After the Qixi Festival, it had rained for several days, and the weather grew gradually cooler.
In the pond of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, fallen flowers floated on the surface, while inside, Qi Yutai paced back and forth, restless.
Apart from showing his face once at the Board of Rites Office, he had not set foot outside for days.
Following another bout of illness, Qi Qing feared for his safety and directly requested leave from the Board of Rites Office. Qi Yutai was confined within the mansion, unable to step out at all.
Being cooped up in the mansion all day, his craving for the drug grew especially intense.
When plagued by irritation and confusion, the desire for Cold Food Powder always seed amplified. However, everything in the mansion was orderly to the degree that even his wish to drink alcohol was thwarted—his body, barely recovered from a serious illness, could not cope with strong liquor.
The fragrance of Spirit Rhinoceros Fragrance filled the room, further suffocating Qi Yutai.
The door to the room made a soft noise as soone entered, carrying dicine.
Qi Yutai looked toward the newcor.
The female dical Officer set the dicinal broth on a small table beside the couch and calmly spoke, "Young Master Qi, it’s ti for your dicine."
Qi Yutai scoffed, "I won’t take it."
Lu Tong nodded, "Minister Qi insisted that you must take your dicine on ti."
The father, always the father!
A surge of anger rose in Qi Yutai’s heart, yet he did not dare defy, abruptly lifting the bowl and downing the dicine in one gulp.
After watching him finish the dicine, Lu Tong walked over to the desk, opened her dical kit, "It’s ti for the acupuncture, Young Master Qi."
Aside from taking dicine every day, he also had to endure acupuncture, which Qi Yutai found aggravating.
He had once purposely tornted the female dical Officer, making things difficult for her and forcing her to perform the sa tasks over and over. Yet she always did so with a calm deanor, as if not angered by the inconvenience.
This disappointed Qi Yutai.
Qi Qing had promised that after the grand ceremony at the palace, Lu Tong would be at his disposition; therefore, before the ritual, he could not truly lay hands on Lu Tong.
He had to be sober for his appearance at the Tianzhang Platform ceremony.
As silver needles punctured his skin, bringing a tingling itchiness, Qi Yutai heard the voice from behind him.
"Young Master Qi must rember to take his dicine at the prescribed tis, change your undergarnts every half-day, no drinking alcohol, no overthinking, sleep before the hour of Xu, and maintain a light diet..."
"Enough!"
Qi Yutai abruptly cut her off, tensing as one silver needle skewed due to his agitation. Qi Yutai hissed in pain, veins throbbing on his forehead as he spat, "Say one more word, and I’ll cut off your tongue!"
Suddenly, silence fell behind him.
Qi Yutai’s head throbbed unbearably.
Every inch of the room was arranged according to Qi Qing’s preferences. What he wished to do was always forbidden; even lighting a stick of incense had to align with his father’s tastes.
Now having fallen ill twice, freedom felt out of reach, as if he were to be imprisoned within these narrow walls for a lifeti—the re thought was terrifying.
And there was always soone to remind him constantly.
The maid and guard in the corner of the room exchanged a glance but remained silent.
"Minister Qi is so ticulous because he cares deeply for you, Young Master," Lu Tong spoke slowly, another needle gently piercing the back of his neck.
"My own parents passed away early, and I was adopted by a kind-hearted person. However, as a child, I was mischievous, often giving my foster father headaches. After scolding , he would secretly buy toys and sugar-coated buns to comfort ."
She suddenly brought up these old mories as if sharing casual family anecdotes.
"My foster father never praised in my presence, yet I later heard from others that he often boasted outside, saying his daughter was smart and clever."
These words grated harshly on Qi Yutai’s ears, and he sneered, "Are you bragging?"
Lu Tong said, "There are no perfect parents in the world. Minister Qi’s harshness towards you, Young Master, is actually out of love. It is precisely because he is proud of you that his expectations are higher than for anyone else."
Proud of him?
Qi Yutai nearly laughed.
Qi Qing had never praised him, always finding fault with him in both private and public, endlessly.
He knew he wasn’t as intelligent and distinguished as Qi Huaying, unable to bring honor to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, like an indelible stain. Qi Qing’s care was not the concern of a father for his son but rather worry that he would cause trouble and bring embarrassnt to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
His father despised him.
The warmth in the other’s tone pricked Qi Yutai, prompting him to respond with a sinister remark.
"Lu Tong, you don’t think that by killing my dog and making yourself the Qi Family’s dog, we can live in peace, do you?"
He mocked, "To beco the Qi Family’s dog, you must first see if you are even worthy."
Silence followed for a mont behind him.
She then asked, "I see signs in Young Master Qi’s pulse that you once took Cold Food Powder regularly, is that correct?"
Qi Yutai was startled but quickly relaxed, sneering, "What, you plan to report it to the Imperial Court?"
"Cold Food Powder is toxic; taking it long-term is harmful to the body, Young Master. It would be wise to quit as soon as possible."
Hearing this only darkened Qi Yutai’s already grim expression.
It was precisely because of the fire at Fengle Building that his consumption of Cold Food Powder ca to the attention of the Emperor through an Imperial Censor’s report. Although the incident was eventually suppressed by the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, causing only a scare, as a result, Shengjing comnced a thorough search of eateries and taverns. For a long ti to co, it was likely that no trace of Cold Food Powder would be found in Shengjing.
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