There was some disagreement when the carriage entered the garrison city.

“This way,” Chang Yuncheng saw the carriage turning and hurriedly urged his horse over to say.

“The house I rented is over there,” Qi Yue lifted the carriage curtain and said with a smile, pointing in another direction.

Zhou Maochun also poked his head out from inside the carriage.

“That’s right, that’s right,” he agreed.

Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath.

“Yueniang, let’s still go to the official hall,” he said.

“No, it’s more convenient at my own place,” Qi Yue laughed.

“That’s right, that’s right,” Zhou Maochun agreed again.

Because he had stopped, the entire procession stopped, looking over with confusion and curiosity, temporarily blocking the main street at the city gate.

“You go ahead first. After you’ve settled in, come over for dinner,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Chang Yuncheng was helpless, glancing at Zhou Maochun.

Zhou Maochun raised his chin and glared back at him fiercely.

“I’ll come over later,” Chang Yuncheng said.

Qi Yue nodded with a smile.

Learning they wouldn’t go to the official hall, the General and other officials couldn’t help but come to request – naturally requesting Zhou Maochun.

“Don’t bother me. You all go do whatever you need to do,” Zhou Maochun dismissed everyone cleanly and efficiently.

Qi Yue’s carriage took the Qianjin Hall disciples and headed in the other direction.

“Madam Qi, I’m so happy that you listened to what I said,” Zhou Maochun said with a gratified expression. “This boy, this family – they drove you out originally, and now they want you back? It’s not that easy. Can saying a few nice words do it? The most worthless and useless things in this world are nice words!”

Qi Yue smiled at him and sincerely thanked him.

“You don’t have parents or brothers either, but don’t be afraid. I’ll back you up,” Zhou Maochun said, patting his chest.

Qi Yue smiled and thanked him again.

“So about what I mentioned regarding taking me as your master – you agree, right?” Zhou Maochun scooted forward and asked.

Qi Yue hurriedly waved her hands.

“Master Zhou, please don’t mock me,” she laughed.

This old master had pestered her the entire journey, insisting on becoming her disciple. What kind of master could she be? She knew her own abilities. Having a predecessor from a thousand years ago take her as master would shorten her lifespan!

Zhou Maochun slumped back dejectedly, his eyes rolling as he sighed.

“Speaking of which, we’re the same kind of people,” he said.

Qi Yue looked at him uncomprehendingly.

“I wouldn’t dare compare myself to you,” she said hurriedly.

“You can compare to me. I also lost my parents as a child and was about to starve to death when I met my master, which saved my life. When I grew up, though I was handsome and charming, I was too focused on medicine to think about marriage. When I finally wanted to marry, my original wife had run off with someone else. At my age, I have no children. No disciples either…” Zhou Maochun said.

Qi Yue wanted to laugh at first, but by the end felt sad.

“Madam Qi, I see that we’re both lonely people, and both are rare intelligent people in this world,” Zhou Maochun continued.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

This was clearly a very sad matter – why did listening to the old master speak about it make her want to laugh?

“Madam Qi, if I take you as my master, we’ll be family. This way we’ll have someone to rely on. That’s what I mean – I don’t necessarily want to learn your medical skills,” Zhou Maochun said with an aggrieved expression.

Qi Yue laughed.

“Then I’ll take you as my master instead,” she said. “I really can’t be worthy of being your master.”

Zhou Maochun waved his hands hastily.

“You have such divine skills – I’m not worthy either,” he insisted.

This was difficult.

Qi Yue tilted her head, looking at Zhou Maochun’s graying whiskers and wrinkled face.

This old man was probably seventy or eighty years old.

No sons, no daughters, not even a disciple…

This imperial summons was probably his doing, wasn’t it?

Though the old man wouldn’t elaborate on the specifics, to find her, he had traveled many wasted miles. At such an advanced age, it really wasn’t easy.

Even if it was for her unprecedented medical skills, wasn’t this obsession with learning admirable?

