017
"May I have your name?"
Yu Baizhou looked expressionlessly at the white-clad man bowing in front of him.
"This humble citizen is Shi Yu."
The man before me had a face as fair as jade and a body as upright as a pine tree. Even his coarse white clothes could not conceal his gentle and refined nature.
The similar temperament and identical attitude stung Yu Baizhou's eyes, but now was clearly not the time to dwell on such things.
“Young Master Shi, please rise,” General Yu strode forward and helped him up. “We are very grateful for your efforts in arranging the medicinal herbs.”
Shi Yu smiled slightly and shook his head, "It was just a small favor. I was merely an intermediary."
The more General Yu looked at him, the more irritating it became, even though this man was their benefactor at this moment, and even though he had been treating everyone with gentleness since they met. It was precisely because of his temperament that Yu Baizhou was constantly reminded of the resemblance between this man and her.
They look so alike and are so familiar with each other; if they are not relatives, they must be people who spend every day with each other or people who are extremely important to each other.
Even though Yu Baizhou wanted to escape, reality always came quickly and heartbreakingly.
"Now that the medicinal herbs have been delivered, I wonder if the general could take me to see A-Ling?" Shi Yu asked sincerely, seemingly unaware of anything amiss.
Yu Baizhou's face stiffened. "Ah...Ah Ling?"
“Yes…” Shi Yu paused slightly, as if just realizing what was happening, “It’s Song Ling. She mentioned you in her letter, so you must know where she lives.”
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me from head to toe, chilling my once-warm heart to the bone...
"Yes, I know." Yu Baizhou's expression remained unchanged, but his right fist, clenched behind his back, was almost bleeding. "I... will take you there."
Shi Yu seemed not to notice his unusual behavior. He smiled slightly, bowed slightly, and said, "Then I... thank General Yu."
Feeling uncomfortable at his nonchalant demeanor, Yu Baizhou quickly looked away, but his appearance and the girl's expression from that morning kept appearing in his mind, overlapping and disturbing him.
***
"Miss, why don't we go inside and wait?" Qi Man said anxiously, pulling on Song Ling's arm. "It's windy outside today, and you've finally recovered..."
"This General Yu is really something. He didn't bring anyone earlier or later, but of all times, he had to come at this time... when the weather is at its worst."
"Seven full..." Wu Sheng behind her couldn't help but speak up to stop her.
"Okay, okay..." Qi Man rolled her eyes. "Don't be rude, I know."
“It’s not General Yu’s fault,” Song Ling coughed a few times. “Brother Jinzhi is traveling around and may leave tomorrow. How can General Yu go against his wishes?”
Qi Man stared in shock at Song Ling's profile. How could the girl's side have started to turn against him so soon after they came down the mountain?
Unfortunately, Song Ling was so focused on the horses running in the distance that she didn't notice her expression.
"Whoa—"
"Whoa—"
The two horses stopped simultaneously. Shi Yu, who was closer to the courtyard gate, dismounted first and hurriedly stepped forward, disregarding his manners. "Seventeen!"
"Brother Jinzhi, cough cough cough..."
Perhaps due to excessive excitement, or perhaps because she caught a chill in the evening, Song Ling suddenly started coughing and couldn't stop.
Shi Yu hurriedly stepped forward, took off his cloak and draped it over her, then led her into the courtyard. Qi Man and the other two followed in haste.
Yu Baizhou stood at the entrance watching them enter the mansion, his heart filled with mixed feelings. Just as he was about to mount his horse and leave, he was suddenly called back.
"General!"
Unexpectedly, it was Song Ling who had returned after seeing that Yu Baizhou hadn't entered. She was pale, her cloak billowing around her, but she still called out to him, "Why doesn't the general come in?"
Yu Baizhou despised himself in his heart, but his hands and feet unconsciously strode to her and shielded her from the wind behind her.
Why did you come out in the first place?
The person I've been longing for has arrived, why bother calling him again...?
Song Ling didn't understand why he asked that, but she led him inside, saying, "Has the general had dinner yet? Let's eat together."
"good……"
"Whatever," Yu Baizhou pursed his lips. He had to confirm it first.
But confirming it is worse than not confirming it... Looking at Shi Yu who kept putting food on Song Ling's plate at the dinner table, Yu Baizhou wanted to chop off his hands countless times.
But the girl seemed used to it, only smiling helplessly. Yu Baizhou was so angry that he could only keep eating, and finally, after he was full of anger, he made an excuse to go to the yard to look at the flowers.
Song Ling was puzzled. The flowers in the courtyard had all withered and faded. What was there to see?
When she entered the courtyard, she saw Yu Baizhou listlessly trying to break off a long peach branch. Ignoring Shi Yu behind her, she hurriedly stepped forward and patted his arm, saying, "General, don't ruin this peach tree. We'll need it to bloom and make wine next year!"
Startled, Yu Baizhou suddenly let go, and the peach branch snapped upwards due to its elasticity, sending the few remaining petals flying everywhere.
Realizing he had done something wrong, Yu Baizhou lowered his head slightly to secretly observe her expression.
Song Ling was about to say something more, but then she suddenly remembered that Shi Yu was still with her. In the end, she could only sigh helplessly, "The general is not a child anymore, so why is he still so childish?"
Shi Yu watched from a distance, her smile unchanged, but a slight glint flashed in her eyes.
He walked up with a smile, "Our seventeenth son has grown up now. I wonder who used to ruin my peach trees like this when he was a child."
If it were Song Ling a few years ago, she might have felt embarrassed and annoyed, but at this moment, Song Ling simply smiled and said with emotion, "Brother Jinzhi is joking. Everyone has a time when they are young and impetuous."
