Chapter 55: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
Chapter 55: Everyone's Lucky Star
Feng Xuanrui noticed his sister was frightened, so he reached out and patted Suisui’s little head. Just as the two children were about to get into the carriage, Prince Qing strode over.
Physician Liu, seeing him approach, thought he was coming to ride in the carriage and made space for him.
Prince Qing sighed helplessly, "We need to take a different route."
The route they had planned was the shortest and most convenient. There were alternatives, but those were backup options. Now that the most convenient route was impassable, with the landslide piling debris on the official road, it was impossible to pass through.
Taking a detour meant many of their plans would need adjusting. Moreover, Prince Qing needed to inform everyone about the change and let them know that they had narrowly escaped disaster because Suisui had fallen ill at just the right time.
Though it wasn't pleasant to say, it was true: Suisui's illness delayed their journey, and as a result, they avoided the landslide.
As Prince Qing explained the situation about the landslide, Physician Liu's face turned pale with fear. His legs felt weak as he realized the gravity of what could have happened if they had continued on their original path. Some of them might already be dead or severely injured.
Shaken, Physician Liu wiped the cold sweat from his brow and turned to look at Suisui, who was peeking out curiously from behind Feng Xuanrui. The little girl smiled sweetly when she met Physician Liu’s gaze.
Her face, still pale from the illness, contrasted with her bright, lively eyes. That soft, obedient smile calmed Physician Liu’s trembling heart, and a sense of relief washed over him.
He stepped forward and scooped Suisui into his arms. "Oh, my dear, you truly are everyone’s lucky star!"
Though falling ill was unfortunate, Suisui's illness had saved them all at just the right moment, as if heaven itself had been quietly watching over them. Everyone agreed that they were truly blessed.
The more Physician Liu thought about it, the more he was filled with joy. He lifted Suisui gently but quickly put her down again, mindful of her past fears of being lifted up. After setting her down, he patted her head and repeated, “Such a good child, you are truly everyone’s lucky star!”
Feng Xuanrui, not fully understanding what the landslide meant, looked around and saw his uncle with a solemn expression, while Physician Liu was beaming like a child, albeit with tears in his eyes.
Was he crying? Feng Xuanrui didn’t quite understand but agreed with Physician Liu. "Yes, my sister is a lucky star! Not every little sister is this cute!"
As he thought about his cute sister, Feng Xuanrui muttered under his breath, "My sister is the cutest. Just look at Feng Youtan and Feng Ruolang—both are so annoying!"
Physician Liu: ...
Sixth Young Master, it's fine to say that, but we can't agree. Those two are the Emperor’s beloved princesses!
Suisui had no idea who her brother was talking about. She was just shyly standing there, happy as Physician Liu gently patted her head and her brother proudly praised her.
Even though they had to take a different route, they were well-prepared with supplies. Physician Liu helped Suisui and Feng Xuanrui onto the carriage, and Prince Qing could finally relax a bit.
The new route was longer. Originally, they would have reached the next town by afternoon, but with the detour, they wouldn’t arrive until evening. However, this route was safer, with only small hills on either side, reducing the risk of another landslide.
The road was still wet from the rain, and their new path wasn’t as smooth as the previous one, so they arrived at the next town much later than expected.
The town they reached was called Shuiqiao, named for its many arch bridges built over the rivers running through it. Despite the darkening sky, the town was lively, possibly due to the landslide incident.
Medical halls were especially busy, with constant cries and shouts coming from within. Inns and taverns were packed as well.
Prince Qing and his group searched three or four inns but found no vacancies. Finally, they had to split into two groups. Prince Qing stayed with four attendants, Physician Liu, Suisui, and Feng Xuanrui, while the others found rooms at another inn not far away.
Fortunately, Shuiqiao was a prosperous town with more inns than other places. Otherwise, with all the travelers stranded due to the landslide, they might not have found anywhere to stay.
Shuiqiao belonged to Nanqiao County, and though they could have sought shelter in the county seat's post house, the gates would have already been closed by the time they arrived.
Once they were settled, Physician Liu, along with Qingshan and Dijiao, went to prepare dinner. Prince Qing sent two attendants with them, knowing they needed a proper meal after the rough day, especially with two children in their care.
Suisui had been unwell all day. In the morning, she had only managed to drink some porridge, and at noon, she barely touched her meal. Seeing her lack of appetite had worried Physician Liu, so he was determined to prepare something better for her.
The town was bustling, and all the restaurants were open, so Physician Liu ordered food to bring back to the inn. Prince Qing arranged for a large table, and they all sat down to eat together.
Feng Xuanrui, having barely eaten at noon, planned to eat a lot at dinner. If not for Physician Liu’s warning not to overeat and risk indigestion, he would have had another bowl of rice.
Still, Feng Xuanrui reminded himself he had to set a good example as an older brother, so he decided to hold back. He had to stay strong!
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