Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 261 - 260: Demotion by Half a Rank

"It’s just a small wound; each time, it doesn’t require much blood. It’s not a big deal," Zhu Yu shook her head. "My father’s health is crucial to the stability of Shuo Country, and the stability of Shuo Country is closely linked to the peace of the world.

Since Divine Doctor Yan believes the adjusted prescription is more effective, let’s use this new formula.

When I was a child, outside the study of my elder brothers, I often heard them say that all things should be considered in the context of the bigger picture.

Now, my father is that bigger picture."

After all... the chicken blood had already been prepared; it would be a waste not to use it.

Zhu Yu, although unmoved by Zhu Cheng’s momentary concern, was deeply touched by her genuine emotion and understanding of the situation.

When several guards took out the dry food and jerky they carried and shared it with everyone, Zhu Cheng silently used his larger piece of jerky to replace the one in Zhu Yu’s hand that had a piece missing, leaving Lu Qing without the chance to show his intention of tearing half of his jerky for Zhu Yu.

After eating, they hurried on their way again, rushing to the next military outpost, riding through most of the night. It wasn’t until dawn had almost arrived that they stopped to rest briefly in the woods a mile away from the checkpoint.

This outpost couldn’t be considered a major checkpoint of Shuo Country, more of a middle checkpoint. When the city gates opened in the morning, Zhu Cheng and others secretly observed, finding the situation similar to the previous night’s Lower Pass.

Due to the larger number of people at this checkpoint, it was not possible to use the same method as before. Zhu Yu suggested "capture the leader first," saying as long as they controlled the Commander of the guard at this checkpoint, and left two or three people to supervise the other guards, there was no need to replace all the manpower at once.

After all, dereliction of duty is likely a trickle-down problem. Deal with the incorrect "upper beam" and the "lower beam" will naturally not dare to slant.

Zhu Cheng thought this was a good plan and ordered it to be carried out immediately. It indeed worked quickly and effectively to solve the checkpoint’s issues.

Thus, they pressed on tirelessly through the outposts of Shuo Land, traveling day and night.

Zhu Cheng originally didn’t want to face these problems, thinking they weren’t that serious, and believing Zhu Yu and the others were exaggerating.

This time, first shocked by the military weapons supervised by the Pang Family, then by seeing the relaxed state of each checkpoint, he realized the seriousness of the situation and gradually became more serious.

So, they spent three or four days visiting various checkpoints of Shuo Land, and the more they saw, the more they understood the severity of the problem.

At an upper checkpoint, they discovered that, as long as someone was willing to spend some Silver Coin, even without proper documents, one could pass smoothly. They also found that the Commander here colluded with the households below, and as long as someone offered a sufficiently generous "gratitude gift," they could produce a fake yet convincing document to prove one’s identity. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Zhu Cheng was nearly enraged. After ordering his personal soldiers to detain the Commander and involved households using the same method, he temporarily took over there.

However, after these few days and places, he realized that these problems were obviously not something his personal soldiers could quietly resolve.

Realizing that this issue couldn’t be completely eradicated overnight, the group, having traveled for several days, was exhausted. Leaving the capital for too long could easily alert others, so Zhu Cheng decided to return to the capital first and then plan further.

Zhu Yu also agreed with his proposal, as Zhu Cheng’s reasoning was not without merit. The left and right Chief Historians in the capital were also undergoing trials, needing to see how they fared.

Moreover, the chicken blood they brought had been out for several days; though mixed with the medicinal powder by Yan Daoxin, it hadn’t congealed, but it wouldn’t stay fresh forever. If it caused nausea and vomiting from spoiling, it would be counterproductive!

If delayed further, Zhu Yu even considered gritting her teeth and cutting herself again, to truly carry out the ruse.

Since Zhu Cheng would return, Zhu Yu was glad to suffer less.

The group thus returned to the capital in the same low-key manner as when they left, quietly returning to the Prince Mansion. Besides the steward and a few discreet servants, most people didn’t even know Zhu Yu had been away for several days.

After all, not everyone could enter Li Garden at random; not only was there Zhu Cheng’s ban, but a hulking man guarded the yard every day. Even if the servants were given bear’s heart and leopard’s guts, they wouldn’t dare approach for fear that man would eat them bones and all.

Zhu Yu returned to Li Garden and went directly to her room, falling into a deep sleep.

She hadn’t traveled like this for a long time. It’s said that transitioning from frugality to luxury is easy, while transitioning from luxury to frugality is hard, and that was entirely true. If not for the great ideal in her heart of relaxing with peace of mind in the future, she wouldn’t have persevered.

By the time she woke, it was already night. Lu Qing was still awake, sitting at the table, examining a piece of paper, with several parts of a dismantled mechanical box on the table beside him.

Seeing the things, Zhu Yu immediately knew that someone from Lu Chao had sent a message, quickly jumping out of bed to put on her shoes.

Lu Qing, hearing her quickened movements, turned his head, handing her the object with a smile, "No need to hurry, I won’t rush to burn the letter before you read it.

Take your time reading it. I’ll have Fu Lu bring your kept dinner to the small kitchen to be warmed and brought over.

You slept so long that I considered waking you up, or you’d sleep straight till morning and wake up starving and dizzy."

Though just awoken, Zhu Yu didn’t feel particularly hungry, casually glancing over the letter, which was indeed another page of musical "scores."

She returned the letter to the table, reaching to pull Lu Qing back as he stood up, sighing, "No rush for food, I’m not hungry.

Just tell me directly; your secret code is indeed secure, I can’t decipher it, completely unintelligible."

Lu Qing sat back down, "Okay, let me tell you one thing first, but you still need to eat soon. Eating without delay prevents poor digestion.

Due to the Golden-faced Imperial Censor’s secret report, the Holy Emperor was furious, blaming Situ Jing for mishandling the chaos in Li State’s camp, betraying the Emperor’s trust. Thus, he was dismissed from his position as Commander of the Li State’s camp and demoted to Qinzhou’s Capital City Captain, a half-step demotion."