Chapter 643: Chapter 220 Decision_3
In the afternoon, a person arrived at the Palace Marshal’s Mansion.
The visitor was Chang Jin.
Qingfeng let Chang Jin into the Palace Marshal’s Mansion, and as soon as he entered, Chang Jin began to speak urgently to Lu Tong.
"Last night I was looking for you, and Danqing said you had gone back to West Street, and that you would return early today. This morning, they said Deputy Envoy Xiao fell critically ill, and you were at the Palace Marshal’s Mansion," Chang Jin glanced around with suspicion and asked, "Why don’t I see Deputy Envoy Xiao?"
"He has recovered and gone home to rest," Lu Tong replied without changing her expression, "What does the Chief Physician want with me?"
Chang Jin seemed to be in a hurry, as if he had pressing matters to discuss.
Chang Jin glanced outside, then called Lu Tong into a room for a private talk. This was where Pei Yunmeng and Xiao Zhufeng handled official documents, but it was empty at the moment. Chang Jin pushed Lu Tong inside and left the door ajar.
Lu Tong looked at his actions, somewhat puzzled.
Chang Jin took out a booklet from his bosom and handed it to Lu Tong.
Upon seeing it, Lu Tong was taken aback.
"This is... the roster of medical officers to go rescue victims of the plague in Su Nan?"
Chang Jin sighed deeply.
"After the locust disaster in Su Nan, a major epidemic began to rise. The court has arranged for medical officers to go to Su Nan to treat the epidemic. Originally, I didn’t want to involve you," he said.
"Most of the epidemic medical officers are experienced, and you are young, with no experience in treating plagues. Since you had been treating Young Master Qi earlier, I did not inform you about this. I thought it would be better for you to stay at the Medical Officer Institute."
"However, Young Master Qi has gotten into trouble now."
Chang Jin looked at her with deep concern.
"You had old grievances with Young Master Qi, and he has met a tragic death. Though his death has nothing to do with you, the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion may not refrain from taking their anger out on you. I’ve thought it over, and staying in Shengjing could be more dangerous for you. It might be better to go to Su Nan together, to stay away from this place of trouble temporarily. After things settle down, you can return to the Imperial City without harm."
Lu Tong was stunned.
She had not expected Chang Jin to consider her situation to such an extent.
Seeing her silence, Chang Jin misunderstood her thoughts, thinking she did not believe him, and explained, "Doctor Lu, you used to be a Resident Doctor among the commoners and may not be aware of some things. Commoner medical officers in the Imperial City do not have backing, and when they get involved in an incident, they can often be made into scapegoats."
"It’s not unprecedented."
He said with a sigh, "I’m not trying to scare you; I just can’t bear to see you sacrificed over these unrelated issues. The team going to Su Nan will leave the day after tomorrow. If you don’t object, I will add your name to the list, which could spare you any trouble."
He leaned in, lowering his voice, "Young one, drawing fire from under the cauldron to avoid the limelight might not be a bad strategy."
Lu Tong clenched the roster in her hand and raised her head.
"Chief Physician, are you not afraid of bringing trouble upon yourself by helping me like this?"
Chang Jin was a kind-hearted person, and ever since Cui Min had been imprisoned, all duties of the Envoy were temporarily being handled by Chang Jin. Adding her name to the roster would let Qi Qing know immediately that it was Chang Jin’s idea once he inquired about it.
Why should he cause offense to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion on her behalf?
Chang Jin replied with an embarrassed smile upon hearing her words.
"Doctor Lu, actually, I have been to West Street once."
Lu Tong was slightly startled.
He said, "After Envoy Cui’s affair, I inquired a bit. Only later did I learn that the Resident Doctor of Renxin Medical Hall was originally Vice Director Miao."
"When I first joined the Medical Officer Institute, I knew nothing, and I often failed the Official Examiner’s assessments. It was Vice Director Miao who lent me his medical books and notes to help me study. Every old timer in the Medical Officer Institute has been a beneficiary of Vice Director Miao’s kindness."
He chuckled, "When I visited West Street, you were at the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion treating a patient and were not at the medical hall. Vice Director Miao told me that you are his benefactor and student, and asked me to take good care of you in the Medical Officer Institute, not to be too harsh on you. He made me promise a thousand times over not to reveal that I had met him."
