Chapter 37 Chapter 37 "Why, do you regret it?"...
It was noon in Congo. Ji Yang was sitting in front of a sand table with Lu Linchuan and Du Mengqiu, discussing how to rebuild the collapsed embankment section west of the city and whether to use local materials to build a wooden and stone bridge to connect the grain transportation line.
The atmosphere in the tent was solemn. Du Mengqiu measured with a wooden ruler, while Lu Linchuan whispered, "...If we use hemp ropes to secure the beams, I'm afraid they won't survive the torrential rain overnight."
Ji Yang frowned and was about to speak when he heard a commotion outside the tent.
"Please tell someone that Yinshuang has an urgent matter to see the governor!" The voice was crying, so anxious that it ignored etiquette.
The guard shouted, "The governor and the Sima are discussing government affairs. No one is allowed to enter without permission!"
"I'm not an idler. I'm your maid, Yinshuang. This is an urgent matter. If I don't see the governor, something bad will happen to my young lady!"
The three people in the tent stopped talking in unison. Ji Yang raised his eyebrows, looking unhappy: "What's the noise outside?"
Lu Linchuan recognized the voice and tilted his ear slightly, saying, "It's Yin Shuang's voice, my lord. The lady may have something to ask you."
Ji Yang's eyes flashed, he slammed the flag in his hand into the sand table, and stood up and walked out.
As soon as the curtain was lifted, Yin Shuang was seen kneeling in front of the tent door, her face filled with panic, her hair disheveled. She fell to her knees and cried out in a trembling voice, "Commander-in-Chief, please save my young lady!"
Ji Yang's face darkened immediately. He looked down at her, suppressing his anger in his tone: "Get up first, and tell me what you want to say."
Lu Linchuan also stepped out of the tent, helped her up, and asked in a deep voice, "What happened? Why are you so panicked?"
Yin Shuang choked up as she recounted the entire story. "This morning, the young lady heard the plague was worsening in the city. Worried about the safety of the people, she went to the affected area on her own. Unexpectedly, the guards couldn't stop her, so she forced her way in... But the villagers, seeing her unusual attire, mistakenly thought she was sent by the county governor and threatened to kidnap her in exchange for a way out."
As soon as these words were spoken, the sound of wind outside the tent fell silent for a moment, and only the military flags fluttered in the morning breeze.
Lu Linchuan's expression changed instantly, and he blurted out: "Kidnapped?!"
Ji Yang's eyes were like swords, and he gritted his teeth and shouted, "How dare she take the risk alone!" A surge of anger inexplicably surged in his heart.
He suddenly turned around and shouted, "Come on, prepare your horses and follow me to the epidemic area!" Turning back, he gave Lu Linchuan a deep command, "First, discuss the bridge repair with the deputy general. I'll be back soon."
Without waiting for everyone's reaction, Ji Yang had already started walking quickly, and Yin Shuang quickly stood up and followed him.
There is chaos at the edge of the epidemic area.
Jiang Ci was surrounded by angry and desperate villagers, her clothes already ripped and messed up. She tried to explain, but no one would listen. Crying and shouting continued.
"I've never seen a female doctor in my life. She's probably a liar."
"Let us out! We still want to live!"
"That's right! Tie her up! It's our turn to get out!"
The group of people were getting closer and closer. Jiang Ci forced herself to remain calm, tightly protecting her chest, and retreating step by step. Suddenly, a strong man suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. Jiang Ci stumbled, her vision went black, and she almost fell.
Just then—
The sound of horse hooves came from afar, like heavy rain hitting the ground, making a loud noise.
"drive--"
Everyone looked up in shock, only to see a horse galloping towards them from the horizon like a hurricane, raising a cloud of dust. The horse did not slow down, and its iron hooves almost broke the fence.
"Get out of the way—get out of the way!" someone shouted.
The crowd retreated in panic, scattering in all directions to avoid the situation. In the chaos, someone bumped into Jiang Ci, causing her to stagger and fall to the ground.
"Jiang Ci!"
The familiar voice suddenly sounded.
The next moment, a hand reached out from the chaos and grabbed her tightly.
