Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 99: Hospital Shelter
The man shrank back and took out a medicine bottle and said, "General, I am an apprentice at Rusheng Medical Clinic. My master, Doctor Qiu Mingxin, asked me to wait here. As soon as the marriage party arrives, I will come and ask for the doctor who made this medicine."

Ling Chuan said impatiently: "Get out of the way, get out of the way! Why are you so anxious about this? We just entered the city and won't even let me take a break!"

The apprentice pleaded with embarrassment, "This... this matter is extremely urgent. Please, sir, please be flexible and let the doctor come with me."

Ling Chuan lifted him away like a chick and warned, "If you dare to stop the Third Prince and His Royal Highness the Princess, I think you're going to die! I don't care about your urgent business. Just hand in your visiting card tomorrow!"

Seeing that there was no one to turn to, the apprentice at the clinic was on the verge of tears. He knelt down and shouted, "No, I can't find anyone. Master will faint from anger!" Then he stretched his neck and shouted to the group, "Doctor, who is the doctor? Please come with me! Princess... Your Highness, did you bring that doctor with you? Please help me ask for mercy!"

This apprentice was quite persistent, calling for a doctor and begging the princess, causing unrest in the county magistrate's mansion.

Fu Feng was very surprised to hear that someone was looking for him. He did not stand up and admit that he was a doctor. He just peeked in the crowd, trying to figure out what this person was going to do.

Zhou Wencong frowned and asked suspiciously, "He's just asking about the medicine for his injuries, why is he in such a hurry?"

Shen Tu Zhuo also noticed something was amiss. It seemed the apprentice had something to hide, something he didn't dare to speak publicly. So he stopped Ling Chuan, who was about to continue driving him away, and asked, "What's the urgent matter?"

The apprentice looked at Lingchuan, then at the Third Prince, then back at him, and finally said, "Master said that we should either invite that doctor over directly, or ask Princess Mo He what to do."

Ling Chuan rebuked, "You still want to talk to Her Royal Highness? Are you a deranged scoundrel?" Or perhaps someone sent here to test the Princess's abilities? In short, we must not let our guard down!

The apprentice knelt there and refused to move despite being beaten and scolded.

Tan Huaike recognized him; he was indeed an employee at Rusheng Clinic. It was this man who had helped apply the splint when treating Uncle Zhali's leg. Seeing that he was determined to take Fufeng away, Tan Huaike couldn't just sit back and watch. She put on her princess airs and spoke in a loud, Mo He-like voice, "That's the court physician I brought with me. His name is Fufeng. If you'd like to exchange medical expertise, I can have him visit your master tomorrow..."

Before he could finish his words, the apprentice came forward on his knees and said, "I'm afraid it will be too late tomorrow..." He wanted to report in a low voice, but he ran into Shen Tu Zhuo who was standing in front of the princess, and he stopped talking for a moment.

Tan Huaike said, "They are all trustworthy people. You can tell the truth without worry."

With the princess's approval, the apprentice finally covered his mouth and said in a very soft voice, "Your envoy has been seriously injured and has been secretly taken in by our clinic. Now his life hangs by a thread, and Master is helpless. That's why I must summon that skilled healer and personally report this to Her Highness, lest he bring any more disaster upon himself."

Tan Huaike was surprised: "My... my brother is here..." She exchanged a glance with Shentu Zhuo, calmed down and said, "I understand. I'll have Doctor Fufeng accompany you to the clinic first, and we'll make our own arrangements after that."

After receiving her reply, the apprentice finally felt relieved.

Fu Feng came over confused: "What's the matter? Do you want a prescription for the wound?"

Tan Huaike didn't want to make it public, so he said ambiguously, "In that case, you can follow this apprentice to Rusheng Medical Clinic."

The two of them left in a hurry, and the rest of the people filed into the county magistrate's mansion.

Zhou Wencong had been far away and hadn't heard what they were saying. After the motley crew had settled down and only a few people were left sitting in the hall, he looked for an opportunity to ask, "What did the apprentice from the clinic say?"

By now, Tan Huaike had also come up with a plan. He said to them, "We've found Prince Mohe. He's at the Rusheng Clinic. However, he's seriously injured, and Doctor Qiu is barely keeping him alive, so we urgently asked Doctor Fufeng to come and help." County Magistrate Chi suddenly realized, "We searched the entire city and couldn't find him. It turns out he's at the Rusheng Clinic!"

Shentu Zhuo: "They must be afraid of alerting the assassins, so they dare not let the news out even though the clinic took the person in. Otherwise, he might have been killed before we could get him back."

"The clinic has obviously learned of the eldest prince's identity, which is why they sent people here to intercept him and specifically ask the princess for a physician skilled in healing." Tan Huaike analyzed, "So the eldest prince must have regained consciousness and explained what to do. In any case, we should go see him, check on his injuries, and then inform him of the current situation."

"You just showed up today and it's too conspicuous. It's better to act with caution." Zhou Wencong said.

"Yes, you are now Princess Mohe, so how can you easily show up in public?" Chi Jun Shou also advised, "I will send the palace soldiers to guard the clinic."

"The Third Prince and the Princess are at the County Magistrate's Mansion. The palace guards must remain here. I'll lead the team to guard the clinic." Ling Chuan said, "I was wondering what that apprentice was hesitating about. It turns out he doesn't trust us."

The matter was settled like this, and Tan Huaike did not insist any further.

Everyone finished the second welcoming banquet. At the table, Magistrate Chi couldn't help but sigh, "I can't tell, I really can't tell at all, that Madam Shentu looks just like Princess Mohe herself."

Zhou Wencong drank a few more glasses of fruit wine, and looked at Tan Huaike with a dazed look: "Yes, this marriage... I can finally give an explanation to my father, mother, and the Eastern Palace."

Sitting at the banquet again, she had changed from a merchant girl to Princess Mohe. Tan Huaike's mood was even more complicated, and she didn't know what she would face in the future.

Xu Guanbai patted her hand to comfort her: "Don't worry, I will accompany you all the way to Andu."
-
In the middle of the night, Tan Huaike changed his clothes, put on a black gauze hat, and appeared outside his room through the window.

Then he met Shentu Zhuo who was standing against the wall with his arms folded.

Tan Huaike: “…”

Shentu Zhuo: "Why are you here so late?"

Tan Huaike hesitated and said, "How did you know I would come out?"

Shen Tu Zhuo sneered, "Looking at your expression at that time, I knew you had something on your mind. What's the matter? Are you worried about your cheap brother?"

"I'm definitely worried," Tan Huaike admitted frankly. "Last time, he suggested I pretend to be the princess, but I flatly refused. Now he's suddenly changed his mind. I have to explain things clearly to him to avoid any confusion later. He's also seriously injured, and I don't know how serious his injuries are. The follow-up of the marriage depends on his cooperation. If he can't be saved, it will be even more difficult for us. We can't have someone else impersonate both the royal brother and sister."

"Alright, no matter what, you're just worried about him," Shen Tu Zhuo said sarcastically, "So I'm going to go with you to take a look, so you don't have to think about him and worry about him all the time and lose sleep."

The two men quietly climbed over the wall and left the house, and came to Rusheng Medical Clinic. Just as they were about to use the same trick again, an arrow pierced Shentu Zhuo's body.

Ling Chuan asked, "Do you two think I'm blind?"
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　Next chapter: Alan, I'm sorry...

　　(End of this chapter)