Warm medicine emits fragrance

"My lord, we have news of Li Chenbi!"

A soldier rushed into the prefect's mansion and addressed Qi Weiming, who was practicing his boxing in the courtyard.

Qi Weiming stopped and turned to look at him. "Where?"

There was no surprise in his eyes; he knew Li Qiuping would definitely return to Xingzhou City.

After Li Chenbi joined the rebel army, he sometimes stayed with General Yan all night long, and it was impossible to hide the fact that he suffered from a fever.

However, only General Yan knew about it; Qi Weiming overheard it by chance outside General Yan's door.

Li Chenbi suffers from a fever and needs to take medicine daily.

Moreover, those medicinal herbs are expensive and rare, and cannot be bought simply by having money.

On the way back to Xingzhou with Li Qiuping, Li Qiuping would quietly leave alone during rest stops. He had sent people to follow Li Qiuping, but Li Qiuping was cunning and always managed to shake them off.

When the two parted ways near Xingzhou, he still didn't know what Li Qiuping had done when he left, but looking at the bundle that had appeared on Li Qiuping's body, he guessed that it must contain Li Chenbi's medicine.

Li Chenbi needs to take medicine every day, but the dosage won't last for more than a few days.

At that time, Li Qiuping will definitely return to Xingzhou City to retrieve the medicine.

So he planted people in the shadows on every road leading out of Xingzhou, extending for hundreds of miles.

They hid in the shadows and didn't follow Li Qiuping after they saw him. All they needed to do was know which direction he came from and which direction he went.

Zhang Yang said that his move was a waste of military resources and told him not to do it, lest he be impeached by General Yan later.

Qi Weiming knew, of course, what the consequences of doing this would be. He was actually no different from Li Chenbi; they had joined the rebel army halfway through, unlike those who had been with General Yan for a long time.

Those who dislike Li Chenbi naturally cannot stand him either.

He was just easier to get along with than Li Chenbi, and less hated.

He knew he shouldn't have used his troops to find Li Chenbi this time. General Yan had already allowed Li Chenbi to recuperate for a month, and he would naturally return once his injuries improved.

But Qi Weiming felt something was very wrong.

It was normal for Li Chenbi to be hiding outside while seriously injured when he did not bring his troops back.

But now that he has returned with his troops and arrested those who harmed him, he is even less likely to harm Li Chenbi. He came back specifically to deal with this matter.

Given Li Chenbi's picky and arrogant nature, he should have swaggered back to Xingzhou.

Why hide outside?

There are only some small towns near Xingzhou, and their living conditions cannot compare to those of the Li family mansion.

unless...

Li Chenbi has reasons for not returning.

Li Chenbi is a cold-blooded and ruthless man who can even scheme against his own brother, and he has never cared about power or wealth.

There is only one person in this world who can hold him back.

Qi Weiming guessed that finding Li Chenbi's whereabouts might lead to news of her.

"Reporting back to you, sir, Li Qiuping took a different route when he came than when he left. However, these two routes pass through several mountains and then intersect at the towns of Kaishan and Guanshan."

"Both towns are outside our deployment area, and we are currently unsure which town he went to, or perhaps a village near the town."

"But as long as we search this area, we're sure to find it."

Qi Weiming nodded. "Okay, investigate all the areas under the jurisdiction of these two towns. Remember not to get caught."

"Yes."

After a long night of travel, Li Qiuping returned to Guanshan Town, handed over the medicinal herbs, money, and food that Li Chenbi had specifically instructed him to bring, and then went back to his room to catch up on sleep.

When he woke up, he heard arguing coming from Fan Liuer's room.

It sounded quite loud.

He went outside and asked the servants hiding in the distance, "Why are they arguing again?"

The servant looked helpless. "I don't know."

Li Qiuping walked to the bedroom door and quietly pressed his ear against it.

"Li Chenbi, I never thought you were this kind of person!" Fan Liuer's angry voice rang out.

Li Chenbi's voice was low and his tone was not good. "Didn't I give you all the silver that Li Qiuping brought? Why are you making such a fuss?"

"I'm taking this seriously?" Fan Liu'er's anger intensified. "You stole my money and you say I'm taking this seriously? Do you believe I can call the constables to take you away right now!"

Li Qiuping covered her mouth slightly, surprised.

Stealing money? His grandfather stole money?

Li Chenbi raised his voice, "Fan Liuer, do you have any conscience? Everything you eat, drink, and use is bought with my money. What's wrong with me taking a little for myself? Besides, I'm using the money to buy you servants. You're the one who's enjoying the good life."

"You're arguing with me over such a small amount of money? You're such an ingrate!"

Li Qiuping realized to himself, "So that's how it is. So the money my master gave me to buy servants came from Madam Fan."

"Is it the money that I'm angry about? It's because you took it without asking! What right do you have to touch my things without my permission?"

After saying that, Fan Liuer snorted: "Besides, so what if you gave me this money? I didn't take it for nothing. I earned this money through my own hard work. Do you think I don't get tired of groveling in front of you every day?"

"Humble and subservient?" Li Chenbi's voice was filled with disbelief. "Fan Liuer, you're saying you're humbling and subservient in front of me? How can you say that to your own conscience? Everyone in the Li household knows how good I've been to you. Who are you humbling yourself to? What kind of subservient act are you putting yourself before?"

"Was that my own choice? You forced me to do it." Fan Liuer's voice grew louder and her tone became more and more forceful, as if she was about to unleash all the grievances she had suffered these past few days.

"I don't want anything to do with you at all. I just want to do my job peacefully and save my own money."

"You forced me to come to your side. Yes, you are good to me, but I didn't ask you to be good to me. You insisted on being good to me. Now I don't appreciate it, and you call me an ingrate."

"There's no such logic in this world. Why should I be grateful just because you're nice to me? Have you forgotten how you forced and threatened me?"

"You say you like me, but you're always so aloof. I can't disobey you in the slightest, and I can't have my own ideas. Everything has to be done according to your wishes."

"But I'm a person, not a pet you keep in your house."

After Fan Liuer finished speaking, Li Chenbi didn't say anything more. He just looked at her, his eyes no longer filled with anger, but with complex and heavy emotions.

Even Fan Liuer couldn't understand what it contained.

After a while, Li Chenbi lowered his eyes and looked at his legs.

He chuckled softly, his voice low and hoarse.

"I always thought you were happy during that time, but it turns out that in your eyes, I was the one forcing you."