He Had Just Dodged His Wives' Jealousy When a Northern Territory General Brought Another Surprise

Gu Moran quickly went back.

Shen Ling'er stood in front of him, her outer robe fluttering slightly in the breeze, revealing the white medicine pouch knot at the hem of her skirt.

She stared at him, giving him no room to back down.

"You ran pretty fast just now?"

Gu Moran looked down at the medicine.

It's cold.

It's perfect when it's cooled down.

Will the medicine be less effective?

"Won't."

"Aren't you hot anymore?"

Shen Ling'er smiled.

I can add Coptis chinensis to your prescription.

Gu Moran up the bowl and took a sip.

The bitter taste pressed against the back of his tongue, making his face even paler, and his brow furrowed with tension.

Shen Ling'er immediately handed him the candied fruit, but pulled it back half an inch when he reached out.

"Explain first."

Gu Moran looked at her.

"Explain what?"

Why do you smell like herbs?

Liu Ruyan, who was watching the commotion from the window behind, gently put down her teacup.

"There's still wet mud on the hems of his boots. His Highness didn't go far; he went to the stream."

Uncle Fu stood guard at the door, not daring to even raise his head.

Gu Moran sighed and went into the house.

He sat in the middle, placed the prescription on the table, and looked at the six women around him who were eyeing him menacingly.

"Do you still remember the group of elderly, weak, and disabled people who came to rob us today?"

"The leader of Black Wind Stronghold has come to return the prescription."

Murong Xue's eyes lit up.

"That little bandit girl?"

Lin Qingdai looked at him.

"She dares to get close to you?"

"It was thrown down from the tree."

"Hmph, she wasn't lying, her lightness skill is indeed quite good," Lin Qingdai said.

Shen Ling'er snatched the prescription and looked at it.

"It's the prescription I wrote."

Gu Moran took the candied fruit and had just put it in his mouth when the sweetness hadn't yet masked the bitterness, when Su Yao spoke up.

Does she know your real identity?

"I don't know. She thought I was some sickly young man from a wealthy family."

Liu Ruyan glanced at him.

"Judging from her bone structure, she should be a beautiful woman. Did Your Highness not mention that you are Prince Yi?"

"Why should I identify myself?"

Seeing their strange expressions, Gu Moran guiltily touched his nose.

"No, do you think I'm the kind of lecherous wolf who sees a beautiful woman and wants to beg for an imperial decree to marry her?"

The room was quiet for a moment.

Everyone's expression spoke volumes.

Aren't you one?

Xie Wanqing flipped through the outer paper of the prescription.

"Your Highness is quite self-aware."

Gu Moran a little embarrassed and frowned.

"Look at what you're saying! My husband likes you, and not just because of your looks."

"Alright, um... let's talk about something serious."

"The chief reminded me not to trust anyone wearing official robes when I go into town."

Lin Qingdai was taken aback for a moment, then spoke first.

"Even official robes vary from person to person. Some protect the people, while others exploit them."

Shen Ling'er looked at Gu Moran.

"She must have suffered a lot to say that."

"I think the people from Black Wind Stronghold are all pitiful."

"Does my husband want to interfere?"

Gu Moran put down the medicine bowl.

"I'd like to take a look first."

"Every time you say 'let's take a look,' you always end up finding a bunch of problems." Su Yao flipped through the account book, her tone calm and indifferent. "Your Highness is kind-hearted, but you also have to consider whether you can handle the burden."

Gu Moran looked at her.

Su Yao's face remained expressionless, but her hands pressed the corners of the ledger tightly.

She wasn't stopping him.

She was afraid that he would be dragged into trouble by bandits and the government as soon as he entered Yi Prefecture.

Gu Moran out and gently brushed away her fingers that were pressing down on the ledger.

" Madam Su, you're going to ruin the account books."

Su Yao felt a warmth on the back of her hand and immediately withdrew it.

"Your Highness, please be serious."

Shen Ling'er narrowed her eyes.

"You hadn't even finished your medicine when you touched Sister Su's hand?"

Gu Moran looked down at the remaining half-bowl of medicine, and a chill ran down his spine.

"I was trying to save the ledgers."

Liu Ruyan suppressed a laugh and pushed the hot tea towards her.

Save yourself first.

Gu Moran resigned herself to her fate and drank the medicine in one gulp.

The bitter taste made my vision go black.

