After a busy day, Lu Qiqi's back was so sore she could barely straighten up.
Fortunately, Ren Yuan remembered that no accommodation had been arranged for her on her first day.
He then ended the treatment of the wounded soldiers early, took them out of the military camp, and went to a place that provided accommodation for the medical staff.
Lu Qiqi sat in the carriage, feeling drowsy.
The moment the wheels stopped rolling, she was completely awakened.
She reached out, lifted the carriage curtain, and got out of the carriage.
Ren Yuan went up three steps, unlocked a courtyard gate, and with a creak, the gate was pushed open.
"Bring the things in first," Ren Yuan instructed. "You can park the carriage in the backyard later."
Lu Qiqi wanted to help move things, but Li Changlong refused, saying, "Treating wounded soldiers is not an easy task either. You've been busy all day. Go inside and rest for a while."
Thinking of the discomfort in her fingers and wrists, Lu Qiqi didn't insist any longer. She went up the steps and followed Ren Yuan into the courtyard, with Doctor Luo following closely behind.
In remote areas, most houses are made of mud bricks, and the roofs are covered with straw, suggesting that the area does not receive much rain.
The courtyard was small, presumably due to the strong winds and sandstorms in the area, as there were no low tables or stools placed there.
Ren Yuan unlocked the door and pushed open the main room, smiling, "This house has three rooms, so please make do with these for now."
Lu Qiqi smiled faintly, "This is already very good. Thank you for today. I will have someone find a room for me tomorrow."
Ren Yuandao said, “Your Excellency, there’s no need for such formalities. However, there are strict rules in the military camp that no one may leave the camp without permission. Today, due to the suddenness of the situation, we were able to ask the centurion for orders. I’m afraid we can’t do that again in the future.”
Even if Ren Yuan didn't say it, Lu Qiqi understood.
She said, "I will be living in the military camp from now on, but since I am a woman, could I apply for a separate tent?"
Lu Qiqi figured that since she had her own space and lived and ate in the military camp, it wouldn't change her life much.
Without separate tents, things would be difficult.
Not only is privacy and security not guaranteed, but even the freedom to move around is restricted.
Her request was reasonable.
Ren Yuan understood her concerns and said, "Of course. Although there are ironclad rules in the military camp, it won't be like the new capital where special supplies are provided to nobles. A separate tent is still possible."
Lu Qiqi's concerns were answered satisfactorily, and she began to look around the house.
The room was somewhat dark, and apart from a table and four stools, there were no other furnishings in the main room.
Behind the main hall is a long corridor, presumably where the rooms and kitchen are located.
Doctor Luo was naturally a free spirit, and with his old bones, he had been working hard all day with Lu Qiqi, and his back was almost broken.
Before Ren Yuan could greet him, he took the lead and found a stool in the main room to sit down.
After Ren Yuan and Lu Qiqi finished their conversation, Doctor Luo said without any politeness, "Young man, I am a little thirsty. Go and get me a bowl of water."
Ren Yuan was so busy talking to Lu Qiqi that he forgot to greet the guests.
He said apologetically, "Coming right away, Dr. Luo, please wait a moment."
Then he added, “Princess, go inside to the middle room. That’s where my younger sister lived before she got married. You can move in after tidying it up.”
"You're all girls, so there's no need to be so reserved about staying here."
After saying that, Ren Yuan walked towards the corridor.
Following Ren Yuan's directions, Lu Qiqi walked to the middle room.
Although the border areas are well-governed, there are still many instances of foreign enemies committing crimes.
The Ren family arranged their daughter's room in the middle, presumably to protect her.
She reached out and pushed open the door. As she expected, the room was perfectly tidy and free of dust from not being cleaned for a long time.
Ren Yuan's younger sister must be very much loved by her family.
That's how she was able to keep her boudoir so clean after she got married.
Lu Qiqi didn't go in. Hearing footsteps, she turned around and saw Ren Yuan carrying a pot of water in his right hand and six bowls in his left hand as he walked towards the main room.
She then suggested, "Let me get the bowl."
Ren Yuan initially wanted to refuse, but considering the height of the bowl, it was difficult to hold, so he handed it to her.
The two men took the kettle and bowl and returned to the main room, placing them on the table.
Lu Qiqi was thinking about the earlier talk of buying pigs and making dried meat.
From now on, she will be staying in the military camp for a long time, busy day and night, and it will be impossible for her to find the time and energy to have extra training.
The thought of not being able to satisfy my cravings for dried meat makes me feel like life is unbearable.
Thinking of this, she took out three taels of silver from her purse and handed it to Ren Yuan, saying, "I'd like to trouble you to help me arrange a pig. Once the pork is made into jerky, I'll save some for you."
Ren Yuan smiled as he accepted the silver, tossed it in the air, and said, "Thank you, Township Head. Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Li Changlong, Zhou Yi, and Doctor Huang made several trips back and forth, finally unloading everything from the carriage.
They parked the carriage in the backyard, and as soon as they returned to the house, they each drank a large bowl of water.
As darkness was approaching, Ren Yuan said, "The border town is about to be under curfew, and I have to rush back to the military camp, so I can't stay any longer."
There's nothing valuable in this room, so please feel free to use it as you please.
Having said that, before Lu Qiqi could even get up to see him off, Ren Yuan, like a rabbit seeing an eagle, took off running out of the courtyard gate.
Lu Qiqi watched his disappearing figure and said, "Lock the door on Monday."
The border region is different from other places. When they first arrive here, they must take good precautions against theft and bandits.
On Monday, after putting down his bowl, he got up and went to lock the courtyard gate.
Lu Qiqi said, "Everyone is tired today, so let's eat some dry food and biscuits to fill our stomachs."
Tomorrow, my second brother and I will not go to the military camp; we will first look for a larger courtyard.
We can't just stay here forever.
Li Changlong nodded after hearing this.
Lu Qiqi thought for a moment and then said, "Yu'er has been in the border town for half a year. She is a descendant of General Feng and must be living in the general's mansion."
Second brother, go and inquire about it tomorrow. When we arrive in the border town, we should pay a visit so that we can look after each other in the future.
I'll write a visiting card later; if I find out, I'll send it to the Feng residence.
She said this on Monday, when she happened to come into the house from outside the yard.
Upon hearing this, he said, "Why don't I go? When I delivered vegetables to the Feng family before, Miss Feng gave me a token to enter the mansion."
"I should know someone in the general's mansion; perhaps they can offer some assistance."
What Zhou Yi said made sense, so Lu Qiqi entrusted the matter to him.
Lu Qiqi said it was so they could look out for each other, but she knew in her heart that in a place like the border town, neither she nor Feng Yuer could really help each other much.
When the border town fell, General Feng disappeared without a trace.
Feng Yu'er returned to the border town with her younger brother. As a weak woman, she had to support a general's mansion. How difficult her life might be.
She was about to be stationed in the military camp, where she would not be free to come and go. Now, because of her excellent medical skills, the doctors around her, and even the imperial physician, all looked up to her.
Therefore, she and Feng Yu'er could only stay far away from home, keeping in touch as friends to avoid loneliness.
In the border town, darkness falls very quickly.
After eating their dry rations and quickly washing up, the people inside went back to their rooms to sleep early.
Lu Qiqi went into the house but did not sleep in Ren Yuan's sister's boudoir.
Instead, he went straight into the space, took a bath there, and then fell asleep in the small wooden cabin within the space.
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