With Ruan Qingsi out of danger, it was just routine care, as long as someone was there to attend to her, naturally there was no danger, Xu Qixi was called back home by her father.

There were some matters Xu Zheng needed to seriously discuss with his daughter.

Things couldn’t remain vague; the Xu Family couldn’t be a subject of gossip behind backs.

Xu Qixi still didn’t understand why her father, Xu Zheng, suddenly called her back home. She followed the steward to the main hall in bewilderment.

"Father, you called for me, and Mr. An is also here?" Seeing Xu An there as well, Xu Qixi couldn’t help but be a bit surprised.

"Little Qixi, you are already seventeen, last year I intended to use your birthday party to find you an ideal husband, but then a series of things happened, delaying it, now it’s almost another year has passed, should you not marry soon, the Xu Family would become a laughingstock."

"Father, I’m only seventeen, even if I were to marry, there’s no need to rush, right? Marrying before twenty wouldn’t be considered late, would it?"

"Getting married, you need a husband, even if you get engaged now, preparations would take about a year or half, by the time you truly marry, you would be just twenty!" Xu Zheng raised two fingers as he spoke.

"Father, you just want me to go on a date, fine, isn’t it okay if I agree?" Xu Qixi said indifferently.

"What, you agree to a date!"

"Yes, without a date, where would an unwed husband come from?" Xu Qixi felt her father’s thinking was nonsense, was this even a question?

"Little Qixi, don’t you like that Mr. Lin?" Xu Zheng doubted, he was really confused, could everyone be this wrong.

"Father, what are you talking about, when did I say I liked Mr. Lin?" Upon hearing this, Xu Qixi instantly turned rosy, embarrassedly lowered her head.

"Qixi, you have to think it over." Mr. An reminded with a smile.

"Mr. An..."

"This concerns your lifelong matter, your father isn’t joking with you, he needs a definite answer from you."

"I, I, I..." Xu Qixi repeated ’I’ three times, obviously torn inside.

"Patriarch, it seems the answer is clear."

"Oh, fated calamity!"

"Patriarch, this isn’t fated calamity, this is the Xu Family’s blessing, Mr. Lin’s future accomplishments are limitless, even the distinguished Mr. Fu from the capital favors him, sending his closed-door disciple to Dongshan, the new generation replaces the old in the medical world, few can match Mr. Lin, even if Little Qixi marries him as a concubine now, who knows if in future Xu Family isn’t the one rising?" Mr. An said.

"Mr. An, you really think Lin Miao could be on par with Mr. Fu?"

"That I cannot say, but I have faith in Mr. Lin’s future, this is Qixi’s destiny, also our Xu Family’s opportunity, Patriarch, Mr. Lin is already engaged, he doesn’t lack women around him, our family still has a chance now, but once he soars high, entering will be difficult."

"Mr. An, the Xu Family is considered a prominent family in Dongyang, even if marrying Little Qixi to him, shouldn’t he come himself to propose?" Xu Zheng, while not opposed, couldn’t quite lower his dignity.

Listening to her father’s conversation with Uncle Mr. An, Xu Qixi was blushing intensely. Regarding this marriage, in fact, she had long been willing in her heart, but being a girl, there’s always that slight reserve, moreover, being suddenly questioned, she hadn’t yet grasped her elders’ thoughts at home, couldn’t show her true feelings.

"Patriarch, you’re confused, in such a scenario, even if Mr. Lin has such intentions, he wouldn’t act on them."

"Yes, yes, he has an engagement with his senior sister already, and they’re in mourning, even if such intent exists, it will wait till after marriage..."

"Therefore, it’s up to the Xu Family to propose."

"Mr. An, are we proposing ourselves?"

"Yes, Qixi will be a concubine, not the main wife, so there aren’t many formalities. You, as the Patriarch, can’t personally speak out, so let me, this old man, handle it. If we’re rejected, it won’t harm the Xu Family’s reputation." Xu An volunteered to take on this task.

"It’s great that you can go." Xu Zheng rubbed his hands, a bit embarrassed.

"Qixi, what do you think? If you agree, Mr. An will go and discuss this with Lin tomorrow." Xu An chuckled as he turned his gaze to Xu Qixi.

"Mr. An, I fear he won’t agree, what should I do then?"

