Chapter 572: Chapter 200 Replaced_3
Even if she would take revenge on herself, Lu Tong would still be dealt with by the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, does she really not understand?
Lu Tong tugged at her lips, seemingly amused by his words.
"Envoy Cui, didn’t you survive?"
Cui Min was taken aback, "What did you say?"
The empty street stretched long, and in the distance the sky began to lighten, that faint streak growing brighter and wider, the dark hues slowly receding, dawning sunbeams piercing through the thin morning mist. There were the "swish, swish" sounds of bamboo brooms sweeping the ground.
The interior of the shop too was illuminated by the morning light, no longer dim as before.
Lu Tong smiled faintly.
"Envoy Cui has forgotten one thing. The Grand Preceptor’s Mansion needs a doctor to treat illnesses. You and I are both from commoner backgrounds, it’s all the same who goes."
"Of course, I wouldn’t die."
She looked into his eyes and spoke softly.
"Because I am going to replace you ..."
"take your place—"
...
Daybreak had fully arrived, and the water splashed at the street corner was steamed away by the warmth of the early morning, reflecting a glint of golden sunlight.
Lu Tong walked to the front of the shop and snuffed out the lantern.
Miao Liangfang sat on a stool in a daze, under the plum tree at the shop’s entrance, the shadow of the carriage had disappeared.
Cui Min and his companion had left.
Before he left, he was in disarray, as if Lu Tong had unveiled a reality he feared the most, like a cornered beast howling in desperation.
"I can cure him; this world doesn’t only have you people capable of creating new remedies." He scoffed coldly, and when his gaze swept over Miao Liangfang, a baseless pain, anger, and intolerability flashed, "The Qi Family will not show mercy to you."
He fled towards the carriage as though escaping and hastily departed, like fleeing from a mire he couldn’t face.
The outside was quiet, it was still early, with few pedestrians on the street; Ah Cheng and Du Changqing had not yet arrived, Yin Zheng was boiling porridge in the back kitchen.
"Xiao Lu." Miao Liangfang spoke blankly, "Just now, did Cui Min really come?"
Lu Tong: "Yes."
"Oh."
The old master became even more bewildered and after a while murmured softly, "I hardly recognize him anymore."
Too many days had passed.
Over ten years, he had lain drunk among the chaotic grass-thatched house floors, the rice bags under the stove becoming depleted, unable to pour out even a single grain of rice; and when his leg bones ached faintly during rainy days—
Cui Min’s face would always appear especially vivid.
He thought he would forever remember this enemy who had brought him to his current plight, yet when Cui Min truly stood before him today, his first reaction was that Cui Min looked so unfamiliar, completely different from before.
As for that hatred and the resentment, seeing the person himself, they were not as intense as he had imagined. He was like looking at an old scar: although it occasionally ached, it didn’t linger anymore.
It was all in the past.
Compared to that, he was more worried about another matter—
"Xiao Lu." Miao Liangfang asked urgently, "What did Cui Min mean just now, did you deliberately leave a problematic prescription to lure Cui Min into using it to treat the Grand Preceptor’s son?"
"You’re too bold!" Miao Liangfang’s face turned red with anxiety.
The Qi Family is no ordinary household, second only to the emperor, and he had indeed hoped that Lu Tong could take revenge for him, but not in this manner.
This method, while restraining Cui Min, would also involve the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
Qi Qing would never tolerate his own son becoming a pawn in the power struggle between Lu Tong and Cui Min.
No one could withstand the wrath of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
"Mr. Miao," Lu Tong said, "The formula was written during my spring exam. At the time of the exam, I hadn’t yet joined the Medical Officer Institute, nor did I know who was at the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. How could I have known that Young Master Qi would fall ill in the future, especially with epilepsy?"
Miao Liangfang was stunned.
That made sense.
After all, Lu Tong had come back from the Medical Officer Institute during a break to seek his advice, which shows that Lu Tong would have only learned about the facts after joining the Medical Officer Institute.
"Are you saying this was an accident?"
"Indeed, and as you know, my new formulas have never been foolproof. I didn’t expect that Young Master Qi would suddenly fall ill, and that Cui Min, brazen as he is, would directly steal the formula without noticing its flaws, causing his own misfortune."
Miao Liangfang was still puzzled, "Then why was he so sure it was your doing?"
Lu Tong responded calmly, "A stray dog bites in despair, it’s only natural."
After listening, Miao Liangfang felt her explanation made sense, but something still felt odd.
