Chapter 80: Chapter 58 Marshal Visits_2
Although she smiled, the smile seemed not to reach the depths of her eyes.
It made one feel both a desire to draw closer and a sense of dread.
Ah Cheng went to Lu Tong’s side and looked at Pei Yunmeng asking, "Doctor Lu, is this person an acquaintance of yours?"
If not an acquaintance, why would Yin Zheng usher these two in and even go make tea for them?
The only person who could have tea at Renxin Medical Hall nowadays was the longstanding patron, Official Hu.
Pei Yunmeng: "Yes."
Lu Tong: "Not familiar."
Their voices rang out at the same time, but the answers were completely different.
Pei Yunmeng looked at Lu Tong with a smile that was not quite a smile, showing no sign of annoyance on his face.
Lu Tong said indifferently, "We’ve met by chance, just a few times. It doesn’t count as being acquainted."
Miss Lu speaks as if she bears no affection," Duan Xiaoyan stroked his chin, "Not to mention the time our master saved your life under the Baoxiang Tower, or the time he advocated on your behalf in front of Lady Dong at Wan’en Temple, just the last encounter at Lu Yuan Pawnshop was only a month ago."
"My master paid fifty silver to redeem your hairpin and jewelry. Fifty silver is as much as two months of my salary. In these times, who would be so kind as to lend such a large sum of silver to a stranger?"
Duan Xiaoyan curled his lips: "I’ve known the master for so many years, yet he has never lent me that much."
Hearing this, Ah Cheng looked at Lu Tong with a hint of surprise: "Doctor Lu, you’ve bought hairpins and jewelry before?"
Lu Tong usually dressed plainly and had never worn any jewelry or ornaments. Du Changqing had even commented behind her back to Ah Cheng, saying it was a pity for such a beautiful face to go unadorned, dressed more plainly than his departed grandmother.
How come," Pei Yunmeng asked casually, "you’ve never seen Doctor Lu wear any?"
Ah Cheng burst into a smile: "I haven’t, indeed. Now that you mention it, ever since Doctor Lu came to our medical hall, I’ve never seen her wear any jewelry."
After saying this, as if he realized that his words might be inappropriate, he glanced at Lu Tong and quickly added, "But Doctor Lu is beautiful on her own; she doesn’t need those ornaments to look good."
Pei Yunmeng let out a soft chuckle, his gaze landing on Lu Tong, who stood in front of the medicine cabinet: "It’s curious then, why doesn’t Doctor Lu wear the jewelry she bought at great expense?"
Lu Tong, who was picking out medicinal herbs, paused ever so slightly.
This man was truly troublesome.
Yin Zheng had seen Pei Yunmeng several times before and knew that Pei Yunmeng was a man of deep thoughts. Following Lu Tong’s instructions, she had deliberately avoided speaking with Pei Yunmeng to prevent him from drawing information out of her.
But Ah Cheng was different; this was the first time he had met Pei Yunmeng and was unaware of Pei Yunmeng’s identity and the danger he posed.
Without turning to look at Pei Yunmeng’s expression, she replied calmly: "When running a clinic, ornaments like hairpins can be quite inconvenient. Should there be a grand festival, I will surely wear them."
"The lord has simply not seen them," she added.
Pei Yunmeng nodded: "That’s true."
He leaned back and said out of the blue, "Interestingly, one of the hairpins that Doctor Lu redeemed from Lu Yuan Pawnshop came from the Ke Family in the south of the city."
"The Ke Family?" Lu Tong turned around, a look of confusion on her face.
He stared into Lu Tong’s eyes: "On the first of April, at Wan’en Temple, in the Wuhuai Garden where Doctor Lu stayed, the deceased guest was the head of the Ke Family, known for their ceramics in Capital City."
Ah Cheng blinked, not understanding why Pei Yunmeng suddenly brought up this matter with Lu Tong.
"Is that so?" Lu Tong said.
She lowered her eyes: "That is indeed an ill omen."
Duan Xiaoyan asked, "Does Doctor Lu not remember the dead man?"
Lu Tong’s eyes widened slightly, her tone somewhat strange: "I have never met this person, how could there be any memory to speak of? Moreover, the Marshal once said that I, being a person of importance, often forget things. Busy with developing and selling new medicines, I’ve long set aside superfluous matters and people from my mind."
Duan Xiaoyan choked for a moment, involuntarily glancing at Pei Yunmeng.
The implication of Lu Tong’s words was that Pei Yunmeng too was "a superfluous person," hence she had completely forgotten the events previously at Lu Yuan Pawnshop, right?
The Princely Heir of the illustrious Lord Zhao Ning, who also served as the Right Military Commander for the Palace Front Office, was being openly dismissed so blatantly one day.
How fortunes turn.
While he was thinking, the felt curtain was lifted, and Yin Zheng approached with two cups of tea, placing the tea bowls in front of the two men: "Lord Pei, Young Master Duan, please enjoy your tea."
The tea bowls were made of white porcelain, smooth to the touch, but the tea leaves looked somewhat coarse and emitted a slight bitterness. The tea itself was murky and smelled less like tea and more like medicine.
Duan Xiaoyan, who detested bitterness, stared at the tea bowl in front of him, hesitating to take a sip, while Pei Yunmeng had already picked up his bowl and taken a sip.