Chapter 1078: Zhong Yu

The two little wolf cubs need different medicines, otherwise how would she know whether it was the alcohol or the antiseptic medicine that was effective?

Ergou didn’t understand what she was saying, just let out a small whimper and followed Dagou back to the kitchen courtyard with Sister Erqing.

After a while, Brother Cheng and Gu Jin’an came to pick up Gu Jinli. As soon as he entered the courtyard, Brother Cheng said, "Second Sister, it’s time to go home for dinner. Mother has talked about you several times. If you don’t go back, she’ll get angry."

He also asked, "Where are Dagou and Ergou? I want to see them."

He had seen the two wolf cubs before; they were chubby, fierce, and very cute.

Gu Jinli said, "They’re over by the big kitchen, it’s late now, you can see them tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Brother Cheng could only give up and asked again, "Second Sister, can Dagou and Ergou only eat raw meat? Can’t they eat cooked meat?"

"No," Gu Jinli said, "They are for guarding the house and need to retain their wild nature."

Eating cooked meat would diminish the wolves’ aggressiveness; it’s best to give them live prey so they can hunt and kill it themselves.

"Alright," Brother Cheng said, "Second Sister, can I have one? I want to raise it!"

Being the youngest in the family, he had no younger siblings, nieces, or nephews and could only satisfy the feeling of being an older brother by raising a wolf cub.

Gu Jinli said, "Sure, but these wolf cubs have other uses this time, so I can’t give one to you. I’ll give you one when we find new cubs next time."

Brother Cheng was a bit disappointed but still very happy.

"Young Master, Dagou and Ergou are settled, and they’ve been fed meat. They’re eating happily," said Second Sister Erqing.

Gu Jinli nodded and said to Erqing and Ye Jingzi, "You two will have a hard time tonight. Distill the alcohol overnight. Be careful, watch the fire, and don’t let the alcohol catch fire."

Brother Qin sent a message saying they would be entering the mountains to eliminate bandits in the next few days, and people were likely to get injured. Once the alcohol is ready, it will be sent to him tomorrow, hoping it will be of help.

Erqing and Ye Jingzi nodded, "Don’t worry, Young Master. We’ll do exactly as you say."

...

The next day, Gu Jinli got up before dawn, brushed her teeth, washed her face, changed into her work clothes, grilled two fish, and then ran to the pharmaceutical workshop.

As soon as she entered the pharmacy, she asked, "Erqing, Jingzi, how much alcohol has been produced?"

Ye Jingzi had stayed up all night, feeling very sleepy, and was dozing off on the table. Erqing, however, was very awake and replied, "We’ve produced six small flasks, and there are two more small flasks still dripping."

Erqing got up, fetched the distilled alcohol from the next room, and handed it to Gu Jinli.

Gu Jinli smiled and said, "With the two small flasks from yesterday, we now have eight small flasks, which is enough. Take the alcohol and the antiseptic medicine I prepared yesterday, and have Si’an deliver them to Brother Qin in Hukang County."

She also handed over the grilled fish packed in a bamboo box to Erqing, "Take this to Brother Qin as well."

Erqing smiled, took everything, and went into the mountains to find Si’an.

Deep in Dafeng Mountain, where Qin San Lang and his group built a training ground, Si’an and others trained in the mountains, protecting the families of Qin, Gu, and Luotian.

"Sister Erqing, you’ve come," Fourteen-year-old Si’an, a round-faced and lively young lad, greeted happily as he saw Erqing approaching, with a blade of grass in his mouth sipping sweet water, "Are you here to deliver the alcohol? Did Young Master manage to produce it?"

He sniffed, "It smells delicious—grilled fish. Young Master treats the Lord so well."

They often delivered food for the Lord, and from the smell alone, he could tell what dish Young Master cooked for the Lord.

Erqing nodded, "Yes, it’s done, and also antiseptic medicine to deliver to the Lord in Hukang County."

She explained how to use the alcohol, its effects, and what precautions to take, all to Si’an.

"Rest assured, Sister Erqing, I’ve got it memorized. I’ll relay it word for word to the Lord." Si’an took the bundle, slung it over his back, pulled out a bamboo whistle, and blew a few notes—soon a horse galloped from deep in the forest and stopped beside him.

Si’an mounted the horse, waved to Erqing, and galloped through the mountains, taking a detour before heading towards Hukang County.

Hukang County is relatively close to Da Feng Village, and passing through Daxing Town would reach it. Since Si’an rode a horse, he arrived at a mountain by noon.

This mountain was the stronghold occupied by Fan Tu and his gang; it was quite large, yet the houses on the mountain were rather shabby, made from mud and thatch.

Qin San Lang and his team had been ambushing in Hukang County for several days, and last night, they finally attacked the village, spending the entire night capturing Fan Tu’s gang of mountain bandits.

Currently, a group of wounded soldiers was dressing each other’s wounds outside the village, with Section Leader Zhang from the Military Office present outside the village.

"Brother Zhong, where’s my Master?" Si’an dismounted with a grin, carrying the goods towards Section Leader Zhang.

Zhang Zhong was Qin San Lang’s confidant at the Military Office. Whenever there was a task to earn merit, Qin San Lang would usually bring him along.

Zhang Zhong had seen Si’an and the others before, and he pointed to a thatched-roofed hut with a raised hand, "Inside, he’s venting. Your Brother Ping is also in there."

You Ping, known for his calm and joyful demeanor, usually stayed in the background and mostly aided Qin San Lang.

Upon hearing this, Si’an whispered, "Did that Zhong Chief Commander make a mistake?"

Chief Commander Zhong hailed from the Prefecture garrison camp, transferred from the Jiangnan Commander’s Office. His background was impressive, known as a noble young master who, despite being young and eager, was very displeased that General Guo had given Qin San Lang the lead position for the bandit sweep.

In Chief Commander Zhong’s view, although Qin San Lang had experience from eliminating river bandits in the past, he was merely a Company Commander at the county Military Office and was unqualified to lead the Prefecture garrison.

Thus, during last night’s operation, he disobeyed Qin San Lang’s order to guard the back mountain pass, allowing Fan Tu’s adviser, Xiao Youzi, to escape.

Qin San Lang was furious upon discovering this, personally pursuing with You Ping until dawn and capturing Xiao Youzi from a cliffside cave. Now he was in the hut settling accounts with Chief Commander Zhong.

It wasn’t that Qin San Lang wanted to confront Chief Commander Zhong, but rather that Chief Commander Zhong brought it upon himself, insisting on confronting Qin San Lang for clarification.

"Xiao Youzi is just a skinny old man. What could he possibly do? You could have sent a few soldiers to capture him, yet you insisted I, a Chief Commander, guard the back mountain pass to wait for him. Isn’t this a ploy to claim credit by pushing me aside so you could take all the glory yourself?" Chief Commander Zhong pointed at Qin San Lang, confronting him outright.

Chief Commander Zhong, named Zhong Yu, came from a Jiangnan Family. He never endured hardship since childhood; his family and siblings held official positions in the court. He ought to have followed in their footsteps to pursue an official position.

However, his mind differed from others since young, disliking studies and only eager in martial arts, aspiring to achieve great feats in the military.

His noble background gave him the audacity to be brash, hence he walked proudly in the military, not fearing Qin San Lang, who had a reputation as the King Yan of the Prefecture garrison camp, blatantly disregarding his orders.