When they returned, they did not see Su Xiaolu. They decided to let Su Chong and Zhou Heng stay at the inn while he and Liu Zijin would come out to look for Su Xiaolu.
He saw Su Xiaolu returning to the city not far from the city gate. Liu Zijin was still looking for her on East Street.
The two of them went to East Street to meet Liu Zijin.
Liu Zijin was relieved to see that Su Xiaolu was safe and sound. The three of them returned to the inn.
As soon as they returned to the inn, Zhou Heng and Su Chong stood up together. “Are you alright?”
Su Hua shook his head. “I’m fine. Zhou Zhi left the city.”
Su Chong was stunned. He thought he had heard wrongly.
Zhou Heng frowned slightly.
Su Xiaolu told him about her encounter with Zhou Zhi during the day. In any case, she did not understand why Zhou Zhi had left. Perhaps her second brother was right. He had something to do and happened to come here. Coincidentally, the matter had been settled and he did not want to become enemies with her, so he left.
Even after knowing that Zhou Zhi had left, the few of them could not be happy because they were at a loss.
After a moment of silence, Su Chong said, “No matter what, it’s a good thing that he’s gone. We have to be careful in the next period of time. We just have to go home after the exam.”
Zhou Zhi and Zhou Heng would go against each other sooner or later. However, Zhou Heng was weak now, so it was not the time to go against him. When they arrived in the capital, Zhou Heng would contact the empress and recover his identity. At that time, he would not have to worry.
1
Liu Zijin did not know what had happened. He did not ask further, but since Su Chong and Su Hua were so nervous, it must be something big. It was not a bad thing that Zhou Zhi had left.
They just had to be careful and take the exam well.
Su Hua nodded and said, “Be careful during this period of time. Don’t be too worried. Do what you have to do.”
Su Hua looked at Zhou Heng and said gently, “Little Brother Heng, you should still hide your strength during the exam. If there’s anything, you can make plans for the exam next year.”
Zhou Heng nodded. “Okay.”
After Zhou Zhi left, he still felt terrible.
Liu Zijin went to arrange food. After they finished eating, they washed up and rested.
Nothing happened until the first of August.
Zhou Zhi really left.
Su Xiaolu had been going back and forth to Qinglian Monastery for the past few days. Xiao Bing, who had been recuperating in Qinglian Monastery for a few days, could already go home.
He had already regained his ability to walk. When he left, Madam Chu brought him to kneel down in front of Su Xiaolu. Madam Chu said gratefully to Su Xiaolu, “Divine doctor, thank you for saving my son’s life. Bing, quickly kowtow to the divine doctor.”
Xiao Bing was also obedient and kowtowed to Su Xiaolu. Su Xiaolu reached out and helped the mother and son up. “Go back and recuperate for two months. You’ll recover your exhausted energy. In the future, remember to eat well. You have to eat cooked food.”
She didn’t know this worm yet, but it was a parasite in the body. It was usually infected through the mouth.
It was always good to pay more attention to this.
Madam Chu nodded repeatedly, and Xiao Bing nodded obediently. “Thank you, divine doctor. I’ll remember it.”
He did not see what the worm looked like, but when he fell asleep, he saw something moving in his stomach. He could not forget this terrifying memory even if he wanted to.
Su Xiaolu had cured him. She was a divine doctor and he would listen to the divine doctor.
“Alright, then go home.”
Su Xiaolu smiled and waved her hand.
Madam Chu nodded happily. She held Xiao Bing’s hand and left. As she thought about it, her eyes turned red again. She turned around and bowed to Su Xiaolu before leaving with Xiao Bing.
The novice monk also revealed a smile. He pressed his palms together and chanted, “Amitabha.”
After sending Madam Chu and Xiao Bing off, Su Xiaolu said to Ben Tian, “Little monk, didn’t you say that there’s news about what I asked you to find out? What news? Tell me.”
Ben Tianxing bowed and said to Su Xiaolu, “It was Su Lin’s commander, Wu Mingcai, who betrayed the country. The Second Prince is here to quell the chaos. After quelling the chaos, he naturally has to return to the capital to report.”
Su Lin was close to Furongzhou. The terrain was steep and easy to defend, but difficult to attack. It was the only way for the Yan Kingdom to attack the Zhou Kingdom. Wu Mingcai was only a county magistrate but had a huge responsibility, so Zhou Zhi came personally to settle it.
Ben Tian told Su Xiaolu what had happened in detail.
Su Xiaolu was relieved when she heard this. At least it meant that meeting Zhou Zhi was really a coincidence.
As for Zhou Zhi saying that he looked forward to Zhou Heng’s return and would not take his life or hate him, Su Xiaolu did not believe him at all.
But now, her brothers could take the exam properly.
After returning from Qinglian Monastery, Su Xiaolu told Su Chong and the others what she had heard.
Everyone felt much more at ease.
In the next few days, Su Xiaolu seriously brewed medicine, pills, Medicinal cuisine pancakes, medicine packets, and so on.
She did not have any free time these few days and distributed the herbs.
Liu Zijin also had a share. He had bought them with money.
On the eighth of August, Su Chong, Su Hua, Zhou Heng, and Liu Zijin took their things and went to the exam hall together. The examination was very strict. They had to enter the venue one night in advance. For the next seven to eight days, the students would spend their time in the exam hall.
There were more than 10,000 people in Furongzhou, and only the top 100 were on the final rankings.
One could imagine the pressure.
The students in the examination were of all ages. There were fifty to sixty-year-old Elementary Scholars and ten-year-old Elementary Scholars.
Su Xiaolu and Wang Huilan sent them in.
Before entering, Su Chong and Su Hua said to Su Xiaolu, “Xiaolu, don’t worry. We’re going.
Zhou Heng had something on his mind. He nodded at Su Xiaolu and did not speak.
After Liu Zijin and Wang Huilan exchanged a few words, he smiled at Su Xiaolu and said, “Xiaolu, I’ll have to trouble you to accompany your sister-in-law during this period of time.”
Su Xiaolu waved her hand. “Alright, alright. Go quickly.”
She didn’t acknowledge Liu Zijin as her brother, but she was familiar with Wang Huilan. If she called Wang Huilan sister-in-law, Liu Zijin would be considered her brother.
Liu Zijin was also on good terms with her brothers. It was fine to acknowledge him as half a brother.
After they entered, Su Xiaolu and Wang Huilan returned to the inn.
They just had to wait for the next few days.
No one could help each other with the exam.
Su Xiaolu was not too worried. After all, it was useless to worry.
Wang Huilan was more melancholic, so she went to buy cloth skins the next day. She didn’t want to go out anymore, so she made new clothes for Liu Zijin at the inn. Liu Zijin could wear them after the exam.
Su Xiaolu did not know how to make clothes. She decided to buy them at the ready-to-wear shop. It was rare for her to come to Furongzhou, so she planned to go to the pharmacy to see if there were any rare herbs. If there were, she would buy some.
Su Xiaolu told Wang Huilan and prepared to leave.
Wang Huilan instructed her to be careful and come back early.
Su Xiaolu nodded and went out. She went straight to the largest pharmacy in Furongzhou, the Ji Shi Hall. There were many commoners waiting to see a doctor outside the Ji Shi Hall. Su Xiaolu went in and went straight to the place with the medicine. She asked the little medicine boy, “Do you have Snow Herb seeds here?”