Liu Qi clasped his fists and said, "Thank you Madam for your kindness. I have long heard that Guotai's pineapple cake is a specialty of Jiangdong. After tasting it before, I have been thinking about it all the time. I didn't expect to be able to eat it again so soon. It is really a blessing for me."
Wu Guotai nodded and smiled, "Since Bowei likes it, I will make some more for you when I recover from my illness. I have everything you need."
Sun Quan said enviously, "When I was in the mansion, I rarely got to taste my mother's cooking!"
Liu Qi laughed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Queen Mother. I am going to have a feast today."
"Bo Wei is my son-in-law, just treat it as a home-cooked meal!" Wu Guotai nodded with satisfaction and looked at Zhao Yun and Chen Dao standing behind Liu Qi: "Today is a family dinner, the two generals don't have to be so reserved, you can rest in the corridor, I have ordered people to prepare wine and food."
Zhao Yun clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother. It's not that I don't know how to advance or retreat, but I dare not leave my lord's side because of my duty."
Liu Qi turned around and persuaded the two to retreat. Chen Dao clasped his fists and retreated, but Zhao Yun insisted on not retreating. After experiencing the incident with Liu Bei, he never wanted any accidents to happen again and almost always stayed by Zhao Yun's side.
The Queen Mother took a deep look at Zhao Yun and chuckled, "It's rare that General Zhao is so loyal. Zilong is now the son-in-law of Mr. Qiao and the brother-in-law of Zhou Lang. You don't have to stand by. Take a seat!"
This simple sentence not only resolved the embarrassment of both parties, but also saved his own face. He let Zhao Yun sit behind Liu Qi and specially ordered someone to send a box of pastries.
Everyone was toasting each other. Sun Quan was injured and couldn't drink, so Wu Guotai advised the two of them to eat more cakes and pastries. Seeing that Liu Qi was eating with gusto, Zhao Yun also finished all the cakes and was very happy.
After the banquet, Liu Qi was sent to a villa that had been prepared long ago, while Sun Shangxiang stayed in the mansion to accompany the Queen Mother. A few days later it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and they agreed to host a banquet at Ganlu Temple.
The villa prepared for Liu Qi was located in the east city, on the bank of the Qinhuai River. It was a three-story attic. From the roof, one could see the bright lights on the river, boats coming and going, and faintly hear the sounds of stringed instruments. It already had the charm of the Jiangnan region.
Chen Dao and his guards lived on the first floor, Zhao Yun lived on the second floor, Liu Qi and Shi A and his personal guards lived on the third floor. Zhao Yun was about to discuss tomorrow's itinerary with Liu Qi, but when he saw Liu Qi's wink, he took his leave.
This is the residence arranged by Sun Quan. We dare not be too careless when we first arrive. We must be on guard against eavesdropping. Everyone has a tacit understanding and does not say much. They all rest.
The next morning, Liu Qi brought Hua Tuo to the mansion to pay his respects and to treat Wu Guotai and Sun Quan. Wu Guotai's condition was no longer serious, but Sun Quan's poisonous wound had penetrated deep into his bone marrow, and he needed to have his bones scraped to treat the poison.
Sun Quan frowned and said, "Cutting flesh and scraping bones is no small feat. How confident are you, sir?"
Wu Guotai smiled and said, "Zhongquan, don't you know that Mr. Hua scraped Guan Yu's bones to cure his poison? Now Guan Yu has recovered and is still fighting in the battlefield. Although my son is not as brave as Guan Yu, he is not inferior in courage. Don't worry."
Sun Quan knew about this, of course. He coughed and asked, "I heard that you have Ma Fei San, which can relieve pain. I wonder how effective it is?"
Hua Tuo stroked his beard and said, "This medicine is used to relieve pain when treating external injuries. Now that it is mixed with the alcohol purified by General Liu, the medicinal properties are several times stronger. It is just right for the Marquis of Wu to use."
Sun Quan was secretly delighted and was about to nod when he heard Wu Guotai say, "I heard that Guan Yu scraped his bones to treat poison and cut his flesh to remove rot, yet he was able to play chess and drink wine without changing his expression. He is truly a hero of the time! My son is also a hero of the time, so why should he be afraid of a little pain?"
