" Commandant Zhen, don't be in such a hurry!"
Zhen Daijin's hand was already on the hilt of the knife.
The captain next to him quickly intervened.
Gu Moran watched this scene from inside the car, and the corner of his mouth twitched twice.
They put in a lot of effort in their performance.
The lines were a bit too familiar, like they'd been rehearsed thirty times.
He patted Shen Ling'er's hand and whispered, "I'm getting out of the car. My cough is getting worse."
Shen Ling'er glanced at him.
"How many times would you like to cough?"
"The first five snorts, the last one accompanied by a gasp."
"Okay. I'll hold the medicine for you. If you drop the bowl and break it, you're finished tonight."
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Uncle Fu jumped out of the car first and then turned around to help him up.
Gu Moran, wearing a thick outer robe, leaned half her body on Uncle Fu's arm, and started coughing as soon as her feet touched the ground.
One sound, two sounds, three sounds.
By the fourth note, he bent down and braced his hands on the cart shaft.
The fifth sound was accompanied by a gasp, and his face was as white as paper.
The two groups of people at the city gate fell silent at the same time.
Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin's gazes simultaneously fell on the young prince who could barely stand.
Shen Ling'er, wearing a veil, followed Gu Moran out of the carriage, carrying a bowl of medicine in one hand and supporting his back with the other, her tone both urgent and fierce.
I told you not to let the wind blow on you! But you insisted on lifting the curtain!
Gu Moran in a hoarse voice, "I want to see what the Yi Prefecture City look like..."
"What are you looking at! The city gate isn't going anywhere!" Shen Ling'er brought the bowl of medicine to his lips. "Drink it first."
Gu Moran tilted her head in disdain. "Can we drink inside the city...?"
"Cannot."
Uncle Fu quickly smoothed things over, bowing deeply to Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin.
"Please forgive me, Your Excellencies. My lord has been traveling a long way and is in poor health; he cannot withstand further strain."
The palace must not be finished yet.
Your Highness would like to ask if there are any quiet houses in the city? Houses that can store medicinal herbs, account books, horses, and...
Uncle Fu glanced back at the six women who were getting off the convoy one after another, and cleared his throat.
"The ladies also need to have more spacious accommodations."
Si Renyou raised his eyebrows slightly.
He looked at the prince in front of him, who was being forced to drink medicine by a woman and could barely stand, and then at the veiled women who came out of the carriages behind him.
One was carrying an account book, one was carrying a knife, one was leading a horse, one was holding a book, and one was looking around.
The prince's first words were unrelated to government affairs, the handover of the garrison, or the state accounts.
The question is about accommodation.
Zhen Daijin is also watching.
He saw the woman with the knife walk with a brisk pace, the woman leading the horse with an upright posture, and the woman carrying the account book glance at the shops on both sides of the city gate.
He pursed his lips and spoke first.
"There is an old mansion, located in the eastern part of the city. However, it has fallen into disrepair over the years; the walls leak, the roof was soaked by rain last year, and a corner of the foundation has collapsed."
Si Renyou responded, his tone impeccably polite.
"I have already ordered most of the repairs to be completed, but the treasury is strained, and there are still some unfinished areas. If Your Highness feels wronged..."
"A draft?" Gu Moran asked in a hoarse voice, his eyes filled with genuine worry. "Is it leaking from the east wall or the west wall?"
Si Renyou hesitated for a moment before answering.
Zhen Daijin was also taken aback for a moment, then blurted out, "The west wall. The side facing the river."
"Oh." Gu Moran nodded, then seemed to be talking to himself, "The west wall is by the river, so it's damp. Repairing the wall will cost money, and the treasury is tight... I've heard there are many salt merchants in Yi Prefecture. Do these people also like to delay payment for wall repairs?"
He spoke so casually, like an ignorant spoiled brat complaining about his drafty living quarters.
Si Renyou's expression remained unchanged, and his smile persisted, but the fingers hidden in his sleeve tightened slightly.
This sickly prince, with a casual remark, touched upon the deepest festering wound in Yi Prefecture.
Zhen Daijin almost snapped the knife handle with his hand.
He glanced at Si Renyou, who bowed respectfully without changing his expression.
"Your Highness, please rest assured, I will repair the palace as soon as possible. The journey must be tiring; please enter the city and rest first."
Gu Moran was helped by Shen Ling'er to the car. When they passed Zhen Daijin, he suddenly coughed and staggered.
Zhen Daijin instinctively reached out to help him.
Gu Moran looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"Thank you General Zhen."
Zhen Daijin stiffened, and he quickly released it, taking half a step back. He said in a deep voice, "Not a general, but a captain."
"Oh right, Captain Zhen." Gu Moran climbed onto the carriage and poked half his head out. " Commandant Zhen, your sword is dull; it needs replacing."
Zhen Daijin looked down at the old knife at his waist, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.
The carriage curtain was lowered.
The horse-drawn carriage rolled over the stone slabs and headed into the city.
Zhen Daijin stood still, staring at the departing convoy, then turned to look at Si Renyou.
Si Renyou was also looking at him.
The two remained silent for three breaths.
Zhen Daijin blurted out first, "Was he just talking about salt tax?"
Si Renyou smoothed his cuffs. "Not sure. Maybe it was just a casual question."
"Just saying? Let me ask you, which of you ever asked a salt merchant about overdue payments on the very first day?"
Si Renyou didn't reply and turned to walk back.
Zhen Daijin caught up with him, lowering his voice.
"Is this kid really sick or is he faking it?"
Si Renyou kept walking.
"I'm not sure. Let me take another look."
The horse-drawn carriage rolled into the city.
Gu Moran leaned against the car wall.
He had already seen everything he needed to see in that one glance at the city gate.
The moment Si Renyou bowed and clasped his hands, the moment Zhen Daijin reached out to help him up.
The Eye of Detection have been on for a long time.
The system panel floated in the corner of the view, with two pieces of information quietly arranged.
[ Si Renyou ]
[Position: Yi Prefecture, native of Min County, a scholar who passed the civil service examination, served for twenty-one years]
[Faction: Lord Liu's Old Faction - Literary Tradition]
[Attitude towards the host: Observational (leaning towards favor)]
[Loyalty: Not yet activated]
[Current core concern: Is this person capable of governing Yi Prefecture? If he is a wastrel and a good-for-nothing, it would be better to continue with the old rules.]
[ Zhen Daijin ]
[Position: Commandant of Yi Prefecture, Heluo, 23 years of military service]
[Faction: Lord Liu's Old Faction - Martial Vein]
[Attitude towards the host: Observational (leaning towards favor)]
[Loyalty: Not yet activated]
[Current core concern: Lord Liu instructed us to protect the Third Prince. But if Prince Yi is an incapable ruler, wouldn't we be risking our own lives?]
Gu Moran put the panel away, a slow smile playing on his lips.
The Lord Liu's Old Faction.
The literary lineage and the military lineage, one governs politics, the other governs the army.
The two pretended to argue for over a decade, yet they managed to govern Yi Prefecture with remarkable efficiency.
This isn't a case of fire and water being incompatible; it's clearly one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, keeping everyone else out.
They are waiting.
What arrived was a sickly man who was being forced to take medicine by a woman and could barely stand.
No wonder people think he's a "good-for-nothing".
Gu Moran pulled the blanket up a little.
It doesn't matter.
Let them take another look.