Denghuaxiao

Chapter 245 Jade Bracelet (including announcement)

A new pleasure boat was untied near Yuxian Tower.

Pei Yunying helped Lu Tong onto the boat.

Fearing that Lu Tong might get seasick, the two did not call for anyone to row the boat and let the pleasure boat drift along the shore. However, even so, boating on the river was much more interesting than sitting on the Yuxian Tower and watching the rain.

There are some big and some small pleasure boats under Yuxian Tower. The big ones are mostly used for evening banquets for dignitaries, while the small ones are used for elegant scholars to cook wine on the boat.

The boat Pei Yunying chose was a slightly smaller one, a black flat boat with a lotus carved on the bow and green curtains inside. It was sailing on the water with a banquet of wine and food, and thousands of green weeping willows and misty rain.

Lu Tong held onto the boat railing and sat down in front of the small table. As soon as she was settled, a bright red candied haws appeared before her eyes.

"The candied haws from Yuxianlou." Pei Yunying said with a smile, "Although it's a few years late, I still did what I said."

Lu Chen was stunned for a moment.

She seemed to remember the ruined temple behind the execution ground in southern Jiangsu many years ago. She held the silver ring with disgust on her face and listened to the black-clothed man sitting in front of the fire promise: "Take this and come to me at Yuxianlou on Qinghe Street in the south of Shengjing City. I will treat you to Yuxianlou's candied haws."

Time passed quickly, and the heavy snow that had not been seen in southern Jiangsu for ten years had long since melted. She thought that the other party was just being perfunctory, but she did not expect that it would unexpectedly come true many years later. Although the reasons for their meeting and recognizing each other were different, the result was just as perfect.

Lu Tong lowered his head and took a bite of the fruit in his hand. The sweet and sour taste spread between his teeth.

"How is it?" Pei Yunying sat down opposite her.

"It smells like..." Lu Tong thought for a moment, "silver."

Du Changqing also bought candied haws from Renhe store, but they were not as sweet as the ones in his hand. But maybe it was not because of the candied haws, after all, his mood now was completely different from when he first arrived in Shengjing.

Pei Yunying laughed when he heard this: "You really know how to praise."

Lu Tong lay on the edge of the boat and looked into the distance. Above the river, the sound of a musical instrument gradually drifted from the pleasure boat. The fragrance of flowers in the deep spring sounded like crying and complaining, which was very moving.

She stared and listened for a while, and Pei Yunying did not disturb her. When the song ended, Lu Tong still felt that it was not enough.

Du Changqing once mentioned that the zither girl in Yuxian Tower had superb skills. The last time she came, she was only interested in getting close to Qi Yutai and had no time to appreciate the music. This time when she was boating on the river, although she didn't understand the music very well, she still found the sounds moving.

Lu Tong turned his head and looked at the person opposite him.

Pei Yunying was looking out the window at the river. When he noticed Lu Tong's gaze, he turned around and asked inexplicably, "What's going on?"

"I heard from Sister Yunshu that you can play the piano?"

Pei Yunying was suspicious: "What do you want to do?"

Lu Tong pointed to a zither on the boat and said, "I wonder how the commander's zither sound compares to the zither lady's just now?"

He paused for a moment, almost laughing out of anger at Lu Tong's words, "Isn't your request a bit too much?"

When some wealthy businessmen and noble ladies entertain guests outside, they often choose handsome young men to serve them, and they may sing and dance or play chess and music during the banquet. The banquet is well organized and everyone enjoys the audience.

At certain times, it is actually a request that carries an insulting connotation.

Lu Tong held up her chin and looked at him: "I just want to hear you play."

"I can play it for you in private," Pei Yunying glanced at the pleasure boat floating in the distance and coughed lightly, "Forget about it when we're out in the open."

Lu Tong was unhappy: "Why are you so shy? If you play, will someone come and rob you? If someone really wants to rob you," she said sarcastically, "I am good at killing and burying bodies, and I will definitely avenge you."

Pei Yunying looked at her in confusion.

Lu Tong looked frank, as if he knew the implication of these words but deliberately did not say it clearly. He looked innocent, as if he was doing something bad on purpose.

He stared at her for a long while, but she still insisted. After a moment, she finally gave in and sighed, "Okay, the commander of the Palace Front Division will do this for you."

He stood up and walked to the table.

