Chapter 43
After receiving the emperor's oral order, Lin Qingyu did not delay any longer. He returned to the Marquis' Mansion and began to pack up his things, preparing to formally draw a clear line with the Nan'an Marquis' Mansion.
When he got married, he only brought clothes, medical books, and a child, Huantong. He could take these with him when he left. What was left was the property he and that man had robbed: the silver was deposited in a money shop and exchanged for silver notes; the antique paintings and calligraphy, fields and shops, house deeds, and the dowry left by Wen were all taken away.
Several managers spent half a day counting and still couldn't finish because there were so many things. Lin Qingyu watched his men packing things into boxes, feeling a tinge of revengeful pleasure in his heart.
Of course he doesn't need so much money. Neither of his parents are extravagant people, and he himself doesn't have much need for money. But he would rather give the money to beggars on the street than leave it for the Nan'an Marquis Mansion.
These properties were given to him by that person, so why shouldn't he take them?
Pan had been working for Lin Qingyu and had been in charge of the household for such a long time, so naturally she was aware of the family property. She watched as the Blue Wind Pavilion was almost emptied and more than half of the items in the warehouse were gone, but she remained silent. By now, the Lu family's branch had dwindled in numbers and the incense had ceased. The Marquis of Nan'an was the only legitimate master left in the huge mansion. Even if they had more money, it was of no use. She had already dismissed the servants who had previously served Liang and her children, and it wouldn't cost much money to support the remaining people. In the end, Lin Qingyu did not empty the mansion, and left them some fields and shops. Even relying on these, it was enough for her to have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life.
On the day Lin Qingyu left, Pan went to Lanfeng Pavilion to see him off.
"Young Master... No, I should call you Doctor Lin." Pan smiled gently, "I hope Doctor Lin will have everything go well in the future and become a famous doctor like Lin Yuanpan who saves the world."
This may be difficult. With his vindictiveness and narrow-mindedness, how can he become a man like his father?
"Thank you." Lin Qingyu said, "I let Zhang Shiquan stay in the Marquis' Mansion. He is a useful person. If you don't mind, you can let him continue to help take care of the household affairs."
Even if others leave, I want to keep a hand in the Nan'an Marquis Mansion. Marquis Nan'an has served the emperor for many years, so maybe he can still be used.
Perhaps Mrs. Pan could see his deep meaning, but she didn't ask any more questions and just nodded and said yes.
Pan was an obedient and intelligent person, and Lin Qingyu did not mind working with such a person. He saw that Pan had lost a lot of weight and had a few more wrinkles around her eyes. He rarely spoke to her for a few more words: "I remember that you were sold into the Marquis' Mansion back then?"
Pan said, "Yes. After my mother passed away, I was left alone. Even if I didn't become a concubine in the mansion of a marquis, I would have been a slave in a wealthy family."
"If you also want to leave the Marquis' Mansion, I can help you find a way."
Pan was stunned and clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Seeing that she didn't agree immediately, Lin Qingyu almost knew the answer: "Or do you want to continue to guard Nan'an Marquis?"
"I..." Pan sighed, "I have been in the Marquis' Mansion for more than ten years. This is my home. If I leave home, where else can I go?"
Lin Qingyu said: "Since I helped you leave the mansion, I will not let you live worse in the future than you do now."
Pan shook her head and smiled bitterly, "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of Doctor Lin. But the Marquis is my husband after all. How can a woman leave her husband?"
Lin Qingyu disagreed: "No one can't live without anyone else, and no one can't live without anyone else." He glanced in the direction of the offering tablet and said indifferently, "Just get used to it."
Just like he is now, isn’t he living well?
Pan didn't want to leave, but Hua Lu knelt down and begged Lin Qingyu to take her away. Hua Lu was originally a maid given by Duke Wen to Lu Wancheng, and she had no feelings for the Nan'an Marquis' Mansion. Lin Qingyu originally wanted her to return to the Duke's Mansion, but she wanted to stay with Lin Qingyu more.
"Before the young marquis left, the one he was most worried about was the young master. Hua Lu promised the young marquis that she would serve the young master wholeheartedly and urge him to eat well and sleep well after he left." Hua Lu's eyes were red with tears, "Please, young master, take Hua Lu with you!"
Lin Qingyu chuckled: "Did he say that?"
Does Mr. Jiang think that once he leaves, he won’t eat well or sleep well? You think too highly of yourself.
Hualu nodded: "Young Master, please accept the Hualu!"
Lin Qingyu said: "Tomorrow, I will send someone to the Duke's Mansion to get your indenture."
Hualu was pleasantly surprised: "Thank you, young master!"
"Now that you are a member of the Lin Mansion, you don't have to call me 'Young Master' anymore."
Hualu nodded: "Thank you, Master!"
Before leaving, Lin Qingyu finally gave Marquis Nan'an a little face and went to meet and bid farewell in person, but Marquis Nan'an did not want to see him.
When Lin Qingyu married into the Marquis's Mansion last year, the Marquis of Nan'an was still the emperor's right-hand man and in charge of the entire Ministry of Revenue. What a glorious life that was. Now, just one year later, he has become a useless man with white hair and a dead heart, and he doesn't even know that his family property has been drained away. But even if he knew, what could he do?
Finally, Lin Qingyu went to the Lu family's ancestral hall and burned six incense sticks for Lu Wancheng. He took the place of that person in three of the columns.
After doing all this, Lin Qingyu left the Nan'an Marquis Mansion with dozens of carts of property, a bunk bed, and the man's tablet.
