After the guard's voice drifted in from outside the carriage, Su Qing, who had been about to speak, was forced to stop.
She wasn't annoyed, however. It wouldn't be too late to continue their conversation once they were inside the restaurant.
Commandery Princess Ye Qingyu felt the same way.
After all, her original plan had been to discuss these matters once they reached the restaurant. She had only started the conversation in the carriage because the silence felt a bit awkward. Moreover, the topics they were about to delve into were certainly not the kind of things one discussed while traveling. It was only right to settle down and discuss them slowly.
Thus, the two of them stepped down from the carriage and entered the restaurant.
As Su Qing and the others walked in, the manager was busy scolding a clumsy waiter and didn't notice their arrival at first. It wasn't until the guard let out a light cough to get his attention that he turned around to look.
With just one glance, the manager recognized the Commandery Princess. Immediately, he stopped scolding the waiter and hurried over.
To the manager, the Princess was the most important person. A waiter could be scolded at any time; there was no rush. But if he were to neglect the Princess, he might not be able to keep his position as manager for much longer.
Therefore, no matter how important his current task was, he had to set it aside to properly host the Princess.
"Your Highness, the private room you requested has been prepared."
The manager walked up to the Princess and bowed deeply, speaking with extreme humility. He looked nothing like the fierce man who had been berating the waiter just moments ago.
The Princess didn't care much for the manager's attitude. As long as he performed his duties accurately, it didn't matter to her whether he was fawning or poised.
"Mhm, as long as it's ready," Ye Qingyu nodded. "Furthermore, do not let any of your regular waiters near the room. Use the people I assigned to you yesterday for serving tea and water, as well as for bringing the food. Do you understand?"
The matters to follow could only be known by those she trusted. After all, what they were about to discuss was a capital offense. Even if this was her own property, she couldn't allow ordinary waiters to overhear. These workers didn't have the high discipline or loyalty of her own guards.
The manager naturally nodded in haste. In such a situation, how could he dare to do otherwise?
"Rest assured, Your Highness. I will certainly handle everything as you've commanded. I will not disappoint you," the manager promised.
In reality, this wasn't a difficult task. If he couldn't even manage something so small, or if something went wrong, it would be laughable. It would either mean he was incompetent or that he was a liability. However, the Princess trusted that the manager could handle it. After all, she had handpicked him herself and knew his capabilities. Otherwise, she wouldn't have put him in charge of this restaurant.
"Good. That is for the best," the Princess nodded calmly. "Now, lead us to the room."
The manager nodded and led the way upstairs.
Su Qing didn't interject at all; there was no need for her to. She simply watched the Princess work, further confirming the woman's style of handling affairs.
The manager led them upstairs, passing several private rooms before reaching the one at the very end. This room was surrounded by thick walls, and the adjacent rooms were currently unoccupied, so there was no need to worry about being overheard.
Of course, no matter how thorough these preparations were, they weren't as simple or effective as Su Qing casting a single spell. However, seeing the Princess go to such lengths showed her determination and caution, which satisfied Su Qing. The more cautious the Princess was, the lower the probability of things going wrong in the future.
'I still can't figure out how such a cautious Princess dared to walk into a place like that before,' Su Qing thought, stroking her chin. 'Was there some hidden reason? Did those ghosts deceive her, or did someone intentionally lure her there?'
It wouldn't be surprising if there was a hidden motive. In fact, it would be more normal. Given the Princess's cautious nature, she likely wouldn't have gone to such a place unless influenced by some special factor. However, it wasn't convenient for Su Qing to ask about it. Her current identity was that of a Divine Doctor, not the One-Leaf Bodhisattva who had saved the Princess. Under normal circumstances, she shouldn't know about that incident. Asking would be highly suspicious and might lead to other questions that would be a headache to explain.
'Forget it, I shouldn't think about how to ask. It's better to just keep a closer eye on the Princess's side later on.'
Unable to find a suitable opening to bring it up, Su Qing chose to let the matter go for now. While lost in thought, she followed the Princess into the private room and sat down.
Once the two of them were inside, the guard, who was usually inseparable from the Princess, did not enter. Instead, he stood watch at the door to prevent anyone from approaching and to ensure Ye Qingyu's safety.
"Little Sister, you truly are cautious to the extreme," Su Qing said with a smile as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to the Princess.
Ye Qingyu took the cup and thanked her before replying, "Sister Su, my dear Sister, we are about to discuss a matter of treason. Isn't caution only natural?"
Su Qing was slightly surprised by her tone but didn't pay it much mind. She simply nodded and said, "Caution is indeed necessary. I was merely offering a compliment."
Ye Qingyu shook her head helplessly and then asked, "Alright, alright. Rather than focusing on that, let's continue our previous topic. So, how exactly do you plan to help me, Sister?"
Ye Qingyu didn't intend to waste time with small talk. Now that they were in a secure location, it was time to pick up where they left off. She was willing to believe Su Qing could help her, not just because Su Qing had saved her life, but also because of Su Qing's status as a Divine Doctor, her unique temperament, and her extraordinary foresight. Ye Qingyu believed Su Qing had the capability.
