Chapter 52: Chapter 50 Suspicion_1
No irrelevant persons were allowed in the Wuhuai Garden pavilion, and the Dong Family’s servants surrounded it, closely watching the actions of the people inside.
Gradually, Young Master Dong’s face regained some color, and his eyelids also opened. He uttered a pained moan and called out, "Mother..."
"Lin’er!" Lady Dong hurried over, holding his hand while crying and saying, "You scared your mother to death!"
Lu Tong stood up and addressed the Dong Family’s servants, "Do not touch the Golden Needle on his body. Wait for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and do not let him make big movements to avoid shortness of breath and chest tightness."
The Dong Family’s servants no longer dared to be disrespectful as they had been before and hurriedly responded with respect.
Seeing that Lady Dong and Young Master Dong were speaking softly, Lu Tong turned and took a few steps out of the pavilion. There were too many people here, producing quite a commotion.
She had only taken a few steps outside the pavilion when she saw a person standing in front.
The late spring breeze teased the willow strands, their tender greenery fluttering gently. The young man turned around, and the sunlight falling upon him set the fine dark embroidery on his jet-black robes shimmering with slivers of silver. He was extraordinarily beautiful, with a grace and elegance that rivaled jade. Standing under the blossoms, with the spring breeze brushing by, one could not help but be reminded of the natural splendor of mountains and water, the worldly charm of the human world.
He truly possessed a bewitching appearance.
Seeing Lu Tong coming out of the pavilion, he looked inside and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Doctor Lu’s medical skills are impressive."
Lu Tong nodded, "Thank you to Lord Pei for stepping in earlier."
"It was just a small effort," he said with a laugh, his tone indifferent, "Doctor Lu need not take it to heart."
Yin Zheng approached Lu Tong’s side, but before she could speak, the Princely Heir of Lord Zhao Ning interrupted, "Did Doctor Lu stay in Wuhuai Garden last night?"
Lu Tong: "Yes."
Pei Yunmeng pondered for a moment before adding, "Does Doctor Lu know that the person who died last night in Fangsheng Hall was also staying in Wuhuai Garden?"
Lu Tong looked up.
His face was smiling, his demeanor relaxed and casual, but his eyes were devoid of mirth, like the pitch-black long sword at his waist, cold and sharp, drawing blood upon unsheathing.
Lu Tong watched him, her gaze calm, "Is that so? I hadn’t heard."
Pei Yunmeng nodded, his eyes carrying an ambiguous meaning, "Doctor Lu went to Wan’en Temple with only a maid. It is dangerous for two women to travel alone. Why not bring more guards?"
Lu Tong answered him in six words, "Money is tight, not convenient."
Pei Yunmeng looked at her with a smile, "Speaking of which, Doctor Lu went up the mountain to offer incense and prayers, yet you don’t seem to be a person who believes in Buddha."
"Lord Pei doesn’t seem like a believer either," Lu Tong retorted, "Why then are you attending the Blue Lotus Dharma Assembly?"
Even Yin Zheng, usually slow to catch on, sensed that the atmosphere was off at this moment and hurriedly moved closer to Lu Tong’s side, in case the handsome and enigmatic Commander suddenly became hostile.
Upon hearing Lu Tong’s retort, Pei Yunmeng did not get angry but rather looked at her thoughtfully. After a while, he said, "Where did the scars on Doctor Lu’s hands come from?"
Lu Tong’s heart stirred, and she instantly understood in a flash.
So that was it.
He must have noticed the scars on her wrist while she was administering acupuncture to Young Master Dong. But could just a scar lead him to suspect her?
This man was terribly astute.
Lu Tong casually said, "Handling medicine and concocting drugs, one is inevitably wounded by the materials."
He stared into Lu Tong’s eyes, "Which material?"
"Black locust," Lu Tong replied quickly.
Pei Yunmeng gazed at her intensely, his expression seemingly amused yet suggesting he saw through her lie.
Lu Tong remained unmoved, her gaze toward him equally cold.
As the tension held, Young Master Dong said something, prompting the Dong Family’s servants to call out, "Doctor Lu, Doctor Lu!"
The delicate silence was broken by this cry.
Lu Tong gave a slight nod to Pei Yunmeng, no longer entangling herself with him, and turned to walk toward the pavilion. Yin Zheng hurriedly followed.
Pei Yunmeng watched her retreating back, his eyes gradually hardening.
Duan Xiaoyan and Xiao Zhufeng approached from the side, Duan Xiaoyan asking, "Yunmeng brother, what were you two talking about just now?"
"Wasn’t it an old acquaintance?" Xiao Zhufeng also looked towards the pavilion, "She doesn’t seem to want to deal with you at all."
Pei Yunmeng did not answer his question, but suddenly turned his head to ask Xiao Zhufeng, "Have you heard of black locust?"
"What’s black locust?" Duan Xiaoyan was confused, "Can you eat it?"
Pei Yunmeng withdrew his gaze, smiled faintly, and said dismissively, "It’s nothing."
...
At that moment, Lu Tong had reached the inside of the pavilion, where Young Master Dong, surrounded by everyone, had fully awakened.
As the time it took for an incense stick to burn had passed, Lu Tong crouched down and began to remove the Golden Needles from his body.