Disease rights policy

Three days later, Qin Huai gave Qiao Ran a travel permit. Qiao Ran was overjoyed, and Qin Huai pretended to agree to Consort Lian's conditions, taking Baili You into the palace to recuperate.

Before leaving, Qiao Ran reminded Qin Huai, "Be careful in everything you do in the Yedu Palace. Although Consort Lian is hesitant to lay a hand on you because of your status, there's no guarantee that someone else won't use this opportunity to frame the ever-favored Consort Lian."

Qin Huai said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, I'm not one to be trifled with either."

“As long as the Crown Prince’s health remains poor, the Emperor of Jin Chu will not force him to stay and let him die in Ye Du. Moreover, with the Helian clan backing you, he will weigh the pros and cons even more,” Qiao Ran said, speaking her mind. “You can use this to negotiate with the Emperor of Jin Chu, take Baili You back, and have Ping Jing replace him with someone else. However, in this way, you will have to swallow the humiliation that Baili You suffered in Jin Chu.”

Qin Huai said, "As long as we can get back, we can settle the score later."

After the two had discussed everything, Qiao Ran changed back into men's clothing and said goodbye to them at the inn.

In Baili You's eyes, Qiao Ran had returned to her original appearance. Apart from Qin Huai, no one else knew that Qiao Ran was from Daliang. They only thought that Qiao Ran was going back to her hometown to visit her relatives.

Baili You watched Qiao Ran go, wanting to speak many times, but in the end he buried it deep in his heart. That beautiful figure was like a drop of morning dew falling on the darkest part of his heart, watering the parched roots, and slowly sprouting tender buds and blooming into flowers of hope.

Qiao Ran walked from the East China Sea. After boarding the ship, her Jade Entanglement had already passed the fifth level. Ordinary people were no match for her. She didn't know how her training speed could be so fast. It might be related to the half-full of internal energy that Wu Yang had passed on to her. She didn't need to practice very hard. As long as she opened up a key point each time, the internal energy would slowly become hers.

Along the way, she robbed the rich to help the poor and helped many people. She also took many good things with her, including a piece of Frostfire Manual.

A piece of icy substance, resembling jade but not quite, was placed in a small sachet by Qiao Ran and hung on the Great Moon Fox to dispel its heat. However, the effect was still like a drop in the ocean, and the Great Moon Fox's condition deteriorated rapidly. By the time the ship disembarked and Qiao Ran landed on the East China Sea, the Great Moon Fox's internal organs had been completely devoured, and it slowly closed its eyes in Qiao Ran's arms.

Qiao Ran was lost in thought for a moment. She sat on the shore with Yuehu in her arms. The slightly fishy sea breeze blew by, and she realized that she had lost another friend who had shared hardships with her.

The little moon fox was still whimpering in the bag. It must have sensed its mother's departure. Qiao Ran comforted it and then prepared to find a beautiful place with clear water and lush mountains to bury the moon fox.

Fang patted his bottom and got up. A boat captain strode straight over to them. He stared at Qiao Ran with great delight, as if he had found a treasure. His face, which was covered with wrinkles from years of exposure to the sea breeze, was now beaming from ear to ear.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Qiao?" The boatman nervously wiped his dirty hands on his side, waiting for Qiao Ran's answer.

Qiao Ran remained silent for a moment, unable to guess who the person was. She had no friends in Donghai, and besides, she was dressed as a man, yet the other party saw through her disguise at a glance, so she immediately became cautious.

The boatman, fearing he might startle the distinguished guests, immediately said, "Young Master Chen has been asking us to search for you for a long time. We've been looking for a new face every day. Miss Qiao, you're finally back."

Chen Jiu?

Qiao Ran's unfounded homesickness reached its peak at this moment. She followed the boatman into the city, a small town on the far side of the East China Sea. The boatman arranged accommodations for her very well, and there were two maids to serve her.

Qiao Ran settled down in the small town. She was exhausted after drifting at sea for more than half a month. After burying Yuehu peacefully, Qiao Ran took out the relic and put it in a box. She stayed there for ten days.

Ten days later, she met Zhou Mu.

"Girl." Zhou Mu almost burst into tears of joy.

