Chapter 461: Chapter 168 Ji Xun’s Apology
A few days passed, and the weather grew increasingly hot.
The nanmu screen in front of the Board of Rites Office, carved with a massive elephant symbolizing a "peaceful scene," also seemed wilted under the relentless sun, losing its former splendor.
Jin Xianrong was particularly intolerant of the heat and had long since ordered ice to be placed in the corners of his room. On a stuffy summer afternoon, there was not a hint of the heat within his abode, and the sweet fragrance wafted from the incense burner on the table. Jin Xianrong, lounging on a recliner by the window and leisurely fanning himself, occasionally popped a grape chilled in ice into his mouth, his contentment rivaling that of immortals.
He was half-dozing, so he did not realize someone from the Board of Rites Office had arrived until a servant came up to him and reminded, "My lord, someone is here." Jin Xianrong then opened his eyes, sat up, and saw a young man dressed in a snow-white robe standing at the entrance of the Board of Rites Office.
The youth was tall and thin, and the breeze billowed his snow-white robe, making his handsome face appear even more aloof and proud. Jin Xianrong watched the other’s face with envy for a while, then snapped back to reality and asked the person beside him, "Who is this...?"
This was a new face, but judging by the quality of the other’s clothes and the jade ornaments he wore, he was no commoner.
The servant bowed and said, "My lord, this is Doctor Ji Xun from the Hanlin Medical Institute." Seeing Jin Xianrong still frowning, he added in a low voice, "Young Master from the Ji Scholar Residence."
Upon hearing this, Jin Xianrong’s bushy eyebrows rose.
Oh, so it was that Ji Xun!
He remembered few other Medical Officers from the Medical Officer Institute apart from Envoy Cui Min and Lu Tong, as he had been healthy for many years and had seen few Medical Officers before. Thus, the name Ji Xun did not ring a bell.
But when it came to the Ji scholar, it was a different story.
The Ji family boasted several scholars, each brimming with knowledge. When Elder Master Ji was alive, he served as a Hanlin Academician and even had the grace of teaching the former Crown Prince.
After the former Crown Prince passed away, Elder Master Ji also died of illness not long after. The current Emperor assumed the throne and continued to favor the Ji family, whose status at court remained significant.
However, the Ji family, as part of the scholarly purist faction, stayed out of courtly disputes from the beginning, and after the demise of the former Crown Prince, they devoted themselves solely to compiling texts, uninterested in worldly affairs. Ji Xun, their only direct son, didn’t even want to become a bureaucrat and instead chose to become an Imperial Physician. Many official families in Shengjing mocked this decision; although Ji Xun’s medical skills were excellent, and he actually held a position in the Hanlin Medical Institute on par with the Envoy, externally, being an Imperial Physician did not sound as prestigious as holding a high-ranking official title.
There was also the risk of losing one’s head.
Jin Xianrong shared this viewpoint.
His own descendants must not end up so lacking in ambition; if they ever thought to study medicine, he’d surely break their legs.
While thinking this way, he nonetheless presented a smiling face, rose to his feet, led the visitor inside, and instructed his servant to quickly serve tea. He respectfully began, "So it is Doctor Ji., I wonder what brings Doctor Ji here all of a sudden?"
A dying camel is still bigger than a horse, and even though Ji Xun was merely an Imperial Physician now, the support of the Ji family behind him made Jin Xianrong dare not neglect him.
He was just puzzled, what brought Ji Xun here all of a sudden?
Ji Xun glanced at the lavish furnishings inside the Board of Rites Office, taking a brief look at the jade couches, scented tables, painting desks, and gold stands before withdrawing his gaze. "I heard that Vice Minister Jin was feeling unwell a few days ago."
"Yes, yes, yes, I didn’t expect Doctor Ji would know about it," Jin Xianrong replied.
Ji Xun looked at him, "How have you been feeling recently, Vice Minister Jin?"
Feeling?
Jin Xianrong was momentarily stunned.
He truly hadn’t expected Ji Xun to ask about this.
He had no past interactions with Ji Xun, no rapport, so why the sudden concern? Moreover, everyone in Shengjing knew that Young Master Ji disliked socializing. If you put it nicely, he was aloof; bluntly, he was reclusive and unsociable. A man who kept others at a distance suddenly caring about him made Jin Xianrong feel uneasy.
He carefully chose his words, "At first, it was somewhat bad, but after Doctor Lu started treating me, I felt much improved. Over these past days, I’ve even been able to make love once or twice occasionally, even better than before I was sick. Speaking of which, Doctor Lu’s medical skills are really impressive, significantly better than the one who treated me initially..."
As he was speaking, he was unexpectedly interrupted by the person next to him, "Do you really trust Doctor Lu?"
"Doctor Lu is indeed quite good, young and good-looking too..."
He paused, thinking of the mutual back-scratching common in bureaucracy. Since Lu Tong had granted him what he called a second chance at life, he wanted to ask for more of that dream-inducing fragrance from Lu Tong in the future, so he praised Lu Tong a bit more.
The servant came out with tea, placing a cup gently before Ji Xun. Ji Xun lowered his head to look at the tea; it was clear and fragrant, softening the overly sweet fragrance in the room and rendering his expression even colder.