Frustration

As dawn broke, Qi Guanlan frowned, swept his arm to swat away the annoying flies, turned over and fell into a deep sleep. He had gone to bed too late last night, and the rustling sounds of the two people knocking and banging in front of his bed had not woken him.

"I'm leaving!" the traveling doctor whispered in his ear.

"no!"

Qi Guanlan sat up abruptly before he even opened his eyes. He reached out and grabbed nothing, then opened his eyes in alarm. He squinted slightly at the window frame, shook his head, and muttered, "Nightmare!"

Gu Yu couldn't take it anymore and slapped him across the face. Qi Guanlan was jolted awake and roared, "Who? How dare you ambush me?"

He used up all his strength to say one sentence. He pulled the blanket over his head, groggily nodding his chin. He struggled several times, but his heavy eyelids wouldn't lift. The doctor scoffed, "Don't sleep. Go buy medicine. If you don't go now, she'll die."

"What!" Qi Guanlan jumped up, hurriedly putting on his boots. "Give me the order form!"

The traveling doctor, his previous seriousness gone, slowly sat on the warm bed, tilting his head to look her up and down, and asked curiously, "I didn't realize that the Little Tyrant was so worried about a commoner's daughter?"

He still needed to find out the truth. How could he just watch her die of illness? Qi Guanlan fastened his belt and gave Gu Yu a sly glare. It must have been him who said it.

Unexpectedly, General Gu, a man of great stature, is also a big mouth. He said that the reason why that scoundrel of a strategist was not beaten to death was because the upper beam was crooked and the lower beam was crooked.

Gu Yu's expression changed drastically. He raised his eyes and stared at Qi Guanlan for a moment, but Qi Guanlan still looked clueless. The quack doctor was really messing around with the couple. Thinking of Rong Jing, he sighed inwardly, but finally gave in and lowered his eyes, saying in a stern voice, "Do you want to atone for your sins?"

Could such a good thing really happen? Qi Guanlan raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress his curiosity, and looked at the expressionless Gu Yu, saying in a nonchalant tone, "Tell me about it?"

Gu Yu didn't indulge him. He handed over his token and said, "If you personally handle these three matters, I will exempt you from punishment."

Before Gu Yu could even state his request, Qi Guanlan immediately frowned. "Could we entrust this to someone else? What if they have to run all over the capital? Wouldn't that be a waste of my time? How am I supposed to save Wen Ruo then?"

The traveling doctor clapped his hands together, overjoyed, and tugged at the little braid on his chin. "I won!"

What's that old man laughing about? Qi Guanlan looked to the side, completely bewildered. Gu Yu stood there, casually turning his head away without even blinking. The old man was just talking to himself about the betting game.

Qi Guanlan, having finished dressing, suddenly became anxious upon seeing the unlicensed doctor's composed demeanor and reached out, saying, "Old man, give me the prescription!"

The doctor slapped his hand away, leaned in and pried open his eyes, puffing out his beard and glaring, "Why don't you give me your eyes? What old man? Am I old? Tell me, how can you be so clueless? This poison can't be cured in a day or two, and her body can't be healed in a day or two either. Besides, I've run out of medicine, and urging me won't help."

The old man's lower body was too heavy, so Qi Guanlan pushed him away, rubbing her brow bone with some annoyance. "Don't tell me you woke me up so early just to mess with me?"

The itinerant doctor paced back and forth for a while before sitting back on the bed. Suddenly, he said imperiously, "Go and get a carriage. It should be comfortable and large, preferably one where you can lie down. Oh, and put a heater in it. It should be airtight."

Qi Guanlan was stunned, not quite understanding why they needed a carriage at this time. Wasn't she supposed to be getting medical treatment? The traveling doctor shook his head with a disappointed look, "She really doesn't know how to take care of people at all. She's so stupid. Hurry up and take her back. The city has everything you could want."

Qi Guanlan suddenly realized and turned to look at Gu Yu, "After this is done, I will leave Qianyu Camp. You need to persuade my mother."

