Dark clouds covered the sky, and it seemed as if it would fall any second.
After walking out of the cabin, the second prince suddenly looked up and looked towards the river bank.
I don't know when the wind and waves on the Yinchuan Grand Canal became stronger.
The coarse cloth and short robes worn by the trackers were completely soaked by the river water.
The steps also became heavy and difficult.
Normally the trackers do not wear shirts, but it is not because they do not know the cold.
This is because when the coarse cloth gets wet and rubs against the shoulders, it can easily scratch the skin and cause infection and inflammation.
At the same time, wet clothes can more easily take away body temperature, causing colds and fevers.
But today they were pulling a royal ship, so of course they couldn't go shirtless as they did in the past.
Wen Qingci's suggestion is not wrong.
If they don't prepare early, they will definitely get sick.
There were thousands of trackers on this trip. If anything went wrong, it would not only delay the journey but also affect the emperor's reputation.
Xie Guanzhi couldn't help but frown.
Seeing the Second Prince suddenly standing here and not leaving, the Third Prince's gaze also fell towards the shore.
After what happened a while ago, he finally grew some brains and realized that he should talk about "serious matters" in front of the other person.
After a pause, the Third Prince finally managed to utter, "Brother, you said they are walking so slowly, can we arrive on time?"
Second Prince: “…”
If he wasn't on the southern tour, he really wanted to kick the people around him off the boat.
Xie Guanzhi's injury was in his shoulder and arm, which did not affect his walking speed.
The young man walked forward quickly, and in just two or three steps he got rid of the third prince. He boarded the small boat connected to the pleasure boat and headed to the front.
"Find someone to buy some medicine to prevent colds or warm the body, and distribute them to the boatmen," Xie Guanzhi ordered as soon as he got on the boat, "hurry up."
"Yes!" The people around him responded quickly.
He took two steps and suddenly stopped and asked, "Excuse me, Your Highness, this prescription..."
"There's no need to ask the Imperial Medical Bureau for this simple prescription. Just handle it yourself."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Logically speaking, it would be most convenient to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau or ask Wen Qingci directly for a prescription, but Xie Guanzhi, who had just acted too strong, would certainly not do that.
Xie Guanzhi's men moved very quickly.
However, in just one morning, they had purchased all the medicine that Xie Guanzhi had requested from several nearby towns and distributed it to the trackers.
Although the painted boat is large, it is in no way comparable to the Taishu Palace.
During the southern tour, these people who used to only see each other a few times a month in the palace gathered together almost every day.
The dinners that were originally shared by each palace were also combined together.
Unlike the last dinner, Xie Guanzhi was also present today.
In addition to the royal family, the emperor even invited several important ministers who were on the boat to dine together.
The ministers were all flattered to be able to attend the emperor's "family dinner".
Not only did he follow the rules to the extreme, but he also only said nice things.
"… This year, the weather has been good and the crops along the way have grown taller than in previous years!" The ministers who came to the family banquet were all smiling, "This is a blessing for our dynasty and the world!"
After that, another person beside him added: "The smooth journey this time is also thanks to the wise decision of the Second Prince. I heard that the Second Prince had gathered the boatmen a few days ago. So as soon as we reached the dangerous river, they immediately took over and brought the boat out without wasting half a day."
Xie Guanzhi was already used to such compliments.
He did not respond, and even frowned slightly because of the other party's exaggerated tone.
The emperor's hand holding the wine paused.
His movements were so subtle that no one present noticed.
Some concubines also accompanied him on this southern tour.
Among them naturally included Xie Guanzhi's mother, Concubine Hui.
Hearing this, a look of pride appeared on her face.
Although she was punished a while ago, the power to temporarily control the harem fell back into the hands of Concubine Lan.
But so what
When the second prince inherits the throne, I will be the one who enjoys glory in the end.
When passing through Xin'an Prefecture on the southern tour, the emperor sent freshly ripe cherries.
