Chapter 360: Chapter 138 Shennong Shrine_1

The neatly cleaned Hong Fang Xu, once sent to the Imperial Apothecary, left the Southern Pharmacy temporarily less busy than before.

With that patch of bright red poisonous flowers gone from the herb garden, the medical workers felt much more at ease.

Inside the room, Zhu Mao leaned against a huanghuali wood chair, holding his tea while looking at the puddles formed by the accumulated rainwater under the eaves.

As he was watching, another idle thought occurred to him, and Zhu Mao asked, "By the way, how has Lu Tong been lately?"

The newly arrived female medical officer was beautiful and pure, like a blossoming flower. He had someone inquire about Lu Tong at the Medical Officer Institute to find out whom she had offended, but he could never learn the details. Later, he sent Lu Tong to the herb garden to pick Hong Fang Xu to knock down her pride, and secondly, he wanted to use this opportunity to probe the intentions of the Medical Officer Institute.

However, after many days, there was still no reaction from the Medical Officer Institute, as if they had completely forgotten about Lu Tong. Zhu Mao gradually felt certain that this female medical officer had been thoroughly abandoned by the institute.

The servent by his side answered, "Lord, these days Lu Tong has been occupied collecting and cleaning Hong Fang Xu in the herb garden, nothing unusual."

"Hmm?" Zhu Mao was somewhat surprised, "She can really keep her composure."

He had secretly instructed Mei Erniang to make things difficult for Lu Tong on daily basis. He was well aware of Mei Erniang’s temperament, and he had not expected Lu Tong to handle it so calmly, having not come to beg him for mercy until now.

The sight of her indifferent expression on her flower-bud like face suddenly irritated Zhu Mao. He put down his tea cup and stood up, "Since that’s the case, I will go and have a look at her myself."

...

In the herb garden, Lu Tong was sorting fresh herbs with He Xiu.

"Physician Lu, this is the first time I knew that herbs could be sorted like this, you’re amazing!" He Xiu, admiring the neatly sorted medicinal herbs in the yard, had a hint of astonishment in her eyes.

Ever since Lu Tong arrived, He Xiu’s daily work had become much lighter. Lu Tong sorted the medicinal herbs differently than they did, faster and better. Normally, new people in the herb garden didn’t recognize many herbs and were slow at sorting. But Lu Tong was different, she remembered everything after being told just once.

"I dare say, not even the students at the Imperial Medical Bureau are as skilled as you," praised He Xiu, while secretly feeling sorry for Lu Tong. With such a talent in medicine, why had she ended up in the Southern Pharmacy? In doing so, it was even worse than not entering the palace and being a Resident Doctor in the city.

Lu Tong continued her sorting without stopping and asked, "Last time you said you haven’t been home for three years. But the Imperial Medical Officer has his rest days, and even if the Southern Pharmacy is busy, you should be able to leave the palace for a few days each year. Why can’t you all go home?"

Hearing this, the smile on He Xiu’s face dimmed slightly, "It’s because of Lord Zhu."

"Zhu Mao?"

He Xiu nodded slightly, her voice low, "Lord Zhu holds all the personnel records of the Southern Pharmacy. Even if you want to take your rest days by the rules and go home, you have to give him silver, or else... I don’t have that much silver, and I don’t want to... so I haven’t gone back in three years."

Lu Tong asked, "Why don’t you report him to the Chief Officer of the Yiguan Court?"

He Xiu gave a bitter smile, "Physician Lu, if reporting him was useful, then how would you have ended up here?"

Lu Tong fell silent.

Although the Southern Pharmacy was nominally under the Medical Officer Institute, Zhu Mao dominated this place, and it was likely not unknown to the Chief Officer of the Yiguan Court, Cui Min.

"Let’s not talk about this," said He Xiu with a smile, "now that the Hong Fang Xu has been sent to the Imperial Apothecary, things will be more relaxed from now on. I also wonder what materials are popular outside the palace nowadays. I want to have the tailor make my younger sister’s spring blouse in a bright and vibrant style..."

She was speaking cheerfully when her voice suddenly cut off. Following her gaze, Lu Tong saw Zhu Mao with a few others, walking towards them at the entrance of the courtyard.

He Xiu pulled at Lu Tong, and both stood up to greet Zhu Mao with a respectful gesture.

"Rise," responded Zhu Mao with a smile, looking at Lu Tong, "You haven’t been in the Southern Pharmacy long, and I have been too busy to see you in the past few days. Today, I came to see if you are getting used to life in the Southern Pharmacy?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord," Lu Tong said, "all is well."

Zhu Mao nodded, about to say a few more words, when his gaze landed on Lu Tong’s face and he suddenly fell silent.

In the previous days, due to fear of the poison of the Hong Fang Xu, Zhu Mao had not visited the herb garden, and now, after not seeing her for a short while, he was somewhat stunned by her beauty, like a lotus emerging from the water.

Because they were sorting herbs, Lu Tong was dressed like He Xiu in a brown linen garment. The loose garment accentuated her delicate figure, graceful brows, and the fair nape of her neck, which seemed pitifully lovely.

It could be the disarray of herbs around, or perhaps the contrast against He Xiu’s face marked with red spots, that made Lu Tong’s already beautiful face appear even more stunning. Standing there in the yard, it was hard for anyone to take their eyes off her.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read