Chapter 244 - Slippery Sage (1/2)
In consideration of Doctor Lou's dislike for strangers in his space, the Emperor sent Commander An to come to go get the old man. Since they were already familiar, the Emperor hoped the old man will be more welcoming and more compliant.
Commander An arrived at Doctor Lou's pharmacy to find doors open for business as usual, but the counter was empty. He tried calling for the Doctor but received no response. In the end, after waiting for a while, Commander An told the two men who accompanied to wait in the shop while he went into the house to search for the old man.
Commander An walked into the courtyard to see Doctor Lou lying on the ground in the pavilion.
Commander An immediately rushed over, worried that something had happened to the old man. Only for him to crouch down and turn the old man over to find him clutching a jar of wine and snoozing away with a happy smile on his face.
It was clear that the old man had drunkenly fallen off his chair and decided to make the ground his bed for the night.
Commander An sighed in relief and called to him, ”Doctor Lou...Doctor Lou...Doctor”
No response.
Commander An knit his brows and then tapped on the old man's shoulder as he called more loudly, ”Doctor -”
Doctor Lou immediately swatted the hand away and mumbled with a frown, ”Xiao Yiying, I'll feed you later. Now sleep~”
”Doctor Lou, please rise. I have a message from the Emperor -”
Doctor Lou then threw the jar over his shoulder at Commander An swiftly dodged the projectile. Doctor Lou then hugged himself and mumbled, ”En, go play with Xing Xing, she has food...”
Commander An frowned, it was pointless trying to talk to him. So he stood up, took his sword, and banged it hard on the table, ”Wake up!”
Doctor Lou immediately sat up, ”Baby!” He then blinked and glanced around his surroundings, then he saw Commander An and blinked, ”You're not Xiao Ying...”
Commander An cupped his hands and lightly bowed, but before he could even begin, Doctor Lou went, ”We're closed, come back later.” And then he laid back on the ground.
Commander An frowned, ”Please rise, the Emperor has invited you to the palace...”
”En. I'll stop by later...I'm busy now.” Doctor Lou offhandedly retorted.
Commander An's frown deepened. He felt the urge to simply haul the old man into the carriage but the Emperor had instructed that he was to be treated with the utmost respect. But now he was clearly disrespecting the Emperor, it was becoming difficult.
Commander An then rephrased his words, ”Doctor Lou, the Emperor requires your presence at the palace...Now. There is a carriage waiting outside for you, so you may continue to sleep on the way if it pleases you.”
There was a stretch of silence, finally, Doctor Lou groaned, rolled over to glare at Commander An, ”Can't you see that I am very busy at the moment?”
Commander An's eyebrow twitched, ”Regardless, the Emperor has summoned y-.”
”Ohhhh!” Doctor Lou suddenly exclaimed sitting up, ”It's you, the pervert!”
Commander An frowned in annoyance and reminded, ”I am Commander An, commander of the Imperial guards.”Doctor Lou kept calling him a pervert to his annoyance during the short time he spent with him in his courtyard. He did not expect that the old would still remember that little issue.
”Xiao Kai sent you, right?? Why didn't you say so before?” Doctor Lou scolded as he jumped up and brushed off his clothes and then he chuckled, ”I knew Xiao Kai would miss me~ These children all like to pretend, but I know~”
”You should not be calling the Emperor by his na-”
”Ahh, I think I should change. Wait for me!” Doctor Lou obliviously interjected and then scurried into the house, leaving a disgruntled Commander An in his wake.
**
The Emperor was playing the qin for Lei Xing, but it served more as a means to distract and calm himself as he anticipated the coming meeting. Finally, an eunuch came in to inform them that Commander An had arrived with Doctor Lou and was asking if he should be sent to Lei Xing's palace.
The Emperor stopped playing and then casually ordered, ”Have him sent to the reception hall...”
After the eunuch left, Lei Xing turned to the Emperor and could see he was feeling tense so she said, ”If you really don't want to come, I can see him alone and tell you about it...”
It was obvious to her that the Emperor was uncomfortable with the meeting with Doctor Lou.
The Emperor sighed, ”No, you're right. I should be there...” The Emperor said and then got up and held a hand for Lei Xing and they proceeded to her reception hall to welcome the knowledgable old Sage.
**
Doctor Lou was escorted to Lei Xing's palace by an eunuch. As he approached the reception hall., he saw Bi Lo and Bi Lu standing in front of the doors and smiled at them as he squinted at them.
The Eunuch handed over Doctor Lou to the twins and then left. Doctor Lou then went, ”Ohh, so there's two of you...”
Bi Lu gave a polite smile and said, ”Please enter...”
Doctor Lou ignored him and smiled at Bi Lo, ”You must be the fun one, right? I can tell~” He finished with a chuckle.
Bi Lo snorted in amus.e.m.e.nt and smugly went, ”That's what they say~How -”
”Please proceed. The Emperor should not be kept waiting.” Bi Lu promptly interjected and Doctor Lou squinted at him and then went, ”See, no fun.” He then flapped his sleeves and then entered the hall.
Lei Xing and the Emperor turned as soon as they heard footsteps behind them. Doctor Lou beamed at them and then leisurely glanced about the room. The twins bowed in front of Lei Xing and the Emperor and the Emperor then ordered, ”Close the doors and guard the area.”
The twins bowed and quickly withdrew. The Emperor then turned to Doctor Lou with a polite smile, ”Thank you for coming. We have not had the chance to properly thank you for your he-”
”No need~ Looking after our Xing Xing is naturally what I should do.” Doctor Lou waved with a smile.
Lei Xing slightly knit her brows.
{...Our? Who is this ”our”? Also, why have you been ignoring me?...}
{...*Hehe~ I was busy ...}
{...Busy with what? Sleeping? -_-)...}
{...*Noooo, busy with...stuff, important stuff...}
{...Who are you kidding? Your hair's still sticking out -_-)...}
”What? Why didn't anyone say something?” Doctor Lou suddenly exclaimed with a frown and glanced around looking for something to use as a mirror.
”What is it?” The Emperor asked with a confused frown.
Lei Xing stifled the urge to laugh as Doctor Lou haphazardly tried to rearrange his hair.