"Don’t worry, Mr. Miao, I don’t know much about the Qi Family, so how could I possibly have schemed in advance? It’s just that he’s done too many guilty deeds, and it’s merely karma catching up to him."
"But Xiao Lu," Miao Liangfang frowned with concern, "If Young Master Qi doesn’t recover, and Cui Min continues to go mad, could that bring trouble to you?"
"No."
She spoke indifferently, "Those who do good, heaven rewards with fortune; those who do evil, heaven rewards with misfortune."
"Cui Min has been doing evil for many years; it’s time for a major disaster to befall him."
...
Dawn broke, and it was yet another clear day.
Inside the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, someone sat by the window.
A servant hurried in from outside and reported in a low voice, "Sir, Envoy Cui left the mansion early this morning and did not return to the Medical Officer Institute, but went straight to West Street."
"West Street?"
Qi Qing lifted his teacup from the table, "What business does he have in West Street?"
"The man following him saw that he stopped in front of the West Street Benevolent Heart Medical Hall and spoke a few words with Lu Tong, who had previously been expelled from the Medical Officer Institute. Fearing to startle the snake by hitting the grass, the follower did not dare to get close and does not know what was said."
Qi Qing frowned.
He knew of Lu Tong.
First, she was entangled with Pei Yunmeng, causing Qi Huaying to be grief-stricken with tears, then up on Huangmao Hill, she fought and captured a tiger, making Qi Yutai also lose face...
He actually did not care about what Lu Tong did; a solitary commoner and medical officer like her could be crushed in the palm of the Qi family whenever they wished.
The only reason he did not take action against her was because of Pei Yunmeng’s involvement.
The Third Prince was currently trying to win over Pei Yunmeng, and Emperor Liang Ming had also tacitly allowed it, making Yuan Zhen start to worry.
Lu Tong was just a chess piece showing the stance of the Palace Front Office, representing the will of Pei Yunmeng.
Pei Yunmeng had decided to support Yuan Yao.
The servant said, "Perhaps Envoy Cui is trying to bring Lu Tong back to the Medical Officer Institute to treat the young master together? After all, Lu Tong was suspended before for accusing Envoy Cui of plagiarizing the prescription given to the young master."
The teacup reached his lips, and Qi Qing lowered his head to take a sip, "Indeed."
"Sir, if what she said is true..."
Qi Qing did not speak.
If what Lu Tong said was true, and Cui Min really plagiarized her prescription, then it might be that only Lu Tong could provide the quickest cure for Qi Yutai’s illness.
"There’s another matter..."
"Speak."
"The person who followed reported that the new resident doctor hired by the Benevolent Heart Medical Hall seemed somewhat familiar, resembling the former Vice Director Miao Liangfang of the Medical Officer Institute."
"After making some inquiries, it turns out that the resident doctor does indeed have the surname Miao."
Miao Liangfang.
The name was from the deep past, and it took a while for Qi Qing to piece together a vague recollection.
"Surname Miao?"
"Yes."
He remembered that Vice Director from the Medical Officer Institute who had been expelled, previously greatly favored by nobles in the palace, a commoner who reached the heights of success but did not know how to adapt to the shifting sands of court life, and thus his downfall was foreseeable.
If he remembered correctly, Miao Liangfang had entered the Medical Officer Institute together with Cui Min.
Qi Qing’s gaze flickered.
Lu Tong, from the West Street Benevolent Heart Medical Hall, and now Miao Liangfang, were both at the Benevolent Heart Medical Hall.
Miao Liangfang had a past grievance with Cui Min.
Lu Tong entered the Medical Officer Institute as a commoner.
It was as if the clouds and mist that had been obscuring everything suddenly cleared away, revealing everything clearly. Qi Qing put down the teacup, barely able to suppress his laughter.
He laughed deeply, as if he had discovered some new secret, his laughter carving deeper lines at the corners of his eyes, while his eyes were like cold arrows, shrouded in a shadowy haze.
So it was.
They had come prepared.
"A commoner medical officer dares to use Yu Tai as a tool for struggle."
He picked up the Buddha Beads that lay on the table and slowly twirled them in his hand, his tone with a hint of intense admiration: "Truly audacious."
Outside the window, the sun was bright, but inside the room, all was silent.
"Prepare the carriage."
The servant was taken aback: "Sir, are you thinking of..."
The elder stood up, his old eyes murky and dark, but his face showed a kindly smile.
"To West Street."