You wouldn’t understand the troubles of dragon veins
The general’s mansion’s backyard pond was not large, housing a dozen or so finger-thick red-scaled small fish.
Hearing noises from afar, they quickly sank to the bottom.
The overgrown branches of the trees beside the pond obscured the path from the rockery, forcing anyone passing by to slightly lower their head. The pebble-paved path along the edge of the rockery was covered with moss, and there were visible patches of mud and dead flowers and bushes.
“The general mentioned that this pond takes up too much space, initially planning to fill it in for a martial arts training ground.”
“…”
The personal guard didn’t know what Meng Qi and Mo Li were thinking, and as he walked, he said, “And this rockery, blocking light and wind, makes the courtyard dark. The direct path, which could be straightforward, instead winds around the rockery, which is too troublesome.”
“Is it permissible to alter a mansion bestowed by the emperor?” Meng Qi seemed to ask casually but was actually observing the guard’s reaction.
“Of course not!”
The guard muttered.
The old soldiers who stayed in the general’s mansion had long complained about how difficult it was to care for the pond and plants. Wouldn’t it be easier to just sprinkle water and sweep the ground of a martial arts training ground every day? Raising fish and lotuses, and they aren’t even allowed to die, is simply making life difficult.
These veterans from the battlefield, at most, would only care for horses. What do they know about fish?
“However, even if it were allowed, filling the pond and releveling the ground would cost a significant amount of money. This is Taijing, where craftsmen are exceedingly expensive, demanding a fortune just to open their mouths, not to mention their food expenses. The general’s salary is already not high, and he still needs to support his injured brothers. Where would the extra money come from?”
The personal guard devotedly lamented the general’s poverty.
—The meal just now consisted only of steamed buns and cabbage.
Such poor excuses could not deceive Meng Qi. He was about to say something when he suddenly felt someone tug at his clothes.
“…”
Mo Li, as if nothing had happened, used his internal energy to remotely manipulate objects without leaving any trace.
Give the sheep a way out!
The military provisions sent by the court were often shortchanged, and Liu Dan could hardly sustain his subordinates on his salary alone. The campaign against bandits in Pingzhou was a tough job, but it was not without its perks. The amount of wealth in the bandit’s stronghold was entirely up to General Liu, and he could even extort the Jinyiwei in his spare time.
Knowing this was one thing, but pointing it out openly was another. Mo Li was almost unable to watch any longer.
“The Second Prince and the Sixth Prince are staying in the eastern wing rooms, which are on the other side of the rockery, closer to the courtyard wall…” It would be very convenient to leave; one could simply climb over the wall after stepping out of the room.
The personal guard swallowed the second half of his sentence, trying to remain calm, and pointing to a house in front, asked, “What does the Imperial Teacher think of this room?”
Rooms that had not been occupied for a long time were all similar. Although they had been cleaned, to someone skilled in martial arts with keen senses, dust and the arrangement of objects were still noticeable.
Meng Qi subconsciously frowned but said nothing.
The personal guard sighed in relief, turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something and added awkwardly, “The mansion doesn’t have enough bedding, and we’re currently guarded by the imperial guards, so it’s impossible to go out and buy some. If it’s really needed, I’ll look for some more…”
“No need.”
Mo Li’s words granted the personal guard a great relief, and he did not linger, quickly leaving the courtyard.
Meng Qi walked half a circle around the pond, growing more disappointed.
The water in the pond was too shallow, barely reaching the chest at its deepest point, and that was not all; the water was also not clean. Perhaps because of a heavy rain not long ago, soil from near the rockery had washed into the pond, making the water muddy.
The crevices in the rockery were also clogged, and some had even sprouted weeds.
“What are you looking at?” Mo Li asked, puzzled.
Since this mansion was not empty, Mo Li would definitely not reveal his true form.
“Ah, a place to stay for free, just gone like that.” Meng Qi felt very melancholy.
Doctor Mo decided to let Meng Qi wander in the yard while he went back to his room.
There was a candle on the table, which Mo Li didn’t light. After all, day and night made no difference to him.
He pushed the window open and gently brushed over the room’s decorations with his inner energy, clearing the air with the bright moon and fresh breeze. When Meng Qi entered, he saw the doctor sitting by the window, organizing the box of silver needles he had bought during the day.
The box wouldn’t fit in his luggage, so Mo Li thought about finding another backpack and then dividing his belongings into two parts, giving one to Meng Qi.
Thinking this, he couldn’t help but start sorting.
The silver needles for himself, the herbs for himself, and a set of clothes for changing…
As Mo Li sorted, he suddenly realized, apart from the golden armor and clothes belonging to Meng Qi, there wasn’t much he could give his companion. Then, a hand reached over and took the scroll of cloud and mountain landscape painting.
Mo Li instinctively held on and looked up at Meng Qi.
Meng Qi said earnestly, “My portrait, naturally, I should keep it.”
“…”
You say it’s a portrait, would the painter agree?