Jiang Ci fell into a familiar embrace, and before she could even catch her breath, she was held in his arms. She looked up and saw Ji Yang standing before her, his expression stern, his brows etched with a hint of sharpness like the wind and sand.
"Are you crazy?" He lowered his voice, grabbed Jiang Ci's arm, gritted his teeth, and almost squeezed out the words, "This is an epidemic area, how dare you come here alone?"
Before Jiang Ci could reply, he had already pulled her towards the horse: "Come on, I'll take you out."
Jiang Ci struggled violently, shook off his hand, stood firm, and looked at him with a sharp gaze.
"I'm not leaving."
Ji Yang was stunned.
"Jiang Ci, what are you crazy about!?"
Jiang Ci didn't move, but looked at him stubbornly.
"If I leave, what will happen to them?"
"You can't risk your life for this!" Ji Yang frowned, "Jiang Ci, do you know where this place is?"
This was the first time Jiang Ci disobeyed him in public. Her voice trembled slightly, but with a firmness that shook everyone:
"Ji Yang, I, Jiang Ci, have never been afraid of death. I wasn't afraid the day I first arrived in Fengdu, I wasn't afraid the day I married you, and I'm even less afraid today."
"If I can die safely and healthily for the people of Ningling, then my life will not be in vain."
These words were spoken slowly and steadily, but they struck Ji Yang's heart like a heavy hammer.
Her voice pierced through the crowd, resounding in this chaotic epidemic area and shaking people's hearts.
Ji Yang was stunned.
He had never seen her like this before.
No, he never really looked at it.
He thought she was just a charming, talented, and elegant daughter of a provincial governor, a noble and flamboyant woman, but ultimately a woman of seclusion. But now, Jiang Ci stood among the victims of the epidemic, her figure gleaming like a torch.
He stared down at her for a while, then finally withdrew his hand.
Lou Qi happened to be passing by and saw this scene. His eyes lingered on Jiang Ci for a long time.
This is not her city, these are not her people, but she is so selfless for these people who have nothing to do with her.
"She... turns out to be this kind of person."
He murmured to himself, his heart suddenly feeling empty, and then suddenly a complex throbbing arose, and his chest felt slightly stuffy.
Ji Yang finally spoke. His voice was still cold, but it contained a hint of respect he had never felt before:
"They are from Tingzhou. Are you really going to risk your own life for them?"
Jiang Ci looked at him and nodded slowly: "I just did my best. Whether they are from Tingzhou or Liangzhou, they are all living people."
He was silent for a moment, then raised his hand and said loudly: "Dongyang Army, listen to my orders—"
"From now on, you will fully assist Madam in treating the epidemic."
He turned his gaze and fell on the people who were shrinking back, his expression as cold as a blade:
"Everyone, follow my wife's orders. If anyone dares to move again, or even hurt her, behead them."
Everyone was silent, lowered their heads, and dared not say another word.
Jiang Ci stood beside him. The first time she saw him, he did not treat her with the condescending attitude of a commander-in-chief, but rather someone who could make the final decision and support her.
Her heart was shocked, but she just bowed lightly:
"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief."
He looked down at her with a complicated expression. After a long pause, he urged in a low voice:
"What are you looking at? Go quickly."
Ji Yang turned around and was about to leave, but he said in a deep voice behind her: "Jiang Ci, I believe you today. I hope you will not betray me and will not let what we said become empty words."
Yin Shuang also walked into the crowd, walked to Jiang Ci, held her hand tightly, and whispered: "Miss, I will accompany you."
Jiang Ci nodded upon hearing this, and immediately ordered the soldiers to bring tables and cases. He also ordered Yin Shuang to contact the military medical officer to obtain herbs and available manpower.
Soon, a doctor from the city was brought in. Jiang Ci personally assisted in taking the pulse and recording the names of the patients. Seeing that there were too many patients, he used silk ribbons as identification marks and tied them around his wrists. He marked them with red, yellow and white according to the severity of the illness so that he could diagnose and adjust the medicine.
"Those who are not infected but have had contact with patients will be moved to the open space on the west side and housed in tents built by the military; seriously ill patients will all be transferred to the east side and are not allowed to live together." She spoke slowly, but each sentence was orderly and reassuring.