Sun Quan's face changed drastically, and he looked at Wu Guotai in surprise, but saw that she was smiling calmly. Liu Qi, Zhao Yun and others were standing beside him, so he had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Sun Shangxiang smiled and said, "Mother is right. Although my second brother values literature over martial arts, he is also capable of shooting tigers. He has the spirit of a Confucian general. What's the big deal about a minor injury? I don't think he needs Ma Fei San. He just needs to concentrate on reading."
Sun Quan felt a wave of fear in his heart, and ordered people to prepare for Hua Tuo's treatment. He also sent someone to get "The Art of War" and went to bathe and change clothes, waiting for treatment.
As soon as he arrived at the back hall, he saw Wu Guotai following him, and he couldn't help but complain: "Guan Yu is a warrior who kills enemies in battle. I am a noble prince, why should I compete with him?"
Wu Guotai smiled and said, "Don't worry, my son. Hua Tuo has a medicine called Ma Fei San that can relieve pain. I also have something similar, and I guarantee it will be more effective than Ma Fei San."
Sun Quan's worry turned into joy. He finally understood Wu Guotai's painstaking efforts and bowed, saying, "It's rare that a mother would take so much pains for her child."
Wu Guotai sighed, "The battle in Huainan was very detrimental to my son's reputation. People often say that you are not as brave as your father and brother. Today is a good opportunity to show your prowess and let everyone know that Zhongmou is as brave as Guan Yu. Who in Jiangdong dares not respect you?"
Sun Quan naturally understood Queen Mother's intentions, which was also his biggest concern at the moment. He felt in his heart that although Queen Mother was not his biological mother, she cared about him more than the Lady Dowager, and he must repay her generously.
The mother and son made their own preparations. Liu Qi left Hua Tuo to treat Zhao Yun's injuries and took him to stroll around Jianye City. Since Sun Quan moved the capital, Jianye City had gradually prospered, but it was still far from the scenery of the Jiangnan region in later generations.
Walking on the street, Zhao Yun said, "Since Da Qiao remarried and Zhou Gongjin went on the northern expedition, Sun Quan has gradually distanced himself from Qiao Gong. He must have some grudges. Could it be that Wu Guotai has become suspicious?"
Liu Qi shook his head and said, "Sun Quan is a generous person on the outside but jealous on the inside. He is just not happy about Mr. Qiao's involvement in Da Qiao's remarriage. If they really had doubts, why would they let Zhou Yu lead the troops north alone?"
Among the guests welcomed this time, Liu Qi did not see Qiao Xuan, so he guessed that the last incident with Da Qiao made Sun Quan unhappy. Now Qiao Xuan's status was no longer as good as before, so he took the initiative to return to Lujiang to retire.
Zhao Yun frowned slightly and said worriedly, "If there was something strange about the pineapple cake yesterday, then my lord..."
Liu Qi turned his head and glanced at Zhao Yun: "Didn't Zilong eat the cakes in front of you? Aren't you worried about yourself?"
Zhao Yun shook his head and said, "Since my lord dares to eat, how can I refuse?"
Liu Qi sighed inwardly, saying that whether he was loyal or foolishly loyal, this was probably the reason why he could be recorded in history and respected by people.
A real man's loyalty comes first. It was because of this loyalty that Zhao Yun was recognized by Guan and Zhang. Although they did not become sworn brothers, Zhao Yun was very close to the three of them and became "Zhao Si".
Liu Qi secretly lamented that people in later generations have changed from the old days. He whispered, "These unorthodox methods are not worthy of being accepted by the upper class. Mr. Hua and his team have found a way to detoxify."
"So that's it!" Zhao Yun suddenly realized, and asked again: "My lord, you are willing to go deep into the dangerous place this time, but this place is not like Xiangyang, and Sun Quan has sent people to secretly monitor us. I wonder where to start the investigation?"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "Going to Jiangdong this time is like being in a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. We must not act rashly. Only with a thunderbolt strike can we turn the tables. His mother and son want to detain me in Jiangdong, so they must make some moves. I must first remain unchanged in the face of all changes and see what tricks they have, and then use their tricks against them."
Zhao Yun wondered, "If we don't move, how can we find clues?"
Liu Qi smiled faintly and said, "There are still some unsolved mysteries at present. When Hua Tuo returns from his treatment, we will see some clues."