Chapter Eight: Overheard

Chen Jie approached Jiang Bai’s tent cautiously, his heart filled with doubt and unease. He scanned the area around her tent, but seeing nothing unusual, he gently lifted a corner of the flap. By the dim moonlight, he saw Jiang Bai sitting at a table, focused on grinding medicinal herbs. Her movements were skilled and fluid, as if she had performed the task countless times.

Relieved, Chen Jie decided not to disturb the siblings. He retreated to his own tent, yet his mind remained unsettled. The behavior of the young soldier he had seen earlier troubled him, and he resolved to speak with Jiang Bai the following morning.

At dawn, Chen Jie knocked softly on the support pole of Jiang Bai’s tent. Hearing the sound, she looked up and was momentarily startled to see him, then offered a polite smile. "Dr. Chen, what brings you here so early?"

Chen Jie stepped inside and glanced around, noting the neat, orderly arrangement of herbs and medical texts. He hesitated, then decided to be direct. "Dr. Jiang, I saw a soldier lurking suspiciously outside your tent last night. Did you notice anything?"

Jiang Bai blinked, then furrowed her brow as if recalling the events. A moment later, she shook her head. "I was busy preparing medicinal pills all night and didn't notice anything outside. Are you certain you saw a soldier, Dr. Chen?"

Chen Jie nodded firmly. "Yes, I saw it clearly. He tucked something into his tunic and hurried away. I’m concerned that someone might be plotting against you."

Jiang Bai fell silent for a moment. "Thank you for the warning, Dr. Chen. I will be more careful. However, I have nothing of value here, so I doubt anyone would come to steal anything."

Seeing her indifference, Chen Jie felt even more anxious. He decided to press the issue. "Dr. Jiang, your reputation in the camp has been growing recently; it is inevitable that some will grow jealous. Please be cautious. If anything unusual happens, you must inform the Vice General or the strategist. If you find that inconvenient, you may come to me."

Jiang Bai smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Dr. Chen. I will keep it in mind."

After leaving, Chen Jie remained uneasy. He decided to seek out Wang Da to see if he could gather any leads. However, when he found Wang Da, he was locked in a grave, hushed conversation with Military Physician Liu.

Chen Jie swallowed the words he intended to say, his heart skipping a beat. He decided not to interrupt and instead slipped into a nearby corner to listen. He heard Wang Da whisper, "Brother Liu, we have been observing for several days, and Jiang Bai’s prescriptions are indeed strange. The pills she uses are unlike anything we have ever seen, and we have no idea where she obtained them."

Military Physician Liu sneered. "Brother Wang, this is our opportunity. You and I have practiced medicine for decades and have never heard of pills that can instantly purge parasites and save lives. She must be adding something to them. That medicine and her methods must be some form of dark art that sacrifices one's life force to achieve a temporary, rapid recovery! We must expose her; we cannot let her harm people so recklessly! Her improper use of medicine will only worsen the patients' conditions. We cannot let her escape justice!"

Wang Da hesitated. "But wouldn't this be too risky? What if we are discovered..."

Liu waved a hand. "Brother Wang, rest assured. We only need to observe from the shadows; there is no need to act ourselves. As long as we are discreet, no one will suspect us. Besides, Jiang Bai is young and inexperienced; it is inevitable she would make mistakes. As elders, we must guide and correct her; we cannot let her stray down the wrong path. Furthermore, we are only exposing her errors, not taking her life. As long as she behaves herself, there is no harm in her remaining a military physician."

Wang Da pondered this for a moment before nodding. "Very well, Brother Liu. I will follow your lead. But we must be extremely careful."

Chen Jie was shocked. He had not expected Wang Da and Military Physician Liu to be plotting against Jiang Bai. Hearing them conclude their conversation, he prepared to leave.

However, just as he turned, he heard Wang Da say, "Oh, by the way, Brother Liu, I heard that Chen Jie has been quite interested in Jiang Bai lately and visits her often. Should we..."

Military Physician Liu sneered, "That stubborn old man Chen only cares about medicine. But if he hinders our plans, we cannot be soft-hearted."

A chill ran down Chen Jie’s spine. He had not expected to be drawn into this conspiracy, especially with a close friend involved. He decided to find Jiang Bai immediately to warn her.

As Chen Jie slipped away, Wang Da and Liu finished their talk. Watching Liu, who was eager to find any fault in Jiang Bai, Wang Da smirked. This fool was as small-minded and vicious as ever, yet he insisted on hiding behind a facade of righteousness. His actions were infuriating, but he was the perfect tool to be used as a weapon.

Chen Jie found Jiang Bai and her brother, Jiang Ye, organizing herbs in the infirmary. After stating his purpose, Jiang Bai took her brother and Chen Jie back to her tent to discuss what he had overheard. "Dr. Jiang, I heard Wang Da and Military Physician Liu plotting a conspiracy. They intend to target your medicinal pills to find evidence of wrongdoing."

Jiang Bai gasped. "I see. No wonder you said you saw someone lurking by my tent last night. It must be related to their scheme."

"Dr. Jiang, are your pills truly safe? Are there any substances they might interact with? It is highly likely they will attack from that angle."

"Thank you, Dr. Chen. I will be careful," Jiang Bai said sincerely.

After Chen Jie left, Jiang Ye tugged on his sister's sleeve, looking nervous. "Sister, what kind of tricks will they use to harm us? And when we first arrived..."

Jiang Ye did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear. Putting aside the schemes they were plotting, they had indeed used unconventional methods when they first arrived. He wondered if these military physicians could uncover their secrets.

Jiang Bai looked at her brother’s guilty expression and found it amusing. The boy had been taught to be too rigid by his tutors. Aside from the fact that she had truly cured the soldiers of their parasites, her medical skill in saving their General was such that even if they discovered her methods, they would likely turn a blind eye. If these physicians brought it up today, Yang Bin and Duan Jing would only be troubled by how to silence them.

"Do not worry. We have acted with discretion, and everything is under control," Jiang Bai comforted her brother.