His voice was thick and somewhat slow, like an honest child speaking to someone, with a hint of shyness that made him seem approachable and amiable.
But the words he spoke in that slow and bashful voice were far from approachable or amiable.
I am putting you in a tough spot.
Miss Jun looked at the Lu Yunqi in front of her. To outsiders, this Lu Yunqi might seem unfamiliar, but to her, this was the Lu Yunqi she knew best.
Only the words used to describe the familiarity were unfamiliar.
Miss Jun smiled.
"I understand," she said. "I understand you're putting me in a tough spot, I just don't understand what you want to do about it."
Lu Yunqi grunted affirmatively.
"How could you not understand." He said, stepping closer, "Since you've come, stay here."
Miss Jun did not retreat but simply looked at the man standing in front of her.
"Stay here?" she asked with a smile, "Like those other women?"
Lu Yunqi's expression was blank as he looked at her.
"No, you can stay here," he said.
Miss Jun laughed.
"Lord Lu really has some nerve," she said. "To dare keep me, you must know I am a doctor, capable of saving lives, as well as taking them."
Lu Yunqi grunted again, his tone still calm and unruffled.
"Although I am not a doctor," he said, "I can also make someone wish they could die but can't, what people call a fate worse than death."
"What if I don't stay?" Miss Jun asked.
"Then you can't stay in the place where you most want to stay," Lu Yunqi said. "To tell you the truth, I really don't like seeing this face of yours. How can you have such a face?"
His eyes held a hint of confusion, dissatisfaction, and a touch of madness.
How could someone with such a face have her essence?
Her essence shouldn't appear in someone with such a face.
Why?
He raised his hand to pinch the girl's face.
Was it like that time in Prince Huai's mansion?
Miss Jun naturally wouldn't allow that again, raising her hand and striking out.
Lu Yunqi raised his arm to block, but did not repel the girl's delicate hand. It seemed her intention was not to hit, but to grab onto Lu Yunqi's arm.
A sharp pain came from his arm, clearly pierced by some foreign object.
Most people would instinctively swing their arm to dislodge the pain, but Lu Yunqi remained as if oblivious and unmoved.
The spring garment was thin, blood seeping out from between Miss Jun's fingers.
"Ring." Lu Yunqi's voice was calm as he looked at the hand resting on his arm.
Against the backdrop of the blood, it looked even more fair and delicate.
The gold band ring originally worn on the finger was now gone.
It must have pierced into his arm.
"You like these kinds of things, huh." Lu Yunqi looked at her. "I have many, for you to play with."
This voice uttered the words simply, seriously, filled entirely with sincerity.
If one didn't look at his face, if one didn't know what he referred to were instruments of torture and death.
"Aren't you afraid it's poisoned and could kill you?" Miss Jun asked.
Lu Yunqi's lips curved into a smile.
"Would you bear it?" he said earnestly.
What he couldn't bear, of course, wasn't his own life, but Miss Jun's life.
Lu Yunqi knew the meaning of his words, and so did Miss Jun.
Miss Jun's hand squeezed harder, and she stepped back, breaking free from Lu Yunqi's grasp.
Lu Yunqi made no move to follow her and stood with his hands hanging at his sides.
"I can't bear to part with it," Miss Jun said. "That's why I won't be afraid."
After she spoke, she turned and left.
Lu Yunqi did not chase after her or call out to stop her, only following her with his gaze.
The Jinyiwei guards at the door did not try to stop her when they saw her approaching. Instead, they respectfully opened the door, bowed, and saw her off with a deep salute.
Such treatment, Miss Jun knew, other than Lu Yunqi, was only afforded to two people.
One was Chu Jiuling, and the other was Miss Jun.
But this time, Miss Jun would never be Chu Jiuling again.
Seeing Miss Jun emerge, the coachman who had been pale and standing outside finally breathed a sigh of relief, leaning on the coach, his gaze sweeping over Miss Jun without fail.
Her clothes were tidy, her hair was not disheveled, and her expression had not changed.
It's fine, it's fine.
The coachman bowed his head in invitation for Miss Jun to board the coach and then, snapping the reins, urged the horses away.
The gates of Lu Mansion slowly closed behind them.
Only then did Miss Jun lift a corner of the curtain with a finger to look back.
Did Sister know of her visit? She hadn't even gotten a glimpse.
Poor Sister, trapped and her reputation manipulated by others.
Of course, she wasn't worried Sister would care about such things; Sister wouldn't be like Jiurong, that silly girl, easily provoked and feeling as though she snatched her brother-in-law, letting her sister be bullied.
Who would care about an enemy taking a concubine or indulging in beauty?
The carriage shook and swayed as it turned a corner and exited the street. Miss Jun withdrew her gaze.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yunqi had been so brazen. Just to trap her in a difficult situation in the capital, would he bully any official so indiscriminately? To such an unrestrained extent?
...............................
"This is not just reckless behavior from Changkang; nor is it a coincidence."
Upon hearing Doctor Geng's recount, Imperial Physician Jiang shot up straight in his seat.
The room was now sparsely occupied by only three or four imperial physicians, far quieter than before.
Since Miss Jun's successful vaccination, many physicians from the Imperial Hospital had changed their stance, with some secretly seeking instruction from Doctor Feng, who was in charge of the vaccination affairs.
And even more shameless was Doctor Feng, who actually taught these imperial physicians.
These were all practices learned from Jiuling Hall, beginning to fake magnanimity, attempting to become a master of one art to others.
When Thousand-Man Commander Lu and Miss Jun stirred up trouble, these people quieted down somewhat, but unexpectedly, Top Scholar Ning publicly announced his betrothal to Miss Jun.
Now things were looking up again for Miss Jun. Not only did the imperial physicians go to learn about vaccination, but when they encountered difficulties during their consultations, they also began to seek advice from Jiuling Hall, shamelessly telling the consulting nobles that Miss Jun had given directions, that Miss Jun said they could cure, just to gain recognition.
The reputation of the Imperial Hospital was thrown away by them, and they simply claimed themselves to be doctors from Jiuling Hall.
Unbearable, utterly unbearable.
Imperial Physician Jiang slammed his hand on the table.
"I've always said that Lu Yunqi is not someone who gets scared off easily," he said. "Look, if you can't destroy a man's reputation, then destroy the thing she relies on for her living."
"Yes, yes," Doctor Geng hurriedly nodded, with a hint of resentment, "She's a doctor, if no one asks her for treatment, let's see how she can stay put."
The physicians exchanged glances, each bearing a touch of unease.
"So you're saying that if anyone asks Miss Jun for treatment, they'll face harassment by the Jinyiwei?"
"But what about those high-ranking officials? If this continues, won't they file complaints?"
Even the remaining imperial physicians who were firmly supportive weren't as confident as before, all looking as if they were holding back, which was infuriating.
"What kind of commotion? Haven't they been given reasons?" Imperial Physician Jiang said, "You're foolish, but the Jinyiwei are not; if there is no reason, they'll fabricate one, isn't framing and setting up what they're best at?"
The imperial physicians nodded sheepishly.
"But I don't know if it will work or not," one of the physicians couldn't help but say.
Imperial Physician Jiang gave a cold smile.
"Whether it works or not, as long as it scares people, that's enough," he said. "There's a saying, 'You don't fear the thief who steals but the one who's always thinking about it.' Who would want to be on the Jinyiwei's radar? Everyone would need to think twice."
**************************************
Thanks to Miss Jun, Ice from the South, The Idle Reader who Rewards He's Bi for not Reading.
Keep flipping, going non-stop all day today, finally the madness begins.