Chapter 424: Chapter 156 His Wooden Pagoda
Pei Yunmeng never did show up.
The servant sent by Pei Yunshu came back and reported that the guards of Pei Mansion said Pei Yunmeng had left the house last night for some official business and had not yet returned.
Pei Yunshu thus nodded her head, "I see."
There was a hint of regret in her tone.
Lu Tong, on the other hand, didn’t mind, as her visit today was originally to check the pulses of Pei Yunshu and her daughter. After a few more words, she went to look at the little Treasure Bead in the cradle.
It was fortunate that, despite the life-and-death situation Treasure Bead was born into, which appeared dire and caused much worry, once the catastrophe had passed, it really seemed as though extreme adversity was followed by a turn for the better. The condition known as "childhood worries" seemed to have left no mark on the little girl; she grew from frail to robust and, despite being slightly smaller than other babies of the same age due to being born prematurely, she was healthy and strong.
When Lu Tong touched her hand, Treasure Bead’s bright black eyes stared unwaveringly at her, showing no fear of strangers.
Lu Tong discussed Treasure Bead’s recent condition with Pei Yunshu, who immediately breathed a sigh of relief, temporarily setting aside her worries. Then clasping her hands in prayer, she repeatedly expressed her gratitude to the heavens and mentioned that she must find time to go to Wan’en Temple to donate some incense.
Since Treasure Bead was not in any significant trouble, Lu Tong proceeded to examine Pei Yunshu’s pulse.
Compared to Treasure Bead, Pei Yunshu required more care and recuperation.
Having been poisoned by "childhood worries" in the past, Pei Yunshu had no choice but to agree to an induced labor, which left her weak due to blood loss and exhaustion. After Treasure Bead was born, coupled with concerns for her daughter’s health, and the accompanying stress of divorcing Prince Wen and moving out of Prince Wen’s Mansion, presumably, the worries were too great, the melancholy too deep, her blood deficient and her vital energy insufficient, her defensive energy weak and her skin’s defensive barrier compromised.
Lu Tong prescribed some treatments to strengthen vital energy and defensive qi, nourish the blood, and promote harmony.
This kept her busy for half the day.
As lunchtime neared, Pei Yunshu took Lu Tong to the hall, smiling, "There are few people at home, so the meals are simple. I hope Doctor Lu won’t mind."
Lu Tong followed her into the hall.
The hall was bright, with a simple square table placed in the center, surrounded by several wide chairs. A few maids were busy bringing hot dishes to the table.
Lu Tong sat down at the table with Pei Yunshu.
Unlike Renxin Medical Hall, where Du Changqing would prepare a table full of large fish and meat, with steamed buns the size of a human face for fear of starving someone, the food in Pei Mansion was much more refined.
There was golden rice cooked with chrysanthemums served in small celadon bowls, each grain distinct in color. There was tender tofu soup that was both light and rich in flavor. There were bamboo shoot slices, spicy sesame vegetables, frozen mixed delicacies, kumquat water dumplings... There was also meat: lightly fried spring goose and small pan-fried chicken, both served on plates made of grass, adorned with seasonal flowers.
Each dish was not large in quantity but looked very appealing.
Pei Yunshu served Lu Tong a bowl of ginger and orange peel soup, smiling apologetically, "I can’t cook, and the maids I brought from Prince’s Mansion can’t either. The cook from this house was originally working at a restaurant, and Ah Ying hired him for me. I’m not sure what you like..." She then seemed to remember something, moving a plate of desserts closer to Lu Tong, "Oh, Doctor Lu, try this."
Pink lotus blossoms rested in a green lotus leaf-shaped porcelain dish, the petals spread out like freshly picked lotus from a summer pond, evoking the memory of an evening breeze by the water.
Lu Tong was taken aback.
It was a plate of lotus seed pastries.
Pei Yunshu’s voice carried to her ears, "...Doctor Lu, try them while they’re hot, Ah Ying said you like these."
Lu Tong’s hand holding the chopsticks paused, "Lord Pei?"
Pei Yunshu began to smile, "Honestly, I had no idea what you enjoyed eating. Just when I was worrying about the menu the other day, Ah Ying happened to come to see Treasure Bead, and I casually asked him. I didn’t expect him to know, but he actually said it."
She looked at Lu Tong, "Does Doctor Lu really like these?"
After a moment of silence, Lu Tong nodded, "Yes."
"That’s wonderful. But..." Pei Yunshu was a bit puzzled, "How did he know Doctor Lu likes lotus seed pastries? Did you tell him?"
Lu Tong remembered the night at the Southern Pharmacy, hidden in that abandoned, dust-covered storeroom, finishing the basket of lotus seed pastries Pei Yunmeng had brought her.
Actually, she had forgotten what the pastries really tasted like. At that time, being tired and hungry, she was only concerned with filling her stomach and had no interest in savoring the flavor, though she did faintly recall it being sweet.
Lu Tong came back to her senses and answered softly, "Perhaps I mentioned it to Lord Pei at some point when I was in Prince Wen’s Mansion."
After all, she and Pei Yunmeng did spend some time together in Prince Wen’s Mansion.
Pei Yunshu nodded, her gaze lingering on Lu Tong, her tone suggesting deeper meaning, "It seems, Doctor Lu, that you and our Ah Ying are quite familiar with each other."