nycdaug Chapter 192 The Grain and Supplies Were Robbed
Chapter 192 The Grain and Supplies Were Robbed
Xue Ruanruan was dressed in coarse linen clothes and wore a tattered bamboo hat, completely concealing her originally beautiful face. She had also deliberately smeared some dust on her face, making her skin appear darker and rougher, as if she were an ordinary person who toiled all day under the sun and wind. Not only that, she had also cleverly changed her hairstyle, casually tying her hair into two buns, making her look very simple and unadorned.
Once everything was ready, Xue Ruanruan mounted the donkey, gently patted its rump, and slowly walked towards the city gate. The donkey, too, was unremarkable in appearance, with dull gray fur and a thin build, carrying Xue Ruanruan at a leisurely pace. In this way, Xue Ruanruan successfully disguised herself as an ordinary young man, blending into the crowd leaving the city and smoothly departing.
At the same time, a discreetly luxurious carriage drove out of the Regent's Palace and sped off towards the outskirts of the capital.
On the official road outside Beijing, a little donkey was galloping happily, its tiny hooves making a crisp clattering sound on the hard ground. The donkey carried a tattered bundle on its back, seemingly containing all its owner's belongings.
Its fur was a dull yellow-brown, covered with dust and bits of grass, making it look somewhat disheveled. But its eyes were exceptionally bright, revealing a cleverness and mischief. Its tail swished from time to time, as if bidding farewell to the world behind it.
The little donkey's steps were light yet powerful, as if it were filled with anticipation for the journey ahead. Perhaps it was hurrying to see its master, or perhaps it was searching for a wider meadow. In this vast expanse of heaven and earth, it was so small, yet so free and joyful.
The Regent's carriage was as luxurious and magnificent as a mobile palace! Its spacious interior seemed capable of holding the entire world; the interior was as bright as day, inlaid with countless dazzling gems and pearls, radiating a mesmerizing light. The carriage walls were meticulously crafted from the finest sandalwood, carved with exquisite patterns and mysterious runes, displaying unparalleled nobility and majesty.
The carriage was covered with a magnificent brocade curtain, which fluttered gently in the wind, like the flowing robes of a fairy dancing gracefully. This enormous carriage almost occupied the entire wide official road, causing other pedestrians and vehicles to give way, for fear that they might accidentally collide with the powerful and influential regent.
The driver was completely unprepared. In that instant, the seemingly docile donkey, which had been steadily moving forward, suddenly stopped abruptly without warning! It was as if an invisible force had dragged it down, abruptly halting it in place. This sudden change caught the driver off guard; his eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment and confusion. What was going on? This donkey was usually extremely obedient and compliant; why was it behaving so strangely today? Had it seen something that frightened or surprised it? The driver wondered to himself, while his eyes quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find any reason why the donkey had stopped. However, apart from the empty road and sparse trees, there was nothing unusual around. This only deepened the driver's bewilderment…
And so the carriage slammed against the donkey's rump again, emitting a heart-wrenching roar. Murong Xun, who was resting with his eyes closed inside the carriage, suddenly opened his eyes. Murong Xun frowned slightly and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"
The coachman, looking flustered, hurriedly replied, "Your Highness! It's really strange! This usually docile and obedient little donkey, I don't know what happened, it just suddenly stopped without any warning! I dared not delay and quickly checked the surroundings carefully, but I really couldn't find anything unusual!" As he spoke, he kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, clearly very frightened and uneasy.
Murong Xun lifted the curtain and leaned out to look. His eyes were sharp as he scanned the surroundings before finally landing on the little donkey.
The little donkey trembled, its eyes filled with fear. Murong Xun stared at the donkey and said softly, "Could it be that this beast sensed danger?" Before he finished speaking, a gust of cold wind suddenly swept in, stirring up a cloud of dust. Faintly, the low growls of strange beasts could be heard in the wind. Murong Xun's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition welled up in his mind.
Without hesitation, he leaped from the carriage, drawing his sword in preparation. In an instant, a ferocious beast burst forth from the dust, charging straight at him. Murong Xun dodged the attack and engaged the beast in fierce combat.
During the battle, Murong Xun discovered that the giant beast was injured, seemingly suffering from some kind of illness. Using his superb medical skills, he diagnosed the beast's ailment. Taking advantage of the beast's momentary pause, Murong Xun leaped to its side and used acupuncture to seal its acupoints, causing the beast to immediately collapse to the ground.
With the crisis averted, Murong Xun breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the little donkey, now calm, lost in thought. This mysterious illness might conceal a greater secret.
