"I know you are going for Marquis Shuo. But for your information, Her Highness is staying with Marquis Shuo." Qiao Yanlin held Qiao Shu's arms with both hands.

Qiao Shu pulled down Qiao Yanlin's hands and turned her back on him, speaking coldly, "But they're not married yet."

"Qiao Shu, what do you want to do? Don't act on impulse. If something happens to you, what can I do?" Qiao Yanlin was anxious and persuaded Qiao Shu.

Qiao Shu turned around and smiled at him, "Don't worry, father. I won't mess around. Don't think too much. I must go to Jiandu."

Then she went on, "If you have nothing else to say, I'll go back to pack up my baggage."

She opened the door and left.

Qiao Yanlin was left in the room. He knew that Qiao Shu was determined to go, so, now, what he could do was to pray for her safe return.

Thinking of this, he went for Shen Yang.

Shen Yang was asking his apprentices to pack the herbs up. He saw Qiao Yanlin coming and asked him, smiling, "Are you coming for Miss Qiao?"

Qiao Yanlin nodded.

"If you don't want Miss Qiao to go to Jiandu, I can arrange it tomorrow. After all, she is a girl, and others won't be unhappy about it." Shen Yang said.

Qiao Yanlin shook his head.

Shen Yang frowned, "So what are you coming for?"

"Mr. Shen, would you please take care of my daughter along the way?" Qiao Yanlin said.

Shen Yang put down the wormwood and went over, "So you agreed to let her go?"

With his eyes closed, Qiao Yanlin nodded.

"Rest assured, Mr. Qiao. I'll get Miss Qiao back safe and sound." Shen Yang promised.

Qiao Yanlin replied, "I'm much relieved with your words, Mr. Shen. Then I won't bother you here anymore."

Then Qiao Yanlin left.

That was all he could do now.

...

Qianxi Village was a small village. Before she went very far, Yang Zijin saw Shuo Ling piling up bodies that had drowned or starved to death with his men.

Yang Zijin ran towards him, "Marquis Shuo."

"Why are you here? I've told you to stay there." Shuo Ling frowned as he saw Yang Zijin running towards him.

Then he questioned Runyu, who was going after Yang Zijin, "Haven't I told you to take care of her?"

"Don't blame Young Master Run. I begged him to come. I'm here for help." Yang Zijin smiled.

Shuo Ling looked at her with a little anger, "What can you do to help?"

"When I say I can help, that means I can help. Look." She took out something from her bag and handed it to Shuo Ling.

Shuo Ling took this strange thing, looked at it, and asked, "What's this?"

"Wear it and I'll tell you." Yang Zijin kept him guessing.

Shuo Ling was hesitating, so Yang Zijin put it on Shuo Ling's face.

After that Shuo Ling said, "Well, you can say now."

"This is a gauze mask!" Yang Zijin answered.

Shuo Ling slightly frowned, "Gauze mask?"

"Yes. It maintains a shielding. I can't be fully sure that these people won't get the plague, but at least, this mask can reduce the chances of it by this barrier." Yang Zijin handed her bag to Mo Li standing aside and explained it to Shuo Ling.

Shuo Ling slightly nodded. Ever since he had known Yang Zijin he felt she had secrets. She never took the usual path no matter dealing with business or other matters and could always come up with bizarre things, however, those things were popular as well as useful.

Although he was not clear whether the gauze masks would work, it was no trouble to wear them. He asked Mo Li, "Did you hear what Her Highness said? Give these out."

“Yes, My Lord." Mo Li went for the soldiers.

He said loudly to the soldiers, "Hold on a second, everybody. Everyone comes and takes one of these. Hurry up."

The soldiers came close to Mo Li. They took over the gauze masks and asked with confusion, "What's this?"

"What's this? I've never seen it before!"

"This is a gauze mask. Her Highness sent it to us especially. She said it can keep the plague at bay." Mo Li explained.

Some people asked with uncertainty, "Can this so-called... gauze mask prevent the plague from us?"

"So, how to use it?" Some people didn't know how to use it and asked Mo Li.

Mo Li took a mask from the bag, "Like this."

He showed them how to wear the mask.

The soldiers followed suit.

"Well, all of you are done with it? Then go on working!" Mo Li ordered after the soldiers wore the masks.

He went to Shuo Ling, "My Lord, they all put on masks. These are the rest."

