Chapter 18 A Sudden Storm

If anyone knows these powerful and aristocratic families best, it is Li Wanjing.

After dealing with each other for so many years, who doesn't know what the other is thinking?

They arrived in a hurry, so the carts must have been filled with rare treasures, or even family heirlooms. Less valuable items wouldn't have been worth taking with them when they fled.

Li Wanjing was certain that if he believed them now, when he asked them for the money again after the disaster and reconstruction, he would be met with their united excuses and obstruction.

They half-deny and half-make excuses, dragging their feet, and in the end, they may only receive three or four out of ten.

These people are very shrewd!

Li Wanjing didn't want to make a fortune off the suffering people, but he had finally seized the opportunity when they were weak, and he felt he would be letting down the people who had been bullied and oppressed by them in the past if he didn't take the chance to make a quick buck.

Ninety percent!

How is this any different from tearing down their very foundation?!

"Isn't Lord Li asking for 90% a bit outrageous? We sincerely wanted to discuss this with you, but we didn't expect Lord Li to look down on us so much..."

"Since you don't agree, please find another job and leave." Li Wanjing interrupted him, dismissing them without any politeness. Before the clan leaders could say anything to persuade them to stay, he decisively turned and left.

The tribal chiefs looked at each other, and only they knew what they were thinking.

That night, at the third quarter of the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), the heavy black curtain covering the sky seemed to tear open a giant gap, and torrential rain poured down from the opening without a moment's respite. As far as the eye could see, Jingzhou City looked as if it had fallen into an abyss.

Amidst the torrential rain and strong winds, the night shift patrolmen rang the alarm bell, and people gradually woke up from their sleep, put on their clothes, and squatted inside to carefully check the condition of the shelters under the heavy rain. If a house was leaking, it needed to be plugged as soon as possible.

In an instant, the world was filled with all sorts of sounds: the cries of infants, the curses of young men, the prayers of the elderly, and the heavy tolling of the temple bells echoing through the quiet mountains, all mixed with the howling wind and the torrential rain.

The clamor of all things paints a picture of a stormy night, and the peace cannot be found for a long time.

The people in the refugee houses were not doing well, let alone the wealthy gentry at the foot of the mountain.

Nature's majesty was impartial at this moment; whether noble lords, poor beggars, hardworking farmers, or diligent officials, all were equal under this torrential rain.

Rainwater washes away the sparse vegetation, softening the soil, which is then carried away by the water and slides downhill.

The raindrops, like sharp jade stones, pelted the expensive, luxurious carriage, making a crackling sound. Even more fiercely, the rain, carried by the slanting wind, lashed into the carriage, causing the gentlemen inside to groan in pain and cry out in distress:

"Go find Li Wanjing quickly! I agree to his demands, our Wang family agrees!"

On a rainy night, at the Jingshan Temple, Li Wanjing was not surprised to hear them back down, which cheered him up, as he was already in a bad mood because of the heavy rain.

At least, the reconstruction of Jingzhou after the disaster will be much easier.

.

The journey to Jingzhou was relatively smooth. Shang Yuji and her group hurried along and finally reached the edge of Jingzhou.

The sky had been overcast for several days in a row. Yang Bai looked up at the sky with concern and said to Shang Yuji, "Miss, it's not a good day to go any further. I remember there's a Fulai Inn up ahead. Let's rest there for a while."

The air before the rain was humid and muggy, and Shang Yuji felt a heaviness in her chest and dizziness. She responded to Yang Bai and agreed to her arrangement.

The caravan moved forward, and a strong wind whipped the curtains and bamboo windows of the carriages, letting the wind rush into the interior. Shang Yuji's face turned pale. She carefully gathered up anything that could be blown away, then buried her face in Jiang Xi's arms, speechless.

Jiang Xi wrapped his arms around her waist, adjusting the angle so she could lean against him comfortably, and held her tightly in his arms during the bumpy ride.

The faint fragrance of the epiphyllum was scattered by the strong wind; only by getting close could she smell the familiar, comforting scent.

A few strands of her hair hung loosely, dancing in the wind. Jiang Xi tried to press them down, but saw Shang Yuji's distressed brows and tightly clenched lips amidst the cold sweat.

His heart was suddenly gripped by a tremendous force. Jiang Xi called her name softly, but he did not hear her reply.

Is the sound too soft for Aji to hear?

Thinking of this, he raised his voice, a slight sob escaping his lips: "Yunxiao? Yunxiao, Yunxiao, please pay attention to me... Yunxiao! Yunxiao!"

The carriage moved forward silently, and as he received no response, his voice grew increasingly mournful, startling Yang Bai and the others outside the carriage and drawing their attention.

With a worried expression, Yang Bai lifted the bamboo curtain and quickly looked at Shang Yuji, who was unresponsive in Jiang Xi's arms: "What's wrong with Miss Shang?"

She quickly noticed Shang Yuji's distressed appearance and shouted, "Stop the car! Xiaofang, come and check on the girl!"

Shang Yuji vaguely sensed the commotion in the carriage. She opened her tightly closed eyes, braced herself against Jiang Xi, and turned to look at Yang Bai: "No need to stop the carriage. Let's go to Fulai Inn first. Once we get there, Xiao Fang can take my pulse."

Yang Bai hesitated for a moment, but decided to obey.

After Shang Yuji calmed down, she turned around and saw Jiang Xi silently shedding tears.

