Chapter 481: Chapter 174: The 17-year-old Girl

The fierce sun was obscured by thick clouds, and the woods gradually darkened.

Lu Tong looked up at the person standing beside him.

Why had Pei Yunmeng come?

Qi Yutai’s chilling voice rang in his ear, "What does the Marshal mean by that?"

"Does Young Master Qi not understand?"

He smiled faintly, his gaze turning to Qi Yutai, as a murderous intent began to accumulate in his eyes, "I said, one should not kneel to a beast."

The sarcasm in his words was heard by everyone present, and Qi Yutai’s face darkened, "You!"

"Young Master Qi," his fingers whitened as he gripped the hilt of his saber, cutting off Qi Yutai’s words, "The Empress Dowager spends her years at Wan’en Temple praying and meditating on Buddhist teachings, her being clear and untainted. Yet you use the Empress Dowager’s name to let beasts commit acts that harm the heavens and reason, ruining the royal family’s reputation."

"The matter of the beasts is trivial; the royal family’s reputation is of great concern. The Empress Dowager’s reputation is at stake, how can this be dismissed lightly?"

"I think," he said, "it’s better to have the Imperial Censor write a memorial after returning to the court, and discuss it seriously there."

The young man’s tone was indifferent, his gaze as sharp as ice, piercing Qi Yutai and making him shiver. Following that, his chest suddenly tightened.

That bastard!

He had earlier invoked the Empress Dowager, hoping to use her bestowed gifts to punish Lu Tong. But Pei Yunmeng was even more ruthless; he invoked the Empress Dowager’s reputation, suggesting an appeal to the Imperial Censor after returning to the court, clearly intending to escalate the matter.

His father valued his reputation above all and, to protect the Qi Family’s face, would definitely not insist on pursuing the matter further, certainly causing him to bow first. Moreover, after the royal banquet incident, Pei Yunmeng was highly favored by the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager treated him with particular leniency.

Pei Yunmeng was clearly backing Lu Tong.

Qi Yutai looked at Lu Tong.

She stood beside Pei Yunmeng, with Pei Yunmeng’s hand on her back, as if he were sheltering her in his embrace. She appeared fragile as paper, seemingly on the verge of shattering.

It provoked pity in others.

But he had not forgotten the ferocious sight of Lu Tong killing the dog in a frenzy.

The image stung Qi Yutai’s eyes, and he became even more convinced that there had been something between Pei Yunmeng and Lu Tong. Otherwise, Pei Yunmeng would not stand up for Lu Tong publicly, nor would he confront the Qi Family head-on.

No wonder Qi Huaying was weeping, what a pair, a dog-man and dog-woman.

Qi Yutai’s gaze at the two became markedly sinister.

No one around spoke, and the undercurrents could be seen in the eyes of the onlookers, each with their own thoughts.

It was Crown Prince Yuan Zhen who broke the stalemate, speaking lightly, "It’s only an animal; there’s no need for such commotion. If something isn’t right in the hunting ground, we can discuss it after descending the mountain."

His words suggested glossing over the incident.

At present, the struggle between him and Yuan Yao was still unresolved, and the Palace Front Office was a valuable chip everyone wanted to contend for, or at least they need not become sworn enemies.

Pei Yunmeng replied calmly, "Of course."

When the Crown Prince saw this, he pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and ordered his cavalry to descend the mountain. The crowd had witnessed the drama, and the smarter ones did not dare to linger. As various assessing gazes fell upon him, Lu Tong saw the Privy Council’s Commandant, Yan Xu, who had confronted Pei Yunmeng on the mountain path before the hunt, watching him intently, his eyes seeming to hold a deeper meaning.

She was well aware that, after today, rumors about her and Pei Yunmeng would inevitably fly, not just from Yan Xu, but perhaps from everyone at the Medical Officer Institute who knew Pei Yunmeng, would think their relationship was out of the ordinary.

While contemplating, the scene before her eyes suddenly darkened.

Qi Yutai walked over to them.

He seemed extremely reluctant, yet, despite having a father who was the Grand Preceptor, he was just a minor figure in the Ministry of Revenue without real authority; he posed no threat to Pei Yunmeng, who was already notoriously ruthless.

Qi Yutai glanced at Lu Tong beside Pei Yunmeng and sneered, "Marshal Pei indeed takes great interest in Doctor Lu’s matters. To the unaware, it would seem your relationship with her runs deep."

Lu Tong looked at him coldly.

Qi Yutai laughed again, "Rushing back in such a hurry, may I ask, Marshal, just who is she to you?"

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the surrounding people to hear clearly. The officials who had not yet dispersed turned their heads upon hearing this, their eyes revealing a hint of anticipation for a good show.

Pei Yunmeng, the promising Commandant of the Palace Front Office and the Prince of Zhaoning, renowned for both his looks and skill in Shengjing City, would surely marry a noble lady in the future. There had been speculation in Shengjing City that the highly cherished, unmarried daughter of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion might well one day be wed to the Pei Family.

And yet today, Pei Yunmeng had offended the Grand Preceptor’s son for the sake of a lowly female doctor.

A female doctor with neither power nor influence offered only her beauty. Beauty is like a sharp blade that scrapes the bone; for Pei Yunmeng, a young man given to pleasure, it would not be disgraceful to fly into a rage for a beautiful woman.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read