He put down the empty bowl, and Shen Ling'er then pushed the candied fruit in front of him.

He reached out to take it, and Shen Ling'er reached out as well.

Their fingertips touched.

Shen Ling'er's fingertips trembled slightly, and then she stuffed the candied fruit into his palm.

"Eat it, this medicine tastes bitter today."

Gu Moran held a piece of candied fruit in his mouth, the sweetness slowly overpowering the bitterness.

"Does Madam Shen feel sorry for me?"

Shen Ling'er's ears turned red as she turned to collect the medicine bowl.

"I'm worried about wasting my medicine, afraid you'll vomit it up."

Liu Ruyan chuckled softly.

The lights in the backyard of the inn remained on after nightfall.

Gu Moran leaned back in his chair, with Su Yao's open account book in front of him, Shen Ling'er's medicine box on the left, and Xie Wanqing's local chronicle on the right.

Lin Qingdai sat by the door, a knife across her lap.

Murong Xue leaned against the window, looking outside, with half a beef jerky dangling from her mouth.

Liu Ruyan sat under the lamp, staring blankly at the moon.

The sound of wheels rolling on the official road outside.

Uncle Fu poked his head in through the back gate. "Young Master, the main force has arrived."

Just as Gu Moran was about to nod, the back gate creaked open.

A burly man, as tall as an iron tower, squeezed in first.

The door frame shook.

"Your Highness!"

Tuoba Mang's loud voice made the window paper tremble.

He rushed to the door and banged on it. "Your Highness! I have important news to report! It's incredibly exciting news!"

Lin Qingdai's scabbard was already pressed against the crack in the door.

"Take another picture, and I'll chop off your hand."

Tuoba Mang immediately stopped, chuckling through the door, " Madam Lin is here too? That's perfect, give me some advice!"

Upon hearing this tone, Murong Xue felt a tightness in her chest.

She took the beef jerky out of her mouth. "What trouble have you gotten into now?"

"Princess, this time it's not a disaster."

Tuoba Mang pushed open the door and came in, not even having drunk any water. He rubbed his large, fan-like hands together, his face flushed.

"Your Highness! I've met my true love in Yi Prefecture!"

The house is quiet.

Tuoba Mang straightened his chest and added a sentence.

"Still three!"

Murong Xue spat out a mouthful of tea.

Shen Ling'er silently opened the medicine box and took out a row of silver needles.

Lin Qingdai gripped the hilt of the knife, and the veins on the back of her hand throbbed twice.

Gu Moran lowered his head to serve the tea, his shoulders already trembling.

"Please sit down." He brought the teacup to his lips. "Speak slowly."

"I can't sit still."

Tuoba Mang slapped his thigh, "My heart is still pounding."

Murong Xue said coldly, "You'd better explain yourself."

Tuoba Mang immediately perked up.

"During the day, I was following the main road with the group when I suddenly needed to relieve myself, so I took a longer route to the back of the woods. No sooner had I finished than a little kid, barely out of his teens, jumped out, waving a bamboo pole and shouting something about this mountain and this tree."

Gu Moran her hand to cover her mouth.

Murong Xue's face darkened.

Lin Qingdai looked at him, "Another child?"

"Yes, little brat, huh? It's again? You guys ran into them too?"

Seeing Gu Moran nod, Tuoba Mang gestured again, "That kid isn't even as tall as my waist, and he's very fierce. I could kick him away with one kick."

Shen Ling'er said coldly, "You kicked it?"

"That's not possible."

Tuoba Mang waved his hand, "I looked up and saw three women standing behind the woods."

His voice softened immediately.

"Your Highness, since you've met them first, why don't you tell us?"

"Those three women were all holding babies in their arms, their clothes were patched, and their eyes were full of the hardships of life. Their hair was tied up, their hands were calloused, and they smelled of milk all over them, tsk tsk."

Murong Xue closed her eyes briefly.

" Tuoba Mang."

"Princess, please don't scold me."

Tuoba Mang became increasingly agitated as he spoke, " The Northern Territory is windy, and I've seen far too many women who only know how to ride horses and fight."

"When I arrived in Yi Prefecture today, I was truly impressed by the three women there. They knew how to manage a household, feed the baby, and cook porridge. My heart was filled with joy, and I wished I could carry a sack of flour over there."

Shen Ling'er paused, her hand holding the silver needles stilled, and looked at Gu Moran, "I can't cure his illness."