Chapter 33 Chapter 33 "You sleep in the main house."
Yin Shuang at this moment was a completely different person from the innocent, shy, and timid servant girl of the past. Her brows were cold and stern, and her murderous intent remained. Standing in the pool of blood, she was as cold as frost and as sharp as a blade.
Yin Shuang turned around and extended her hand to him.
Lu Linchuan still stared at her blankly without making any move.
She frowned and urged, her voice cold: "Get up quickly."
Lu Linchuan finally came back to his senses, quickly stood up, dusted off his body, and asked in disbelief, "You know Kung Fu?"
Yin Shuang sheathed her dagger and said calmly, "I hope Sima Lu will keep this a secret. My young lady is unaware of this. The master has ordered me to stay by her side and protect her. I must not intervene unless absolutely necessary."
Lu Linchuan nodded solemnly, a hint of respect flashing in his eyes.
At this time, the sounds of fighting outside the house continued. Yin Shuang leaned against the door, looking into the distance. Then she turned back to comfort Wan Niang, saying, "Young lady, you should be fine. The governor and that young man are very skilled. These people are no match for them. Let's take shelter here for the time being."
After saying that, she pulled Wanniang into the closet again and gently closed the door.
Lu Linchuan stood there alone, looking at the three bodies in a pool of blood. He couldn't help but curl his lips and mutter to himself, "In this world, you really can't judge a person by his appearance."
The situation outside was still raging. Jiang Ci was hiding behind the counter when she was suddenly grabbed by a powerful force. The man grabbed her by the collar and flung her out, landing heavily on the ground.
Before she could get up, she saw a cold light coming straight at her face.
At the critical moment of life and death, the man in the conical hat rushed out like a ghost, swung his long sword, blocked the fatal blow for her, and then stabbed the man in the waist and abdomen with his backhand. The force was so strong that it cut his throat.
Jiang Ci stood there in a daze, gasping for breath.
At this time, Ji Yang also defeated the last enemy. Turning around, he saw her lying on the ground, and the strange man was kneeling on one knee, supporting himself with one hand, holding her firmly under his body.
That scene pierced Ji Yang's eyes. He frowned, strode forward, and pulled the man away.
"stand up."
Although the man was injured, he still stood up calmly, glanced at him indifferently, and said nothing.
Jiang Ci was startled when he saw the bloodstains on the shoulder of the man in the bamboo hat. He hurriedly said, "Ji Yang, be gentle. He's injured."
Ji Yang sheathed his sword, his eyes darkening. The man in the bamboo hat was about to reach out to help Jiang Ci, but Ji Yang slapped him away. Ji Yang stepped forward, helped Jiang Ci up, and said in a cold tone, "My wife, please don't bother with me."
Jiang Ci steadied himself, bowed lightly to the man, and said, "Thank you for saving me."
Ji Yang looked down at her and said in a slightly slower tone, "Are you hurt?"
Jiang Ci shook his head, but his hand quietly grasped his sleeve, his expression slightly anxious: "Where are Wanniang and Yinshuang?"
Ji Yang looked around and said in a deep voice, "You stay here, I'll go find them."
As dawn was about to break, a small group of Dongyang soldiers arrived on horseback. The troops were well-organized and their momentum was awe-inspiring.
In the inn hall, Ji Yang stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes sweeping over the corpses on the ground. He ordered in a cold voice: "Judging from the attire of these people, they must be the bandits that have been rumored among the people recently. They are most likely robbing and killing people."
Lu Linchuan stood beside him and said, "My lord, it's a good thing this group of people isn't large. If they were larger, and the Dongyang army rested two miles away last night, I'm afraid..."
"It's okay." Ji Yang interrupted him, "The situation has been resolved. I've ordered people to clean up the scene and leave in a moment. I'll leave a few people to handle the aftermath."
As they were talking, Jiang Ci led Wanniang and Yinshuang down from the upper floor. Ji Yang looked up and saw that she was dressed in plain clothes and had a calm expression. Although she looked a little tired, she had regained her composure.
At this time, the man in the bamboo hat also walked out of the side room. He slowly took off the hat, walked to the front of the crowd, bowed, and said in a clear voice: "I am Yan Du, from Liangzhou. I was helped by everyone last night. Thank you very much."
Ji Yang and Jiang Ci looked at him together.
The man had handsome features, eyes like cold stars, a smile on his lips, and a leisurely demeanor. Jiang Ci stared into his eyes, feeling a sense of familiarity. After a moment's hesitation, she raised her hand to shield the lower half of his face and gazed into those obsidian eyes again. She remembered that day at the Fengdu City clinic, the one who stole the map. It was him!
"What are you doing?" Ji Yang asked with a frown.
