Chapter 208 Lower Limit
Pei Yunzhan found it difficult to connect the man in front of him, who was competing with him for favor in front of the bandit leader, with the noble character, talented and brilliant Mr. Qu San, whom he knew.
What kind of torture did he endure during these years as the consort of Princess Yongning?
To the point that she has lost all her integrity and is now full of coquettishness?
As soon as Qu Mingzhang saw the pitying look in his eyes, he knew what the second Master Pei, who was famous for his "arrogance", was thinking.
"If Brother Pei could break through the bottom line of being a human being, he would know that there is no unbearable gaze in the world, no insurmountable obstacle, and he would be fearless and have no taboos."
He sighed with regret.
Pei Yunzhan, who had just broken the lowest limit of his life due to dysentery: "..."
"Mr. Qu is absolutely right."
He agreed deeply.
Once the bottom line of being a human being is broken, some things will indeed be gone forever.
Before he was recommended to the Ministry of Works and followed Ji Changqing south to provide disaster relief, he never imagined that he would have the courage to see people after urinating in public, nor did he ever imagine that he would be able to accept seducing the bandit leader.
Seeing that he seemed to share the same sentiment, Qu Mingzhang teased, "Brother Pei and I share a deep connection. We both won the third place in the imperial examination, both had our official careers cut short, and were both kidnapped to serve the same person."
"It is true that life is full of encounters, and it is a blessing to meet an old friend when you are in trouble!"
"There are so many people guarding outside now. Even if we kill this evil thief, we won't be able to get out. I'm afraid we'll die together with him."
Pei Yunzhan: “…………”
"I am now the director of the Water Conservancy Bureau of the Ministry of Works."
He corrected himself.
"I wasn't kidnapped, I came here on my own."
Qu Mingzhang immediately realized: "Are you the official who went south to provide disaster relief?"
Pei Yunzhan nodded.
"That's great." Qu Mingzhang breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought my life was over, but unexpectedly, there is a ray of hope."
He climbed back into bed.
"The reinforcements won't arrive until later, right? I've been terrified ever since I was captured. I haven't slept for two days and one night. I need to get some sleep first. Please wake me up when the reinforcements arrive."
After saying that, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
Pei Yunzhan looked at him, then looked at Yan San who died with his eyes open on the ground, and couldn't help but hold his forehead.
How outrageous was Qu Mingzhang's breaking of the low limit for being a human being?
After Wuhua and Yan Chi followed Yan San's men to their lodgings, they asked with a smile, "Is there a banquet tonight? We two brothers brought two jars of good wine and would like to have a drink with you brothers."
"Good wine? How good?"
A square-faced man asked.
Wuhua took out two jars from under the car seat, brushed off the mud, poured a bowl of liquid from the jars, raised the bowl and took a sip to prove that it was not poisonous.
Then he handed the wine bowl to the square-faced man.
The square-faced man smelled the rich aroma of wine and marveled, "This is the first time I've seen such clear wine."
Wuhua: "This wine is called three bowls and you'll fall over. No matter who you are, if you drink three bowls, you won't be able to stand up straight."
"That's an exaggeration."
The square-faced man took it with a smile and poured it directly into his mouth.
"I'll drink a thousand cups... cough cough cough!"
As soon as the wine entered his throat, he choked and coughed because of the spiciness.
His face turned red instantly.
After recovering from the shock, his eyes lit up and he praised enthusiastically, "This wine is truly unique!"
Wuhua: The liquor that our wife specially distills is of course different from the turbid liquor that you guys have to filter to drink.
Seeing this, the other men snatched the bowl away and each took a sip.
Like the square-faced man, they were also choked.
"Great wine!" they all praised. "We'll have a feast tonight and let everyone try this wine."
After they occupied Hong County, they held banquets in the county government office every day and indulged in revelry. Tonight, they had strong liquor and drank even more happily.
Wuhua specifically asked, "Why isn't Master Yan here?"
The square-faced man, who had already started snaking, waved his hand and said, "Don't disturb the boss while he's working. He'll come out when he's done."
"I see."
Wuhua laughed.
It seems that there is no need to worry about them discovering that Yan San is dead for the time being.
When everyone was drinking until midnight and collapsed on the table, Wuhua and Yanchi stayed at the banquet while the other went to the city gate to kill the bandits.
Then the city gates were opened to welcome the team sent by the Third Battalion of the Capital.
When the sky in the east began to turn pale, the people of Hong County woke up from their dreams and were surprised to find that the bandits who used to patrol the streets and alleys and forbid them to leave their homes had disappeared.
As they were stunned, a group of men in soldier uniforms came marching in unison, knocking on clappers and reminding people from house to house: "You can get wheat rice at the street corner."
They were shocked and confused.
"Is this true? Are they trying to trick us out of the house and kill us?"
The person who was so hungry that he felt dizzy and dazed didn't care about anything else and walked out with his empty bowl.
After they came back with the wheat rice, the others learned that the imperial relief team had already wiped out the bandits and moved into the county town.
For a time, the whole city was in celebration.