Of course, an even more important reason was that Su Qing seemed to have a deep connection with the One-Leaf Bodhisattva. As for why she felt that way, Ye Qingyu couldn't quite put it into words—it was just a feeling. Moreover, she had first learned of the One-Leaf Bodhisattva from Su Qing; before that, she hadn't heard many legends about the Bodhisattva elsewhere. It was as if Su Qing were a preacher under the Bodhisattva's seat.
Furthermore, even setting all that aside, the fact that Su Qing was a masterful physician who could cure a strange illness that no one else in the world could treat was reason enough to trust her.
"I am a physician... How do you think I should help you?" Su Qing didn't answer directly but asked a question in return.
"Healing potions? Treating wounded soldiers?" Ye Qingyu pondered for a moment before answering. "But I feel that you are capable of much more than that, Sister!"
The Princess couldn't be certain of everything Su Qing could do. The only thing she was sure of was that Su Qing could help treat her soldiers and provide special medicinal tonics.
"Matters of healing go without saying. As a physician, saving lives is what I am best at," Su Qing said with a smile. "However, besides healing, I am also skilled at subduing demons and exorcising devils."
After thinking for a moment, Su Qing decided to reveal a bit of her true capabilities. After all, she had no special talent for leadership and knew nothing about commanding an army. She could easily flatten an army by herself, but asking her to command one was asking too much. Naturally, she couldn't offer help in terms of military strategy.
Moreover, her original plan—besides providing pills—was to deal with the demons hidden within the military. Thus, she decided to reveal this ability as a gesture of sincerity. She didn't know what Ye Qingyu would think, but it didn't matter; she would just adapt as things went along.
On the other hand, Su Qing was also considering whether to tell the Princess about the Rat Prime Minister. After all, the Princess would eventually need to know why someone skilled in subduing demons was necessary.
Upon hearing Su Qing's words, the Princess was visibly stunned. She stared at Su Qing and asked blankly, "Sister Su, you know how to subdue demons?"
Su Qing nodded calmly, her mind still on other matters. Seeing her nod, Ye Qingyu's expression turned into one of 'I knew it.' She continued, "In that case, you truly are a preacher under the One-Leaf Bodhisattva, aren't you, Sister? If that's the case, then everything makes sense."
Su Qing was taken aback. She hadn't expected Ye Qingyu to jump to that conclusion. She hadn't realized the Princess had already been suspicious of her identity. On second thought, it wasn't surprising; her medical skills were far too advanced, even curing a terminal illness that should have been fatal.
Although the Princess's overactive imagination surprised her, it also saved Su Qing a lot of mental effort. It was much easier when people came up with their own explanations; she didn't even have to find an excuse. She just had to go along with it.
"I didn't expect... you to guess it,"
Su Qing put on a slightly surprised expression and then said, "You're right. I am indeed a preacher under the One-Leaf Bodhisattva... The reason I opened the clinic was to preach, to let more people know of and have faith in the One-Leaf Bodhisattva."
Su Qing's words made Ye Qingyu nod with a look of confirmation. She said with a smile, "No wonder you are always introducing the One-Leaf Bodhisattva to others... and no wonder your medical skills transcend that of mortals. You even possess strength that Xiantian Martial Artists cannot match. It turns out you aren't an ordinary mortal at all, but a cultivator! A preacher of the One-Leaf Bodhisattva!"
The Princess seemed quite proud of her own deduction. Su Qing's lip twitched slightly as she thought to herself, 'Actually, she's not the only one I'm preaching for...' But she didn't say that out loud. She simply smiled and nodded.
Having confirmed that Su Qing was a preacher, Ye Qingyu continued, "However, I am curious. Since you are a preacher for the One-Leaf Bodhisattva, how much of what you told me earlier about your reasons for helping me was true? Are you truly doing this for the common people?"
Su Qing chuckled. "Naturally, it is all true! The One-Leaf Bodhisattva is most compassionate and cannot bear to see the suffering of the people. Now that the people are in such distress, both I and the Bodhisattva wish for this country to find stability. After all, only in a time of prosperity are people willing to burn incense and pray to the Buddha!"
Su Qing's reason was simple and logical. However, Ye Qingyu asked another question:
"I see. But I have one more question. As a preacher of the One-Leaf Bodhisattva, are you truly allowed to kill people at will?"
Su Qing shook her head. "Naturally not! While I can deliver the souls of evil men, I cannot engage in wanton slaughter. After all, I am a member of the Buddhist faith! In truth, people like us are not supposed to interfere in mortal affairs... It is just that this situation is quite special."
Ye Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "Special? In what way?"
Su Qing nodded and explained, "Because the Prime Minister by the Emperor's side is a demon... and it is highly likely that the Emperor himself was swapped long ago. It is for this reason that I can step in to help you! However, even if I help, I cannot act against the enemy's mundane armies. What I can do is help you deal with the demons within those armies."
Rate on N.U.
