"I've told you before when I saved you, I am a physician. Healing and saving lives is my duty. I never sought your repayment, nor do I need you to be overly grateful. All I ask is that you all live well from now on, so that my efforts in saving you are not in vain. That is enough."
"Madam, you are the savior of our entire Yingzhong Commandery. You must give us a chance to repay you."
Since childhood, her father had always told her that people must know how to repay kindness, and that favors received should always be remembered, to be repaid in the future.
"Yunyun, I have already stated that I do not need your repayment. Live well from now on, always follow your father's example, and help more people in need. That will be the best repayment to me."
"Madam, I have noted it all. I will definitely help more people in the future." Yunyun nodded in agreement, her bright eyes filled with kindness and longing for a better future.
Feng Jin's lips curved into a smile, and she couldn't help but be infected by Yunyun's optimistic spirit. If everyone held a shred of kindness and love in their hearts, how beautiful the world would be.
It was a pity that the world was inherently polarized; where there were people as pure-hearted as Yunyun, there were naturally also those with malicious intentions.
In the end, they could not resist the people of Yingzhong Commandery and accepted some gifts before they were allowed to leave.
Feng Jin and Cai Qing were curled up in a corner, so cramped they had to be careful with every movement. Their carriage was packed to the brim with goods, all gifts from the people of Yingzhong Commandery.
If the carriage hadn't been full, they probably would have continued to stuff more inside.
Feng Jin shifted her slightly aching arm and accidentally leaned against a basket, almost being hit by the steamed buns inside.
"Young Madam, be careful. If one thing moves, all of it will topple down, and there will truly be no space left for us."
This was after they had left Yingzhong Commandery, and after a long while of tidying up and eating some food, they had managed to create a small space for the two of them to sit.
Cai Qing was truly worried that if Feng Jin moved again, everything would fall, and they would have no place to stand.
Upon hearing Cai Qing's words, Feng Jin dared not move around recklessly anymore. She crouched in a corner, looking quite pitiful.
It wasn't until they reached the post station that Feng Jin finally had the space to stretch her body. Riding in that carriage had been truly stifling.
"Go and instruct someone to find us another carriage," Feng Jin ordered Ling Mohan, as she did not wish to ride in that cramped carriage again.
"Alright, I'll have someone do it immediately. You've had a long day; let's go back to the room to rest." Ling Mohan supported Feng Jin as they walked inside.
Behind them, Gu Beichen held his waist, panting heavily. He hadn't noticed at all how Feng Jin had been tired all day.
In comparison, he was the one who was tired. His carriage had been cleared out to carry their belongings, and more outrageously, not even a horse was left for him. He could only resign himself to being a coachman, especially since the horse was so uncooperative.
Halfway through, it started kicking and bucking, lying on the ground. No matter how much he hit or coaxed it, it wouldn't budge. In the end, he had to push the carriage himself all the way, with no one to help him.
"Young Lord Gu, why aren't you returning to your room? Are you planning to spend the night here?"
Chu Chenyi walked up to Gu Beichen, deliberately provoking him.
"I am merely resting here for a moment to admire the moonlight, then I will return to my room!"
The moment he saw Chu Chenyi, Gu Beichen's previously dejected and listless demeanor vanished. He immediately straightened his back. Even in his most disheveled state, he would never let Chu Chenyi see him in a pathetic light.
Chu Chenyi looked up at the sky. "The clouds are heavy tonight, and the moon is nowhere to be seen. Young Lord Gu, what moonlight are you admiring? Could it be... could it be that you've been so exhausted from driving the carriage today that you've gone foolish?"
"I simply like to admire the moonlight this way. Is it any of your business!" Gu Beichen retorted angrily and got up to walk into the room.
Dujeeted by the retort, Chu Chenyi touched his nose, completely unfazed by the awkward atmosphere.
...
Upon returning to her room, Feng Jin collapsed onto the bed. At five months pregnant, her abdomen was already quite noticeable when she lay down.
"Soak your feet before sleeping!" Ling Mohan brought a basin of hot water and placed it beside the bed, helping Feng Jin to sit up.
"I can do it myself." Feng Jin stopped Ling Mohan's hand that was reaching for her shoes and socks. She quickly took them off and immersed her feet in the hot water. All her fatigue instantly subsided, and Feng Jin closed her eyes in comfort.
"Soak your feet every day before sleeping from now on."
He had heard that pregnant women felt heavy and their feet tended to swell, and soaking them in hot water daily could provide relief.
As Ling Mohan finished speaking, he received no response. He looked up and saw that Feng Jin, leaning against the bedside, had already closed her eyes and was breathing evenly.
Ling Mohan sighed, carefully helped Feng Jin lie down on the bed, and removed the jeweled hairpin from her hair.
She was so exhausted that she had fallen asleep while soaking her feet. Ling Mohan tucked Feng Jin in, then went to quickly wash up before embracing her and falling into a deep sleep.
To save time on their journey, the group departed early the next morning as soon as dawn broke.
Feng Jin vaguely got onto the carriage, only aware that the ride was extremely bumpy, causing her entire body to ache. She just wished the carriage would stop quickly.
"Young Madam, please bear with it. I heard from Guard Lu that we need to hurry to reach the capital soon, so they chose this smaller road. Although it's more difficult, it will shorten the journey by half. We'll reach the capital in two more days."
Cai Qing was also being jostled considerably, gripping the carriage's beams tightly, afraid of being thrown out.
"I'll get dizzy sooner or later." Feng Jin's head was already feeling somewhat numb. Fortunately, she hadn't eaten breakfast, otherwise, she would have vomited it all out.
Feng Jin took two black pills from her purse and handed one to Cai Qing. "Take this, and you won't feel dizzy; your head will feel better."
Cai Qing took the pill and quickly swallowed it. After a while, she felt a little better.
Along the way, Feng Jin had relied entirely on medicine to get by. She did not wish to traverse such an uneven, bumpy path again.
Upon reaching the capital's territory, they finally entered a flat, paved road.
Feng Jin felt much more comfortable sitting in the carriage. This was how riding in a carriage should be; compared to before, it was like being in prison.
"Young Madam, try this apple. I just bought it. It's very sweet."
During a break, Cai Qing had specifically gone to the market town to buy it.