"Don’t worry, our Qixi is so beautiful and smart, how could he refuse?" Xu An said, "Didn’t Youwei just call you her sister because she likes you? When you marry into the Lin Family, follow Youwei’s lead. She is a kind person and won’t make things difficult for you. If you give birth to children for Mr. Lin, your position in the Lin Family will be secure."

"Mr. An, we’re not even at that stage yet, why are you already talking about children..." Xu Qixi felt shy and anxious.

"Alright, as long as I know your feelings, it’s easier to talk about it." Xu An stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

...

"Mr. Zhao, I will be traveling soon, not for long, maybe half a month at most. Continue taking the medicine I prescribed, don’t stop the medicinal baths, and acupuncture treatments can pause briefly, it’s not urgent." Lin Miao visited the inn for Zhao Yuanze’s follow-up consultation.

Before going to Li Hen City, he wanted to finish what he needed to do.

"Where is Mr. Lin going? Can I accompany you?" Zhao Yuanze eagerly asked, since he was a bit tired of the place, and since Lin Miao was leaving Dongshan City, he wanted to join him to relax.

"No, your treatment requires stability, you shouldn’t exert yourself or travel, better to stay here." Lin Miao quickly replied, "Once you’re healed, you can go wherever you wish, no need to rush now."

"Then I’ll wait for you in Dongshan."

"This is a booklet I specially wrote for you. Practice according to it, three times daily, morning, noon, and night. It’ll significantly improve your capabilities." Lin Miao took out a small booklet from his robe and handed it to Zhao Yuanze.

"Such a thing exists?" Zhao Yuanze’s eyes brightened as he reached out to take it.

"I didn’t give it to you before because your surgical wound hadn’t healed. It’s okay now but you must abstain from desires and alcohol. I’ve told you, the reason you and your wife haven’t conceived is mostly your fault. Don’t waste all the previous efforts, whether or not you’ve been with your wife, I can discern from your pulse. If I find out, I won’t treat you." Lin Miao warned sternly.

"Understood." Zhao Yuanze nodded, knowing that ensuring the Crown Princess Consort’s pregnancy was far more important than momentary pleasures.

He knew full well which was more important.

...

Shanglin Temple.

"Great monk, Fahai..."

"Mr. Lin, why have you come? Please, do come in..." Fahai warmly welcomed Lin Miao into his own meditation room.

"Roast chicken, peanuts, and your favorite crisp wine." Lin Miao deftly pulled out the items he brought for Fahai from his sleeves.

These were things not permitted by the temple’s strict rules.

However, in Lin Miao’s eyes, Fahai’s "monk" image had long been shattered; he had one face for outsiders, and another for those he trusted.

The Buddha too is multifaceted.

If the outside worshippers knew that Shanglin Temple’s monk Fahai drank wine and ate meat, they’d be shocked.

But calling him a rogue monk would be inaccurate, as he does not indulge in lust, which is better than many hypocrites within the monastic order.

"I need to go to Li Hen City to handle some matters, over here in Dongshan, I would like the great monk to look after someone for me." Lin Miao poured wine for Fahai.

"Who?"

"That couple who came to Shanglin Temple to pray recently."

"From the capital?" Fahai spat out a chicken bone, paused, and asked, "Are you interested in such matters too?"

"I’m not interested, but he is my patient and currently renting my house. If anything happens to him in Dongshan, I fear the Palace may explode with rage and implicate many people." Lin Miao explained.

"Do you think someone might attempt to murder him?"

"If I were vying for his position, how could I pass up such a perfect opportunity?" Lin Miao sipped his wine.

"True, he came to the right person for help, you’re the only one in this world who can assist him, otherwise he’d have no chance at all."

"He is my patient, naturally I will do my best to heal him, but such events depend on luck. I can push him ninety-nine steps, but he must take the final step himself."

"I think you should become a monk at Shanglin Temple, what you say is more philosophical than my abbot senior brother’s words." Fahai grabbed a handful of peanuts, throwing one into his mouth, chewing as he spoke.

"I wish that your abbot brother would first severely punish this rule-breaking, wine-drinking meat monk named you!" Lin Miao scolded with a smile.

"Actually, there are two experts beside him, ordinary ones would have difficulty getting close."

"What if someone from the Green Blade Sect strikes?"

"This..."