Since he already had Situ Jing’s approval, Zhu Yu didn’t plan to delay. He instructed Miao Dashuan to change clothes and then left the imperial guard camp with him, heading straight back to the post station.
Miao Dashuan was actually quite puzzled. He was just a minor Squad Leader. In the past, the best he could do was exchange a few words with the Centurion or the General, without any chance of standing before significant figures.
Yet today, while he was practicing his staff techniques as usual, he was suddenly called out by the Commander and loaned to so Divine Doctor.
Seeing a few people wearing masks and acting mysteriously, Miao Dashuan couldn’t figure out what was going to happen to him.
When they arrived at the post station, Fu Wen went up first to announce their arrival. By the ti the remaining three went upstairs, Yan Daoxin had already rushed out.
It was unclear whether he did it himself or Fu Lu helped him. In just two hours, he had also acquired a leather mask to wear on his face, donned in the black outfit borrowed from Fu Wen. Adding his rushed, wide-striding manner as he ran out, he appeared entirely different from when Zhu Yu first saw him.
Since Fu Wen had already inford Yan Daoxin about their return with soone, Yan Daoxin imdiately walked toward Miao Dashuan at first glance, grabbed his arm, and began checking his pulse without saying a word.
In normal circumstances, Miao Dashuan, being a military man, wouldn’t let anyone approach him so casually, and would have probably dodged and counterattacked by now.
But these people were respected even by the Commander. Though he didn’t know what their background was, it must be significant. He vaguely heard the Commander ntion one of them was a Divine Doctor.
Now, with soone taking his wrist without a word, Miao Dashuan stood still, afraid to move a muscle.
"Have you recently been having restless nights with frequent dreams, often waking up with an unclear, groggy mind?" Yan Daoxin asked.
Miao Dashuan was dumbfounded and quickly nodded: "Divine Doctor, you are absolutely right. I’ve indeed been like this lately!"
"Liver fire disturbing the heart, excessive heart fire, insufficient kidney water... tsk, tsk, tsk..." Yan Daoxin shook his head and pulled Miao Dashuan into a nearby room, pointing to the bed, "Lie down there, don’t move anything except for breathing!"
Miao Dashuan stood there puzzled, watching Yan Daoxin nervously.
"What are you looking at? Go on!" Yan Daoxin stamped his foot, "You’re quite lucky to have been discovered in ti. If delayed a few more days, I wouldn’t be able to save you, even if brought here."
Though Miao Dashuan was simple, he wasn’t stupid. Upon hearing Yan Daoxin’s words, he realized sothing was wrong with him, and his head buzzed. His knees buckled as he almost knelt.
Fu Lu, standing nearby, grabbed him and dragged him to the bedside: "The Divine Doctor told you to lie down. Don’t you understand?
If you want to live, follow the Divine Doctor’s instructions. Otherwise, if you beco the next Pang Centurion, don’t bla us!"
Miao Dashuan, thinking of Pang Centurion’s condition, was filled with fear and wanted to beg the Divine Doctor to save him. After being scolded by Fu Lu, he dared not delay and hastily climbed onto the bed. He lay straight there, only daring to glance at Yan Daoxin, even subconsciously lightening his breathing.
Yan Daoxin no longer looked at him and sat at the table, seemingly lost in deep thought.
Miao Dashuan watched him, feeling extrely anxious and unsettled.
Zhu Yu approached the bed and asked Miao Dashuan, "Have you been in the camp this entire ti, without leaving?"
Miao Dashuan, mindful of Yan Daoxin’s earlier instruction, didn’t dare speak loudly and replied in a subdued voice, "In response to the Divine Doctor, other than the journey here with you, I haven’t left the camp even once."
"Did you do anything different from those around you or et anyone special?" Zhu Yu continued questioning.
Miao Dashuan almost wept, wanting to shake his head yet too scared: "No, in the camp, I eat and sleep with my brothers daily and have not acted alone.
During the day, I practice as usual, and at night, unless on duty, I rest in the barracks, patrolling with a few brothers under the Centurion’s orders when it’s our turn at night.
I’ve never done anything or seen anyone special alone..."
Suddenly, he grew even more tense: "Divine Doctor, what about my brothers? Won’t they have the sa problem as ?"
"No," Zhu Yu shook his head before Miao Dashuan could finish, "At least from what I’ve observed, among your team, you’re the only one showing signs of poisoning. The others show no such indications."
"But... it doesn’t make sense..." Miao Dashuan felt a mix of relief and despair, "During the day, when practicing, we all use the camp’s weapons; whether knives or staves, they’re all mixed.
At night during patrols, there’s never been anything unusual—"
"Wait," Zhu Yu interrupted, suddenly having a mont of clarity about sothing that had been vague, "Did you say you lead night patrols?"
"Yes, as Squad Leader, when it’s our turn to patrol at night, I naturally lead my five brothers," Miao Dashuan confird.
"Do Squad Leaders on night patrol carry waist cards?" Zhu Yu asked.
Fu Wen and Fu Lu beside them exchanged glances, expressing a sense of realization.
"A waist card is required." Miao Dashuan, wanting to nod yet afraid to move, seed rather rigid, like a talking stone, "No matter if it’s Squad Leader, squad leader, or Centurion, when on night patrol, we must collect a patrol waist card, return it next morning.
If found wandering the camp at night without a waist card, the penalty is death without rcy."
"So, the Generals who went out to escort grain to Huazhou and the Yu Hou who reported a death in the Capital would also need individual waist cards?" Zhu Yu pursued further.
"Yes, anyone sent on a mission outside must collect a camp waist card and return it once the task is complete," Miao Dashuan explained, observing Zhu Yu’s confusion, "In the imperial guard camp, only the Commander and Deputy Capital Commander have their own waist cards, carried at all tis. Others must collect theirs post-assignnt, and no one can misuse them.
It’s said that previously, soldiers from the Li State’s imperial guard committed heinous acts wielding the guard’s waist cards. When the news reached the Capital, the Emperor was furious, resulting in the reassignnt of the past Commander and the establishnt of the current regulations."
User Comments
0 comments from readers