Jiang Ci was slightly startled, and quickly lowered his hand, and replied casually: "My hand hurts a little, let's see if it's hurt."
Ji Yang's face darkened. He took a step closer and asked with a hint of concern in his tone, "Are you hurt?"
Jiang Ci quickly shook his head: "It's okay."
Ji Yang's gaze retracted, and he turned to stare at Yan Du again, and asked in a deep voice: "I wonder why this young man, since he is from Liangzhou, would show up here?"
Yan Du raised the corners of his lips slightly, and replied lazily, "Although I was born in Liangzhou, I prefer to travel around and explore the mountains and rivers. I don't have any specific purpose, I'm just a wandering knight. I fought side by side with you last night, and we cooperated well. Why are you so hostile to me?"
Ji Yang ignored him and just waved his hand, saying, "Team up and set off."
Yan Du was in no hurry to leave. He suddenly spoke and called him, "Sir, may I ask where you are going?"
Ji Yang, who was in front of him, turned back when he heard the voice. His eyes were cold and his tone was as sharp as a knife: "No comment."
After saying this, he withdrew his gaze, jumped on his horse, his robe fluttering, and rode away with everyone.
Lou Qi stood there, looking at the backs of the group. His gaze finally stopped at the figure in the green shirt. The corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he whispered, "Ji Yang, long time no see."
…
After walking for more than ten miles, the forest path gradually widened, and the sounds of horse hooves and wheels intertwined.
Ji Yang, holding the reins in one hand, suddenly tilted his head and asked, "Did you feel that the movements of that man called Yan Du looked familiar?"
Lu Linchuan thought for a moment and shook his head: "I wonder what familiarity you are referring to?"
Ji Yang said in a deep voice, "Last night, when we were fighting side by side, the energy of that man's attacks, flips, and steps... reminded me of someone - Lou Qi. But I have never seen Lou Qi's true face. Every time we fought on the battlefield, he wore a bronze mask."
Lu Linchuan raised an eyebrow and said, "Hanbei is separated from here by an entire Qingzhou. As the overlord of a region, how could Lou Qi ignore the important things and go south alone? I'm afraid he's being too suspicious."
Ji Yang stared ahead, frowning slightly, and spoke in a low voice: "I hope so. But... I have fought with Lou Qi for many years, and that kind of imposing aura is too similar."
…
Inside the carriage, the curtains were rustling slightly and the wind was blowing gently.
Jiang Ci leaned back against the cushions, her fingertips slowly tracing the spot on her shoulder where the palm wind had struck her the previous night. There was still a slight soreness there. Her brows remained still, but the fall had stirred in her heart.
Wan Niang noticed that she looked unwell and asked softly, "Miss, are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Ci slowly shook his head, his tone calm: "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious. We'll talk about it when we get to Ningling."
Yin Shuang lifted the curtain and peeked out, only to see two riders riding side by side in front of her: Ji Yang and Lu Linchuan. As she gazed at their tall figures, she suddenly remembered the man who, despite the danger, had pulled her up from the ground last night. A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and she couldn't help but smile.
Jiang Ci took in her expression and jokingly said, "Yinshuang, why are you suddenly smiling so happily?"
Yin Shuang was startled, and quickly suppressed her smile, pretending to be innocent and said, "Miss, are we almost at Ningling?"
Jiang Ci stopped teasing and simply said, "Yes. Before we set out this morning, they said they could arrive in as little as a day. They're just afraid of any trouble along the way, so they don't plan to stop for a rest."
Yin Shuang nodded slightly and lowered her eyes, but still couldn't hide the smile in the corner of her eyes.
It was two days later when we arrived in Ningling, and it was almost noon.
As they entered the city, they found muddy streets, crumbling houses, and sewage flowing everywhere. The people sat on the ground or clung to broken tiles and bricks, their faces terrified. In the distance, the occasional cry of a child, mixed with the cries of poultry, added to the desolate atmosphere.
Following Ji Yang's instructions, the Dongyang army set up camp in the open space west of the city. The Ningling County Magistrate had been waiting at the city gate for a long time. Ji Yang and Jiang Ci were personally led by the Ningling County Magistrate to a remote courtyard in the County Magistrate's mansion.
The prefect, nearly fifty years old, dressed in a cloth robe and with a sallow complexion, bowed and said, "Governor, the heavy rains of the past few nights have triggered flash floods, destroying over thirty homes outside the north city. The canals in the south city have collapsed, and villagers have fled in search of their livelihoods. There are already signs of looting and rioting. I'm worried about the possibility of an epidemic, which will be difficult to suppress."
Jiang Ci stood quietly at one side, frowning slightly as he listened. He looked at the setting sun outside the courtyard, feeling a chill in his heart.
