Chapter 78: What's the point of forcing someone to run away?
Ning Sui glared fiercely at Lu Xiuyi, then slowly sheathed her sword, her anger deepening.
Lu Xiuyi met her gaze with a nonchalant air, raised his hand and beckoned behind him. Upon seeing this, the group of cavalry immediately dismounted and rushed in, spreading out to search.
Without even turning his head, he walked past Ning Sui, glanced around, and then casually chose a tent to go inside.
After looking at this, I looked at that one.
Soldiers kept reporting back: "General, nothing suspicious has been found."
Lu Xiuyi's heart sank to the bottom with each report from the soldiers. When he reached the western tent, Chu Ze suddenly lifted the curtain.
The sky was a pale gray, and the tent was dimly lit. Suddenly, light rushed in, and Lu Xiuyi saw that there was only one person inside. Knock knock knock!
A thin man dressed in a brownish-rusty garment resembling overnight tea stains was pounding medicine with a pestle. His long hair hung down over his forehead, obscuring his face.
Chu Ze strode forward and said coldly, "You, raise your head."
The man hurriedly put down the mortar and pestle and knelt down with a thud: "Your Excellency, I am ugly and dare not raise my head, lest I frighten you."
As soon as he spoke, Lu Xiuyi and Chu Ze both frowned, because the man's voice was hoarse, like a stone rolling over sandpaper, or like blood overflowing from his throat, rough and unpleasant to hear.
But the more he acted this way, the more Lu Xiuyi wanted to see his face: "I order you to raise your head."
Upon hearing this, the man could only raise his head tremblingly.
Upon suddenly noticing that face, scarred and ravaged like ravines, Lu Xiuyi furrowed his brow.
Their eyes met, and when the man saw Lu Xiuyi's expression, he immediately lowered his head and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "I deserve to die, I deserve to die."
The rough, hoarse voice echoed in the herbal-scented tent. Lu Xiuyi frowned and stopped him, saying, "Alright, alright, no need to kowtow anymore."
He looked around. The curtains blocked out the light, and apart from a bed, a wooden table, and two low stools, there was nowhere to hide.
Lu Xiuyi gave Chu Ze a wink, and Chu Ze, upon receiving the order, immediately went forward to examine the bed.
It was completely empty inside.
The wrinkles between Lu Xiuyi's brows deepened even further.
He searched everywhere but found nothing. Could it be that he really went in the wrong direction?
Ning Sui leaned against the iron fence and watched him purse his lips, mount his horse, and lower his dark eyebrows slightly. She felt that the humiliation she had just felt had been washed away, and she laughed: "General Lu, let me give you a piece of advice. If it is not yours, you can't force it to stay. What is meant to leave will leave."
Before he could speak, Ning Jianxing poked her hard, then smiled faintly at Lu Xiuyi and said, "My little sister is outspoken, please don't take offense, General Lu."
“It’s alright,” the rolling hills stretched into the distance, the sky grew increasingly gray, and the rain was broken off by the wind. The man on horseback got a few drops of rain on his face, his face full of determination. “Miss Ning, let me tell you something too. The person I want, even if she escapes to the ends of the earth, I will definitely find her.”
Lu Xiuyi's confidence and absoluteness made Ning Sui grit her teeth in hatred.
The horse galloped away, kicking up clouds of dust. Ning Sui was furious: "Brother, you are at least one rank higher than him, why are you so polite to him? People like him should be swept away with a broom."
Ning Jianxing glanced at her, and as he walked back, he complained, "It's your style to throw him out with a broom, not mine. Hurry up and leave! You might escape once, but you might not escape a second time. He won't let this go."
Ning Sui raised her hand to shield her eyes from the raindrops that were about to fall on her eyelashes, and jogged to catch up with Ning Jianxing: "He won't notice this time, and it will be the same next time."
"Carelessness is a major taboo in warfare." Ning Jianxing stopped and gave her a hard tap on the forehead.
Ning Sui hissed in pain and quickly covered her forehead: "Brother..."
"Calling me won't help; there's nothing I can do."
Ning Jianxing strode in, lifted the curtain, and entered the tent.
Ning Sui followed up: "If even you can't do anything about it, then the only option for now is to let Yu'er stay here for a while."
Upon hearing this, Ning Jianxing turned around abruptly: "If you let her stay in this place full of men, and Lu Xiuyi really finds out, he'll be lucky if he doesn't tear us apart alive."
"What do you mean it's all men?" Ning Sui pouted. "Aren't I a woman?"
Ning Jianxing scrutinized her from head to toe: "You don't seem like a woman."
He sat back down at the table, opened the drawer, took out the map and looked at it, muttering with a puzzled look, "I don't know what Qin Musui sees in you, you always cause us trouble."
Ning Sui peeked ahead and saw a map of the capital. She burst out laughing and shamelessly snuggled up to him, asking, "Good brother, have you found any good places?"
Ning Jianxing frowned, looking from left to right and from top to bottom, and found that there was not a single place that Lu Xiuyi could not go.
“Even if he has the Emperor’s decree, he has already been allowed to search the place once today, so he must not come again. In that case, there seems to be no safer place than Dongying.”
The tea in the cup was almost gone, the tea leaves had settled, Ning Jianxing murmured.
*Smack!*
Ning Sui snapped her fingers: "So, as I said, leaving Yu'er here is the safest option."
Upon hearing this, Ning Jianxing raised his head and glared at her. After thinking for a moment, he had no choice but to agree with her.
***
When news of Meng Yu's disappearance reached the Meng family, Madam Yuan had just ordered someone to brew plum tea, which Meng Yin loved to drink.
"Is this true?" Madam Yuan suddenly stood up from her armchair, her sleeves knocking over teacups on the table, spilling water all over the floor.
Seeing this, Madam Deng hurriedly stepped forward to help Madam Yuan away, saying, "Madam, be careful, it's hot."
As Madam Yuan stepped back, the maidservant who was standing by hurried over to tidy up.
"That bitch really disappeared?"
Madam Yuan's eyes widened, and she asked again in disbelief.
After bowing down to check that there were no signs of scalding from tea on Yuan Shi's body, Madam Deng raised her head with relief: "Of course it's true. To avoid anyone deliberately spreading falsehoods, this old servant went to the market and happened to run into General Lu returning from outside the city. I heard that he even went to the Eastern Camp to look for him, but they didn't find him."
"Good! That's perfect! It would be best if that slut died out there and we never saw her again," Madam Yuan paced back and forth, then suddenly seemed to remember something. She quickly sent the maid out of the room and whispered, "If she's missing, why did Lu Xiuyi go to the East Camp? It's full of men there. She couldn't have been kidnapped there, could she?"
