Chapter 219: Chapter 219: This Kind of Protection Really Does Make People Jealous
The matter of Qu Fulan being taken away was very secretive, and without deliberate probing, no one would know.
Moreover, even if someone knew, she wasn’t a person of the Pei Mansion, nor was she any significant figure, just an inconsequential person. Who would care about her whereabouts, except for some interested parties?
Therefore, even if Cheng Ru managed to find out about this news, it would be of no use, only infuriating her nearly to death.
She truly couldn’t understand why Heir Pei would take Qu Fulan away. He was heading to the border to partake in warfare; what could Qu Fulan possibly do there?
Isn’t this nonsense?
In Cheng Ru’s affection for Heir Pei, no matter how monumental the issue, the problem would never lie with him.
So it must be an issue with Qu Fulan; she must have used some means to have Heir Pei take her along.
Cheng Ru was gnashing her teeth in hatred.
But Master Lu was different; she had always held Heir Pei in low regard, with no fondness at all.
Therefore, when Master Lu heard the news of Heir Pei taking Qu Fulan away, she frowned fiercely but quickly devised a countermeasure. This news might be useless to Cheng Ru, but it was profoundly valuable to her.
The Princely Heir had not once done foolish things for this woman, and she could conveniently let the Marquis see how far the Princely Heir was willing to go for a woman, proving that this woman was a disaster. Once the Marquis saw Qu Fulan’s true colors, even if Heir Pei wished to take her as a concubine in the future, the Marquis wouldn’t consent.
As for what the Marquis would think, it remained unknown for now.
It was said that even the "interested" Ji Nishang knew about Qu Fulan being taken away by Heir Pei, and compared to that, she felt a stab of jealousy.
If only her cousin would take her away as well, wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Even if the border held dangers, as long as she could be by his side, she wouldn’t have a hint of fear.
What kind of good fortune did Qu Fulan possess, that having her cousin think about her wasn’t enough, she also could have Heir Pei protect her so fervently? Otherwise, with Qu Fulan’s orphaned background and insignificant status, akin to weeds, without Heir Pei’s protection in this Capital City, she wouldn’t even need to take action, and she’d be trampled without any respite.
Unfortunately, regardless of Heir Pei’s intentions toward Qu Fulan, this protection surely stirred jealousy.
The entanglements and grievances in the Capital City were temporarily unknown to Qu Fulan.
She followed Prince An and others, and after a half-month journey, they finally arrived at a village near the border.
Indeed, she was with Prince An and others, not Heir Pei.
Heir Pei led a portion of the troops, traveling day and night, eating in the wind and sleeping in the dew, heading straight to the front lines of the border.
This explains why Qu Fulan could come along; if even a novice like Prince An, who had never been to a battlefield and had no experience, could come, why couldn’t she? At least she could aid in healing.
However, it wasn’t as if Qu Fulan proactively requested to come; when Heir Pei mentioned it, she was quite taken aback, but Heir Pei explained that the border lacked doctors, and one more would be an additional help, that’s why she came.
For this trip, Prince An was very excited, yet slightly resentful. He was excited because this was his first time on a battlefield; finally, he could realize his lifelong dreams and make himself renowned throughout the world.
The resentment lay in Heir Pei not allowing him to accompany the vanguard, leaving him with the reinforcements, which was rather bittersweet.
Nonetheless, with Qu Fulan’s comfort, Prince An gradually calmed his tumultuous emotions.
Qu Fulan advised, "Heir Pei’s arrangements are more considerate. Otherwise, it would be rash for someone like you, who has never been on a battlefield, to be directly on the front lines. This way, you can observe first and then proceed slowly."
Prince An, upon thinking, felt it made sense. He needed to observe first before formulating strategies. After all, this was his first time at the border; jumping straight to the front lines would leave him utterly clueless, wouldn’t it?
And so, they first arrived at the boundary Tuo Feng Village.
This village, surrounded by walls, was about a dozen miles from the town. It was a key village protecting the town, with geographical advantages for gathering information from all sides.
Before setting off, Qu Fulan had already disguised herself as a man, wearing old clothing that looked quite inconspicuous but suited the conditions at the border.
Prince An, a young master unfamiliar with hardships, continually dressed in lordly attire. In his view, his choice of clothing didn’t affect his capabilities; if he achieved success, dressing splendidly would look better. Otherwise, how could one meet people looking so disheveled?
Because of Prince An’s mindset, as they entered the village, they were somewhat looked down upon by the villagers.
Prince An, being oblivious, didn’t notice. But Qu Fulan did; yet she understood the locals’ mindset. Everyone was here to endure hardships, not to enjoy life. Dressing splendidly, who was it for? Without even a proper attitude, how could one accomplish great tasks?
However, as they had entered using Heir Pei’s official token, others dared not easily slight them.
The Big Housekeeper of the village was rather magnanimous; to show his welcome, he hosted a bonfire feast in the evening and used the opportunity to ask many things about Prince An.
This Big Housekeeper appeared to be around thirty, sported a mustache, and was quite a rugged fellow. Yet, the questions he asked were not rough at all; he inquired about even the tiniest details thoroughly.
In the end, Prince An’s entire ancestry up to eighteen generations back was disclosed without his noticing a thing. He thought the other was assessing his performance with a discerning eye.
Since everyone was on the same side, Qu Fulan didn’t interfere with Prince An. Out in the world, one has to rely on oneself; counting on others for guidance at every turn won’t do.
Besides, in this situation, even if she wanted to give pointers, she wouldn’t have the chance.
After questioning Prince An, it was her turn.
Though Qu Fulan had grown considerably taller, she was still far from the burly men; "he" looked slim and frail, quite unremarkable, and others usually overlooked her. Only this Big Housekeeper insisted on inquiring into their backgrounds thoroughly.
Qu Fulan said, "My name is Qu Fu, a homeless person. I learned some medicine from a doctor I followed during my childhood. Later, I was fortunate enough to be taken in by the Princely Heir, often helping with medical treatment, and in my spare time, I assist him with accounts and calculations."
Prince An, being a big man, could naturally be forthright, but since she was disguised as a man, much information needed concealment. Prince An knew this, so he wouldn’t expose her.
Everyone listened intently, but hearing this, someone couldn’t help but doubt, "You’re a doctor? It surely doesn’t seem so. Don’t be deceiving."
Upon hearing Qu Fulan being questioned, Prince An wanted to speak up in her defense, but Qu Fulan signaled him not to, and she turned her gaze onto that person.
It was a man who looked rather nonchalant and liked to stir up trouble, probably the rebellious type.
Once you subdued this kind of person, trouble would significantly lessen.
Qu Fulan, without wasting words, went straight to the point, "Dare I ask if you have recently felt heat with a preference for cold, thirst for cold drinks, flushing of the face, irritability, dense yellow phlegm or nasal discharge, spitting blood or nosebleeds, yellow and dry tongue coating?"
He was caught off guard by the inquiry and looked dazed but quickly gathered himself, feeling a bit at a loss, "What, what are you asking all this for?"
Qu Fulan responded calmly, "Observation, listening, questioning, and palpation; brother here is suffering from a heat condition unwittingly."
The man still wanted to argue, but the Big Housekeeper burst into hearty laughter, "You stop being stubborn. The other day, you were telling me about feeling discomfort here and there. Now that a skilled doctor is here, if you don’t serve well and end up offending him, see how you will treat yourself in the future."