After rebirth, she became the favorite of the powerful minister.

When the two came out hand in hand, the sky was already turning a pale white.

After Song Wenyuan finished explaining what Murong Jiu had told him, he asked Yuan Ge if he wanted to meet him.

Yuan Ge hesitated for a long time, but ultimately refused.

In the past, she wouldn't have let any news about the Murong family slip by. But now she hesitated... She wasn't afraid of news about the Murong family; she was just afraid of uncovering more of other people's past.

For example, the teacher's.

Only now do I understand that the more one knows, the more uneasy one becomes about whether the unknown is a burden one cannot bear. It's like standing outside a thick fog, hesitant and anxious about whether a ferocious beast is lurking beyond one's sight, waiting to strike.

The mere mention of "capture alive" was enough to make her hesitate.

The mountain morning is shrouded in a light mist. As far as the eye can see, there are the shadowy buildings and houses in the distance. The wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys are a particularly comforting and authentic taste of everyday life in this cool morning.

Song Wenyuan turned his head to look at the little girl beside him, thinking about the things she had talked about last night, and finally comforted her carefully, saying, "Ge'er, there's something I think you understand. A four-year-old child, even if her mind is controlled, still can't kill an adult... not even an unarmed woman. You understand what I mean, right?"

Yuan Ge was slightly taken aback and looked up at him.

The thin morning sunlight scattered in her dark pupils like stars falling on the night sea, rippling in the breeze. Those ripples spread from her eyes to her heart. She opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. Her mind was blank; she seemed to understand, yet also understood nothing at all.

How could I not understand?

I was only four years old at the time, and all I had learned was that poorly held horse stance that was praised to the skies. My height was not even as tall as my mother's waist. How could I possibly stab my mother in the heart with a dagger? In the end, my mother was willing to die for me... But I understood the reasoning, yet I could never convince myself.

No matter how much she tried to comfort and reassure herself, there was still a heavy weight in her heart, and every time she touched it, she felt as if all her strength was drained away. She looked away, and after a long while, she softly replied, "Yes, I understand."

"Let's go. I'll have breakfast with you... The teacher should be awake by now."

……

This breakfast was ultimately not served.

Feng Qingtan woke up.

But the result was not as expected—he went blind.

Fortunately, this is only temporary blindness caused by the pressure of toxins. Once the toxins are neutralized, the vision will naturally recover.

In the slightly oppressive silence of the room, only Feng Qingtan remained optimistic, squinting his listless eyes and chuckling, "It's alright, it's alright. I was just feeling really tired the other day, and I was planning to take a good rest after this matter was over. Now that's great, I don't even need to make up an excuse..." As soon as he finished speaking, he keenly felt a sudden tremor in the fingertips of his wrist.

"Teacher... what are you saying?"

Feng Qingtan could even hear the trembling in the little girl's voice as she hesitated to speak... Sure enough, though her eyesight was failing, her hearing was far superior to before, as if she had become decades younger.

His smile remained unchanged as he patted Yuan Ge reassuringly, "It's alright, really alright. It's just that there aren't many young servants in the medicine garden, so it used to be quite leisurely. But now that my eyesight isn't good, it's inevitably inconvenient. You'll have to send a few more young girls to serve this old man... I think Jian Shu is quite good; her intelligence is very much to this old man's liking. Have her come over for a few days, and I'll see her talent. Maybe in a few years she can train another divine doctor."

After saying that, he chuckled, his carefree demeanor making him look like a mischievous old man.

“Teacher, is this the time to say these things?” Yuan Ge frowned and shook his head. Then, remembering that the other person could not see, he continued, “Teacher, I had thought about this before. The accumulation of toxins will inevitably cause you some inconvenience, but my medical skills are not good enough… Teacher, I’m sorry.”

Feng Qingtan rarely saw Yuan Ge so serious, so much so that hearing her say this now, he couldn't even imagine what kind of expression she should have... He shook his head and chuckled, "You're being far too modest by saying your acupuncture skills are 'not very good.' Even I, your teacher, find them quite amazing. But, girl... medicine is never a divine art. There are things in medicine that are beyond human capabilities. Don't you understand that?"

Yes, she has known this since she was a child: human strength has its limits and there are things beyond our reach.

She remained silent, speechless for a moment.

"Weren't we just missing a snow toad?" Xu Chengjin entered, wiping the grease from his mouth, his cheerful demeanor seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere in the room, his words carrying a touch of naive ignorance. He then switched to a fan Yuan Ge had never seen before, fanning himself with a carefree air, saying, "Perfect timing! I was thinking that in a few days, once everyone's almost ready, I'll pack up and go on a long trip. I'll bring the snow toad back for you then, don't worry!"

His tone was so casual, as if he were simply saying he was going down the mountain to buy a jar of sake.

But it wasn't a jar of sake; it was a snow toad—a white toad hidden in the vast snowy region. In a world of ice and snow, catching an equally white toad is incredibly difficult.

What's more...

"Going on a long trip?" Yuan Ge turned to look at him. "Where are you going?"

"I haven't decided yet." Xu Chengjin dragged a stool over and sat down, taking Feng Qingtan's pulse as he spoke. "I've been unable to help with anything lately, and I feel quite ashamed. So I've decided to spend some time traveling around practicing medicine and improving my skills. Also, if I'm looking for the Snow Toad, I'll naturally have to head north."

Everyone was taken aback, and even Feng Qingtan turned her head to "look" in the direction where Xu Chengjin was.

"Grandpa, you're still in pretty good health." Xu Chengjin stopped and smiled. "I came to see you before I left, so I'd have a general idea of ​​what's going on. Grandpa, look how good I am to you... This is the first time in my life that I've seriously considered accomplishing something."

Feng Qingtan was taken aback, raised his hand, and then grasped the outstretched hand. In his palms, he held Yuan Ge's hand in one and Xu Chengjin's in the other. He clapped his hands together and sighed softly, "I've lived most of my life in a daze, thinking it would all end like this. I never imagined I'd have two students like you at the end… Very good, very good…"

In those years, many people came to him seeking help, but there were many mediocre people in the world. He was proud and looked down on those who were skilled in both medicine and poison, and he was prepared for his medical skills to go uninherited.

Things are really good now.