Gu Yu was silent for a moment, then said, "Notify the Dali Temple to investigate the case."

"Simple!"

Gu Yu: "To appease the villagers."

"No problem."

He'll take the money; he doesn't believe he can't afford ten thousand taels.

Seeing his expression, Gu Yu specifically instructed, "This matter requires your personal attention; you must not tell Princess Rongjing."

Qi Guanlan nodded again. Simple.

Gu Yu could tell from his expression that he didn't take these things seriously. He was spoiled and didn't know the hardships of life. Gu Yu's face turned cold. "One last thing, please ask Your Majesty to send the Thousand Feather Battalion to suppress the bandits."

"Is it that simple?" Qi Guanlan raised an eyebrow, his expression becoming much more subdued. "I misunderstood General Gu; he's actually quite easy to talk to."

In an open space in front of the temple, a scholar and a monk were chatting, sometimes bowing and sometimes exchanging greetings, seemingly enjoying their conversation. A flock of pigeons surrounded them, unafraid of strangers, occasionally pecking at the ground with their white beaks. Some of the bolder ones even flew onto the scholar's shoulder. The mountain was quiet, and the monks were even more relaxed.

Qi Guanlan looked down at himself, sighed resignedly, and rode away without looking back.

If he turned around, he would surely see a flock of white doves in the air, gracefully landing on the treetops, their dark eyes looking down at the temple gate, cooing softly.

Only the scholar remained at the door, holding a gray pigeon in his hand. Bamboo tubes were tied to its slender legs. His somber expression blended into the thick mountain fog. He muttered something under his breath, finally uttering "Amitabha." The pigeon then took flight and disappeared into the distance.

Soon, an exquisite and magnificent two-story building with a hipped roof stood atop the highest point of the city wall. The thick and imposing city wall was adorned with a portrait of Yu Niang and a wanted poster for the scholar. The yawning guards were waiting for their shift to change, and upon seeing the newcomer, they immediately raised their spears and stood ramrod straight.

Qi Guanlan glanced at it only once before riding through the city gate and disappearing into the distance, returning home.

Princess Rongjing was brewing tea and playing with birds in the octagonal pavilion in the back garden when a chaotic commotion erupted in the courtyard. The timid Baixue spread her wings and fled, fluttering wildly in the pavilion. A black feather landed on her hair, and Yunqing hurriedly picked it off and called for someone to clean it up.

"I only had a day of peace and quiet, and he's back again?" Rong Jing's eyebrows furrowed, and she pressed her eyelids, as if trying to smooth out the fine lines hidden by her makeup. "If only I had a daughter."

"Young Master must have something on his mind. General Gu isn't someone you can just talk to."

"Hmph, Gu Yu is too useless."

Xiao Shunzi ran over as soon as he heard the noise, afraid of angering the young master again if he was late. Qi Guanlan patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, "Find the most comfortable carriage and go to Yan'an Temple to pick them up."

Xiao Shun asked in confusion, "Who are you picking up, young master?" Could it be that the abbot is coming to stay for a while? The young master's excuses for delaying are getting more and more impressive. He couldn't help but admire Gu Yu for being able to make the young master treat him like a tiger.

"The most important thing for Wen Ruo and her mother is to bring that itinerant doctor back."

Who are we bringing? Xiao Shun was dumbfounded. His eyes darted around to the gate, and he asked incredulously, "To the Princess's residence?"

He froze after saying that. How dare the young master? The princess would surely tear him apart! Wait, when did his best friend get together with the young master? Did he gain another master?

Qi Guanlan suddenly slapped him on the head, "What are you talking about? Of course, we'll take her to her house. It's a long story, but in short, Wen Ruo is dying and needs that itinerant doctor. Oh, and the doctor said she can't be exposed to wind or the stove. Anyway, you'd better hurry up and don't let my mother find out."

