Shangguan Wanning helped distribute porridge and medicine at the city gate.
With Zhang Yide's help, food and quilts were delivered continuously, which gradually reduced the number of deaths from cold and hunger.
Although Zhang Yide repeatedly declined, Xiao Yujue still gave him the disaster relief money issued by the court and used all his own property to buy food and clothing.
Xiao Yujue's reputation for being kind, generous, and loving the people like his own children soon spread throughout the local area.
Shangguan Wanning believed that this news would also be known to the emperor and court officials in the capital.
She suddenly felt that Xiao Yujue was not as simple as outsiders saw. His scheming and scheming far exceeded her expectations.
"Wan Ning... Wan Ning..."
Mu Jingyan squeezed through the crowd and came to Shangguan Wanning, snatched the spoon from her hand and handed it to the person next to her, then led her to a secluded corner.
"Jingyan, what's the matter?" Shangguan Wanning noticed that Mu Jingyan looked very bad, so she held her hand, "Are you feeling unwell? Can I go with you to see Doctor Qin?"
Mu Jingyan shook his head, looked around carefully, and said in a low voice: "I will be away for a few days. If His Royal Highness asks, just say that I went to do things by myself and don't need to look for me."
"Do you know anyone here? Where are you going?" Shangguan Wanning always felt that there was something wrong with Mu Jingyan's expression.
Mu Jingyan refused to say.
"Anyway...don't ask anymore..."
Mu Jingyan turned around and was about to leave, but Shangguan Wanning grabbed his wrist tightly. "Jingyan, your brother told me to take good care of you before he left. If you don't explain clearly, I won't let you go. Otherwise, if something happens to you, how can I explain to your brother?"
"My brother has to come back."
Mu Jingyan blurted out the truth in a hurry, and his eyes turned red.
Shangguan Wanning's heart sank involuntarily. "Jingyan, what did you say? Did something happen to your brother?"
Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Mu Jingyan had to tell the truth.
"I just went into the Crown Prince's study and heard him discussing the battle reports sent in the past few days with his personal guards... They said that my brother went to the enemy's base alone to save the people. So..."
In an instant, Shangguan Wanning's hands and feet turned cold and her mind went blank.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince means that he will not send any more reinforcements. What about my brother? I have to go and save him."
"How can you save him alone?" Shangguan Wan Ning held Mu Jingyan's hand tighter. She forced herself to calm down. "Jingyan, listen to me. Calm down first. You have to believe in your brother. He is not the kind of person who would let himself die in vain. Maybe he has other plans?"
Shangguan Wanning always felt that with Mu Jingrui's military talent, he would never let herself sacrifice easily.
What's more, even if he really died on the battlefield, it is still a question whether the other party would keep their promise.
Besides, the memories of the previous life are still fresh. Mu Jingrui had not yet become famous, so how could he die like this?
"Jing Yan, I'm going to ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince about the situation. Don't be impulsive, wait for me here. Let's understand it clearly before making any plans, okay?"
Mu Jingyan looked at Shangguan Wanning's concerned eyes, sighed softly, and nodded.
Shangguan Wanning asked Lutong to take Mu Jingyan back to rest, and she immediately rushed to the government office to find Xiao Yujue.
The result was exactly the same as what Mu Jingyan heard.
Shangguan Wanning's face changed slightly, and she was in a state of confusion.
"But you don't have to worry too much. The intelligence sent by the left and right vanguards said that Jing Rui left a troop deployment map before he left. When the time is right, they will be notified whether to attack or defend."
"In other words, Jing Rui has a backup plan?"
"Of course." Xiao Yujue believed in Mu Jingrui's ability. All they needed to do now was to wait and see.
This made Shangguan Wanning feel much more at ease.
She returned to Doctor Qin's home, opened the door and saw Lutong lying on the chaise longue with her eyes closed.
Shangguan Wanning looked around hurriedly, but there was no sign of Mu Jingyan.
She hurried forward and gently patted Lutong's cheek.
"Lutong, wake up... wake up quickly..."
Lu Tong opened her eyes dazedly. "Miss, you are back? Eh? How could I fall asleep at this time?"
"Where's Jing Yan?"
"Miss Mu..." Lu Tong went from being dazed to awakening, rolled off the chaise longue, and knelt in front of Shangguan Wan Ning in fear. "I'm sorry, Miss... I didn't take good care of her. She hit me, and I don't know what happened afterwards..."
Shangguan Wanning couldn't help but stamp her feet.
Mu Jingyan cared so much about his brother that he couldn't wait for her to come back.
"How long?"
Lu Tong looked outside and replied, "About half an hour."
"I'm going to chase her now. If I'm not back before dark, you'll go find His Royal Highness and explain the situation."
"Hey, Miss..."
Lu Tong was so scared that her face turned pale, but she still couldn't stop Shangguan Wan Ning.
Shangguan Wanning led a horse and galloped away in the backyard of Doctor Qin.
The howling wind, mixed with cold snowflakes, made a wolf-like howl through the gaps in the doors and windows.
Mu Jingrui was locked in an old and shabby woodshed. He sat cross-legged calmly, listening quietly to the noise outside the door.
Late at night, the door of the woodshed was pushed open, and a gust of cold wind blew in, blowing up the straw on the ground.
The dim light of the lantern elongated the two figures.
Mu Jingrui slowly opened his eyes.
A man and a woman, about the same age.
The man was tall and slender, while the woman was dressed like a maid. Her delicate smiling face was red from the cold, and her lively eyes looked at Mu Jingrui curiously.
"As expected of a great general of the Celestial Empire, he is indeed extremely courageous. He actually dared to venture into such a dangerous place alone. I admire you! I admire you!"
The man clapped his hands and looked down at Mu Jingrui.
"A den of dragons and tigers?" Mu Jingrui sneered, "You think too highly of yourself."
"You..." The man felt that he was being despised. When he was about to get angry, he glanced at the maid beside him and swallowed his anger back.
"You know, Ji Kuo has sent a letter to your men. He proposed to exchange 100,000 dan of grain and 50,000 taels of gold, as well as various silks, tea and daily necessities for your life and the lives of the people in the three cities."
"He really thinks highly of me. Do you think I'm worth the price?" Mu Jingrui said slowly.
"If our information is correct, the person in charge inside the border is the crown prince. I heard that he is indecisive and weak. Without you guarding the border, the entire team is like a group of dragons without a leader. If they don't agree to Ji Kuo's conditions, you will probably really die."
"You came to me just to talk nonsense?"
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