Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

After Qi Xiao got up, Zong Sheng couldn't fall asleep anymore and kept waiting in the room. When he saw Qi Xiao coming back with something in his hand, he couldn't help but ask, "Master, what is this?"

"Sugar pills, they say they can cure seasickness, do you want some?"

Zong Sheng shook his head. He didn't get seasick, but Qi Xiao was the only one on the boat who got seasick. It was obvious that these things were prepared for Qi Xiao. A brocade pouch and a bag of seasickness pills—it was obvious who gave them to him. Zong Sheng frowned, "Master, do you want a poison test?"

As he spoke, Qi Xiao had already taken one and put it in his mouth, and Zong Sheng was too late to stop him.

"No need. If I die, you'll know it's poisonous."

"Master...did I trust them too much?"

The sugar pill is not too sweet. It has the sweetness of honey and some floral fragrance. When you hold it in your mouth, it blends with the mellow flavor of Willow Leaf Green, giving it a unique taste. Qi Xiao quite likes it.

"Don't worry. My death won't do them any good. On the contrary, it will flatter me. Maybe I can protect him better and save him a few more times." Qi Xiao smiled. "In another seven or eight days, we will reach Qihuai. Yuanjing is not far away..."

The wind carried the boat northward, and by the time they reached Qihuai, autumn had already begun. As he set foot on solid ground again, Qi Xiao suddenly felt a sense of reincarnation. Looking up, he seemed to see the magnificent palace, the tightly closed vermilion lacquered gate behind him slowly opening, and he saw the corridor that once seemed endless...

Qi Xiao was stunned for a moment, and the noisy voices around him pulled him back to reality. The carriage was ready, and Tang Ling was escorted up by the heavily surrounded Tiger Power Army.

Zong Sheng brought the horse to Qi Xiao: "Master."

Qi Xiao jumped up and jumped onto his horse, immediately returning to his uninhibited and carefree self: "Let's go."

Inside the carriage, Tang Ling gently lowered the curtains. The figure outside the window had already ridden to the front of the team.

"Sir, it only takes three days to get from Qihuai to Yuanjing. We will enter the capital of Chen in three days."

"Afraid?"

Qinglan thought about it and shook his head gently. He didn't know, he just felt uneasy in his heart. He was a little stupid, but he also understood that Yuanjing was a den of dragons and tigers. Tang Ling had suffered a lot of grievances before arriving in Yuanjing and almost lost her life. It would probably be even more difficult after arriving in Yuanjing. They had no one to rely on. Even with Ye Huai and Xingluo Wei's secret support, they were outnumbered after all. He, Qinglan, was not afraid in front of the two armies, because he was surrounded by the generals of the Great Zhou. But in Chen State, they were isolated and helpless, like a sheep in the mouth of a tiger. It would be a lie to say that he was not afraid.

What can he do if he is afraid? He was the one who wanted to follow here in the first place. No matter what, wherever Tang Ling is, he Qinglan will be there. Even if he has to die, he must keep Tang Ling safe and sound!

Qinglan wasn't a child born into the Xun'an Marquisate; Tang Ling had found him on the street, specifically, outside a pharmacy. That day, Tang Ling was picking up medicine from the pharmacy when she encountered Qinglan kneeling outside, begging for medicine. Upon inquiry, she learned that Qinglan's mother had been seriously ill for some time, suffering from overwork. The pharmacy had given Qinglan half a month's supply of medicine on credit, a truly generous gesture.

The owner of the pharmacy was a good man. He felt sorry for Qinglan and couldn't bear to drive him away, so he could only comfort him with kind words. His mother's illness was terminal and she was afraid that only gods could save her, and the owner could do nothing to help.

Tang Ling sat in the carriage, watching Qing Lan kneel at the entrance to the pharmacy, his forehead pounding against the bluestone. She asked the servant to give him some silver, enough to buy another month's supply of herbal medicine. Tang Ling's mother had been a difficult birth, and she died within two days of raising him. His father had been away in the army year-round, leaving Tang Ling like an orphan, raised in the Xun An Marquis's mansion. He had been ill since birth, and he felt a constant loneliness.

