Chapter 363: Chapter 138: Shennong Shrine_4
However, every time he heard about Lu Tong facing difficulties or being in a dire situation, he couldn’t help but worry deeply for Lu Tong. Duan Xiaoyan admitted to himself that he was not someone who normally sought out trouble, but, after much thought, he concluded it was probably because Lu Tong was just too good-looking, which made it hard for one to harbor any ill will towards him.
"Should we send Qingfeng to pass on a message to Yunmeng brother? He has always been concerned about Doctor Lu’s affairs..." Duan Xiaoyan’s remaining words were gradually silenced under Xiao Zhufeng’s reproachful gaze. After a long pause, he spoke in a low voice, "Is this not allowed either?"
"Do not do unnecessary things," Xiao Zhufeng warned, "This matter is unrelated to the Palace Front Office."
Duan Xiaoyan felt aggrieved but did not dare to retort.
Xiao Zhufeng glanced at him and said coldly, "Don’t let her influence Pei Yunmeng."
...
Now that the tripartite authorities were informed, the Medical Officer Institute adjacent to the Southern Pharmacy could not possibly be unaware of Lu Tong’s current plight.
In the room, Cui Min sat quietly.
The Imperial Medical Bureau’s new collection of medical techniques was being recompiled, and as the Chief Officer of the Hanlin Medical Institute, Cui Min was in charge of the complete recompilation and arrangement of the medical records. In addition to revising and adjusting the old prescriptions, the medical book also needed to incorporate some new formulas.
However, good formulas are hard to come by, and creating a new, effective medicine was not so simple. These past two years, while compiling the new medical book, Cui Min’s temples had grown significantly whiter, and his colleagues had all advised him not to be so hard on himself, since just the merit of his book "Cui’s Pharmacology," many years ago, was enough to earn him fame for a century—
The door opened with a "creak."
Someone walked in quietly, approached Cui Min, and reported in a low voice, "Chief Officer, there’s word from the Southern Pharmacy today that Doctor Lu has made a mistake and has been confined by Lord Zhu to kneel in the Shennong Shrine for three days as punishment."
Cui Min’s writing brush paused, then after moments, he set down the brush, picked up the paper he had been writing on, and placed it aside, saying, "Zhu Mao cannot wait any longer, it seems."
Ever since Lu Tong joined the Southern Pharmacy, there had been no news from her. However, information about her would always reach Cui Min’s ears through various coincidental means.
Lu Tong was picking Hong Fang Xu, Lu Tong was sorting poisonous herbs, Lu Tong was being troubled by medical workers...
Lu Tong had been punished and confined to the Shennong Shrine.
This was naturally Zhu Mao’s doing on purpose, a crude provocation that Cui Min had never responded to.
Even though he knew that being sent to the Shennong Shrine meant that Zhu Mao’s patience had worn thin, and he was eager to crush this delicate flower that had strayed into the wilderness.
"Do not concern yourself with him," Cui Min said.
His confidant looked up, unable to refrain from asking, "I don’t understand, Chief Officer, why you went against general consensus to specially select Doctor Lu, a commoner, as the top candidate of the red list and then send her to the palace, only to place her in the Southern Pharmacy. Even taking the Dong Family into consideration, it doesn’t seem necessary to go to such lengths."
To specifically bring Lu Tong into the palace just to torment her? Why bother with so much trouble?
After these words, silence fell, and just as the confidant was becoming uneasy, the tranquil voice of Cui Min filled the room.
"You’ve also heard the saying, it’s not about providing charcoal in snowy weather, but rather about borrowing a landscape to invite poetry."
The confidant was suddenly struck with realization: "Chief Officer, are you thinking of..."
"It is not yet time," he said, looking down, his gaze lingering on the stack of thick parchment on his desk for a long time.
The new medical records were not yet complete, and there were never enough new formulas. A young person who could write out ten new prescription sketches in one sitting during the spring examination was not to be underestimated.
But talented individuals often become complacent with their abilities; this isn’t good.
Hence, she must be made to suffer immensely, to be filled with despair, to be left with no way out, and only then, when she is extended a helping hand, will it be possible to reap her gratitude, reverence, and unwavering trust.
One must be the savior who brings charcoal in the snowy weather.
But the snow is not yet cold enough.
"Let’s wait," Cui Min closed his eyes: "Until the day she comes to us asking for help."