142 The Journey North 2

Unfortunately for Qin Feng, the preparations for the Second Ducal Prince's journey home from Changqing City took close to ten days. And he was left largely out of the organisation for the same. Which was enough to make him go mad with boredom, remaining in the Marquis' Residence while everyone made ready for the trip.

Which was why he fled into the city itself, to visit Fu Lai Medicine Hall, at the first opportunity that he got. He used the excuse that he had to sell away some of the medicinal herbs and such, that he had harvested in the Southern Woods, since they would not travel well. But the truth of the matter was, he had to empty one of those large chests that he had planned on bringing along with him.

If he was travelling with the Second Ducal Prince, he seriously doubted that he would need to bring out his puppet to deal with any threats. So he would have to find some way to disguise its presence. Using one of those large, man-sized medicine chests was simply the most convenient method to do so.

However, that meant that he had quite a bit of herbs to get rid of. And he wasn't about to make a loss! And to prevent that, he had made an arrangement to meet up with Li Changhai once again, in front of the Fu Lai Medicine Hall.

Strangely, he had found the Second Ducal Prince more than pleased to stay close to him, ever since they returned from their little clash with the Barbarians. They had arrived back from the front within a day, although there were a lot more checks on the way. And by heavily armed soldiers too. Fortunately, Lady Xie was traveling with the two of them, so they didn't encounter any problems at all.

Those only appeared after Qin Feng arrived back at the old house that he had bought. And found it under siege by the Changqing City Constabulary. Apparently, there had been a few attempts at breaking into the same, and the bodies of some seven thieves had been left to rot in the open courtyard. That had been enough to attract a good bit of attention.

Of course, things were quickly settled once the Second Ducal Prince, and Lady Xie's agents, made it clear that the owner of the premises, namely Qin Feng, had been away at the front. And had been fighting on the Marquis' side!

That was enough to silence any complaints. Not to mention, make it clear that he was not the one responsible for the deaths.

Qin Feng merely dismissed the whole thing as another one of the local criminal ploys, to push the responsibility on the shoulders of a newcomer to the city. And a former disciple of the Heaven Sword School. Between that revelation, and the fact that he had the Second Ducal Prince on his side, the Constabulary had been quick to declare him innocent of all wrong-doing, and to look for other culprits for the murders.

But it had prompted the Second Ducal Prince to insist on accompanying him around the city, accompanied by his four Bodyguards. On the pretext that some of those dead thieves' allies might try to take revenge on Qin Feng.

All of that was nonsense, he thought. But since Li Changhai was anxious enough to keep him within sight while he was in Changqing City, Qin Feng wasn't about to refuse the kind offer.

Which was why he found Li Sanlang waiting together with Luo Junyuan, the Deputy Manager of the Medicine Hall, in the forecourt of the same, when he finally arrived. And both of the men were wearing smiles, which they directed at him, as he stepped into the same.

"Ah. Brother Qin Feng, you are finally here. I have just been speaking to Deputy Manager Luo here about recent attack on our training camp to the South." Li Changhai said, as he nodded his greeting to Qin Feng. Their interaction had become a lot more casual, ever since the Barbarian attack. So much so that Qin Feng believed that the Second Ducal Prince saw him as a real brother-in-arms.

Luo Junyuan, on the other hand, was a lot more respectful of Qin Feng, and quickly led him to another seat at the stone table at one quiet corner of the forecourt. And he even bothered to pour the younger man a cup of tea himself. And spent a good bit of time engaging the pair in polite conversation too, before he went on to a more serious topic:

"This one hears that Master Qin has managed to get his hands on some rather remarkable medicinal herbs again?"

Qin Feng grinned at the Deputy Hall Manager. "It is true. There is a great need for medicines and such all the time. I had intended to come over at once, and make a deal with your Fu Lai Medicine Hall. But with the Barbarians knocking at our gate ..."

He stopped there, and glanced at the Second Ducal Prince, who managed to keep his face from giving the game away. That was something that certainly gained his approval. This Li Changhai's nerves were steadier than anything that he had expected from a nobleman.

Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he was related to the Marquis? That family has been dealing with the various merchant houses and trade organisations for a long time. And this Second Ducal Prince had been visiting Fu Lai Medicine Hall, and several other related businesses in Changqing City rather frequently, ever since he was a child. So it wouldn't surprise him if Li Changhai had some inkling of what he was attempting to do.

And it seemed like the Second Ducal Prince was more than happy to lend his support in helping Qin Feng make a killing there that day!

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