The pale porcelain bottle traced a beautiful arc through the air, landing precisely in Chi Can’s hands.

Chi Can gripped the porcelain bottle tightly without speaking and turned to go inside.

The carriage traveled at an unhurried pace along the official road. Qiao Zhao lay on her side on the low couch at one end of the carriage, listening to the maid report: “Miss, I’ve delivered the wound medicine to Young Master Zhu.”

Qiao Zhao nodded, her voice hoarse: “That’s good then.”

Physician Li moved closer, shooing the maid aside, and said: “Quite capable, girl—using my medicine to curry favor.”

He extended his hand with a pill: “Swallow this.”

Qiao Zhao accepted it and took it without hesitation.

Physician Li was quite satisfied with this action, yet said against his heart: “You dare eat whatever is given to you—aren’t you afraid it might be poison?”

“Grandfather Li has a physician’s benevolent heart.” Having just taken the medicine, Qiao Zhao already felt much more comfortable, so she smiled.

“What did you call me?” Physician Li was startled, that strange feeling growing even stronger.

Qiao Zhao tilted her head: “Grandfather Li. Should I call you Divine Physician Li instead?”

From childhood to adulthood, she had spent more time with Physician Li than with her parents and siblings. Given Physician Li’s eccentric temperament, his enthusiasm toward a little girl he’d just met forced her to think deeper: Had Physician Li noticed something?

Would he think she resembled someone he had once patiently taught?

Physician Li smiled: “Just call me Grandfather Li, then. What’s your name, girl?”

A young lady’s name was not proper to share with outsiders, but naturally, there was no need for such avoidance with an elder like this. Qiao Zhao said frankly: “My surname is Li, with the single given name ‘Zhao.'”

“Which ‘Zhao’?” Physician Li’s eyebrows twitched.

Qiao Zhao’s expression remained unruffled: “The ‘Zhao’ from ‘The wise use their clarity to bring clarity to others.'”

Physician Li froze, a scene suddenly flashing through his mind.

A tiny girl sat properly on a stone stool, beating her grandfather’s legs. Upon hearing his inquiry, she looked up with a calm face and told him, “My name is Qiao Zhao, the ‘Zhao’ from ‘The wise use their clarity to bring clarity to others.'”

Physician Li looked at Qiao Zhao for a long, long time, then sighed softly: “That interpretation is not commonly seen.”

Most people would say it was the “Zhao” from “the brilliant sun and moon.”

The strange feeling in his heart intensified. Thinking of this little girl’s pulse revealing symptoms of soul separation, a shocking thought flashed by, then he shook his head with a laugh.

That girl should be in the distant Northern Territories right now. He must have become obsessed with studying those things over the past two years.

“Rest well. After taking the medicine, you’ll perspire and release the pent-up qi.”

At such a young age, she seemed to have encountered some great sorrow, literally wearing down her body. This girl had quite deep thoughts.

Thinking this, Physician Li glanced again at Qiao Zhao’s deathly pale face before moving aside to close his eyes in false sleep.

On a boat, a man sat alone by the window, sipping tea one mouthful after another.

A white pigeon fluttered down onto the deck, hopping into someone’s palm.

That person quickly removed the message from the pigeon’s leg and strode inside: “Sir, news from Taishui.”

The man took the paper strip, scanned its contents, tore it up, and scattered it out the window, murmuring: “At Taishui dock, that little girl boarded another group’s carriage, separating from those men?”

Just an ordinary little girl—how were things becoming more and more interesting?

The meticulous sensitivity developed from long service in the Jinlin Guards made him habitually tap the table lightly as he ordered: “Deploy men to follow that little girl and see what kind of people those others are.”

This man was precisely the one discussed by Chi Can’s group—Jiang Shisan, Grand Commander Jiang’s adopted son, Jiang Yuanchao.

The Jinlin Guards had stations throughout the country, forming a vast intelligence network that gathered all important news for the capital.

Though stationed in Jia Feng, he naturally couldn’t monitor everyone, instead focusing on officials in special positions. Families like the Qiao household in Xingzi Alley—though no longer in court yet still influential—would also be investigated periodically.

He just hadn’t expected the Qiao family to be completely consumed by fire. Though he found it suspicious, not knowing the inside story, he could only assign close surveillance. After several days, he finally waited for those men and naturally included them in monitoring.

With the intention against the unaware, by the next day, Jiang Yuanchao learned the old man’s identity.

“So it’s the elusive Physician Li!” Even with Jiang Yuanchao’s usual composure, he couldn’t help but be moved.

Who was Physician Li? A famous physician whom even His Current Majesty treated with courtesy. When he said he wouldn’t enter the Imperial Medical Academy, His Majesty didn’t force him, allowing him to drift away freely.

He remembered his adoptive father saying that Physician Li held an imperial pardon.

“What are the identities of the other men?”

His subordinate replied respectfully: “We can’t determine them. From appearances, they’re all experts, likely bodyguards.”

Jiang Yuanchao curved his slender fingers, lightly tapping the table surface, crisp knocking sounds coming one after another.

“It seems a noble from the capital discovered this divine physician’s whereabouts and invited him back for treatment.” Making this guess, he set his teacup down on the table and stood up.

With his upright bearing and tall stature, he strode out on long legs, facing the river wind and taking a deep breath before ordering: “When we dock, arrange a carriage for me.”

Compared to those Capital’s Young Masters, Physician Li was worth following.

When someone engages in work for a long time, their words and actions naturally become deeply influenced. Though Jiang Yuanchao knew this trip to the capital had nothing to do with the divine physician, he still decided to follow personally.

If there were any unexpected gains, surely his adoptive father would be pleased.

In early spring, when all things revived, even the carriages, horses, and pedestrians on the official road increased compared to winter. Looking out, it was truly a scene of prosperity, and the carriage carrying Qiao Zhao blended in completely unremarkably.

As spring’s mood intensified, the capital gradually drew near.

Qiao Zhao’s body improved day by day, yet her mood didn’t relax.

In just a few days, she would meet Li Zhao’s parents and family. Despite having Li Zhao’s memories, it all still felt too unfamiliar to her.

The carriage suddenly stopped, and the bodyguard disguised as a coachman respectfully said to Physician Li, “There’s a tea stall by the roadside. Besides tea, they’re selling steaming hot buns. Would you like to try some?”

Travel was most exhausting. Upon hearing of steaming hot buns, Physician Li, who had been dozing, immediately opened his eyes: “Yes.”

“Right away, I’ll go buy some.”

Physician Li stopped him: “No need. We’ll get out and eat.”

The bodyguard immediately looked conflicted: “This—”

“What’s all the fuss? Staying in the carriage constantly has rattled my old bones apart.” Physician Li completely ignored the bodyguard and got out directly.

Seeing this, Qiao Zhao followed.

They posed as a traveling grandfather and granddaughter, with bodyguards and the maid accompanying them to sit at an empty table. Soon the proprietress brought over a large plate of steaming buns and a pot of tea.

Physician Li picked up a bun, took a bite, and nodded: “Not bad.”

Though he disliked coming to the capital, he had to admit that this official road near the capital was not only cleaner, but even the roadside stall buns tasted better than elsewhere.

Qiao Zhao picked up a bun and ate silently.

Physician Li was unwilling to return to the carriage quickly, so he held a cup of tea and listened to customers at neighboring tables chatting.

Someone wondered: “Spring winds are sandy—why does this official road look much cleaner than when I came before?”

A nearby person immediately laughed: “Friend, you must be from far away and don’t know. Our Northern Campaign General is about to enter the capital, so this official road is swept and watered daily.”