It seems Lu Qing and Yan Daoxin are used to bantering with each other like this. Fuwen couldn’t help but chuckle at his order and took the robe from Yan Daoxin’s hand back to the room to put it away.
Yan Daoxin was probably really famished. He didn’t even have the energy to argue with Lu Qing and slumped onto the table, looking weak and listless.
"What are you doing here?" Lu Qing pulled Zhu Yu down to sit at the table as well, pouring tea for both himself and Zhu Yu without waiting for Yan Daoxin’s invitation.
The teapot was just the inn’s teapot, but the mont the tea was poured out, Zhu Yu knew it wasn’t the inn’s tea.
The tea had a beautiful amber-like color and exuded a warm dicinal fragrance.
"Have a drink, this guy doesn’t care about much when he’s traveling, but he insists on drinking his own dicinal tea," Lu Qing handed a cup of the amber-colored tea to Zhu Yu. "Opinions on his dical skills may vary, but he’s the best at detoxification and health preservation."
Zhu Yu took a sniff. She had always been afraid of various dicinal diets, finding the sll unpleasant and the taste bitter.
But this tea had a gentle, fragrant aroma, leaving a sweet aftertaste with just one sip—it was indeed a fine brew.
Yan Daoxin lay on the table, eyeing as Lu Qing poured another cup for Zhu Yu, showing so surprise in his expression but choosing not to make a quip.
Soon Fulu returned, bringing back so hot noodles for Yan Daoxin, who looked genuinely famished. He ate ravenously, paying no mind to etiquette or his image.
After downing a large bowl of noodles, he finally regained so energy and rembered to ask Lu Qing, "I was too hungry just now to ask you!
You’ve brought everyone along on a long journey, where are you heading?
Could it be... the daughter of the Vassal King, who was bestowed marriage by the Holy Emperor, is taking her son-in-law back to her parents’ ho?"
"There’ve been so strange occurrences in the Li State imperial guard’s camp, resulting in injuries and deaths. The Holy Emperor sent to uncover what truly happened," Lu Qing didn’t hide the truth, clearly showing their deep trust in each other.
"Oh? Strange occurrences, with casualties?" Hearing this, Yan Daoxin’s eyes lit up, "Alright, alright! I was worried going with you would be utterly boring, but now it seems there’s sothing to look forward to."
Fulu stood by, listening but unable to grasp the conversation. If Fuwen were present, he might have understood a bit, but Fulu’s mind was much simpler.
"Divine Doctor Yan, did my master say you’re joining us?" he asked, sowhat excited.
"With that mouth of his, can you really expect him to be upfront?" Yan Daoxin scoffed, "But he told your elder brother to disguise as and ride out of the city tomorrow, and buy a horse on the way back!
You originally ca here with four horses for four people, definitely no spares. If he didn’t want to bring along, why buy another horse?"
Fulu suddenly realized, looking extrely delighted.
Yan Daoxin had been blocked here, offering free consultations for almost half a month, and was truly exhausted. After his fill, he sat there barely speaking before his eyelids began to droop.
So everyone else went back to rest.
After a peaceful night’s sleep, when Zhu Yu got up for breakfast the next morning, Fuwen was already gone. After eating downstairs, Fulu went out with them and brought back two flatbreads, sneaking them to Yan Daoxin when no one was watching.
Yan Daoxin thus hid in the room the whole day, happy to do so, figuring he’d been exhausted lately. Apart from Fulu’s visit, he spent the entire day in deep sleep.
By noon, Fuwen returned with a small pouch on his back.
"Master, the horse is bought, tethered in the backyard along with our four horses." He handed over Yan Daoxin’s clothes from the pouch to Lu Qing.
"Good, have a good rest today, we’re leaving early tomorrow," Lu Qing said.
"Yes!" Fuwen looked quite pleased. "Master, although we don’t know what strange occurrences are happening in the imperial guard, eting Divine Doctor Yan this ti makes us more confident!
This truly is heaven’s help!
However, whether Divine Doctor Yan will help depends on his mood. If nothing’s intriguing when we get there, might he simply walk away?"
"If he wants to leave, no one can stop him," Lu Qing shook his head, appearing calm yet confident, "But this ti, he definitely won’t leave without seeing it through.
He hasn’t witnessed Chief Historian Yu’s abilities yet."
The next morning, before dawn, Lu Qing and the others were already up, wearing their ready black outfits as planned, but covering them with cloaks to hide the conspicuous attire.
The previous day, Fuwen had successfully led the county to believe the Divine Doctor had finally ridden out early under pressure, disappearing sowhere, resulting in fewer people queuing outside the inn.
Today, Yan Daoxin wore an extra veil hat, heading to the backyard with Fulu to fetch the horses. The inn’s host didn’t recognize him.
Lu Qing and Zhu Yu were the last to leave, mounting their horses, and the group of five hurried off at dawn’s first light, trying to make up for lost ti.
They traveled for another day, finally reaching the territory of Dongchuan County where the imperial guard’s camp in Li State was based.
Since Emperor Jin rose by crossing seas of blood to take the throne in the Capital, experiencing nurous hardships, he always placed imnse importance on military command.
While most states housed so imperial guard troops, the State Mansion had no authority to command the local imperial guard soldiers, who only obey orders from military generals appointed personally by Emperor Jin.
Li State is a significant imperial guard base, where the Commander acts as the highest military general.
Before entering Dongchuan County, they all put on masks and veil hats, removing their cloaks to reveal their black outfits, and rode straight to the Commander’s Mansion to understand the situation from the Commander himself.
Dongchuan County wasn’t a particularly bustling place, with not many residents; by the ti the five arrived, it was close to the hour for closing the city gates. Those not living in the city had mostly left, ensuring the journey was relatively easy without drawing attention.
At the Commander’s Mansion, Fuwen dismounted to knock on the door. An old porter with a sparse white beard opened the door for them, seeming a little puzzled at the sight of the five, yet maintaining a polite deanor.
"What business do you have here?" Unable to clearly see Lu Qing and the others’ appearance, he asked cautiously.
"We’re from the Capital, here to seek an audience with the Commander," Fuwen politely replied to the old porter, "Please go inform him."
"Capital, you say..." The old porter realized, "Oh, alright, please wait while I report to our master!"
He hurried off inside, limping slightly, leaving the door half-open behind him.
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