Nightmare

The prefectural yamen

After seeing the visitors off, Su Ziji glanced at the sky. It had grown dim. He had been interrupted several times earlier, and still needed to check on Qi Hongxin.

When he went in, a medical officer was taking Qi Hongxin's pulse. Su Ziji left him to it. Though the room was dark, he could still see Qi Hongxin lying on the couch, eyes closed and face turned upward. His complexion was waxen, his wrinkled face motionless, and his body had grown pitifully thin.

Without speaking, Su Ziji beckoned the medical officer outside. They entered a pavilion. Seeing Su Ziji in a gauze robe, gazing into the distance with a troubled expression, the officer hurriedly knelt and bowed. "Greetings, Lord Su."

He was called a medical officer, but even the Imperial Medical Office's chief, the Imperial Physician Director, held only Principal Seventh Rank. Its deputy director and medical supervisors held Principal Eighth Rank, while its other physicians held Principal or Subordinate Ninth Rank, to say nothing of those in the prefectures and counties.

With such a gulf between their ranks, the officer had no choice but to kowtow. Su Ziji waved a hand. "No need for ceremony. Get up and speak. How is Lord Qi's condition? Do you have all the medicinal ingredients? If anything is missing, I'll have someone buy it."

The medical officer rose and said respectfully, "My lord, we have all the ingredients. But the prefect's condition is not good. Even after taking the medicine, he only sleeps. His oil is spent and his lamp is guttering. My medical skills are limited; this is as far as I can go. I'm afraid I have no way to make him better."

Su Ziji had expected as much. He nodded and sighed wistfully. "That is Heaven's