This boat was rented for the purpose of providing a place for people to cruise and admire the willows. A lyre was placed on the long table.

He sat down in front of the piano and played the instrument with his eyes lowered.

Lu Tong doesn't understand music.

In the past, when she listened to Lu Rou playing the piano in Changwu County, she was always happy. Now, when Pei Yunying played the piano, she could only describe it as "pleasant to the ear". To be fair, she couldn't tell the difference between this and the plucking of the zither girl just now, so she just held her chin and looked at him quietly.

This man used to hold a knife, but when his knife-holding hand touched the strings of the zither, it was still slender and beautiful. When he played the zither, he was not as bright as when he smiled, nor as distant as when he was indifferent. He was calm and gentle, like a quiet moon in the distant mountains, faint and quiet.

It was already late, drizzling on the river, and lanterns were lit along the shore. The sound of the zither floated to the river surface with the wind, and perhaps attracted by this end, someone in a nearby pleasure boat lifted the curtain and looked over.

Unconsciously, Lu Tong recalled what Pei Yunshu had said.

"Ah-Ying, don't think that he is working in the palace now, fighting and killing, and looks fierce. When he was a child, my mother taught him music, calligraphy and painting, and he learned very well. To be honest, I thought he would be a handsome man, but who knew that he would enter the imperial city and hold a knife every day... It's really a pity to think about it..."

At that time, she was on guard and annoyed with Pei Yunying, so she ignored Pei Yunshu's exaggerated praise. But now, she had to admit that what Pei Yunshu said was indeed right.

After all, even Yin Zheng praised Lu Tong behind his back: "Master Pei is rich, handsome, knowledgeable and interesting. He is indeed a rare candidate for a good son-in-law in Shengjing City today."

Lu Tong was still thinking in a daze, and didn't even notice when the piano music stopped. Until Pei Yunying stopped, looked at her and raised his eyebrows: "Are you listening intently?"

Lu Tong came back to his senses.

"How is it?" He stood up. "How does it compare to what the zither girl played just now?"

"I didn't understand it, actually." Lu Tong said honestly, "But you were closer, so you could hear it more clearly."

Pei Yunying was speechless. He walked over to Lu Tong and tapped her forehead. "This is Xiao Shijiaojiu's "Happy Spring Rain."

He walked over to sit opposite Lu Tong, and said with a smile: "I have never played the piano outside, but I gave it to you for the first time. What do you plan to do in return, Doctor Lu?"

"The first time," Lu Tong disagreed, "maybe not."

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you a frequent visitor to Yuxianlou?" Lu Tong said lightly, "Since you are a frequent visitor, you may have played other pieces like "Happy Autumn Rain" and "Happy Winter Rain" before."

This statement has the flavor of bringing up old issues.

"Hey," Pei Yunying frowned, "I'm not going to Yuxian Tower for fun."

"Not necessarily."

He was helpless: "Hongman is the emperor's person."

"Oh." Lu Tong drawled out the words.

Pei Yunying glanced at Lu Tong, and thought of something, his eyebrows moved: "Are you jealous?"

"No." Lu Tong answered quickly.

He laughed and said, "Didn't I tell you that I won't visit brothels anymore after I have a wife?"

Lu Tong stared at him: "I remember I also said that I am not as magnanimous as the Palace Marshal. If my fiancé visits a brothel in the future, I will kill him."

Pei Yunying: "..."

He sighed, "Doctor Lu is so decisive in killing people that even the Palace Guards combined cannot match him."

Lu Tong accepted it calmly.

He glanced at her and said leisurely, "Don't worry, I like Doctor Lu much more than Doctor Lu likes me. But it's better this way. I'm the one who's tangled and lost, tossing and turning, so you don't have to worry so much."

Lu Tong frowned slightly: "What are you worried about?"

"A lot, for example, Ji Xun."

"Doctor Ji?" Lu Tong was stunned. "What does this have to do with him?"

Pei Yunying snorted: "Doesn't he come to your house every day to give you acupuncture?"

Chang Jin had previously agreed with Lu Tong that Ji Xun would give her acupuncture every day until Lu Tong recovered. Now that she had left the Medical Officers' Hospital and returned to West Street, Ji Xun also decided to come to West Street every day to treat her.

Lu Tong also felt that it was too much trouble for Ji Xun at first, but Ji Xun was very persistent and she really couldn't refuse.

