Smiling Under Lanter Chapter 324 - 128 Miao’s Prescriptions4

Chapter 324: Chapter 128 Miao’s Prescriptions_4

The voice of Miao Liangfang beca very light, and Lu Tong asked, "Have you had a falling out?"

Miao Liangfang ca back to his senses, "No."

It was not so much a falling out as it was the gradual drifting apart of those who used to be inseparable.

"Later, Consort Yan, whom the Emperor favored, fell into a coma after consuming the dicinal al I had sent. The dical officers discovered a heart-damaging poison in the dish, and I was thrown into the dungeon."

"Consort Yan?" Lu Tong frowned slightly.

She rembered Consort Yan, the cousin of ng Xiyang from Prince Wen’s Mansion and the one who had given ng Xiyang "Child’s Woe," allowing ng Xiyang the opportunity to harm the child in Pei Yunshu’s womb.

After "Child’s Woe" was exposed, Consort Yan had already been dealt with. Lu Tong had not expected to hear Consort Yan’s na ntioned by Miao Liangfang.

Miao Liangfang did not notice Lu Tong’s unusual expression and continued, "I knew it was Consort Yan who frad . Ten years ago, when Consort Yan first entered the palace, there were overt and covert struggles; she wanted to win

over to harm others for her, which I refused. It seems that was why she bore a grudge against ."

"But I never expected she would bribe Cui Min."

"It was Cui Min who had poisoned that bowl of dicinal al."

Miao Liangfang still rembered that day, a midsumr afternoon, the air was hot and humid, lightning flickered in and out of the clouds. He was stewing the dicinal al when, for so reason, he felt a severe pain in his stomach, as if he had eaten sothing bad. He intended to endure it until the al was ready before seeking relief but the pain grew worse, and he could no longer bear it.

Just then, Cui Min walked in.

Seeing him as if he were a savior, Miao Liangfang thoughtlessly said, "Ah Min, help

watch the dicinal al, I’ll be right back!"

Cui Min naturally took over the bamboo fan in his hand and sat in his place, "Go ahead."

He never imagined Cui Min would harm him. Even though they were no longer as close as when they lived together in the sa straw hut, Cui Min had always been a friend in Miao Liangfang’s heart.

A friend who would not betray him.

So later, when the incident happened, and the officer questioned them, and others asked if Cui Min had entered the dicinal al room, Cui Min shook his head and said he had never entered, Miao Liangfang was taken aback.

He was thrown into the dungeon, originally to lose his life. However, because he had once been greatly favored by the Empress Dowager, she spoke on his behalf, sparing him the death penalty, only to be flogged fifty tis and expelled from the Hanlin dical Institute.

The executioner struck him hard, he was bullied in prison, broke a leg, and it was in prison where he learned that Cui Min had taken his place, becoming the new Vice Director of the dical Officer Institute.

Thus, the truth beca clear.

"Do you hate him?" Lu Tong asked.

Miao Liangfang was startled for a mont, nodded, then shook his head, and finally, with a complex expression, smiled, "It’s my fault for being too trusting. As a dical officer, I handed the dicinal al to soone else, and I only have myself to bla for this outco, but..." his tone beca heavy, "Cui Min, he took my ’Miao’s Prescriptions.’"

"’Miao’s Prescriptions’?"

"It’s a book of prescriptions passed down from my ancestors, recording the dicinal formulas the Miao family has developed over years of practicing dicine. My father passed it to , and when I joined the Hanlin dical Institute, I planned to compile these formulas along with those I had developed over the years into a book for the benefit of all dical workers.

"In the second year after I was expelled from the dical Officer Institute, I heard that the Vice Director of the institute, Cui, compiled a book called ’Cui’s Pharmacology,’ which was praised by every dical worker in Shengjing. It was because of this that Cui Min leapt from Vice Director to the position of Director."

Lu Tong pondered, "You an..."

"I bought that copy of ’Cui’s Pharmacology,’ and it’s exactly the sa as my ’Miao’s Prescriptions.’"

As he spoke, Miao Liangfang unconsciously clenched his hand resting on his knee.

The days he had lived in the firewood room with Cui Min, the days they had first entered the dical Officer Institute together, those days when he, as a commoner dical officer newly entered the palace, was repeatedly obstructed by others—he had told Cui Min more than once about his own predictions. Cui Min had helped him sort those prescriptions, and sotis they would even argue endlessly over the herbs used in a single prescription.

Cui Min had never shown the slightest hint of coveting those prescriptions. In Miao Liangfang’s heart, this timid person who always took things lying down had always been the young helper in the firewood room who added oil to his lamp at night. He hadn’t expected Cui Min to be so ruthless in his actions.

"I tried to find him, but he had already beco the lofty Officer of the dical Officer Institute. I couldn’t get near him at all. No one believes the words of a criminal; they said I was talking nonsense. None of the people who used to flatter

are to be seen, all afraid of being implicated by ."

"It’s been ten years, and you’re the first," Miao Liangfang looked at Lu Tong, "You’re the first person to say you will help

take revenge."

That day at Renxin dical Hall, when his identity was exposed, he was nervous and agitated like a mole that had been living in the dark for a long ti and suddenly had its hole uncovered, humble to the sunlight on the ground and not used to it. Yet there was Lu Tong, sitting in front of him, calmly saying, "I can help you get your revenge."

Revenge.

Miao Liangfang closed his eyes for a mont.

For commoners like them, without status or identity, taking revenge on the nobles and officials was incredibly difficult—Miao Liangfang knew this better than anyone. If he had still harbored a proud refusal towards the noble-born Little Crown Prince of Lord Zhao Ning back in those days, after ten years of drifting and wear, he had long co to terms with reality.

It was simply impossible.

But he still felt a shaful stirring at Lu Tong’s proposal.

Perhaps it was because Lu Tong’s tone was too calm, mysteriously making one want to trust her, or perhaps ten years had worn down his temperant, but not his dissatisfaction.

"Lu Tong, I’ve told you, it’s not as easy for a commoner to enter the Hanlin dical Institute as you think. The palace is a place that devours people without leaving any bones behind; you’re still young... Even if you’re angry with the Minister of Imperial Treasury, it’s not worth betting your life on it," Miao Liangfang said.

In fact, he had always hoped that Lu Tong could make it through the imperial examinations. When it ca down to it and he found out that this year’s examiner was Cui Min, Lu Tong was most likely not going to be selected, and yet he inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a fiery pit, no matter how ornately decorated, it couldn’t change its nature.

He didn’t wish for Lu Tong to end up wasted away there like he had.

Besides, revenge was an unattainable affair in itself.

Lu Tong said, "I’ve told you, if you help

pass the imperial examinations and enter the Hanlin dical Institute, I can help you get your revenge back. I an what I say." She looked at Miao Liangfang, "Mr. Miao, just help ."

Under the night sky, the young lady’s eyes were clear and distinct, her gaze devoid of any hesitation.

Miao Liangfang was a bit perplexed.

He only knew that the house of the Minister of Imperial Treasury had humiliated Lu Tong, and in a fit of indignation, Lu Tong had made a boastful claim. But having spent ti with Lu Tong these past days, he felt that she was not one to act impulsively.

Such a person, why would she risk her life over a verbal dispute? She was clearly more capable of calmly weighing the pros and cons than anyone.

After hesitating for a mont, Miao Liangfang pushed aside the doubts in his heart and patiently consoled, "Cui Min won’t let a commoner pass..."

"Let’s give it a try."

Lu Tong interrupted him, "The outco only becos clear after we try."