Zhao Pingzhi nodded and hurried to the door of the west wing, raising his hand to knock.
“Miss, it’s Old Zhao. There’s a letter from Master—an urgent one.”
“Come in.”
Li Yuer’s voice came from within.
Zhao Pingzhi pushed the door open and entered.
What happened after that, Xu Ping’an wasn’t sure.
But he had no intention of getting involved.
He was planning to go out and find a bit of peace and quiet.
Yet, before Xu Ping’an could leave the room, Li Yuer’s voice suddenly came from the west wing.
“Is the gentleman in the main hall?”
Xu Ping’an responded.
“I am.”
“Xiao Jing’er, please invite the gentleman in.”
As she spoke, Xiao Jing’er was already at the doorway. She stepped aside, making way at the entrance, and gave a graceful bow.
“Sir, my Miss requests your presence.”
Xu Ping’an frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still stepped into the west wing.
As the saying goes: “If it’s fortune, it’s not misfortune; if it’s misfortune, you can’t escape it.”
Since he had already taken on Li Yuer as a patient, he would see it through to the end.
This was his professional ethic, and ever since he gained the system, it was a line he had drawn for himself.
As soon as he entered, he saw Zhao Pingzhi standing there silently.
And Li Yuer, sitting on one side of the Rohan Couch, one hand resting on her knee, the other holding a letter, reading it intently.
“Please, take a seat.”
Li Yuer set down the letter, pressing it onto the Small Table, and pointed to the empty seat across from her.
This Rohan Couch looked like an elongated sofa, but since it was a couch, naturally, one could nap on it as well.
Usually, when not needed, a Small Table would be placed in the middle of the couch, with the empty spaces on either side for sitting and resting.
If someone wanted to lie down, the table could be removed, a blanket spread out, and one could nap for a while.
Xu Ping’an nodded and sat down across from Li Yuer.
The sickly beauty’s face was calm, showing no visible change.
She gently raised her hand, picked up the teapot, poured Xu Ping’an a cup of tea, and filled one for herself as well.
“Sir, please have some tea.”
Seeing Li Yuer so composed, Xu Ping’an was in no hurry either. He quietly picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and nodded.
“Excellent tea. I suppose this must be Tribute Tea from Southern Prefecture?”
“Sir has fine taste. Indeed, it is Tribute Tea—produced from a five-hundred-year-old mother tree by Dongming Lake. The yearly yield is extremely limited. Some is sent up as tribute to His Majesty, and even the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence can only keep a small portion each year.”
Dongming Lake was considered the largest lake in Southern Prefecture, located in Jinling Prefecture.
“Mmm, it’s truly remarkable. I must thank Miss Yuer for this blessing. Otherwise, how would someone as ordinary as me ever get to taste such Tribute Tea?”
Xu Ping’an replied with a gentle smile. Li Yuer pursed her lips and let out a soft laugh.
“Sir, you jest. With your skills, as long as you wish it, the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence could provide you as much Tribute Tea as you desire.”
“There’s no need for that. A taste now and then is enough. For daily life, I still prefer ordinary tea leaves.”
Hearing this, Li Yuer’s willow brows furrowed slightly, but she quickly smoothed them out, her face returning to a gentle smile as she looked at Xu Ping’an.
“Sir, you’ve been in Liuye County for eight years now, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“What I’ve heard is that you were once the only son of a wealthy household. After your parents passed, perhaps out of fear of life and death, you gave away your family fortune. At just ten years old, you took an old servant and spent eight years traveling across the Seven Prefectures of Qi, all to seek the Immortal Dao?”
“Yes.”
“Sir, having lived in these wild and remote parts for so long, do you ever miss the bustle of the city?”
“Never.”
“Don’t you find the scenery here a bit monotonous? Why not go out for a walk? Perhaps it might lift your spirits.”
“I’m used to living deep in the mountains and forests. I’m no longer suited to encountering new things…”
Xu Ping’an smiled faintly, meeting Li Yuer’s gaze.
“Miss Yuer, you’ve probed me several times now, just to see if I would leave this fenced courtyard. It seems… something has happened at the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence, hasn’t it?”