"Deliver the rest to the victims who are not infected. We only made so many today because of the limited time. I will make more masks to try to make sure everyone has it." Yang Zijin said.

Shuo Ling spoke to her, "Now that we have masks, you can go back."

"Well... fine!" Yang Zijin answered as she saw Shuo Ling's expression in his eyes.

She turned to Runyu, "Young Master Run, let's go."

"Well, take care." Yang Zijin went back with Runyu in the same way she came.

Just as they went out of Qianxi Village, Yang Zijin saw a few wizened potatoes beside a puddle. She stopped, "Young Master Run, please wait a minute."

Then she came over and picked up those potatoes.

Runyu watched Yang Zijin went there, frowning.

He saw Yang Zijin picked up something wizened beside a puddle and took a handkerchief to wrap them up.

"What's these?" He asked, looking over her shoulder.

"These are some good stuff. Let's go." Yang Zijin put away the potatoes and smiled.

Runyu smiled and flew back, catching Yang Zijin by the waist.

When they came into the mountains, Yang Zijin called Yun.

"What can I do for you, Your Highness?" Yun asked.

Yang Zijin said, "Go and get me a knife and a basin of water."

"Yes, Your Highness." Yun left.

After Yun got all she needed, Yang Zijin unwrapped the handkerchief and the wizened potatoes revealed.

She took the knife to cut the wizened potatoes in the middle and then sank it into the water with the cut side down.

After she finished, she clapped her hands and put the basin on the table. She estimated that she would stay here for a period of time, according to what she had seen.

She looked at the potatoes planted in the basin. She wondered if they would be able to return to Jing City when the potatoes were ripe.

Thinking about what Liu Ling had told her, she determined to expose those hypocrites in the future.

In Jing City.

Early in the morning, several carriages parked outside Jing City. Imperial doctors had all arrived. Shen Yang counted noses and said, "We are going on a long journey. Please hold on to the final. Well, get on the carriage."

After Shen Yang's brief speech, they went on their carriages.

Qiao Shu was going to take her carriage when Shen Yang asked her, "Miss Qiao, would you like to take my carriage?"

"Sure, Uncle Shen." Qiao Shu smiled and agreed.

She went up to Shen Yang's carriage, "You first, Uncle Shen."

Shen Yang nodded, smiling. In his mind, he thought highly of Qiao Shu.

The carriages set off to Jiandu after this group of imperial doctors got on.

...

At this time, Pei Moning and the disciples of Jianghu martial club were on the way to State Bin.

The participants of the martial clubs reached State Bin as well.

They shared the same goal: Defeat Weizhen Martial Club to obtain its Kongfu secret.

The competition would begin three days later.

Weizhen Martial Club had decided the venue, which was the open space behind the martial club.

State Bin became bustling and interesting.

Before the competition, the owner of each martial club went to Weizhen Martial Club to confirm the rules of the competition.

They nodded until they verified the rules.

On the day of the competition.

The representatives of the martial clubs were all presented. There were six martial clubs to participate in the competition. Those martial clubs were old brands except for Jianghu Martial Club.

Those five martial clubs took much count of this competition. If they won Weizhen Martial Club, they could achieve its mental cultivation methods, make a name for themselves, and expand their martial club.

A man went to the ring and struck a gong. The audience calmed down at once.

As the audience calmed down, that man came forward, "I'm the deputy owner of Weizhen Martial Club. Today, we will hold the competition among our martial clubs. So, let Yu Zhen, the owner of Weizhen Martial Club, come on stage to explain the rules of the competition."

A man in his early 40s came onto the stage. He looked quite strong and muscular.

He spoke to the audience below, "The matches will be divided by lot. The winners and losers will be decided in three sets. At last, no matter which martial club wins, Weizhen Martial Club will award him with the mental cultivation methods!"

"What if you are reluctant to give this out?" The owner of Xiaoyao Martial Club asked from below.

Yu Zhen smiled and continued, "Don't have to worry about this, owner of Xiaoyao Martial Club. To be fair, we invited the famous Elder Yan and Elder Hua."

"Elder Yan, Elder Hua, please come on the stage and take seats." Shen Ping spoke after Yu Zhen.

After the two elders took their seats on the stage, the audience went wild. These two elders enjoyed high reputations in Jianghu. Somehow, they both retired. It was a big surprise that Weizhen Martial Club invited these two people.