Concubine Hui gently plucked the fruit stem and put it into the emperor's mouth: "Guan Zhi has always been careful and attentive. This is unlike me, but more like Your Majesty."
As she spoke, Concubine Hui glanced at the person next to her in a half-coquettish manner.
Tianzi smiled and nodded in agreement with her words.
Everyone in the court knew that the emperor's favorite was the second prince Xie Guanzhi.
Seeing that he was in a good mood, the two ministers looked at each other and continued talking.
"… Speaking of the trackers, I just heard today that Your Highness, considering the cold water in the canal, specially ordered people to buy medicine to keep out the cold and distributed them to the trackers one by one."
At the end, he did not forget to add: "This is indeed the style of your Majesty in the past!"
Concubine Hui quickly followed up and said, "This is all what your majesty has taught you through words and deeds over the years."
The minister has said this, and the emperor must make some response.
He slowly put down the wine glass in his hand, smiled at the third prince with a gratified look on his face, and said, "Guan Zhi's mind has indeed matured a lot. As a prince, you must be sympathetic to the people."
Seeing this, Xie Guanzhi immediately stood up and saluted, saying that this was what he should do.
"There is no such thing as 'should or shouldn't', only whether you want it or not," the emperor shook his head slowly and said earnestly, "You have done a great job in this matter, and you really deserve a reward."
"Eunuch Xian, please take some of the cherries sent by Xin'an Mansion to His Majesty the Second Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The old eunuch responded with a smile.
Although the cherries from Xin'an Prefecture are good, they are nothing special to the nobles in Taishu Palace.
The emperor's move focused on "reward" rather than what the reward was.
The smile on Concubine Hui's face deepened.
The ministers immediately responded.
There was a joyful scene at the banquet.
"Haven't you said enough? The reputation is all his, what does it have to do with me?"
"Disturbing the peace!"
Xie Bufeng, who was sitting at the end of the long banquet, slowly raised his eyes and looked forward.
He discovered that the emperor not only privately cared about the fact that Xie Guanzhi overshadowed him in this matter, but he was even very opposed to people comparing the Second Prince to him when he was young.
Even when the minister mentioned that Xie Guanzhi had the same charm as he had in his past, he felt murderous for a moment.
The emperor was more wary of the young and promising prince than Xie Bufeng had imagined.
After rewarding Xie Guanzhi against his will, the emperor took out the Fuxuanhua Pills, poured out two pills and put them in his mouth.
Finally, as if remembering something, he turned around and said to the eunuch Xian, "There is also Doctor Wen, who has made great contributions in making medicine. Send him some fruit as well."
Wen Qingci, who was invited to attend as a Hanlin, hurriedly bowed and expressed his gratitude.
When Wen Qingci reminded the Second Prince before, the other party acted as if he was already prepared and there was no need to say more.
But the words of those ministers just now accidentally revealed Xie Guanzhi's true identity - those medicines were all bought by him.
When he stood up to salute, Wen Qingci caught a glimpse of Xie Guanzhi looking at him with a slightly guilty look.
After the rewards were given, the atmosphere at the banquet became lively again.
Another half an hour passed before dinner was finished.
As soon as Wen Qingci walked out of the cabin, he was stopped from behind.
"Second Prince?" Wen Qingci paused, bowed to him and asked, "What do you want to talk to me about?"
To facilitate movement, Xie Guanzhi wore a narrow-sleeved round-neck shirt today.
The moment Wen Qingci spoke, he clenched his hands lightly together, and paused for a few seconds before slowly loosening them.
"About the typhoid medicine..." He paused for a long time before finally saying, "It was your reminder."
Although this was not his original intention, everything that happened today seemed like he was stealing the credit from Wen Qingci.
Since Xie Guanzhi grew up, he has always been praised by others and thanked by others.
Therefore, what he said today was particularly awkward.
Wen Qingci smiled faintly at Xie Guanzhi and said, "I was just saying that. Your Highness was the one who bought the medicine."
