Chapter 498: Chapter 179 Threat

The room inside and out was enveloped in silence.

The man in green lay at the doorway, striving to suppress the sound of his sharp intake of breath.

Outside, the sunlight was bright, tree shadows swayed, and there was no one following. Lu Tong’s heart was filled with confusion. In Minister Yan’s residence, there should be quite a few guards. How come Pei Yunmeng could barge in without anyone stopping him?

Or could it be...

They didn’t dare to stop him?

"Marshal Pei," Minister Yan’s gaze swept over the tea-stained mess on the floor, and he squinted his eyes as he spoke, "You are being quite presumptuous in my residence."

"I can be even more presumptuous if you’d like to see, my lord," he replied coldly, then turned to Lu Tong, his eyes falling on the hem of her medical officer’s robe.

Lu Tong followed his gaze.

There was a large bloodstain on the hem, which she had smeared on while saving someone in the dark room earlier; at first glance, it looked quite startling.

He stared at Lu Tong, "How are you?"

Before Lu Tong could answer, she heard Minister Yan speak coldly, "A medical officer on a call, which taboo of Lord Pei’s did she break?"

"On a call?"

Pei Yunmeng turned around, with a smirk on his lips, "I wonder which patient Minister Yan is treating and what injuries they’ve sustained? Why not bring them out for us to see?"

The room fell silent.

After a while, Minister Yan let out a sarcastic laugh, lifting his teacup to sip.

"The Marshal is young and full of vigor, but revealing one’s sharp edge isn’t always good; sometimes, restraint is necessary."

Pei Yunmeng’s face showed sarcasm, "Knowing Minister Yan is getting old, there’s no need to keep reminding us."

Lu Tong: "..."

Pei Yunmeng was truly arrogant to the extreme. In such circumstances, his behavior was somewhat out of line, and he didn’t even attempt to hide it. Even with the favor of divine imperial grace, it was too audacious.

Minister Yan watched him coldly, his eyes shifting between him and Lu Tong before suddenly speaking, "I invited Doctor Lu for a medical visit, yet Marshal Pei barges in; could it be Marshal Pei thinks he can decide for Doctor Lu?"

He raised his eyes, his tone laden with profound meaning.

"Exactly what is the relationship between you two?"

The question was asked with a suggestive tone. Lu Tong frowned, feeling something was amiss but before she could ponder too deeply, she heard Pei Yunmeng say, "A debt relationship."

He spoke casually, "I made it clear enough at the hunting grounds, didn’t Minister Yan understand? She is my ’creditor’."

Lu Tong was taken aback.

Minister Yan, however, burst into loud laughter, which sounded somewhat grating, "And what are you doing here today?" His eyes glanced over the silver knife on the table. The knife had not been drawn, and its sheath shimmered with a cold, silvery light. "You’re looking for a fight?"

"Not at all.

Pei Yunmeng suddenly smiled, "I’m here to support my ’creditor’."

Outside the window, the sunlight was bright and scintillating, but inside the room, the silence was terrifying.

Lu Tong experienced a moment of bewilderment.

Pei Yunmeng stood in front of her, his figure blocking most of Minister Yan’s view, preventing that chilling gaze from falling on her, like a safety barrier.

But she was somewhat puzzled.

Such openly overt protection was not beneficial for Pei Yunmeng. It could lead others to assume she was Pei Yunmeng’s weakness, and exposing one’s weakness to the enemy is a fool’s action.

"The Marshal is still too young," Minister Yan reined in his mirth, his gaze as cold as a grey pall hovering over the young man, and spoke, "Do you not know that just by barging into my residence and interfering with official duties, you could suffer greatly?"

"Really?"

He picked up the Silver Knife, his lips curving upwards, "Your words have piqued my interest."

The atmosphere in the room was tense, ready to explode at any moment.

And amid this strained silence, Lu Tong suddenly spoke up.

"Minister Yan."

The two men in the room looked at her.

"The patient I just saved, although I used the Revival Pill to keep him alive for three hours, his injuries are too severe, and he is unable to maintain consciousness for long."

"After one hour, he will lapse back into unconsciousness."

Minister Yan looked at her intently.

Lu Tong continued in a calm voice, "If Minister Yan has any questions to ask him, it would be best to do so now while he is still lucid, otherwise, it will be too late."

Her words were gentle, as if she truly cared for the patient’s well-being, but Minister Yan’s expression changed, "Are you threatening me?"

"I dare not."

Lu Tong still smiled slightly, peacefully saying, "The ’Liang Dynasty Laws’ strictly prohibit privately setting up a court without imperial decree, conducting illegal interrogations, and unlawful detention."

"The ’Xing Tong’ also states: those above seventy years of age, below fifteen years of age, the disabled, severely ill, pregnant women, and privileged officials may not be tortured for interrogation. The only authorized torture device is the ’rod’, limited to thirty hits on the back, legs, or buttocks per session."

After a pause, Lu Tong continued, "The patient I saw earlier had a broken leg to start with, with injuries subsequent to it, qualifying as a ’disabled person’. On his body were burns, whip marks, severed fingers..."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read