Chapter 349: Who's going to save me
# 349. Who's going to save me
After the sun had set, the sky lingered in a dusky azure hue for quite some time before it was replaced by the veil of night.
On a hill with a commanding view, the delegation stopped to ignite bonfires and pitch tents.
The women did not disembark, wrapping themselves in thin blankets to rest in the carriages. Xu Qi’an and other senior officials stayed in tents, while the lower-ranking guards slept around the fires.
Fortunately, the mid-spring season brought nights that were neither too cold nor too warm. The occasional breeze felt refreshing, but the abundance of mosquitoes proved troublesome, especially for the “plump sheep” that were the guards with their robust physiques.
The frequent slapping sounds filled the air as the soldiers cursed and swatted at the pests.
Upon returning from his patrol, Xu Qi’an witnessed the scene and immediately realised the delegation lacked any herbal repellents. Their supplies consisted mainly of trauma ointments and antidote pills, with no room for such “trivial” items as mosquito deterrents.
“Why are there so many mosquitoes?” complained the Deputy Minister of the High Court, emerging from his tent in a simple white robe. He muttered irritably, “The buzzing is incessant! How can anyone sleep like this?”
The pampered nature of the civil officials became apparent. Earlier on the ship, despite its rocking and shaking, they managed to endure. But the hardships of traveling overland—no beds, no tea tables, no fine cuisine, and now swarms of mosquitoes—left them grumbling.