Chapter 38 Chapter 38 "Put me down now."...
Inside the prefect's mansion, Lou Qi was saying goodbye to the prefect.
"I've done all I can to control the flood. Next up is the coordination of the county's craftsmen and the military. I won't bother you any further."
The prefect hurriedly stood up to try to persuade him to stay. "Young Master Yan, it's a rare visit to Ningling. Although the dike project has been finalized, construction has barely begun. We still rely on your advice on many matters. Furthermore, the recent epidemic has not subsided, and rumors are spreading throughout the city. If Young Master Lou is willing to stay a few days, I hope to be able to provide you with more care."
Lou Qi lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, but the image of Jiang Ci running around in the epidemic area yesterday flashed through his mind. His heart sank slightly, but he finally bowed and replied, "Okay."
On the other side, the epidemic area in the north of the city.
Jiang Ci was personally leading people to gather some herbs. He gathered more than ten young men and women who had not yet been infected with the disease, divided them into three groups, and sent them in and out of the small gate in the north of the city in turn to collect herbs, so as to avoid the people on the main street and prevent the spread of the epidemic.
Her words were eloquent and her arrangements were meticulous. Although everyone was still afraid, they gradually followed her orders.
In the crowd, a thin-faced village woman wearing an old scarf stood at the end of the team with her head lowered, following silently behind.
The man was Su Yu, dressed roughly, but his eyes were sharp.
Yin Shuang was left behind by Jiang Ci to assist the old doctor in caring for the patients. Before leaving, Jiang Ci instructed, "Keep a close eye on the area. If anyone causes trouble, notify the governor immediately."
Yin Shuang nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, Miss, I will definitely protect this place."
The sunlight was mild in early summer. Outside the city gate on the mountain road, Jiang Ci was assembling his team and leading them to set off.
Suddenly, a voice with a hint of laughter called out to me: "Sister, where are you going?"
The crowd quieted down, and a man was seen walking slowly from a corner of the street, with a frivolous smile and a hint of teasing.
Su Yu was stunned, and when she looked up, she saw Lou Qi standing in front of her.
She lowered her head to hide her expression and replied, "I'm going up the mountain to collect herbs with the Governor's wife."
"Young Master Yan?" Jiang Ci turned around and was also startled. "Why are you here?"
Lou Qi bowed to her, his expression relaxed. "A few days ago, the county governor kept me here, and I did my best to help survey a section of the embankment. Now that the foundation has been finalized, I have nothing better to do, so I decided to take a stroll down the street."
"I didn't expect Young Master Yan to be knowledgeable about water conservancy?"
"I understand a little bit," he laughed. "You say you're helping, but in reality, you're just adding pens and words. Others are making the decisions. What are you doing here, Miss Jiang?"
Jiang Ci nodded slightly, "I see." She stepped aside to allow someone to make way for her. "We're going to the North Mountain to collect herbs. The dike flooded the other day, destroying a bunch of them. The city's medicine warehouse is stretched thin, so we can only do our best to find some replacements."
Lou Qi paused after hearing this, raised his hand and patted the scabbard, and said with a smile: "It just so happens that I have nothing to do, so why not go with Miss Jiang, and count it as an extra pair of hands for me."
Jiang Ci hesitated for a moment, but nodded in agreement: "Okay, one more person is also helpful."
The two walked side by side. Not long after they left the city gate, Jiang Ci suddenly asked, "Is your arm feeling better?"
Lou Qi tilted his head and smiled: "Much better, it's all right now. Miss Jiang, don't worry."
She paused slightly and continued, "I also want to thank you for your help regarding the incident at the inn that day."
Lou Qi raised the corner of his mouth and smiled nonchalantly: "I am a wanderer in the martial arts world. Drawing a sword to help is my duty. It is not worth mentioning." He changed the subject and suddenly lowered his voice close to her ear, but his tone slowed down slightly:
"not to mention--"
He whispered, "That day in Fengdu City, I also want to thank Miss Jiang for saving my life."
