Liu Qi cupped his fists and said, "Thanks to Madam's love, I have long heard that Guotai Pineapple Cake is a specialty in Jiangdong. After trying it before, I have never forgotten it. I didn't expect to be able to eat it again so soon. It is really a blessing for me."
Wu Guotai nodded and said with a smile: "Since Bo Wei likes it, when I recover from my illness, I will make some for you, everything you need."
Sun Quan said enviously: "When I was in the mansion, it was rare for me to taste my mother's craftsmanship!"
Liu Qi laughed and said, "Thank you so much for your kindness. I'm going to have a great meal today."
"Bo Wei is my son-in-law, so just treat him as a family meal!" Wu Guotai nodded with satisfaction and looked at Zhao Yun and Chen Dao who were standing behind Liu Qi: "Today is a family banquet. You two generals don't need to be so formal. You can take a rest in the corridor. I have ordered people to prepare wine and food."
Zhao Yun cupped his fists and said, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Guotai. It's not because I don't know how to advance or retreat. It's actually because of my responsibilities that I dare not stay away from my lord."
Liu Qi turned around and persuaded the two of them to retreat. Chen Dao clasped his fists and retreated, but Zhao Yun insisted on not retreating. After experiencing Liu Bei's incident, he no longer wanted any accidents to happen and almost never left his side.
Guotai took a deep look at Zhao Yun and chuckled: "It's rare for General Zhao to be so loyal. Zilong is also the son-in-law of Duke Qiao and brother-in-law of Zhou Lang. You don't have to stand aside and watch!"
A simple sentence not only resolved the embarrassment between the two parties, but also saved his own face. Zhao Yun was allowed to sit behind Liu Qi and specially ordered someone to give him a box of cakes.
Everyone exchanged cups and cups. Sun Quan was injured and could not drink. Wu Guotai advised them to eat more cakes. Seeing Liu Qi eating with gusto, Zhao Yun also finished all the cakes, beaming with joy.
After the banquet, Liu Qi was sent to a separate courtyard that had been prepared, while Sun Shangxiang stayed in the mansion to accompany the queen. A few days later, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, they met again to entertain guests at Ganlu Temple.
The villa prepared for Liu Qi is in the east city, on the edge of the Qinhuai River. It is a three-story attic. From the roof, you can see the bright lights on the river, boats passing by, and the faint sound of silk and bamboo. It has begun to take on the charm of the south of the Yangtze River.
Chen Dao and his bodyguard lived on the first floor, Zhao Yun lived on the second floor, and Liu Qi, Shi A and his personal bodyguard were on the third floor. Zhao Yun was about to discuss tomorrow's itinerary with Liu Qi, but when he saw Liu Qi winking, he left.
This is the residence arranged by Sun Quan. I don't want to be too careless when I first come here. I need to be careful that the walls have ears. Everyone has a tacit understanding and doesn't say much. They go to rest.
Early the next morning, Liu Qi took Hua Tuo to the mansion to say hello, and by the way, he treated Wu Guotai and Sun Quan. Wu Guotai's condition was no longer serious, but Sun Quan's poisonous injury penetrated deep into the bone marrow, and he had to scrape the bones to cure the poison.
Sun Quan frowned and said, "Cutting flesh and scraping bones is no small matter. How confident are you, sir?"
Wu Guotai laughed at the side and said: "Did Zhong Quan not know that Mr. Hua scraped Guan Yunchang's bones to cure the poison? Now that Yunchang has recovered well, he still goes to battle to kill the enemy. Although my son is not as brave as Guan Yunchang, his courage is no less so. Don't worry .”
Of course Sun Quan knew about this, coughed slightly and asked: "I heard that Mr. Ma Fei Powder can relieve the pain. I wonder how effective it is?"
Hua Tuo stroked his beard and said: "This medicine is used to relieve pain when treating trauma. Now it is mixed with alcohol purified by General Liu, and the medicinal properties are increased several times. It can be used by Wu Hou."
Sun Quan was secretly happy in his heart and was about to nod when he heard Wu Guotai say: "I heard that Guan Yunchang scraped bones to cure poison and cut flesh to remove rot. He can play chess and drink wine without changing his face. He is truly a hero of the world! My son is also a hero of the world, so why be afraid of mere mortals? Pain?"