Mo Li didn’t let go, and Meng Qi, with a twirl of his eyes, simply sat down at the table, solemnly speaking, “Doctor loves the beauty of Shangyun Mountains, I understand, but… now that I am right in front of the doctor, why does the doctor still need to look at the painting?”
Mo Li was at a loss for words, almost thinking he had heard wrong.
His ears began to heat up, intending to refute someone, yet he couldn’t speak.
—A gentleman can be deceived with propriety.
Meng Qi took the painting with a sense of achievement, stacking it with four fan faces and a booklet he had hidden in his embrace.
Initially, Mo Li, who remained expressionless at the sight of the Spring Palace painting, suddenly felt embarrassed, gathering his sleeves, feeling unsure where to put his hands.
No, it’s just a painting…
Mo Li didn’t understand why he cared so much, as if since arriving in Taijing, he had been a bit abnormal. Could this be an adverse reaction of dragon veins entering another dragon vein’s territory? Like taking medicine, some people have strong reactions to certain herbs, cannot take them, or even feel dizzy, have a rapid heartbeat, or breathing difficulties just by smelling them.
Hmm, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely.
Mo Li felt his internal energy was also disobedient, meant to calm the qi of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, it instead stirred up an irritable feeling, like something was missing.
He had felt this way many years ago, when Mo Li first transformed into human form, unable to speak or understand others. Despite his curiosity about the world beyond the pond, he felt a strange reverence for humans and even animals and birds.
Because of unfamiliarity, so he was extremely cautious.
It was his teacher who took him into the villages, into this world, filling the missing piece.
—Why am I a person, where do I come from, how should I stand in this world.
Following the spiritual energy, Mo Li found his “birth” place, and thinking he was a daemon, followed Qin Lu to study and learn medicine, though he didn’t aspire to save the world, he understood what it means to be “human.”
Humans inherently have a self-interested side, but the teacher in Mo Li’s eyes, and the way of the gentleman Qin Lu spoke of, were Mo Li’s ideals, and he indeed became such a person.
Apart from loneliness, Mo Li had everything.
Even loneliness was for the future… while his teacher was alive, this feeling wasn’t intense.
But the day would come.
Even ancient sages living in seclusion in the mountains had a few good friends to keep company!
Mo Li steadied himself and seriously asked, “Brother Meng, the world is so vast, could it be that we are the only two transformed dragon veins?”
“I’ve been to the northern border and the southwestern mountains, visited Jiangnan, only missing the Western Regions and overseas islands.”
Meng Qi, upon hearing Mo Li mention other dragon veins, showed some reluctance, but ultimately responded seriously, “I’ve also looked through the classics, searching for many stories related to dragons, speculating whether they might be dragon veins, then one by one checking them… only to be disappointed. Some didn’t even have the semblance of dragon veins, others were like Silang Mountain, where the dragon vein had been destroyed and then slowly gathered spiritual energy again, with no telling when it might transform.”
Mo Li’s spirits lifted, and he quickly asked, “Where is this mountain? What does the embryonic form of a dragon vein look like?”
“Feihe Mountain, in the heartland of Jiangnan. The mountain isn’t very high, surrounded by seven lakes of various sizes and countless rivers, with many birds by the waterside, especially white cranes, hence the name Feihe Mountain.”
With Meng Qi’s description, Mo Li had an impression.
Qin Lu traveled the world, often describing mountains and rivers vividly when teaching his disciple.
Though not famous or celebrated in timeless poetry, mentioning the seven lakes within Jingzhou and the countless birds, Mo Li immediately recognized the place.
“Is it Yanyang County?”
“Correct, the people there mainly live by fishing and sericulture. Every day, they open their doors to a view of lake light and mountain colors, with villages located by the lake or on islands. Instead of riding horses or carriages, people get around by boat.”
As Meng Qi spoke, he suddenly felt this was a place Mo Li would definitely like.
His expression changed slightly, realizing that compared to Feihe Mountain, Shangyun Mountain had no advantage at all!
Mo Li, enchanted, asked uncontrollably, “Then, what about the dragon vein of Feihe Mountain, is it also a fish?”
“No.”
Meng Qi inexplicably sighed in relief, feeling extremely fortunate at the same time.
“It’s not a sand mouse either… Anyway, it’s different from us.” Meng Qi, holding the scroll, turned to go to the bedroom.
Mo Li quickly stopped him, not dumb, knowing Meng Qi was upset about something.
“Sorry, Brother Meng, I was just curious.” Mo Li looked at Meng Qi sincerely.
After all, they knew each other first, and Meng Qi fit perfectly into Mo Li’s idea of a “companion”. They could talk without any barriers, rarely disagreed, and sometimes their ideas clicked.
“Even if the original form of Feihe Mountain’s dragon vein was a fish, it wouldn’t be as important to me as Brother Meng.”
“…Say that again.”
Meng Qi stuffed the scroll into a corner, covered it with something, then came back and demanded solemnly, “Doctor, please say that again, without looking at that painting.”
Mo Li couldn’t help but laugh, he hadn’t been looking at the painting.