The weather on the Yinchuan Grand Canal is colder than other places.
It was clearly early summer, but the cold air was still like a knife, gently cutting Wen Qingci's chest and lungs.
“But your majesty’s reward—” Xie Guanzhi frowned.
Another gust of cold wind blew, and Wen Qingci felt a familiar itch in his throat.
He interrupted the Second Prince and said, "Your Highness, I treat illnesses and save lives, and I never seek fame."
Wen Qingci said this for himself as well as for the original owner.
He in "Fu Ming Tang" may be a complete black lotus, but he has been a doctor all his life and has never been seeking fame and fortune.
Xie Guanzhi looked deeply at the person opposite him.
Wen Qingci said this with a smile. The lights on both sides of the Yinchuan Grand Canal and the waves in the river were all reflected in his eyes in an instant, lighting up the darkness.
If these words just now came from someone else, Xie Guanzhi would definitely disdain the hypocrisy in them.
When he said it, it was impossible to refute it.
"Sorry, I have to excuse myself."
After saying that, Wen Qingci nodded to Xie Guanzhi, then passed him by and walked towards the other end of the boat.
There was a dark shadow there, standing there since he left the house, staring quietly in that direction.
"Your Highness, let's go."
With the help of moonlight, Wen Qingci could see clearly... that black shadow was indeed Xie Bufeng.
"Okay." The young man turned around and slowly walked to the other side of the ship - that was the cabin where Wen Qingci lived. At this time, he was no longer an ordinary imperial physician, and even his residence was not far from the princes.
Before Wen Qingci left, he discovered that Xie Bufeng seemed to have always been by his side.
In the small Imperial Medical Bureau, it may not be so obvious.
But once you get on the boat, things are different.
However, the strange feeling in Wen Qingci's heart only lasted for a few seconds before disappearing.
After all, Xie Bufeng is just a seventeen-year-old boy.
He had no acquaintances on the ship, nor did he have any errands to perform like Xie Guanzhi.
Apart from following me out of habit, there seems to be nothing else I can do...
The pleasure boats are brightly lit at night and are more lively than during the day.
But such a lively atmosphere makes me feel even more lonely because of the lack of opportunities.
He was out of tune with the joy and beauty around him.
The young man walked silently with Wen Qingci to the outside of the cabin. When he was about to leave, he was suddenly stopped by Wen Qingci: "Wait, Your Highness."
He turned around, took a fruit basket from the table, and gently handed it to Xie Bufeng.
These are the cherries that the emperor just rewarded. They were delivered here by the eunuchs before the end of dinner.
Wen Qingci closed the door of his room slowly.
The young man stood there, and after a while he finally walked forward slowly.
He took out a cherry and put it gently into his mouth.
The next moment, the unfamiliar sweet and sour taste melted in his mouth.
Xie Bufeng couldn't help but slowly close his eyes.
In the dark night, Wen Qingci did not see that when he was talking to Xie Guanzhi just now, Xie Bufeng's eyes were not calm.
Impatience, disgust, and a little jealousy that he didn't even realize, all flooded into his eyes.
Until the moment Wen Qingci turned around and walked towards Xie Bufeng.
The complex emotions lingering in the boy's heart suddenly disappeared completely...
—
"What did you say? Stomachache?"
"Yes... after taking the medicine, a few trackers suddenly had abdominal pain."
Xie Guanzhi gritted his teeth and asked, "How many are there?"
"Uh... probably, about a dozen or so." The person standing outside the cabin door looked guilty.
Xie Guanzhi's heart sank.
He turned around, put on his cloak, and walked out of the cabin quickly: "Take me to see what's going on."
"Yes, yes." The other party hurriedly followed.
This southern tour was Xie Guanzhi's first formal contact with court affairs, so no matter what he did, he was very careful.
There were thousands of trackers accompanying this trip. A dozen or so people might not be very noticeable, but they still caught his attention at the first moment.
