Chapter 358: Chapter 137 Hibiscus_3

Indifference, a common encounter, seemed to presage her fate as though it were preordained for pity.

After a while, he asked, "Haven’t you made any plans for the future?"

The future?

Lu Tong was taken aback, and then nearly laughed out loud.

Perhaps Lord Pei was, at that moment, moved by compassion for her, thus kindly reminding her not to naively seek revenge. But from the moment she entered the palace, she never thought of turning back.

Lu Tong looked up, gazing directly into Pei Yunmeng’s eyes: "No."

"Lord Pei," she said, "a humble flower that blooms at dawn and withers at dusk has no future at all."

...

Since that night outside the Southern Pharmacy when she met Pei Yunmeng, Lu Tong had not seen him again.

Though the Imperial City was not as vast and expansive as the world outside, it was still possible for two people of different status to go a lifetime without crossing paths.

After several days of picking Hong Fang Xu, these herbs needed to be washed and sorted individually before being sent to the Imperial Apothecary. Naturally, the heavy responsibility fell on Lu Tong and He Xiu.

He Xiu led Lu Tong to the storage yard for organizing the herbs. Piles of Hong Fang Xu were stacked in a corner of the courtyard, covered with coarse cloth to prevent the fluff from scattering. Still, the air was full of the unique fragrance of Hong Fang Xu.

Ah Xiu handed Lu Tong a stool, then sat down before a silver basin overflowing with Hong Fang Xu. She began to pick out each plant individually, removing broken branches and keeping only the fluff and intact stems and leaves.

This was no easy task, and the poisonous aroma alone could make one dizzy. Just from picking the fluff in the Hongfang Garden over the past few days, He Xiu’s face had already developed many more red patches.

Lu Tong glanced at He Xiu, who was rubbing her eyes. Even though she wore a face mask, the scent of the Hong Fang Xu made her dizzy as soon as she approached.

Lu Tong took the silver basin from in front of her, "Let me do it."

He Xiu was startled, quickly snatching back the basin, "How could that be right, you’ve already helped me a lot!"

The task of picking Hong Fang Xu over the past few days had been almost entirely done by Lu Tong. She was unaffected by the aroma, her face didn’t develop red patches, and she worked quickly. He Xiu was very grateful.

"I, too, receive a salary. I can’t just sit back and do nothing." He Xiu smiled awkwardly. "Speaking of which, in a few days it’ll be payday. With the salary, I’ll make two new sets of clothes for my younger brother and sister in the spring. Children grow so fast; I’m afraid last year’s clothes are too small for them now."

Lu Tong kept her head down as she picked up the flower branches: "You have a brother and sister? How old are they?"

"One is seven, the other nine." He Xiu’s smile became much more genuine as she spoke of her siblings, "My family is of humble means. To get into the Medical Officer Institute, my parents went to a lot of trouble. Now, although the Southern Pharmacy can’t compare with other places, the salary is still paid on time every month. It’s just that the medical officers of the Southern Pharmacy can’t leave the Imperial City; it’s been three years since I last saw my family..." Her voice trailed off and grew lower.

Lu Tong remained silent.

After a pause, He Xiu hastily added with a smile, "But Doctor Lu’s movements are really quick. Before, when I cleaned these branches, it would take me half a day for one basin. You managed to pick them clean in just half an incense stick’s time. I think that with the delivery to the Imperial Apothecary, this year’s One Dream Pill should surely be sufficient."

Lu Tong’s heart stirred: "One Dream Pill?"

"It’s a pill made by the Imperial Apothecary, specifically for treating difficulty falling asleep," He Xiu explained. "Consort Rou from Danyang Palace, she always has trouble sleeping soundly in the spring. The medical officers from the Medical Officer Institute have prescribed many remedies but none proved effective. It was only after the Imperial Apothecary obtained the formula, incorporating Hong Fang Xu as an ingredient to make the One Dream Pill, that Consort Rou’s condition improved after taking it."

"So every March, the Imperial Apothecary needs to get fresh Hong Fang Xu from the Southern Pharmacy to make the medicine. But since Hong Fang Xu is inherently poisonous, making the medicine isn’t easy. Like those we picked in the past few days, there aren’t many bottles of medicine pills produced in the end."

"This year, because we have Physician Lu, we picked a lot more Hong Fang Xu than in previous years. The Imperial Apothecary should be satisfied this time, and won’t complain about the shortage of herbs."

After He Xiu finished speaking, she saw that Lu Tong’s expression was unusual and couldn’t help asking, "What’s wrong?"

Lu Tong pondered for a moment: "Is this batch of Hong Fang Xu used only for the One Dream Pill?"

He Xiu nodded: "Yes, after all, Hong Fang Xu is poisonous, and very few medicines can include it. To create this medicine, the people from the Imperial Apothecary spent a whole year grinding down the right formula."

Lu Tong looked down at the flower branches in her hands.

The bright red flower branches had been plucked; some drifting fluff scattered onto the ground, as if a layer of blood-colored light velvet had been spread. The seductive and fragrant scent emanated from the flower branches, wafting into one’s nostrils.

He Xiu was startled and snatched the Hong Fang Xu from Lu Tong’s hands, exclaiming in alarm, "Although Physician Lu is not affected by the fragrance, you still shouldn’t get too close. After all, it’s poisonous."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read