Chapter 565: Chapter 198: Truth and Lies_3
"I did write ten new prescriptions under each examination paper to bait the greedy, but I also deliberately left flaws," she said, her expression calm but her tone somewhat mocking.
Cui Min is a petty man with no real talent or learning, even if he obtains the prescriptions, they may benefit him, but he may not be able to fix the flaws. At that time, he will have no choice but to seek help from the person who wrote the prescriptions. In this way, I will always be indispensable to Cui Min, always leaving him a glimmer of hope."
Lu Tong set down her teacup.
"I am not as formidable as the Marshal thinks, to be able to foresee what will happen in the future. That Cui Min would use the prescription to treat Qi Yutai was also beyond my expectation. It was fate that brought the opportunity to me. I simply seized it."
"Always have a backup plan before you act. After all, it’s not easy to come by a prescription."
The room was quiet.
Pei Yunmeng stared at her for a long moment before suddenly lowering his head, unable to suppress a laugh.
"To make sure someone fails, one must first appear to support them; to take from someone, one must first seem to give. Now that I think about it, when I offended you in the past, you must have been lenient with me, right?"
With Lu Tong’s means, if she set her mind on dealing with someone, it would indeed be very difficult to escape.
"The Marshal is too kind."
"Will the prescription cause him to go mad?"
"Perhaps."
Pei Yunmeng nodded.
"So this was your plan," he said, leaning back slightly as if speaking casually, "I was thinking if there was a chance for me to lend a hand. Now it seems that there’s no room for me to make a move."
He sighed, "Doctor Lu is truly formidable."
He did know how to sweet-talk, perhaps because he had been drinking.
"Lord Pei has already helped me a lot, it’s inappropriate to always trouble the Marshal," she said politely.
"You are my creditor," he said.
Lu Tong took a deep breath.
She had never seen anyone so eager to repay a debt.
She said, "Usually it’s the giver who tires of giving, not the receiver who wearies of receiving. How come it’s the other way around with the Marshal?"
"Does Doctor Lu not appreciate it?"
"I just don’t want to tire the Marshal out."
"You care about me that much."
He nodded, leaning forward slightly, bracing his chin with his hand as he looked at Lu Tong, bright eyes full of mirth.
"Since that’s the case," he said slowly, "back when I was in front of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion, why didn’t you mind exhausting me when you used me to provoke Dong Family’s young master?"
At those words, Lu Tong was abruptly stunned.
She had indeed staged a scene using Pei Yun at the entrance to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion to make Dong Lin give up.
But Pei Yun had seemed very calm at the time, and he never mentioned it afterward, so she assumed he hadn’t seen it and thought she had merely stumbled.
Who would have thought he saw everything?
Lu Tong looked at him incredulously. "You knew?"
And yet he had acted as if it were nothing!
Pei Yunmeng raised his eyebrows, his gaze profound: "I was nearly kissed, so how could I not know about such impropriety towards me?"
"My pure reputation, all tarnished by you."
Lu Tong bristled with anger.
At that moment, she somewhat understood why Ji Xun was so antagonistic toward Pei Yun.
This man enjoyed seeing others embarrassed.
Suppressing her anger, she spoke, "You speak as if you’re so chaste and pure, but why didn’t you push me away then?"
He could have easily pushed her away.
He remained propped up, seemingly enjoying her anger, and said at a leisurely pace, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"
Lu Tong frowned. "What’s the lie?"
"A lie would be that the Minister of Imperial Treasury had spread rumors earlier, and I also dislike the Dong Family. Their young master’s heartbreak makes me happy."
Pointless.
Lu Tong asked, "And what’s the truth?"
"The truth is..."
His eyes smiled, fixed on Lu Tong, his deep gaze like a clear, tranquil lake stirred by a breeze, ripples slowly spreading across its surface.
Lu Tong’s heart stirred.
A faint scent of alcohol mingled with his own fragrance of orchid musk, enveloping him in a momentary daze.
Pei Yunmeng still gazed quietly at her, the late summer afternoon so very still, with the cicada calls making the greenery outside the window seem almost parched.
Heat began to creep up his chest and flush his face.
"Guess," he said.
"..."
...
