Ch. 088.5: Searching for Medicine in the North (5) 

Translator: MoonWhisperer, TWIP | Editor: TWIP

The male head of the farmer family was named Ba Lang Da. He was an extremely cheerful and carefree person. As he walked, he introduced the local sights to the other two people, and they very quickly arrived at the foot of the mountains.

Du Xiao Li saw the vast mountain range and said to Beiling Yi Cheng, "Brother, you're familiar with the Luo Di Hua's growth habits. Why don't you tell Brother Ba Lang what they are so that he can take us straight to those sorts of areas? The earlier we find it, the earlier we'll return."

"You want to find Luo Di Hua?" Ba Lang Da asked.

"Yes. Does Brother Ba Lang know of this kind of herb?" Du Xiao Li queried.

"Initially, I didn't know about it. How would we who live here know about herbs and what not? But there was someone who came looking for this herb previously and had me be their guide. That's why I know about it. I know where you can find the Luo Di Hua. If that's what you're looking for, 1 can take you straight there," Ba Lang Da said simple-mindedly while rubbing the back of his head.

"Is what you're talking about a kind of plant that's got palm-shaped leaves, grows low to the ground, and has a pale yellow flower?" Beiling Yi Cheng asked.

"I don't know about the flower. I didn't see any flowers when I went there the last time, but the leaves sound more or less like what you said," Ba Lang Da stated.

"That should be it. Take us over there then," Beiling Yi Cheng said.

"Okay, let's walk on this side." Once Ba Lang Da finished speaking, he walked over to a different mountain top.

Du Xiao Li and Beiling Yi Cheng had to hurry to catch up to him.

Ba Lang Da was very familiar with this area and led them through a turn on the left, a mountain climb on the right, and a valley situated in some unknown location. On the shady side of the mountains, they finally found the Luo Di Hua.

Presently, it wasn't the Luo Di Hua's blooming period. However, the antidote did not require the flower, fortunately. Using the small trowel she had brought, Du Xiao Li carefully loosened the soil around the Luo Di Hua.

Earlier, they'd spent almost an hour to reach this place. If they were to walk back, they wouldn't be able to return in time to make the antidote. So Beiling Yi Cheng took Ba Lang Da with him, and the three of them used qing gong to fly back.

All the way until they reached the farmer's home, Ba Lang Da still hadn't recovered his spirits. This was his first time accompanying someone as they used qing gong to fly, and the docile farmer had gotten a fright.

Upon reaching the farmer's home, Du Xiao Li made her way into a room and used the simplistic tools to pound the herb over and over until an antidote was produced.

When Du Xiao Li emerged, she found that Beiling Yi Cheng had been waiting outside the whole time. He saw her open the room door, and she in turn gave him a nod. It was only then that he finally became at ease.

As it was now too late to travel, they stayed the night at Ba Lang Da's home and set out on their journey on the second day at the first glimmer of light. If they spurred the horses to run at full speed, they might be able to return to Feng Huang before the city gates closed.

On their way back, they passed through the town they stopped at previously and randomly picked a place to have lunch. After that, they hurriedly continued on with their journey.

Du Xiao Li and Beiling Yi Cheng had been spending these past two days or so traveling hastily only to travel even more hastily. So they were both somewhat tired from the journey.

"Miss Du, let's rest for a while." It was ultimately Beiling Yi Cheng who couldn't bear it anymore and said this to Du Xiao Li as they were passing through a grove by a riverbank.

If it were any other girl, she would definitely be so tired out from a day's worth of horseriding that she'd be flopping over by now, let alone from the way they'd been traveling. However, Du Xiao Li had to travel continuously as well as make an antidote, yet she hadn't even said a single word about being tired! This girl who was more or less the same age as Beiling Yi Cheng's younger sister had un unswerving determination that even many men did not have. Those who encountered her would definitely find themselves impressed with her from the bottom of their hearts.

Nevertheless, Du Xiao Li was indeed somewhat tired. Seeing that it was getting late, she nodded in agreement.

So the two people dismounted and tied the horses to a tree by the riverbank. Then they went to the stream and washed their faces with the water.

Unpolluted water was truly great! Du Xiao Li looked at the water that was so clear even the bottom of the river could be seen and sighed inwardly countless times.

Her current self would still occasionally think of her previous life, even though she clearly didn't have anyone she was attached to.

People were always like this. It was only after they left that they would miss the people from their past and long for the life they once had, even though they had always felt that life was very horrible at the time.

After wiping her face, Du Xiao Li said to Beiling Yi Chen's reflection in the water, "7th Prince, Princess Yu is truly very blessed to have a brother like you. I can tell that Princess Yu grew up in a very warm and loving environment, which is why she has such a pure disposition."

Thinking of Beiling Yu, Beiling Yi Cheng's face broke into a smile. He said, "My younger sister and I were born from the same mother. Before my mother passed away, I promised her I would protect my younger sister well and let her grow up happily. I am her pillar of support, and she is my reason to live."

"If your mother were to see you two now, she would surely feel very gratified," Du Xiao Li said.

In which country were the internal struggles of the royal family not cruel? Yet he had blocked off all the danger from Beiling Yu and given her an untainted environment to grow up in.

The only concern was if it was actually a good thing for a princess to have such a disposition.

Nevertheless, at least she had a beautiful childhood.

After resting for a while, Du Xiao Li stood up and said, "Let's keep going."

"All right."

The two people got on their horses and continued rushing onward. However, before they even left the grove, they felt a grim atmosphere.

"Ang-_"

Just as they were about to reach the edge of the forest, Du Xiao Li's horse suddenly fell into a hole, where it instantly met a violent death on shiny sword blades lined at the bottom of the hole. Right before that happened, Du Xiao Li quickly jumped off and landed on a rock by the side.

Simultaneously, over ten arrows shot toward Beiling Yi Cheng and his horse from the forest on his left and right. Drawing his sword, Beiling Yi Cheng struck down the arrows that headed toward him. However, the horse got hit by an arrow and went forth in a frenzied charge. When he saw that Du Xiao Li had left her horse, he decided to just abandon his horse as well and flew over, landing before her.

References 

1. — "Qinggong is a technique in Chinese martial arts that is visually reminiscent of parkour, despite having different training methods." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qinggong

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