Qiao Ran vaguely guessed the hardships Chen Jiu had endured in searching for her after she disappeared. Zhou Mu, as a guard of the villa, was usually very clean-cut, but this time when they met, his stubble almost covered his face, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked much more weathered from the sun and wind. Qiao Ran almost thought she had mistaken him for someone else.

After letting Zhou Mu rest for a night, Qiao Ran asked him about everyone's condition, "With the weather warming up, is your young master feeling better?"

Zhou Mu washed his face and replied politely, "Young Master is doing well. Master Qu said that the Snow Soup brought back by Yue Pavilion is extremely effective. Young Master asked me to tell you that he went out for a spring outing."

Qiao Ran smiled knowingly and then asked, "What about Commander Wu and the others? Did they return safely from the snowy region?"

Zhou Mu paused for a moment, and Qiao Ran's heart immediately jumped. These days, she tried her best not to think about the dangers in the snowfield and prayed that Wu Yang and the others could leave the snowfield safely, just like her.

"It's alright, Zhou Mu, go ahead and tell me."

Zhou Mu then slowly said, "Commander Wu was injured and has been recuperating since he returned. Besides the young lady, there are two other people from Tuoyue Pavilion who have not been able to return."

Qiao Ran quickly stood up and stopped Zhou Mu from continuing. She wanted to hear the truth, but now that the truth was right in front of her, she was afraid that these words would get into her ears and she didn't want to hear them anymore.

She couldn't bear to part with anyone at Tuoyue Pavilion. They all treated her like a younger sister, pampering her, buying her the most beautiful fluorite, vying to clean her room, and buying new items to display her.

Before they could even get to know each other properly, came the devastating news of their separation, and Qiao Ran's heart ached.

Zhou Mu got up and left, leaving Qiao Ran alone in the room for another day.

The next day, Zhou Mu received a letter from Shu and brought it to her. Qiao Ran carefully opened it; it was from Chen Jiu.

You're back safely.

With just four words, extremely brief, Qiao Ran slowly closed the letter again, and couldn't help but think of the meaning behind Qin Huai's words, "Do you like him?" Do you like him?

Qiao Ran touched her chest and felt that she was not good at liking others. She was close to Chen Jiu only because he was a good person and willing to be good to her.

If one were to say there were any other feelings involved, it wouldn't be accurate to say so. She and Chen Jiu were from different worlds, and she always kept that piece of "Spring and Autumn Annals" in her heart.

After Qiao Ran figured it out, she and Zhou Mu set off back to Shu in the afternoon. On the way, Zhou Mu told her about the changes in Shu. Cang Zhengqing was imprisoned, and Wuting Hall was deserted. Most of the treasures in the hall were looted by the disciples. The once-famous Shu Jianghu was now desolate and withered due to the strict investigation and crackdown by the imperial court. As for her reputation as "Ghost Hand", it gradually returned to calm after the excitement. People in the Jianghu could not find her whereabouts, so they no longer wasted their efforts.

The Imperial City Guard and the Censorate investigated the major case in Sichuan within the stipulated time. He Zhengyuan and Wang Zhi returned to the palace to receive their rewards. The Emperor also learned that Chen Jiu had previously worked in the Imperial City Guard. He Zhengyuan did not hide his merits at all and singled out Chen Jiu's merits to say a good word. Therefore, the palace also sent a reward to the villa.

Qiao Ran asked, "What did His Majesty bestow upon you?"

Zhou Mu said, "Young Master is a member of the Special Affairs Department of the Imperial City Bureau. Helping to investigate cases is part of his job. Therefore, the reward is some brocade and jewelry. In addition, we sent you a lot of medicinal herbs."

Qiao Ran: "The medicinal herbs in the palace must be of good quality. Your Majesty is very kind."

"That's what the young master said too."

After returning to Sichuan, Qiao Ran went to the villa. Xie Laoshi was waiting at the door and hurriedly came up to greet her, "Miss, did you have a safe journey?"

"All is well." Qiao Ran was a guest of the villa, yet not quite. Gradually, Chen Jiu grew closer to her, and the others in the villa began to speculate. Upon seeing Qiao Ran's return, they all stepped forward to greet her.

Qiao Ran smiled and went back into the house, saying to Mu Xiang, "Take a bath and change your clothes."