Mother Deng thought for a moment, her old face, as white as dried orange peel, full of doubt: "This old servant doesn't know, but I heard that they haven't found anyone in Dongying."
Madam Yuan snorted coldly and plopped down on another armchair: "It's better if we didn't find her. I've disliked that slut for a long time. If it weren't for Lu Xiuyi protecting her, she would have been dead a thousand or eight hundred times over. How can a concubine's daughter be allowed to act so arrogantly over me?"
Mrs. Deng clicked her tongue and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, I don't know if she ran away on her own or was kidnapped by thieves. How could she have disappeared so suddenly?"
"Heaven is so unfair. Why can't Shuang'er meet someone as powerful, influential, and affectionate as Lu Xiuyi?" Madam Yuan said indignantly. "I thought that little bitch was cowardly, which is why I spared her life. Who knew that she was even more cunning than her dead mother? I shouldn't have been so soft-hearted back then. I regret it every time I think about it."
Seeing that Madam Yuan was cursing so angrily, Mama Deng didn't dare to say a word. She just lowered her eyes and looked around awkwardly. Suddenly, she noticed the pot of plum tea with lingering smoke and quickly poured another cup for Madam Yuan.
"Madam, there's no need to be too upset. No matter what, the Second Miss is marrying a son of the Duke's family. Once she gives birth to a legitimate son, things will naturally get better. To put it bluntly, even if we take a step back, we still have the Fourth Miss. The Fourth Young Master is exceptionally talented, and his future is limitless. He also risked his life to save the Emperor the other day, which has made him even more favored by the Emperor. If things continue like this, are you afraid that you won't live to see that little wretch punished? Besides, we don't even know if she's alive or dead right now. Perhaps she'll end up like her long-deceased mother, a short-lived ghost?"
Deng's mother's words made Yuan very happy. She picked up her plum tea, took a sip, and said with a smile, "What you said makes sense. If she had died young, I'm afraid I wouldn't have had a chance to get revenge for the past few years."
"So, in Mother's heart, I was just a tool for you to vent your anger. No wonder you never came to see me once during the two years I was in the village, and you didn't even send someone to inquire about me."
A cold voice suddenly rang out from outside the door, and Meng Yinhan appeared abruptly in front of him with a cold expression.
Madam Deng was startled. When she came to her senses, she immediately went to the door and sternly shouted at the maids outside, "Are you all mute? Why didn't you announce that Fourth Miss has arrived?"
"I'm talking to my mother, what are you scolding this girl for?" Before the stunned Madam Yuan could speak, Meng Yin suddenly raised her voice and turned her head to shout sharply.
A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of lotus blossoms into the room, and the plum tea, which had been emitting wisps of steam, no longer released any more vapor.
The plum tea had gone cold, and the room fell silent.
Deng Mama was Yuan's dowry maid. She had watched Meng Yin grow up since she was a child. No matter how arrogant she was outside, when she returned to Zhenhuazhai, she always showed some respect and fear towards Deng Mama. But this stern look was something she had never seen before.
Deng's mother was so shocked that she was stunned.
Madam Yuan was the first to come to her senses and immediately gave Aunt Deng a wink. Aunt Deng, upon receiving the signal, hurriedly slipped away as if she had greased her feet.
Seeing that only she and Meng Yin and her daughter were left in the room, Yuan Shi stepped forward to take Meng Yin's arm, but she was abruptly shaken off.
Madam Yuan wasn't angry. Instead, she said gently, "Yin'er, don't be angry. Mother can explain."
"Explanation? How do you intend to explain?" Meng Yin smiled coldly. "I'm not a child anymore. I will never believe you without reservation just because you say a few words. I have eyes. I know exactly how you have treated me."
Hearing her cold words, Madam Yuan couldn't help but turn cold as well, saying with dissatisfaction, "How have I treated you? I went through so much trouble to give birth to you, raised you in luxury, and tried my best to find you a good marriage. But what have you done? Have you ever listened to a word of my advice? No. If you hadn't been so shameless and insisted on scheming against Lu Xiuyi, would you have lost your body to Jiang Xuanli? If you hadn't been so headstrong and tried to ruin that little slut without considering the situation, would you have been sent to the estate? You did all this yourself, and now you blame me for not visiting you. How could I visit you? Lu Xiuyi's people are all watching."
The tarnished silverware in the corner reflected Yuan's hysterical face. Meng Yin slowly shed tears, her voice slightly choked: "You and I have nothing to say to each other."
If Lu Xiuyi really kept such a close watch on her, then how did Jiang Xuanli observe her? And what gifts did he send her?
Ultimately, she simply didn't love him.
After saying this, Meng Yin turned and left.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Yuan Shi, who was blinded by anger, suddenly remembered the purpose of asking Meng Yin to come. She immediately softened her expression and hurriedly chased after her: "Yin'er, Yin'er, don't be angry. It was Mother who spoke without thinking and went too far. Please don't be angry."
As she spoke, she pulled Meng Yin to sit down. "You've come all this way, so Mother specially had someone brew your favorite plum tea. Please try it."
Meng Yin glanced at the plum tea in her hand, which had gone cold, and slowly raised her face, still streaked with tears: "I don't want to drink plum tea anymore."
Madam Yuan paused for a moment, then felt the teacup was a little too hot to handle. She stammered, "But, but Mother remembers that you used to love plum tea the most."
"Times have changed, things have changed, and what you used to like, you don't like anymore. Isn't that normal?" Meng Yin's eyes were incredibly sharp.
After a moment, she lowered her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Mother, stop beating around the bush. Tell me! Why did you send me here?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan suppressed her awkward smile and placed the teacup back on the table: "It's nothing serious. It's just that your uncle's tea shop has run into some trouble. I heard that my son-in-law has some connections with Lord Pan of the Tea and Horse Bureau. Could you ask him to speak to Lord Pan on my behalf..."
Meng Yin sneered: "My uncle has always believed that money can solve everything. Besides, when he first came to the capital, didn't he already establish good relations with the people from the Tea and Horse Bureau? What? Is it not working now?"
Madam Yuan looked troubled: "It was originally possible, but I don't know what's been going on these past few months. Your uncle has come to ask several times, but no matter what he does, he can't get an audience with Lord Pan. Even your aunt was turned away when she asked to see Madam Pan. Your uncle had no other choice but to come to me for help."
As she spoke, Madam Yuan sat down beside her and tried to take her hand, but she abruptly pulled it away.
When her hand fell empty, Madam Yuan felt embarrassed and had no choice but to continue, "Yin'er, he is your uncle after all, and he has helped us a lot financially over the years. Without him, if we relied solely on your father's meager salary, how could we have had such a good life for the past ten years? Could you ask your son-in-law to put in a good word for him with Lord Pan?"
