The next day, Qi Yue went to the marketplace to get a sense of the current situation with dicinal materials.
Everything was almost as the bearded n had said, the poorer the common folk beca, the more unstable the situation, and the more people there were seeking dical help.
However, being a physician wasn't a profession one could simply take up by knowing a herb or two, and good physicians were extrely scarce.
Under these circumstances, pre-made dicines with a reliable origin and significant healing effects were what countless businessn dreamt of.
And now, among the four nations, the only one capable of this was Qi Yue's prepared dicines.
However, Qi Corporations' pharmaceutical production was limited, and the new factory had just started; besides providing for Beiyuan's populace first, most of its dicines flowed to Western Chu, which was closest to Dongjiang.
This also explained why the Liu Family from Nanyue had the bearded n and others inquire about pre-made dicines in Yindu.
With this information in hand, Qi Yue was filled with confidence about her trip to Nanyue.
Although she was just passing through and hadn't planned on staying long, she intended to accomplish at least two things at the very least.
One was to understand the Four-Nation Alliance matter fully, preferably making Nanyue isolated, and the other was to establish a connection with the Liu Family, which might prove very useful in the future.
Qi Yue returned to the inn full of ambitions. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Zhao Tai, who had stayed behind, pacing anxiously in front of the hall as if sothing was up.
Qingzhu, who followed by her side, imdiately stepped forward quickly.
"Zhao Tai, did the Marquis send a letter?"
Zhao Tai nodded repeatedly, quickly presenting an urgent missive.
"Master, the Marquis is asking you to hurry back to Longnan County Governnt!"
"Go back?" Qi Yue furrowed her brows and unfolded the letter.
The familiar handwriting was indeed Zhao Xiyan's own letter.
[Yueyue, no sign of Shen Gong was found on the way to Western Chu, there's a possibility he will return to Nanyue, co back quickly.]
"Return to Nanyue? That seems unlikely, doesn't Shen Gong want to kill ?" mumbled Qi Yue, sitting on the bed and pinching the bridge of her nose in thought.
Zhao Chong and Zhao Tai exchanged glances, both stepping forward.
"Master, the Marquis is concerned for your safety; perhaps we should depart imdiately!"
"Master, that Shen Gong is very formidable, and moreover, we are on Nanyue territory. It's better to go back!"
Hearing this, Qi Yue narrowed her eyes, her delicate eyebrows arching.
"I refuse to believe it; Shen Gong is just an old man. Why the panic? Didn't your lord say how incredibly powerful he is? But when I was in Longnan, he didn't dare to make a move, right? Besides, isn't Qingzhu here?"
As she spoke, Qi Yue glanced at Qingzhu.
"Qingzhu, don't tell you can't beat an old man!"
Qingzhu slightly stiffened, imdiately bowing respectfully.
"Master doesn't know, my strength lies in Qinggong; in a real fight, I am afraid I am no match for him."
"Really?" Qi Yue sat up straight, looking coldly at Qingzhu, "You're not belittling yourself just to convince to go back, are you?"
"I wouldn't dare!" Qingzhu knelt down in panic, "Shen Gong is skilled in strong kung fu, and his weapon is a knife, known for its lethal aura. Once his blade is drawn, it can break my flute."
"That exaggerated? So Shen Gong really is invincible under the heavens!"
"Indeed, the Marquis's master once said that Shen Gong was a gifted individual, who after decades of refinent, has reached a level of mastery in knife skills that the world hasn't seen in centuries... Even the Marquis can only restrain him with a Long Halberd."
"You an Huangfu Nan?"
"Yes."
Qi Yue fell silent, montarily uncertain.
If she left now, wouldn't that make this trip a waste?
Moreover, Shen Zikuang was expected to arrive at Jimo City early the next morning.
The Liu Family's bearded n and others would also arrive tomorrow night.
She's supposed to leave at a ti like this?
And to run away because she was afraid of Shen Gong… That wasn't her style!
How long had it been since Qi Yue was afraid of anyone?
The very thought was laughable!
She scowled, looking at Qingzhu unhappily.
"If you can't defeat Shen Gong, why did Zhao Xiyan bother sending you here?"
Qingzhu's expression turned embarrassed.
"Actually, the Marquis sent Yunzhu to protect you, but he happened to be in seclusion and couldn't be found, so the Marquis sent instead."
"So, this Yunzhu is more skilled than you?"
"Yes, Yunzhu was left by Huangfu Nan to protect you. Aside from you, he's the first person who could handle Shen Gong."
