Chapter 584: 204
Qi Yutai had a dream.
A very long dream.
The dream was disjointed and chaotic, noisy and loud. One moment he was in a thatched cottage in Mangming Township with birdcages hanging above, the next he was in the midst of a surging fire within Fengle Building. Amidst the ash-filled sky, he saw an aged face with blood streaming from its eyes and nose, a simpleton with a vacant stare smiling at him, with a Light-vented singing crisply on his shoulder.
He ran in panic, only to be stopped by a locked door. Turning back, he saw a painted beauty in the room of Fengle Building shedding tears, coldly watching him.
"Ah—"
Qi Yutai abruptly opened his eyes, sitting up straight on the couch.
Hurried footsteps sounded by his ear, followed by the voice of a servant: "Young Master?"
Qi Yutai looked around in fear.
On the golden straw mat, the blanket with white jade orchids and Ruyi could patterns was crumpled into a lump, and from the table in the distance, the Incense Burner released the familiar scent of Spirit Rhinoceros Fragrance. He was momentarily bewildered before slowly coming to his senses.
This was his own room.
He had just had a dream?
"When did I fall asleep?" He flung off the blanket and, while massaging his temples, asked the person beside him.
The maid was momentarily stunned before joy quickly spread across her face: "Has the Young Master awakened?"
She turned and called into the yard: "Hurry and tell the Grand Preceptor, the Young Master has awakened—"
Qi Yutai furrowed his brow, shook his head, and felt an overwhelming heaviness in his brain as if he had not slept for several days and nights, leaving him dreadfully groggy.
Upon trying to remember, he could not recall when he had gone to the couch or what he had done before sleeping.
As he massaged his temples, he suddenly heard someone outside speaking: "Young Master Qi has awakened?"
This voice was very familiar. Qi Yutai started.
He looked up to see a woman standing outside the door, dressed in a light blue robe with delicate features. She carried a bowl of medicinal soup and stepped inside.
Qi Yutai paused, then pointed at the person before him and called out in disbelief, "Lu Tong!"
He asked, "Why are you here?"
Why would Lu Tong appear in his room?
The female Medical Officer placed the medicinal soup bowl on a side table and said, "Young Master Qi, the Grand Preceptor asked me to come."
"My father?"
Qi Yutai looked doubtfully at the person beside him: "What do you mean?"
The maid bowed her head and explained: "Young Master, a few days ago, you had another bout of your illness, and the Grand Preceptor ordered for Doctor Lu to be summoned to diagnose you."
He had fallen ill?
Qi Yutai was baffled. When had this happened? Yet as he tried to think more deeply, it felt as though someone was stirring his mind with a fine needle, causing an excruciating headache.
Qi Yutai gathered his spirits and looked at the person before him with a cold chuckle: "What a joke. I have always been treated by Cui Min. Merely a Medical Officer from the Hanlin Medical Institute is not qualified to diagnose me. Where is Cui Min? Let him roll over here!"
The maid bowed her head even lower: "Young Master, Envoy Cui has had an accident."
"An accident?" Qi Yutai frowned, "What kind of accident?"
He was about to ask further when a voice suddenly came from outside saying "Yu Tai."
Qi Yutai looked forward to see the steward helping Qi Qing enter the room.
The Grand Preceptor’s usually neat robe was slightly wrinkled, and he coughed as he walked, likely having rushed over as soon as he heard of his son’s awakening. Qi Yutai called out "Father," and Qi Qing’s face immediately softened.
The steward helped Qi Qing forward, Lu Tong stepped aside, and when Qi Qing reached the couch, his grey eyes thoroughly examined Qi Yutai, then, after a moment, he said, "You’re awake?"
Qi Yutai uttered an "Mhm," and eagerly looked at Lu Tong: "Father, what exactly happened to Cui Min? Why did you have her diagnose me? Back at Huangmao Hill, it was this woman who killed the tiger—"
"Yu Tai."
Qi Qing’s voice was calm. Qi Yutai’s remaining words were stuck in his throat, and he dared not say another word.
However, the Grand Preceptor turned to look at Lu Tong.
"Doctor Lu," he said, "thank you for taking care of my son. You have worked hard these past few days. Someone, take Doctor Lu down to rest."
He wanted to leave the father and son alone to talk.
Lu Tong nodded and left with the maid, and the door was closed.
Qi Yutai sat on the edge of the couch, watching Lu Tong leave the room, finally speaking out of discontent: "Father, this vile woman and Pei Yunmeng have been entangled incessantly, causing my sister heartache and humiliating our Qi Family’s face in public. How can you be so polite to her? Isn’t this a slap in the face of our Qi Family?"
His eyes were wildly agitated while Qi Qing’s brow furrowed slightly.
"You have just recovered from your illness," Qi Qing said: "You need to keep calm and recuperate."
"I am not sick at all, Father," Qi Yutai said: "Why isn’t Cui Min here?"
"From now on, she will be the one to diagnose you," Qi Qing did not entertain his question, "During the Tianzhang Platform ritual, you cannot afford to make any mistakes."
"Father! I am not sick at all!" Qi Yutai raised his voice.
The room fell into a moment of silence.
The servants bowed their heads, none daring to speak up.
Facing Qi Qing’s calm gaze, Qi Yutai shrank back a little, softening his tone: "Father, I really am not sick. Hasn’t Cui Min said? I was just startled..."