Chapter 12: Escort Agency

 

The next morning outside the brothel

 

A middle-aged woman with a rosy face waves her hand and acts coquettishly. “Come again; I will always be waiting.”

 

Zou Jie smiles. The women in the Qin Empire were wild and rough. He also found out that the divine physician's knowledge had improved his stamina and body, making him last longer.

 

Feeling refreshed, he decided to check Gu Yi's condition before leaving the town.

 

At this time, Gu Yi had already woken up and talked with his comrades from the escort agency.

 

“How does your hand feel?”

 

"I can already move my finger.”

 

“It is a miracle.” Once the hand is cut, reattaching it again is impossible.

 

Gu Yi's wife enters the room, and behind her is Zou Jie. “Husband physician Zou has come.”

 

Zou Jie sees so many people introduce himself and, after some pleasantries, begins to check Gu Yi's hand. While he is touching the hand, a qi inside his body flows into the hand, causing the injury to heal faster. This is a healing technique he learns from divine physician knowledge.

 

However, his qi is limited and can’t be used continuously.

 

“Okay, it doesn’t seem like there is any problem; you can take off the bandage once your hand is fine.”

 

“Thank you, physician Zou, for saving my life and restoring my hand.” Gu Yi bowed his head.

 

“Yes, thank you for saving my husband.” Gu Yi's wife said

 

Hu Yi's comrades also said thanks to Zou Jie for saving their friend.

 

“I am going to leave the city today.”

 

“Where are you going?” Gu Yi asked.

 

“I don’t know; I want to roam the world.”

 

“How about you follow us? We are going to do an escort mission to the Qin Empire capital city tomorrow.” Mao Yin, the escort agency team leader, spoke.

 

After contemplating, Zou Jie agreed. He also had no destination in mind, and he could go to the brothel again tonight. Although his mind is old, his body is young, so it will be a waste not to use it like in his past life.

 

-

 

The next day, the Eagle Claw escort agency team escorted a caravan. Zou Jie is riding a horse and admiring the scenery.

 

“Physician Zou, we will arrive at the capital city in five more days.” Mao Yin, the escort agency team leader, The Qin Empire was vast and, when combined with the vassal kingdom, The land that the Qin Empire controlled was larger than the Min and Han Empires.

 

The reason the Qin empire still hasn’t conquered the two empires is that if one empire gets weaker to maintain balance, the other empire would help. Because of that, the Qin Empire could only devour weak kingdoms.

 

Zou Jie is planning to work in the capital city and gather karma points. He had several occupation skills that he had rarely used since leaving the Bai kingdom. Like seamstress, carpenter, farmer, blacksmith, artisan, scholar, and merchant knowledge.

 

He also notices his body has improved since practicing the two second-class martial arts and can gather qi. Most people get stuck as third-class martial artists for the rest of their lives because they can’t gather qi. Nevertheless, even if they manage to break through, without guides or proper martial arts manuals, they can’t use the martial arts and qi efficiently.

 

Different from Zou Jie, even without a martial arts manual or teacher, he can purchase the martial arts manual. After that, he only needs to train his body.

 

“Is there any danger when we go to the capital?”

 

“Yes and no, but don’t worry, as long as we pay the protection fee, the bandit will let us go.”

 

“Even the Qin Empire had bandits?” According to what Zou Jie knows, the Qin Empire had the strongest army in the world.

 

"The Qin Empire had a vast land, and soldiers couldn't be stationed everywhere to protect civilians.”

 

Two days later, they arrive in a city to rest and resupply. The Eagle Claw escort agency needs to guard the goods, leaving Zou Jie to explore the city alone. There are more people here than in the border town.

 

Zou Jie, since coming to the Qin empire, has been using his medical knowledge least because it cost him money to create the medicine and most of the time he treated the patient for free. He also spends money on food and lodging. In the mountains, he already had a house and could hunt and farm for food.

 

He tries to sell the penicillin that can cure syphilis and other infectious diseases to the brothel, but they don’t believe him because he is a young physician. In the end, he gives up and just has fun.

 

Entering a restaurant, he sits down and orders a tea. Zou Jie eavesdrops on the other customer's conversation.

