Chapter 289: Chapter 118 Little Lord Pei_3
Lu Tong was entirely ignorant of Miao Liangfang’s past, yet he gleaned some clues from the subtle atmosphere between Pei Yunmeng and Miao Liangfang.
Standing in front of the felt curtain with hands clasped, Miao Liangfang’s eyes darted about uncomfortably, "Yes, yes, indeed we are fated."
Lu Tong mused internally. Miao Liangfang had left the Hanlin Medical Institute over ten years ago, and at that time, Pei Yunmeng was just a green youth barely over ten years old. What grudges could possibly exist between the two?
"Medical Officer Miao has changed quite a bit over the years," Pei Yunmeng said with a smile, surveying him and pausing his gaze momentarily on Miao’s lame right leg.
Miao Liangfang’s expression grew even more rigid.
In truth, ever since Miao Liangfang came to Renxin Medical Hall to teach Lu Tong, compared to the dirty man who was slovenlier and more drunken than a beggar, he was entirely transformed. At the very least, his straw-like tousled hair had been neatly groomed, and he had changed into clean cotton clothes — Du Changqing feared it would affect the image of the medical hall.
Lu Tong had never seen Miao Liangfang’s original state, but hearing Pei Yunmeng’s reminder, she could roughly guess how spirited the former Miao Liangfang had been.
She saw Miao Liangfang’s hands at his sides clasping tighter and tighter, so she took the opportunity to speak up, "The new Artemisia that was delivered to the kitchen hasn’t been sorted yet. Mr. Miao, please go inside and help me sort it."
Upon hearing this, Miao Liangfang shot Lu Tong a grateful glance, agreed with a good, and quickly escaped through the felt curtain.
Pei Yunmeng looked towards Lu Tong, who gazed back at him calmly.
After a while, he chuckled, "To be personally taught by the illustrious Medical Officer Miao, Doctor Lu you have quite an extensive network."
"After all, we are of humble status and must rely on ourselves for everything. Without a Medical Officer’s instruction, how could we compare with the official heirs from the Imperial Medical Bureau?"
Lu Tong placed the medicine she had prepared earlier for Treasure Bead on a small table and sat down opposite Pei Yunmeng.
He looked at the medicine on the small table and asked, "Are you taking part in the Imperial Medical Bureau’s spring examination?"
"Didn’t the Marshal already know?"
This matter had caused a stir, and with Pei Yunmeng’s extensive intelligence network, Lu Tong didn’t believe that he was only learning about it now.
"It’s one thing to hear from others and another to hear it from the person themselves." He leaned back in his chair, saying lazily, "I thought Doctor Lu would cling to the Minister of Imperial Treasury’s coattails."
"Why so?"
"The young Master Dong has always been well-behaved; he fell out with you and his mother over you. Participating in the spring examination at this time is like slapping the Minister of Imperial Treasury’s face. It’s not so bad if you don’t pass, but if you do, you’ve made an enemy." He glanced at the medical books piled up in the room and the volumes compiled by Miao Liangfang for Lu Tong, his eyebrows slightly moving, "Doctor Lu can’t possibly be serious, right?"
Lu Tong: "As you see."
"Aren’t you afraid of offending the Minister of Imperial Treasury?"
"Not afraid."
His demeanor slightly composed, he stared intently at Lu Tong for a long moment before speaking thoughtfully.
"Fearless of officials, assassins, murder, even burying bodies..."
"Doctor Lu," he asked, "isn’t there anything or anyone in the world you fear?"
Lu Tong’s heart quivered.
The young man’s eyes were clear and bright, yet the depths were unfathomable. The apparent concern when he looked at someone concealed a razor-sharp edge that was difficult to capture.
Always ready to dissect someone from the inside out.
She lowered her eyes and suddenly smiled.
"There used to be. But..."
"But what?"
"But," Lu Tong lifted her head, "those things have already happened, so, there is nothing to fear anymore."
Pei Yunmeng was taken aback.
The woman’s voice was as gentle and indifferent as ever, but beneath the calm, vestiges of hidden profound loathing and world-weariness still seeped through the cracks, as if unveiling the tip of an iceberg.
There was no conversation. The clinic was very quiet, with only the faint sound of the north wind rustling the treetops and the snowflakes softly falling.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Pei Yunmeng nodded, picked up the medicine from the small table, and stood up.
He looked down at Lu Tong, who was still seated, and his lips curled up, "Then, I wish Doctor Lu good luck."
"Thank you."
"I’ll take the medicine with me." The young man’s voice became light-hearted again, glancing towards the felt curtain that led to the back courtyard before walking out with the medicine, "Don’t worry about giving back the consultation fee, consider it tea money."
His figure gradually receded.
Lu Tong sat without moving, simply watching the person gradually disappear at the end of the medical hall. Miao Liangfang, unnoticed until now, emerged from the courtyard, stretched his neck to look outside, and after confirming that the other party had indeed left, he slapped his chest half in doubt and half in relief, "He’s finally gone... So, Little Lu, are you very close to Lord Pei?"
Lu Tong was silent for a moment, then turned her face towards him.
"Mr. Miao."
"Yes?"
"Why are you afraid of Pei Yunmeng?"