It was Meng Qi holding the painting, and naturally looking at Meng Qi also meant seeing the painting, a glance that Meng Qi caught?
“You said it’s a portrait, isn’t that also you?”
“It’s different.” Meng Qi said seriously, “I can accompany you to Zhushan County, to Feihe Mountain, take you around the world, but Shangyun Mountain can’t move.”
What if after leaving Taijing, the doctor doesn’t like me anymore?
There are famous mountains and rivers everywhere, what if the doctor becomes fickle?
No matter how abundant the spiritual energy of Taijing’s dragon vein or how majestic the mountains, they can’t grow legs and follow Mo Li! Mo Li is the dragon vein of Qimao Mountain, maybe he could stay in Taijing for ten or even twenty years, but he can’t stay here forever.
There are plenty of beautiful mountains outside! And they’re beautiful in a different way!
Mount Tai is majestic, Mount Taihua is precipitous, Mount Yi is shrouded in clouds, gathering the beauty of the world!!
Meng Qi was very nervous, yet he couldn’t say it.
“Alright, alright, no matter what famous artist’s painting of mountains, in my heart, none compares to Brother Meng.” Mo Li thought Meng Qi was still competing with the painter, not realizing Meng Qi’s worry had shifted from the painting to the actual mountains.
Meng Qi argued, “Even if it’s the work of a painting sage, capturing a landscape to be passed down through ages, it still doesn’t compare to seeing with one’s own eyes.”
“Brother Meng means… I shouldn’t appreciate paintings, but go mountain exploring? Visit Shangyun Mountain?” Mo Li was puzzled and asked tentatively.
Meng Qi walked away expressionlessly.
Mo Li: “…”
Doctor Mo guessed he must have said something wrong.
But the worries of a beautiful mountain are something ordinary mountains wouldn’t understand.
“You forgot to take the painting,” Mo Li said, looking at the scroll stuffed into the corner.
A shadow flashed, and the painting was taken away.
So quickly that Mo Li could only see an afterimage.
Mo Li fell into thought: Was the imperial teacher really angry?
Mo Li slowly organized the silver needles and herbs, then took out some paper. Without asking for a brush and ink from the servants of the general’s mansion, he used a piece of charcoal he had carved into a pen on the road and began writing a prescription.
Today, he had seen moneybag Liu… no, General Liu, and found that his injuries had mostly healed. However, several disabled servants in the general’s mansion had chronic issues from old injuries, mostly caused by exposure to cold during battles.
Mo Li planned to draft a prescription first, and then take the opportunity to diagnose them one by one, considering it as a way to offset the cost of room and board.
Come to think of it, the meal was a bit simple, but the taste of the steamed buns was good, made from white flour.
Rustling noises came from the bedroom, but Mo Li didn’t turn around.
With their martial arts skills, how could a thief sneak in? It was probably Meng Qi tidying up. Mo Li didn’t think much of it and continued to write the prescription by moonlight.
While writing, Mo Li suddenly caught a glimpse of a shadow by the table.
Looking down, the shadow swiftly darted away.
Mo Li instinctively reached out with his left hand and felt a bundle of soft, warm fur.
“…”
Silently letting go, he saw a round sand mouse squatting on the paper, looking up at him with its black eyes, seemingly saying, “I’m just taking a walk, why so nervous?”
Mo Li restrained himself from looking for a bamboo cup and decided to continue writing.
The sand mouse walked off the paper, its paws stained with the charcoal from the pen, leaving a trail of black paw prints on the paper, even smudging the writing.
Mo Li picked up the charcoal pen again, tracing over the words once more.
As for the other paw prints on the paper… well, there wasn’t much paper left in his bag, so it couldn’t be wasted.
The sand mouse really did walk around the room, overcoming any obstacle in its path.
It climbed tables and once over, casually climbed down again. Mo Li felt it crawl over his shoes twice, and on the third time, it didn’t walk on his shoes but climbed up his leg instead.
Though plump, the sand mouse was agile. Mo Li was sitting by the table, which gave the sand mouse leverage to climb.
Huffing and puffing, it climbed onto his thigh, intending to continue its stroll but was scooped up by Mo Li and placed on his shoulder.
“Don’t move, we’re going to the palace later,” Mo Li said while writing.
Realizing Meng Qi really wasn’t going to transform back, Mo Li explained, “The crown prince can’t die yet. I’ll go see him again. Last time was too hurried; this time, I need to check how he’s doing after taking the prescription I wrote. If the condition hasn’t worsened, with these silver needles and the right medicine, plus using internal energy to guide his qi, he could live at least another half month.”
The illness was incurable, but until the very end, a divine doctor could still extend a patient’s life for a few more days.
Mo Li continued speaking to the sand mouse: “At least I need to talk to the crown prince about the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince is too young; the imperial seal shouldn’t be left to him. If the crown prince gathers his brothers, asking them not to fight each other for the sake of Qi Dynasty and its people, do you think that would work, Brother Meng?”
The sand mouse raised its paw to its chin, pondering for a moment before shaking its head slightly.
“No?”
