" Ah..... ouch... slowww...slowly " , Xu Nian was writhing in pain while Xu Li cleaned his wounds. Xu Nian couldn't bear any furthur. His sister's medical assistance was substandard. Which would never enable him to cure himself. " Sis... can.. can you bring me to the bush where you found these herbs." Xu Li was puzzled by his brother's request it's not that she couldn't, but it wasn't safe for her to do so. She felt ashamed, but she had gotten weak considerably recently. She felt sorry for him but she couldn't put both of them in any jeopardy. As she has to take care of him. "No," she replied anxiously, " but if you need anything, you can tell me." She hoped he wouldn't insist any further.
Xu Nian was waiting for her to say this. As he is currently unable to perform any mobile task, he desperately needs a pair of hands for him to do everything. He chimed in, " sis... can you bring me a few herbs. I...I will be saying you the names."
Xu Li mulled over it a bit and agreed. She knew he was interested in becoming a doctor since childhood. She found it to be a good measure to lift his spirits. Though she never boasted, her memory was excellent. She memorized all the herbs' names quickly. Xu Nian admired her memory power. At first, he was only going to mention a few, but looking at her mugging up ability, he gave over a hundred names along with vivid descriptions. He was truly at awe at her monster like memory power. He didn't expect her to bring them all but hoped her to at least enrich her medical understanding. Now that Xu Li seemed to understand the relevance of health in respect to herbs. Xu Nian was too eager to make her aware of health related through food. Though it is just his selfish wish to eat a proper meal with great taste. " Ahem.... Sis, before you venture outside, I would like to remind you that a patient's surroundings play a critical role in helping them cure. And currently we..."
Xu Li suddenly grew conscious. " I will see to it that the hut is cleaned enough for us to reside comfortably," She said. ' It is true that I failed to provide a good environment to my brother. But considering the internal war ongoing in the Shang Dynasty. I couldn't simply be extravagant as I have made up my mind to leave this kingdom before the Cold War got any worse. I have saved enough to buy two horse carts. But now that my plans have been brought to a halt after Xu Nian's severe injuries. I can't simply be frugal now. I need to bring us both back to good health for the upcoming journey.'
Xu Nian was closely observing Xu Li as she kept changing her expressions. " Sis... are you perhaps hiding something from me. Don't you think I may be able to give a few reasonable ideas that could help. Don't hide anything from me. Please, " Xu Nian urged her to vomit whatever she was hiding. As she was the only source of information for him. He looked at her with desperate eyes with a look of sadness. 'As expected, she is weak to her brother.' He thought. " It's not that I'm hiding anything. Remember how you were dragged by the Yamen runners to act as a front-line soldier." Xu Li got angry just by thinking about those rascals' faces. " The Shang Dynasty, our homeland, is going through an internal cold war. There have already been open skirmishes around the kingdom before an all-out war starts. We have to leave."
Xu Nian fell in deep thought. He now has a rough sketch of the political situation this kingdom is in. And why has his body been reduced to a mincemeat. 'Seems like this kid got beaten one sidedly. A front-line soldier, you got to be kidding. A mere ten year old kid. What kind of atrocity is this.' Xu Nian felt an urgency to quickly get out of here as the way he is now. He could only be a pig in a slaughterhouse. "Sis, I agree with what you said, but going on a journey with our body conditions, we would be dead midway through." He asked to know her plans in detail. " As expected, my brother is smart. Don't worry about the transport. I have saved up quite a bit."
' She seems dull when it comes to ideas.' Xu Nian thought about how to convince her to just listen to him when it comes to what to do.
" Sis, it is not just about transport. We need enough ration for two throughout the journey, considering we can't re-stock in nearby villages due to various reasons. We need to be thoroughly prepared in case we are attacked. "
Xu Li gave it a deep thought. She was not ashamed that his brother was smarter than her. As this can prepare them for the worst. " OK then, you give the task with proper reasoning, and I shall make it happen. " Though she wanted to squeeze her brother with a tight hug, she didn't, fearing it would open his wounds. Xu Nian smiled at her triumphantly as this is what he wanted. After Xu Li left, he fell in deep thought, mulling over what were their most dire needs and started categorizing them. 'FOOD,' the word was revolving in his head like an alarm. He thought the skirmishes his sister had mentioned must have destroyed at least one or two households. It wouldn't be strange that such houses were looted. Xu Nian was emitting an extremely evil aura. He smirked, knowing it's now the hands work to do the deeds.