“Sir, you truly are a man of broad experience. Just a few words and you’ve guessed the truth…”
Li Yuer offered a word of praise.
“But you did get one thing wrong. It’s not something that happened in Southern Prefecture, but rather… something has happened in Great Qi.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just the day before yesterday, while His Majesty was holding court, he suddenly coughed up blood and fell unconscious. It’s been over two days now, and the Imperial Court is in chaos. His Majesty’s confidant sent a secret letter to my father, asking him to go to Chao Ge and help stabilize the situation.”
Xu Ping’an put down his teacup, preparing to leave.
“I’ll pretend I never heard about this today. I know nothing of any secret letter, nor anything about the Princess of the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence. Since Miss Yuer has important matters, please go.”
“Sir, please wait!”
Xu Ping’an had just taken two steps when Li Yuer suddenly stood up, bent her knees, and knelt behind him.
“I beg you, for the sake of the millions of lives in Great Qi, so the common people won’t suffer War Calamity, please descend the mountain and treat His Majesty.”
So the truth is finally out.
After all that roundabout talk, this was Li Yuer’s true purpose.
“I know nothing of the common people, nor do I care about millions of lives. I only wish to look after myself. Miss Yuer, you should understand my intentions.”
Xu Ping’an slowly turned his head. The familiarity in his eyes was gone, replaced by a subtle distance.
“I do understand, but since I know of your skills, I can’t just watch the common people suffer the pain of war. Sir, you’ve traveled all over the prefectures and seen much. You must know that if chaos breaks out in Great Qi, and the feudal lords raise their armies, the people will face disaster.”
In ancient times, war was truly a catastrophe.
Because armies, whether fighting external enemies or internal strife, always brought great losses.
Since ancient times, there have been the Six Great Calamities: Flood, drought, fire, plague, war, and insects.
That War Calamity is considered on par with the other five. One can imagine what kind of suffering it brings to the people.
And once war breaks out, both famine and plague could soon follow.
War would create Refugees, as many people would flee to escape. The farmlands would be abandoned.
Abandoned fields easily led to Famine Calamity, and the migration of thousands of people made Plague Calamity more likely.
It was inevitable.
“Miss Yuer, have you ever heard an old saying?”
“Sir?”
“The great tides of the world: long united, must divide; long divided, must unite… Great Qi has stood for a thousand years, a rarity through the ages. Before this, have you seen any Unified Dynasty that could last a thousand years?”
“Sir… what do you mean by that?”
Li Yuer’s eyes widened, as if a thunderclap had exploded in her mind, leaving her utterly blank.
“These many years, resentment among the people has been building. The Feudal Lords System has led to different situations in every prefecture. Great Qi was always destined to reach this point—only barely holding on thanks to the Immortal Dao.”
Lowering his head slightly, Xu Ping’an met Li Yuer’s eyes.
“This realm… is due for chaos. As for who will restore order, that has nothing to do with me.”
“Sir?!”
All three of them were stunned.
After all, such words, spoken anywhere, would be considered treasonous.
He helped the dazed Li Yuer to her feet, then glanced at Xiao Jing’er.
She quickly came forward to support her Miss.
Seeing this, Xu Ping’an finally let go.
“Miss Yuer, you are my patient. If you remain here in the courtyard, I guarantee your safety. In a year’s time, when you’re cured, you may leave at any time.”
“But if you wish to go, I won’t stop you. Only, you must be certain. Your illness cannot be delayed. You have only one month left. Any longer, and I will be powerless.”
With that, Xu Ping’an turned and left the three stunned figures behind, heading straight to the east wing.
He didn’t want to hear any more.
Entering the east wing, he went into the left-side room, shut the door, and refused all visitors.
He was a soft-hearted man, unable to bear others’ pleas.
So, having said all he needed to say, he simply closed his doors to the world.
This way, Li Yuer would likely give up on asking him to descend the mountain.
Yet, inside his room, when Xu Ping’an tried to calm his mind by practicing calligraphy, he found that, though he lifted the brush—
His heart could not be stilled.