The sand mouse continued to shake its head.
“Oh, you mean it’s not a good idea.” Mo Li understood, agreeing with Meng Qi’s opinion after some thought.
What could unite these princes wasn’t the crown prince’s wishes, but their mutual hatred for Lu Zhang.
Mo Li mused, “So, it’s actually a good thing that Lu Zhang is alive?”
Whether it was the Second Prince or the Sixth Prince, they were ultimately too young, having experienced too little, not yet truly matured. Lu Zhang’s survival could make these princes clearly recognize their own shortcomings. If Lu Zhang died at this moment, their mutual disdain, along with the several factions within the Qi Dynasty, would only make matters worse.
Doctor Mo surmised that the Qi Dynasty was like a complicated prescription, difficult even to modify. Changing the ruler was desired but finding a suitable replacement was impossible. The quality of the ministers was lacking, and better ones were nowhere to be found.
Mo Li set down the charcoal pen, folded the prescription, and placed it under the candlestick.
“Brother Meng?”
The chubby mouse slid down Mo Li’s collar into his embrace.
—Refusing to transform back into human form.
Mo Li caught the sand mouse through his clothes to stop it from burrowing further.
Well, a sand mouse was better than a chubby baby, after all.
Clouds slowly covered the moonlight, and when the silver glow shone through the clouds again, the room was empty, and the neatly packed luggage on the table was gone too.
***
The Eastern Palace.
Outside the palace walls, the imperial guards had not decreased but increased in number.
However, compared to before, they were much easier to speak to now, not only had the imperial physicians been summoned, but various items kept arriving continuously. This included rare medicinal materials stored in the royal treasury and several pieces of valuable warm jade.
These were not Lu Zhang’s orders but the Third Prince’s intentions.
The Crown Prince’s illness was severe, and the two Prime Ministers certainly needed to know the specifics, immediately agreeing to allocate half of the imperial physicians to examine him.
The other half were left to treat the Emperor, who still couldn’t get out of bed or speak clearly.
The Crown Prince didn’t have long to live, a fact known to the ministers of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and emotionally, they were inclined to support the eldest legitimate son. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince’s fate was thin, with no chance of ascending the throne.
Regardless, matters had to be conducted beyond reproach. The Third Prince’s reverence for his elder brother, despite not being able to stay by the Crown Prince due to the Emperor’s simultaneous illness, proposing to share the best medicinal materials and send warm jade and other treasures to the Crown Prince, showcased his respectful and brotherly love. This would be a commendable tale when the Third Prince ascended the throne, worthy of special mention.
The Prime Ministers nodded in agreement. With the Emperor unable to manage affairs, wouldn’t the officials in charge of the royal treasury and the eunuchs see which way the wind was blowing?
Even those not eager to show loyalty yet couldn’t afford to neglect the Third Prince’s will or overlook the sentiments of the Wenyuan Pavilion.
Thus, the Eastern Palace suddenly became lively, with eunuchs carrying medicinal materials and treasures amidst the imperial physicians, creating chaos. The Crown Princess did nothing but pray, leaving the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace and his subordinates in a frenzy.
“What are they doing here now, just causing chaos!”
“Those imperial physicians have the nerve to show up? If it wasn’t for their negligence, delaying the Crown Prince’s treatment, how could it have come to this…”
The Crown Prince coughed a few times, and his maids immediately fell silent.
Maid Yulan carefully took the medicine bowl from the Crown Prince’s hands, glancing at his complexion and couldn’t help but happily say, “Your Highness looks better today, and you’re coughing less. That…”
She quickly realized her mistake and corrected herself, “This hard-earned prescription is indeed effective.”
As she spoke, another eunuch came in with freshly prepared medicine.
The Crown Prince remained silent, and the eunuch, noticing Yulan holding an empty bowl with residue, placed the new medicine bowl and its tray on a low table and bowed out.
“The imperial physicians are in the side hall, making a racket. One says the dosage isn’t enough, another says no more medicine should be used.” Yulan’s demeanor was respectful, but her tone couldn’t hide a trace of sarcasm, “They’re all talk, no action. In my view, they’re just dragging their feet.”
The faces of the maids and eunuchs in the hall showed resentment.
Whether it was the imperial physicians or the civil officials, it seemed as if everyone in the palace was waiting for the Crown Prince to take his last breath.
Even the current hustle and bustle seemed like a show staged in preparation.
Yulan suddenly heard the sound of birds outside and immediately went to check.
Soon, Yulan hurried back, whispering, “Your Highness, there’s a secret report. The Sixth Prince returned to the capital today. He was supposed to be escorted into the palace under house arrest by the imperial guards. But when they checked the carriage at the gate, they lifted the curtain and found no one inside.”
The Crown Prince paused, a resigned smile appearing on his lips: “Sixth brother has run away.”
“Yes, Your Highness, where do you think he would go?”
“…He trusts military officers, not civil officials,” the Crown Prince gasped for breath and whispered, “I can’t think of where he might go for now. I hope he’s clever enough not to do anything foolish.”
