Dingbei Hou's doctor brother

Chapter 209 Planning

The underground passage was bright. Yan Mengjiang turned into a room where countless candles were burning on a high platform on one side.

There was a long table in the middle, on which were some unlit incense sticks and a blue cloth bag.

There were several wine jugs scattered around the small couch in the corner, and chicken bones were scattered all over the low table. Taoist Qiu was lying on the couch with his eyes closed, talking in his sleep.

Yan Qian glanced at the mess in the room and muttered softly, "This guy lies here every day and seems to be living a very comfortable life."

Yan Mengjiang stood with his hands behind his back without saying a word. Yan Qian went over and patted Taoist Qiu to wake him up. Taoist Qiu's face flushed, and he opened his eyes dazedly. When he saw the person coming, he staggered to his feet.

"Why did the two lords come here in person?"

"Come and see Taoist Priest Qiu." Yan Qian said jokingly, "The Taoist Priest is living a comfortable life."

Taoist Priest Qiu wiped his face and smiled crookedly, "Mr. Yan, you're right. It's really nice to have wine and meat every day. I don't even want to leave now."

"Master Qiu wants to live a peaceful life, but I'm afraid the time is not right yet." Yan Mengjiang glanced at him. "The city is full of people trying to capture you, and the military force hasn't been reduced for a single day. Does Master Qiu want to never see the light of day again?"

Taoist Priest Qiu leaned back against the wall with his eyes half closed, propped up one leg, and looked lazy.

"I, Qiu Zhenlin, am not someone who can't see the light of day. If they want to capture me, they have to have the ability to do so."

Yan Qian and Yan Mengjiang exchanged a glance, their lips curled up. "But Taoist Qiu has also seen our current situation. If Taoist Qiu wants to leave this place in an upright manner, he must first deal with the people above him."

"That's not that difficult." Qiu Zhenlin burped and stood up unsteadily. "As long as we can refine a magical weapon, those soldiers won't be a problem. We just have to wait."

Yan Mengjiang's eyes moved, "What magical weapon? How long do I have to wait?"

Qiu Zhenlin grabbed the kettle on the table and took two sips of water. "We need to find a child who drowned on a yin month, yin day, and yin hour to refine it. It will take forty-nine days."

"So long?" Yan Qian asked, "Is there a faster way?"

"You want it fast?" Qiu Zhenlin snorted and laughed. "Young Master Yan, you don't understand. This isn't a business transaction where you can just pay money. Refining a magical tool takes time, even longer. It might take several years to complete."

Yan Qian glanced at Yan Mengjiang, then turned to look at Qiu Zhenlin.

"Actually, the main issue isn't the soldiers above, but the people leading them. Taoist Priest, you might not know that someone has already cracked your magic and cured the people."

Hearing this, Qiu Zhenlin sobered up for a moment and asked, "Who is it?"

"He's the man who cured Fang Zhaobo." Yan Mengjiang interrupted, "Why has the military strength suddenly increased recently? He has already proven in the court that Taoist Qiu is a demon."

Qiu Zhenlin narrowed his eyes slightly. "It's him again. Who on earth is this person?"

"He is an imperial physician from the Imperial Medical Bureau." Yan Mengjiang glanced at the incense and candles on the table.

"However, Taoist priest, please do not underestimate this imperial physician. His medical skills are not weak. Last time, he used a secret acupuncture method called the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles to cure Fang Zhaobo. As for what other skills he may have, we do not know."

"Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles?" Qiu Zhenlin put his hands behind his back, stroking his beard, thinking, "That man actually knows this acupuncture technique? No wonder, I thought I had met a fellow practitioner."

He smiled easily and looked at Yan Mengjiang and his son.

"A mere imperial physician is nothing to be afraid of. Lord Yan actually wants to kill him, so there's no need for any powerful magical weapon. However, Lord Yan still needs to find a child who died on an unlucky day of a shady month and hour, and find a way to get his birth date. If he doesn't have it, that's fine. Then find a willow trunk from the mountains. Remember, it has to be in the mountains, not in the city. Although the effect will be less without refining, it's enough for him."

After Qiu Zhenlin finished speaking, he thought about it again.

"Also, just in case, Lord Yan can also find a way to get this person's personal belongings in case of emergency."

Ever since Lu Ziqing moved out of the Marquis' Mansion, Xiao Yan no longer had any hope of returning home after finishing his mission.