"Help us? Isn't that an equal exchange of interests? How come it sounds so high-sounding in Mother's mouth?" Meng Yin sneered, her gaze sharp. "Back in Xuzhou, if it weren't for Father, with his arrogant nature, Lunheng would have died a thousand times over. He was just spending some money to save his son's life. How does that count as helping us?"
She silenced Yuan with just a few words.
Seeing that Madam Yuan turned her face away awkwardly, Meng Yin did not want to say more to her, so he stood up and said, "I am powerless to help with this matter. Mother, you should find someone else who can do it! I have other things to do, so I will leave first."
Before Yuan could react, Meng Yin had already walked away.
***
Unable to find a trace of Meng Yu in Dongying, Lu Xiuyi returned to his residence and pondered for half a day. Suddenly, he sensed something was amiss and was about to call someone in when Chu Ze rushed in to report, "Young Master, we've found Yang Tieshou."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi stood up in shock: "He really isn't dead?"
“He’s not dead. He lives with his daughter in a valley in Yunzhou. A guard accidentally fell off a cliff while searching for him and was rescued by his daughter, which is how we found him. However,” Chuze hesitated for a moment, then continued, “we’ve offered him everything, but he still refuses to leave the valley. If we have no other choice, should we…”
“No,” Lu Xiuyi interrupted Chu Ze before he could finish speaking, frowning. “What’s the point of forcing someone? Even if we kidnap him, he might not be willing to forge weapons for us.”
What's the point of forcing someone to do something they can't?
Chu Ze found it incredibly awkward to hear these words coming from his young master.
"Is he still in Yunzhou?" Lu Xiuyi didn't see Chu Ze's expression, but asked again with a focused look.
His wandering thoughts were immediately pulled back, and Chu Ze hurriedly replied, "Yes."
“Take me to see him.”
Chu Ze looked bewildered: "Now?"
"Otherwise what?"
"Is Madam no longer looking for you?"
A sharp gaze suddenly pierced his eyes, startling Chu Ze so much that he immediately lowered his head and said, "This subordinate knows his mistake."
"You stay here and continue the search. Zhi Mian has probably left the capital. Start with her. Let me know immediately if you have any news," Lu Xiuyi paused, then instructed, "Also, keep an eye on Prince Rui's movements. If Prince Yu has any orders, you can grant them if they are not too unreasonable."
Chu Ze lowered his head: "Yes."
After giving the instructions, Lu Xiuyi immediately had his men pack their bags, and they set off for Yunzhou half an hour later.
***
Upon hearing the news of Lu Xiuyi's departure from the capital, Meng Yu, who was pounding medicine for Zhao Yangyi, was stunned and stood frozen in place.
Ning Sui waved her hand in front of her eyes and said with a smile, "What? Overjoyed? From Shangjing to Yunzhou, even traveling at full speed day and night, it would still take seven or eight days. With this round trip, he will be away from Shangjing for at least a month. You can rest assured."
Meng Yu snapped out of her daze and gave her a warm smile: "With you here, of course I feel at ease."
"You two are at ease now," said Dr. Zhao, carrying his medicine box and dried herbs, as he lifted the curtain and came in. "Only I suffered, getting a severe scolding from the general."
Seeing this, Meng Yu quickly put down the mortar and pestle, took the winnowing basket, and sorted the herbs into the medicine cabinet.
Ning Sui stood up and patted Zhao Yangyi on the shoulder: "Old Zhao, I say you should thank me. If it weren't for me, could you have found such a good helper?"
She glanced at Meng Yu, who was busy at work. The sallow makeup covered her originally fair face, and the bandages bound her shapely figure, but her beautiful eyebrows and eyes could not be changed.
“A helper? I think it’s more like a nuisance,” Zhao Yangyi said, handing the medicine to Meng Yu after he had prepared it. “This is for the first camp in the south, enough for two people. You should prepare three doses of this medicine according to the prescription, and take one dose each night after decocting it to them.”
Before Meng Yu could take it, Ning Sui snatched it away, raising an eyebrow: "I remember that the kitchen is always the one who helps with decocting medicine. Why did you let Yu'er do it? I've never seen you do it before. Don't think that just because Yu'er is nice, you can bully her with all your might."
She immediately launched into a tirade against Dr. Zhao, but Meng Yu laughed and quickly took the prescription back from her: "With you here, who can bully me?"
"Besides, you've just returned and don't know this. This period is the transition from spring to summer. Many soldiers come back from evening training, and when they get hot, they take off their clothes and lie down without clothes or blankets. They catch a cold when they wake up the next day. With so many people, how can the few people in the kitchen manage to cook and prepare medicine? When I saw this, I discussed with Dr. Zhao about assigning some of the staff to me."
Ning Sui grew increasingly angry: "Every year there is a transition from spring to summer. They are not children anymore. Don't they understand such a simple principle as covering their belly button to keep warm while sleeping? If this happens every year, how will they be able to march and fight, and defend their country?"
Her words were filled with righteous indignation, even silencing Zhao Yangyi, who was about to say something.
Meng Yu and Zhao Yangyi lowered their heads sheepishly, neither daring to utter a word.
After all, she rose to a very high level.
Ning Sui grew angrier as she spoke, and before the two could react, she stormed out, lifting the curtain in a huff.
The two men inside the curtain looked at each other in bewilderment. The next moment, a sharp shout suddenly came through from outside the curtain: "All soldiers, assemble immediately!"
***
However, less than half a day later, news of Ning Sui's angry reprimand of the soldiers of the Eastern Camp by a medical officer reached Qin Musui's ears.
The person in the armchair had bright eyes and delicate eyebrows, and a jade-like appearance. The hand holding the book paused slightly.
"go out."
Qin Musui's hands, holding the book, bulged with veins, but he remained expressionless as he spoke.
"I've heard that although the physician's complexion isn't very good, his features are extremely handsome. I wonder if Miss Ning is truly in love with him, as the rumors say." The subordinate who came to report seemed not to have heard him and continued muttering to himself, oblivious to the danger.
"Are you tired of living?"
Qin Musui suddenly looked up.
Upon hearing the sound, the subordinate snapped out of his reverie, only to suddenly see his master's dark face. Despite the bright sunshine outside, he felt as if a sudden winter had descended, as if snowflakes were covering him. Startled, he quickly retreated.
But just as they retreated halfway, a cold shout came from behind: "Halt! Prepare your horses."
Dongying.
A gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside the curtain, and Ning Sui, who was having dinner, suddenly felt a chill. She was about to get up to get a thin cloak when a soldier rushed in and said, "Reporting to Deputy General Ning, Prince Qin has arrived and specifically asked to see you."
Ning Sui's expression changed instantly, and she blurted out, "If you don't want to see me, just say I'm not here."
"It was too late; he spurred his horse and insisted on breaking in."
Ning Sui jumped to her feet in surprise, immediately becoming anxious: "Are those guards all useless? They can't even stop a frail civil official."
The soldier who reported this looked puzzled: "..."
Is Qin Mu Sui frail and weak?
Thinking of that dashing figure on horseback, he couldn't believe that the word "frail and weak" could be associated with him.
Meng Yu waved to the soldier, signaling him to step back. The soldier quickly withdrew, and she asked in confusion, "It's just Qin Musui. I've never seen you so afraid of him before. What's wrong with you now?"
Ning Sui was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan when she suddenly saw Meng Yu walk up to her. She was startled and quickly pushed her behind the screen: "You have no idea how persistent this guy is. If it were before, I would have chased him out with a broom long ago. But I owed him a huge favor before, and who knew that because of that, I was caught off guard and fell into his trap. Now, if I see him, not only can I not chase him away, but I also have to serve him the best wine and tea. Can you believe it?"
Meng Yu didn't react for a moment: "Then why did you push me behind the curved screen in such a hurry?"
Ning Sui tapped her forehead and explained, "Are you stupid? Qin Musui and Lu Xiuyi are in cahoots, they're both scoundrels. If he sees you, he'll definitely tell on you."
Upon hearing the name "Lu Xiuyi," Meng Yu instantly tensed and immediately hid further inside. Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats drifted from outside the curtain, seemingly carrying an overwhelming rage.
Upon hearing the sound, Ning Sui felt a throbbing pain in her head.
Qin Musui dismounted and, with a cold face, lifted the curtain to enter, only to find that Ning Sui was the only one left in the tent, sitting leisurely at the kang table eating her meal.
"Oh! What wind blew Prince Qin here?" Ning Sui looked up and waved to the person opposite her. "Please sit down, please sit down. It's just in time for dinner. I just happened to brew your favorite Xuefeng tea today."
Hearing her use honorifics towards him, Qin Musui frowned: "Don't be so sarcastic. Where is he?"
Ning Sui looked around, her face full of confusion: "Who?"
Seeing that she was still pretending to be stupid, Qin Musui narrowed his eyes and stared at the set of chopsticks and bowls opposite her: "The person you are eating with."
Ning Sui followed his gaze and looked over, then suddenly realized, "That was prepared for you."
"Sui'er is quite something, knowing I would come in advance." Seeing that she lied without even blinking, Qin Musui's face darkened even more. He stepped forward, dipped his fingertip into the bottom of the bowl, and glared at her with a sharp, dark gaze.
He held up his index finger in front of her, a single grain of rice clinging to the tip of his well-defined finger. "You only prepared one grain of rice for me?"
As darkness fell, soldiers crept in to light lamps.
The snow-white rice grains looked eerily strange under the yellowish lamplight. Ning Sui awkwardly tugged at her lips: "You know, the military camp is full of men, so they don't wash dishes very carefully. Sometimes a few grains of rice are left over."
Qin Musui almost laughed out of anger at her lame excuse.
He threw away the rice grains, bent down and pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve, about to wipe his hands, when he suddenly noticed a pair of feet peeking out from behind the curved screen.
The black boots encased a pair of small, slender feet, giving a vague idea of what kind of short person their owner must be.
Qin Musui forcibly suppressed the urge to rush over and drag him out. She glared at Ning Sui with exasperation, sighed, and said, "You should at least improve your standards. Also, you are a girl after all. Don't bring just anyone into your tent."
After saying that, he ignored Ning Sui, whose face turned pale and then red with anger, and turned around and left.
"He's sick in the head! What did I ever do to him? He's always so bored, always coming up to me for no reason." Ning Sui pointed out the curtain and said angrily to Meng Yu, who had just come out.
Seeing Ning Sui's furious outburst, Meng Yu's eyes immediately reddened. She stepped forward and hugged Ning Sui tightly, choking back tears as she said, "I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, you would never have owed Qin Musui anything, nor would you have fallen into his trap."
Ning Sui had a pretty good idea of why she owed Qin Mu Sui a favor.
In the capital city, right under the emperor's nose, she lent him troops and openly broke into Prince Rui's residence, which was undoubtedly a challenge to the emperor's authority. Yet she was able to get away with it without even a symbolic beating. Besides Lu Xiuyi and Ning Jianxing pleading for her, it must have been thanks to the help of the emperor's close minister, Qin Musui.
Ning Sui couldn't bear to see her eyes redden, so she quickly patted her back and said gently, "Don't overthink it. It's not for you at all. It's my own business and has nothing to do with you."
Ning Sui was stubborn, and Meng Yu didn't want to argue with her, so she wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes and smiled, "I learned a few dishes from Uncle Ge in Hejiuyun Township. How about I make them for you to try?"
Upon hearing about the delicious food, Ning Sui's eyes lit up, and even the dark cloud hanging over her head vanished in an instant. She immediately let go of Meng Yu: "Then I'll be waiting."
Since it was past dinner time, there weren't many ingredients left in the kitchen, only three pieces of tofu, two quails, and some mushrooms. Meng Yu used these ingredients to make almond tofu, fried quail, and mushroom and egg soup.
"If I have some free time, I'll definitely go to Hejiuyun Township." Ning Sui patted her round belly, looked at the empty plates on the table, and said contentedly.
As Meng Yu cleared the plates, she asked, "Why?"
Ning Sui rested her chin on her hand, licked her lips, savoring the delicious taste, and replied with a smile, "If my apprentice's skills are this good, one can only imagine how exquisite my skills are."
After clearing away the plates, Meng Yu smiled, stood up, and said, "Sure! I'll go with you sometime."
Ning Sui nodded repeatedly.
***
After traveling non-stop for seven or eight days from the capital, Lu Xiuyi, leading dozens of cavalrymen in plain clothes, finally arrived in Yunzhou.
After resting at the inn for half a day, he immediately headed to the valley that Chuze had mentioned.
The valley has no name and is located deep in the mountains and forests. As you walk up from the foot of the mountain, you can see towering mountains and ridges everywhere. The peaks rise and fall, layer upon layer. From a distance, the endless mountain range looks like a sleeping dragon, lying quietly under the azure sky.
As you walk further in, you see snakes, insects, rats and ants everywhere. The tree branches are extremely thick, tall and lush, blocking out the sun. Looking into the distance, the darkness seems endless. A cool wind blows in your face, making you shiver.