You wouldn’t understand the troubles of dragon veins
The general’s mansion’s backyard pond was not large, housing a dozen or so finger-thick red-scaled small fish.
Hearing noises from afar, they quickly sank to the bottom.
The overgrown branches of the trees beside the pond obscured the path from the rockery, forcing anyone passing by to slightly lower their head. The pebble-paved path along the edge of the rockery was covered with moss, and there were visible patches of mud and dead flowers and bushes.
“The general mentioned that this pond takes up too much space, initially planning to fill it in for a martial arts training ground.”
“…”
The personal guard didn’t know what Meng Qi and Mo Li were thinking, and as he walked, he said, “And this rockery, blocking light and wind, makes the courtyard dark. The direct path, which could be straightforward, instead winds around the rockery, which is too troublesome.”
“Is it permissible to alter a mansion bestowed by the emperor?” Meng Qi seemed to ask casually but was actually observing the guard’s reaction.
“Of course not!”
The guard muttered.
The old soldiers who stayed in the general’s mansion had long complained about how difficult it was to care for the pond and plants. Wouldn’t it be easier to just sprinkle water and sweep the ground of a martial arts training ground every day? Raising fish and lotuses, and they aren’t even allowed to die, is simply making life difficult.
These veterans from the battlefield, at most, would only care for horses. What do they know about fish?
“However, even if it were allowed, filling the pond and releveling the ground would cost a significant amount of money. This is Taijing, where craftsmen are exceedingly expensive, demanding a fortune just to open their mouths, not to mention their food expenses. The general’s salary is already not high, and he still needs to support his injured brothers. Where would the extra money come from?”
The personal guard devotedly lamented the general’s poverty.
—The meal just now consisted only of steamed buns and cabbage.
Such poor excuses could not deceive Meng Qi. He was about to say something when he suddenly felt someone tug at his clothes.
“…”
Mo Li, as if nothing had happened, used his internal energy to remotely manipulate objects without leaving any trace.
Give the sheep a way out!
The military provisions sent by the court were often shortchanged, and Liu Dan could hardly sustain his subordinates on his salary alone. The campaign against bandits in Pingzhou was a tough job, but it was not without its perks. The amount of wealth in the bandit’s stronghold was entirely up to General Liu, and he could even extort the Jinyiwei in his spare time.
Knowing this was one thing, but pointing it out openly was another. Mo Li was almost unable to watch any longer.
“The Second Prince and the Sixth Prince are staying in the eastern wing rooms, which are on the other side of the rockery, closer to the courtyard wall…” It would be very convenient to leave; one could simply climb over the wall after stepping out of the room.
The personal guard swallowed the second half of his sentence, trying to remain calm, and pointing to a house in front, asked, “What does the Imperial Teacher think of this room?”
Rooms that had not been occupied for a long time were all similar. Although they had been cleaned, to someone skilled in martial arts with keen senses, dust and the arrangement of objects were still noticeable.
Meng Qi subconsciously frowned but said nothing.
The personal guard sighed in relief, turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something and added awkwardly, “The mansion doesn’t have enough bedding, and we’re currently guarded by the imperial guards, so it’s impossible to go out and buy some. If it’s really needed, I’ll look for some more…”
“No need.”
Mo Li’s words granted the personal guard a great relief, and he did not linger, quickly leaving the courtyard.
Meng Qi walked half a circle around the pond, growing more disappointed.
The water in the pond was too shallow, barely reaching the chest at its deepest point, and that was not all; the water was also not clean. Perhaps because of a heavy rain not long ago, soil from near the rockery had washed into the pond, making the water muddy.
The crevices in the rockery were also clogged, and some had even sprouted weeds.
“What are you looking at?” Mo Li asked, puzzled.
Since this mansion was not empty, Mo Li would definitely not reveal his true form.
“Ah, a place to stay for free, just gone like that.” Meng Qi felt very melancholy.
Doctor Mo decided to let Meng Qi wander in the yard while he went back to his room.
There was a candle on the table, which Mo Li didn’t light. After all, day and night made no difference to him.
He pushed the window open and gently brushed over the room’s decorations with his inner energy, clearing the air with the bright moon and fresh breeze. When Meng Qi entered, he saw the doctor sitting by the window, organizing the box of silver needles he had bought during the day.
The box wouldn’t fit in his luggage, so Mo Li thought about finding another backpack and then dividing his belongings into two parts, giving one to Meng Qi.
Thinking this, he couldn’t help but start sorting.
The silver needles for himself, the herbs for himself, and a set of clothes for changing…
As Mo Li sorted, he suddenly realized, apart from the golden armor and clothes belonging to Meng Qi, there wasn’t much he could give his companion. Then, a hand reached over and took the scroll of cloud and mountain landscape painting.
Mo Li instinctively held on and looked up at Meng Qi.
Meng Qi said earnestly, “My portrait, naturally, I should keep it.”
“…”
You say it’s a portrait, would the painter agree?