"No wonder you are such a skilled physician; it’s because you have a great teacher." Chang Jin mused, "The Vice Director entrusted me to look after you, but your medical skills far exceed mine, and I have nothing to teach you, nor do I hold a prominent position. Now that the Qi Family is in trouble, if I couldn’t help you, wouldn’t I be failing the trust that the Vice Director put in me?"
Lu Tong was silent.
She did not know that Chang Jin had looked for Miao Liangfang, nor was she aware of the layer between the two men.
"Doctor Lu," Chang Jin spoke solemnly, "I can help you only so much. The Qi Family in Shengjing holds great power, and your situation is dangerous. However, the epidemic in Su Nan is severe, and the Medical Officer is not entirely safe either; each has its own difficulties. The choice is yours."
"There is no time to delay, I cannot stay long, I must return to the Medical Officer Institute." He said, "Take your time to think, and let me know by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
After he gave Lu Tong a few more instructions, he hurriedly left. After his departure, two figures emerged from under the parasol tree at the entrance of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion.
Xiao Zhufeng glanced at the receding figure of Chang Jin and said, "Your Doctor Lu is quite lucky."
The situation was already very unfavorable for her, but just at this time, Chang Jin actually stepped forward to help her, the situation took an unexpected turn.
Pei Yunmeng remained silent.
Xiao Zhufeng turned to her: "Can’t bear to?" He reminded her, "This is her best opportunity."
"Next, we will both be very busy. With the turmoil in Shengjing, her staying here will only cause more trouble. Even if you protect her, aren’t you afraid that in a moment of impulse she will storm into the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, slaughtering wildly?"
Pei Yunmeng pressed her brow.
Lu Tong was not at all afraid of death.
Having completed her revenge, she was determined to die with Qi Qing to protect everyone behind her. Her conviction to embrace death was so strong, her attitude so resolute, that he could find no way to stop her. Even if he were to confine her in the Palace Marshal’s Mansion now, that might work temporarily but not forever.
He had originally thought there was nothing in the world that could not be overcome, yet at this moment, he felt utterly helpless in front of her, like the most difficult piece to fit in the wooden pagoda in his study. No matter what, he was utterly defeated before her.
After a long time, he said, "I just can’t stop worrying."
The true extent of the epidemic in Su Nan could not be gleaned from just a few sentences in the reports.
"Her medical skills are among the top in the Medical Officer Institute, and she is better at killing people than others: ten men are no match for her. What are you worried about?"
Xiao Zhufeng spoke unexpectedly, "Instead of worrying about her, you’d better worry about yourself. Maybe when she comes back from Su Nan, she’ll find you dead and might even avenge you, then you’d have the desire to live a few more years."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yunmeng smiled faintly and said, "Forget it. If I were to die, seeing her toil for my sake would probably make me restlessly uneasy even in Hell."
Xiao Zhufeng was speechless.
After a moment of silence between them, Xiao Zhufeng spoke again, "Besides, she might not go to Su Nan. She herself left the Lu Family during the great plague in Changwu County that year. Going to Su Nan might unavoidably upset her."
People generally do not want to face painful memories.
Pei Yunmeng’s gaze shifted slightly.
He actually did not know what choice Lu Tong would make.
He hoped she would stay in Shengjing where he could watch over her and protect her, yet he also feared that staying would only cause this stubborn person to once again turn her back and walk towards the abyss.
Caught between a rock and a hard place.
As he pondered, the sound of footsteps approached from behind, and the two turned around to see Lu Tong walking out.
She spotted the two under the tree in the courtyard right away and walked straight towards Pei Yunmeng.
Xiao Zhufeng silently turned his back and quickly walked away.
Lu Tong stopped in front of Pei Yunmeng.
Underneath the parasol tree covered with fallen yellow leaves, the two stood facing each other amid the drifting bare branches.
As the wind blew, a fallen leaf landed in her hair, and he reached out gently to brush it away.
Lu Tong’s gaze wavered, and she looked up at him.
"Marshal, you don’t need to keep me confined," she said, "and the Imperial Guards in the mansion must be tired too."
Pei Yunmeng looked down at Lu Tong as she stretched out her hand to present a blue-covered document in front of him.
"I want to go to Su Nan," she declared.