But Ji Xun was so enthusiastic because he was a gentleman. He was willing to lend a helping hand when they met by chance on Sunan Bridge that year, let alone the friendship between them as colleagues now.

"You have a mean heart." Lu Tong retorted: "Doctor Ji cares about the patients. Don't talk nonsense and tarnish his reputation."

"Tain his reputation?" Pei Yunying looked at Lu Tong.

Lu Tong frowned slightly, nodded seriously, and spoke frankly as if what he said was very unreasonable.

Pei Yunying raised his eyelids and looked at her for a long time, confirming that she really thought so in her heart. The corners of his lips raised, and his tone was a little gloating, "To be honest, if it weren't for the different positions, I would have sympathized with him." Lu Tong was too lazy to say this to him: "Even if we don't mention this, Doctor Ji and I are in the same profession but different comrades."

"Oh?" Pei Yunying raised his eyebrows, "How are you different?"

"Don't you know?" Lu Tong said, "I have already left the Medical Officers' Institute."

Pei Yunying paused and didn't speak for a while.

Lu Tong left the Medical Officers' Institute.

Although he had guessed that she had this plan, Pei Yunying was still a little surprised when he actually learned the news.

It was really too fast. He originally thought that Lu Tong's plan would come later.

"My purpose for entering the Medical Officers' Institute was not pure." Lu Tong was very calm when talking about this matter, and he let go of everything in his words.

"Now that my worries are gone, I don't want to stay any longer. I am different from Doctor Ji. Doctor Ji cares about the world, but I only want to stay in a safe corner. Rather than staying in the Medical Officer's Office and treating people like Jin Xianrong, it is better to stay in West Street. At least there is no complicated clerk examination."

Pei Yunying looked at her.

When she spoke of this, her tone was calm, as if it was the result of careful consideration, although her excuse was very poor.

He laughed and said, "Yes, compared to the people in the imperial city, the common people at the West Street Temple Gate obviously need Doctor Lu more."

Lu Tong was startled.

Pei Yunying looked at her with a smile.

She said nothing.

There are Chang Jin, Ji Xun, Lin Danqing and many students from the Imperial Medical Bureau in the Medical Officer Academy. There are many medical officers like her.

But there is only one Renxin Medical Clinic on West Street.

She likes being a doctor, but she likes being a doctor outside the imperial city even more.

The demand for medical officers in the imperial city is much less than that outside the imperial city.

"However," Pei Yunying's voice came from my ear, "You don't like the kind of gentleman who cares about the world like Ji Xun, then what kind do you like?"

Lu Zhuo raised his eyes.

The man propped his head up on his elbows and looked at her with a teasing smile, with dimples faintly visible at the corners of his lips, as if he was deliberately teasing her.

She then said calmly: "I am a superficial person and I like those who are good-looking."

Pei Yunying paused and pretended to be surprised: "It sounds like a confession."

Lu Tong said seriously: "After all, the selection of the Palace Front Department has always been based on appearance."

He stared at Lu Tong and couldn't help laughing.

Outsiders always thought Lu Tong was cold and distant, but the secret letter from Changwu County described Miss Lu San as spoiled, willful, and eccentric. He once regretted that she ended up becoming a completely different person, but now he is glad that at some moments, she gradually regained her original appearance.

"Lu Tong," Pei Yunying suddenly said, "Let's get married."

There was a sudden silence all around.

Lu Tong was stunned for a moment: "What did you say?"

He lowered his eyes and took out an emerald green jade bracelet from his arms.

"This is the jade bracelet left by my mother." He took Lu Tong's hand and put the bracelet on Lu Tong's wrist.

"My grandmother gave this jade bracelet to my mother as a dowry, and later my mother gave it to my sister. She told me that if I find someone I want to spend my life with in the future, I should give this jade bracelet to her."

The jade bracelet was emerald green, and it fell on her wrist, making it look as white as snow. Lu Tong raised her eyes, and Pei Yunying looked at her quietly. In the dark rainy night, his dark eyes were calm and gentle, flashing a little bit of tiny, dim light.

"I'm serious," he said.

Lu Tong's fingertips trembled and he was speechless for a moment.

She didn't expect Pei Yunying to propose marriage so suddenly and so naturally that she was completely unprepared. She used to think she could handle all kinds of emergencies very well, but at this moment she felt a long-lost panic and didn't know how to react.