Ji Yang's expression remained unchanged as he ordered in a cold voice, "Immediately have people count the number of affected households, the number of casualties, and the number of young and middle-aged people still able to contribute, street by street. The damage to the water conservancy projects will be personally inspected by me."
The county magistrate agreed repeatedly.
Ji Yang frowned and asked in a cold voice, "How many days can the granary in the city last?"
The county governor showed a hint of embarrassment. "To the governor, the government granaries are less than 50% full from the initial relief efforts, and the people's grain reserves are also running low. Without new grain entering the city, we can only hold out for six days at most."
He paused and added, "Furthermore, the grain route to the south is blocked by a collapsed bridge. If it's not cleared soon, there's a risk of food shortages."
Ji Yang's expression was slightly solemn, but he said nothing.
Jiang Ci stood quietly in the corridor, hearing everything clearly. He clenched his sleeves lightly, and his eyes tightened slightly as the county magistrate spoke.
The prefect bowed again and said in a low voice, "I am ashamed of my poor preparations. I ask the governor to punish me."
Ji Yang raised his hand to stop him: "Now is not the time to hold anyone responsible."
"I give you three days. First, register the wounded one by one and confirm their placement. Second, count the young and strong men who are still able to contribute, and have our army assist in their unified deployment. Third, immediately send people to Xiling to repair the bridge and access road. The food supply route must not be cut off for a moment."
The county magistrate bowed repeatedly: "Yes!"
Lu Linchuan was placed in another adjacent courtyard, and several accompanying clerks were also settled in. The courtyard was quiet and secluded. Although far away from the main hall, it was still clean and tidy, and it could be considered safe and secure.
Ji Yang glanced across the courtyard and said to Jiang Ci, "You sleep in the main room."
His tone was extremely calm, and he turned to leave.
But suddenly a muffled groan was heard behind me.
“Hmm…”
He paused and turned around to see Jiang Ci frowning, his hand on his shoulder. Yin Shuang lowered her head with a look of shame on her face. "General, please forgive me. I accidentally hit the young lady on the shoulder. She... was injured by bandits before. The wound was on the back of her shoulder and it's still swollen."
Jiang Ci lowered his eyes and gently tugged at Yin Shuang's sleeve, as if trying to stop her from saying more.
Ji Yang stared at her for a moment, but in the end said nothing. He turned around and quickly walked out of the yard.
Yin Shuang looked at his back and snorted coldly: "Humph, the governor is really cold-hearted and cold-faced. The young lady is injured like this, and he doesn't even bother to say a word of concern."
Jiang Ci just smiled slightly, as if he was already used to it and didn't care.
She ordered, "Go outside and see if the herbal medicine shop is still open. I want some Angelica dahurica, Sappan wood, borneol, and some comfrey."
Yin Shuang responded and left in a hurry.
Wanniang made the bed in the room, dusted the table, and gently advised: "Young lady, please take a rest. You have been tired from the journey, and your health is important."
Jiang Ci nodded and went into the house to change clothes.
At this time, Ji Yang had returned to the Dongyang military camp.
He stepped into the main tent, beckoned over his deputy general, and asked in a deep voice, "Where is the medicine we brought for this march?"
The deputy general immediately replied, "It's on the baggage cart. I'll take you there right away."
Ji Yang walked out of the tent quickly, came to the carriage, opened the medicine box, checked it one by one, and finally took out a small white porcelain medicine bottle from the bottom.
He held it in his palm and turned away.
The deputy general called him from behind: "Governor, judging from the current situation, the flood is more serious than expected. I suggest that we find ways to comfort the people and build dams as soon as possible. If we delay any further, I'm afraid..."
"I know." Ji Yang said without turning his head, "We'll discuss it when I get back. Sima Lu will be here soon, you guys can discuss it first."
When we returned to the county magistrate's mansion, it was already dusk.
He walked into the courtyard, where moonlight flickered colorfully under the shadows of the trees. He walked straight to the main house and was about to raise his hand to knock on the door, but his hand stopped in mid-air.
He lowered his eyes to look at the medicine bottle in his hand, his expression gloomy for a moment, and finally placed the bottle gently on the steps beside the door, turned and left.
After a while, the door was pushed open with a creak.
Jiang Ci changed his clothes and was about to go out to call Yin Shuang, but he saw a white porcelain bottle lying quietly at the door.
She was startled, bent down to pick it up, unscrewed the cap, and a cool minty scent wafted into her nose, mixed with angelica and borneol. It was a very suitable blood-activating and blood-stasis-dispersing ointment.
She looked at the bottle, her expression changed slightly, and she turned to look at the courtyard. The night wind blew the willows, and the courtyard was empty.
"This Yin Shuang, after finding the medicine, left it at the door without a word, and then disappeared somewhere..."
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