The Dingbei Marquis Mansion is a bit far away from the Chongbeifang house, only a straight-line distance away on the main street, but it only takes a cup of tea to ride a horse there.

When he reached the street corner on his way home tonight, he still did not stop and headed straight to the front of the street.

There was a lantern lit in front of Lu's house. Xiao Yan went down and was about to knock on the door, but the door opened first. Xiao Liu greeted the person first when he saw him.

"Master is here. I didn't see you before and thought you weren't coming tonight."

Xiao Yan went in. "Sir, have you rested? How was your dinner? Did you go to the yamen today?"

Xiao Liu closed the door and followed him. "I didn't go to the government office today. Just like a while ago, I went to the homes of the people in the city all day and came back. I had some millet porridge and some side dishes for dinner. I didn't eat much. It seems that I was tired."

Xiao Yan walked slowly down the corridor and headed to the backyard. "You know the young master's personality. He doesn't like to trouble others and doesn't like to talk about anything. He's been so exhausted lately, I'm afraid his body won't be able to handle it. Please be more careful."

"Master, don't worry." Xiao Liu followed beside him and said, "Xiao Wu and I will definitely take good care of you."

Seeing that Xiao Yan didn't respond, he said at the right moment, "Master, it's late now. Why don't you stay here tonight? The beds in the side yard are ready. I'll go get some water for you to bathe."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan paused slightly and replied without turning back, "Go ahead."

Xiaoliu left with a smile in his eyes after receiving the instructions. Xiaowu sat at the table in the room, leaning his head against the book and staring at it with a silly smile. When he heard the door being pushed open, he turned around to take a look, then turned back to look at the book.

"Is the master here?"

Xiao Liu said "hmm" and patted him gently, "Don't look at it anymore. Go get clothes for the master. I'll go get some water. The master wants to stay overnight tonight."

"Ah? Staying overnight?" Xiao Wu's interest shifted. "Master, do you want to stay?"

Xiao Liu poured some water and said, "No, the master comes every night and has to wait until the young master blows out the lights and goes to bed before he returns. It's so troublesome running back and forth. The master wants to stay, but he doesn't want the young master to know that he comes every night, lest the young master feel uncomfortable."

"Is it so complicated?" Xiao Wu thought to himself.

"However, if I hadn't seen the master holding the young master that night, I would never have believed that he would actually do that to the young master. Looking at the master's appearance, he doesn't look like someone who would like a man. I can't understand it."

Xiao Liu chuckled, "What's there to be confused about? While homosexuality isn't exactly prevalent in our dynasty, it does exist. Besides, compared to the wealthy and powerful officials in the capital, the young master's character and talent make him a truly unworldly figure. Most importantly, he never treats us servants differently, never putting on airs."

Xiao Wu smiled when he heard this, "You are right. Compared to the seriousness of the master, I prefer the young master. He treats people gently. I don't feel restrained in front of him."

"Okay, go get the clothes quickly and don't keep the master waiting too long." Xiaoliu said.

Shortly after the hour of dawn, Xiao Liu had just invited everyone to take a bath when he saw Lu Ziqing opening the door and coming out.

"What are you going to do, sir?"

"It's nothing." Lu Ziqing said, "I've been sitting in the house for too long. I'm a little hungry now. I'll make something to eat."

Xiao Liu quickly followed, "Sir, I'll make whatever you want to eat. You don't have to go in person."

Lu Ziqing smiled gently, "You and Xiaowu are very tired to take care of such a big house every day. Go and rest early. Just make some noodles. I can do it myself."

He went to the outer courtyard on his own. Xiaoliu felt guilty and moved, and couldn't stop him even if he stepped forward. At the same time, he was thinking about the master's instructions. If the master saw him asking the young master to do these things personally, he would inevitably be held responsible for dereliction of duty.

"We are here to serve you, my Lord. You don't have to be so polite to us. It makes things difficult for us."

"Servants are also human beings. They will get sick if they are overworked." Lu Ziqing said as he walked.

"Besides, my status is no higher than yours. I came to the capital only because of my medical skills and wore the official robes. In fact, I am just an ordinary person. When I was among the common people, I was a refugee who was looked down upon by others. I did all kinds of dirty and tiring work."

Xiao Liu was touched for a moment, "Young Master is the first person who doesn't treat us as servants and always considers us."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ziqing looked at Xiaoliu from the side, smiled but did not respond, and suddenly saw Xiaowu coming out of the bathroom on the side, with the light in the inner room still on.