Murong Xun, feeling suspicious, jumped off the carriage and walked towards the little donkey. He gently stroked the donkey's head, trying to soothe it.
After a moment, the little donkey's tension gradually eased. Murong Xun looked ahead thoughtfully, wondering to himself: This place is flat and has a wide view, so what could be causing the little donkey to be so frightened?
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, carrying a faint, unpleasant odor. Murong Xun keenly detected this smell; his expression changed slightly, and he immediately ordered, "Everyone on alert!"
Everyone was on edge, cautiously observing their surroundings.
Murong Xun frowned and began searching for the source of the strange odor. He slowly moved forward following the wind and finally found some black liquid in the grass not far away. He crouched down to examine it closely and found that the liquid emitted a pungent smell, clearly some kind of poisonous substance.
Murong Xun's heart sank, realizing that there might be greater danger lurking here. He turned to warn the others, "Be careful, there might be an ambush nearby." Just then, a group of men in black suddenly surged out from all around, wielding sharp blades, and attacked Murong Xun and his companions.
Undeterred, Murong Xun brandished his longsword and engaged the enemy in fierce combat. His swordsmanship was ruthless, each strike carrying a deadly threat. However, the men in black outnumbered them, gradually surrounding them. In this critical moment, Murong Xun decided to lead his men in a breakout. Seizing the opportunity, he let out a roar and charged towards the weakest point of the men in black.
Xue Ruanruan was unaware that her whereabouts had been discovered. She rode her donkey onward, passing through many villages and towns along the way. At each stop, she would inquire about the divine doctor.
That day, Xue Ruanruan arrived at a place called Qing Shi Town. It was a populous and prosperous town. She stopped at an inn to rest and asked the innkeeper about the legendary healer. The innkeeper told her that, to his knowledge, there was indeed a legendary healer in the area, but his whereabouts were elusive and difficult to find. However, the innkeeper mentioned a clue: it was said that this legendary healer liked to gather herbs in the mountains, and if she was lucky, she might be able to encounter him there.
Upon hearing this, Xue Ruanruan's eyes lit up, and she decided to go into the mountains to find the miracle doctor. She led her little donkey and set off on the road into the mountains.
Despite the arduous mountain path, Xue Ruanruan showed no sign of backing down. She had only one belief in her heart: she must find the miracle doctor and cure her grandfather's illness.
As the saying goes, perseverance pays off. After several days of searching, Xue Ruanruan finally found traces of the divine healer in a valley. There she saw an elderly man with white hair picking herbs in the valley, accompanied by a lively little monkey.
"Boss, have you ever heard of a highly skilled doctor?" Xue Ruanruan asked in a low voice.
The shopkeeper scratched his head. "There are many miracle doctors in this world. Which one are you looking for, young lady?" Xue Ruanruan quickly stepped forward. "Old man, are you the legendary miracle doctor?" The old man turned around, glanced at Xue Ruanruan, and nodded with a smile. "Young lady, what do you need me for?" Xue Ruanruan was so excited she almost cried. "Miracle doctor, please, please save my grandfather! He has a strange illness and has been unconscious." The old man frowned slightly. "Take me to see your grandfather." Xue Ruanruan thanked him repeatedly and took the miracle doctor and the little monkey home. The miracle doctor examined her carefully, then took out a pill from his pocket and handed it to Xue Ruanruan. "Have your grandfather take this medicine, and he will be cured." Xue Ruanruan took the pill, her heart filled with hope. She fed her grandfather the pill as instructed. Not long after, her grandfather indeed woke up, looking refreshed and as if he had become several years younger. Xue Ruanruan was overwhelmed with gratitude and knelt on the ground to kowtow to the miracle doctor in thanks. The divine physician helped Xue Ruanruan up, saying, "There's no need for that. Healing and saving lives is a doctor's duty." With that, he turned and left. Watching the divine physician's departing figure, Xue Ruanruan secretly vowed that she would be like him, a kind person, and use her medical skills to help more people.
Xue Ruanruan was overjoyed; it seemed there was hope. She quickly said, "I don't know exactly which miracle doctor it is, I only know that his medical skills are superb and he can cure all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases."
The shopkeeper thought for a moment and said, "There is a legendary doctor in this area named Li Xiaoyao. However, he has an eccentric personality and his whereabouts are unpredictable, making him very difficult to find."
Xue Ruanruan's eyes lit up. "Really? Then how can I find him?"
The shopkeeper shook his head. "I don't know about that. But I heard he often gathers herbs in the nearby mountains and forests. You could try your luck there."