After Cai Fang finished speaking, she suddenly realized how unpleasant her words sounded, and that she should not have said them so plainly to the person concerned. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She wondered why she cared so much today, when she ordinarily tossed out far uglier remarks whenever her masters were out of earshot.
Huo Qilang cared nothing for it. She smiled and said, "Seventh Brother has always had a tough life to take. Spears can be stopped, blades can be stopped-baleful influences are nothing to worry about either."
With the chest tucked under her arm, she followed Cai Fang back toward the Main Hall where Prince Shao lived. Having completed the task the household steward had assigned him, Steward Zhou felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Watching Huo Qilang walk away, he thought that this wandering knight's figure, seen from behind, bore a certain resemblance to his master's.
Along the way, Huo Qilang kept asking questions, continuing to draw information about the Prince's Residence out of Cai Fang. They encountered a servant carrying a large earthenware basin, who stopped to exchange a few joking words with Cai Fang. The basin was filled with fresh sweet melons.
Cai Fang glanced into the basin and said, "Once the fruit has been washed, let the water dry off before feeding it to him, or he might get diarrhea."
The servant replied with a smile, "You needn't remind me. These are for the heir-we wouldn't dare neglect him in the slightest. A while ago, nothing we tried could settle his stomach. In the end, only spring water brought in from outside the city put him right. Such a delicate creature."
"Isn't that the truth?" Cai Fang sighed. "Even His Highness has fallen ill. This place really is all barren mountains and