Find an Opportunity to Strike!

That afternoon, they explored the Imperial Capital on their own. Lu Chi liked going to the outskirts of the training grounds to watch the arenas being built and the contestants coming and going, while Ning Xiaohe went to Peaceful Harmony Hall in the western market. She went alone and stayed there the entire afternoon. When she returned, there were several small paper packets in her wooden case, and her face bore the expression of someone who had discovered something extraordinary.

"That pharmacy has an entire wall of medicinal herb specimens." Sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, she ate the Osmanthus Cake Lu Chi had saved for her as she spoke. Rarely, she had much to say. "Medicinal herbs produced all across Linyuan, from north to south and east to west.

"Some of them I had only ever seen in illustrated guides, but today I saw the real things. Shopkeeper Chen was very kind. He taught me how to tell a herb's age from its cross-section, and even let me slice a few pieces myself."

Lu Chi did not understand any of it, but Ning Xiaohe was happy, and that was enough for him.

On the afternoon of the third day, Lu Chi was taking a nap in his room when a knock woke him.

He rubbed his eyes and went to answer the door. Deacon Gu stood outside. His expression was different from usual—he was normally all smiles. He was still smiling now, but there was a solemnity in it that Lu Chi had never seen before.

"Is Mr. Luo here?"

"Yes, he's in the backyard."

"Go get him," Deacon Gu said. "A guest has arrived and wants to see him."

Lu Chi did not ask who it was. He turned and ran to the backyard. Luo Wen