Qu Mingzhang slept until daylight came into the room before waking up.
When he woke up, the room was empty. Neither Pei Yunzhan nor Yan San's body was there.
He got up, straightened his clothes, adjusted his hair, opened the door and walked out of the room, and was caught off guard by Ji Changqing's gaze.
"Are you awake? Come and have dinner."
Ji Changqing greeted.
After Qu Mingzhang finished his ceremony, he followed Ji Changqing to a main hall.
Seeing Pei Yunzhan was also here, he took the bowls, plates and chopsticks like everyone else, received the food, and sat down opposite Pei Yunzhan.
Pei Yunzhan said nothing, as if he was following the rule of "don't talk while eating and don't talk while sleeping". So he didn't say anything and ate his breakfast in silence.
After finishing the meal and writing the speech, he was about to thank Ji Changqing when Ji Changqing called out, "Come over and discuss matters together."
Full of doubts, he went to the meeting room with others.
But he just sat and listened to other people's discussions.
After all, he is a commoner and it is not his turn to make decisions.
Unexpectedly, Ji Changqing, while discussing with the officials, pointed at him and said, "How about letting him take over Hong County?"
Qu Mingzhang: “???”
He was simply a passerby who didn't want to continue pretending to be a woman but was afraid that the emperor would find out, so he left the capital to travel. Unfortunately, he encountered robbers, was offered to Yan San, and was rescued by a disaster relief team. How could he suddenly be forced to do hard labor?
The officials had no objection.
Ji Changqing asked him, "Mr. Qu, what do you think? Do you want to continue to be an idle wanderer, or do you want to enter the government and realize your ambitions?"
Qu Mingzhang hesitated: "Your Majesty..."
"Your Majesty has granted me the right to temporarily appoint county magistrates," Ji Changqing replied. "I believe that Qu Tanhua's talents are sufficient for the position of county magistrate."
Qu Mingzhang would naturally not miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Thank you, Lord Ji, for your promotion. I will do my utmost to support the people of this area."
Ji Changqing then handed over the affairs of Hong County to him.
Qu Mingzhang lived up to his expectations and quickly put everything in order in Hong County. The people who had fled earlier returned when they heard that Hong County had been settled.
Because of the fear that some people might carry epidemic diseases, observation points were set up at the city gates, and people returning home had to be observed before they could enter the city.
Feng Qingsui and the medical officers were busy with this for several days.
That evening, Feng Qingsui returned to the city in the afterglow of the setting sun and met Ji Changqing at the city gate. The two walked towards the yamen together. Unexpectedly, an accident happened.
-
Hong County is not big. There are only two main streets in the city, one horizontal and one vertical, and the rest are alleys.
Shops are all located at the crossroads, and vendors set up stalls on the street.
The streets were bustling with people coming and going, and children running around, it was very lively.
Feng Qingsui listened with great interest to the locals bargaining in their dialect, and chatted with Ji Changqing intermittently.
Suddenly, a child half a man's height ran past them.
After running a few meters, he tripped over a stone slab under his feet and fell face down on the ground, crying loudly.
A thin, dark man holding a long whip chased up to the child and whipped the child.
He cursed angrily, "Run! Why aren't you running? I'm going to the guillotine and I'm going to kill you, you evil creature!"
Passersby saw the bloody marks on the child's arms and felt sorry for him. They advised him, "The child is disobedient. Just scold him. Why hit him?"
The man's face was filled with indignation: "The rice and flour we just brought back were all thrown into the river by him to feed the fish. My whole family is left with nothing. He's so bad, shouldn't he be beaten?"
Feeding fish with rice and flour?
Oh my god.
The passerby who had just looked sympathetic immediately changed his expression.
Those who waste the disaster relief food distributed by the court will be struck by lightning. Such prodigals must be taught a lesson.
So everyone kept silent.
The man continued to whip the child, who curled up into a ball.
Feng Qingsui couldn't bear to watch it anymore and was about to step forward to stop it, but suddenly noticed that the child's facial features seemed a bit out of place with his limbs, so he hurriedly grabbed the arm of Ji Changqing who was about to step forward with him.
Before he could explain, a short arrow shot out from the wrist of the child on the ground and flew towards Ji Changqing.
At the same time, the thin and dark man let go of the whip, reached into his arms, took out a short blade, and pounced towards her.
Wuhua and Yanchi noticed it immediately, but they were attacked from both sides and were unable to rush forward to rescue immediately.
Ji Changqing was quick-witted and quick-handed. He pulled her into his arms, turned around, and kicked the thin, dark man away with his right foot.
The short arrow grazed his waist.
Wuhua and Yan Chi, who had dealt with the assassins around them, immediately stepped forward to deal with the thin and dark man and the child.
The thin and dark man and the child fought with them for only a short while before they vomited black blood and fell to the ground dead.
Street vendors and passers-by were stunned.
Ji Changqing smelled a hint of blood, quickly let go of the person in his arms, and looked him up and down.
"Are you hurt?"
Feng Qingsui, who just happened to be menstruating: "..."
