Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Searching for the Lover_1

Xinglin Hall had developed Chun Yangsheng, intending to take advantage of the situation to crush the Renxin Medical Hall, but things went contrary to their desires, and in the end, they lifted a rock only to drop it on their own foot.

Ever since those scholars and commoners made a scene at the entrance of Xinglin Hall, the clinic had not reopened for eight or nine days straight.

Ah Cheng went to gather information and came back saying that Bai Shouyi had been hiding in the Bai Residence these days, not venturing beyond the main gate nor taking a step out of the inner door, for fear of getting spat on in the face by someone again.

Upon hearing this good news, Du Changqing was so delighted that it dispelled the gloom of the previous few days, and his voice sounded several degrees louder than usual.

As he entered from outside, he just happened to see Lu Tong sorting through new medicines and lightly coughed, "This time, Xinglin Hall has tasted its own bitter medicine, thanks to Doctor Lu’s deep schemes... I mean intelligence. You have really given Renxin Medical Hall a way to vent its anger, and as the proprietor, I am moved. The proprietor won’t forget your good deeds. When it comes time for monthly accounts, I will give you a raise."

Upon hearing this, Yin Zheng immediately pulled Ah Cheng to the side and said, "Ah Cheng and I both heard it, Shopkeeper, you can’t go back on your word."

"Rest assured," Du Changqing said with a sweeping gesture of his hand, then looked toward Lu Tong with some curiosity and asked, "However, Doctor Lu, although this matter started because that old woodblock imitated the ugly girl trying to enhance her beauty, you are no lamp that consumes little oil. Just by instructing a few people to fan the flames, you have caused Bai Shouyi to suffer a great loss quietly. Bai Shouyi is not someone easy to deal with, and your calm response, those tactics don’t seem like what an ordinary girl would be capable of."

He leaned in closer to Lu Tong and suddenly said, "Could it be that you are the young lady of some great household, who secretly ran away from home to experience commoner’s life?"

Lu Tong paused in her actions.

Yin Zheng desperately signaled Du Changqing with her eyes.

Du Changqing did not notice Yin Zheng’s hints and continued to speculate when he saw Lu Tong not answering, "Speaking of which, you and Yin Zheng went all the way to Shangjing, your parents aren’t worried, and usually, I have not seen you writing letters to them. They..."

Lu Tong interrupted him, "My parents are no longer alive."

Du Changqing was stunned.

Yin Zheng could not bear to keep watching.

Du Changqing’s face turned embarrassed, and he stammered, "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to... I didn’t know..."

"It doesn’t matter." Lu Tong continued sorting the medical teas, her movements skilled and unaffected by the conversation.

Du Changqing watched her for a moment, scratched his eyebrow, then asked cautiously, "Since both your honorable mother and father are gone, why did you come to Shangjing alone? You know, it’s quite difficult for two girls like you to make a living alone. With your medical skills, why not find a clinic to produce and sell medicine locally? Making a name for yourself in Shengjing is not an easy task."

What he said was indeed true.

Lu Tong’s eyelashes flickered slightly.

Du Changqing sometimes seemed naive, but at other times he was shrewd. Pretending to carry on her master’s last wish might fool others, but Du Changqing probably wouldn’t believe it.

She pondered for a moment before saying, "I came to Shengjing to look for someone."

"Looking for someone?" Du Changqing’s expression shifted, "Who? A loved one?"

Yin Zheng rolled her eyes, just about to speak, when she heard Lu Tong say, "Exactly."

Even Ah Cheng was shocked.

"Impossible," Du Changqing blurted out without thinking, "Doctor Lu, even though you are not the gentlest, don’t act coquettishly, don’t smile much, and often put people on edge, you still look imposing. Just speaking of appearance, you are delicately frail and pitifully lovely—a beautiful woman. To have someone as pretty as you search far and wide, what kind of heartless man would be so blind?" He paused, shocked, "You weren’t deceived, were you?"

"No," Lu Tong said with unruffled composure, "I have a token."

"What use is a token? It still doesn’t compare to having deeds and shopfronts," Du Changqing expressed deep concern over this matter and urged, "Tell me the name of the person you’re looking for. I have quite a few acquaintances in Shengjing, and I can ask them to help you search. Once they find him, then we can settle the score with that heartless individual."

