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"Old Master Qin, His Majesty has been incredibly kind to me. If it weren't for His Majesty, I would have died in that flood when I was only five years old. My fate was already sealed, and I'm happy to have it easy," Wei Shu retorted, which made Qin Bo burst into laughter.
"As a subject, one should naturally be loyal to the emperor and love one's country, but afterwards, one should still think about one's own future. Alright, I won't try to convince you, and you shouldn't try to convince me either." Qin Bo got up and took out a small box of wound medicine from his belongings.
"Let me change your dressing. If the wound oozes pus, you'll get a fever." Wei Shu obediently took off his robe, revealing a shocking arrow wound on his shoulder. "Judging from what you just said, it seems you get along well with your wife."
Qin Bo carefully removed the tattered cloth and replaced Wei Shu's bandage with a new one. "My wife is a very interesting person. Although I sometimes can't see through her, I know that at least for now, she has no intention of harming me."
Wei Shu tilted his head to look at Qin Bo, "Old Qin, if she met you, she would definitely have a very pleasant conversation with you."
"It's not important that you two get along well. What's important is that you two can have a good conversation. His Majesty's bestowal of this marriage means that you can never be separated."
Qin Bo helped Wei Shu put on his outer robe, and just like when they were children, he took out a piece of candy from his belt and handed it to Wei Shu.
"Mr. Qin, I'm already twenty-one, and I haven't liked sweets for a long time." Wei Shu still took the candy, unwrapped it, and popped the white candy inside into his mouth.
"You're only twenty-one, not yet of forty. Shu'er, I just hope you can stay safe." Qin Bo patted Wei Shu on the back. "It's getting late. Bring your wife to the government office tomorrow. Don't waste money staying outside."
"Elder Qin, we really need to stay outside. Staying in the government office will arouse suspicion. Tomorrow I'll bring Ah Jin to the government office to pay our respects to you." Wei Shu forced a smile.
"Whatever. I never thought I'd still be walking on thin ice at my age." Qin Bo sighed, opened the door, and walked into the courtyard. "Take good care of your injury. Don't... make me worry about you anymore."
“Yes… Elder Qin.” Wei Shu looked at the courtyard, which had returned to silence, and a sense of desolation welled up in his heart. “I’m leaving.” The man bowed to Wei Shu. “Take care, my lord.”
Wei Shu returned to the inn but hesitated in front of the door. Suddenly, the door opened, and Jiang Jin, carrying an empty bowl, came out and almost bumped into Wei Shu.
"You're back. I ordered a bowl of soup noodles, and it's still warm. Eat up." As Jiang Jin walked past Wei Shu, she heard him ask in a low voice, "Aren't you curious where I went?"
"I'm not curious, just as I hope you're not curious about what I'm doing." Jiang Jin lifted her skirt and walked downstairs. Wei Shu watched as she smiled broadly, ordered a few pieces of red date cake, and then lifted her skirt again and went back upstairs.
"Why are you standing at the door and not going in?" Jiang Jin reached out and touched Wei Shu's forehead. "You don't have a fever, but you look a bit silly."
"I'm worried about you, so I want to keep an eye on you." Wei Shu pushed open the door and Jiang Jin chuckled. "Right now, you should be most worried about yourself. I have far more ways to protect myself than you do."
"Come with me to see someone tomorrow." Just as Wei Shu finished speaking, Jiang Jin stuffed a red date cake into his mouth. "It's for replenishing blood. Who are we seeing tomorrow?"
"Old Qin, Magistrate Qin Bo." Wei Shu bit into the jujube cake. Although he never liked sweet things, today he suddenly found it quite delicious.
"His Majesty's junior brother, the tutor of the Crown Prince and the Third Prince?" Jiang Jin looked at Wei Shu with some surprise.
“I remember you entered the school as a companion, but His Majesty did not say which prince you were a companion to, so you managed your relationship with both princes well.”
"It's kind of you to remember something from so long ago. If you don't want to go, I won't force you." Wei Shu saw Jiang Jin put her loose hair back up.
"Of course I want to pay my respects to Grand Tutor Qin, but I have one request: you must give me the method for training pigeons." Jiang Jin had seen the pigeons he carried and was quite envious.
"Alright, it's a deal." Wei Shu agreed without hesitation. Jiang Jin nodded and then asked, "But are you sure our appearance won't endanger Zhuxi County?" Jiang Jin was worried that the assassins might harm the people.
"Elder Qin, he's not just a retired Grand Tutor. He has two secret guard teams deployed throughout Zhuxi County to protect the people. So even if the Wang family comes, they'll only kill me and won't harm the civilians." Wei Shu chewed on a soup dumpling but didn't stop explaining to Jiang Jin.
"His Majesty would actually allow it?" Jiang Jin looked at Wei Shu with some surprise. "His Majesty doesn't seem like a kind person here."
"This team of secret guards was approved by His Majesty. Originally, they were trained by their respective masters, with His Majesty on one side and Elder Qin on the other. However, His Majesty said that he already had many talented people around him, so he gave his part to Elder Qin."
Wei Shu knew that Jiang Jin had always harbored some resentment towards His Majesty, but he still wanted to explain on His Majesty's behalf.
"People change. Did His Majesty think this way before, or will he still think this way now? Didn't he ask you to take back this team of secret guards?"