Mo Li didn’t let go, and Meng Qi, with a twirl of his eyes, simply sat down at the table, solemnly speaking, “Doctor loves the beauty of Shangyun Mountains, I understand, but… now that I am right in front of the doctor, why does the doctor still need to look at the painting?”
Mo Li was at a loss for words, almost thinking he had heard wrong.
His ears began to heat up, intending to refute someone, yet he couldn’t speak.
—A gentleman can be deceived with propriety.
Meng Qi took the painting with a sense of achievement, stacking it with four fan faces and a booklet he had hidden in his embrace.
Initially, Mo Li, who remained expressionless at the sight of the Spring Palace painting, suddenly felt embarrassed, gathering his sleeves, feeling unsure where to put his hands.
No, it’s just a painting…
Mo Li didn’t understand why he cared so much, as if since arriving in Taijing, he had been a bit abnormal. Could this be an adverse reaction of dragon veins entering another dragon vein’s territory? Like taking medicine, some people have strong reactions to certain herbs, cannot take them, or even feel dizzy, have a rapid heartbeat, or breathing difficulties just by smelling them.
Hmm, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely.
Mo Li felt his internal energy was also disobedient, meant to calm the qi of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, it instead stirred up an irritable feeling, like something was missing.
He had felt this way many years ago, when Mo Li first transformed into human form, unable to speak or understand others. Despite his curiosity about the world beyond the pond, he felt a strange reverence for humans and even animals and birds.
Because of unfamiliarity, so he was extremely cautious.
It was his teacher who took him into the villages, into this world, filling the missing piece.
—Why am I a person, where do I come from, how should I stand in this world.
Following the spiritual energy, Mo Li found his “birth” place, and thinking he was a daemon, followed Qin Lu to study and learn medicine, though he didn’t aspire to save the world, he understood what it means to be “human.”
Humans inherently have a self-interested side, but the teacher in Mo Li’s eyes, and the way of the gentleman Qin Lu spoke of, were Mo Li’s ideals, and he indeed became such a person.
Apart from loneliness, Mo Li had everything.
Even loneliness was for the future… while his teacher was alive, this feeling wasn’t intense.
But the day would come.
Even ancient sages living in seclusion in the mountains had a few good friends to keep company!
Mo Li steadied himself and seriously asked, “Brother Meng, the world is so vast, could it be that we are the only two transformed dragon veins?”
“I’ve been to the northern border and the southwestern mountains, visited Jiangnan, only missing the Western Regions and overseas islands.”
Meng Qi, upon hearing Mo Li mention other dragon veins, showed some reluctance, but ultimately responded seriously, “I’ve also looked through the classics, searching for many stories related to dragons, speculating whether they might be dragon veins, then one by one checking them… only to be disappointed. Some didn’t even have the semblance of dragon veins, others were like Silang Mountain, where the dragon vein had been destroyed and then slowly gathered spiritual energy again, with no telling when it might transform.”
Mo Li’s spirits lifted, and he quickly asked, “Where is this mountain? What does the embryonic form of a dragon vein look like?”
“Feihe Mountain, in the heartland of Jiangnan. The mountain isn’t very high, surrounded by seven lakes of various sizes and countless rivers, with many birds by the waterside, especially white cranes, hence the name Feihe Mountain.”
With Meng Qi’s description, Mo Li had an impression.
Qin Lu traveled the world, often describing mountains and rivers vividly when teaching his disciple.
Though not famous or celebrated in timeless poetry, mentioning the seven lakes within Jingzhou and the countless birds, Mo Li immediately recognized the place.
“Is it Yanyang County?”
“Correct, the people there mainly live by fishing and sericulture. Every day, they open their doors to a view of lake light and mountain colors, with villages located by the lake or on islands. Instead of riding horses or carriages, people get around by boat.”
As Meng Qi spoke, he suddenly felt this was a place Mo Li would definitely like.
His expression changed slightly, realizing that compared to Feihe Mountain, Shangyun Mountain had no advantage at all!
Mo Li, enchanted, asked uncontrollably, “Then, what about the dragon vein of Feihe Mountain, is it also a fish?”
“No.”
Meng Qi inexplicably sighed in relief, feeling extremely fortunate at the same time.
“It’s not a sand mouse either… Anyway, it’s different from us.” Meng Qi, holding the scroll, turned to go to the bedroom.
Mo Li quickly stopped him, not dumb, knowing Meng Qi was upset about something.
“Sorry, Brother Meng, I was just curious.” Mo Li looked at Meng Qi sincerely.
After all, they knew each other first, and Meng Qi fit perfectly into Mo Li’s idea of a “companion”. They could talk without any barriers, rarely disagreed, and sometimes their ideas clicked.
“Even if the original form of Feihe Mountain’s dragon vein was a fish, it wouldn’t be as important to me as Brother Meng.”
“…Say that again.”
Meng Qi stuffed the scroll into a corner, covered it with something, then came back and demanded solemnly, “Doctor, please say that again, without looking at that painting.”
Mo Li couldn’t help but laugh, he hadn’t been looking at the painting.
