Chapter 69: A Secret Conversation in the Side Chamber

It was the dead of night, silent and still. Luo Gan dared not quicken his pace, though anxiety pressed him forward, so he scurried with small, rapid steps, following a servant of the residence all the way to a secluded chamber in the Du household.

Physician Du sat upright, dignified and composed. Alone, he brewed tea to dispel his fatigue, a single lamp lit by his side, with no other attendants present.

As soon as Luo Gan entered, Physician Du gestured for silence, cautioning him not to make a sound. The servant, having completed his duty, withdrew to his own quarters to rest.

Seeing that Physician Du was safe and well, Luo Gan felt a surge of excitement at finally encountering someone familiar enough to confide in. Yet he restrained himself, approaching the physician with due caution.

“At last you’ve come,” Physician Du broke the silence first, inviting Luo Gan to take a seat beside him.

“You are ever so meticulous, Physician,” Luo Gan replied, his words tinged with mild complaint at the elaborate measures taken just for a meeting.

“Ah… but now you are wanted throughout the city. You must be even more careful than I am,” the physician replied, pouring tea into a cup he had long prepared for Luo Gan. Luo Gan lifted it to his lips, catching the faint aroma of matcha—its taste diluted, the tea clearly brewed for some time.

Luo Gan realized that Physician Du had waited for him alone, drinking tea in this out-of-the-way chamber so as not to attract attention. Even if the light was noticed at night, it would be assumed to be the work of a servant, unconnected to himself.

“It was my own carelessness. I misunderstood your good intentions, Physician,” Luo Gan said, bowing in apology.

This gesture pleased Physician Du, who waved it off. “Let it be, there’s no need to take it to heart.” In the lamplight, the old man’s face was lined, though whether by worry or simply the passage of years, Luo Gan could not tell.

It had been some time since Physician Du had arranged work for Han Chong and his companions. Luo Gan recalled he hadn’t visited since, and though the man had always meant to help him, Luo Gan had only come now in a moment of crisis—truly “climbing the Three Jewels Hall only when in trouble.” He felt a pang of guilt, but it was not the time to dwell on it.

“Perhaps you’ve heard from the servants that I’m here tonight for Minister Liu’s sake,” Luo Gan said.

“Minister Liu’s plight is known far and wide in Anping,” Physician Du replied, one hand steadying the table, the other gently swirling his teacup. Whether his heart was calm or plotting, Luo Gan could not discern; for now, the physician’s true stance remained unclear.

“Since you and Minister Liu are close friends, shouldn’t you be thinking of ways to help him?” Luo Gan pressed.

The teacup landed on the table; resignation clouded Physician Du’s eyes. “If it were only the magistrate arresting him, perhaps I could intervene. But this time, it’s the prefect himself. I’m just a humble physician with no real authority—just a caretaker of grain stores. What can I possibly do?”

A weight dropped in Luo Gan’s heart—not relief, but a new anxiety. Allies were now few and far between, and those who knew the truth even fewer. If not Physician Du, then who could he rely on?

“Physician! You mustn’t give up. Who else but you can save Minister Liu?”

Physician Du sighed deeply, his gaze drifting to a painting on the wall, illuminated by moonlight—a lively depiction of flowers and birds. Luo Gan followed his gaze.

“That painting was done by Liu himself in his youth, a man of great learning and talent. He has always been upright and law-abiding. Such a man could never commit treason. I am certain he has been wronged.”

Luo Gan nodded eagerly; at least here their thoughts aligned.

“This incident has cast a wide shadow, and I sense there is more to it. What I cannot understand is why Prefect Lu would be so intent on arresting Liu.”

“Could he have something to hold over him? Liu’s son is a well-known talent, but a bit unruly—could he have crossed someone powerful?”

“I suspect it’s related to Magistrate Wang. I’ve heard a little of your situation—surely you have something to tell me as well?” Physician Du’s tone shifted, the moonlight casting half his face in silver, the other in firelight. Luo Gan could not decipher whether he stood in shadow or light—was this man truly to be trusted? If he revealed too much, would he only put himself in greater danger?

He glanced around the courtyard—empty, save for the soft patter of snow sliding from the rooftops. Within this silence, anxiety and confusion gnawed at him.

But if he could not trust Physician Du, then tonight’s visit was futile. Without allies, he could never hope to stand against Prefect Lu and Magistrate Wang; resistance would be hopeless. Perhaps if he exchanged information with Physician Du, he might win some measure of trust and, with luck, gain some help or vital knowledge.

“I won’t hide it from you, Physician,” Luo Gan said firmly, dropping all pretense. “It was I who led the men to Sima’s residence.”

Physician Du stroked his beard, leaning back in his chair.

“So it was as I thought…”

“I brought them there, but as for who tipped off Magistrate Wang, I still don’t know.”

“Magistrate Wang set up a net, dispatched a host of constables, and caught you red-handed. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Indeed, there must have been surveillance—or a traitor.”

“I’m curious. Sima’s residence never allows outsiders in. How is County Magistrate Sima himself?”

Luo Gan paused, quickly weighing how much to reveal. “Inside…” His words came haltingly. “County Magistrate Sima was not present. The room was empty.”

Physician Du was astonished, unable to fathom it. “No one? Then why guard it so closely? What secret does it hold?”

“I haven’t uncovered everything, but I did find two things. First, there is a Chronicle of Anping County, recording an incident with a demon rat decades ago—a most curious affair. Second, I found some clues about how to break the spell of this endless winter.”

“Could it be the Winter Blossom?”

Luo Gan was taken aback; he had not intended to mention the Winter Blossom yet, only to speak of some leads. The physician naming it first left him surprised.

“I haven’t found it yet…but how did you know of it?”

“It seems Prefect Lu and Magistrate Wang are vying precisely for the Winter Blossom. It’s said that whoever obtains it will achieve immortality—both men have their own designs.”

“The Winter Blossom grants immortality? That’s odd. I thought it was a lucky omen, meant to end the snowstorm.”

“Legend has it this flower blooms once every two centuries. Its growth brings endless frost, and it must be picked as it blossoms, or the cycle begins anew. Once harvested, it never withers—hence the tale of immortality.”

Now understanding the true nature of the Winter Blossom, Luo Gan hesitated all the more about revealing its presence in his own possession. This pure, flawless flower was destined, it seemed, to be tainted by worldly desires—unable to remain untouched by the mire of human longing.