The carriage sped to the Chen family's ancestral home. Half of the sky had already darkened, and it looked like it was about to fall down and press down on people.

Chen Zhizhou jumped off the carriage first, asked Cuiping to hold an umbrella and send Gu Qing back to his room, gave him a few instructions, and then went to the main courtyard.

Gu Qing looked at his hurried back with a slightly gloomy expression. She didn't look away until he disappeared in the heavy rain.

Cui Ping saw that Madam was in a bad mood and said in panic, "Madam, should we go find a farm somewhere else to live?"

“What if there really is a flood?”

Cuiping had never encountered such a big thing before. Although she was the most calm among the maids, she could not remain calm when encountering such a thing.

Gu Qing tilted his head and said in a deep voice, "No need. Wherever the young master is, I will be there. If you are worried, then leave Huaishui Township with the second and third wives."

If the master doesn't leave, why should I leave?

"Wherever the Madam is, there Cuiping will be. Cuiping must not leave the Madam!"

Cuiping looked determined.

Gu Qing smiled with relief and patted her slightly trembling shoulders: "A friend in need is a friend indeed. I will never treat you unfairly in the future."

The master and servant returned to the house side by side. Gu Qing changed into dry and light clothes and opened the window.

The wind brought in rain, wetting her hair.

Cuiping came in with some hot water and, upon seeing this, immediately stepped forward to advise, "Madam, it's raining so hard, be careful not to catch a cold."

"Let's close the windows."

Gu Qing said nothing, his eyes fixed on the second room.

It was not until Mrs. Lu hurried out of the room, holding a small bundle covered with oilcloth in her hand, and got on the carriage anxiously to leave, that she slowly closed the window.

"Cui Ping, I need you to help me with something."

Gu Qing looked serious.

This matter was very important. If she handed it over to someone else, she would naturally be worried. Fortunately, Cuiping was smart and loyal.

Cui Ping knew this was a big deal, and her expression became solemn: "Madam, please tell me."

"The women of the second and third Lu families should leave Huaishui Township and be temporarily settled elsewhere. Please follow Lu for me. No matter who she meets, you must tell me."

Cuiping nodded vigorously.

This was a very important task for her, and she had to do it for her wife.

"Also, I know you're a smart girl and know how to protect yourself. If there's any danger, don't get entangled with her any longer and come back as soon as possible. Most importantly, did you see what she had in her hand just now?"

Cuiping remembered that just now, Mrs. Lu hurried out with a small bundle wrapped in oil paper in her hand. The bundle swayed, revealing its pointed corners.

It can be seen that what is contained inside is something similar to a box niche.

"Madam wants what's in her hand?"

Gu Qing was very fond of Cui Ping's cleverness and said without comment: "That's right, I can only feel at ease if I leave this matter to you."

"You have a photographic memory. Only you can take on this important task."

Upon hearing this, Cuiping couldn't help but feel a strong firefly ignited in her heart.

In the past ten years, she had been sold to several noble families in the capital as a slave, and had never met a master as good as the lady.

Now that the lady trusts her so much, she must complete the mission.

"Yes, Cuiping understands."

As she spoke, she took two steps back and bowed deeply to Gu Qing, tears in her eyes: "Madam, you only brought me, a maid, on this trip. You must take good care of yourself after Cuiping leaves."

Gu Qing's eyebrows curved slightly, and he gently helped her up with both hands, brushing off the remaining rain on her shoulders: "Go."

As soon as Cuiping left, Chen Zhizhou pushed the door open and walked in, his handsome face wet from being beaten.

Gu Qing looked outside and saw that the rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, like steel balls hitting the bluestone slabs, and the whole sky was so dark that it made people feel uneasy.

From Chen Zhizhou's eyes, she knew that the situation was very serious.

"Madam, the river is rising rapidly. My father is leading the men nearby to evacuate the villagers downstream. The rest of the Chen family men have also gone to the mountains to build a temporary shelter. Why haven't you left yet?"

Chen Zhizhou was worried that the conditions in the temporary shelter were harsh and that Gu Qing would be tired from climbing the mountain, so he came to urge them to leave.

The women from the second and third branches of the Chen family had already taken horse-drawn carriages to a nearby village on higher ground to find an inn to stay in.

Gu Qing withdrew her gaze from the cascading rain behind him and asked, "Have you forgotten what I told you just now? I will be wherever you are. You must not abandon me."

"How can I be said to have abandoned you?"

Chen Zhizhou frowned. What Gu Qing said was a bit too serious.

"Forget it. Madam is willing to share the joys and sorrows with me. It is a blessing for me, Chen Zhizhou." Chen Zhizhou stepped forward, asked Xuanfeng to get the raincoat, and then put it on her.

"Father will make all the arrangements over there. I just need to look after you." Chen Zhizhou's hands moved gently, his eyes full of love.

Gu Qing's heart couldn't help but soften, and she touched his handsome face: "Don't worry, I won't hold you back."

"I'm not that delicate, the daughter of the Gu family. Believe me."

Chen Zhizhou laughed and led the person out: "Letter!"

The two left the Chen family's old house and went up the mountain with the others.

From afar, there were more than a dozen shelters built on the mountain for shelter from the rain. The Chen family occupied one of them, which was also the highest one.

The shed was only as big as three main rooms, with several coarse cloth curtains hung in the middle, connected together. A stone was tied to the four corners under the curtains to prevent them from fluttering in the wind.

The outer side of the curtain is for men to rest, and the other side is for women.

However, now the only female members left in the Chen family are her and a few maids.

Gu Qing withdrew his gaze, looked down at the mud under his feet, and then looked at the villagers around him who were walking carefully on their own.

No one expected that a heavy rain would hit Huaishui Township, turning such a beautiful place into a country on the water.

Like everyone else, Gu Qing couldn't help but have a look of sadness on his face.

She seemed to understand why Chen Zhizhou had to choose to stand on the side of the third prince in his previous life. He never chose that person, but the people of the world.

Gu Qing looked up at him. Chen Zhizhou was holding an umbrella, with most of it tilted towards him.

If she hadn't said that she was afraid of being spoiled by her husband and the villagers gossiping about her, he would have insisted on carrying her up the mountain.

How could such a man of integrity not be likable?

She even began to feel fortunate that it was because Chen Zhizhou was framed by others and became notorious that no one dared to marry him that she had such a good husband.

"Are you tired?"

Chen Zhizhou asked Gu Qing questions from time to time, and held her arms to give her strength.

Gu Qing shook her head and used a handkerchief to wipe the half of his face that was wet from the rain. She then pushed the umbrella closer to him: "You don't have to give in to me. You and I are the same."

Chen Zhizhou refused to listen, pushing back most of the umbrella and saying softly, "It's different. You're a woman, and being with me now is already unfair to you."