Jiang Ci was slightly startled, his cheeks flushed, but he forced himself to remain calm and said softly, "It's just a piece of cake."
After Lou Qi finished speaking, there was still a nonchalant smile on the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were always on Jiang Ci's face, with some indescribable emotions.
Jiang Ci turned his eyes away and looked towards the mountain road ahead with a calm expression.
At this moment, a voice sounded behind him, with a hint of helplessness and apology:
"Miss Jiang, don't pay attention to my elder brother. He has never been a serious person."
Jiang Ci turned around and saw Su Yu walking towards her in the crowd, carrying a medicine basket. He gave her a faint smile, and although his tone was light, it revealed a bit of sincerity.
"He always speaks in a playful way. If he's abrupt, don't take it to heart."
Jiang Ci raised the corner of his lips slightly: "It's okay."
She paused, then added, "I didn't expect Young Master Yan to have a sister here."
Su Yu lowered her head and smiled, but said nothing.
The path winds gently through the woods, and the group walks along it. Sunlight filters through the branches, casting a dappled, ethereal glow. A mountain breeze caresses their faces, carrying the scent of grass and earth, dispelling the lingering odor of the city's plague.
There were occasional whispers and gasps among the crowd as they gradually climbed higher on the gravel in the forest.
Jiang Ci in front had a tall and slender figure and a calm expression. Occasionally, he whispered instructions about the direction and team formation. There was a reassuring power in his coldness.
Su Yu, who was standing behind her, looked at the brief exchange of glances between her and Lou Qi, and lowered her eyes thoughtfully.
The mountain path wound upwards, the mist had not yet dissipated, and the sunlight leaked through the gaps in the forest, casting mottled shadows. The group picked herbs separately according to the areas that Jiang Ci had divided earlier.
Jiang Ci followed a path shaded by weeds, passed through two patches of low shrubs, and reached a mountainside terrace with a wide view. She paused for a moment, the shadows of the trees swaying slightly in the breeze.
The view ahead became clear, and the Ningling city embankment in the distance was clearly visible.
At just one glance, she saw Ji Yang in the crowd.
He took off his outer robe and wore only a thin shirt. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, rolled up his trouser legs, waded through the mud and water shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers, carrying heavy sandbags on his shoulders. He walked with firm steps and a solemn expression, but without any arrogance.
Someone paused out of exhaustion. He turned back, patted their shoulder, and said something with a smile. His voice was inaudible, but the man nodded, gritted his teeth, and continued on. The sun shone on his muddy hair, leaving a streak of sweat.
Jiang Ci looked at him, this was the first time she saw Ji Yang smile.
She had never looked at Ji Yang like this before. There was no pressure from the governor, nor alienation from the powerful. He was just like an ordinary young man, carrying a heavy burden and moving forward, devoting himself to the people of the city.
If there was no marriage certificate, if she and he did not marry for power... would they have passed each other in an alley in Fengdu City, looked back at each other, and then got to know each other, talked and laughed, got married, and lived the lives of ordinary people?
When she thought of this, she was suddenly horrified. She abruptly withdrew her gaze, her heart a little confused. She turned around and squatted down, pushing aside the weeds at her feet to pick herbs, as if the glimpse she just had was just an illusion.
But she didn't know that that gaze had already fallen into the eyes of another person.
Lou Qi leaned against an old tree not far away, his eyes following Jiang Ci quietly, his expression slightly moved. He withdrew his gaze, walked around the slope between the trees, quietly approached Su Yu, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Su Yu raised her eyebrows and looked him up and down with a look of disgust: "Why are you doing this?" She lowered her voice and said, "I thought you would at least be more serious."
Lou Qi smiled innocently and replied in a low voice, "Just tell me whether you will help or not."
Su Yu rolled her eyes at him and snorted, "Alright, Prince Yan has spoken, and I will obey."