She also ordered the soldiers to sweep the ground and cover it with hay or sacks to minimize the cold and damp air that would have otherwise been exposed to the patients lying directly on the ground.
The doctor's forehead was covered with sweat. He clasped his hands and said, "Madam, I have examined dozens of people, and all of them have latent dampness entering the internal organs, mixed with the air of epidemic disease. Some have alternating chills and fever, and some have persistent coughing and vomiting... If they are not treated quickly, I am afraid the disease will spread and become a disaster."
Jiang Ci said in a deep voice: "Can you boil some medicine to suppress it?"
The doctor shook his head and sighed: "The medicine is not effective. It can only relieve the symptoms, but it is difficult to cure it."
Her expression remained unchanged as she simply said, "I'll figure out the medicine. You continue to treat patients in batches. Remember to isolate the patients and don't let the situation get out of control."
Half an hour later, Ji Yang's accompanying military doctor arrived and handed over a list of herbs. A clerk reported, "Madam, the army has very few herbs left. We only have a few scutellaria baicalensis, mint, and anemarrhena asphodeloides. They are not very useful if boiled together."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ci looked up at the sky. The sky had turned from noon to evening, the sun was gradually setting, and the heat was gradually fading.
She looked towards the north, frowned slightly, but a glimmer of hope suddenly rose in her heart.
She murmured softly, "Aid from Liangzhou should be arriving soon...but right now..."
She turned around and looked at the drowsy eyes in front of her, feeling only anxious.
The groans of patients and the cries of children came one after another, and the sunset glow shone on people's gray faces, revealing heaviness and despair.
Jiang Ci stood on a small platform, looking at the people standing in a group in front of him.
They looked panic-stricken and uncertain.
She originally wanted to call on these young and middle-aged people who had not yet been infected to participate in the care of the patients, at least to help boil medicine, pass water, and help people turn over, but as soon as she proposed it, she caused a burst of whispers.
"I have children at home..."
“What if I get sick?”
"Madam is a good person, but we..."
Finally, everyone stepped back, no one responding. Yin Shuang stood behind her, clenching her fists.
Jiang Ci's expression remained unchanged. He swept his gaze over the crowd calmly and spoke slowly, "I won't force you. Caring for patients requires courage. It's understandable that you're afraid."
She paused, looking around, "But if you don't want to care for the sick, you can always do your bit for your loved ones and for other people in the city."
She continued, "I know most of you don't know how to use herbs, and it doesn't matter if you can't read. Starting today, I will have the doctors in the city who know how to use herbs lead a team out of the city to collect herbs. I will also lead a team myself."
At this moment, a gust of wind blew, carrying with it the bitter smell of medicine and decay. Still, no one in the crowd said a word. They all lowered their heads, their expressions wavering, but they still didn't move.
As the atmosphere grew heavy, a woman in the crowd suddenly raised her head and spoke. Her face was pale, her clothes ragged, but her eyes were determined. She shouted in a trembling voice:
"Ma'am, I'd like to join you."
Everyone looked over. The woman clutched the corner of her clothes tightly and said with difficulty, "My husband started having a fever last night and is now unconscious. The doctor said that if no medicine is given, he... he may not survive more than three days."
She gritted her teeth, choking a little, but forced herself to stand straight. "If I can't take care of him, I'll just have to watch him die. Rather than wait for death, I'd rather go find some life-saving herbs."
Jiang Ci looked at her, his eyes rippled. He walked down the platform, held her hand personally, and whispered, "Thank you for standing up."
She turned back to look at everyone, her voice calm and unhurried:
"I know you're afraid of illness, but I want to ask you, do you have parents? Do you have a wife and children? Do you have relatives in this camp who are unconscious and unable to care for them?"
"If you don't help, they will die. But if you lend a hand, gather just one more herb, you might be able to save someone. And that person is your own, your home."
"You are afraid of death, and so am I. But if you are afraid and retreat today, tomorrow you will just be covered with a white cloth!"
Her voice suddenly rose: "I'm asking you, is there anyone willing to go out of the city with me to collect herbs tomorrow?"
