The vast majority of people from the Qin and Hou families went out early the next morning to gather news and check the posted announcements at the yamen.
Qin Junyao did not leave her room. The previous night, after memorizing the contents of the second bamboo slip, she had been dizzy for half the night. This morning, she felt groggy and unenergetic, so she didn't join the others.
The soldiers sent to the Northwest Great Camp returned in the morning with news: the physicians from Qu Bing Tang would not be released. Zhao Liangcai, carrying a large hammer and riding Xiao Fei, personally intervened.
The inn, which had been bustling with the Qin and Hou families, was suddenly almost empty.
"Dang, dang, dang."
"Please come in," Qin Junyao covered the calligraphy she had written on the table with a blank sheet of paper, waiting for the person to open the door.
"Is Miss Qin in?"
Qin Junyao, expecting the innkeeper's assistant, was surprised to see Qian Duo.
She casually crossed her right leg over her left, sat up straight, and replied without rising, "Yes."
Qian Duo, who had been waiting at the door for Qin Junyao to open it herself, showed a flicker of displeasure. She truly lacked manners.
Her expression instantly changed to a smile as she pushed the door open and entered. Her eyes swept around the room, and her smile widened. "My aunt and cousin also went out. The innkeeper said Miss Qin wasn't out either. I was afraid you'd be bored, so I came specifically to talk."
Qin Junyao gestured for Qian Duo to sit and poured her a cup of plain water. "Miss Qian is very thoughtful."
Qian Duo glanced at Qin Junyao's crossed legs and picked up the teacup. "Oh? Why is there no tea here, Miss Qin?"
"My cousin is truly careless. He only remembered to arrange tea for us. When he returns, I will definitely have my aunt speak to him. After all, we traveled together from Anshun Prefecture City; we cannot be negligent towards you."
Qin Junyao offered a professional smile. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Qian. We poor folk are not accustomed to drinking green tea."
"Green tea does have a slightly bitter taste, but it has a lingering sweetness. You'll get used to it. Miss Qin, is this your calligraphy?"
Qian Duo quickly reached out and drew out a sheet of paper with ink marks from under the blank sheet on Qin Junyao's table.
When she sat down, she had already noticed the ink and brush on the table and the dark marks showing through the paper.
Could a farmer's daughter write?
Qin Junyao's professional smile vanished. She uncrossed her legs and crossed them the other way, her eyes fixed sharply on the uninvited Qian Duo.
"What is Miss Qin writing? Is it a painting? The ink, brush, and paper will cost extra from the innkeeper, you..." Qian Duo looked up at Qin Junyao and was startled by her gaze, automatically falling silent.
"What are you here for?" The moment Qian Duo reached for the paper, Qin Junyao no longer wanted her in the room.
Qian Duo forced a smile, her fingers creasing a corner of the paper. "I just wanted to ask if Miss Qin is engaged. You've also seen how many excellent soldiers my cousin has."
"Did your cousin send you to ask?"
"Uh... my cousin mentioned it briefly when he left this morning. Miss Qin, I just remembered I have something to do. I'll leave now." Qian Duo placed the paper on the table and stood up to leave.
Qin Junyao rose to see her off, but it was to close the door.
Back in her room, Qian Duo fell into thought. Although she couldn't recognize the characters Qin Junyao had written, the strokes were even better than hers. How was that possible?
Also, when Zhao Rui was mentioned, she would blush, yet Qin Junyao could calmly question her. It was too strange.
Indeed, it was strange. Zhao Liangcai had personally gone to the Northwest Great Camp to negotiate and almost failed to bring out the physicians from Qu Bing Tang.
Finally, after "negotiations," the physicians could be brought to the Salt Guard but not sent back. An order had been issued that the number of physicians serving in Qu Bing Tang was fixed.
Zhao Liangcai found this peculiar. If it was an order from above, why was he allowed to bring them back to the Salt Guard? It felt like they didn't want Qu Bing Tang to have any physicians.
This was indeed the case. If not for Qin Junyao's transmigration, Zhao Liangcai would have paid the entrance fee to enter Anshun Prefecture City and would not have interacted with Doctor Sheng. Su Dan Novel Network.