In the afternoon of a summer’s day, the cicadas buzzed loudly.
Within the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, in Qi Yutai’s room atop the couch, the figure tossed and turned, sitting up from the bed in apparent irritation.
Qi Yutai’s brows were knotted with impatience.
It had been nearly half a month since he had recovered from his illness and returned to the Board of Rites Office.
During this half month, he had been going to the office every morning and returning home at dusk. To outsiders, everything seemed to have gone back to normal.
But Qi Yutai knew the torment hidden beneath.
Although his father had always been strict, he used to find a moment to breathe when he went to the Board of Rites Office. Now, it was different.
Ever since he recovered and started going out, his father had Qi Qing send a servant and a guard to watch over him. Officially, they said it was to make herbal concoctions and nourish his health, but Qi Yutai knew very well, his father was actually keeping surveillance on him.
He feared another outbreak of his condition, feared that he would have another episode in public, losing face for the Qi Family. That’s why he had someone follow him at every step. In case of any incident, they would immediately take him back home to preserve the Qi Family’s reputation.
Reputation.
Qi Yutai gave a self-deprecating sneer.
He had not been deaf to the rumors outside; his father had always cherished his reputation. Now that he had become the laughing stock in Rouge Lane, played like a monkey for all to see, his father’s anger and disappointment were palpable.
Whenever he thought of this, Qi Yutai felt a throbbing pain in his head, as if something inside was about to explode. The more he felt this way, the more he missed the Fengle Building that was consumed by the great fire.
He wanted to take the scatter powder again.
But now, under his father’s stricter watch, he couldn’t even think about that powder, let alone have the chance to go out alone. He could only give up.
It’s over, he thought. Maybe in a few days, he could find a way to ask Hua Ying to help him get out and relieve some boredom.
Thinking of Qi Huaying, he inevitably thought of that female medical officer, the root cause of his sister’s troubles.
Just as a servant brought in some freshly brewed medicine, Qi Yutai asked, "How has Lu Tong been recently?"
If it weren’t for the fire at Fengle Building, he would have already started dealing with that lowly female doctor. A wretched creature from the gutter, who dared to sadden the precious pearl of the Qi Family. Even with Pei Yunmeng’s protection, he would find a way to make her suffer.
But an unforeseen event had delayed him, allowing the woman to hop around for a few more days.
The servant by his side replied, "Young master, Lu Tong has already left the Medical Officer Institute."
Qi Yutai’s hand, which was holding the medicine bowl, paused, and he looked up.
"What?"
The servant bowed his head and recounted the recent events that took place at the Medical Officer Institute.
After hearing this, Qi Yutai muttered, "She’s already left."
He hadn’t even begun to take action, and Lu Tong was gone?
Perhaps it was Cui Min’s doing, but with Pei Yunmeng backing Lu Tong, he really didn’t intervene?
No, that couldn’t be right; he must have tried. Otherwise, since Lu Tong dared to splash Cui Min with mud, she should have been thoroughly kicked out of the Medical Officer Institute by now, or subjected to a beating, not just a three-month suspension.
Cui Min still had reservations.
Qi Yutai’s expression was scornful, but soon, he felt a surge of joy.
This was better.
When Lu Tong was in the Medical Officer Institute, with Pei Yunmeng and Ji Xun watching over her from within the Imperial City, some things were challenging to accomplish.
Now that she had drifted to West Street, a place swarming with commoners, a chaotic mixture of dragons and fishes, dealing with her would be easy, much easier than in the Medical Officer Institute.
With this thought, Qi Yutai felt at ease, and even the medicinal soup he usually found unbearably bitter seemed more agreeable.
"Good," he said, lifting his pale, sickly face. In that moment, his somewhat dark eyes sparkled with an ominous light, looking somewhat eerie.
"This is good news indeed."
As he spoke, he reached for the medicine bowl on the tray.
The dark brown medicinal broth was thick, sitting inside the white porcelain bowl, making it look even more like a layer of rotten sludge. As soon as he brought it close, the bitter smell filled his nostrils.
Medicine is bitter to the taste, yet this one’s bitterness surpassed even that of poison.
Qi Yutai cursed Cui Min under his breath, then tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and drank all the soup from the bowl.