Chapter 374: Chapter 142 Marshal Breaks the Siege
A newly appointed female Imperial dical Officer at the dical Officer Institute had been assigned to the Southern Pharmacy, resigned to a dead-end future, cleaning pots and cold stoves. Yet, by chance, her success in cleaning and organizing the Red Fragrance Silk earned her the One Dream Pill, which received high praise from Consort Rou. Consequently, Envoy Cui from the Imperial Apothecary valued her and personally ca to the dical Officer Institute to request her services. It took Cui Min, Envoy of the dical Officer Institute, much coaxing to have her returned, and before long, she was promoted to a dical Officer.
Such a dramatic rise and fall within a single month made this woman’s life quite legendary.
As this rumor spread across the various institutes, the na of the newly appointed Imperial dical Officer also beca known.
Early in the morning, as Lu Tong was changing her clothes, Lin Danqing entered from outside and imdiately said, "Now wherever I go, it’s all about your na, Younger Sister Lu. The days you spent in the Southern Pharmacy were indeed not in vain."
Lu Tong, who was in front of the mirror, turned around, and Lin Danqing’s eyes lit up as she exclaid, "Where did this fairy co from?"
Lu Tong had already shed the hemp clothes she wore for picking herbs in the Southern Pharmacy, now donning the aqua blue robe of an Imperial dical Officer, with fine patterns of orchids embroidered on the collar and cuffs, and her long hair was tied up with a ribbon of the sa color. Naturally beautiful, the understated and clean hues made her look even more gracefully attractive, like the clear beauty of autumn waters amidst mountain streams.
Lin Danqing circled around Lu Tong twice, stroking her chin in thought before saying, "These ugly clothes from the dical Officer Institute that nobody else wants to take, how co they look like they’ve gained value just by you wearing them?" She sighed again, "After all, no matter the clothes, what matters is the face."
This saying was sowhat exaggerated, for Lin Danqing herself was quite beautiful. Not just beautiful, but strikingly so, with a kind of cheerful and brisk beauty, like the radiant grandeur of sumr roses.
She reached out, taking Lu Tong’s arm, "Let’s go, Younger Sister Lu. Today, Envoy Cui will assign you to a dical departnt. I really hope you get assigned to the won’s health departnt too."
Having just returned to the dical Officer Institute, Lu Tong had not yet been appointed to serve, and first she had to be distributed to a dical departnt to serve in various rooms. However, most female dical Officers in the palace were assigned to the won’s health departnt, with a minority assigned to the great and small Feng pulse departnts.
Lu Tong went out with Lin Danqing and headed to the hall of the dical Officer Institute, where many Imperial dical Officers were already standing. Upon Lu Tong’s appearance, they all stole glances at her.
Jumping from being a Commoner dical Worker to the top-rank scholar of the spring examination, and then being assigned to the Southern Pharmacy upon entering the dical Officer Institute, she beca a person of interest in less than a month, difficult to ignore. Additionally, with Lu Tong’s outstanding looks, even Cao Huai, who did not get along with her, could not help but reveal a hint of admiration.
But perhaps because of the rumors, this group of dical Officers did not take the initiative to speak with Lu Tong. It was Lin Danqing, enthusiastic as ever, who patiently explained the relationships between the various departnts and rooms of the dical Officer Institute to Lu Tong.
After about the ti it takes for an incense stick to burn, Cui Min appeared.
He was dressed in a gray long gown that day, with wide sleeves, and there was a sense of grandeur about him as he walked slowly and steadily, giving him the appearance not of a dical Officer, but rather of one of those pure literati officiants from the court.
The dical Officers all bowed to Cui Min, who responded in kind and stopped in front of Lu Tong.
"Doctor Lu," he began, his tone gentle, "now that you have returned to the dical Officer Institute, from tomorrow, you should serve in the various rooms."
Lu Tong listened quietly to his words.
"Considering your qualifications from the spring examination, you should naturally serve in the won’s health departnt of the North Hall’s Western Longevity Room..."
Upon hearing this, Lin Danqing showed a hint of glee. If Lu Tong was assigned to the Western Longevity Room, they would be able to work together.
However, Cui Min shifted the topic, "...but your proficiency in dical Classics and Pharmacology has earned Envoy Qiu’s high praise. Assigning you to the North Longevity Hall would be a misuse of your talents."
He asked, "All the departnts and institutes have their unresolved dical cases. Doctor Lu, your dical expertise stands out, and as a subject, you should naturally share His Majesty’s concerns, right?"
Lu Tong looked up.
Cui Min was thin and frail, but the robes of an Envoy hung on him with a certain dignity, evoking the image of an upright and solitary cypress, the very picture of a noble and lofty loyal minister. His eyes were gentle as water when he looked at her, yet upon closer inspection, there was a looming dark and oppressive air, like the green mold growing on the wooden bed in the Southern Pharmacy that had been soaked by the rain, chilling to the bone.
She said, "I am at the disposal of the Envoy."
Cui Min then smiled, his expression even more gentle, "Last month, Lord Jin, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, fell ill. Cao Huai has treated him for over a month to no avail. Now that Doctor Lu has returned, you shall accompany Cao Huai in attending to him."
The Ministry of Revenue?
A thought flicked through Lu Tong’s mind.
Qi Yutai was precisely in the Ministry of Revenue.
For a mont, Lu Tong almost thought it was divine providence, sympathizing with her struggles for revenge, presenting such a grand opportunity so easily before her. Without hesitation, she replied, "Very well."
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