Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 479 - 478: Factions

"Since someone wants to talk, I don’t mind listening." Lu Qing tucked the brass pendant back into his chest, patted the wooden box on the table, "I’ll leave all of these to you. How you handle them is up to you."

"Junior brother, you’re too kind!" Yan Daoxin beamed at the sight of those rare herbs, pretending to solemnly pat Lu Qing on the back, "I promise I won’t treat you unfairly in the future! I’ll prepare a medicine for you that ensures you’ll have a daughter if you want a daughter, or a son if you want a son!"

"You’re a Daoist practitioner, and yet you’re filled with such thoughts." Lu Qing looked Yan Daoxin up and down with disdain, "The name Master gave you is really a mistake."

Yan Daoxin was long immune to these words and simply grinned, turning to look at Zhu Yu, who, unlike him, showed no reaction to his teasing. She was slightly frowning, resting her chin in her hand, lost in thought.

"Looks like your wife doesn’t want to have kids with you, see how worried she got just hearing that..." Yan Daoxin said to Lu Qing in a seemingly serious tone, quickly dodging the punch Lu Qing swung at him.

"No hitting in the face! That’s too much! You just used my face to sneak into the Little Mountain Building a while ago, and now you burn the bridge?" Yan Daoxin, along with his chair, moved sharply away from the table, then turned to Zhu Yu and asked, "Zhu Yu, what are you thinking? If you can’t stand this guy anymore, shall I ask Master to intervene for you?"

Zhu Yu, stirred by the commotion, shifted her attention to the two of them. By now, she was accustomed to the way Lu Qing and Yan Daoxin bantered with each other, knowing that their friendship was deep despite the jabs.

"How much did you know about the land of Fan before? Are the people here naturally dark-skinned and slim, or is there some recent reason for their appearance?" She wasn’t in the mood for jokes and thus did not respond to Yan Daoxin’s teasing, instead asking a serious question.

"I’ve never been to Fan Land, and I don’t know much about the appearance of Fan Country people." Yan Daoxin was taken aback for a moment but quickly answered seriously, given Zhu Yu’s earnest question, "My master has always been averse to witch doctors in Fan Land. He thinks they’re not real shamans nor doctors—either they cause delays in treatment with their hocus-pocus or they use sinister herbs inappropriately.

So Master never allowed me to go to Fan Land, and definitely forbade me from learning their witchcraft medicine."

After speaking, he quickly pointed to the items on the table, "Except for these! These are truly useful, life-saving medicines that happen to originate from Fan Land!"

Zhu Yu nodded and shifted her gaze to Lu Qing.

"I’ve never been to Fan Land either; Master wouldn’t allow it." Lu Qing shook his head, "This is my first time as well.

However, I have heard about the looks of the Fan Country people. It is said that due to the extreme heat here throughout the year, even winter is as hot as summer elsewhere, and summer feels like living in a kiln.

As a result, it’s hard for many crops to grow here, and the people are generally slim, supposedly better able to withstand such heat.

Furthermore, because they are small in stature, they’re at a disadvantage both in long-range and close combat. So, over hundreds of years, they have increasingly relied on witch doctors, witchcraft, and various poisonous insects and poisons to gain an advantage, avoiding losses when dealing with other vassal states.

Why do you ask?"

"I overheard the shopkeeper at the witchcraft medicine store today; he mentioned that the High Priest in Fan Land is handsome, tall, knowledgeable about everything from astronomy to geography. Not only is he skilled in witchcraft medicine, but his strategies and arrays are no less than that of his senior brother, who was expelled from the clan. So I found it curious.

After all, since we entered Fan Land, anyone who’s tall and hefty seems to be from the Fanwang Mansion, while the common Fan Landers are invariably small with sallow skin.

So, I can’t help but be curious why this High Priest is so different from the others.

The shopkeeper said that now the High Priest strictly forbids anyone in Fan Land to hunt for Jade Snowbirds. No mentioning bird blood or even feathers.

This indicates two things. First, it shows that the High Priest seems to have quite the prestige in Fan Land. His command, as a High Priest, is actually enforced across the nation, which undoubtedly wouldn’t happen without the King Fan’s support, granting him considerable power.

Secondly, if, as the shopkeeper said, Jade Snowbirds have become taboo in Fan Land, then what about what we encountered in Shuo Land when dealing with Jia Hui’s death?

Thirdly, who retreats for over a year? Even a bear’s winter slumber doesn’t take that long, let alone a person. Is this retreat or cultivation?"

Yan Daoxin was thoughtfully listening to Zhu Yu’s point of view, but when he heard her mention bears, he couldn’t help but snort with laughter, which earned him a glare from Zhu Yu, hastily stifling his smile, "You’re right!"

"This High Priest is quite intriguing." Lu Qing nodded in agreement. He too had paid special attention to the stories of the High Priest’s sect shared by the witchcraft medicine shopkeeper today, "Not to mention his senior brother, who spent a fortune hiring people to catch Jade Snowbirds and later got involved in the Jin Country’s battle for succession... We must meet this High Priest somehow.

However, since the High Priest is highly valued by the King Fan, not to mention he may be in seclusion, avoiding visitors, even without seclusion, he’s not someone itinerant doctors like us can easily meet.

So, we still have to be patient and wait for the King Fan to take the bait from Yan Daoxin’s ’straight hook.’ Once we enter the Prince Mansion and see King Fan, the rest will be easier to handle with flexibility."

"Alright, that’s settled then!" Yan Daoxin nodded, got up and waved at them, "You all must be tired from a day of running around; go get some rest!

I’ve dealt with so many patients today and am feeling very weary, need to rest too, so you all should go sleep! Tomorrow morning will be busy again!"

Lu Qing nodded, pulling Zhu Yu up to leave.

Zhu Yu wasn’t suspicious. Today, not only had they been running around, but Yan Daoxin had also definitely been exhausted.

However, after the few of them exited the room, there came the sounds of moving the wooden boxes around from inside.

Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing with amusement, and Lu Qing gave her a wry smile in return.

It’s hard to imagine Yan Daoxin, this medicine fanatic, going to bed early when surrounded by so many rare herbs!