The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

“Ahead is Lintian Prefecture, but with the world in chaos, heavy troops are stationed at Lintian Prefecture's water gate. Except for the grain-transporting canal boats, all other merchant ships are forbidden from entering. So, in a moment, our boat will stop at a ferry outside the city. When you disembark, please remember to take all your luggage.”

“If you want to enter the city, just walk two more li to the north.” The chubby boat owner said, then looked at an old man in the cabin. This man had a head full of silver hair, held a bamboo cane, and wore coarse, old clothes. He was accompanied by two young scholars.

Although aged, he was still hale and hearty.

A respectful look appeared on the boat owner's face. “Mr. Dongli, there are donkey carts at the ferry. Your legs are not convenient, so you can take a donkey cart to the capital.”

The old man, called Mr. Dongli, nodded upon hearing this and politely thanked the chubby boat owner.

After the passenger ship docked at the ferry, the passengers disembarked one by one.

The last person was a young girl with a dragon-bud hairstyle, whom the chubby boat owner stopped.

The girl stood in place, somewhat uneasy, and said, “I've already paid the boat fare. Do you still need more money? But… but I'm fleeing from my hometown… I really don't have any extra money. Could you let me owe it first? When I get into the city, find relatives, and borrow some, I'll repay you.”

Her voice was soft and gentle, like a frightened little rabbit, making the chubby boat owner feel compassionate. He quickly said, “It's not about the boat fare. I want to remind you, miss, that you should be careful after you go ashore.”

The girl blinked her watery eyes, seemingly not understanding the chubby boat owner's words.

The latter sighed. What a pure and lovely little girl, how could she have encountered this chaotic world?

Moreover, she had a face that could topple kingdoms, which might not be a good thing for her future fate.

The chubby boat owner looked around again, seemingly afraid that the Shi brothers would suddenly turn back, and lowered his voice even more. “They say they are farmers, but I, Lao Bai, have traveled north and south for more than ten years and have seen all kinds of guests.

“I can tell at a glance that these two have practiced with knives. The calluses on their hands don't look like they came from doing farm work… They might even have blood on their hands. Alas, if it weren't for Escort Fang guaranteeing them, and the fact that business is bad now, I definitely wouldn't have let them on my boat.

“Hmph, that Fang fellow isn't a good person either. As an escort, he must have connections in both the black and white worlds. So, you must be extra careful yourself.”

The girl looked completely frightened by the chubby boat owner's words, and her tone was trembling. “But… but I'm just a weak woman, how can I be careful?”

“Follow Mr. Dongli,” the chubby boat owner helped her to the end, pointing out a clear path for the girl. “Although Mr. Dongli doesn't hold an official position, he is a clear stream in the scholarly world and is quite famous in Liuzhou. This time, he is going to the capital at the invitation of a disciple to treat a seriously ill patient.

“Practicing medicine? But didn't you say he is a clear stream in the scholarly world?”

“Yes, the patient he is going to treat is Chen Chao. He plans to ask the Emperor to implement reforms to solve the crisis in the world. In addition, he brought two disciples with him this time. If you follow him, the Shi brothers should be somewhat restrained.”

“Thank you, Boss Bai, for your help today. This little girl will never forget your kindness.”

As she spoke, the girl was about to bow down, but the chubby boat owner was quick-witted and immediately helped her up.

When his hands touched the girl's arms, he could clearly feel her body tremble, and he also smelled a strange fragrance, which stirred up a strange feeling in the chubby boat owner's heart.

He almost couldn't help but pull the girl into his arms.

Fortunately, at the last moment, he remembered his wife and children and woke up, reluctantly letting go.

Afterward, he stood on the bow of the boat, watching the girl catch up with Mr. Dongli and his disciples, who had just chosen a donkey cart, and followed behind them, disappearing on the official road.

Only when they had gone far away did the chubby boat owner reluctantly withdraw his gaze.

… … … …

On the other side, Mr. Dongli and his party also noticed the girl silently following behind them.

The old man didn't care. He was now full of ambition, thinking about the matter of treating the illness after entering the capital.

When he was young, he was full of talent, but he was implicated by his relatives and could not enter politics, so he could only live in seclusion in the mountains, with no place to display his talents.

It wasn't until he was almost forty years old that he was invited by an old friend to teach at the academy.

However, teaching and imparting knowledge was still not what he really wanted to do.

After teaching for more than twenty years, he thought that his ambitions would not be realized in this life. He didn't expect that the Chen Dynasty, which originally looked peaceful, would suddenly undergo great changes and become almost breathless overnight.

So, his chance came.

Thinking of this, Mr. Dongli's heart also warmed up.

If he could enter the palace to meet the Emperor through his student's connections, offer strategies to save the country, and turn the tide, then wouldn't he be…

The old man was thinking when he saw two figures not far ahead, one tall and one short, standing in the middle of the road, looking at them with smiles.

No, more precisely, they were looking at the little girl behind their master and disciples.

Having been on the same boat for so long, how could Mr. Dongli not know what these two brothers were up to? He immediately snorted coldly, “In broad daylight, and at the foot of the Emperor, you two…”

However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the short, fat Shi Da, “Hey, old man, we are from the Yun Prince's mansion. Don't meddle in other people's business, otherwise your student in the Ministry of Personnel won't be able to save you.”

As he spoke, he also showed his waist tag.

Hearing this, Mr. Dongli's two students showed indignant expressions. They didn't expect that on the first day of coming to the capital, before they even entered the city gate, they would see the lackeys of the powerful robbing a civilian girl.

“It seems you haven't heard of my teacher's reputation. Who in the scholarly world doesn't know that Mr. Dongli is upright and unyielding, a rare gentleman in the world.”

The Shi brothers just chuckled upon hearing this.

Before the two disciples could say anything, they heard Mr. Dongli on the donkey cart speak first. His words were simple, only one word.

“Go.”