Chapter Thirty-Seven: Departure

After Luo Feng left, Yang Liu’er came to Chu Yun’s side. “Husband, you’re going on a long journey, to the royal city?”

Chu Yun nodded. “Yes, a round trip may take over half a month, perhaps longer. Maybe… I’ll never return.”

“What?” Yang Liu’er was stunned. She knew the road to the royal city was long, even riding fast would take several days. But she hadn’t expected Chu Yun to say he might never come back.

She couldn’t help but say, “Husband, why do you say you might never return? Are you tired of me, do you not want me anymore?”

Chu Yun shook his head with a smile. “Liu’er, you’re so wonderful. How could I ever tire of you? Don’t overthink it. I said I might never return because I’m going to treat someone’s illness. If I fail, there’s a chance I’ll be executed.”

“Executed if you fail?” Yang Liu’er exclaimed. “Husband, then don’t go. I just want us to live a quiet, peaceful life together.”

Chu Yun waved his hand. “If not going meant we could live in peace, that would be ideal. But you saw it yourself—those burly men from Wu’s pharmacy, Ten Mile Fragrance Inn, Red Lotus House, and Lucky Casino all came to cause us trouble. I doubt their vengeance will end there, and I can’t go killing them either; that would break the law.”

He pulled Yang Liu’er into his arms. “So, Liu’er, I must go! Only by seizing this opportunity and curing his illness can I win a title and land. Then, no one will dare bully us, and we can truly live in peace.”

Yang Liu’er rested her head against Chu Yun’s broad chest. “Husband, let me go with you to the royal city.”

Chu Yun said, “Liu’er, you mustn’t come. If I fail and am executed, I fear you would not survive either.”

Yang Liu’er looked up at Chu Yun and shook her head. “Husband, I’m not afraid.”

Chu Yun smiled gently. “Liu’er, be good and stay home. The patient’s condition is critical. We’ll have to ride hard all the way to the royal city to save him, and I worry you won’t be able to endure the journey.”

He then pointed to the back courtyard. “Besides, I spent nearly two silver coins today buying a lot of medicinal herbs. I need you to stay home and care for them meticulously.”

At last, these words persuaded Yang Liu’er not to press Chu Yun further. She looked at his face and agreed softly, “Husband, promise me—no matter what happens, you must come back alive.”

Chu Yun smiled and nodded. “With such a good wife waiting for me at home, I will surely return alive.”

Then Yang Liu’er pulled Chu Yun into the room. In broad daylight, they began climbing mountains, searching for cherries, exploring hidden forests, and seeking utopias.

After their passion subsided, Chu Yun took Yang Liu’er to the courtyard and taught her how to dry the medicinal herbs. Yang Liu’er listened carefully and memorized everything. She knew that since Chu Yun was now a physician, there would be many such tasks in the future, and she must do them well to help him.

After lunch, Chu Yun went to the magistrate’s office, took out some knife coins, and asked Chen Ping and the other officers to look after his home while he was away, so that Yang Liu’er would not be bullied.

Chen Ping learned Chu Yun was going far to treat a person of extremely noble status. He was happy for Chu Yun, but also worried, and gave him many reminders not to cause trouble in the royal city and to be sure to return alive.

Yang Liu’er, knowing Chu Yun would leave the next day, used his method to knead flour and made many pancakes for him as rations for the journey.

When Chu Yun returned home that evening and saw the dozens of pancakes Yang Liu’er had made, he was deeply moved. Even though he thought so many pancakes would surely spoil before he could eat them all, he was still touched.

The next morning, Luo Feng arrived at Chu Yun’s home, leading two fine horses. Seeing Chu Yun carrying a large sack of pancakes, he remarked, “Doctor Chu, that’s more pancakes than you’ll ever eat. They’ll just go stale. Bring fewer; I have silver with me, and we can buy food along the way and at inns. Don’t waste them.”

Chu Yun thought Luo Feng made sense, so he picked out a dozen pancakes and distributed the rest to the crowd of neighbors who had come to see him off.

The neighbors had always envied Chu Yun for all he’d gained. Now that he gave them pancakes, their resentment melted away. Several women laughed and said, “Chu Yun, don’t worry. While you’re gone, we’ll take good care of Liu’er and make sure no one bullies her.”

Hearing this, Chu Yun decided to go with the flow. “Thank you, everyone. If my journey goes well and I return, I’ll reward you all with money and grain.”

This promise made the neighbors feel much more kindly toward Chu Yun. What had been a polite offer to care for Yang Liu’er became a genuine pledge.

Luo Feng watched the scene, nodded slightly, and thought to himself that with such character, Chu Yun would surely hold his own against the nobles in the royal city.

Then Chu Yun said his farewells to Yang Liu’er.

Luo Feng, seeing they had finished their goodbyes, was about to ask Chu Yun to mount his horse when he realized Chu Yun might not know how. Embarrassed, he said, “Doctor Chu, do you know how to ride? Sorry, I hadn’t considered that before.”

Chu Yun smiled. “Don’t worry, I can ride.”

As a former military medic, he was naturally skilled at riding, and his horsemanship was quite good.

Luo Feng was surprised. “From what I know, you shouldn’t be able to ride, right?”

Horses were expensive, and fine horses even more so. Ordinary people rarely owned their own mounts, let alone Chu Yun, who used to be a carefree idler; he would have had no chance to ride.

Chu Yun smiled. “I wasn’t always a physician, was I?”

Luo Feng couldn’t help but laugh at that. He mused that since Chu Yun had inherited the skills of the immortals, how could he not know how to ride?