It was Meng Qi holding the painting, and naturally looking at Meng Qi also meant seeing the painting, a glance that Meng Qi caught?
“You said it’s a portrait, isn’t that also you?”
“It’s different.” Meng Qi said seriously, “I can accompany you to Zhushan County, to Feihe Mountain, take you around the world, but Shangyun Mountain can’t move.”
What if after leaving Taijing, the doctor doesn’t like me anymore?
There are famous mountains and rivers everywhere, what if the doctor becomes fickle?
No matter how abundant the spiritual energy of Taijing’s dragon vein or how majestic the mountains, they can’t grow legs and follow Mo Li! Mo Li is the dragon vein of Qimao Mountain, maybe he could stay in Taijing for ten or even twenty years, but he can’t stay here forever.
There are plenty of beautiful mountains outside! And they’re beautiful in a different way!
Mount Tai is majestic, Mount Taihua is precipitous, Mount Yi is shrouded in clouds, gathering the beauty of the world!!
Meng Qi was very nervous, yet he couldn’t say it.
“Alright, alright, no matter what famous artist’s painting of mountains, in my heart, none compares to Brother Meng.” Mo Li thought Meng Qi was still competing with the painter, not realizing Meng Qi’s worry had shifted from the painting to the actual mountains.
Meng Qi argued, “Even if it’s the work of a painting sage, capturing a landscape to be passed down through ages, it still doesn’t compare to seeing with one’s own eyes.”
“Brother Meng means… I shouldn’t appreciate paintings, but go mountain exploring? Visit Shangyun Mountain?” Mo Li was puzzled and asked tentatively.
Meng Qi walked away expressionlessly.
Mo Li: “…”
Doctor Mo guessed he must have said something wrong.
But the worries of a beautiful mountain are something ordinary mountains wouldn’t understand.
“You forgot to take the painting,” Mo Li said, looking at the scroll stuffed into the corner.
A shadow flashed, and the painting was taken away.
So quickly that Mo Li could only see an afterimage.
Mo Li fell into thought: Was the imperial teacher really angry?
Mo Li slowly organized the silver needles and herbs, then took out some paper. Without asking for a brush and ink from the servants of the general’s mansion, he used a piece of charcoal he had carved into a pen on the road and began writing a prescription.
Today, he had seen moneybag Liu… no, General Liu, and found that his injuries had mostly healed. However, several disabled servants in the general’s mansion had chronic issues from old injuries, mostly caused by exposure to cold during battles.
Mo Li planned to draft a prescription first, and then take the opportunity to diagnose them one by one, considering it as a way to offset the cost of room and board.
Come to think of it, the meal was a bit simple, but the taste of the steamed buns was good, made from white flour.
Rustling noises came from the bedroom, but Mo Li didn’t turn around.
With their martial arts skills, how could a thief sneak in? It was probably Meng Qi tidying up. Mo Li didn’t think much of it and continued to write the prescription by moonlight.
While writing, Mo Li suddenly caught a glimpse of a shadow by the table.
Looking down, the shadow swiftly darted away.
Mo Li instinctively reached out with his left hand and felt a bundle of soft, warm fur.
“…”
Silently letting go, he saw a round sand mouse squatting on the paper, looking up at him with its black eyes, seemingly saying, “I’m just taking a walk, why so nervous?”
Mo Li restrained himself from looking for a bamboo cup and decided to continue writing.
The sand mouse walked off the paper, its paws stained with the charcoal from the pen, leaving a trail of black paw prints on the paper, even smudging the writing.
Mo Li picked up the charcoal pen again, tracing over the words once more.
As for the other paw prints on the paper… well, there wasn’t much paper left in his bag, so it couldn’t be wasted.
The sand mouse really did walk around the room, overcoming any obstacle in its path.
It climbed tables and once over, casually climbed down again. Mo Li felt it crawl over his shoes twice, and on the third time, it didn’t walk on his shoes but climbed up his leg instead.
Though plump, the sand mouse was agile. Mo Li was sitting by the table, which gave the sand mouse leverage to climb.
Huffing and puffing, it climbed onto his thigh, intending to continue its stroll but was scooped up by Mo Li and placed on his shoulder.
“Don’t move, we’re going to the palace later,” Mo Li said while writing.
Realizing Meng Qi really wasn’t going to transform back, Mo Li explained, “The crown prince can’t die yet. I’ll go see him again. Last time was too hurried; this time, I need to check how he’s doing after taking the prescription I wrote. If the condition hasn’t worsened, with these silver needles and the right medicine, plus using internal energy to guide his qi, he could live at least another half month.”
The illness was incurable, but until the very end, a divine doctor could still extend a patient’s life for a few more days.
Mo Li continued speaking to the sand mouse: “At least I need to talk to the crown prince about the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince is too young; the imperial seal shouldn’t be left to him. If the crown prince gathers his brothers, asking them not to fight each other for the sake of Qi Dynasty and its people, do you think that would work, Brother Meng?”
The sand mouse raised its paw to its chin, pondering for a moment before shaking its head slightly.
“No?”
