Chapter 566: Chapter 199 Relapse
The night deepened, and a layer of white dew settled in the garden.
The white dew lent the late summer’s sultry night an added touch of serenity, and in a few days, it would be the start of autumn.
The mansion was quiet, someone carrying a lantern walked along the corridor, the light flickering faintly in the darkness like a fleetingly dancing firefly, stopping by a room door.
Cui Min pushed open the door and walked into the study.
The room lit up.
The surroundings gradually brightened, with several medical books laid out on the long table, which were dusted and cleaned every day. The inkstone was of high quality, and in the corner of the desk, there stood a potted green jade bamboo, vivid and vibrantly colored, very antique.
The study was large and appeared simple, but in reality, every piece of placed furniture was exceptionally exquisite.
He sat down at the desk.
In the green jade plate copper candle holder, the flickering flame illuminated his face, bringing into light the creases at the corners of his eyes and the faint whiteness at his temples, casting a sense of agedness not seen before.
Cui Min quietly looked around.
This study was built under his personal instructions.
In his youth, he worked as an assistant in a pharmacy, lacking even a place to live, let alone a study. After the pharmacy closed, he would spread a mat in the firewood room for sleeping, eating, and reading.
The firewood room was his study.
It wasn’t a good place—hot in summer, cold in winter. Fleas often infested the mat, causing unbearable itching, and sometimes at night, rats would scurry across his body.
Back then, he dreamed that if one day he had his own house, if he could afford to have a study in expensive Shengjing, it didn’t need to be big—just big enough for his medical books and a set of table and chairs.
Later, when he became an Envoy, he gradually saved up silver coins, and the first thing he did after buying a residence in Shengjing was to have this study built.
Spacious, bright, with shelves full of medical books, and a window with a pleasant view.
It was a hundred times better than what he had yearned for in his youth.
The wind blew, causing the shadows of the trees in the courtyard to sway.
Cui Min tightened his outer garment.
Strangely enough, in his younger days when he slept in the firewood room, despite the rough meals and poor living conditions, he slept exceptionally well, even through leaking rain at night, and he always wished for more time to rest.
But now, with a large house, soft silk bedding, incense, coolness in summer and warm coals in winter, he often suffered from insomnia. Even lying down, sleep would not come easily.
Like tonight, he couldn’t sleep again.
Cui Min rubbed his forehead.
Perhaps, he really was getting old.
The study door creaked softly, and a servant walked in from outside, holding a bowl of medicinal soup.
Cui Min glanced at the dark-colored medicinal soup and asked, "Don’t wake the mistress or the young master."
"Rest assured, my lord," the servant replied, "the mistress and the young master have both gone to bed."
Cui Min nodded and reached out to take the medicinal soup from the servant’s hands.
He had prescribed this medicine for himself.
Qi Yutai had a sudden attack of epilepsy, and in the past month, he exerted himself to the utmost at the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion and worked tirelessly until the early morning at the Medical Officer Institute.
He hadn’t been so overtired for many years. He had barely managed before, but after Qi Yutai recovered, he started showing signs of exhaustion and weakness.
Cui Min knew he had damaged his heart and spleen, hence his lack of qi and blood and his disturbed spirit, so he had the servants prepare Bao Yuan Nourishing Heart Soup daily to recuperate.
Although its effectiveness wasn’t very good.
He lifted his hand and drank the soup in one gulp, then took out a handkerchief to wipe the medicinal residue from his lips. Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "Has there been any movement from Lu Tong lately?"
Lu Tong had left the Hanlin Medical Institute some time ago.
During this period, nothing noteworthy had happened in the institute. Ji Xun and Lin Danqing had inquired several times, but to no avail.
Officially, Lu Tong only received a suspension, which was already lenient on his part.
The servant replied, "After returning to West Street, Doctor Lu has been at the Renxin Medical Hall. Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the medical hall’s establishment, and Marshal Pei, Doctor Ji, and Doctor Lin all went to West Street to offer their congratulations."
"Renxin Medical Hall?"
Cui Min’s brows furrowed slightly.
He was familiar with this medical hall.
When he had nominated Lu Tong as the top candidate in the spring examination, he had already had someone investigate Lu Tong’s background.
Lu Tong was from Su Nan and had come to Shengjing to seek refuge with relatives. For some reason, he ended up on West Street. Having some medical skill, he set up practice there.
Renxin Medical Hall was a decrepit establishment, whose owner, Du Changqing, was a profligate. Its revival was due to Lu Tong’s presence. Apart from Du Changqing, there was an assistant and Lu Tong’s maidservant in the medical hall. After Lu Tong joined the Hanlin Medical Institute, the hall had hired an older doctor of commoner status.
A motley crew of rabble.
Yet Pei Yunmeng and Ji Xun held them in high regard.
Cui Min let out a cold laugh.
To survive in the Imperial City, commoners always sought a powerful patron, and for a woman, nothing was easier than climbing the social ladder.