The Martial Doctor

"Don’t poke your nose into the boss’s affairs. If you’re discovered, it’s your own bad luck. Don’t say I didn’t warn you," Luu Wan solemnly cautioned her niece.

"Mrs Wan, I can actually help you, truly," Qingtang said with utmost sincerity.

"You girl, I’m afraid you’d also get caught up in it. Our boss is naturally charming to women. If you find yourself interested in him, you might end up selling yourself for him and counting his money," Luu Wan lightly tapped Qingtang’s forehead with a finger.

"Me? Mrs Wan, you worry too much. I’m not interested in such a promiscuous man," Qingtang said. Though not considered a rare beauty, she stood out as a gorgeous woman among crowds. Moreover, she liked a husband who was loyal, like her father, who had only her mother and no concubines.

This was after her mother had passed away many years ago, he married Lanya to fill the void.

Her father was the ideal husband in her heart. Lin Miao, he attracts women too much, and such men are too formidable for her to manage, which might even harm herself.

So, she wouldn’t give herself a chance to fall for such a man.

"Mr. Lin might be a man of many affections, and actually, a talented, wealthy, young, and handsome man like him is rare in this world. If Mrs Wan were twenty years younger, being around him long enough might make her involuntarily attracted too," Luu Wan sighed.

"Mrs Wan, you’re not old now," Qingtang giggled, Mrs Wan looked over forty or fifty, but she was actually only in her thirties; she had disguised herself, and the Disguise Skill from the Inquiry Sect wasn’t easy for just anyone to detect.

"Just teasing you, Mrs Wan. Hurry and get to work. Tonight the kitchen is short-handed, don’t slack off," Luu Wan playfully scolded.

There was surely something major happening tonight. Luu Wan sent Qingtang away and quickly changed clothes before quietly leaving Huaye Tower.

Though she was the head chef, she hardly needed to personally cook anymore. Even if she wasn’t there the whole night, the kitchen ran smoothly. The few chefs she trained could now manage on their own, except for Qingtang, who was still "cutting vegetables" in the kitchen.

There was still a long way to go before mastering the cooking.

...

The cold wind was sharp.

"Sir has arrived." Si Miaoxue, Yue Mei’Er, and Ji Fei’Er dressed in men’s clothing stood in line to welcome Lin Miao’s arrival.

"Lianxin, escort your teacher to the quiet room first."

"Yes, sir." Lianxin answered, leading Helian Wanwan directly to the underground chamber where the fake "Lin Miao" previously secluded himself for training.

That place was indeed suitable for breakthroughs.

"Come over, let’s discuss the specifics first." Lin Miao beckoned as he walked to the reception hall. Although under Si Miaoxue’s name, it felt like home.

"Junior brother, I won’t join," Sun Youwei said, not fond of meddling in the affairs of the martial world.

Lin Miao nodded and gently said, "Go settle down first, later I’ll have someone call you for dinner."

"Sir, look, the Scorpions are hiding at the quarry. It’s winter now, and the quarry has stopped operations, but it’s large enough with complete living facilities. They have five hundred men altogether," Si Miaoxue had already arranged for detailed maps of Dongshan Prefecture’s terrain to be drawn, now making it appear like a command center.

"How far is it from Xue Family Manor?"

"Not far, about twenty miles."

"Twenty miles, riding on horseback would take just half an hour, even at night. With a guide, it wouldn’t take too much time."

"They’re equipped with horses, and we’ve discovered this quarry belongs to the Ye Family. They replenished a large batch of supplies for the quarry after the new year," Yue Mei’Er added.

"They arrived last night and have rested for a day. I reckon they’ll act tonight," Si Miaoxue added, "Moreover, last night they have already sent someone to scout Xue Family Manor."

"Did you warn the manor?" Lin Miao asked.

"No, but our Mr. Pei is very vigilant, arranging the defenses flawlessly. The Scorpions can only launch a frontal attack to capture the Xue Family Manor and destroy evidence!"

"No, Pei Jian cannot control the city guards. There must be Marquis Lingyang’s spies within the city guards, who will cooperate in the action when the time comes," Lin Miao said.

"This..."

The women exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.

"We’re here to assist, but the main role is with Mr. Pei. If the Scorpions act tonight, we might also have to include the Green Blade Sect, quickly send someone to Xue Family Manor with my predictions for Pei Jian," Lin Miao ordered.

"Aren’t we supposed to not reveal our identities?"

"There’s no point now. Currently, the Su Family and the Snow Mountain Sect are joining Pei Jian to eliminate traitors, so there’s no need to worry about revealing identities," Lin Miao explained.

Only Si Miaoxue and the other women’s identities need to be hidden; everything else could be attributed to the Snow Mountain Sect and the Su Family.

Whether he was the intermediary or leader, does it matter?

"Yes, I’ll send someone immediately."

"Ah Huo?" Lin Miao had left the Fire Qilin and Ice Hound at the manor since their identities were most suitable for gathering intelligence, making them hard to notice.

With their cunning and speed, even encountering Tianyuan wouldn’t trouble them, especially since they grew considerably after leaving that place.

"I’m with Bing’Er at the quarry!" a voice resonated from within. This fellow hadn’t contacted him for a while.

"You can actually discern my thoughts?"

"Not really, just felt your longing for me, big brother. I don’t know what you’re thinking," the Fire Qilin hurriedly denied.

"What’s the Scorpions’ movement?" Lin Miao didn’t mind this, he had immense trust in the Fire Qilin.

After all, they were compatriots.

"No movement really, they’re just eating meat, drinking wine. There seems to be an exotic beast near the Scorpions, Bing’Er and I don’t dare get too close for fear of being discovered."

"An exotic beast, what kind?" Lin Miao was shocked. The Scorpions had actually tamed an exotic beast; this was an incredible secret.

"A female scorpion, very large and venomous."

"A female scorpion?" Lin Miao frowned slightly. Scorpions could be male or female, generally not appearing in pairs, yet such a unique scorpion might be like the silver python back then, matched male and female.

"Ah Huo, search the area around the quarry carefully with Xiaobing to see if you can find another scorpion, male," Lin Miao ordered.

"Alright, I know. I’ll send Bing’Er, she’s more suited for this task." the Fire Qilin agreed.

"Miaoxue, Mei’Er, how much camphor, sulphur, and similar substances do we have in the manor?"

"Sir, why suddenly ask this?" The two women lifted their heads in surprise at Lin Miao’s question, which puzzled them.

"The Scorpions have an exotic scorpion. I suspect it’s their ace in the hole. The humans are easy to deal with, but this exotic beast is troublesome. If this scorpion controls more scorpions, attacking Xue Family Manor becomes twice as effective, so we need to prepare items to subjugate scorpions, and immediately inform Mr. Pei with this news, letting him prepare as well," Lin Miao explained.

"I see!"

"But what about Mr. Pei’s side? They might not have pest-repelling items readily available?"

"Actually, lime is enough against scorpions. But in battle, specialized anti-scorpion satchels are needed," Lin Miao explained.

"That’s easy then. This manor stores lime yearly, surely Xue Family Manor does too," Si Miaoxue said.

"Send this message to Pei Jian and make preparations. Tonight’s battle could determine many people’s futures," Lin Miao nodded.

"Yes."

"Estimating their start time is still early, the first half of the night is when people are most vigilant, let’s eat and replenish energy, our place is closer," Lin Miao instructed.

"Upon receiving Sir’s notice, Mei’Er has already arranged the kitchen to prepare dinner, it’s ready now, can be served anytime," Yue Mei’Er smiled alluringly, her charm and delight visible on her face, a spring-like expression.