After walking out of the gate, he turned around and looked at the solemn vermilion gate of the Marquis' Mansion, and the two words "Lu Mansion" hanging high above it.
I don’t know if Marquis Nan’an would regret forcing Liang to marry him before he went crazy, or if Lu Niantao would regret humiliating him when she was alone in her empty room every night before Lu Qiaosong died.
It's right to regret. He likes to see those who have offended him crying and regretting their actions.
After leaving the Marquis' Mansion, Lin Qingyu did not return to the Lin Mansion. In the eyes of others, the young Marquis of Nan'an had been dead for less than three months, and his body was still warm, but his male wife asked to leave the house, unwilling to remain a widow, and even showed up in public. She disregarded all etiquette and was not afraid of being visited by her deceased husband in the middle of the night.
The ominous rumors about men's wives are getting more and more intense in the capital. Lin Qingyu may not care about the rumors, but he still has to consider his parents and younger brother. Even though Lin's mother wanted him to move back to the Lin Mansion, he still refused.
Long before going south, he asked Zhang Shiquan to buy him a three-story house in Beijing. It's not a big house, but it's enough for him to live in alone. The house was not too far from the imperial palace and the Lin residence. Everything inside had been packed up, waiting for the owner to move in. The servants were all selected by Zhang Shiquan himself. They were honest, hardworking, and had clean backgrounds. As soon as Lin Qingyu entered the door, the housekeeper led them to shout in unison: "Welcome back, Master!"
Lin Qingyu: "...Master?"
Huan Tong burst out laughing: "The young master is only nineteen after the Chinese New Year, why are you calling him old master? You're calling him old."
The housekeeper explained with a smile: "The master has divided the family, so he is the head of the family in this mansion, so naturally he is the master."
"No need to call me like that." Lin Qingyu said, "Just do it the same as before."
The servant then changed his tone: "Yes, Master."
Lin Qingyu placed Jiang's tablet in the mourning hall and ordered his servants to look after it, burning incense every morning, noon and evening. People were coming in and out, busy packing up. He doesn't care about anything else, but he has to clean the study and pharmacy himself.
Lin Qingyu put the books he brought into the bookshelf one by one. Huantong ran over to him and asked, "Master, where is the bunk bed?"
Lin Qingyu thought for a moment and said, "Just put it in the study."
If he doesn't want to sleep in the bedroom in the future, he can spend the night there. He had never slept on the bottom bunk.
At this time, Hualu brought in a pot of green bamboo and muttered, "It's already March, and it's snowing..."
"It's snowing?" Lin Qingyu paused and looked out the window. Sure enough, snowflakes were falling outside.
On the first day of moving, Lin Qingyu stayed in the study until late at night and simply slept in the study. He lay on the lower bunk, listening to the vague sound of the night watchman's drum in the distance, one slow and three fast - it was already the fourth watch.
This day has passed again.
At the end of last year, that person passed away on a snowy night like this. To this day, exactly seventy days have passed.
Lin Qingyu raised his hand and touched the wooden board above him - Jiang told him to have a good sleep, but how could he sleep on such a snowy night?
If the man named Jiang were still alive, he would probably sleep better than anyone else.
Fortunately, when the snow ends, winter will really be over.
The last snow of this winter lasted for three days. Lin Qingyu, wearing the official uniform of a seventh-rank medical officer, walked in the snow within the palace walls.
The one who led him was a handsome young eunuch. The young eunuch had just started working and it was the first time he saw such a beautiful imperial physician. He couldn't help but look behind him frequently.
Dayu's official uniforms were mostly dark in color. Doctor Lin was of slim stature and outstanding appearance. In his indigo official uniform, he looked better than the ladies in the harem.
The two were walking peacefully, when the young eunuch suddenly heard the imperial physician call him, "Eunuch."
The young eunuch thought he was caught peeking, and asked guiltily, "What do you want, Doctor Lin?"
Lin Qingyu asked: "Is the East Palace far from here?"
"Not far." The young eunuch said, "Turn left and walk another half an incense stick and you will arrive."
Lin Qingyu nodded: "Thank you, eunuch."
The young eunuch blushed slightly: "Doctor Lin, you are too polite."
Dayu attached great importance to medicine, and the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Hanlin Academy had equal status. They were located on the northwest sides of the imperial palace, and the office was only separated from the palace by a wall. After completing their studies at the Imperial Medical Bureau, students can pass through this wall and become imperial physicians in the palace. Relying on a prescription for diagnosing and curing epidemics, Lin Qingyu skipped this step and became a seventh-rank physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau.
The young eunuch stopped and said, "Doctor Lin, we are here at the Imperial Hospital."
Lin Qingyu looked at the three golden words "Imperial Hospital" and felt a calmness in his heart that he had not expected.
He finally came here.
Walking east from the Imperial Hospital for about an incense stick's time, you will reach the Qinzheng Hall, where the emperor handled government affairs and took temporary rest. At this moment in the Qinzheng Hall, the emperor was discussing Gu Fuzhou's resignation with his important ministers and the crown prince.
"Gu Fuzhou sent ten petitions in a row, asking me to allow him to return to the capital immediately, as if staying in Yongliang for one more day would cost him his life. According to Zhao Mingwei, he stayed up all night, still writing petitions in his account book!" The emperor was furious. "Gu Fuzhou used to be very frugal with words, but now he writes so many words. What on earth does he want to do?"
After saying this, the emperor waved his arm and threw all the memorials on the dragon table to the ground.
The ministers knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please calm down."
Xiao Cheng knelt down as well. The ground was in a mess. He saw several open memorials, with a sentence written at the end of each page: "I request to return home as soon as possible."
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