He was still young then, always thinking that if possible, he would rather not have been born, as long as his mother could live. He didn't know what he could do for the woman he had never met but to whom he owed his life. If possible, he wished he were Qinglan, at least he had given his all.

A month later, Tang Ling passed by the pharmacy again. Qinglan was there again, sitting on the steps. He leaped to his feet upon seeing Tang Ling's carriage approach. It turned out that Qinglan's mother hadn't been saved, having passed away within a few days. Qinglan was a posthumous child; his father had joined the army long ago and never returned. He was now the only one left in the family. With nowhere else to go, he considered selling himself to Tang Ling, working like a slave to repay her kindness.

There was no shortage of servants in Xun'an Marquis' Mansion, and Qinglan knew that he would be marrying up if he could enter the mansion. It was shameless of him to run over and bump into Tang Ling's carriage, but he just wanted to thank Tang Ling in person and kowtow to her.

Tang Ling hesitated for a while, and agreed to Qinglan's request to bring him back to the Marquis' Mansion, but not to be a servant or a follower. Instead, he came to the pharmacy every day to work as a medicine boy for the shopkeeper.

Qinglan knew nothing and was not very smart, but he devoted all his attention to studying medicine. He learned faster than his senior brother who had entered the pharmacy a few years earlier. Within a few years, the owner dared to let him come out to see patients, and gradually he earned the reputation of a little miracle doctor.

Everything Qinglan has was given by Tang Ling, so he lives for Tang Ling, only for Tang Ling.

"Sir, no matter what, Qinglan will definitely protect you."

Tang Ling turned around and smiled gently at Qinglan: "I know." In the past two years, Qinglan would say this every time he accompanied Tang Ling to the battlefield. That's why Tang Ling still has such fair and tender skin after so many years in the military camp. It is all thanks to Qinglan's careful care, although most of the time Tang Ling disliked his nagging.

The wheels rolled and the carriage was bumpy. Tang Ling was lying sideways in the carriage with her eyes closed, looking relaxed. Qinglan, on the other hand, stole glances at Tang Ling from time to time, his heart filled with anxiety and uneasiness. He couldn't help but lift the curtains and look out. There were soldiers from the Tiger Power Army walking beside the carriage. They looked up at Qinglan, and Qinglan retracted his head.

"What's wrong?" Tang Ling opened her eyes and asked Qinglan.

"Sir, we've already arrived in Qihuai, right under the feet of the Emperor of Chen. Why are they still chaining you? Do they really want you to enter Yuanjing in shackles? This is too much! How could the Marquis bear to let you suffer such an injustice!"

After being asked by Qing Lan, Tang Ling looked down at the Dust Fate in her hand and smiled helplessly: "I'm actually used to it. Don't worry, they will come and untie it for me soon."

"Soon? How soon?"

Tang Ling smiled and said, "Tonight."

"Ah?" Qinglan was completely confused.

"It will indeed take three days to get from Qihuai to Yuanjing, but we will enter the territory of Wudu Prefecture tomorrow. Yuanjing is located in the center, also known as Zhongdu. The jurisdiction of Wudu Prefecture is different from other prefectures. It is directly governed by the Lord of Dachen and the Cabinet. There are troops stationed there all year round. It is truly a key area of ​​the capital. Tomorrow we will enter the heart of Dachen. The envoys of the Ministry of Rites will come to welcome us. Su Qin will not dare to lock me up again."

Qinglan should have felt relieved and happy after listening to Tang Ling's words, but for some reason, he could not find any lightness in Tang Ling's tone, instead it became heavier.

Tang Ling thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Qinglan, when we get to the post station, write down the recipe and method for making the sugar pills for me."

"Sir, what do you want that recipe for? Aren't you going to give it to that kid?"

Tang Ling glanced at Qinglan.

Qing Lan shut up, swallowing the words she hadn't finished. What on earth was so important about Qi Xiao that the young master cared so much about him? While Qi Xiao had done them a favor, he was truly annoying. Qing Lan didn't want to bother with him. If there was a chance to repay the favor, Qing Lan would risk her life to do so. But what were some sugar pills and a prescription? If Tang Lingruo went, she'd inevitably have to endure his wrath again. Why?!

"Sir, I can't even order you around anymore?"

"……I wrote……"