Sun Quan's expression changed greatly, and he looked at Wu Guotai in astonishment, only to see her smiling calmly. Liu Qi, Zhao Yun and others were standing aside, and they could only nod in agreement.
Sun Shangxiang smiled and said: "What mother said is absolutely true. Although the second brother values literature over martial arts, he is also capable of shooting tigers and has the style of a Confucian general. What's the point of a small injury? I don't think there is any need for Ma Fei San. I just need to read with peace of mind. That’s it.”
Sun Quan was frightened for a while, so he ordered people to prepare for Hua Tuo's treatment. He also sent someone to fetch "Sun Tzu's Art of War" and went to bathe and change clothes while waiting for treatment.
As soon as he arrived at the back hall, he saw Wu Guotai coming with him. He couldn't help complaining: "Guan Yu is a warrior who goes into battle to kill the enemy. He is a noble boy, so why should he compete with him?"
Wu Guotai smiled and said: "My son, don't worry. What kind of Ma Fei Powder does Hua Tuo have that can relieve pain? I also have something similar, which is guaranteed to be better than Ma Fei Powder."
Sun Quan's worry turned to joy, and he finally understood that Wu Guo had worked so hard, and bowed and said, "It's rare for a mother to take such pains for her child."
Wu Guotai sighed: "The battle in Huainan was very detrimental to my son's reputation. People often say that you are not as brave as your father and brother. Today is a good opportunity to show off your glory. Let everyone know that Zhongmou and Guan Yu are brave. Who dares to disrespect me in Jiangdong?" ?”
Sun Quan naturally understood what Guotai was thinking, and this was also his biggest worry at the moment. He lamented in his heart that although Guotai was not his biological mother, she cared more about him than his wife, and he must repay him generously.
The mother and son prepared separately, while Liu Qi left Hua Tuo to treat his injuries and took Zhao Yun to wander around Jianye City. Since Sun Quan moved the capital, Jianye City has gradually prospered, and it is still far from the Jiangnan scenery of later generations.
Walking on the street, Zhao Yuncai said: "Since Da Qiao remarried and Zhou Gong Jin went to the north, Sun Quan has gradually become alienated from Qiao Gong. He must have a grudge. Could it be that Wu Guotai has become suspicious?"
Liu Qi shook his head and said: "Sun Quan is a man who is lenient on the outside and jealous on the inside. He is just dissatisfied with Duke Qiao's involvement in Da Qiao's remarriage. If they are really suspicious, how can they let Zhou Yu lead the troops north alone?"
Among the guests he welcomed this time, Liu Qi did not see Qiao Xuan, so he guessed that what happened to Da Qiao last time made Sun Quan dissatisfied. Now Qiao Xuan's status has long been inferior to before, and he took the initiative to return to Lujiang to retire.
Zhao Yun frowned slightly and said worriedly: "If yesterday's pineapple cake was also weird, wouldn't my lord..."
Liu Qi turned around and glanced at Zhao Yun: "Zilong also ate cakes in front of him, aren't you worried about yourself?"
Zhao Yun shook his head and said: "Since my lord dares to eat, how can Yun refuse?"
Liu Qi sighed secretly in his heart, whether he was loyal or foolish, this was probably the reason why he was famous in history and respected by others.
A man's loyalty comes first, and it is precisely because of this loyalty that Zhao Yun was recognized by Guan Zhang. Although he was not sworn sworn brother, Zhao Yun had a sincere relationship with the three of them and became "Zhao Si".
Secretly lamenting that the hearts of future generations are not as old as they used to be, Liu Qi whispered: "These heretics will never be able to reach the realm of elegance. Mr. Hua and others have found an antidote."
"So that's it!" Zhao Yun suddenly realized and asked again: "My lord is not willing to go deep into dangerous places this time, but this place is not as good as Xiangyang. Sun Quan also sent people to spy on him secretly. I don't know where to start the investigation?"
Liu Qi smiled and said: "This trip to the east of the Yangtze River is like being in a dragon's den and a tiger's den. We must not act rashly. Only a thunderous strike can turn us back. If his mother and son want to detain me in the east of the Yangtze River, they must take action. First, they should remain unchanged in the face of all changes. Let's see what his mother and son do. If there is any trick, just follow it up."
Zhao Yun wondered: "If we stand still, how can we find clues?"
Liu Qi smiled lightly and said: "There are still some unsolved mysteries at the moment. We will have clues when Hua Tuo returns from treatment."