Shi Yu smiled helplessly, "It's not fun anymore, Little Seventeen. It's not as funny as it used to be."
"Come here, let me take your pulse."
Song Ling's expression stiffened slightly. "No need. It's getting late. I've prepared guest rooms for the General and Brother Jinzhi. Please rest here tonight."
But how could the two of them not hear the hesitation and evasion in her tone?
Shi Yu lifted his robe and sat down in front of the stone table, his expression slightly serious as he looked at her. "Seventeen, come here, let me take your pulse."
The smile that had been on Song Ling's lips had faded, and when she looked at him, the joy of reunion was gone, as were the affection and light she once had. Instead, there was only calmness... a calmness as if she had weathered many storms.
She moved her lips, "Brother Jinzhi, I said... no need. You must be tired from the journey, please get some rest."
After saying that, she turned and left, and only then did the estrangement between the two become apparent, as if the warmth and familiarity just now were all a dream.
Shi Yu picked up the teacup in front of him and drank it down in one gulp.
The scenes from just moments ago flashed before her eyes: from his instinctive avoidance when he draped the cloak over her at the doorway, to his slight pull away when he instinctively reached for her wrist to take her pulse, and now…
They hadn't seen each other for three years. What had she gone through to transform the girl who once gently called him "brother" into this cold and resolute figure...?
He poured himself another cup of tea and stared at it in deep thought for a long time.
Indeed, her tea-making skills have become increasingly refined, so how could he possibly ask time to hold onto their relationship?
***
Song Ling withdrew her foot, which was about to step into the backyard, and looked helplessly at the person behind her not far away, "General, do you want to come into the courtyard with me?"
He followed her from several feet away as soon as she left the front yard, not saying a word but making no attempt to conceal his presence.
“That’s it,” Yu Baizhou said after a moment of silence, then suddenly asked her, “Are you alright?”
Song Ling couldn't help but laugh. "General, you're overthinking it. What could possibly be wrong with me?"
Yu Baizhou lowered her head slightly, looking anything but unaffected. She and that man, and herself... she clearly looked upset, simply because she didn't want to tell him.
"Oh, then I'll be going now."
"It's getting dark, General, please go to your room and rest." After giving these instructions, Song Ling went into the courtyard, no longer paying attention to the person who seemed to want to say something but hesitated not far away.
But no one slept well that night.
The next day at dawn
"What happened outside?" Song Ling rushed into the front yard.
“Overnight, more than a dozen people in the county suddenly died from the infection.” Shi Yu, with a homemade white face towel tied around his face and a medicine box slung over his shoulder, prepared to go out. “I have to go and see if the epidemic has spread.”
"Wu Sheng, you two keep an eye on your girl and don't let her out."
Without paying attention to anything else, he hurriedly left the house.
"Where is General Yu?" Song Ling asked Wu Sheng. "Did he go to the governor's office in Shannan Prefecture?"
Wu Sheng was taken aback and replied, "Yes, I received the message in the middle of the night and left. When I ran into him, he told me not to disturb you, young lady."
Song Ling turned to look at him. "Your disciples already sent word last night? Why weren't you informed?"
“I…” Wu Sheng lowered his head slightly, “Miss, you are not in good health… Moreover, there are so many disciples in the Three Prefectures…”
"Foolish!" Song Ling, who wasn't carrying a sword, was so angry that she was about to kick him, but Qi Man stopped her, "Miss, he knows he was wrong!"
Song Ling pointed at the two people and for the first time lost her composure, "Change your clothes and come out with me."
"Brother Yu won't let you out," Wu Sheng blocked the doorway, refusing to budge. "The young lady isn't fully recovered yet. What if she gets infected with the disease?"
"Heh, Wu Sheng," Song Ling sneered, "Am I the Pavilion Master, or is he the Pavilion Master?"
“He has taken care of us for several years, and we have a bond with him for those years, but that doesn’t mean you can bypass me and listen to him.”
Song Ling's eyes were icy cold. "Otherwise, there would be no need for the two of you to stay by my side."
"I never joke."
Song Ling didn't even glance at them, and went to the backyard alone to change her clothes and set off.
Qi Man panicked and hurriedly followed. Before leaving, she kicked Wu Sheng, saying, "Serves you right for being so talkative! You made the girl angry, let's see what you'll do then! The girl has her reasons for everything she does, why did you have to interrupt?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Sheng paused. He only wished for the girl's health, was that wrong? Besides, Brother Yu would never harm the girl.
"Save him... Doctor, please save my child..." A woman knelt in front of the clinic, crying, holding a little boy whose face was black, whose body was stiff and covered with blood spots and bruises. But the young apprentice and the doctor, who were just a door away, were helpless.
Everyone on the street had their doors and windows tightly shut, and she seemed to have nowhere else to go.
"Why don't we isolate them?" Song Ling frowned, looking at the soldier beside her. "Where is the isolation zone?"
The two soldiers beside her had been ordered by General Yu to stay and protect Song Ling this morning, and they had already found out the situation. "Because the number of cases in Anjifang is concentrated, the county magistrate has set up an isolation zone there."
"But the county is simply not manpower enough to take care of the whole county." The soldier seemed to remember something else and said, "The general has already gone to Governor Lin overnight to request that he send troops to control the situation."
Song Ling frowned slightly and clenched her fists at her sides.
At present, Shannan County is the most severely affected by the epidemic among the three prefectures.
After releasing his fist, he made a decision: "We'll go to the military camp immediately."
"What? Troops being mobilized?"
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