Doctor Sheng was delayed on his journey. By the time he returned to the Northwest City, Qu Bing Tang had already been sold, his wife had been dead for many days, and his eldest daughter-in-law, heavily pregnant, was on the verge of death.
All the family's money was spent on smoothing things over, and they still couldn't get the person out of the Northwest Great Camp. Doctor Sheng had no choice but to take his grandson and granddaughter to his second son. They encountered bandits on the road, and the three of them lost their lives to the sword.
Qin Junyao's unexpected transmigration changed more than just the Qin family's fate.
When Doctor Sheng learned that the person had been transferred by Zhao Liangcai from the Northwest Great Camp to the Salt Guard, he was immensely grateful.
The Northwest Great Camp was a place no one wanted to go; it was a place where people lost their lives.
Doctor Sheng was grateful that, although the person couldn't return home, at least they could live, especially since three of the four taken were sons of other families.
After seeing his old patients, Qu Bing Tang temporarily closed. Doctor Sheng would discuss future matters with his son before making a decision.
Zhao Liangcai returned to the inn after dealing with Doctor Sheng's affairs and was confronted by Qin Junyao at the entrance.
"General Zhao, besides your main profession of leading troops, do you also have a side profession as a matchmaker?"
"What do you mean by that, Miss Qin?" Zhao Liangcai was filled with questions.
Qin Junyao crossed her arms. "I may not understand the rules here, but I am aware that to find out if someone is engaged, one should inquire with their elders at home, not ask me directly."
"It is very impolite."
"Miss Qin?"
Qin Junyao raised her hand. "Please let me finish. I understand that General Zhao cares about his subordinates, but I believe it is best not to act unilaterally in such matters. It is best for people to make their own decisions about important life events. What do you think, General Zhao?"
Zhao Liangcai understood Qin Junyao's words but didn't understand why she was saying them to him. Who had said something to Qin Junyao during his half-day absence?
"Miss Qin, you are right, but I have never acted as a matchmaker for my subordinates. If I had the ability, I wouldn't be unmarried now."
"Didn't you entrust... this morning?" Qin Junyao realized halfway through; Qian Duo had lied to her.
On the journey to Northwest City, Zhao Liangcai had ignored Qian Duo. How could he have discussed such matters with her?
She had been so engrossed in studying the characters on the spatial bamboo slips that her mind had become muddled.
"I apologize, General Zhao. I take back what I said. I misunderstood. I'm sorry." Qin Junyao bowed and turned to leave.
Zhao Liangcai, having finally found an opportunity to speak with Qin Junyao, couldn't let it pass. "Miss Qin, I have something to ask you?"
Qin Junyao's expression was serious. "Please ask."
"Miss Qin, you don't need to apologize. I am the one who should have apologized long ago."
"If General Zhao is referring to the incident in the woods earlier, there's no need to bring it up again. General Zhao was kind at the time, and I will keep it in mind."
Zhao Liangcai remembered how he had injured Qin Junyao in the woods and quickly waved his hand. "No need to keep it in mind, please don't keep it in mind."
Seeing Qin Junyao's confused look, he suddenly changed his tune. "No, I mean, there's no need to remember the process. Oh dear," Zhao Liangcai realized for the first time how clumsy his words were.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Liangcai asked his question. "Forget it. I wanted to ask, Miss Qin, do you have any dissatisfaction with me?"
Qin Junyao shook her head. "No dissatisfaction. I also want to thank General Zhao for your help along the way."
"Then why do you always avoid me?" After asking, Zhao Liangcai felt a little nervous.
This question stumped Qin Junyao. The main reasons were not wanting to see that bearded face paired with his voice, secondly not wanting to be seen as an imaginary enemy by Qian Duo, and thirdly the two incidents in the woods.
But how could she explain this?
Qian Duo... that's it.
"I quite like Miss Qian and don't want her to misunderstand."
Zhao Liangcai felt as if the sky had fallen. Qin Junyao liked Qian Duo?