Chapter 324: Chapter 128 Miao’s Prescriptions_4
The voice of Miao Liangfang became very light, and Lu Tong asked, "Have you had a falling out?"
Miao Liangfang came back to his senses, "No."
It was not so much a falling out as it was the gradual drifting apart of those who used to be inseparable.
"Later, Consort Yan, whom the Emperor favored, fell into a coma after consuming the medicinal meal I had sent. The medical officers discovered a heart-damaging poison in the dish, and I was thrown into the dungeon."
"Consort Yan?" Lu Tong frowned slightly.
She remembered Consort Yan, the cousin of Meng Xiyang from Prince Wen’s Mansion and the one who had given Meng Xiyang "Child’s Woe," allowing Meng Xiyang the opportunity to harm the child in Pei Yunshu’s womb.
After "Child’s Woe" was exposed, Consort Yan had already been dealt with. Lu Tong had not expected to hear Consort Yan’s name mentioned by Miao Liangfang.
Miao Liangfang did not notice Lu Tong’s unusual expression and continued, "I knew it was Consort Yan who framed me. Ten years ago, when Consort Yan first entered the palace, there were overt and covert struggles; she wanted to win me over to harm others for her, which I refused. It seems that was why she bore a grudge against me."
"But I never expected she would bribe Cui Min."
"It was Cui Min who had poisoned that bowl of medicinal meal."
Miao Liangfang still remembered that day, a midsummer afternoon, the air was hot and humid, lightning flickered in and out of the clouds. He was stewing the medicinal meal when, for some reason, he felt a severe pain in his stomach, as if he had eaten something bad. He intended to endure it until the meal was ready before seeking relief but the pain grew worse, and he could no longer bear it.
Just then, Cui Min walked in.
Seeing him as if he were a savior, Miao Liangfang thoughtlessly said, "Ah Min, help me watch the medicinal meal, I’ll be right back!"
Cui Min naturally took over the bamboo fan in his hand and sat in his place, "Go ahead."
He never imagined Cui Min would harm him. Even though they were no longer as close as when they lived together in the same straw hut, Cui Min had always been a friend in Miao Liangfang’s heart.
A friend who would not betray him.
So later, when the incident happened, and the officer questioned them, and others asked if Cui Min had entered the medicinal meal room, Cui Min shook his head and said he had never entered, Miao Liangfang was taken aback.
He was thrown into the dungeon, originally to lose his life. However, because he had once been greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, she spoke on his behalf, sparing him the death penalty, only to be flogged fifty times and expelled from the Hanlin Medical Institute.
The executioner struck him hard, he was bullied in prison, broke a leg, and it was in prison where he learned that Cui Min had taken his place, becoming the new Vice Director of the Medical Officer Institute.
Thus, the truth became clear.
"Do you hate him?" Lu Tong asked.
Miao Liangfang was startled for a moment, nodded, then shook his head, and finally, with a complex expression, smiled, "It’s my fault for being too trusting. As a medical officer, I handed the medicinal meal to someone else, and I only have myself to blame for this outcome, but..." his tone became heavy, "Cui Min, he took my ’Miao’s Prescriptions.’"
"’Miao’s Prescriptions’?"
"It’s a book of prescriptions passed down from my ancestors, recording the medicinal formulas the Miao family has developed over years of practicing medicine. My father passed it to me, and when I joined the Hanlin Medical Institute, I planned to compile these formulas along with those I had developed over the years into a book for the benefit of all medical workers.
"In the second year after I was expelled from the Medical Officer Institute, I heard that the Vice Director of the institute, Cui, compiled a book called ’Cui’s Pharmacology,’ which was praised by every medical worker in Shengjing. It was because of this that Cui Min leapt from Vice Director to the position of Director."
Lu Tong pondered, "You mean..."
"I bought that copy of ’Cui’s Pharmacology,’ and it’s exactly the same as my ’Miao’s Prescriptions.’"
As he spoke, Miao Liangfang unconsciously clenched his hand resting on his knee.
The days he had lived in the firewood room with Cui Min, the days they had first entered the Medical Officer Institute together, those days when he, as a commoner medical officer newly entered the palace, was repeatedly obstructed by others—he had told Cui Min more than once about his own predictions. Cui Min had helped him sort those prescriptions, and sometimes they would even argue endlessly over the herbs used in a single prescription.
Cui Min had never shown the slightest hint of coveting those prescriptions. In Miao Liangfang’s heart, this timid person who always took things lying down had always been the young helper in the firewood room who added oil to his lamp at night. He hadn’t expected Cui Min to be so ruthless in his actions.
"I tried to find him, but he had already become the lofty Officer of the Medical Officer Institute. I couldn’t get near him at all. No one believes the words of a criminal; they said I was talking nonsense. None of the people who used to flatter me are to be seen, all afraid of being implicated by me."
"It’s been ten years, and you’re the first," Miao Liangfang looked at Lu Tong, "You’re the first person to say you will help me take revenge."
That day at Renxin Medical Hall, when his identity was exposed, he was nervous and agitated like a mole that had been living in the dark for a long time and suddenly had its hole uncovered, humble to the sunlight on the ground and not used to it. Yet there was Lu Tong, sitting in front of him, calmly saying, "I can help you get your revenge."
Revenge.
Miao Liangfang closed his eyes for a moment.
For commoners like them, without status or identity, taking revenge on the nobles and officials was incredibly difficult—Miao Liangfang knew this better than anyone. If he had still harbored a proud refusal towards the noble-born Little Crown Prince of Lord Zhao Ning back in those days, after ten years of drifting and wear, he had long come to terms with reality.
It was simply impossible.
But he still felt a shameful stirring at Lu Tong’s proposal.
Perhaps it was because Lu Tong’s tone was too calm, mysteriously making one want to trust her, or perhaps ten years had worn down his temperament, but not his dissatisfaction.
"Lu Tong, I’ve told you, it’s not as easy for a commoner to enter the Hanlin Medical Institute as you think. The palace is a place that devours people without leaving any bones behind; you’re still young... Even if you’re angry with the Minister of Imperial Treasury, it’s not worth betting your life on it," Miao Liangfang said.
In fact, he had always hoped that Lu Tong could make it through the imperial examinations. When it came down to it and he found out that this year’s examiner was Cui Min, Lu Tong was most likely not going to be selected, and yet he inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.
It was a fiery pit, no matter how ornately decorated, it couldn’t change its nature.
He didn’t wish for Lu Tong to end up wasted away there like he had.
Besides, revenge was an unattainable affair in itself.
Lu Tong said, "I’ve told you, if you help me pass the imperial examinations and enter the Hanlin Medical Institute, I can help you get your revenge back. I mean what I say." She looked at Miao Liangfang, "Mr. Miao, just help me."
Under the night sky, the young lady’s eyes were clear and distinct, her gaze devoid of any hesitation.
Miao Liangfang was a bit perplexed.
He only knew that the house of the Minister of Imperial Treasury had humiliated Lu Tong, and in a fit of indignation, Lu Tong had made a boastful claim. But having spent time with Lu Tong these past days, he felt that she was not one to act impulsively.
Such a person, why would she risk her life over a verbal dispute? She was clearly more capable of calmly weighing the pros and cons than anyone.
After hesitating for a moment, Miao Liangfang pushed aside the doubts in his heart and patiently consoled, "Cui Min won’t let a commoner pass..."
"Let’s give it a try."
Lu Tong interrupted him, "The outcome only becomes clear after we try."