Chapter 348: Chapter 134: First Entry to the Medical Officer Institute_3
Lu Tong looked indifferently towards the Director of Medicine, while behind her, Lin Danqing could no longer hold back and spoke up, "Officer, could there be a mistake in the roster? How could a new Imperial Medical Officer be sent to the Southern Pharmacy?"
The Director of Medicine seemed displeased that she had spoken out of turn and glared at Lin Danqing, "How dare a mere Medical Practitioner question the arrangements of a superior?" With that, he closed the scroll in his hands and walked into the hall with his hands behind his back, "Pack up your things and find a place to settle."
He paid no further attention to the group.
After the Director of Medicine left, the hall once again grew lively. Medical Practitioners who were acquainted with each other were joyously discussing their medical specialties, and many people cast sympathetic or pleased glances towards Lu Tong.
Cao Huai, who had previously harassed her at the Tribute Court, saw this and couldn’t help but take delight in her misfortune as he feigned commiseration, "It’s really fate making fun of people! The top one on the honor list but assigned to the Southern Pharmacy, it’s said that no one who enters the Southern Pharmacy ever comes out. Miss Lu, you’re not going to spend your whole life in there picking medicine, are you?"
Lin Danqing angrily retorted, "Cao Huai, shut your mouth!" Then looking back at Lu Tong, she said, "Don’t listen to his nonsense. Don’t worry, sister, I will find out what I can. Maybe it’s a test from the Officer."
The girl’s eyes were filled with sincerity, and she was truly concerned for her, Lu Tong shook her head, "No need, I’m fine."
Lin Danqing meant well, but even if she were to ask Cui Min, nothing would change.
Lu Tong lowered her eyelids, knowing that Cui Min had done it on purpose.
He named her the first on the honor list but despised her commoner status. Even to give an explanation to the Dong Family, he would not let her have an easy time. Being sent to the Southern Pharmacy to warm a bench was already much better than what Lu Tong had expected.
"But still..."
"Don’t worry," Lu Tong smiled faintly, "I will be back soon."
...
Each department and office in the palace had its own hustle and bustle.
After finishing his duty rotation with the Imperial Guards, Pei Yunmeng returned to his quarters when it was no longer early.
Lanterns were lit inside and outside the room, shining brightly. Qingfeng, seeing Pei Yunmeng enter, hurriedly passed the food basket he had just picked up to him, "Officer, here are the snacks the young lady sent."
Pei Yunmeng replied with a sound and took it.
Pei Yunshu had moved out of the Pei Family’s house after the new year and was living in a residence adjacent to Pei Yunmeng’s. Pei Yunmeng often did not return home when he was on duty in the palace, and sometimes Pei Yunshu would send somebody to deliver snacks and meals, urging him to eat properly.
Of course, these meals and pastries were all purchased from the restaurant; Pei Yunshu would not cook them herself. Thus, Pei Yunmeng never told her that the food from the small kitchen in the Palace Marshal’s Mansion tasted quite similar to that from the restaurant.
Pei Yunmeng, carrying the food, entered the hall where Xiao Zhufeng was reading. Hearing the noise, Xiao Zhufeng looked up and glanced at the delicate food basket for a moment.
Pei Yunmeng opened the food basket, which was divided into several layers, containing meat dishes, vegetarian dishes, and pastries in a delightful arrangement. He picked up a lotus seed paste cake and, seeing Xiao Zhufeng looking over, smiled brightly, "Envious?"
Xiao Zhufeng restrained himself, "It’s only made by a chef from the restaurant."
Pei Yunmeng nodded lazily, "Well, you don’t get any."
Knowing that he was customarily like this, a man of civil and martial virtues in the eyes of strangers but always hiding a bit of mischief in front of friends, Xiao Zhufeng didn’t bother with his childish antics and merely said, "Today, the new Imperial Medical Officers entered the palace."
"Hmm."
"Lu Tong entered the palace."
Pei Yunmeng, "I know."
In fact, not only did he know, but he had also met with Lu Tong that very morning when she first entered the palace.
However, that meeting could not be described as pleasant.
Xiao Zhufeng assessed his good friend, noticing that his demeanor was relaxed and no different from usual.
After a pause, Xiao Zhufeng then said, "Aren’t you concerned about which department she was assigned to?"
All the new Imperial Medical Officers had to be assigned to a department. In some ways, the initial allocation to a medical department could even determine the future prospects of these Medical Practitioners.
The competition existed from the very beginning.
Pei Yunmeng chuckled, "Which department?"
"The Southern Pharmacy."
The Southern Pharmacy?
Pei Yunmeng was taken aback, and his eyebrows gradually furrowed.
The Southern Pharmacy was the most hopeless place in the entire Medical Officer Institute. Each year, only the least promising Medical Officers or those who had made mistakes were assigned to the Pharmacy. Those sent to the Southern Pharmacy almost never had the chance to serve again.
This was simply the worst possible start.
Xiao Zhufeng watched the man across from him, "Cui Min is probably doing it to cast favor with the Dong Family. However, being relegated to the storeroom, your Doctor Lu probably won’t have the chance for revenge."
His words were tinged with irony, carrying an imperceptible sense of relief. To Xiao Zhufeng, Lu Tong was an unruly element, a wrong piece not meant to appear in this chess game, and one false move could affect the whole situation. Now that she was out of the picture, nothing could be better.
"Two mistakes," Pei Yunmeng said.
"Where are they wrong?"
"First, she is not ’mine,’" Pei Yunmeng corrected.
Xiao Zhufeng finally couldn’t hold back and rolled his eyes, "And the second?"
"The second," Pei Yunmeng lifted his hand, the delicate pastry in his hand glowed under the candlelight, assuming the pale pink of a newly blooming lotus.
Staring at the beautiful lotus cake in front of him, as if through the translucent petals, he seemed to glimpse a different kind of shadow, his eyes growing deep.
"The second, you’re underestimating her too much," he said.
"Opportunities are not waited for; I bet this Doctor Lu will soon create her own opportunities," he declared.