Having safely traversed a forest, Lu Xiuyi saw a dilapidated suspension bridge connecting two mountain peaks ahead. The bridge was estimated to be nearly twenty meters long. Perhaps due to years of neglect, the handrails on both sides were covered with rust, and the wooden planks underfoot showed signs of cracking.
Beneath the suspension bridge, amidst broken walls and swirling white mist, one could not discern the depths below.
Lu Xiuyi frowned: "Is there really no other way to go?"
The previously injured guard hurriedly replied, "General, it's nothing. I fainted nearby, and after recovering from my injuries, I woke up at the foot of the mountain the next day. As for how I got down the mountain, I don't know."
Just then, a gentle breeze blew in, and the suspension bridge swayed and rattled. The crisp sound reached our ears and echoed softly in the depths of the forest.
Lu Xiuyi ignored him and was about to step forward when the cavalry behind him were startled and hesitated for a moment before advising, "General, why don't we find another way to cross the mountain?"
"Didn't you say there was no other way?"
After saying that, Lu Xiuyi was about to step on it when the cavalryman immediately stopped him: "In that case, we can't let the general go first. I'll go first."
Lu Xiuyi turned his head to look at the hand that was tugging at his sleeve, his gaze gradually moving upwards until the cavalryman's resolute face came into view.
His furrowed brows eased slightly: "Your lives matter too. As the commander-in-chief, how can I cower in the back when there is danger? Besides, you are far inferior to me in terms of what's behind you. Let go, I'll go first."
Seemingly not expecting Lu Xiuyi to say that, the cavalryman paused for a moment, then blinked hard as if forcing something back, and released his grip as instructed.
Lu Xiuyi gripped the rusty handrail tightly and stepped onto it.
Everyone behind held their breath, staring intently at the person moving step by step in front of them. Suddenly, *thud*!
A wooden plank suddenly broke.
Lu Xiuyi lost his footing and fell to the ground unexpectedly.
"General, be careful."
Everyone gasped in shock, their hearts leaping into their throats as they stared intently at the suspension bridge. A hand gripped the iron chain tightly, veins bulging on the back of the hand.
After a short while, Lu Xiuyi appeared in everyone's sight, clinging to the iron chain. With a nimble flip, he stood steadily on the wooden plank.
Upon seeing this, everyone cheered.
A faint smell of blood wafted into his nostrils; it was the blood seeping from his wrist, which had been cut by the wooden plank when he rolled over. The wound was deep, soaking the surrounding clothes, but Lu Xiuyi remained unfazed and continued to move forward steadily.
As he took the final step, accompanied by cheers from behind, Lu Xiuyi stood firmly on the solid mountain peak.
Immediately afterwards, the cavalrymen safely crossed the rope bridge by following the wooden planks he had walked on.
Walking down from the suspension bridge and through a forest, you can see a wooden house hidden in the woods in the distance. The house is surrounded by a fence covered with medicinal herbs that can repel snakes, insects, and rodents. Golden light shines on the eaves without obstruction, as if countless gold coins have been sprinkled on it. From a distance, it gives off a sense of leisurely tranquility, as if the house is detached from the world.
Just as the cavalry was about to advance, Lu Xiuyi reached out to stop him, saying intently, "Wait, there's a trap."
He picked up a small stone and threw it toward the wooden house.
The pebble slipped from my hand, tracing a semi-circular arc in the air. Just as it was about to hit the ground, a wire mesh suddenly shot out from the leafy ground, violently knocking the pebble back the way it came.
Lu Xiuyi subconsciously turned his head away.
A pebble whizzed past his eyes and, with a snap, pierced through the bamboo behind him. The once smooth bamboo now seemed to have an irregular hole drawn on it, and the light from the other side shone through the hole into Lu Xiuyi's eyes.
The sheer penetrating power of the barbed wire left everyone astonished, almost making them cry out.
Only then did everyone realize how worthwhile their life-threatening act of crossing the suspension bridge had been.
Just as they were in shock, three sharp arrows suddenly came flying at them.
"careful."
Lu Xiuyi kicked the cavalryman next to him aside. The next instant, sharp arrows, accompanied by a fierce wind, whistled past his eyes. Three arrows were fired simultaneously, piercing through the bamboo behind him.
Bang!!!
The tall, lush bamboo fell down with a crash.
Who goes there?
Everyone was startled, and just as they were wondering what was going on, a sharp shout suddenly came from the wooden house.
Looking into the distance, Lu Xiuyi saw a man with a full beard standing in front of the house, holding a bow and exuding a menacing aura.
His face was exactly the same as the portrait.
Lu Xiuyi gestured for everyone to put down their swords, raised his hands and said loudly, "Uncle Yang, I am Lu Xiuyi, the Huaiyuan General of Dayi. I have come here with a request."
As he spoke, he forcefully threw the badge on his waist.
Yang Tieshou reached out and caught it. He looked down and saw that the waist tag was indeed genuine. His murderous aura dissipated slightly, but he still said coldly, "You've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not Yang Tieshou. He died thirteen years ago in the dead of night."
Lu Xiuyi chuckled: "Uncle Yang, stop making excuses. If you weren't Yang Tieshou, how would you know he died in the dead of night thirteen years ago? Besides, a single iron net has such penetrating power. Apart from Yang Tieshou, I'm afraid no one else in the world has such ability."
With just two short sentences, Yang Tieshou was speechless and his face turned red. He stopped arguing but remained defensive: "You can leave! What happened in Dayi has nothing to do with me. I stopped doing this business fourteen years ago."
Lu Xiuyi laughed again: "I haven't even explained why I'm here, how would you know what I'm here for?"
Yang Tieshou bluntly stated, "Besides asking me to forge weapons, what else do you want? You can leave now! I will never do such a thing again."
His refusal was so decisive that Lu Xiuyi was at a loss for what to do. After a moment of hesitation, he raised his voice and said, "I know that gold and silver cannot move you, nor can I coerce you with the greater good of the country. But whatever you want, as long as I, Lu Xiuyi, can do it, I will do my best to fulfill your request, no matter what it takes."
"Can you really do what I ask for?" Yang Tieshou suddenly changed his tone.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi felt a vague sense of unease, but since the words were already out, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply, "Just tell me, and I will do my best."
Yang Tieshou immediately replied, "I don't need you to do everything you can; I just want you to leave immediately."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at Lu Xiuyi.
Even after being publicly humiliated like this, Lu Xiuyi remained unfazed: "Uncle Yang, you know we went through all sorts of trouble to come here just to ask you to come out of retirement. Aren't you making things difficult for us by saying this?"
