The carriage traveled all the way to the outskirts of the city, but Jiang Bai asked the driver to change the route halfway through.
This road doesn't lead to the village, Amu wondered, but Jiang Bai didn't seem inclined to tell him the reason, so he didn't ask.
After traveling for a long time, the driver saw a teahouse along the way, asked Jiang Bai about it, and then stopped the car.
Jiang Bai and Amu got off the car and went into the teahouse with the driver. The teahouse was small and was a place for travelers to rest.
In summer, the owner would brew a pot of herbal tea, while in winter he would brew a pot of hot tea soup, the warmth of which could dispel the cold accumulated in the body.
Jiang Bai and Amu sat at one table, while the coachman went to find another table to chat with.
Soon the owner brought over two bowls of steaming hot tea. Jiang Bai didn't rush to drink it. Now was the perfect time. She thought for a moment and then explained everything to Amu.
"You've probably noticed that this road isn't the way back to the village. Actually, my purpose in coming out wasn't to go back to the village. That day, after leaving the herbal medicine shop, I fell unconscious. When I woke up, I checked my body and found that I had been poisoned."
"Zhao Yi consulted the imperial physicians in the palace, but they couldn't diagnose that I was poisoned. It wasn't until the day I was rescued by the princess that she told me that I was poisoned by the firefly of their Southern Dynasty. She said that I should go to the Southern Dynasty to find a man named Master Fu, who could cure me."
Jiang Bai didn't tell him that the poison might be incurable, nor did he tell him that Old Fu wasn't someone who could cure just anyone.
Amu tightened his grip on the cup, and after a long while, he comforted her, "It's alright, don't worry. Since there's a way, we can turn danger into safety."
Jiang Bai lowered her head and smiled helplessly. She also wanted to take his good wishes, but things are unpredictable, and the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
“You can go wherever you want, you don’t need to follow me anymore. Now that we’re no longer under Zhao Yi’s control, we don’t have to worry about him discovering anything. I’ll leave it to you.”
She smiled apologetically at him; if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have had to travel with her in the dead of winter.
Amu shook his head: "No, I followed you voluntarily. You don't need to feel troubled. Now that you've been poisoned, I can't leave alone."
Jiang Bai accidentally met his gaze, which was filled with sincerity, making her freeze in fright.
"You don't have to do that."
"I owed you my life before, this is to repay the debt, is that alright?" He knew he was being too eager, so he looked away and explained calmly.
"what ever."
Jiang Bai had nothing more to say, so he casually replied and lowered his head to drink his tea.
After the three finished their tea, they continued on their journey, traveling day and night, and finally arrived in the Southern Dynasty.
The unexpected prosperity of the Southern Dynasties was something Jiang Bai had not anticipated.
The street vendors' cries carried a different accent, some melodious and pleasant to hear.
The clothing here is also different. As soon as Jiang Bai and Amu entered the city, they were scrutinized by several people, making it easy to recognize that they were not from the Southern Dynasty.
Jiang Bai looked at the people on the road and, feeling anxious, first pulled one of them aside to ask.
"Hello, may I ask if Mr. Fu lives in this city?"
The man gave Jiang Bai a strange look, then his expression turned serious, his eyes filled with respect: "Who are you?"
Jiang Bai naturally didn't think this person was showing him respect; he was probably referring to Old Master Fu.
Who exactly is he that he commands such respect from even a casual subject?
“I came here specifically to see Old Master Fu. Do you know where he lives? I have something to ask of him and urgently need to see him.”
The man glanced at Jiang Bai warily, but did not answer, and then walked away.
Jiang Bai was taken aback. Did that person actually think he was a bad guy?
She then looked at Amu, wanting to ask him something, but when she turned her head, she found that his expression was not very good.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?"
Amu shook his head, his expression returning to calm: "It's nothing, you go about your business."
Jiang Bai noticed that he was in a bad mood, so he didn't linger on the street any longer and took him to an inn to stay in.
Now that we've arrived, there's no rush. We can find out Old Master Fu's preferences and temperament from the locals first.
If you cater to their preferences, you'll achieve twice the result with half the effort.
After the two went back to their rooms to wash up and ate something casually, it got dark, and Jiang Bai decided to write a letter to Zhao Yi.
Fearing that he would worry, she decided to write him a letter every day, and she has been doing so ever since.
She picked up her pen, pondered for a moment, and then began to write.
Halfway through writing, the door was suddenly opened. Jiang Bai thought it was Amu, but he smelled a faint scent of blood.
With a thud, the person who opened the door fell to the ground.
Jiang Bai immediately looked up and found that the person who came in was actually a woman, covered in injuries.
"Who are you?" She stood up warily, assuming a fighting stance.
The woman weakly looked up at her, her voice feeble: "Help me...help me..."
Suddenly, there was a very loud knocking on the door, as if the sound was about to smash the door apart.
"Open the door! Room check!"
Jiang Bai gritted his teeth, dragged the woman inside, and closed the door.
She put the person on the bed and covered them with a blanket.
He noticed the bloodstains on the ground where the woman had fallen, grabbed a cloth to wipe them clean, and opened the window. The cold wind blew in and dispersed the smell of blood.
Not long after, the person checking the rooms knocked on Jiang Bai's door.
Jiang Bai opened the door with trembling hands, his face showing fear and confusion: "Sir, what are you doing in the middle of the night?"
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