Chapter 64: Chapter 53 Marshal Borrows Money_3

At that time, she was still young, and spoke without a filter, thoughtlessly replying, "Sure, when I encounter a young man I fancy, I’ll bring him to visit you together, Sister, and you must keep your word."

Their mother glared at the two of them: "Shameless."

Lu Rou couldn’t straighten up from laughing as she teased her by pinching her face: "No problem, when the time comes, bring him to me, I want to see which young master would have such an honor, to be so specially regarded by my sister."

There was wind outside the window, causing the candlelight to flicker. Lu Tong came back to her senses and put the hairpin in her hand into the box.

Yin Zheng entered with a basin of water from outside. Lu Tong handed over the remaining silver bracelet and Bamboo Joint Hairpin to her: "This is for you."

"For me?" Yin Zheng was surprised, "Aren’t you going to use it yourself, Miss?"

"I bought it in the first place to divert attention." Lu Tong said, "I don’t need it on ordinary days."

Yin Zheng held it in her hand, paused for a moment before speaking: "Then should I pawn it at another shop? We spent a hundred Silver today at the pawnshop, and not to mention Lord Pei’s fifty Silver, we still owe Shopkeeper Du. It’s not a solution to keep borrowing money from Shopkeeper Du every day; it looks like he doesn’t have much left himself."

"As you wish."

Yin Zheng looked at Lu Tong, who was sitting in front of the desk, like a camellia on a summer night waiting to bloom, even fresher than the flower pinned beside her temple.

Just by appearances, she indeed invoked pity.

"Miss," Yin Zheng started hesitantly, "Lord Pei has helped you out several times, and today he said he didn’t want you to repay the silver... Could it be that he likes you?"

Seeing that Lu Tong didn’t respond, Yin Zheng pondered and said: "He is the Princely Heir of Lord Zhao Ning, good-looking and skilled, if he really has feelings for you..."

"It’s not that." Lu Tong interrupted her.

"He doesn’t like me; he’s testing me."

There wasn’t the slightest hint of affection in the Princely Heir’s eyes when he looked at her; it was more like he understood all her secrets, which was alarming.

However, no matter what Pei Yunmeng’s purpose was in testing Lu Tong, she didn’t have the time to worry about it.

In the following days, Lu Tong was busy preparing medicine for Dong Lin.

In the Minister of Imperial Treasury’s residence, Renxin Medical Hall couldn’t afford to offend anyone for the time being, and since Dong Family was paying a generous fee for the consultation and medicine, Du Changqing couldn’t say much. After being busy for a few days, Lu Tong finished the medicine and had Du Changqing deliver it personally to the Minister of Imperial Treasury’s residence.

No sooner had the medicine been delivered than someone from the Official Medicine Bureau arrived.

The apothecary from the bureau stood before Lu Tong and respectfully said: "Doctor Lu, Chun Shui Sheng’s prescription has been revised by the Imperial Apothecary, and it’s been made an official medicine. From now on, Chun Shui Sheng medicine tea can only be purchased from the Imperial Apothecary and the Official Medicine Bureau. Other medical halls and merchants cannot continue to sell it."

Du Changqing had just returned from the Dong Residence and was greeted with this news. Unable to contain himself, he grabbed the messenger by the collar: "What did you say?"

The young apothecary stuttered: "...This is a good thing, having a prescription taken up by the Official Medicine Bureau is an unparalleled honor, you should be happy."

"Happy my ass!" Du Changqing cursed without restraint: "He’s taken the prescription away, how am I supposed to make money? Is Lou Si doing this on purpose? Damned bastard, isn’t he listening to the Minister of Imperial Treasury anymore?"

"This is... this is the decision of the Imperial Apothecary," the apothecary said helplessly: "I am not in charge. Please, Shopkeeper Du... calm down..."

Lashing out at a junior apothecary was not the way to handle the situation, so Du Changqing let go, his face flushed with anger, and he gritted his teeth: "Shameless!"

Lou Si didn’t dare to offend the Dong Family and agreed that the medical hall could continue to sell medicine, but he pulled the rug out from under them at this critical moment by making Chun Shui Sheng’s prescription an official medicine of the Official Medicine Bureau. This move might look good to ordinary medical halls, but for Renxin Medical Hall, which now relied on Chun Shui Sheng for its main income, it was not a good thing.

When finances were tight, reputation was less valuable than profit.

Ah Cheng and Yin Zheng exchanged glances, and Ah Cheng cautiously looked at Lu Tong: "Doctor Lu, what should we do now?"

If they could no longer sell Chun Shui Sheng, Renxin Medical Hall would lose its most important source of income, plunging back to square one.

Lu Tong remained silent, accepted the official seal from the apothecary, and watched the junior apothecary leave before turning around to go back inside, saying: "Don’t worry."

Three pairs of eyes were fixed on her, Du Changqing’s gaze flickering with a glimmer of hope.

"A medical hall can only have one of its remedies taken up as an official medicine. Since Chun Shui Sheng has been taken by the Official Medicine Bureau, it means that all the remedies Renxin Medical Hall makes and sells will no longer be taken over by them." Lu Tong said, "Shopkeeper Du, you are now free."

"Freedom is useless to me now," Du Changqing responded irritably: "Without any silver, I’d rather be a prisoner of wealth!"

"Silver can be earned again," Lu Tong said calmly: "If one remedy is taken away, just create another."

"Create another?" Du Changqing looked at her, skeptical: "That’s easier said than done, can you really create another?"

Lu Tong didn’t speak.

A moment later, she said, "I can."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read