When Zhu Yu woke up the next morning, Lu Qing had already finished practicing his sword and returned. Seeing Zhu Yu sitting there sowhat dazed, he walked over and picked up a small porcelain bottle from the table, handing it to Zhu Yu: "The fruit brew has a strong kick. This will make you feel better."
Zhu Yu took the porcelain bottle, poured out a pill from inside, and drank it with the warm water Lu Qing handed to her mouth.
As the pill entered her mouth, it had a cooling sensation, and swallowing it with water carried that coolness down her throat into her stomach, alleviating much of the slight hangover discomfort.
She played with the small porcelain bottle in her hand. It was pure white and shaped like a little gourd, about palm-sized, and it was clear whose it was.
Among the people she knew, besides Yan Daoxin, who would have so many gourd bottles of various materials and sizes!
Thinking of Yan Daoxin, Zhu Yu’s mood dropped again, feeling a kind of restless discomfort in her heart.
The previous night, drinking and reveling with Lu Qing, Lu Chao, and the others, listening to their interesting past stories, made Zhu Yu temporarily forget her current situation. However, when dawn ca and the hangover wore off, looking at the small gourd-shaped porcelain bottle brought her back to reality sharply, facing the uneasy anxieties unavoidable.
"I wonder what kind of situation Yan Daoxin is in right now in the death cell..." Zhu Yu murmured.
Lu Qing sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, letting Zhu Yu lean against him: "In a few days, maybe we can ask him personally."
Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing with so confusion: "What do you an?"
"You fell asleep yesterday while I was chatting with Lu Chao, and I took the opportunity to inquire about any news about Yan Daoxin’s scheduled execution.
It seems it should be a few days after you go to the Headdress and Shoes Workshop to get new clothes."
"And then?" Zhu Yu furrowed her brow further, "What do you plan to do?"
"Rescue him at the execution." Lu Qing answered.
Zhu Yu stared at Lu Qing’s face, wanting to see so hint of jest, but she only saw seriousness in Lu Qing’s eyes.
"Are you really going to rescue him at the execution?" Zhu Yu asked.
"Really." Lu Qing nodded, his expression and tone carrying a degree of seriousness, "Do you plan to stop ?"
Zhu Yu looked into Lu Qing’s eyes, contemplated, and then shook her head: "I don’t plan to.
Why would I stop you? Yan Daoxin is not only your fellow disciple; you have a brotherly bond. It’s because of you dragging him into this that he faces such a calamity.
If you can ignore such a thing, it wouldn’t fit your character or temperant.
This execution must be interrupted."
Lu Qing’s previously serious face finally broke into a smile. He hugged Zhu Yu tightly again, resting his chin on her head, and let out a deep sigh: "Sotis I can’t help but wonder if you’re a witch; otherwise, how can you always see through my thoughts so clearly."
Zhu Yu laughed along.
Fortunately, she was soone whose behavior was already "extraordinary," and she had such a rapport with Lu Qing. Otherwise, if it were a proper lady from a noble family or the daughter of a Vassal King, just hearing the phrase "rescue at the execution" would probably scare them senseless.
After taking the dicine left by Yan Daoxin, Zhu Yu recovered from her not particularly severe hangover feeling and changed into swift clothes, running in circles in the courtyard to regain her strength.
Rescue at the execution! Even if she can’t assist in other ways, she must at least be able to keep up when fleeing.
During the day, the talisman was sent out by Lu Qing on duty for so matters. To relieve the talisman’s difficulties, Lu Qing specifically asked the rune to prepare a set of hunter’s clothing; the brothers disguised as hunters who ca to the Capital to sell animal skins.
The brothers went out, and the small courtyard was exceptionally tranquil. In the afternoon, with the sun warm, Zhu Yu sat in the courtyard sunbathing while reading or playing chess with Lu Qing.
By the late evening as darkness began to settle, Liu Yueyao brought people to deliver dinner, and Zhu Yu realized the rune and the talisman hadn’t returned yet.
If it were soone else, she might have thought that perhaps they got caught up outside, prolonging their return for a little fun.
But these were the rune and talisman; Zhu Yu had no such thoughts.
Those two brothers always fulfilled Lu Qing’s orders ticulously, unshaken by any colorful temptations of the outside world.
Buying those things wouldn’t take that long; if they were delayed, they were either caught up in sothing or feared trouble, hence hesitating to return.
"Could they have encountered so trouble?" Zhu Yu asked Lu Qing, worried.
Lu Qing checked the sky, furrowing his brow slightly, asking Liu Yueyao, who hadn’t left yet: "The rune and the talisman aren’t back yet?"
Liu Yueyao nodded: "I haven’t seen them until I just ca over."
"Was there any activity outside today?"
"No, aside from Duchess Yan’s birthday celebration next month, everything in the Capital has been peaceful—no significant or minor disturbances," Liu Yueyao shook her head.
Lu Qing said nothing more, signaling her to leave. Liu Yueyao curtisied and withdrew, while Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing worriedly.
"Don’t worry, those brothers aren’t easily caught. If a lot of people were mobilized, things wouldn’t be this calm; Liu Yueyao would have caught so wind of it." Lu Qing reassured Zhu Yu, saying, "No need to worry, those two are reliable in their actions; if they’re still not back, it may not be trouble but another reason.
Let’s not rush, let’s wait a bit more patiently and see."
Zhu Yu nodded, knowing that combining the rune and the talisman would make ordinary people stand no chance of approaching them; since Lu Qing said so, she steadied herself, repressing her inner unease.
After waiting a bit longer, still no sign of their return, Lu Qing set aside a portion of the al for the brothers and ate the rest with Zhu Yu.
"Whether you wait for them hungry or full, the result’s the sa; it makes no difference." Lu Qing comforted her.
After they finished their al, Liu Yueyao brought people to clear the tableware, but still, there was no sign of them.
Zhu Yu felt unsettled and uneasy.
At last, when the moon rose high, the previously quiet courtyard finally stirred.
Soone arrived.
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