At this point, Qingzhu ekly offered a few more words of defense.
"...Actually, except for facing Shen Gong, I am still very useful. And even if we did encounter him, I could still get you to safety..."
Qi Yue listened intently and couldn't help but laugh.
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"You still don't accept it? Well, that works too... Zhao Chong, write a letter to your Marquis, saying there are urgent matters here and we will return four or five days late."
Zhao Chong's face fell imdiately.
"Master, this won't do... If sothing unexpected happens, the Marquis will take our lives..."
Zhao Tai was also extrely anxious and hurriedly stepped forward to persuade.
"Exactly, Master, the Marquis will definitely not agree..."
Qi Yue knew about the fuss these few people could make, and without further ado, she left them behind.
"If you won't write, then I will."
Upon seeing this, Zhao Chong and Zhao Tai imdiately turned their accusations toward Qingzhu!
"Qingzhu, how can you say such a thing? With Lord Shen arriving, you want to take the Master and flee?"
"Indeed, Qingzhu, this is utterly disloyal! If the Marquis finds out, you are finished..."
By this ti, Qingzhu was also regretting it.
"I just spoke in a rush... Who knew the Master would actually decide not to leave..."
The three of them argued with different opinions, making a commotion, while Qi Yue didn't pay them any heed and went straight back to her room, locking the door and entering her space.
She sat at the desk and wrote a line but soon found she couldn't continue.
Counting today, it had been almost ten days since she left the Longnan County Governnt.
With the speed of a hot air balloon, letters could be updated every two days.
Based on that, the last two received letters should contain news about the Four-Nation Alliance and the border situation.
Yet, Zhao Xiyan's letters didn't even ntion it.
This was too abnormal!
She felt sothing must have happened.
With this thought, Qi Yue hastily put down her pen, left the space, and went to find Zhao Chong and the others.
Seeing Qi Yue return, the three arguing individuals instantly fell silent.
"Master..."
Qingzhu was about to speak, but Qi Yue gestured for her to stop.
"Zhao Chong, is this all the correspondence from the last few days? There's nothing else?"
"Yes, all the letters have been delivered to you!"
Zhao Chong looked puzzled, not understanding why Qi Yue was asking this.
"..." Qi Yue's lips tightened, and her delicate brows furrowed.
"Master, is there sothing amiss?" Zhao Chong and the others stepped forward, their expressions growing solemn.
"It's nothing much." Qi Yue thought for a mont, "It's just strange, why does your Marquis not ntion the Four-Nation Alliance? The last letter should have been received by now."
"That's true." Zhao Chong nodded unconsciously, "Given the Marquis's nature, he would definitely want to say sothing to the Master. Not saying anything does seem abnormal..."
At that mont, Qi Yue saw Qingzhu suddenly drop her head, as if realizing sothing.
"Qingzhu, do you know the reason?"
"How could I know," Qingzhu shook her head repeatedly, "I just thought of a possibility."
"Oh, what possibility?" Qi Yue asked anxiously.
Qingzhu hesitated for a mont, then voiced her speculation.
"Perhaps, perhaps the Marquis is facing so difficulties."
Qi Yue's brows knitted.
"You said it for a reason, right? Speak, what exactly is the situation?"
Under the gaze of several people, Qingzhu shared so information she had gathered on her trip to Yindu in recent days.
——Ever since the last defeat of the Donggao Army, with Yecheng and its southern territories falling into Zhao Xiyan's hands, the Donggao Kingdom had been trying to take back their lost land.
Following the Longnan incident, it provided an opportunity for Donggao to act.
Since Zhao Xiyan took over Longnan County Governnt, the Beiyuan Court had not made any moves because they were discussing an alliance with Donggao, and they soon reached an agreent.
When she was in Yindu, she had just heard that Song Qingshan had been appointed by the Emperor of Donggao as the Great General Zhengyuan, conferred a king with the command of all Donggao's forces, with the vow to take back Yecheng.
"Master, I suspect that the Beiyuan Court and Song Qingshan have already made their move on both Longnan and Yecheng..."
Qi Yue's brow twitched vehently.
"Such an important matter, why didn't you speak of it sooner?"
Qingzhu looked deeply ashad.
"I reported to the Marquis, I thought the Master was aware."
Zhao Chong and Zhao Tai imdiately knelt on the ground, "Master, perhaps we should return. With you here, the Marquis will be distracted!"
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