Chapter 398: Chapter 148 Black Dog_2
"His own father would rather see his lady dead than risk missing out on meritorious achievements, should His Majesty not grant him a promotion and title for that?"
"With such a father, who’d sell his wife for glory, what good could Pei Yunmeng possibly be..."
Before finishing his sentence, Jin Xianrong suddenly cried out in pain, startling the maidservants in the room.
"What are you doing?!"
"Just a normal sensation during acupuncture, my lord. Please do not move." Lu Tong casually removed another needle and swiftly inserted it into an acupoint.
"Ow—"
"My lord, please sit still. It would be problematic if I hit the wrong point."
"..."
"Stop shouting, my lord."
This time, the needlework was longer and more painful than usual.
By the time the sun moved from the crevice of the window to the center, Lu Tong had put away the last Golden Needle, and Jin Xianrong was as drenched as if he were just hauled out of water.
Supported by his maids, he lay on the couch, pale as death, and looking at Lu Tong, he weakly said, "Doctor Lu, why did today’s needling hurt much more than the last time?"
It was almost as if an enemy had come deliberately seeking pleasure.
Lu Tong packed away the medical box on the table, explaining earnestly to him, "The acupoints for this session were different from last time, my lord. Your condition has improved, so I changed the needling technique."
"Drastic remedies for serious diseases, good medicine often tastes bitter, my lord. Please do not shy away from treatment because of the discomfort."
Jin Xianrong shuddered.
"There is improvement?"
Feeling somewhat relieved, he touched a large swelling on his back, feeling the gratification that his efforts had not been in vain, "An improvement is good."
"Doctor Lu," Jin Xianrong said earnestly, "then please make sure to focus on the main points next time."
Lu Tong nodded, "Very well."
...
After leaving the Jin Mansion, Lu Tong went to the Capital Marshal’s Mansion.
Seven days had passed, and it was time to change prescriptions for the Imperial Guards.
Just as she reached the gates of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion, she saw that guard from last time. One call from the military guard and all the Imperial Guards swarmed out.
Seeing Lu Tong, the lads were delighted, welcoming her warmly into the room, offering tea, pouring water, and some even brought out cherished fruit pastries they had saved for a long time. The five hundred ducks raised by the Palace Marshal’s Mansion started to create a ruckus again.
Chi Jian, with his sword in hand, stood at a distance, his brow wrinkling as he watched the girl encircled by everyone, not without a trace of disapproval.
Unlike those foolishly infatuated men, who only saw her frail and delicate side, they didn’t realize she was capable of ruthlessly killing and plundering, fabricating charges, a hidden danger lurking in the shadows, one that could threaten the master at any moment...
The people of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion were blind.
A young Imperial Guard, holding a bunch of wildflowers, was about to mix into the crowd when Chi Jian yanked him back.
"What are you doing?"
Chi Jian snatched the carefully arranged bouquet of red and white flowers adorned with pink ribbons from him - a symbol of tender machismo when held by a robust man.
The guard reached to snatch it back, "Give it back!"
Chi Jian returned the bouquet with disdain, "What’s this?"
"I plan to give it to Doctor Lu." The guard recited, "A beauty like a flower beyond the clouds, look, doesn’t this bouquet suit Doctor Lu perfectly?"
This statement was even more cloying than the two baskets of plums that Deputy Envoy Xiao had sent to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion last year.
Suppressing the urge to retch, Chi Jian looked at the person at the center of attention, unable to help but say, "What’s so great about her? It’s not as if we haven’t seen women come to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion before."
That was true.
As the Palace Marshal’s Mansion was full of young and skilled warriors, they had been part of many a heroic rescue over the years.
Lu Tong was not the first woman to come to the Capital Marshal’s Mansion.
Women who came to express their gratitude, to bring gifts, and even female Medical Officers from the Medical Officer Institute on rounds – among them were many beautiful ladies. Although Lu Tong was beautiful, there had been pretty girls in the Palace Marshal’s Mansion in the past years as well.
But it seemed that only with Lu Tong’s visits did the place buzz with such excitement.
Chi Jian was puzzled, not understanding why only Lu Tong could stir up such a commotion among those five hundred ducks.
"Doctor Lu is different from other women."
"How so?" Chi Jian asked, eager to learn.
A colleague glanced at him, leaned closer, and whispered, "See, our brothers here in the Palace Marshal’s Mansion are tall and gallant, not bad-looking. Those girls we’ve rescued seemed alright with us at first, but the moment they saw the Marshal, they’d have eyes for no one else. It’s understandable, right? Once they’ve seen the best, who would settle for less? I get it, I totally get it."
"...But Doctor Lu is different!"
"I’ve observed her, and even though Doctor Lu isn’t the warmest or the most approachable, appearing quite aloof, then—"