The World's Number One Medical Hall

Chapter Sixty-One: The City Gate

Although the roads in the city were relatively flat, the carriage ride was still somewhat bumpy.

Despite his extremely weak body, Mo Bai finally felt dizzy and lightheaded, and his face turned as pale as paper, making him feel extremely unwell.

However, he remained silent throughout, not sitting on the bench in the carriage, but instead sitting cross-legged on a futon, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes closed as he calmed his mind and regulated his breathing to resist the pain caused by the carriage's jolting.

After an unknown amount of time, the bumpy carriage suddenly began to slow down, and Tie Xiong's voice came from outside the carriage door at just the right moment: "Sixth Master, we're almost at the city gate."

"Hmm?" Mo Bai opened his eyes and looked towards the car door. He saw that the door was open a crack, revealing Tie Xiong's face covered with a thick beard. After taking a closer look at his eyes, and seeing that he was still relatively calm, Mo Bai didn't say anything, but simply nodded and said, "I understand."

"When the soldiers check you later, just stay in the car and don't move, as we discussed. I've been going in and out of the city gates to test them these past few days, and they haven't recognized me. Even if something unexpected happens, they will definitely make you get out of the car for inspection. Don't panic, just leave it to me. These people are just using this as an excuse to ask for more benefits..." Tie Xiong was still a little worried that Mo Bai would be exposed, so he gave him instructions again.

"Okay!" Mo Bai nodded again, got up from the ground, put away the futon, sat back on the bench in the carriage, and put on a quilt that had been prepared beforehand. He leaned against the carriage, held a blue handkerchief in his hand to cover his mouth and nose, and coughed a few times.

His posture, coupled with his pale, bloodless face, made him look like a consumptive, inspiring fear in anyone who saw him, who would be afraid to come into contact with him lest they be tainted by bad luck.

Tie Xiong nodded slightly, then took another close look at his face. Only after confirming that no one familiar with him would be able to discern anything amiss did he close the door again, and the carriage slowly started moving again.

"Cough cough cough..." Mo Bai coughed a few times from time to time while sitting in the car.

Tie Xiong might have thought that Mo Bai's demeanor was still a pretense, but in reality, he didn't know that this was Mo Bai's true appearance at this moment.

As his body swayed and bounced with the car, he would have remained in this state if he hadn't relied on willpower to endure it.

After coughing a few times, his chest felt a little better. Mo Bai calmly moved the handkerchief away from his hand, his gaze slightly lowered, and he could clearly see a shocking splash of bright red on the blue handkerchief.

He shook his head slightly, exhaled a breath of stale air, withdrew his gaze, lowered his handkerchief, and closed his eyes again.

Before long, a commotion could be heard coming from outside the car window.

"Stop! Stop!"

"Yeah, you! Why are you running? Huh? Why are you running? *slap*"

"Get out, get out, get out now..."

"Oh, this little girl is quite pretty. Come here, let me take a look..."

Mo Bai opened his eyes again, knowing that they had arrived at the city gate. The chaotic noise must be coming from the soldiers who were checking people.

But he couldn't help but frown at the sounds coming from his ears. These sounds didn't sound like they came from soldiers at all; they sounded like some shady thugs causing trouble.

The carriage slowed down again, and Mo Bai gently lifted the curtain of the carriage window, revealing a corner, and looked towards the source of the sound.

Then, less than fifty meters away, several soldiers with swords at their waists were scattered around the city gate in an unrefined manner.

Some people were sitting in a shed, drinking tea or wine, while another person was squatting in a corner of the city gate, gnawing on a roast chicken.

Of course, there were also people standing at the city gates conducting inspections, and those frivolous and boastful voices came from these inspecting soldiers.

It was still early, the sun had just risen, and the city gates had probably only recently opened. There were still quite a few people waiting to be checked.

Those entering and those leaving the city lined up on either side. Most of those entering the city carried bundles on their backs, including the elderly and children. They looked like they were either traveling far away or were originally from the countryside, returning home after working in the city.

Most of those entering were middle-aged men, presumably working in the city, as well as some elderly people carrying baskets or carrying hampers, who seemed to be in the city to sell some things to supplement their family income.

This was the first time Mo Bai had ever truly witnessed ordinary people's lives. He had seen ordinary people in the capital before, of course, but the capital was different.

This is the real folk place. He focused his attention on the people's clothing and demeanor, and a single glance made his heart sink.

Let alone fine silks and satins, over 99% of the people wore coarse cloth and linen shirts. Even among those made of coarse cloth, long shirts were rare; most were short garments, and tattered and patched shirts were a common sight.

His gaze lifted slightly as he glanced at the faces of those who were about to enter the city. Even from a distance, Mo Bai could almost sense the weariness in their eyes as they struggled to make a living.

However, even in this seemingly hopeless situation, Mo Bai could clearly see that the soldiers conducting the checks were constantly cursing and swearing, and if they didn't like someone, they would even throw punches and kicks.

Watching those tall, middle-aged men, heads bowed, smiling obsequiously and bowing amidst their shouts and curses, picking up the rummaged-through packages, and leaving with hunched backs...

"Hmm, these buns look pretty good, but there's not enough meat..."

"Yes, yes, sir, please forgive me. My grandson is sick and we need money for medicine. We really don't have any money to buy meat. If I sell these buns today and earn a little money, I'll definitely make some with lots of filling for you gentlemen tomorrow..."

"Hmm, sensible, sensible! Come on, brothers, come and have a taste..."

Mo Bai lowered the curtains and closed his eyes slightly, but the image of the old man with tears in his eyes watching the soldiers casually take away the steaming buns from the load he had carried for who knows how far, without daring to resist, and instead laughing and flattering him, remained vivid in his mind.

"Tie Xiong!" Mo Bai called out softly.

"Sixth Master!" Upon suddenly hearing a voice from inside the car, Tie Xiong quickly opened the car door a crack and looked at Mo Bai in response.

"Call that old man selling steamed buns over and buy two!" Mo Bai opened his eyes and said in a low voice.

"Huh?" Tie Xiong seemed taken aback for a moment, then glanced back at the line of people being checked ahead. Seeing that there was still some time, he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go buy it for you!"

"Hmm, go ask him what illness his grandson has?" Mo Bai said softly without looking up.

Tie Xiong was about to leave when he heard this, and he suddenly stopped, glancing back at Mo Bai's lowered eyes before replying in a deep voice, "Alright!"