Yang Tieshou sneered: "I've already said, what happens in Dayi has nothing to do with me. Go back! There's no way I'll agree to that."
Having said that, Yang Tieshou didn't want to waste any more words and turned to leave.
The cavalryman, watching Yang Tieshou's retreating figure and recalling his tone, gritted his teeth in hatred. He turned to Lu Xiuyi and said, "General, why don't we force our way in? Even the most stubborn person would find it hard to withstand our twenty-eight tortures. I refuse to believe it..."
Snap!
His words were swallowed up.
The cavalryman clutched the back of his head, wincing in pain.
"Force your way in? I'm afraid you'll all be dead before he even gets to experience the twenty-eight tortures," Lu Xiuyi said, putting away his sore hands and looking around. "You've been here so long, have you seen a single bird fly by the house?"
Upon hearing this, everyone belatedly looked at each other in bewilderment. They had been squatting there for nearly half an hour, and in the vast forest, not a single bird had flown past the wooden house.
Such a scene indicates either that there are no birds in the forest, as they have all gone to hibernate, or that the place is extremely dangerous, and the bird flocks have reached a consensus on this.
It's late spring and early summer now, and the birds that overwintered have already flown back, so the only possibility is the latter.
Suddenly realizing what was happening, everyone looked at the wooden house that exuded a leisurely atmosphere, and suddenly felt a chill spread from the soles of their feet to their limbs and bones.
"General, what do we do now?"
The cavalryman, his face filled with fear, stammered.
A breeze swept through the valley, rippling the fallen leaves and carrying the faint, refreshing scent of pine needles. A beautiful figure suddenly appeared before him. Lu Xiuyi lowered his brows and slowly uttered a single word: "Wait."
***
The sky seemed to be soaked in rouge and watercolor, a crimson hue, as birds returned to their nests, their cries rising in a flurry.
Tall, dense trees blocked the cascading sunlight. Located atop a mountain, a chilly wind blew from the depths of the forest, making one shiver.
The cavalryman tucked his arms in to ward off the chill.
When he arrived, the sun was shining brightly and the heat was intense, so he was only wearing a thin outer shirt. He thought he could get down the mountain before sunset, but who knew that Yang Tieshou was such a blockhead. He didn't know how to seize the enormous wealth right in front of him.
Now they don't know how long they'll have to keep at it with him.
He clenched his arms, yawned, and was about to back out when he turned around and saw his general sitting upright with a serious expression.
His eyes instantly lit up like daylight, and he quickly lowered his arms and perked up.
The darker the sky, the stronger the chill.
The thin clothes were no match for the biting night wind. Lu Xiuyi turned his head and saw that the cavalrymen beside him were pale and shivering. The temperature on the mountaintop was ten degrees lower than at the foot of the mountain. If this continued, even if they could make it to dawn, they would inevitably catch a cold.
Lu Xiuyi pondered for a long time, and was about to let them go down the mountain first, when suddenly... the tightly closed door in the distance opened.
***
After Ning Sui's reprimand, the number of soldiers in the East Camp catching colds decreased significantly, giving Meng Yu time to study the uses of various herbs. She had learned some medical principles when she was in Xuzhou, and now, following Zhao Yangyi, she had made up for the lack of medical knowledge she had previously lacked.
Seeing her thirst for knowledge, Zhao the surgeon went up the mountain to collect herbs every day before dawn. After returning, he would not rest but would immediately sort the herbs into categories and put them on a winnowing basket. Whenever she encountered something she didn't understand, no matter the time of day or whether he had a spare moment, she would pester him to explain it to her.
One day, Dr. Zhao, watching her working with herbs under the scorching sun, suddenly called her into his tent, his face cold and his brows furrowed, and asked, "Are you... interested in learning acupuncture?"
Happiness came so suddenly that Meng Yu didn't react for a moment, and just stared at him blankly.
Seeing her expressionless face, Dr. Zhao assumed she was unwilling, so he immediately put on a stern face, snorted coldly, and turned to leave: "If you don't want to, then forget it."
Meng Yu immediately snapped out of her daze, grabbed him, and said with a beaming smile, "Of course I'm willing! I'm overjoyed that you're willing to teach me. I was just too happy to react. Please forgive me this time, you are so kind."
Zhao the surgeon's expression softened slightly. He coughed lightly, stroked his gray beard, and tilted his head back slightly: "Since I'm going to teach you, then I am your teacher, no different from the teachers in private schools..."
His words were swallowed up.
"Of course, please wait a moment, I'll go prepare the tuition fee right away." Meng Yu understood immediately and went to the kitchen.
An hour later, two baskets of fragrant steamed buns appeared in front of Dr. Zhao.
"Are you satisfied with these fees?"
Dr. Zhao subconsciously licked his lips, his eyes fixed on the two baskets of steamed buns, and nodded hurriedly: "Satisfied, very satisfied."
Meng Yu smiled and said, "Then please enjoy your meal. I'll go out and tidy up the herbs first."
Even after she lifted the curtain and went out, Dr. Zhao didn't look back even once.
After receiving the tuition fee, Dr. Zhao began teaching her acupuncture the next day.
Meng Yu studied diligently day and night, forgetting to eat and sleep. Whenever Dr. Zhao went on house calls, she would follow behind him, taking careful notes in her notebook, and would often review them after returning home.
She is extremely talented. In just over half a month, she not only memorized the acupuncture formulas but also correctly applied them to real cases.
When Dr. Zhao saw this, he repeatedly lamented that he hadn't taught her acupuncture earlier.
Seeing that she was working hard from dawn till dusk every day, Ning Sui took her out for a walk one early morning.
In early summer, the air still carried a hint of spring chill. The morning sun peeked through the thin clouds, scattering across the ground like a layer of fine gold.
A breeze carrying the scent of pine needles wafted from the valley; this place was five miles from Dongying and extremely remote.
Ning Sui scrutinized Meng Yu, who was covered up tightly, and couldn't help but laugh, "This isn't the city, there aren't many people here, and you're dressed as a man, and your face is covered up like someone who's malnourished. If I hadn't told you, who would have known you were a girl... um..."
The words came to an abrupt halt.
Ning Sui was suddenly covered in the mouth by Meng Yu and dragged to the side.
The thick tree trunk blocked their view. Ning Sui looked puzzled and tried to pry Meng Yu's hand away, but then she saw a furrow in her brow. As she released her hand, she pointed to a spot not far away.
Ning Sui followed her gaze.
That's the Qingshui River.
Ripples spread across the river's surface, reflecting a large image on the water.
The riverbank was uneven, and a man and a woman were embracing each other on the side.