These words were so powerful that they resonated like a stone dropped on the crowd, causing ripples.
The crowd was silent for a moment, and finally another young man raised his hand, "Madam, I want to go too. My mother is sick too."
Then, one after another, people stepped forward and eventually formed a small group.
Jiang Ci nodded, assigned teams to several doctors in the city who were still able to walk, and arranged the people one by one.
"You should follow the doctor early tomorrow morning and remember the pattern. Don't pick anything randomly. Coptis chinensis, Bupleurum chinense, Isatis root, Rehmannia root... Even if you dig some more mint and calamus, it is better than just waiting." She advised.
Yin Shuang stepped forward worriedly, "Miss, what about you?"
Jiang Ci said, "I'll go too."
She turned back and instructed the military doctor and Yin Shuang, "You are responsible for boiling and filtering the water. Strictly prohibit drinking raw water. Boil rice soup and ginger water and give it to the patient to drink. Don't let the cold and dampness enter the body and aggravate the condition."
Yin Shuang nodded: "Yes."
Jiang Ci directed the operation with measured precision, reorganizing and separating the affected area. Patients, both seriously ill and mild, were assigned to their respective positions, and the doctors and helpers were also deployed in order. Standing on the high point of the makeshift structure, she looked at the chaotic camp, and the anger in her heart finally dissipated slightly.
She turned around and called the military manager: "Build a tent for me in the open space on the east side, near the medical tent." The manager was stunned for a moment, then did as he was told.
Yin Shuang heard this and said anxiously: "Miss, that place is too close to the critically ill patients, how can you-"
Jiang Ci shook his head gently, his expression calm. "There are many patients here, and the Madam is short-staffed. If I'm not here, many things won't be handled. Besides, if I want to supervise the diagnosis and prescription, I need to be present at all times."
"Now that I have entered this place, I will eat and live with them. Let them see that I am not afraid, and then they will not be afraid."
Her voice was low, but it carried an undeniable firmness. Yin Shuang stared at her blankly, but ultimately could only nod.
When Lou Qi returned to the inn, it was already late at night. The streets outside were silent, with only the wind blowing through the eaves, causing the lights to flicker slightly.
He pushed the door open, took off his cloak, and sat down at the table. He didn't touch the wine cup, but his fingers unconsciously stroked the rim of the cup, and his expression was a little absent-minded.
Scenes flashed through his mind—Jiang Ci standing among the victims, her eyes determined, her voice resonant. She was so frail, yet as everyone else retreated in panic, she stood firm, like a ray of light, illuminating that filthy, chaotic place.
He cursed under his breath, raised his hand and drank the wine in the glass, but felt more depressed.
At this time, Su Yu pushed the door open and walked in, holding an oil-paper bag in her hand and threw it over.
"Here, these sesame cakes from the steamed bun stall on the corner, serve them while they're still hot." She glanced at Lou Qi, "What are you daydreaming about? You look like you're half asleep."
Lou Qi caught the pancake, but didn't bite it immediately. He just stared at the bulging oil-paper bag for a while, and then whispered after a long time:
"Today in the epidemic area, seeing her like that... I don't know why, I feel a little sorry for her."
Su Yu was stunned for a moment, then sat down and said with a smile, "How dare you say that? Don't you always believe that 'everyone's fate is determined by heaven'?"
"Why, do you regret it?"
Lou Qi didn't respond. He just lowered his head and took a bite of the pancake, which tasted bland. He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and opened it halfway, letting the night wind blow in his face.
Ningling was dark at night, and the lights of thousands of houses formed a river of stars in the distance. Lou Qi stared at the tiny light, his expression unclear. After a while, he suddenly chuckled softly and said self-deprecatingly:
"I'm actually a little...envious of that kid Ji Yang."
Lou Qi put down the pancake, tilted his head slightly and said, "Su Yu, I have another thing for you to do." As he spoke, he slowly took out a tightly wrapped small cloth bag from his arms and handed it over.
Su Yu took a step forward, took it, and pinched it with his fingertips, feeling something unusual. He peeled off a corner and took a look, his brows knitted together instantly: "...Isn't this black grass?"
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