You need not be polite. That person also helped me, and I should save you out of both reason and sentiment. Sit down!"
A Qi thought for a moment, then bowed first, and then sat on a chair farthest from Li Man'er.
His intuition told him that keeping his distance from Li Man'er was the best course of action, one that could save his life.
"Your injuries will take a few more days to heal. I sent for you because I wanted to check on your condition before you went to the prefecture office."
A Qi said, "I'm fine now. Your medical skills are so superb that I've recovered this quickly. Honestly, it's no wonder Duan Xu wants to be your disciple. I had sustained severe internal injuries and couldn't get out of bed for at least ten days to half a month. But after taking your pills, I was back on my feet and bounding about. I rode back without any issues, and even these superficial wounds are healing faster than usual. You are truly a miracle worker, a divine physician. If you ask me, those old men in the Imperial Hospital should all have a good look at themselves..."
He rambled on and on, incessantly, as if his brain could automatically generate a torrent of words without any need for thought.
Li Man'er had seen it all. She had to suppress her anger to tolerate this man, and she couldn't fathom how the Ninth Prince could endure him day in and day out.
Was keeping such a person around simply for entertainment?
That's right, the Ninth Prince was rumored to be like a flower on a high peak, usually with a stern expression. Perhaps he preferred someone as eloquent as A Qi.
"I sent for you to take your pulse and to discuss your plans," Li Man'er said. "I'll be going to the prefecture office to see my father tomorrow, and I'm afraid I won't be able to attend to you for some time."
A Qi's eyes, however, lit up. "You're going to the prefecture office, Miss?"
"You want to go too?"
A Qi nodded. "There are some matters I haven't investigated thoroughly yet, so I can't leave. You might not know this, Miss, but old Master Xiao, in order to show his diligence in governing and his love for the people, spends over three hundred days a year in the official residence behind the prefecture office. The Xiao family has many descendants and has been entrenched in Mobei for three generations. It's impossible they wouldn't have any savings, so why are they so poor? Furthermore, I've already found out that the Xiao family has acquired vast properties in Mobei. Besides their well-known private residences, they also own ranches, casinos, eateries, and even escort agencies and banks. They are involved in all sorts of businesses."
A Qi let out a disdainful smile before continuing, "I think Mobei already belongs to the Xiao family." As he said this, he deliberately lowered his voice, as if aware of the treasonous nature of his words.
Li Man'er glanced at him, suppressing the urge to strangle him, and patiently listened to him speak.
A Qi spoke with great enthusiasm. "The old Master Xiao's generation was loyal and upright. But as their descendants increased, so did their cunning. Especially the eldest son of the Xiao family; his misfortune was a turning point. If the eldest son hadn't been injured and crippled, the Xiao family's reputation would likely be even more illustrious today."
Thinking about it, Li Man'er wondered whether it was better or worse that the eldest son of the Xiao family had met with misfortune.
Li Man'er, who had initially been impatient to listen to him, found herself patiently listening as he began to elaborate on the Xiao family's affairs.
"Does the Xiao family truly possess twenty thousand troops?"
A Qi's expression suddenly became solemn. "No less." This was also the reason why His Majesty was wary of the Xiao family.
Nominally, these twenty thousand troops all belonged to the Emperor, to the Zun Kingdom.
However, they lived under the Xiao family's banner. Their ancestors, fathers, and elder brothers had lived on this land, surviving under the Xiao family's protection.
Over generations, some things had changed imperceptibly.
As the saying goes, the heavens are high and the emperor is far away. Perhaps many people had never seen the Emperor in their lifetimes, but the Xiao family members were people they saw every day, alive and well.
"I've heard that old Master Xiao governs his troops strictly and treats his soldiers like his own sons. Is this true?"
A Qi nodded. "Old Master Xiao is now seventy years old, and he can still wield a spear and ride a horse into battle. He is like the bedrock of Mobei, a banner. He is also exceptionally robust; isn't that infuriating?"
One man and one city had guarded Mobei for generations, causing the one in the capital to grow white hair with worry.
"The eldest son of the Xiao family was ambushed on his way back to Mobei, resulting in a crippled leg and a scarred face. He is now half-disabled. However, this man has an unyielding spirit and never wallows in self-pity. Since he cannot fight on the battlefield, he manages the general affairs of Mobei, and has kept the lives of the Xiao family and the people of Mobei in perfect order." A Qi showed a hint of regret. "What a pity."
Li Man'er asked, "I heard that the Xiao family lost one of their sons, and the most capable one!"
"Yes," A Qi answered without reservation. "It was the second son of old Master Xiao, named Xiao Rufeng. He was a man of noble character and exceptional bearing, handsome, and skilled in martial arts. He was the most formidable figure in the Xiao family. Unfortunately, heaven was jealous of his talent. Xiao Rufeng died on the battlefield at the young age of twenty-two."
"He died in battle?"
A Qi nodded. "During those years, the barbarians repeatedly invaded, and several difficult battles were fought. Unlike the minor skirmishes now, the two sides were locked in combat for years, and the number of troops deployed on the battlefield far exceeded the current scale. Xiao Rufeng held the border city for three months, defeated the barbarian elite, and finally succumbed to an infected wound, dying tragically."
"How is that possible?" Li Man'er did not understand that period of history. "The Xiao family has twenty thousand elite troops; surely they couldn't be defeated by a ragtag force assembled by the barbarians?"
The peace between the various barbarian tribes was a mere facade. Everyone knew they were at odds with each other, and during wartime, they fought independently. To this day, they had not produced a single leader capable of commanding the entire force.
"At that time, the Zun Kingdom was facing both internal and external crises. Prince Xiang rebelled and allied with the motley southern forces to launch a surprise attack on the capital. The Xiao family's military strength was also far less than it is now, so they barely managed to achieve a victory against the barbarians in the end."
Li Man'er nodded again and said, "Old Master Xiao has two other sons; are any of them capable?"
"Third Master Xiao, Xiao Ruqin, is a man of calculation and impulsive nature, outwardly strong but inwardly weak. As for Fourth Master Xiao, Xiao Ruduo, he was born with white hair, is calm and restrained, and possesses a very sharp mind. It is said that this Fourth Master Xiao has extraordinary intelligence, though I believe that is an exaggeration."
How could anyone in this world be smarter than his own Prince?
Li Man'er nodded. "Thank you for clarifying this for me."
A Qi quickly said, "Miss, if you go into the prefecture office, you must also guard against one person."
"Who?"
"Xiao Si," A Qi said urgently. "He is the legitimate eldest grandson of old Master Xiao and the legitimate eldest son of Xiao Ruduo. He is only twenty-three years old and is as cunning as a monkey that has learned to feign innocence."
"Only twenty-three?" Li Man'er calculated. "The eldest son of the Xiao family got married quite late." Ancient people usually became parents at sixteen or seventeen. Xiao Ruduo is almost fifty, yet his son is only twenty-three?
A Qi thought to himself, how was he supposed to respond to that?