Late at night, a little light illuminates the waterway of the Yinchuan Grand Canal.
After half an hour, a small boat suddenly sailed over. Someone quickly boarded the largest pleasure boat, went straight to Wen Qingci's residence, and then knocked on his door.
"…So what your Highness is saying is that a boatman got sick after taking the medicine?"
Wen Qingci came out wearing a cloak and holding a lantern. There was a rare hint of weariness between his brows.
The man sent by the second prince paused, nodded with difficulty and said, "Yes... Although the medicine has been distributed to everyone, it will take some time to boil it. Now most of the boatmen have not had time to open the medicine package. Only a small number of people drank the medicine immediately, and those who had abdominal pain were among them."
Wen Qingci paused.
"Tell them to stop touching those drugs first."
"Yes," the person beside him responded hurriedly, "The Second Prince has also given the order."
It is early summer now, and the clothes Wen Qingci brought on this trip are a bit thin.
Although he was wearing a cloak, he still felt the chill penetrate his bones when the night wind blew.
Wen Qingci couldn't help but cough twice.
Seeing this, the people around him looked at him cautiously.
“…Where did the Second Prince get the medicine from?” Wen Qingci suddenly stopped and asked, as if he remembered something.
"Well, they were collected from the towns along the way."
"Okay, I understand..." Wen Qingci nodded gently, "Take me to the ship where the medicine is stored."
"yes."
Although he has not seen this batch of medicines yet, Wen Qingci already has an answer in his mind.
Chinese herbal medicines need to be stored in a ventilated and dry place.
If it is not stored properly, it will easily become infested with insects or mold, and vomiting and diarrhea are common after decoction.
I'm afraid that many of the medicines Xie Guanzhi collected this time are like this.
As a prince, he was surrounded by rare treasures, and after a long time he almost forgot that there were inferior products in this world.
The fleet cannot sail through dangerous shoals at night these days.
The people around the Second Prince were about to take Wen Qingci on a small boat to where the medicine was stored when they heard footsteps behind them.
Wen Qingci turned around subconsciously, and then saw... Xie Bufeng's figure appeared behind him.
Just now, the two of them were talking as they walked and accidentally woke up Xie Bufeng.
"I'll go with you."
There was no extra emotion in the boy's tone, as if he was just passing by and taking a walk with someone.
“Uh…” Seeing this, the person standing next to Wen Qingci looked at him hesitantly.
Things are not going well with the Second Prince. It would not be a good idea to let Xie Bufeng, who is also a prince, get involved at this time, right
No, it's very bad.
However, Wen Qingci's answer was different from what he expected.
"It's alright," Wen Qingci said as he turned around and quickened his pace towards the direction of the boat, "Your Highness, please come whenever you want."
“…Mr. Wen, this?” He really wanted to refuse Xie Bufeng from coming with him, but when he thought about how he still had to rely on Wen Qingci for tonight’s matter, he couldn’t bring himself to say the rest of the words.
Although the second prince's confidant kept his mouth shut, his mental activities did not stop for even a second.
"Doctor Wen has been by your majesty's side for so long and is highly appreciated by him, so he wouldn't be ignorant of the principle of 'avoiding suspicion', right? Besides, your majesty doesn't know medicine, so he wouldn't be able to help much if he went, and might even cause more trouble."
"Xie Bufeng has no power or influence, and is not liked by His Majesty. What is Wen Qingci trying to achieve by doing this?"
"Hiss... Why do I feel that Xie Bufeng and him have a particularly good relationship?"
All these words fell into the ears of the young man.
Although he was clearly looked down upon, Xie Bufeng was not angry at all.
Under the cover of night, a small curve appeared on his lips at some point.
As they were talking, several people had already walked to the side of the boat.
The pleasure boat where Wen Qingci was located was connected to the small boat by a wooden board.
Although the ships were all anchored, they were still swaying gently with the waves of the Yinchuan Grand Canal.