Yin Zheng looked somewhat bewilderedly at Lu Tong.

Lu Tong thought for a moment, then said offhandedly, "I don’t know his name or family name, but we occasionally met on the road where I saved him. He said he was the young master of a prominent family in Shengjing and left me a token, claiming that when I made my way to Shangjing, he would surely come to find me."

Listening to her, Du Changqing was befuddled, "So is that why you insisted on practicing medicine at my medical hall, just to make a name for yourself in Shengjing and have that man hear of you and come to you of his own accord?"

He had already come up with a reason for her, and Lu Tong saw no reason to deny it, so she simply nodded in agreement.

Du Changqing sighed deeply, "I said it, you’ve been deceived! Doctor Lu, you’ve been reading too many operas, haven’t you? Of every ten people you save on the road, nine claim to be rich heirs, and the tenth is the secret illegitimate child of some official family. If that man intended to find you, why didn’t he just tell you his name and family directly, rather than having you desperately search for him all this way? I bet that token he gave you is either fake jade or some worthless broken ring."

Lu Tong didn’t respond as if in agreement.

Looking at Lu Tong as if he couldn’t bear her stupidity, Du Changqing said, "From what I see, you normally appear sharp-witted, so how can you be so foolish in this matter? That person must be nothing but a pretty-faced, fair-skinned, good-for-nothing loafer, who has baffled you into confusion with his looks.

"Let me tell you, young men as handsome as I am tend to be all show and no substance, just embroidered pillows that deceive girls like you!"

As he tarred all with the same brush, Yin Zheng could no longer hold her silence and retorted, "That isn’t always true. The Marshal we saw before was exceptional in appearance and demeanor, and his martial skills were formidable. He surely can’t be an embroidered pillow."

Upon hearing this, Lu Tong’s expression flickered, recalling the man’s aggressive questioning in the Rouge Shop, and she paused in her movements.

Du Changqing snorted with laughter, "He is the Princely Heir of Zhao Ning Manor, how can you compare anyone to him?"

Lu Tong asked, "The Princely Heir of Zhao Ning Manor?"

"Yes, Zhao Ning Manor’s Lord was also a famously beautiful man in Shengjing back in his day, and his first wife was equally enchanting. Boasting such extraordinary parents, it’s only natural that their son has a remarkable presence," Du Changqing explained, though his expression soured, "Born into nobility and wealth, it is no wonder that he could ascend the ranks with ease, achieving the post of Commander of the Imperial Guards by his early twenties. Even if he were nothing but an embroidered pillow, it’s one stitched with jewels. That pillow is a golden thread, gluttonous patterned, jade auspicious cloud pillow. How could we common folk ever compare?"

Yin Zheng eyed him, "Shopkeeper Du, something about the way you say that sounds sour. Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Me?" Du Changqing’s face changed as he vehemently rebuffed, "Apart from my background, I’m just as handsome as he is! It’s just too bad I wasn’t born in Zhao Ning Manor, or else it would be someone else taking up the Commander’s post now."

Yin Zheng managed a strained laugh, "...You really are confident."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by Yin Zheng’s teasing, Du Changqing hastily gave Lu Tong a few more admonishments not to be taken in by men, then scurried off with Ah Cheng into the back room to check the medical inventory.

After Du Changqing left, Yin Zheng moved closer to Lu Tong, "Your story about searching for someone was so fanciful, yet Shopkeeper Du believes it without a doubt. Could he be a fool?"

Lu Tong said, "Three parts truth, seven parts fiction, he naturally cannot discern the difference."

Yin Zheng was startled, "Could it be that what you said was true? Is there really such a princely heir from a large household whom you saved?"

Lu Tong just smiled and did not answer.

Seeing her like this, Yin Zheng didn’t press further, but instead gazed at the sky and sighed, "If true, I really hope he is a Princely Heir from a noble manor; we don’t even need him to repay with his hand in marriage, just a more substantial reward in silver would suffice." She was quite practical, "Best if it was someone with the status of the Princely Heir of Zhao Ning Manor. Last time we saw that Commander, his brocade fox-fur clothing was clearly extraordinarily valuable. To repay a life-saving debt, he would surely give generously."

As she spoke, she began to laugh first, "At that time, we could add a few more jeweled ornaments to Miss’s vanity case."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read