Qi He hadn't expected that Lord Yan would share a room with his father.
How was he supposed to get the immortal water he had just obtained from sister Fu into his father's mouth?
Seeing his son standing blankly at the doorway with a water pouch, Qi Yuanshan assumed his son was intimidated by Yan Yi and his expression darkened.
Seeing his father's change of mood, Qi He knew something was amiss and his father must have misunderstood.
Without time to think, he braced himself and entered the room to greet them both.
"Father, Lord Yan."
"Indeed." Yan Yi quite admired the young man, not only for being capable in battle but also because he was engaged to Miss Fu.
If he was recognized by Miss Fu, this young man must have his merits.
"How about it, want to return to the capital with me?"
Seeing Yan Yi's covetous gaze every time he saw his son, Qi Yuanshan immediately interjected, "We appreciate Lord Yan's kind offer, but it's best that Xiao He doesn't go to the capital. It's quite good for him to stay here."
"Don't you think this small place is stifling his talent?"
"His father is here, so it's not exactly stifling him."
"..." Qi Yuanshan's words hit home, leaving Yan Yi momentarily speechless.
What Qi Yuanshan said was true. His father had been stationed here for many years. Then to say in front of his father that this small place was stifling his son, how could the father possibly feel about that?
Yan Yi felt at a loss for words for the first time. He really wanted to take Qi He to the capital. That way, Miss Fu would follow, and then perhaps her master could be introduced.
Most importantly, Miss Fu's firearms during battle were incredibly powerful, and he wanted them.
Especially when engaging in close combat with the Wokou pirates, firearms would have saved him from his blades becoming blunt and his strength failing.
Alas, he truly wished he possessed such a formidable firearm.
Considering Miss Fu had also saved his life, he couldn't be too aggressive.
Besides, he might not even be a match for Miss Fu if he resorted to force.
He found a way to save face for himself. "The weather is nice today. I shall go out and sun myself."
Upon hearing Yan Yi's intention to go out and sun himself, Qi He's expression immediately changed. He thought to himself, "This Lord Yan is quite observant."
Seeing his son's expression shift like a changing face, Qi Yuanshan began to understand, but he said nothing, choosing to wait and see.
After Yan Yi had walked away and was out of earshot, Qi He, smiling, carried the water pouch to his father's bedside and said, "Father, please have a few more sips of this."
Qi Yuanshan didn't ask any questions. He knew that anything his foolish son was so eager to give him must be something good he had acquired from Xin Ci.
Seeing that his father's arms were not convenient, Qi He removed the stopper from the water pouch and personally helped his elder drink.
The first taste, Qi Yuanshan, with a hint of caution, let the clear liquid flow down his throat, and then took a large gulp.
"Father," Qi He said, worried he might choke.
"It's alright, have a few more sips."
Heeding his father's words, Qi He naturally did his best to satisfy him.
Qi Yuanshan drank several large mouthfuls until he could drink no more.
"Father, are you alright?" Qi He felt his father had drunk a bit too much.
"Xiao He, help your father lie down. Father is feeling a bit sleepy."
"Yes."
As Qi He gently helped his father lie down, Qi Yuanshan was already emitting faint snores.
After a hard battle, he had sustained several new injuries. Although the military doctor had cleaned and bandaged his wounds, the pain still made sleep impossible.
But somehow, his tense body had relaxed, and the burning pain in his wounds seemed to have lessened.
He was sleepy now and wanted to have a good sleep.
Seeing his father asleep, Qi He sat by his side for another fifteen minutes before standing up. He informed Wang Dabao and then headed back to the seaside.
Yan Yi ambled outside for a while and returned to the room when he felt thirsty.
He sat by the table and, with one hand, laboriously picked up the teapot, only to find it empty.
He cursed inwardly, "These rough fellows, what are they so busy with all day? They don't even have anyone to brew tea and pour water."
However, he was so thirsty that he wanted to go out and call for his subordinates to boil water for him.
But then he remembered that his subordinates were even more severely injured than he was, so he didn't speak.
He decided to find some water to drink himself. He was really thirsty. But as he stood up, he noticed a water pouch beside the sleeping Qi Yuanshan, who was snoring like a pig.
He remembered that this water pouch must have been brought by Qi He just now.
It was strange that the young man only brought one water pouch for his father.
Although Yan Yi was curious, he didn't think too much about it. He was thirsty and just wanted to drink.
However, as soon as he took a sip, his expression changed. Without a word, he followed Qi Yuanshan's example and took a large gulp.
"Mmm, so refreshing," Yan Yi muttered silently, took another sip, and then reluctantly put down the water pouch.
"Mmm," he also felt a bit sleepy. He wanted to sleep.
When Wang Dabao secretly peeked into the room through the crack in the door, he saw that Lord Yan was sprawled on the kang, sleeping soundly, and their commander was also snoring loudly on the bed.
Oh my, this scene was harmoniously strange, but as a soldier under the commander, he dared not speak carelessly.
A few days later, several women who had recovered their health at the Meng family's residence came to bid farewell to Madam Fang and Fu Xin Ci.
"Thank you, ladies, for saving us and Madam for taking us in during these days."
"Are you returning home?" Madam Fang sympathized with their plight.
Upon hearing Madam Fang's question, the women lowered their heads. They had been abducted by Wokou pirates, how could they face returning home?
After asking, Madam Fang realized her mistake. In this era, a woman's chastity was paramount. With their experiences, even if they returned, they would have no way to survive.
But if she didn't ask about returning home, where else could she ask them to go?
Fu Xin Ci also guessed that these women had begun to contemplate ending their lives.
What to do?
She had saved them, not for them to go and take their own lives.
Fu Xin Ci furrowed her brows and pondered for a moment before speaking, "Sisters, I know of a place, a few mountain ranges away from here. It's not under the jurisdiction of the Great Ming. Would you be willing to live there?"
Upon hearing Fu Xin Ci's words, the women looked at her with hope in their eyes. Then, the light in their eyes gradually extinguished.
The bravest among them, a woman surnamed Liang, said sorrowfully, "Thank you for your kind offer, Miss Fu. For people like us... we would be looked down upon wherever we go. It would be better to... just end it all."
"Alas, I don't know how to persuade you. How about this, you can come with me to Dragon City first. If, after arriving there, you still feel the same way, I won't stop you."