Jiang Jin certainly knew the importance of the secret guards. The top two, Yi Yi and Yi Er, were the most outstanding among the Yi-class guards. Even His Highness only had a handful of such guards under his command. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince might have more, but definitely no more than a few dozen.
"Absolutely not, I can tell you that with certainty. His Majesty has never intended to take back these secret guards, and there is no animosity between Elder Qin and His Majesty."
However, if Elder Qin continued to remain in the capital, he would inevitably be drawn into the struggle for the throne, which is the last thing His Majesty wanted. Therefore, Elder Qin chose to retire. His Majesty, not wanting his talent to be wasted, specially appointed him as the magistrate of Zhuxi County.
"So you went to see Elder Qin today?" Jiang Jin smelled the unusual scent of medicine on Wei Shu's body.
"I secretly went to see Elder Qin today; we can pay our respects at the government office tomorrow." Wei Shu revealed his whereabouts without any concealment, which surprised Jiang Jin.
"I thought you would at least come up with some other excuse to brush me off." Jiang Jin inserted a hairpin into her hair and observed Wei Shu's expression in the bronze mirror.
"I'm afraid lying too much will send me to the deepest hell." Wei Shu took another bite of red date cake and said, "Are your bodyguards in the room right now?"
“Of course they’re gone. They’re people, not ghosts. How could they possibly hide in a room with no view in broad daylight?” Jiang Jin got up and walked behind Wei Shu. “But someone like you is actually afraid of going to the deepest hell after death.”
"Guess." Wei Shu put down his chopsticks and turned to look at Jiang Jin. "You...did you rest well?" In the end, Wei Shu didn't ask the question that was on his mind.
"I'm not feeling well. Even with the protection of B1 and B2, I still feel a bit uneasy, so I got up and ordered some breakfast." Jiang Jin's eyes were red, and Wei Shu covered her eyes.
"Your eyes are very red, go and rest first. I'll stay with you, so you can rest easy." Wei Shu felt Jiang Jin's eyes moving around.
"No, I just finished putting my hair up." Jiang Jin pulled Wei Shu's hand away. "I don't think you're tired. Why don't we go to the market for a stroll?" Jiang Jin pulled Wei Shu up without further ado.
"I've heard that Zhuxi County is famous for its abundant bamboo, so I'll buy a few more to put on the cabinet." Jiang Jin placed a string of copper coins in Wei Shu's hand.
"Let's go, or they'll close the market." Wei Shu obediently put the copper coins in his sleeve. "Okay."
As the two stepped outside, a fragrant aroma wafted in, and before their eyes were lotus flowers and lotus seeds. "Young lady, would you like to come and see the lotus flowers? These are freshly picked lotus flowers and lotus seeds. They're great for adding to porridge or making tea."
"Yes!" Jiang Jin selected a few lotus flowers and seeds, while Wei Shu took a few copper coins from his sleeve and placed them on the stall.
"Wei Shu, relax. At least in the Wang family's eyes, you're someone who's either alive or dead. They probably wouldn't expect the two of us to be strolling around the market like this. So relax. People who don't know better might think you stole your money."
Jiang Jin whispered in Wei Shu's ear, her warm breath constantly stimulating him.
"Okay, look, there's a clay figurine maker over there." Wei Shu's ears were itching, so he casually pointed to a stall to distract Jiang Jin.
"Okay, be careful." Jiang Jinsong released Wei Shu's hand and ran to the clay figurine stall. Wei Shu stood to the side watching her as she picked out a few small clay figurines.
"Young master, what are you standing there for? Come and pay!" Jiang Jin turned her head and saw Wei Shu standing there looking at her.
"You're here!" Wei Shu was startled awake by Jiang Jin's voice and hurriedly took out his copper coins. "You're acting strangely. Could you have been poisoned?" Jiang Jin grasped Wei Shu's wrist and carefully took his pulse.
"It doesn't seem wrong. Could it be that my skills are lacking?" Jiang Jin released his hand and pressed his wrist again before asking in confusion, "This doesn't seem wrong either. Could it be that this poison is specially prepared so that it can't be detected by pulse diagnosis?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Wei Shu took the clay figure from Jiang Jin's hand and held Jiang Jin's hand with his free hand. "I was just thinking that it seems like it's been a long time since I've strolled through a market like this."
"Don't be sad. Look, there are still many stalls waiting for us ahead. Instead of being sentimental here, let's hurry up." Jiang Jin pulled Wei Shu along as they strolled through the various stalls, buying quite a few interesting little things before the market closed.
"Wei Shu, did I buy too little rouge? Actually, that light pink one is quite pretty too." Jiang Jin looked hesitantly at the departing stall owner.
"Wait!"
Wei Shu, carrying large and small bags, quickly ran to the stall owner. After exchanging a few words, Wei Shu looked at Jiang Jin with a smug smile, and then bought the rouge that she had been hesitating about.
"That's quite a lot, isn't it!" Wei Shu had not only the light pink rouge that Jiang Jin liked, but also other colors of lip gloss in his hand.
"Why did you buy so much?" Jiang Jin complained, but the joy in her eyes couldn't help but show.
"There's no way around it, I have too much money, it's a bit heavy to carry back." Seeing Wei Shu's lie, Jiang Jin suddenly burst out laughing.
"Actually, you look quite funny like this. Wei Shu, let's even things out, okay?"
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