Quick Transmigration: Kitten's Healing Handbook - Chapter 50
Chapter 50: Raccoon Dog! To Combat! 5
Liuli ran to a safe place, found a river, and washed the bl00d from her paws. Seeing bl00d on her fur, she became agitated. After much deliberation, she submerged herself in the water, letting the current wash away the bloodstains.
Finally clean, Liuli conveniently caught and ate a fish.
Liuli looked at her sopping wet fur, shaking it again and again. As sunset approached, it wouldn’t dry, so she found a tree and did something she hadn’t done in years: she licked her fur.
Missing Ye An, missing Master…
Zhou Qingyan, hearing the tiger’s roar, led his troops on a detour. That night, they scattered beast-repelling powder around the camp to avoid encountering tigers.
After settling in, Zhou Qingyan ordered men to investigate the direction of the tiger’s roar, just in case.
Soon, the spy returned: “Prince, there’s a lot of bl00d there, and many fragments of black clothing, bits of flesh and bone. No corpse. There are drag marks in the same direction, towards the depths of the forest. It seems the tiger dragged it away as reserve food. Judging by the traces of the fight, there were about ten people. ”
Black clothing, about ten people ambushing in the jungle, very close to where they originally planned to set up camp at night. With this deduction, Zhou Qingyan understood.
But how could it be so coincidental? Tigers usually active deep in the mountains would attack the assassins who were originally ambushing him near the roadside bushes…
“Anything else unusual? ”
“Reporting to the Prince, judging from the bloodstains and footprints, the group tried to reach the main road when they encountered the tiger. For some reason, they stopped and turned back to deal with the tiger, but there were no traces of anyone intercepting them. ” After Zhou Qingyan dismissed his men, he rubbed his temples. Who was helping him, and what was their purpose…?
There were no traces of anyone intercepting them, indicating that there were no stones or other tools near the area that would have blocked their retreat, or any signs of their use. There were also no footprints of anyone nearby intercepting them.
But if no one really blocked them, why did those assassins suddenly stop running towards the main road? The tiger’s appearance there was also unreasonable…
Zhou Qingmu received the news that the assassination was unsuccessful, and no one survived. He wasn’t too concerned, but he was somewhat surprised to hear that they were killed by a tiger. He waved his hand, dismissing the reporter, and went to enjoy intimacy with Qinghuan.
As for sending more assassins, Zhou Qingmu wouldn’t do such a thankless task. Regardless of how those people died, Zhou Qingyan’s journey back would be cautious for the next half month; the disgusting purpose was achieved. Sending more people would be unsuccessful as Zhou Qingyan was already prepared.
Although he didn’t particularly care about the loss of those men, training such death squads requires manpower and material resources. It’s unnecessary to send people to their deaths needlessly, lest Zhou Qingyan make fun of him.
Back in the imperial city, Liuli’s fur had dried from the sun and wind along the way, but she still felt unclean!
Liuli thought for a moment, then rolled herself in dust and returned to Zhou Qingyan’s mansion to find Li’er, shaking the dust off herself.
With such a clear indication, Li’er should know to help her bathe!
Li’er held down the dust-shaking kitten and asked another maid to help prepare a basin of warm water to bathe the cat: “Li’nu, if the Prince sees you covered in dust, it won’t do. Don’t run, I’ll bathe you. ”
Before leaving the manor, the Prince specifically instructed her to take good care of this raccoon dog. But she has seen the cat only a handful of times in this period, and it rarely ate its food. Wild cats are indeed good at wandering…
“Where did you wander off to this time? You’re covered in dust. ”
Li’er muttered as she bathed Liuli: “I didn’t expect this wild raccoon dog to be so well-behaved during a bath. The previous Li’nu wouldn’t even let anyone touch it. ”
Cats aren’t unintelligent. The previous raccoon dog must have seen Li’er being subservient to others, knowing that this two-legged monster has low status. In the cat’s eyes, her status is naturally low as well, so even if fed, it’s normal for it not to allow being touched.
Li’er even braced herself to be scratched while bathing the cat, but unexpectedly, the cat was so cooperative.
Because the Prince ordered her to take good care of this raccoon dog, Li’er asked the steward for some leftover brocade and cotton from making clothes, making a soft cushion for Li’nu and placing it in a basket for its cat bed.
Liuli’s fur was now half-dry, rubbed by Li’er. Lying in her bed, basking in the sun, she fell asleep after a short while.
Zhou Qingyan, leading his troops, did not have Liuli’s speed of returning to the city and arrived in the imperial capital only half a month later.
Zhou Qingyan went straight to the palace to report.
The Emperor and Empress, seeing their second son returning victorious, felt somewhat complex. The Empress offered a dry consolation: “It’s good that our Imperial Son returned safely. After returning, you must rest well. Let your Father Emperor arrange two days of leave for you. ”
The Emperor nodded: “Imperial Son, you have done meritorious service in this bandit suppression. Besides two days of leave, is there any reward you desire? ”
Zhou Qingyan understood that this was his father’s probing. Before, he would directly reward him with gold and silver and promotions. This time, however, he asked what he wanted…
In this situation, if he still only wanted gold and silver, his father would think him scheming and cunning, making him harder to control – he wasn’t lacking in gold and silver. But if he asked for something else, it would likely be in exchange for his military power…
He would absolutely not hand over his military power!
He knew that giving him military power was to help the Crown Prince establish his authority. Although the Crown Prince also learned about military strategy and warfare, they didn’t want the Crown Prince to face danger on the battlefield. His own brother was the most suitable, after all, a leader only needs to know how to use people, not necessarily to do everything personally.
Zhou Qingyan knew that as long as Zhou Qingyuan was alive, his father would never give him the imperial throne. Therefore, this military power was his last confidence.
Currently, the only possible way to keep his military power was to leave the center of the struggle, seeking opportunities in the shadows: “Reporting to Father Emperor and Mother Empress, I hope to choose a wife who I am compatible with and return to my fiefdom to live with her. ”
The Emperor frowned slightly. Zhou Qingyan wanted to return to his fiefdom. Several younger sons who went to their fiefdoms had private armies guarding them. Zhou Qingyan already held military power; it was inappropriate for him to ask for it back now.
Seeing that the Emperor did not respond immediately, the Empress took over: “Mother is negligent. Ayan has been busy fighting for the country for these years and hasn’t married yet. It’s not the time for the draft, so Mother will hold a flower appreciation banquet in the palace in two days. Let all the unmarried daughters of the court officials attend, and Ayan can choose at that time. ”
Zhou Qingyan didn’t show much emotional fluctuation at the Empress’s more affectionate address. This was merely a means of appeasement; he had been disappointed too many times and was numb. He respectfully bowed: “I will follow Mother Empress’s arrangements. ”
The Emperor watched Zhou Qingyan bowing, without asking him to rise. The Empress pretended not to see. Over the years, she and the Emperor had an unspoken understanding.