Chapter 100: Chapter 64 Accidental Encounter_3
"I’m thinking..."
Lu Tong’s voice was very light, "the person we just saw."
"Lord Qi?" Yin Zheng was taken aback.
Lu Tong said, "He has a problem."
Cui’er said that Lord Qi was a person valued by Fan Zhenglian, so he brought him back to Shengjing from Yuan’an County. However, considering Lord Qi’s attire and his status in the Fan Mansion, it’s not difficult to see that he was living in difficulty.
This was strange. How could Fan Zhenglian’s capable aide be in such a sorry state?
Moreover, Cui’er mentioned he came back from Yuan’an County...
In other words, this Lord Qi had been with Fan Zhenglian since the beginning of his career and must know many of Fan Zhenglian’s secrets.
"Yin Zheng, you should ask Lord Cao about that Lord Qi we just saw."
She needed to know the details about this Lord Qi to devise the right strategy.
"Miss," Yin Zheng hesitated, "all the silver we’ve earned, apart from our living expenses, has been invested in Kuaihuo Tower. Lord Cao’s information is expensive. We don’t have enough from the dividends to afford it. If we want to inquire further, we can only borrow from Shopkeeper Du."
"Then we borrow." Lu Tong withdrew her gaze and walked straight ahead.
With no choice, Yin Zheng hurried to catch up but had just taken a few steps when she suddenly exclaimed, "Eh?"
Lu Tong stopped, "What is it?"
Yin Zheng pointed across the street, "Is that not young Master Duan from Lord Pei’s side?"
Lu Tong was taken aback and followed Yin Zheng’s gaze. Across the street in the shade of a tea stall, a person sat with their back to her, drinking tea. Unable to see the face, she couldn’t be sure if it was indeed Duan Xiaoyan.
She frowned, "Are you sure you haven’t mistaken the person?"
Yin Zheng was confident, "Impossible to be wrong, I’ve seen many people before, I am very observant." With that, she took the initiative to wave her hand and called out across the street, "Young Master Duan!"
After a short while, the person at the tea stall turned around slowly. Upon seeing the two ladies, he appeared startled, then his face lit up with a smile of pleasant surprise, as he stood up and approached, "Doctor Lu, Miss Yin Zheng."
It indeed was Duan Xiaoyan.
Lu Tong scanned the vicinity of Duan Xiaoyan but didn’t see Pei Yunmeng, so she asked, "What brings young Master Duan here?"
"I’m attending to official duties. Just passing by, I stopped to have a cup of tea, never expecting to run into Doctor Lu." He smiled warmly and then asked Lu Tong, "And you, Doctor Lu?"
"I am here to give a medical consultation for someone."
Duan Xiaoyan let out an "Oh" and glanced into the distance, then said with embarrassment to Lu Tong, "Doctor Lu, I have official duties to attend to, so I must leave first. When I have a day off in the coming days, I will ask my superior to visit your clinic again. The herbal tea from last time was truly effective..."
Lu Tong nodded to him, "Young Master Duan, take care."
Duan Xiaoyan left promptly. Lu Tong watched his departing figure for a long while without speaking.
Yin Zheng reminded her, "Miss, shall we go?"
Lu Tong withdrew her gaze, "Let’s go."
...
Upon returning to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion, Duan Xiaoyan’s colleague from the Imperial Guards, Mu Lian, was returning from the practice field, mentioning that Xiao Zhufeng had bought some plums for the troops, and told him to go inside and help himself to some.
Duan Xiaoyan waved his hand dismissively and asked Mu Lian, "Is the Marshal inside?"
"He’s not," Mu Lian bit into a green plum in his hand, the sourness causing him to squint for a moment, "Do you need Marshal for something?"
Duan Xiaoyan shook his head, "No, it’s nothing."
Mu Lian went inside, and Zhizi came running out from a corner, rubbing its head against his chest repeatedly. Duan Xiaoyan crouched on the ground and absently stroked the dog’s head, muttering to himself, "It’s really bizarre, from such a distance and without seeing my face, how did she recognize me?"
Someone from behind asked, "Recognize you? How?"
Duan Xiaoyan jolted, turned and saw Pei Yunmeng walking in from the outside.
In the summer weather, he was still dressed in the crimson brocade robe of the Palace Front Office, with every button neatly fastened, showing no signs of being affected by the heat. Instead, he looked composed and cool.
"Brother, you’re back?" Duan Xiaoyan stood up and followed him into the camp.
As they entered, both men paused simultaneously.
Near the entrance of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion barracks were about ten bamboo baskets piled up, filled to the brim with green plums. The guards were munching on them with grimaces, filling the air with the scent of sourness.
Pei Yunmeng furrowed his brows, "What is all this?"
Mu Lian hurriedly explained, "They’re from Deputy Envoy Xiao. He said it’s hot and bought them especially to quench the brothers’ thirst. He also picked out the best basket and placed it in your room, sir."
Seeing Pei Yunmeng silent, another guard, Huang Song, added, "The plums Deputy Envoy Xiao bought are pretty good, just a little sour."
Pei Yunmeng pressed his hand to his forehead and said with resignation, "...I know." After taking a few steps, he turned back, clearly unable to tolerate it any longer, "Move them to the courtyard, don’t pile them at the entrance."