Chapter 327 “Hiring a Mercenary Corps”

In the end, Ling Yue decides to stick with Lan Caier for traveling to the Northwest. Yanche may be loyal and trustworthy, but the big hunk was still a man after all. Considering the amount of negative rumors surrounding herself, its best she avoid arousing anymore bad press if she can.

As for the Drunken Immortal restaurant under the girls’ name, they no longer need to worry about its prospect because it will continue to flourish even without their management now that things have come this far.

Of course, there was another reason why Ling Yue chose her sister instead of the big hunk to go to the Northwest. From a young age, Lan Caier had wanted to pursue a military career like her father. Sadly for the big girl, there’s no such thing as a female battalion in the army. Plus she had no talent in alchemy, leaving her high and dry with envy at Ling Yue’s opportunity.

“What Caier said is right. You going by yourself is too lonely. At least with her by your side I won’t have to worry as much about your safety.” Madam Lan readily agrees to the idea of letting the girls head over to Dan City.

As for Lan Ying Wu, he was strangely quiet about all this. To the general, this reappointment was no accident. There’s definitely Hong Fang’s hand in this, no questions asked about that part. However, the bastard wasn’t the only one at play here, there’s also the king’s. Mainly for the sake of his son Xia Hou Qi (sixth prince) and the peace of the court, the king wanted Ling Yue out of the picture.

Over this period, the queen and dowager had worked tirelessly to recognize Ling Yue as a royal princess and place her name into the lineage book, but that’s at odds with the officials in the noble faction. So that’s the first reason why the king wanted her gone. The second was Xia Hou Qi’s insistence on marrying the girl as his main wife.

There’s been no shortages of noble maidens being offered to the sixth prince during the past few months. Sadly, without exception, not a single one could fit into the boy’s eyes. For that reason, the king has been strained over this dilemma, especially after what happened to his older son who got caught for being a pedophile.

With all these combinations working in tandem, how can the king refuse the idea when Hong Fang brought it up? The king himself didn’t intentionally want to punish the girl, but for the sake of everyone, he figured its best to relocate Ling Yue to Dan City. On one end it can give everyone a breath of relief while also giving the girl an opportunity to improve, two birds with one stone so why not?

Inside the Royal Hospital after Ling Yue received the decree.

“I too only became aware of your reassignment to Dan City. It’s all my fault. His Majesty summoned me earlier to ask about your performance inside the Royal Hospital. It must then that the king made his decision.” Alchemist Mei repeatedly blames herself for the whole mess despite it being not true.

“You don’t have to fret so much, it’s all the same to me, just a change of location. Rather it’s you that I’m worried about. While I’m not here, do look after yourself. Who knows, maybe the trip to the Northwest isn’t as scary as everyone makes it out to be.” Ling Yue clearly has her own plans in mind.

Unlike her current post inside the Royal Hospital, Ling Yue herself was going there to act as the Chief Alchemist of Dan City! That means she will have true authority and can mobilize anyone under her leadership. Furthermore, once she returns to the capital, there’s also another reward awaiting her then.

After setting everything in order on the Royal Hospital side of things, Ling Yue then began preparing for her trip to the Northwest. Surprisingly, prior to departing, she seems to have recalled something wonderful – her route was exactly the same as Feng Shen’s who was also heading to that region.

“If this is so, why don’t we travel with Feng Shen instead of heading out on our own?” Coercing her sister into traveling with the boy using all forms persuasive tactics, Lan Caier finally succeeded after the girl revealed that she had already informed Feng Shen prior to getting authorization to do so.

As such, Ling Yue can only relent against that bombardment. But prior to departing, the filial daughter didn’t forget to send a letter to Marquis Wu’s place to inform her already missing mother of the appointment. Mostly words about not needing to worry and such.

Two days later when everything was set in place, Ling Yue, Lan Caier, Little Crow, and Little Squeak all headed for the previously designated place arranged for the meeting.

While the girls only came with themselves and two little darlings, Feng Shen and Dao Nu on the other hand was already on location with quite the entourage. Well, it’s mostly a group of merchants heading for the Northwest to do business and trade.

“Apologies Sir Feng, but because we thought you were only bringing a single servant with you, we didn’t prepare enough carriages and only set aside one for you and your group.” The one to speak was the leader of the traveling caravan called Boss Plenty, a merchant that specializes in moving valuable goods between the north and south.

“If Sir Feng don’t mind, you are more than welcomed to sit in our carriage instead. Father and I would be happy to have you as our company.” As soon as Boss Plenty finished his apologies, a delicate and tender voice suddenly chimes in from nearby.

This female dressed in red was a very beautiful woman in her prime of youth. Blossomly red in her lips, those curvatures and passionate eyes would attract any male in her vicinity. Which was exactly what happened here when she passed by those hounding wolves watching her every stride.

Due to the goods being exceptionally valuable this time, plus the Northwest border wasn’t very safe recently, Boss Plenty had specifically hired a well known mercenary corps in the capital for the job.

As long as one was a martialist, they would have some ideas of what a mercenary corps was.

In Da Xia, if a martialist doesn’t join a particular school or sect in their career, there’s really only a couple of options left for these people: pursue a military career, become a personal bodyguard for the wealthy, or join a mercenary corps to take jobs like this.

The female mercenary was called Xue Hong Yu, she’s the daughter of the mercenary group’s leader. She had looks, skills, and the perfect charm expected of a woman. With such assets, it’s only natural that the girl would be interested in Feng Shen as soon as she laid eyes on him. It’s human nature to seek the best.

“Miss Xue is too kind. I will be fine riding with my friends here.” Polite in his words, Feng Shen gave no illusion about his intent to stay.

This would of course not be missed by Dao Nu, the one who has protecting his lord for most of his life. Chuckling with a certain level of glee, As expected of my lord, always so popular.

“Young Master, Miss Ling Yue is here.”

Huuuu~ Riding with fire and wind, two charges stops with decisive motion in front of the caravan.

Looking up, that’s when Xue Hong Yu saw the riders, it was Ling Yue and Lan Caier in their marvelous adventurous wardrobe. But more than that, she was more alarmed by the steeds instead. The one on the left was clearly a very rare breed of horse called the Scarlet Red Horse that Ling Yue won during her bet with Hong Yu Long. As to Lan Caier’s ride on the right, it was a top grade military horse, leagues ahead of any mundane ride presently available in the caravan.