"No."
She rubbed her nose.
I was caught off guard and bumped into Ji Changqing's chest, almost causing a nosebleed.
Ji Changqing looked at the thin, dark man and the child on the ground, and a trace of doubt flashed through his mind: Could it be the smell of blood coming from their mouths?
But he clearly felt that the distance was not that far.
Feng Qingsui walked over to the child and turned him over, and it was just as she expected.
A dwarf.
Ji Changqing also noticed it.
"It's really deliberate."
He snorted, left the aftermath to Shi An, and continued walking towards the county government office with Feng Qingsui.
Feng Qingsui was afraid that he would notice something, so he deliberately kept a distance from him.
The two of them were still walking side by side, but the distance between them had changed from one person's width to two people's width.
Ji Changqing's eyes darkened.
Returning to the gate of the county government office, he paused and turned to look at Feng Qingsui: "Are you blaming me for offending you just now?"
Feng Qingsui: “???”
"Why do you say that, Second Master?"
Ji Changqing looked at her toes and asked, "Why else would you stand so far away?"
Feng Qingsui: “…”
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice." She evaded the question, "It has nothing to do with what happened just now. I know Second Master was in a hurry, so that's why he acted like that."
"I see."
Ji Changqing lowered his eyes to hide his lost look.
"I'm overthinking it."
Feng Qingsui listened to his inexplicably low voice, and suddenly the figure of Dahei, who was squatting on the ground without saying a word, silently condemning her for being busy making medicine and not playing with him, flashed through her mind.
A smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
If Ji Changqing also had long ears, they would probably be drooping down at this moment.
I didn't expect that the wise and powerful Prime Minister would be so worried because of a little distance between them.
But it’s hard to explain right now.
After two days when her period is over, if she gets closer to him, she should be able to resolve his worries.
So without saying much, he said goodbye to Ji Changqing and returned to the backyard.
Perhaps the memory of the collision was too deep, and she actually had a dream at night.
In the dream, Ji Changqing was lying on his back on the bed and sleeping. She, as a kitten, climbed onto Ji Changqing, stretched out her two little paws, stepped left and right, and kneaded Ji Changqing's chest like dough.
The dream was too real, and after waking up, her fingers seemed to still retain the touch of rubbing.
She told Wuhua about her dream with a dazed look on her face.
"Why would I have such a dream?"
She was completely puzzled.
Wuhua: "As the saying goes, whoever gives you milk is your mother. Second Master often makes delicious food for you. Maybe he is like your mother in your heart?"
Feng Qingsui thought about it and felt that what she said made sense.
Ji Changqing fed her all day long and was a reliable person. Her trust in him grew day by day, and it was normal for her to treat him as a family member.
"Your voice is a little hoarse."
Wuhua reminded her.
"Did you catch a cold?"
Feng Qingsui touched his forehead and said, "I have a fever."
It is not surprising that you will be attacked by cold and dampness when the weather is damp and you are menstruating.
But it is also possible that he was infected with the epidemic.
To prevent the virus from spreading to others, she asked for leave from the judge and isolated herself in the backyard of the county government office.
After having breakfast and taking a dose of medicine she prescribed herself, she continued to sleep. When she woke up at noon, Wuhua brought in a bowl of fragrant meat and vegetable porridge.
Her appetite suddenly whetted.
He ate up all the meat and vegetable porridge in one breath.
"I didn't expect the cook wasn't very good at cooking, but he's really good at making porridge."
Wuhua smiled and said, "This is what the Second Master cooked."
“No wonder.”
Feng Qingsui's heart suddenly felt as warm as his stomach.
Ji Changqing was busy as a top, but she still found time to cook hospital meals for her and took care of her meticulously, no worse than any other mother.
No wonder she treats him as a "mother."
He loved watching her eat, probably not because he was obsessed with feeding her, but because of his motherly love.
Ji Changqing, who was discussing the diversion of water back to the river with other officials in the lobby of the county government office, shuddered inexplicably.
"Tomorrow we will go to the old Hongjiang River channel to check it out. Once we confirm it's feasible, we'll recruit migrant workers to clear the silt."
He put down the blueprint and said to the officials.
All officials said good things.
The next day, Ji Changqing took the officials to the old river channel of Hongjiang, located northeast of Hong County.
Before leaving, he wrote down the recipe for meat and vegetable porridge to the cook and asked him to cook it for Feng Qingsui according to the recipe.
Feng Qingsui rested for a day, his high fever subsided, and he felt much better.
While having lunch, I saw a strong wind outside and dark clouds covering the city, and I couldn't help but worry about Ji Changqing and his group.
"I wonder if they can find a place to shelter from the rain."
She muttered to herself.
Wuhua comforted him, "There are many villages there. We can hide in any house."
Feng Qingsui: "I hope so."
The heavy rain lasted for the entire afternoon.
After the rain stopped and night fell, the two officials returned on horseback covered in mud.
"County Magistrate Qu! Send someone to Qi Village quickly! Lord Ji and his men are buried under rocks!"
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