Chapter 492: Chapter 177 Yan Xu_2
However, the more ecstasy one enjoys, the harder it becomes to restrain oneself.
After taking it once, the addiction seemed to become even stronger.
It used to be once every two or three months, but this time, it wasn’t even a month before he began to crave the taste of "freedom" again.
The maidservant by his side was still consoling, "Miss had earlier instructed me to keep an eye on you; if the master knew this, there would be trouble."
Qi Yutai was in a fit of irritability, and upon hearing this, he conveniently grabbed a vase from the table and threw it. With a "thud," the maidservant was hit in the head, blood gushing out as she lay on the ground, dazed and begging for mercy.
Qi Yutai didn’t spare her a glance, stepping over her body, and muttered a curse under his breath.
"Worthless wench."
...
After Xia Miao had passed, another half a month went by. The pomegranate flowers in front of the door grew increasingly crimson, and before one knew it, the fifth day of the fifth month had arrived.
Lu Tong spent Dragon Boat Festival on West Street with Du Changqing and the others before returning to the Medical Officer Institute, carrying his medical box.
The Medical Officer Institute was the same as usual, with the stalls selling festival goods by the door having some mixed goods left unsold. There were colorful ropes, mugwort, silver-patterned rattle-drums, and fans with delicate paintings... As well as perilla, iris, and papaya cut into year’s ends, alongside aromatic herbs for offering, all stored in plum-colored wooden boxes.
Lu Tong returned at dawn, just in time for the morning report, so she first went to the hall to check the duty roster. The roster was being checked by an older medical officer, not Chang Jin. Upon her entry, the other medical officers at work all lifted their heads, each looking at her with a different expression.
Lu Tong, as if she saw nothing, took the duty roster, turned around to leave the hall, and right at the entrance, she bumped into Lin Danqing.
Lin Danqing was taken aback on seeing her, and hurriedly pulled her aside, whispering, "Why have you come so early?" Then he scrutinized her with suspicion, "Your injuries have healed already?"
Lu Tong replied, "It was just a superficial wound; it has healed quickly." After a pause, she inquired, "Where’s Chief Physician Chang?"
It was usually Chang Jin who checked the duty roster on regular days.
Lin Danqing sighed, speaking despondently, "He has been transferred to the Medical Records Pavilion."
Lu Tong was startled.
The Medical Records Pavilion, in comparison to the Medical Officer Institute, wasn’t much better than the Western Pharmacy Room. The medical officers here were in charge of preserving old medical records, preventing them from damage by insects and decay. Essentially, it amounted to doing some cleaning tasks.
If life in the Western Pharmacy Room was hard, the medical officers transferred to the Medical Records Pavilion might not suffer hardships, but they wouldn’t see patients or practice medicine, signifying that their careers had come to an end with no hope for advancement.
For Chang Jin, who had served many years as a chief physician in the Medical Officer Institute, being suddenly demoted to the Medical Records Pavilion obviously meant he had offended someone.
As for who was offended...
Not long ago, at the hunting grounds, he had spoken a word on her behalf.
Lu Tong’s gaze turned cold, and after a long while, she said, "It’s my fault he’s in this predicament."
Seeing her expression, Lin Danqing quickly tried to console her, "What does this have to do with you? It’s common for Medical Officer Institute to change positions. Moreover, with Chief Physician Chang’s temperament, it’s better for him to be in the Medical Records Pavilion, away from dealing with those with sick minds every day. He even told me before leaving that he envied Shi Changpu at the Imperial Apothecary for earning a salary by idling his days away. Now it suits him just fine, like an early retirement. He won’t have to hustle and lose all his hair over work..."
As she spoke, she seemed to realize her words might not be convincing, and gradually fell silent.
After a moment of silence, Lu Tong asked, "What about you, have you been troubled?"
At that time, Qi Yutai was aggressive, and Lin Danqing also spoke up for her.
Lin Danqing’s expression relaxed, "Who dares trouble me?"
She winked, "Envoy Cui always has to give some face to my father. The Qi Family can’t make things too ugly, and besides, if they really wanted to make it difficult for me, I could just quit. My aunt’s ’Shooting Pupil’ poison has been mostly cured anyway. If I really got chased out, I’d just take my aunt and join you at West Street, at your Benevolent Heart Medical Hall, and become a partner. My medical skills aren’t bad, right? I can run the clinic. The month allowance could be the same as yours was!"
With a light tone, Lu Tong couldn’t help but smile.
"But you," Lin Danqing looked around before continuing, "Even though Doctor Ji spoke up for you and Marshal Pei spoke for you, Qi Yutai lost her precious dog; she definitely won’t let bygones be bygones. I thought you’d wait a bit longer before returning, not only to heal but to avoid trouble for as long as possible, yet here you are, back so soon."
Returning to the Medical Officer Institute inevitably involved social interactions. And in Shengjing officialdom, most social interactions depended on the favor of the Qi Family.
It was difficult, but there was no other way.
Lu Tong shook her head.
"You can avoid for a while but not forever; what’s to come will come eventually."
Lin Danqing thought about it and said, "True. We just need to be careful." Then, glancing at the duty roster in Lu Tong’s hand, she asked, "But you’ve just recovered from your injury, and they’ve already scheduled you for consultations upon your return to the Medical Officer Institute? Isn’t that too hasty?"