Chapter 497: Chapter 178: Privy Council_3
The person in front of him had a face that changed with the weather, "Doctor Lu, did you not understand what I said? I ordered you to save him."
Lu Tong remained unmoved, calmly replying, "Sir, I am a doctor, not Yama. I cannot command life and death at will."
His bold retort took the green-robed subordinate by surprise, and he couldn’t help but glance at Lu Tong.
Yan Xu’s eagle eyes bore into Lu Tong for a while, and after a short time, he let out a cold laugh and said, "Well spoken. Someone—"
He glanced over the person on the ground who was barely clinging to life, "Drag him away." Then, without a hint of genuine cheerfulness, he looked at Lu Tong, "You’ve been busy for a while, Doctor Lu. You must be tired. Stay for a cup of tea before you go."
Lu Tong’s heart sank.
Yan Xu clearly intended to keep her here instead of letting her go immediately.
The green-robed man didn’t wait for Lu Tong to reply before walking up to her and gesturing for her to follow.
Lu Tong hesitated for a moment, packed her medical kit on her back, then turned around and spoke softly, "Yes, sir."
...
The cold gloom of the dark room was gradually left behind, and as she ascended the staircase, the sunlight outside was just right.
Yan Xu’s subordinate escorted Lu Tong to a teahouse and then left.
Lu Tong sat at the table, looking around her.
This seemed to be Yan Xu’s study or a room for tea drinking.
There were no decorations; behind her was a dark wood bookshelf, a black desk, and all the chairs and short couches in the room were neat and angular, the colors dull and old-fashioned, not even a simple bonsai or antique in sight.
Jin Xianrong, a vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had his residence especially renovated to be luxurious and splendid, not to mention Qi Yutai. Yet Yan Xu, a commander of the Privy Council with high rank and great power controlling the military affairs of Da Liang, had a house that was unexpectedly old-fashioned and plain.
As Lu Tong mulled over this, her gaze passed over the wall behind her and abruptly froze.
In this somber study, directly opposite the bookshelf, hung a silk painting.
The painting depicted a mountain scene at sunset.
After the rain had cleared up, the air was fresh, the waters pure, and a stretch of red clouds dyed the river a brilliant red, startling a pair of white egrets into flight.
The painter’s brushwork was both delicate and bold, spontaneously splashing gold and bright red colors that were eye-catching. This bright splash of color lit up the somber study, and even the room’s staid and deep colors seemed to soften a bit.
Just as Lu Tong was mesmerized by the painting, footsteps sounded behind her, and Yan Xu walked in from outside.
The man had changed into a dark-colored robe embroidered with a round-necked kylin, making him look even more indifferent and grim. He took a seat at the table. A subordinate soon came in, bowed, and presented two steaming cups of tea, then quietly withrew and closed the door behind him.
The room was incredibly silent, with only the faint chirping of birds outside the window.
Lu Tong calmly watched the man in front of her.
Without the dungeon’s gloom, the man’s features became more distinct. The long scar near his eye under the sunlight looked particularly fierce, as if it could have sliced through his eye by a hair’s breadth.
It was quite terrifying.
"I’ve heard that the newly appointed Imperial Medical Officer from the Hanlin Medical Institute has exquisite medical skills. Now that I’ve seen you today, I can say that your reputation is well deserved," he said, breaking the silence in the room.
Lu Tong demurely looked down, "Sir, you flatter me, I hardly deserve such praise."
Yan Xu lifted the tea to his lips and took a sip, smiling faintly, "A commoner by birth, with no support or connections, you set up practice on West Street, relying solely on your own abilities to top the spring examination and enter the Medical Officer Institute..."
"Doctor Lu, you are indeed remarkable."
Lu Tong gazed at the tea in front of her.
The tea was clear, the leaves floating and unfolding in the water like a flower slowly blooming.
She smiled, "Just luck."
"Luck?"
Yan Xu narrowed his eyes slightly, "Minister of the Imperial Treasury Dong Changming, Princess Wen Pei Yunshu, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Jin Xianrong..."
"The influential people Doctor Lu saved—it’s not something that can be achieved merely by luck."
A breeze blew in through the window, making flower shadows dance. The scent of the tea filled the entire room, masking the blood smell at her nose from earlier.
After a moment of silence, Lu Tong spoke in a subdued voice, "Destiny is in my hands, fortune must be sought by oneself. Coming from a humble background, it is only by dedicating myself to the study of medicine that I might catch the eye of the nobility. I have caused Minister Yan amusement."
"What a saying, ’Destiny is in my hands, fortune must be sought by oneself,’" he said.
Yan Xu cradled his cup of tea, sipped it slowly and said, "So, the public protection by Marshal Pei of the Palace Front Office, that was also sought by Doctor Lu herself?"
At his words, Lu Tong’s brows furrowed slightly.
Behind the thin mist rising from the tea, Yan Xu’s dark eyes were unfathomably fixed on her.
Lu Tong remained silent, her mind racing.
The Palace Front Office and the Privy Council were adversaries. Yan Xu’s sudden probing sounded like it had something to do with Pei Yunmeng. Given that the Palace rumors portrayed her and Pei Yunmeng in an ambiguous light, perhaps in Yan Xu’s eyes, her relationship with Pei Yunmeng wasn’t innocent either. If he wished to target Pei Yunmeng, he could start with her—
But his attitude seemed somewhat thought-provoking.
Perhaps she had remained silent for too long; Yan Xu looked down again and took another sip of his tea, placing the cup down before speaking lightly, "Why isn’t Doctor Lu drinking her tea?"
Lu Tong was taken aback.
Hot tea was contained in a celadon cup, the tea a clear green with floating leaves like a pond of verdant lotuses, unidentifiable and with a fragrance so rich it made one’s heart tremble.
"This tea is very good, don’t waste it," Yan Xu said.
"Have a taste, Doctor Lu."
The room became extremely quiet.
Lu Tong looked down; the tea was no longer steaming hot as before, but had cooled to just the right temperature.
After a long while, she extended her hand, picked up the cup, brought it to her lips, and was about to drink—
"Bang—"
At that moment, a loud noise suddenly came from behind; the door to the study was kicked open from the outside, and the man in green at the doorway had somehow fallen to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain.
Pei Yunmeng walked in from outside.
He was still carrying his silver knife, his expression cold as ice. He strode up to Lu Tong, snatched the teacup from her hand, and tossed it behind him—
With a "smack,"
The cup shattered against the wall, spraying tea all over the floor.
Pei Yunmeng’s face was devoid of its usual warmth, with a long knife set down on the table, his gaze piercingly cold as he stared at Yan Xu.
"Minister Yan."
He said coldly, "What are you trying to do."