In Li Xin's heart, she also believed that Li Shan did it intentionally, but that wasn't important now. The most crucial thing now was where to order the flowers.
At this season, flowers were not abundant. Although they couldn't be ordered in the city, they could go to the mountains outside the city and ask around. There were many rare flower varieties in the deep mountains, and perhaps they could find some exotic ones.
Li Xia remembered that last night when she went into the mountains, she discovered a sun-facing valley full of chrysanthemums, with quite a lot of them.
"That's an idea, but it's uncertain," Li Xin nodded, but still felt worried.
"Let's send someone to ask around first and see the situation," Li Xia thought to herself that she would go and take a look again at night, making some marks for people to follow.
Li Xin agreed with Li Xia's idea. She took Li Xia's hand and went to find Mrs. Lu.
At that time, Mrs. Lu allocated some personnel, sending one group to the city to confirm, and another group to the capital city to buy some fresh flowers.
"Mother, Xia Xia, we've come up with two ideas," Li Xin told Mrs. Lu about Li Xia's suggestion.
After listening, Mrs. Lu nodded and also thought that there should be chrysanthemums in the temple, so they could send someone to ask for them and donate some incense and money.
Li Xia returned to the Orchid Courtyard and saw Qiu Chan sitting at the door eating small steamed buns, happily devouring one after another. Seeing Li Xia, she hurriedly stood up, "Miss, Wu Auntie made these delicious small steamed buns. Please try them," saying this, Qiu Chan handed the plate in her arms to Li Xia.
Nearby, Qiu Shui saw Qiu Chan's rude action and was about to stop her, but then she saw Li Xia take a bun and eat it. Li Xia nodded, indicating that it was indeed a delicious treat.
Li Xia came to the tea room. The tea room had changed a lot now. Previously, there were only two small stoves, but now a stove platform had been built by the window. This stove was made by Qiu Chan under Wu Auntie's guidance. There were rice, flour, grains, oil, meat, vegetables, eggs, and fish.
Li Xia glanced at Qiu Kui. She had only asked them to buy whatever was needed, but she didn't expect them to work so hard and set up a small kitchen for her. Fortunately, the Orchid Courtyard was secluded, and not many people came around.
Wu Auntie stepped forward and stood in front of Qiu Kui, "Miss, my leg is much better now. Thank you for letting Qiu Kui and Qiu Chan take me to see the doctor."
"If you feel unwell, just rest for a couple more days. There are Qiu Kui and the others to handle the work here," Li Xia noticed Wu Auntie's actions but didn't say anything, instead looking at her leg.
"Miss, my leg is really much better. Yesterday, we met a good doctor. After applying his ointment, the pain went away today," Wu Auntie had never felt so relaxed before. Thinking about how the three of them were initially skeptical of the young doctor yesterday, she felt a little embarrassed and laughed.
"Miss, the doctor we saw yesterday was young, but his medical skills were truly excellent," Qiu Kui said, peeping from behind Wu Auntie.
Qiu Chan, who followed behind, also chimed in, "Doctor Zhou is also good-looking."
Hearing that the doctor's surname was Zhou and that he was young and handsome, Li Xia's heart stirred. "Which medical hall?"
"The newly opened Zhou's Pharmacy on Muhe Lane. Doctor Zhou is the owner and the chief physician there."
Late at night, Li Xia went to Zhou's Pharmacy. The pharmacy door was open, as if waiting for someone. Li Xia went in and, indeed, it was Tian Jiu. He no longer had the cold and gloomy air from before. He seemed more real, like a living person.
"Doctor Zhou Heng, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Zhou Heng poured tea and pushed the cup towards Li Xia, "I knew you would come."
Li Xia sat down and took a sip of the tea, "What kind of tea is this? It tastes awful."
"It's my family's heirloom fire-purging tea. When I was little, every autumn, my mother would brew fire-purging tea for my elder brother, second brother, and me to drink. I'll take it back since you don't like it. I'm not roaming the jianghu anymore, just running this pharmacy to make a living, so I won't need this."
Li Xia took the prescription, "I owe you a favor. If you ever need my help in the future, just say the word."
Zhou Heng smiled, thinking he probably wouldn't need Li Xia's help in the future.
Li Xia put away the prescription, "But I do have something I need your help with."
A smile appeared on Zhou Heng's face. He knew this little demoness wouldn't let him off easily.
The mountain bandits claimed that Prince YongKang's oppressive taxation and extortion forced them into becoming outlaws. But the batch of weapons found in the secret room made Li Xia suspect that it wasn't so simple. Qiu Ling's investigation revealed that some of the bandits weren't actually forced into it, and some even had connections with people close to Prince YongKang.
"You suspect that there are remnants of Prince YongKang still at large, and they also have plans for these weapons," Zhou Heng pondered Li Xia's words.
"Qiu Ling couldn't find much. I can't leave Liuzhou," Li Xia looked at Zhou Heng.
"I'll investigate," Zhou Heng's parents and siblings may not have been directly killed by Prince YongKang, but they died indirectly because of him. Prince YongKang was his mortal enemy, to say the least. Although Prince YongKang was imprisoned in the capital, Zhou Heng couldn't deal with him directly. But he could start by dealing with these remnants.
"By the way, Qiu Ling's martial arts skills are too poor. Could you train her when you have time?"
"Your martial arts are far superior to mine," Zhou Heng didn't understand why Li Xia wouldn't train Qiu Ling herself.
"My martial arts can't be practiced by others," Li Xia said, picking up the fire-purging pot and leaving. But as she was about to step out of the door, her gaze lingered on a map hung inside the room.