Her medical skills were shocking, and anyone who saw them would question them, but this old man had no doubt whatsoever. Instead, he praised them endlessly. The saying goes that “scholars look down on each other” – wasn’t this true in every profession?

Once you’ve mastered something, you don’t easily believe in anything new.

To be able to humbly face unseen medical techniques with a child’s heart – this was extremely rare.

Such an old man deserved respect.

“Master Zhou, if you don’t mind, how about you take me as your adopted daughter?” Qi Yue said.

When Liu Pucheng and the others arrived, Hu San had already cleverly rented the adjacent courtyard, so when they came this time, they could move in directly without the trouble of finding a place.

“Senior Brother, you’re no good at making medicine or treating patients, but you’re quite capable at these things,” the disciples patted Hu San and joked.

Hu San grinned. The helplessness of the past few days had nearly crushed him, but hearing these words now finally made him feel alive again.

“Don’t think this remote city is poor and lacking. I tell you, everything that should be here is here, and things that shouldn’t be here can also be obtained,” he said, proudly showing the disciples around the rooms.

Though Zhou Maochun refused to go to the official hall, the officials couldn’t really ignore him. They sent servants, maids, and cooks to clean, arrange, boil water, cook meals, and provide thoughtful service, making the small residence quite lively.

Three tables were set up in the room, and everyone sat down merrily.

“Yueniang, since you won’t go back now, what exactly do you want to do here?” Zhou Maochun asked impatiently as soon as he sat down.

Liu Pucheng and the others also looked over.

“Hu San mentioned making medicine or something? Is it penicillin? We brought quite a lot,” Zhang Tong said.

Qi Yue shook her head then nodded.

“Medicine is part of it, but more importantly, it’s about people. The emergency medicine I once told everyone about can be put to great use this time,” she said.

The disciples understood and began discussing.

Zhou Maochun was somewhat disappointed. Having seen throat cutting and chest opening, this emergency medicine must be nothing interesting.

“Come, come, let’s not talk about this today. Everyone eat well and rest to recover from the journey,” Qi Yue laughed, raising her wine cup.

“Come, come, try the special good wine here,” Hu San also chimed in.

Just as he finished speaking, there was commotion outside, and Chang Yuncheng walked in.

As soon as Zhou Maochun saw him, he perked up.

“Right, right, let’s not talk about that today. I have something important to announce,” he called out hastily.

Everyone who was about to greet Chang Yuncheng turned their attention back to Zhou Maochun.

Chang Yuncheng, who had just entered and was removing his cloak, looked at Zhou Maochun upon hearing this. Zhou Maochun was also looking at him, grinning.

When everyone was looking at him and the lively room became quiet, Zhou Maochun coughed proudly.

“I have a daughter now,” he announced loudly.

The room remained quiet, everyone staring at him wide-eyed.

“Sir, you’re really amazing!” Hu San couldn’t help saying. “At such an advanced age, you can still give birth…”

Several people spat out their wine with pfft sounds.

The originally solemn atmosphere suddenly became comical.

“No, no,” Zhou Maochun glared and shouted. “I said I have a daughter, not that I gave birth to a daughter.”

Everyone stared at him wide-eyed.

Poor thing, so happy he’s gone silly…

“It’s me. I acknowledged Master Zhou as my adoptive father,” Qi Yue said, suppressing her laughter.

Only then did everyone understand, and the atmosphere became lively again.

“This is good news. This is good news,” Liu Pucheng said repeatedly.

Chang Yuncheng frowned. This probably wasn’t good news for him.

After just one carriage ride with this woman, Zhou Maochun had made her unwilling to stay at the official hall with him. If they now became adoptive father and daughter…

Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath.

He should have insisted on riding in the carriage together no matter what!

Because everyone’s attention had turned to this matter, no one bothered to invite him to sit. Chang Yuncheng saw that people were sitting next to Qi Yue, and those people had no sense to make room.

He had to walk forward himself and cough heavily.

