Pei Yunng walked in from outside the door.
He had changed into a red embroidered narrow-sleeved brocade robe with a pattern of confronting birds today, and having been in Su Nan for so long, often wearing the Imperial Guard Cavalry Uniform, the sudden change into a more vibrant outfit set him off especially handso and impressive amid the dim night.
The dical Officers fell silent for a mont before Chang Jin was the first to co back to his senses and stood up saying, "Why has Marshal Pei co? Wasn’t it said that today he would be with County Commander Li and the others..."
The trip back to the capital was about to start, and Li Wenhu together with Cai Fang had planned to hold a farewell feast on New Year’s Eve for everyone. However, Chang Jin had declined, and as Pei Yunng had today arranged the forces to stay behind in Su Nan City at the County Office, it was proper for him to have dinner with the people from the County Office.
Pei Yunng ca up to the table and said, "The feast is over."
"So soon?" Chang Jin asked in surprise, "I thought Cai County Chief and the others would stay for the midnight watch."
Pei Yunng smiled without a word.
Chang Jin didn’t think too much about it and took it upon himself to pour wine for Pei Yunng, "Marshal Pei’s timing is perfect. Without your help in controlling the epidemic in Su Nan, it wouldn’t have been so smooth. Tonight, while we are all enjoying ourselves, I’ll drink to you."
Originally, Pei Yunng was pacifying unrest in Qi Shui, then he hurried to Su Nan to deliver dicine and grain, and afterward, he petitioned the court in Shengjing, obtaining an imperial decree, which allowed the tily delivery of redwood vines and Golden Qin to Su Nan.
Pei Yunng smiled, lowered his head, and drank the wine.
This caused quite a stir, like opening the floodgates, and the dical Officers from the dical Officer Institute all gathered around him.
"I also want to toast Lord Pei. Honestly, Lord Pei has saved this old man’s life! How can Su Nan be so cold, with ice wedging into one’s bones? Thanks to the quality coal Marshal Pei sent, without it, I surely wouldn’t have survived to return to Shengjing!"
"My turn, my turn," an old dical Officer was pushed aside, and soone else bowed to him, "Those heartless wretches in the city, even at such a ti, still only think of seizing dicine and grain. It’s good that Lord Pei ca, as your troops marched on the streets, all the scoundrels in Su Nan reined in their behavior."
"Lord Pei..."
"To you..."
"So young and yet so dedicated and righteous..."
"Once you return to Shengjing, a great future awaits you; don’t forget to offer a lift when the ti cos..."
This was an attempt to curry favor from afar.
The young man surrounded by these people, dressed in crimson, had a smile on his face, showing no impatience, and with a good temper, accepted the toasts from everyone, becoming the center of attention as people eagerly flocked to him.
However, his gaze occasionally drifted over the guests at the banquet, as if by chance, looking this way.
Lu Tong averted her eyes.
The dical Officers were usually cautious and prudent, eagerly presenting an image of gentleness and scholarly elegance to reassure patients. Perhaps because they seldom drank, their tolerance seed rather low, and it wasn’t long before they displayed various states of inebriation.
There were those who climbed onto tables to sing, those who cried and reflected against the wall, and even so who complained about the too many tasks at the dical Officer Institute and difficult patients, saying they wanted to find a rope and hang themselves. Whether the Tusuzui Wine was too strong, the dical Officers were simply not up to the task, or too many took the chance to feign madness while drunk, it was like demons had manifested, creating a scene of utter chaos.
Lu Tong was being disturbed by the noise and struggled to concentrate when she saw the young man surrounded by people looking towards her. Their eyes t, and Pei Yunng slightly tilted his head giving her a subtle signal before walking toward the entrance himself.
She knew exactly what he ant and stood up, putting her glass down.
Ji Xun asked, "Where are you going, Doctor Lu? The fireworks are about to start."
"Just wandering around a bit," Lu Tong replied, and turned to go out the door, lifting her skirt as she did.
Once outside, she saw Pei Yunng indeed waiting for her at the entrance; she approached him and asked, "What’s going on?"
"Isn’t it too noisy inside?" He smiled and glanced at the muddled shadows in the courtyard, "I’ll take you sowhere."
Before Lu Tong could say anything, he pulled her along and they began walking.
The New Year’s Eve night was deep, and there was not a soul on the streets, with households in Su Nan City enjoying their family reunions. Occasionally, one could hear a firecracker or two coming from deep within the alleyways.
Passing through the long corridor into a courtyard, Lu Tong belatedly realized, "Isn’t this where the Imperial Guards are quartered?"
The dical Officer Institute was nestled next to the quarters of the Imperial Guards, for convenience’s sake in case of ergencies.
"Yes, it is," Pei Yunng replied, "Haven’t you been here before?"
Lu Tong fell silent for a mont, recalling the last ti she had been there when Pei Yunng was injured, and she had treated his wounds.
Rembering that occasion, her face inadvertently turned slightly awkward.
"What’s with that expression?" Pei Yunng looked at her with crossed arms, "You look guilty."
"Guilty? Not at all," Lu Tong walked into the door, "Where are the rest of the people from your quarters?"
"Cai Fang has arranged a celebration banquet, they’re all at the feast, and will be back very late. Moreover, they cannot enter my courtyard," Pei Yunng followed her in and casually closed the door behind them.
As Lu Tong entered the room, she was taken aback.
On the small table by the window, there was a wine pot, two jade cups, a few plates of sweet pastries, and in the middle, there was a string of Copper Coins threaded together with colorful string, each coin engraved with the characters for twenty-four fortunes and longevities.
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