"That, isn't that Prince Rui? The girl in his arms," Ning Sui looked closely, then suddenly widened her eyes, immediately covered her mouth, and almost cried out in surprise. After a moment, she quickly turned her head and said, "That, isn't that girl your second sister?"
Ning Sui has an excellent memory. She had seen Meng Shuang once before at the Qin family's lotus banquet two years ago, and that one time was enough for her to remember Meng Shuang's appearance.
“But didn’t she marry the third young master of the Duke of Longguo’s mansion? How come… sigh, Yu’er, you…” Ning Sui frowned and murmured.
Before she could finish speaking, Meng Yu dragged her away.
Only after they were far from the riverbank and on their way back to Dongying did Ning Sui ask curiously, "Yu'er, aren't you curious about how Prince Rui got involved with your second sister?"
The white scales at the edge of the distant mountains faded, and dazzling light filled her face. Her black hair fell to her chest. Meng Yu looked up and stared straight ahead, her voice indifferent and devoid of emotion: "What's so strange about it? Isn't this obvious? She's always been proud and arrogant. How could she allow someone else to take over the nest?"
Meng Shuang's situation in the Duke of Longguo's mansion was known even to Ning Sui, who never cared about matters of the inner quarters, let alone the well-informed and lustful Prince Rui.
After a moment of silence, Ning Sui said again, "So we're just going to let this go? Her mother used to make things difficult for you a lot. If you want to do something, now's the perfect time."
Meng Yu shook her head: "The Yuan family is the Yuan family. My second sister never really did anything to me, so I don't want to get too involved in her affairs."
After thinking about it, Ning Sui felt that Meng Yu made sense. Instead of wasting her energy on a bunch of rotten people, she should focus more on herself.
***
After a period of diligent study, Meng Yu made great progress in acupuncture and could now independently treat common colds caused by wind and cold, which gave Zhao Yangyi much less free time.
At first, the soldiers were somewhat resistant when they saw that she was the one who came to treat them, but after she performed acupuncture, their conditions quickly improved, and they gradually came to believe in her medical skills.
After several encounters, the soldiers gradually became familiar with her.
Meng Yu dared not speak much. Whenever they asked about her origins, she would only say one sentence. If they did not ask, she would never say anything more. As a result, she was nicknamed "Silent Gourd".
When these words reached Qin Musui's ears, the tips of his fingers holding the book immediately turned white.
The lamplight flickered, reflecting off his slightly furrowed brows: "Her taste is terrible. What's so good about that guy? He's a quiet, dull person who can't make any funny remarks and has no talent. Is he really worth her time and effort?"
Ning Sui still vividly remembered the incident where he stood up for that short man. If they hadn't done something wrong, he would have had Ning Jianxing kick him out long ago. How could he have allowed him to stay until today?
The pageboy standing beside him felt the temperature around him drop several degrees in an instant, and silently lowered his head, not daring to utter a single word.
Whenever the Ning family's daughter is mentioned, the usually refined and aloof young master becomes uncharacteristically sharp-tongued in his words and actions, exuding a chilling aura as if a snowball has rolled through him.
Just then, a guard rushed in to report: "Your Highness, General Lu has returned and requests your immediate presence at the West Camp."
The man with his head bowed looked up at the sound, his brows furrowing: "When did he return to the capital?"
"It is said that as soon as he returned, someone was immediately sent to invite the Crown Prince."
The orange lamplight outlined Qin Musui's cool and aloof features. After a moment's thought, he immediately closed the book, stood up, and ordered, "Prepare the carriage, we're going to the West Camp."
Upon hearing this, the pageboy immediately turned to leave, but the guard said, "Young Master, General Lu has sent a carriage."
Qin Musui felt a chill run down his spine.
***
The night breeze, carrying a touch of coolness, dispelled the oppressive heat of the day. The carriage traveled through the suburbs, the lanterns hanging from the eaves swaying violently with each bump, their hurried sounds breaking the silence of the night.
In less than half an hour, the carriage delivered Qin Musui to the western camp.
Waiting at the door was Chuze.
Upon seeing him arrive, Chuze led him into the tent while explaining why he had been invited.
Upon hearing this, Qin Musui was filled with astonishment and, unusually, repeated Chu Ze's words: "Yang Tieshou is actually still alive, and your master actually invited him here?"
Chu Ze replied solemnly, "It's absolutely true. You'll see for yourself when you see it."
As they were talking, the two arrived in front of the tent. Chu Ze lifted the curtain, and a burly man with a full beard came into view.
He carefully examined the person in front of him.
Indeed, he looked exactly like the person in the portrait.
Without much thought, Qin Musui glanced at Lu Xiuyi and immediately agreed: "Going to the Prince Rui's mansion is nothing. As long as you can serve our dynasty, Brother Lu and I guarantee that we will definitely rescue your daughter safely."
Yang Tieshou cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Prince Qin. As long as you can rescue my daughter, I will not hesitate to forge weapons or even take my life."
Lu Xiuyi quickly smiled and said, "Uncle Yang is a rare talent in our dynasty, how could I possibly want to take your life?"
“Brother Lu is right,” Qin Musui agreed. “You can rest assured and wait. We will definitely rescue Qianjin before midnight tomorrow.”
The next day.
Qin Musui went to Prince Rui's residence first to sound out Prince Rui's opinion.
After their conversation, Qin Musui became increasingly certain that Yang Tieshou's daughter was being held captive in Prince Rui's mansion.
Lu Xiuyi immediately devised a rescue strategy, and that very night he personally led his secret guards to infiltrate Prince Rui's mansion and rescue Yang Tieshou's daughter.
News of the robbery at Prince Rui's residence spread throughout the streets and alleys by the next morning. Prince Rui was furious, but dared not petition Emperor Jinghuai for a thorough investigation, and could only swallow his anger.
***
The news of Lu Xiuyi's return to Beijing soon reached Meng Yu's ears.
It wasn't for any other reason than that the Western Camp suddenly sent a message saying they wanted to conduct joint military exercises with the Eastern Camp, and the location would be within the Eastern Camp's firing range.
The Dongying camp suffered a crushing defeat in the last military exercise, and Ning Jianxing couldn't hold his head up in front of Lu Xiuyi for quite some time.
The defeat in the military exercise felt like punching cotton. Ning Jianxing had nowhere to vent his resentment. Two years ago, he had hinted to Lu Xiuyi to do it again, but Lu Xiuyi always made excuses to avoid it.
Now that Lu Xiuyi had personally sent the invitation, Ning Jianxing could not ask for more and agreed without much thought.
"Yu'er, don't be afraid. The shooting range and your tent are in opposite directions. He would never come here. Besides, during a military exercise, the commander-in-chief must be watching from the shooting range. How could he possibly search the tents?"