Wen Ruo is going to die? That won't do! Xiao Shunzi took off running. Qi Guanlan nodded with satisfaction. Before he could be happy for a moment, he saw two shadows gradually approaching in the corridor.

After considering it for a moment, he quickly ran over, took his mother from Yun Qing's hands, and said with a smile while massaging her, "Mother, can you give me ten thousand taels?"

"Ten thousand taels?"

Rong Jing's throat tightened, and she instantly pulled her hand back behind her back, afraid that if she was even a little too late, her son would take the jade ring from her hand. Qi Guanlan frowned in dissatisfaction, "Is this how you guard against your son?"

Rong Jing pinched his philtrum and took a deep breath. "What is Gu Yu good for? He can't even get you into trouble at the temple."

Qi Guanlan immediately raised his eyebrows and looked heartbroken. "Mother, is this how you see your son?"

"How can I possibly view someone who asks for ten thousand taels of silver right off the bat?" Rong Jing said with a forced smile. "Shouldn't you be on your way to Qianyu Camp?"

"What I need is money to save my life!"

Rong Jing rolled her eyes at him, and Yun Qing quickly helped her to the main hall. Qi Guanlan followed behind his mother, wishing he could swear again and again, "Mother, believe me, this time it's for real, I really can help."

"That's what you always say."

Qi Guanlan paused. Really? How come he didn't remember at all? Maybe it was too long ago. Gu Yu was too cunning. He regretted promising to keep it a secret.

In the blink of an eye, Qi Guanlan saw his mother go to the storeroom. In a flash, he seemed to see something beckoning to him. He stood beside the two of them with a stiff upper lip, thinking to himself: Oh no.

"Go and see how much of this junk you bought is inside. If you can sell this junk at the original price, you could easily make 20,000, let alone 10,000!"

After Rong Jing finished speaking, she sent someone to bring out his pile of scrap metal, dozens of pieces of various sizes, and placed them in front of the warehouse door. Qi Guanlan glanced at them with a puzzled look, a hint of guilt flashing through his mind. Did he really buy so much? Would his mother be trying to fool him?

Seeing his unrepentant attitude, Princess Rongjing sneered, "What, you don't even remember your spoils? Have you had these things for even an hour? What good deed were you planning to do today? Or did you run into someone?"

He thought his mother was just getting angry, and that if he smiled and acted cute, the matter would be settled. But his mother was very aggressive, and Qi Guanlan's lips trembled. He couldn't tell the truth, so he could only repeat his assurances over and over again that it was really a good thing.

After a long while, without hearing a reply, Qi Guanlan looked up. There was no one around him anymore; only this pile of treasures remained, seemingly waiting for his favor.

Qi Guanlan squatted on the ground, took out a handkerchief and wiped away the dust one by one. After wiping for a long time, his hands ached, his legs were numb and his head was throbbing, but he still couldn't figure out where they came from. He gave up and sat down on the ground, regretting, "I should have let Xiao Shunzi stay first."

Rong Jing didn't go far, but watched him from a distance. She was surprised. When did her son become so rude? How could he sit on the ground like that?

This was truly strange. Since tying his hair up, the young master had never done anything so impolite. Yun Qing's heart softened, and she turned her head to say, "Young master seems to have something on his mind?"

Rong Jing closed her eyes and said in a weary voice, "Don't you know? When he was little, he wanted a parrot. The first time he threw a tantrum, he did it like this. Later, when he got a few years older, he learned the rules and started using all sorts of tricks. This time, I will definitely not fall for it again."

As the mother and son battled it out, the servants, having received the signal, went about their business, and no one stepped forward to show concern. Qi Guanlan slumped for a moment, his legs no longer cramping, and with no one around, he curled his lip, feeling bored, patted his clothes, and stood up. His mother hadn't softened at all?

He glanced around, picked up the spoils he had just mentioned, and rode Little White out the gate.

"See, I was right."

Rong Jing snorted, and Yun Qing smiled sheepishly.