 

“Have you heard the bandits have been active around the capital city?”

 

“Impossible.”

 

“It’s the truth.”

 

“What I heard is that the Qin emperor is sick; that’s why the bandit became bold.”

 

“Even if the bandit becomes bold, the Qin Empire army will not let the bandit go near the capital city.”

 

“I also don’t know what's going on.”

 

“From what I heard, Your Majesty will announce the crown prince soon.”

 

“It’s good, which means if anything happens, the empire will be stable.”

 

Zou Jie frowns. He had a bad feeling, but it was just a rumor, and there was no proof that the empire would be in chaos.

 

While he is thinking, a group of male and female martial artists with small embroidered tree symbols on their clothes enter the restaurant.

 

“Who are they?” The man asked his friend.

 

“It’s the Martial Alliance Academy student.”

 

Zou Jie quietly drinks his tea.

 

Shi Li and the rest sit down and order some food. After sending Luo Wei to the Martial Alliance Academy, she receives a mission to wipe out bandits near the Qin Empire capital city. However, she found it strange that the Qin Empire army was not doing anything.

 

Suddenly, she notices a familiar young man. “Is that physician Zou?” Although she only meets Zou Jie once to find Luo Wei, She has heard many stories about physician Zou from Luo Wei.

 

“Sister Shi, do you know that man?” Asked her junior sister.

 

“Yes, he is junior brother Luo Wei's savior.”

 

“Oh, you mean physician Zou.” The junior sister also heard about the kindhearted physician Zou.

 

After that, Shi Li began to discuss their mission.

 

Outside the city, a loose-robed middle-aged man is resting on a tree branch while drinking a jug of wine. The drunken sword master had been ordered to protect the Martial Alliance Academy student in secret again.

 

“The wine in the Qin empire is strong.” The drunken sword master wipes his mouth with his sleeve.

 

After that, he gazes in the direction of the capital city. If the information that he gets is correct, the bandit is a Qin soldier. The martial alliance needed to prepare a countermeasure to reduce the damage.

 

Although the martial artist doesn’t want to get involved with any nation, with the promise of power, wealth, and beauty, The martial artist will be dragged into a war.

 

At that time, the unorthodox sect would make a comeback, especially the demon sect.

 

-

 

Qin Empire Palace

 

The situation in the court is tense because they know that the Qin emperor's condition is getting worse. But the emperor still hasn’t announced the crown prince's abdication from the throne.

 

The princes and princesses’ factions begin to move to gather the official and general under their wing.

 

A middle-aged man with white hair and a beard walks through the corridor, accompanied by eunuch Ye.

 

Chancellor Li had received invitations from several factions, and although he favored the 11th prince without strong support from the officials and generals, it was useless. In the end, history is written by the winner. If he chooses the wrong side, his family will be in danger.

 

He also heard about bandits not far from the capital city; it was outrageous that, with the Qin Empire's strong army, no bandit dared to get close to the capital city. There must be something going on that he doesn’t know. Right now, he feels like he has been isolated by the other minister and official.

 

Since the Qin emperor is still alive, the factions are waiting. Chancellor Li had a feeling that even if the Qin emperor abdicated and chose a successor, there would be a civil war.

 

Chancellor Li entered the Qin emperor's room.

 

The Qin emperor's body is almost paralyzing. Even the imperial physician doesn’t know what to do.

 

“Your majesty I gave you arrived." Chancellor Li bowed.

 

“Chancellor Li, come closer.” The Qin emperor spoke weakly.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

“I feel like I am going to sleep. Send out the 11th prince and concubine Xu outside the palace to a safe place.”

 

“Your Majesty, don’t worry, you will be fine.”

 

“No, listen to me; even my royal shadow has disappeared.” Royal Shadow is an organization under the control of the Qin emperor that he created after ascending to the throne.

 

“What do you mean disappeared?” Chancellor Li, as a prime minister, knows several Qin Empire secrets. The Royal Shadow's job is to protect the Qin emperor and gather intelligence all over the continent.

 

“I can’t contact them.”

 

Chancellor Li's face went pale. “How can a royal shadow disappear?”