The sand mouse continued to shake its head.
“Oh, you mean it’s not a good idea.” Mo Li understood, agreeing with Meng Qi’s opinion after some thought.
What could unite these princes wasn’t the crown prince’s wishes, but their mutual hatred for Lu Zhang.
Mo Li mused, “So, it’s actually a good thing that Lu Zhang is alive?”
Whether it was the Second Prince or the Sixth Prince, they were ultimately too young, having experienced too little, not yet truly matured. Lu Zhang’s survival could make these princes clearly recognize their own shortcomings. If Lu Zhang died at this moment, their mutual disdain, along with the several factions within the Qi Dynasty, would only make matters worse.
Doctor Mo surmised that the Qi Dynasty was like a complicated prescription, difficult even to modify. Changing the ruler was desired but finding a suitable replacement was impossible. The quality of the ministers was lacking, and better ones were nowhere to be found.
Mo Li set down the charcoal pen, folded the prescription, and placed it under the candlestick.
“Brother Meng?”
The chubby mouse slid down Mo Li’s collar into his embrace.
—Refusing to transform back into human form.
Mo Li caught the sand mouse through his clothes to stop it from burrowing further.
Well, a sand mouse was better than a chubby baby, after all.
Clouds slowly covered the moonlight, and when the silver glow shone through the clouds again, the room was empty, and the neatly packed luggage on the table was gone too.
***
The Eastern Palace.
Outside the palace walls, the imperial guards had not decreased but increased in number.
However, compared to before, they were much easier to speak to now, not only had the imperial physicians been summoned, but various items kept arriving continuously. This included rare medicinal materials stored in the royal treasury and several pieces of valuable warm jade.
These were not Lu Zhang’s orders but the Third Prince’s intentions.
The Crown Prince’s illness was severe, and the two Prime Ministers certainly needed to know the specifics, immediately agreeing to allocate half of the imperial physicians to examine him.
The other half were left to treat the Emperor, who still couldn’t get out of bed or speak clearly.
The Crown Prince didn’t have long to live, a fact known to the ministers of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and emotionally, they were inclined to support the eldest legitimate son. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince’s fate was thin, with no chance of ascending the throne.
Regardless, matters had to be conducted beyond reproach. The Third Prince’s reverence for his elder brother, despite not being able to stay by the Crown Prince due to the Emperor’s simultaneous illness, proposing to share the best medicinal materials and send warm jade and other treasures to the Crown Prince, showcased his respectful and brotherly love. This would be a commendable tale when the Third Prince ascended the throne, worthy of special mention.
The Prime Ministers nodded in agreement. With the Emperor unable to manage affairs, wouldn’t the officials in charge of the royal treasury and the eunuchs see which way the wind was blowing?
Even those not eager to show loyalty yet couldn’t afford to neglect the Third Prince’s will or overlook the sentiments of the Wenyuan Pavilion.
Thus, the Eastern Palace suddenly became lively, with eunuchs carrying medicinal materials and treasures amidst the imperial physicians, creating chaos. The Crown Princess did nothing but pray, leaving the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace and his subordinates in a frenzy.
“What are they doing here now, just causing chaos!”
“Those imperial physicians have the nerve to show up? If it wasn’t for their negligence, delaying the Crown Prince’s treatment, how could it have come to this…”
The Crown Prince coughed a few times, and his maids immediately fell silent.
Maid Yulan carefully took the medicine bowl from the Crown Prince’s hands, glancing at his complexion and couldn’t help but happily say, “Your Highness looks better today, and you’re coughing less. That…”
She quickly realized her mistake and corrected herself, “This hard-earned prescription is indeed effective.”
As she spoke, another eunuch came in with freshly prepared medicine.
The Crown Prince remained silent, and the eunuch, noticing Yulan holding an empty bowl with residue, placed the new medicine bowl and its tray on a low table and bowed out.
“The imperial physicians are in the side hall, making a racket. One says the dosage isn’t enough, another says no more medicine should be used.” Yulan’s demeanor was respectful, but her tone couldn’t hide a trace of sarcasm, “They’re all talk, no action. In my view, they’re just dragging their feet.”
The faces of the maids and eunuchs in the hall showed resentment.
Whether it was the imperial physicians or the civil officials, it seemed as if everyone in the palace was waiting for the Crown Prince to take his last breath.
Even the current hustle and bustle seemed like a show staged in preparation.
Yulan suddenly heard the sound of birds outside and immediately went to check.
Soon, Yulan hurried back, whispering, “Your Highness, there’s a secret report. The Sixth Prince returned to the capital today. He was supposed to be escorted into the palace under house arrest by the imperial guards. But when they checked the carriage at the gate, they lifted the curtain and found no one inside.”
The Crown Prince paused, a resigned smile appearing on his lips: “Sixth brother has run away.”
“Yes, Your Highness, where do you think he would go?”
“…He trusts military officers, not civil officials,” the Crown Prince gasped for breath and whispered, “I can’t think of where he might go for now. I hope he’s clever enough not to do anything foolish.”
