Thank you for your help?
This... does it mean that you want me to help wipe it?
Jiang Yushu was stunned, holding the wrung hot handkerchief, not knowing whether to hand it over or not.
This is exactly what Guo Honglei meant.
This is how it should be between husband and wife. Being polite all the time is too distant and what's the point?
He thought silently, and threw away the clothes he had taken off, revealing the wounds on his left shoulder and left arm. His chest was broad and strong, and even when he was sitting, it could be seen that he was tall, handsome and heroic, full of manly masculinity.
They were not actually married, and facing each other, Jiang Yushu felt embarrassed, but considering that the other party was injured and unable to move, she could only pretend to be natural. She took a deep breath, twisted the handkerchief again, and asked, "How does the wound feel?"
"Fang Sheng just got bandaged again and applied some medicine, so it doesn't hurt much." Guo Honglei sat upright, his eyes bright and full of anticipation.
Unexpectedly, before Jiang Yushu could get close to the handkerchief in her hand, her nephew hugged her from behind!
"Auntie," Guo Yu was tanned and thinner, but fortunately he hadn't gotten seriously ill along the way. He lay on Second Aunt's back, listless, and said with a pout, "Yu'er is hungry."
"Oh?" Jiang Yushu turned around in surprise, hugged the skinny, dark-skinned child, and asked, "Let me guess, you definitely don't want to eat steamed buns again, right?"
Guo Yu asked aggrievedly, "Why do you always eat steamed buns? Don't you have anything else to eat?"
Jiang Yushu was helpless. "Right now we only have steamed buns. We won't have other food until later."
Several maids stood by, and Xiao Tao couldn't help asking, "Young Madam, can you let this servant serve the young master?"
Before Jiang Yushu could open her mouth, Guo Honglei said, "No need. You go and take care of the old lady." After he finished speaking, he took the handkerchief from her hand, tilted his head, and wiped his body.
"...Yes." Xiao Tao suppressed her disappointment and knelt down sadly. Bi Yue, also a maid, pursed her lips and sneered secretly; Juan Er was oblivious and respectfully withdrew.
While teasing her nephew, Jiang Yushu asked curiously, "I heard that Lord Pan is a centurion. I wonder how high a rank a centurion is in the army?"
"Sixth rank, with over a hundred soldiers under his command." Guo Honglei was very familiar with him.
Jiang Yushu asked again: "Then, where is the general flag?"
"I have more than fifty soldiers under my command. They are said to be of the seventh rank, but in fact they are not in the mainstream. After all, there are a hundred general flags in one guard." Guo Honglei put down his handkerchief and shook open his black robe with one hand, which was a bit strenuous.
Seeing this, Jiang Yushu hurriedly said, "Be careful with the wound. Come, I'll help you." She leaned over the small kang table and stretched out her hand to help him put on the robe, then lowered her eyes to tie the belt.
The two were very close to each other, and Guo Honglei stared intently at the other's delicate and picturesque eyebrows and eyes. The long and thick eyelashes blinked again and again, so delicate and innocent that it made him feel itchy and inexplicably wanted to stretch out his fingers and get brushed...
"Alright!" Jiang Yushu clapped her hands, her face filled with worry. "I asked Doctor Fang, and he said you'll need at least a month of recuperation for your injuries, but we're only two hundred miles away from Xicang. What if the government orders all the men to be sent into the army immediately? What will happen to the wounded?"
Guo Honglei whispered, "Don't worry, I've asked someone to take care of it. At least wait until your injuries are healed before joining the army. Otherwise, you'll die if you go into battle."
Jiang Yushu's heartstrings tightened, and she blurted out, "You must not die!"
"This..." Guo Honglei hesitated, pondering over it again and again before solemnly promising, "I'll do my best!"
Outside the gate, at the corner
Pan Kui folded his arms, quietly surveying the dim and stuffy cell. Frowning, he asked, "Exiled three thousand miles, is this how the Guo family lives?"
"Of course." Zhang Feng glanced at him and said seriously, "When we escort prisoners, we must abide by the rules. If we need to travel quickly, we must travel quickly. If we need to stay overnight, we must stay overnight. We must follow the rules in everything."
Pan Kui rubbed his stubble, a man of straightforward character, and asked in confusion, "Normally, a noble family facing such a catastrophic change, with over a hundred members exiled, starving and exposed to the elements, would be filled with resentment and sorrow. Yet, I see them as calm and composed. They're chatting and laughing, like criminals, not at all."
"Actually, we were surprised too," Zhang Feng lamented, his voice filled with emotion. "Over the years, I've escorted many aristocratic families, some with dozens, some with hundreds. Generally, during exile, prisoners gradually abandon their manners and etiquette, becoming selfish and cold-hearted, often showing no mercy in fights. Some even don't care about the lives of their loved ones, only about themselves."
Having been through many battles, Pan Kui was not surprised. "True character is revealed in times of adversity. When life and death are at stake, everyone wants to survive."
"But the Guo family is different!" Zhang Feng, sincerely admiring and grateful for the life-saving grace, praised them highly. "At first, we were worried that the prisoners would cause chaos and delay our journey, but they never did! Look, they are still in perfect order. Oh, I really have to admire the second son of the Guo family. He is young, but he is very calm, both civil and military, flexible, and has a good management style—"
Pan Kui raised his hand to interrupt, "Come on, come on! Enough, stop praising me." He turned and left the cell, saying sarcastically, "Master Zhang is so complimentary. If someone didn't know, they'd probably suspect you'd accepted a bribe from that brat."
"You're being too unfair!" Zhang Feng's face changed. "I swear to heaven that if I ever accept bribes from the Guo family, I will die a miserable death!"
Pan Kui hurriedly said, "Ahem, it's just a joke, don't take it seriously."
"The people in the Guo family who deserved death have already died." Zhang Feng, who clearly distinguished between grudges and grievances, wanted to explain to Guo Honglei, saying seriously, "In fact, the others were only implicated. They weren't inherently evil. Why kill them all with one blow?"
Pan Kui snorted, raised his head and put his hands behind his back, as if thinking about something.
The next morning
After three days of rest, the tired Guo family no longer had to get up early to travel and could finally sleep in.
Men and women were separated, with a broken low wall in the middle and snoring sounds everywhere.
Guo Honglei had been accustomed to getting up early to practice martial arts since he was young, and he couldn't lie down at all, so he put on his clothes and stood up. Involuntarily, he turned his head and looked at the resting place of the women next door:
Well, I can't see her because the maid is blocking my view.
He smiled and walked gently towards the gate.
It was a scorching summer day, and the heat was unbearable. Zhang Feng had previously ordered that prisoners be allowed to go to the backyard to get some fresh air during the day, but they were strictly prohibited from stepping out of the gate.
The iron lock creaked, and the postman opened the door. Guo Honglei went to the backyard to fetch water and wash.
The next moment, a woman in the corner of the cell sat up, rubbed her eyes, straightened her clothes, and hurried out of the gate in two steps.
The sky was just getting light and the fog was white.
The post station was built beside the official road. It was simple and secluded. There were several towering trees in the backyard with lush branches and leaves, blocking out the dim sunlight.
"You got up early enough!"
"I'm used to it." There were only Guo Honglei and four officials in the courtyard, chatting casually. He threw the wooden bucket into the well and drew water with one hand.
The sound of water creaking and splashing.
Unexpectedly, just as Guo Honglei lifted the bucket out of the well, he heard a woman's shrill scream from behind:
"Help! Help—"
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