As soon as Wen Qingci stepped onto the board, it shook slightly.
Before Wen Qingci could react, a hand came from behind and held him firmly.
Before he knew it, Xie Bufeng was already half a head taller than Wen Qingci, with a much larger frame. The strange yet familiar aura enveloped him in an instant.
With a kind of reassuring power.
The fingertips of the right hand that was supported by Xie Bufeng trembled slightly as if struck by static electricity.
The boy's arm muscles were taut, and even though he was holding up a person, his arm did not shake at all and he looked extremely relaxed.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Wen Qingci hurriedly said this, then quickly walked across the wooden plank and stepped onto the boat.
"It's okay." The boy followed closely and stepped forward.
Perhaps because he didn't sleep well, Xie Bufeng's voice seemed a little hoarse than usual.
Maybe it was because the boat was small, but Wen Qingci felt a little dizzy when he sat in the cabin.
The small boat used for ferrying can only carry a few people, and the space in the cabin is also very cramped.
The Second Prince's confidant who brought Wen Qingci was discussing the direction with the boatman at the bow. For a moment, Wen Qingci and Xie Bufeng were the only ones left in the dark cabin.
The breathing of the two people intertwined in this narrow cabin.
After a few seconds, Wen Qingci couldn't help but turn sideways and look outside the boat.
The ship storing medicinal materials is not far away.
He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
In fact, Wen Qingci originally felt that it was not a good idea to let Xie Bufeng follow him to deal with this matter.
But before he could figure out how to reject the boy, another idea popped up in his mind...
There is a high probability that Xie Bufeng will go to the battlefield in the future.
It would be a small matter if the medicine deteriorated at this time, but if it happened during a war, it would be fatal.
The medicinal materials in the Imperial Medical Bureau are all of top quality.
If I want to teach Xie Bufeng how to distinguish, it seems that there is no other opportunity except today.
Perhaps it was because of Xie Bufeng’s presence, or perhaps it was because of the bizarre rumors about Wen Qingci.
After pointing out the direction, Xie Guanzhi's confidant still had no intention of boarding the ship.
The boat slowly drew an arc on the river and turned to the other side.
At this moment, the only sound in Wen Qingci's ears was the sound of water and the faint sound of his heartbeat.
The boat was shaking, confusing his vision and thoughts.
Wen Qingci finally realized a problem belatedly—
If Xie Bufeng usually follows me because he is bored and doesn't know what to do, then what is the meaning of him coming here so late at night
A little curiosity is infinitely magnified in the quiet night.
After struggling for a long time, Wen Qingci finally couldn't help but asked casually when the boat was about to dock: "It's so late, Your Highness, why don't you rest, but come here instead?"
The boy's light amber eyes seemed even brighter in the night.
Xie Bufeng suddenly looked towards Wen Qingci.
In the silence, the sound of breathing was infinitely amplified.
Just as the bow of the boat touched the shore, Xie Bufeng finally spoke.
His voice was so calm that Wen Qingci couldn't tell the tone: "Your identity was exposed because of me."
He spoke out the answer he had prepared long ago.
I don't know whether he was speaking to Wen Qingci or to himself.
At this moment, someone outside the cabin reminded Wen Qingci that he could get off the boat and interrupted Xie Bufeng's next sentence.
But just from this one sentence, Wen Qingci understood.
Xie Bufeng doesn't like to owe anyone anything.
In his opinion, his drug-killer physique was exposed because of him, and as a "deal" he would stay with him to ensure his own safety.
No wonder…
Wen Qingci breathed a sigh of relief silently.
The wooden planks had been propped up, and Wen Qingci stood up and held the edge of the boat and headed forward.
But what no one expected was that the next moment, the stern of the ship was hit against the edge by a wave.
The ship shook.
"Be careful."
Wen Qingci, who was already unsteady on his feet, subconsciously took half a step back.
This half step just happened to cause his back to hit the chest of the person behind him.
(End of this chapter)