The dappled light seeped through the white curtains, causing Meng Yu to furrow her brow. Ning Sui quickly comforted her.
She wasn't worried that Lu Xiuyi would search the camp. Last time, he had an imperial edict, which allowed him to enter openly. Now it was just a military exercise, so there was no way he would conduct a large-scale search of the camp.
The shadow that Lu Xiuyi left in her heart was too great and too deep. Every time his name was heard, her heart would tremble.
She fled from Xuzhou to Shangjing, and from Shangjing to Hejiuyun Township. Every time, Lu Xiuyi was able to find her.
Meng Yu didn't want Ning Sui to worry about her, so she smiled and said, "With you here, I have nothing to be afraid of. Besides, I was able to fool him last time, so even if he sees me this time, I can still fool him."
As she spoke, Meng Yu pressed her ear back down again, still somewhat uneasy.
“It’s stuck on so tightly, you can’t tell at all,” Ning Sui tilted her head and leaned over to examine her. After that, she sighed and said, “If Old Man Zhao had known this skill ten years ago, my brother wouldn’t have had to work so hard when he was fighting against Beiliang.”
Meng Yu carefully put the medicinal herbs into the medicine cabinet: "It's not too late for him to learn this skill now. Reclaiming Canglin and the Nine Provinces is not only your wish, but also the wish of all the people of Daqi, including your master."
Ning Sui's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
After putting away the medicinal herbs, Meng Yu poured her a cup of chrysanthemum tea: "I hope that what I have learned today can also contribute to Daqi's efforts to recover Canglin Kyushu."
Ning Sui took it and smiled, saying, "I'm sure I can."
***
The military exercise is scheduled for two days from now.
These past two days, Meng Yu has been extremely busy. Since it is a military exercise, there will inevitably be injured people. She and Dr. Zhao need to prepare a large amount of bandages and hemostatic drugs in advance.
But for some reason, the closer the day of the exercise got, the more anxious Meng Yu became, and she even had the idea of packing her bags and leaving.
Bang!
The sunlight streaming in shattered the broken teacup into dozens of pieces, instantly pulling Meng Yu's wandering thoughts back to reality. She squatted down and hurriedly began to pick them up.
"Don't move, I'll clean up."
Zhao Yangyi brought over a broom and dustpan, and quickly cleaned up the mess. Looking up, he saw that Meng Yu was still absent-minded. He roughly guessed what was going on and sighed, "If anything happens at the shooting range, I'll handle it. Don't worry too much."
Understanding the meaning behind his words, Meng Yu felt a lump in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears. She quickly suppressed her emotions, rallied her spirits, and nodded emphatically without refusing, "Yes, thank you, Master."
Dr. Zhao paused in his broom, turned his back, and feigned disgust: "Thanks aren't just words. Hurry up and put these rolls of bandages back in the box; they're in my way."
"yes."
Meng Yu smiled and responded.
***
On the day of the military exercise, gongs and drums resounded. Everywhere they went, the soldiers were sharp and prepared, their faces grim, as if determined to avenge their previous defeat. The entire Dongying camp exuded a solemn atmosphere.
As usual, Meng Yu was tidying up herbs and studying medical books in the tent.
The cheers drifted in from afar, striking Meng Yu's heart. She forced herself to look at the medical book for half a day, but still couldn't absorb a single word. She simply put the medical book away and her gaze fell on the second shelf.
That was where the medicine box was kept, but now it's empty.
Dr. Zhao had already taken it to the shooting range.
As lunchtime approached, Meng Yu didn't dare go to the kitchen to get food, and only ate a steamed bun that she had left over from yesterday.
The steamed bun had hardened, but she didn't want to reheat it.
She didn't want to step out of the tent.
It got dark quickly, and she even used leftover water from yesterday to wash up in the evening.
Dr. Zhao didn't return until late at night. She didn't dare rush out to ask, but immediately turned off the light and lay back down on the bed.
Unexpectedly, Dr. Zhao lifted the curtain and came in: "Stop pretending, I saw your light was still on from afar."
Meng Yu felt embarrassed and could only get up and light the lamp.
Zhao, the surgeon, glanced at her and said, "I heard you didn't even get any food today. What's wrong? Are you going to become an immortal? You don't even need to eat anymore."
Meng Yu gave an awkward twitch of her lips: "Weren't you at the shooting range all day? How did you know I didn't go to get food?"
Dr. Zhao pointed to his ear: "My ears are very sensitive here. I need to keep an eye on you to know if you've gotten your food."
The fat man in the kitchen had a very good relationship with Dr. Zhao, so it goes without saying that he was the one who tipped him off.
Meng Yu raised an eyebrow: "Although I didn't get any food, I still ate something."
"You ate the leftover steamed buns! I know you too well. Those buns were cold and hard; you might hurt your stomach."
As Dr. Zhao spoke, he picked up the food box from the shelf, opened it, and inside was a plate of braised pork and a bowl of rice. Wisps of steam rose and slowly disappeared into the void.
A sour, astringent feeling spreads to the tip of the nose.
Meng Yu's eyes reddened as she looked up at him.
Dr. Zhao was terrified and immediately said, "Don't cry, or I'll take the meat away."
He pretended to reach out, and Meng Yu was amused by his words. She quickly stopped him and took the braised pork and rice to him.
As he was leaving, Dr. Zhao suddenly remembered something and said, "I went over today and he seemed quite normal. He probably didn't notice you were here. Don't overthink it. Go get your food as usual tomorrow. I asked Fatty to save some for you."
After finishing his speech, he lifted the curtain and left.
The heavy curtain swayed back and forth for a while before finally stopping. Meng Yu swallowed her tears and ate the bowl clean, bite by bite.
She tossed and turned all night, not knowing how she fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already broad daylight, and the gongs and drums were already beating.
A breeze blew in through the curtains, carrying a slight dampness.
Meng Yu lifted a corner of the curtain and looked outside.
The wind broke the tail of the pheasant, and the rain rushed towards them, leaving a shallow patch of wet ground. Everyone had gone to the shooting range, and only the soldiers on duty were patrolling outside.
After pondering for a moment, Meng Yu picked up a basin, mustered her courage, and went to the well to draw water, but didn't encounter a single person on her way back and forth.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
After a quick wash, she went to the kitchen and brought back two warm steamed buns.
No sooner had we finished eating than the heavy curtain was suddenly lifted.
A soldier with an unfamiliar face, his face soaked with rain, hurried back and forth:
"Dr. Li, several people have been injured at the shooting range. Dr. Zhao is overwhelmed and needs your help."
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