Hu San, who had positioned himself as the eldest disciple, was laughing like a blooming flower and didn’t hear at all.

It was A’Ru who kicked him from behind. Only then did Hu San see Chang Yuncheng and hurriedly stand up to give up his seat.

Before Chang Yuncheng could sit, Zhou Maochun spoke up with a smile.

“Prince, come, come, how can you sit there? Come to the head seat,” he said with a smile, pointing to the seat beside himself.

Liu Pucheng immediately moved aside, and the seats shifted accordingly.

“I’ll sit here,” Chang Yuncheng said, lifting his robes and sitting down.

Zhou Maochun wasn’t in a hurry either, looking at Qi Yue.

“Daughter, today is the first time we meet as father and daughter,” he said with an excited expression.

Hu San couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“The first time meeting as father and daughter!” Zhou Maochun repeated, glaring at Hu San.

“Great-grandfather, your wine,” Hu San hurriedly held up the wine pot to pour for Zhou Maochun.

Great-grandfather! This title made the other disciples’ eyes widen.

This Hu San really knew how to climb up the ladder!

What kind of person was Zhou Maochun? If they had no concept at first, the status of this old man they’d witnessed along the way was enough to make them understand completely.

Divine physician – could save lives.

Close minister to the Emperor – could save fortunes.

One hand held life, one hand held fortune. In this world, weren’t these the two things people sought?

And this unremarkable-looking old man could control both. One could imagine his status!

Great-grandfather!

Having such a person as great-grandfather…

“What are you standing around for?” Hu San shouted at everyone while holding the wine pot. “Quickly toast Great-grandfather!”

That’s right – he was their master’s father, so naturally he was their great-grandfather too!

The disciples stood up in a commotion, their hands shaking as they held their wine cups, chaotically calling out “Great-grandfather.”

My dear grandfather! They actually had such a great-grandfather. How should they walk when they went out in the future?

Sideways or straight?

The calls of “grandfather” made Zhou Maochun laugh heartily as he raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

“Come, daughter, sit beside your father,” he then said, pointing to the seat beside him that Liu Pucheng had vacated.

Originally, the seating was Qi Yue and Hu San on the left, Liu Pucheng and Zhang Tong on the right. Now it had become Qi Yue and Chang Yuncheng, with an empty seat on the other side, then Liu Pucheng and Zhang Tong.

Wasn’t sitting like this the same?

“It’s the same, but your father just wants you to sit on this side,” Zhou Maochun said boldly.

With an expression of “she’s my daughter, I make the decisions, what can you do about it?”

Qi Yue understood and couldn’t help smiling.

Chang Yuncheng gripped his wine cup with a dark expression.

Sure enough, this old man – everything was aimed at him.

Qi Yue moved over as requested.

Zhou Maochun was very gratified.

Originally wanting to become her disciple, he had the purpose of “once a teacher, forever a father.”

Having acknowledged a master, as a disciple he would naturally think of his master’s interests. Those people or things that might be harmful to his master, he would naturally have to manage. Now it was even better – instead of becoming a disciple, he had directly become an adoptive father. There was even less to say about this.

“Father,” Qi Yue raised her wine cup toward Zhou Maochun.

Father – such a close yet distant word.

She thought she would never have the chance to call out this title again.

“I have a father now, I have family now. I toast to Father,” she said, her nose tingling slightly as she drained the cup.

Sensing this woman’s emotions, the atmosphere became somewhat quiet.

Everyone knew this woman had no father or mother, born a beggar. Those who had never known parental love were the ones who most longed for it.

Zhou Maochun’s proud expression faded as he looked at Qi Yue. What had originally been a playful thought suddenly felt like perhaps the most worthwhile decision of his life.

“Good, I have a daughter now, I have family now,” he said, draining his cup.

Chang Yuncheng’s dark expression had long disappeared, replaced by gentleness. His gaze swept over Zhou Maochun and Qi Yue, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

This way, it was actually good for both of them, even if it was deliberately aimed at himself – this was still a good thing.