Forensic Imperial Concubine novel Chapter 731

That day, batches of medicinal herbs arrived at the yard where Harper lived. The soldiers guarding the general's mansion were quite taken aback because even though they were in the Birch Pass, the medicinal herbs were very rare for them to see. In addition, the sultry weather in the south domain all year round caused the air to be filled with miasmas. As a result, numerous people died on a daily basis. So when they caught sight of a large number of medicinal herbs being sent to the general's mansion, they were overjoyed at the prospect of that. However, as the true soldiers they were, they didn't show their happiness on the outside. For them, it was possible that Harper knew they were running short of herbs. If that were the case, she was indeed a very caring woman.

However, after a long period of waiting, they didn't get the order from their general to ask them to fetch the medicinal herbs from Harper. The fragrance of the herbs would occasionally spread from Harper's quarters, bringing them both peace and comfort.

"Why is there always smell of herbs coming from the inside?" The guards gathering outside Harper's yard began to discuss with each other.

"Maybe she's making some medicine." One guard made a wild guess.

"Have you ever smelled medicine this good before? You must be kidding. From what I can smell, she's cooking something delicious," another guard responded while sniffing the air around him.

"The only thing you can think about is food. That's exactly the reason you're assuming that it's food."

"Excuse me, food isn't my only expertise. I know a great deal about fighting as well!"

Meanwhile, Luther was on his way back after assembling the team to escort the envoy. When he reached the entrance to Matthew's yard, he noticed that it was surrounded by several guards. With a frown on his face, he asked, "What exactly is going on here?"

The guards, who were still indulged in a heated debate, instantly stopped throwing words at each other. Composing themselves, they greeted, "General!"

"What are you doing here?" Luther asked again.

"Our curiosity brought us here. The lovely fragrance emitting from Prince Matthew's yard has been in the air for hours now. We are wondering whether this scent is because of some medicine or perhaps some delicious food," one of the guards replied right away.

Hearing this, Luther couldn't help but laugh. "Stop bothering yourselves with it. Instead, do what is asked of you. Your duty is to guard this place. As far as I remember, standing here while trying to guess the source of a fragrant smell doesn't fall under your duties. It doesn't matter where the smell is coming from because it has nothing to do with you guys. All right, everyone? Go back to your positions."

"Yes, General."

In fact, Luther knew that a lot of the medicinal herbs were sent to his mansion from the Treasure Pavilion. He was well aware of what kind of herbs that place would provide. He even knew their cunning tricks. Yet, Harper was a woman with incredible medical skills, so it would not have been easy to deceive her. Luther concluded that this time, the deceptive Treasure Pavilion would suffer a great loss because of Harper.

Luther, however, merely smiled. "Your Highness, please don't make fun of me. As a soldier, I have the responsibility to protect this country from every threat and harm. A war may happen at the border any time soon. If I marry someone out of loneliness, I may put her in danger. With my occupation, I may even die without warning. Either way, if I marry someone, I'll just put her in a very miserable situation. I can't be that selfish."

"That's not right. Most of the soldiers who I know have parents, and some even have wives and children. They are eager to end the war as soon as possible and return to their families. General, your house is too lonely because there are only a handful of people in this big estate. It's good to have a thoughtful woman taking care of you," Matthew replied, vehemently disagreeing with him.

Luther was silent after that because he didn't know how to respond. Somehow, he just didn't want to get married any time soon. Perhaps, it was because he had not met the one he truly cherished. Matthew actually noticed his reluctance to the issue. He didn't urge him any further. After all, it was just a casual conversation. "I'm afraid that the South Kingdom already revealed their evil intentions. When Harrison defended the south domain, he had a very close relationship with the South Kingdom. Hoffman had a good relationship with the princess of the South Kingdom, too. So your role is very important," Matthew said, changing the topic.

"I'll try my best to protect the Birch Pass," Luther promised.

Matthew nodded at him before saying, "I don't doubt your capabilities and loyalty. But Hoffman and his family had been guarding the south domain for generations. Moreover, we have no idea how many spies from the South Kingdom are there in the Birch Pass. I'm afraid the Worship Ceremony is just an excuse. The Bright Dynasty and the South Kingdom are likely to be at war with each other sooner rather than later. While you're concentrating on guarding the Birch Pass, you should also pay close attention to the ones among your men who are behaving a bit strange, just in case they may cause unnecessary trouble."

"Yes, your orders have been duly noted."

"I have also met the other two generals. They will cooperate with you while I'm away." The last sentence that Matthew uttered was quite surprising for Luther. He knew how stubborn the two generals were. But it had just been a few days since Matthew arrived at the Birch Pass and he actually convinced them to obey his orders. When did he succeed in persuading them? Why didn't anyone report this to him? Luther was becoming more confused.