After a moment, Lu Tong calmed down and pretended to be relaxed and said, "Ordinary people at your age may not talk about marriage so early. If you get married now, Shengjing will definitely say that you are marrying too young."

The new emperor ascended the throne and the situation in the imperial city was complicated, but he, the commander of the Palace Front Department, sat as firmly as ever. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the emperor was favoring him and that a marriage for such a young and promising talent should be chosen slowly. Even for ordinary people, there would be no such rush.

Pei Yunying just looked at her: "It's the same sooner or later, Lu Tong, I'm sure, I just want to spend the rest of my life with you."

It was like something sour was rising up in my heart, like the candied haws I had just eaten, sour and sweet.

Lu Tong said softly: "Aren't you afraid that I'm a lunatic?"

She is paranoid and crazy in her bones, she protects her shortcomings, and her possessiveness is extremely strong. Sometimes she even hates herself. Pei Yunying should know her personality best. Holding hands, hugging, or even kissing are all fine, but when it comes to a long life, sleeping in the same bed for decades to come, if you don't love her very much, I'm afraid it will be difficult to endure for a long time.

Pei Yunying laughed.

"I like someone who I don't think is crazy."

He touched Lu Tong's head and said gently, "She is smart and cunning, patient and strong, and she is always willing to go forward for her family and will not bow down in front of the powerful."

"If it were me, I couldn't do better than her. I don't think she's crazy. If she thinks she's crazy, I'll go crazy with her."

Lu Tong stared at him blankly.

"You are... the commander of the Palace Front Department," she found her voice after a while, "I am just an ordinary female doctor, my status is different."

"Who said that?" He smiled and said, "Aren't you the murderer doctor? I'm the assassin's young master. Now we are a perfect match."

Outside the cruise ship, the spring rain was thick and dense, and Lu Tong felt as if his heart had also been drenched by the spring rain. The black lacquered boat floated in the drizzle of Shengjing's spring night, the lights flickered, and the eyes he looked at were fiery and determined.

She couldn't refuse.

"If you are afraid of other people's gossip, I will ask His Majesty for an imperial decree to grant you marriage. Once the imperial decree is issued, no one will dare to say that you are not right."

"Now you are a doctor in West Street, earning two taels of silver a month, which is not as good as the Medical Officer's Office. I have farms and shops in my house, and I will give you all the salary. In the future, you can open your own clinic or do something else. You can do whatever you want in the Palace Marshal's Mansion."

He thought it through very carefully.

It was so thorough that Lu Tong burst out laughing.

The zither girl in the distant pleasure boat was singing in a clear voice, singing: "Flowers are endless, the moon is infinite. Our hearts are the same. At this moment, I wish to be like the willow branches, attracting the spring breeze..."

Lu Tong raised his eyes: "You won't lose out this way?"

"After all, you are my creditor."

"The old debt has long been paid off, why should the Palace Commander be so upset?"

He sighed: "It's different. The debt of love is hard to repay."

Lu Yan looked at him.

The spring rain is as fine as smoke, the willow branches under the wind lanterns on the river bridge are wet with wind and rain, the green cloth curtains on the boat immerse the night in a layer of light green, in the quiet night by the window, his handsome and heroic face is within reach, but there is an imperceptible uneasiness in his dark eyes.

Lu Tong's slightly confused and helpless heart gradually calmed down in the eyes of these two eyes.

She has been retreating from the man in front of her, avoiding him again and again, and trying her best to suppress her feelings. But strangely, perhaps some fates cannot be cut off, and after going around in circles, people who are destined to meet will always return to the same place.

She will be attracted eventually.

Not to mention what will happen in the future, she has never been the type to look back and forth, so there is no need for her to hesitate on this matter. Life is short, it is worth being brave and grabbing the happiness in front of you.

She smiled slightly.

Pei Yunying said softly: "I want to become a bond with Doctor Lu."

"No need."

Hearing Lu Tong's answer, he was stunned for a moment, and the next moment, he heard the person in front of him speak.

"You already are."

In the dark spring night, with the drizzling rain, love songs are played endlessly in the painted boat.

He paused for a moment, then chuckled and leaned over to gently kiss the person in front of him.

Announcement: I'm taking a week off to write the finale. Come see the finale next Thursday (July 7th) morning, my dears. I won't update this week~