Upon hearing it was Shao Mingyuan leading troops into the city, Physician Li’s temper flared up immediately. He puffed his beard and glared: “Retreat, what retreat? Don’t we still have legs? Get out and walk!”

After dropping this line, Physician Li nimbly jumped down from the carriage, pushed away the guard who wanted to help him, and called to Qiao Zhao: “Miss Li, hurry down. While we can still squeeze through, let’s enter the city early so you can still make it home for dinner.”

Qiao Zhao poked her head out the window and saw the crowd ahead packed like sardines. She obediently got down from the carriage.

“Miss, be careful.” A’Zhu quickly supported her.

Seeing this situation, the several guards had no choice but to abandon the carriage by the roadside and escort Physician Li and Qiao Zhao into the city.

In the city, streets were empty of residents who had all come out to watch. The teahouses and taverns along the street had no seats left. Both sides of the street were packed with people, all craning their necks in anticipation, lining the road to welcome the returning heroes.

Clever vendors carrying poles threaded through the crowd wherever they could fit, and the fresh flowers in their baskets were snapped up in an instant.

Qiao Zhao was jostled until her steps became unsteady. Just as she caught her breath, the crowd suddenly erupted in cheers.

“They’re coming, they’re coming!”

“Move back, move back!” The officers maintaining order drew their batons, driving the onlookers to both sides of the road.

The sound of hooves gradually approached, and the steady, powerful footsteps beat like drums, striking people’s hearts with each step.

For a moment, the street packed with people suddenly fell silent, then erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers: “General Shao, General Shao!”

“Long live the Northern Expedition Army! Well done, Northern Expedition Army!”

It was amid such clamor that Qiao Zhao saw that procession.

In front were personal guards carrying banners. The wind-blown banners bore a prominent character “Shao” that was particularly eye-catching. Behind them, a young man sat upright on a tall horse.

The man appeared to be in his early twenties, wearing silver mountain-pattern armor that only high-ranking generals were qualified to wear. The armor fit closely, with a lion-swallowing-mouth belt tightly bound at his waist, making his figure appear even taller and straighter. The cloak over his shoulders wasn’t the most common bright red, but pure white like snow. When he turned his head toward the direction of the most enthusiastic cheering, the red tassel on his pure silver helmet swayed with the movement, casting a crimson hue over his jade-like face.

That was the only touch of bright color on his entire person, making him seem even more cold and… lonely.

The crowd suddenly paused, then erupted in countless women’s screams: “General Shao, General Shao!”

The young general turned his head away, but the people in that direction remained in a frenzy, especially the women who threw the fresh flowers in their hands toward him. Falling petals like rain landed on his armor and quickly slid off, only to be followed by more flowers, sachets, handkerchiefs, and other objects.

People were already familiar with General Shao’s deeds. Even three-year-olds in the capital knew of this formidable general.

But he rarely returned to the capital. Seeing him today, people realized this general was so young and handsome.

The fervent atmosphere became even more intense. The crowd in the back began desperately pushing forward. Though Qiao Zhao was protected by guards, she was still jostled about, her ears filled with women’s screams that had abandoned all restraint, and the overwhelming shower of flowers and handkerchiefs being thrown.

Qiao Zhao struggled to steady herself and pursed her lips.

So this husband of hers was quite the heartthrob.

Uh, that was wrong. Qiao Zhao was dead, and the one who lived on was young Miss Li Zhao. They no longer had any relationship.

Thinking of that arrow, though Qiao Zhao bore no resentment, the unlimited glory of the man before her burned her eyes, leaving her with some… unresolved feelings.

“Ouch!” A vendor carrying flower baskets who had rushed over for the second time was accidentally knocked down by the crowd. The fresh flowers in his basket scattered on the ground, and somehow, a cactus had gotten mixed in with the flowers, rolling right to Qiao Zhao’s feet.

Countless fair hands reached out, snatching up all the flowers. Copper coins clinked as they fell into the basket, followed by another shower of flowers scattered toward the slowly advancing soldiers in the middle of the road, accompanied by women’s excited shouts.

Qiao Zhao paused, took out two copper coins and threw them into the basket, used her handkerchief to pad her hand as she carefully picked up the misplaced cactus, and quietly threw it out.

Mm, now that felt better.

Shao Mingyuan sat upright on his horse. The flowers thrown at him by the people were fragrant, and after forcibly suppressing several sneezes, his nose had already begun to go numb. Just as he was relaxing, he suddenly sensed an object flying from the side. With the keen awareness honed from years of warfare, he immediately detected this wasn’t a flower, sachet, or similar object.

Could it be a hidden weapon?

Shao Mingyuan reflexively caught the object in his hand. The sharp pain in his palm made him furrow his brow.

What kind of hidden weapon was covered in sharp spikes? The enemy hiding in the crowd seemed very cunning!

He looked down and saw clearly what the “weapon” looked like, his expression involuntarily freezing: a cactus?

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze was like lightning as he looked toward the direction from which the “weapon” had come.

That gaze seemed substantial as it swept over the crowd. Qiao Zhao quickly hid behind Physician Li. After a long while, she cautiously poked her head out and saw the man had already ridden far away. She could only see the personal guards in their spotlessly clean armor coats, holding long spears and arranged in neat formation, following closely behind. Only then did she let out a gentle breath.

Qiao Zhao raised her eyes and met Physician Li’s seemingly amused gaze. With a completely calm expression, she said, “It was too crowded. Grandfather Li, let’s go quickly.”

Physician Li nodded, took two steps, then suddenly turned back with a beaming smile: “Well done!”

After leaving the main thoroughfare, the streets suddenly became quiet.

Physician Li stopped, straightened his robes that had been wrinkled from the crowd, and said: “Miss Li, where do you live? I’ll escort you home.”

“Old sir, this absolutely cannot be done!” The guards were greatly alarmed.

Their trip to invite Physician Li was a secret. If others learned this divine physician had entered the capital, that would be a huge problem.

Physician Li narrowed his eyes. Though his face wore a smile, the feeling he gave was dangerous: “What, does your master even want to control where I go?”

The guards were speechless.

They could certainly use force to bring this divine physician back, but the one type of person in this world you absolutely couldn’t anger was a doctor. Not to mention anything else, if he became desperate and gave a patient a problematic prescription, who would they appeal to then?

“Old sir, why don’t you come back with us first, and we’ll take responsibility for escorting this young lady home?”

Physician Li looked over the speaker and gave a cold laugh: “Was I consulting with you? I was just informing you of this matter. As for whether your master is willing or not, what does that have to do with me?”

If not for that spiritual herb, let alone some Minister’s residence, even the current Son of Heaven he would avoid from far away, not getting involved in the capital’s mess.

“Miss Li, let’s go.” Physician Li didn’t even glance at the several men as he flicked his sleeves and walked away.

Qiao Zhao quickly called out to stop him: “Grandfather Li, my home is over there.”

The several guards exchanged glances. The leader nodded to one of them, who understood and quietly fell back a few steps to go report to their master first.

After the group turned into a small lane, Jiang Yuanchao in black robes finally emerged from hiding.

“Sir, shall we go report to the Grand Commander?”

Jiang Yuanchao withdrew his gaze and smiled faintly: “Mm.”

Thinking of that young lady throwing a cactus at that Shao fellow, his heart felt truly comfortable.