Lou Qi showed a satisfied smile, walked away lightly, and continued to approach Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci was bending over as she climbed the slope of a low cliff. There was a clump of Atractylodes lancea on the slope, its leaves in their perfect color. She reached out to pull them. Su Yu, standing not far behind, flicked her finger, picking up a piece of gravel from the ground. With a flick of her finger, the stone flew through the air and struck Jiang Ci precisely behind the knee.
"Ouch!" Jiang Ci was caught off guard, his knees went weak, and his feet slipped. Under him was a slope covered with gravel.
"Jiang Ci!" Lou Qi exclaimed and came like the wind.
Just before she was about to hit the hard stone, he flew down and held her in his arms, but he himself fell heavily to the ground, his back hitting the hard stone, causing him great pain.
Jiang Ci rolled into his arms, pressing against his chest. The two were so close that she could even hear his rapid heartbeat. She suddenly struggled to her feet, her face still terrified.
Lou Qi gritted his teeth and endured the pain, then he pushed himself up from the ground and said with a forced smile, "Are you okay?"
Jiang Ci raised his foot to walk away, but his brows were furrowed because of the severe pain in his ankle. He forced himself not to fall down.
Su Yu rushed over upon hearing the noise, leaning against a high place and looking at the two people on the ground, crossing his arms and coldly spitting out two words: "Tawdry."
Jiang Ci endured the pain in his ankle and tried to stand up. He gritted his teeth and took a step forward, but just after taking half a step, his feet went empty and he fell heavily to the ground, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Hiss..." She gasped softly, her brows furrowed.
Lou Qi stood by without saying a word. He leaned over, turned around, half-knelt down, and carried her steadily on his back.
"I'll take you down the mountain."
Jiang Ci was startled and put his hand on his shoulder: "Put me down, this is not good."
Lou Qi didn't even turn around, his steps steady. "Your foot injury is serious, and holding on will only make it worse. You're a doctor, if you collapse, what will happen to those patients who are counting on you to save their lives?"
His voice was not loud, but every word he spoke was steady and powerful.
Jiang Ci was choked up for a moment, and could only remain silent. After a long moment, she whispered, "Then you can carry me down the mountain, and please help me call Yin Shuang... Men and women shouldn't touch each other, after all... I don't want anyone to misunderstand me."
Lou Qi chuckled when he heard this, his tone nonchalant but with a hint of sincerity: "Don't worry, Miss Jiang, I am very polite and will definitely not cause any misunderstandings."
He carried her on his back and walked down the mountain step by step.
Jiang Ci lay on Lou Qi's back, her hands grasping his shoulders through his clothes. The mountain road was bumpy, and her body swayed slightly, her breath gently hitting his neck.
The breath was as warm as a feather, brushing against his ears and neck, making Lou Qi's heart inexplicably confused. He didn't dare to move, and only forced himself to remain calm, but his pace unconsciously slowed down a bit.
The downhill pass is right in front of us.
Suddenly, at the corner ahead, a group of soldiers were unloading several bundles of wood. The leader stood tall and straight, looking down at the embankment stones. It was Ji Yang.
When Jiang Ci saw him, his heart tightened and he quickly whispered, "Put me down quickly."
A smile flashed in Lou Qi's eyes, and a subtle hint of malice appeared at the corner of his mouth. He asked with a half-smile, "Miss Jiang, what did you say?"
The voice was neither loud nor soft, but it reached Ji Yang's ears not far away just right.
Jiang Ci was furious. He raised his hand and punched him lightly on the shoulder, whispering in shame, "Don't do this!"
Just at this moment, Ji Yang looked up and his eyes fixed, and he saw Lou Qi walking towards him with Jiang Ci on his back. Jiang Ci lowered his head and leaned on his back, his cheeks flushed and his hair slightly messy.
The moment their eyes met, Lou Qi looked up at him, with that cynical smile still on the corner of his lips, but a hint of intriguing provocation hidden in his eyes.
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