When Qishou and Fugui walked out of the Herb Hall, their expressions were vastly different. Qishou wore a look of childish indignation, feeling unappreciated, while Fugui was visibly happy, having finally found a good doctor for his long-standing illness.
"You little rascal! You intentionally used your mother's illness to test me, didn't you? The moment your attendant entered, I knew someone from the palace had arrived. Given your age, I had a pretty good guess. You didn't even bother to disguise yourself, directly giving your real name. Aren't you afraid I might harm you?" Lu Yunqi feigned a stern demeanor.
"Uncle Lu, my mother often talks about you to my brother and me. So, while I may not trust others, I certainly trust my mother's judgment. I inherited my mother's ailment, and it's thanks to your prescriptions that I grew up healthy without her old ailments. My body is no different from any other person. Fate has brought us together today, and I couldn't avoid it. I happened to meet your son. On behalf of my mother and myself, I thank you for saving our lives." As Qishou spoke, he knelt down.
"Boy, stop with your attempts to win favor. I helped your mother because we grew up together. As for you, that was just an old favor. I don't need you to repay me. Now, get out of here. I need to educate my worthless son!"
"Attendant, you should practice these movements more often. This way, the medicine I gave you can be used in smaller amounts, and most of the time, you can mask that scent." As he spoke, Lu Yunqi seriously demonstrated four exercises that required a certain degree of flexibility.
"Yes, just like that. You learn quickly, Attendant. Have a cup of tea before you go! It's easy to catch a chill when you step outside now," Lu Yunqi said to Fugui, clearly favoring him over Qishou.
"Boy, since you called me uncle, I'll give you some advice. Stop worrying about troubles that aren't yours to bear. You're still young, but once you reach adulthood, it might affect your longevity. Don't come here again; I dislike being disturbed by people like you."
After Qishou and Fugui had walked away, Lu Yunqi started disciplining his son, whose cries echoed down the path home, causing Yuyu to smirk.
"Father, you must be tired. Please stop. I really know my mistake now; I beg you!"
"You always admit your mistakes so earnestly, but you'll just repeat them in a few days! Don't think I don't know. Tomorrow, your mother returns from Beiguan, and I need to go out to meet her. You and the two little ones should eat outside. Don't mention today's events to anyone, especially not your mother. I don't want her to worry."
"Father, are you worried about people finding out about this place and disturbing you? Should we tell Uncle Chi and Uncle Tian, and move to a different place together?"
"Foolish boy, some people finding out where I live is quite simple. They all know I reside in Jin County, but they choose not to bother me with trivial matters, fearing it might affect my attitude towards them. I've made it clear that they should only come to me with important issues, which is why no one has disturbed me all these years. But now that the seventh prince has shown up, who knows what the future holds! Go back to bed. We still need to train at Old Tian's place tomorrow morning."
Watching his son return to his room, Lu Yunqi sighed softly. The seventh prince already showed signs of becoming a true ruler. But was this northern expedition really beneficial? The Wang family had spent over two hundred years unifying the major clans in Jiangnan. Now, the officials in each county of Jiangnan were probably no longer united. With no craftsmen in the northern borders, they would have to rely on those near the capital to forge weapons. How could they possibly withstand the southern army, which was at its peak? It was time to take his family back to Jiangnan. His elder brother had taken on that responsibility for ten years now. Those two children also needed to be taken away from this place of turmoil. Ensuring their lifelong safety was something he and the Lu family could still manage. He wondered how his wife's experiment with the medicine had gone. There were just too many worries!
A hundred meters away from the Herb Hall, on the top floor of a tavern, a man watched the lights go out at the Herb Hall before returning to his room.
"The seventh prince encountered Lu Yunqi's son by chance and visited Lu Yunqi's residence. Specific details are unknown. There has been no progress on the North Border matter yet," he wrote. After finishing, he rolled the paper into a small scroll, sealed it with wax, and tied it to a pigeon, which he then released.
The next morning, Fugui knocked on the door of the Herb Hall. He handed over the items he had brought to Lu Xinshen and left without looking back.
"Why run away so fast? I was going to invite you for breakfast," Xinshen muttered to himself as he carried the items back to his room.
"Wait a minute, he's a prince, right? He must be very wealthy. He certainly wouldn't be stingy!" The more he thought about it, the more excited he became as he looked at the package. Xinshen was so excited he could hardly breathe. What if it was gold? If he took just a little, his father might not even notice!
Ten minutes later, Xinshen appeared at Shuishen's house. Shuishen's mother, Madam Wang, handed him a linen cloth to wipe his sweat.
"Aunt Wang, is Shuishen home? I need to talk to him!" Xinshen said, his voice trembling.
"Xinshen, you're acting quite strange today. Shuishen never goes out except to see you and Yuyu. I was late cooking today, so I haven't gone to Yuyu's house yet," Madam Wang began, but before she could continue, Xinshen had already run to Shuishen's room.
"What are you doing here so early? Did Uncle Lu hit you too hard yesterday, and now you want to run away from home? I advise you to give up that idea!" Shuishen said as Xinshen burst through the door.
"No, no, no, it's not about my father. First, tell me why you talked so much with that boy yesterday. It was too unusual. Other than Yuyu, the Jin sisters, and me, you've never spoken so much to anyone, let alone taken off your mask! Jin Yin is always trying to find out why you wear that mask!"
"Is that why you came to my house so early in the morning? I just felt a kind of closeness, similar to when I first met you and Yuyu. That's why I instinctively wanted to talk to you both. As for the Jin sisters, even though we grew up together, I don't have that same feeling with them."
"That question was just something I couldn't ask with that kid around yesterday. But that's not the main point! Do you know who he is?" Xinshen had completely forgotten his father's instructions by now.
"Is it really that important who he is?" Shuishen had never cared about such things.
"He is the seventh prince, the emperor's son! And do you know how he repaid my hospitality? He gave me two steamed buns! And they were cold! Along with a paper roll of twenty coins! It infuriated me! How could he be so stingy? Before opening the package, I thought it would be gold!"
Seeing his friend so emotional, Shuishen pressed his lips tightly together. He wanted to laugh but knew he shouldn't.