He didn't speak, but silently tightened his arms around her waist, then moved them upwards, pulling her into his embrace. He mimicked the way Ah Ji had comforted him before, gently patting her back.

Shang Yuji's limbs felt weak and powerless. She carried him back in a flimsy embrace and said softly, "Thank you, Xiqu."

"...No need, you're welcome."

Then I heard him say softly, his voice nasal, "Aji, lean on me and rest well. You'll be alright. Aji will be fine..."

"I'll hum a tune for Aji, Aji, listen quietly."

"good."

Soon, a gentle, delicate, and lingering hum came from his throat.

Crisp and light, like a clear mountain stream flowing gently by.

She recognized the tune as a well-known, melodious folk song from Yangzhou, which instantly transported her back to the humid rainy season in Yangzhou. As her attention was diverted by the song, the dizziness in her head lessened considerably.

After another fifteen minutes, the convoy stopped in front of the Fulai Inn. Everyone divided up the tasks and rested. Yang Bai pulled Xiao Fang and hurriedly bought a room, then quickly let Shang Yuji go inside and lie down.

Xiao Fang was the best TCM doctor in Yang Bai's team. After taking Shang Yuji's pulse, she said, "It's alright. The young lady is just suffering from acclimatization issues. The heat and stuffiness before the rainstorm, coupled with the fatigue from the journey, have caused her to feel depressed, dizzy, and nauseous. There are some medicines in the carriage that match the symptoms. I'll go get the medicine and brew a bowl for her."

Hearing Xiaofang's diagnosis, Yang Bai secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Then the girl should rest for a while. I'll go downstairs and ask the waiter to simmer some light hot porridge. I'll bring it up to the girl when it's ready."

Shang Yuji thanked him, and Yang Bai got up and left, closing the door behind him. Jiang Xiqu sat quietly by her bedside, silently watching her.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? Even if you can see the hole, I won't bloom," Shang Yuji joked, trying to ease the quiet atmosphere in the room.

Jiang Xi reached out and grasped her hand, saying somewhat dejectedly, "I don't like it when Aji is upset. It makes me very sad when Aji is upset, but I don't know how to make Aji feel better."

Shang Yuji gripped his hand back, their fingers intertwining: "You act as my cushion and sing me little tunes, and I feel much better."

Hearing that he was still useful, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes: "Really? I really helped Aji?"

"Oh really."

Jiang Xi raised his eyelids, his eyes, tinged with a pale red, looked pitiful. His fox-like eyes were clear and bright like glass. He suddenly stopped and shook his head: "No, Aji, Aji is clearly not feeling well, but she is still comforting me... I'm the one who caused trouble for Aji."

The more he spoke, the softer his voice became. He slowly curled up, like a wilted flower, even the colors on his body were fading.

Shang Yuji denied it: "Going to Jiangxi is not a problem."

With just one sentence from Dr. Shang, he miraculously brought the patient back to health.

Jiang Xi looked on hopefully, and saw the fox's eyes filled with affection. Unable to suppress the lump in her throat, she murmured, "Aji...Aji..."

She leaned against the headboard and explained, "You feel sad when you see me upset, and I feel sad when I see you upset. You want to help me not feel sad, but I also want to comfort you and not make you sad."

The candlelight on the table flickered, and she said softly, "If either of us is feeling down, don't think about bothering the other person. Just say it out loud, and we'll work together to solve it, okay?"

"Okay!"

Jiang Xi quickly agreed, swallowing the sob that was about to spill from his throat. Following his body's instincts, he pounced on her, hugging her tightly and pressing her down between his body and the bed. He rubbed against her neck, wishing he could hang on her body.

"Aji, Aji, Aji!" He didn't know how to describe the joy in his heart at that moment, and he kept calling her name to express his overwhelming joy.

Ah Ji said he's not a problem!

Ah Ji said that they would solve any problems they encountered together!

Together!

It was just him and Aji.

Ah Ji has feelings for him, which is why she uses the word "together".

"I'm here. Get up first, don't rub against me, it's a little itchy..." Shang Yuji said helplessly.

Jiang Xi stopped dawdling and placed his hands on either side of her, a distance that allowed him to clearly see the indulgence in her eyes.

That glance that met their eyes was soft, gentle, and infinitely tolerant.

He felt as if a piece of his heart was missing.

A sour feeling welled up in Jiang Xi's nose, and she lowered her long eyelashes: "Aji... I suddenly really want to, really want to lick you..."

Confined beneath him and on the bed, Shang Yuji was not offended by the intrusion. Jiang Xiqu was too naive, with clear and innocent eyes, and she felt it was more like a game.

Until he finished speaking his previous sentence.

She paused, then looked at him with obvious confusion: "What did you say?"

"I want to lick Aji, I really, really want to. Aji said I can't just lick anyone, so I'll ask Aji. If Aji agrees, then it's not just licking anyone!"

He had permission!

I won't do it casually!

After he finished speaking, he nodded approvingly to make sure that the logic in his words was correct, his eyes sparkling as he awaited her reply.

"No, I refuse." Shang Yuji decisively closed her eyes, refusing to accept his double attack of beauty and pitifulness.

He was a little disappointed, but quickly cheered himself up: "Then you have to tell me when Ah Ji wants me to lick him!"

Terrifying!

The protagonist's language talent in this restricted novel is terrifying!

She readily admitted defeat.

A note from the author:

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