Chapter 6 High Fever Persists
Everyone in the hall stood up.
"Congratulations, Father."
"Congratulations, my lord."
"Congratulations, Your Excellency."
Lu Changfeng, drunk, said, "Chongzhou is truly a land of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. You didn't see it, strategist. Today, my lord has found a beauty, a truly divine figure."
Gongsun Li hadn't even swallowed the wine in her mouth when she exclaimed, "Oh!"
That was the last time.
Lu Changfeng was left unable to swallow a single breath, unable to go up or down.
Finally, giving himself an out, Lu Changfeng cleared his throat and recounted the whole story from the afternoon.
Lu Changming glanced at his lord out of the corner of his eye, and seeing that his lord remained silent, he then glanced at the heir apparent.
For some reason, I felt that the atmosphere at the table was off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong.
She nudged her younger brother's lower back, trying to stop him from talking.
Many soldiers are in their prime, full of youthful vigor, and naturally, they often utter crude jokes.
Having drunk too much, Lu Changfeng kept talking, "Hey, with such a beautiful lady like Lady Ji, and since the young master doesn't have a concubine, what's wrong with taking one in?"
Then he said to the strategist, "Strategist, think about it. At this age, apart from the servants who attend to him, the young master has no one in his room yet."
General Mei, who was slurring his words after drinking, said, "Yes, we'll take that young lady as our concubine tomorrow! Haha, let's drink to the prince's wedding feast."
Pei Yanzhi paid no attention to their crude and vulgar jokes.
Seeing Pei Xingjian, who seemed to have thought of something, he couldn't help but laugh along.
I would agree.
Pei Yanzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips, his fingertips tapping slowly on the table, lost in thought.
Finally, he raised his head, downed the wine in his cup, and watched them below drinking and making merry.
He glanced at Lu Changfeng and said, "After a few cups of yellow urine, if you've had too much to drink, go and rest."
Lu Changfeng choked on his food, his face, already flushed from drinking too much, turning even redder.
Pei Yanzhi suddenly spoke up: "Tell the men below that starting tomorrow, a military rule will be established: once any city that has been captured belongs to Yanzhou, I do not want to see any acts of burning, killing, or looting. If I find out, military law will be applied."
Gongsun Li stroked his beard and nodded in agreement. "The common people are innocent and have already been caught up in the war. How can we treat them with despicable and vile acts?"
Lu Changfeng, Lu Changming, and the others replied with a sense of shame, "Yes."
He then said, "Changming, come to the study."
Lu Changming: "Yes, my lord."
Inside the study of the prefectural governor's mansion, the candlelight flickered dimly.
Pei Yanzhi sat in the chair: "How's the investigation going?"
As Pei Yanzhi's deputy since he was ten years old, Lu Changming naturally knew who he was asking about.
Fortunately, some of the Ji family's servants had not yet escaped when they attacked the city, and they captured one of the servants and found out the truth.
He swallowed hard and said, "My lord, this lady Ji is named Ji Shu. She is seventeen years old and grew up in Chongzhou. Her parents died, and she was raised by her grandmother..."
Pei Yanzhi: "Stop stammering. Just say what you have to say."
Lu Changming: "This afternoon, Madam Ji's grandmother hanged herself."
As he spoke, Lu Changming couldn't help but feel that this Lady Ji was also a pitiful person. It was bad enough that her parents died early, but now even her only grandmother had died.
And in full view of everyone, Lu Changming thought that his lord wanted to help his husband choose a concubine, which was why he was so concerned and personally involved in such matters.
Lu Changming felt he had finished his report and, seeing that his lord hadn't spoken, secretly observed his expression.
The lord lowered his eyes and remained silent, his fingers unconsciously turning the ring.
After a long silence, he looked up and asked, "Are you married?"
See? They're really arranging a concubine for the heir apparent. Tsk tsk, the lord really values the heir apparent.
Although the heir was adopted from within the clan, it is clear to all discerning people over the years how much the lord values him.
Not only have they been by each other's side since childhood, leading troops into battle, but now they even concern themselves with matters within the Crown Prince's residence.
He was both a father and a mother.
Lu Changming collected his thoughts: "Naturally, no. The second madam of the Ji family did suggest a few places for Madam Ji to visit, but Madam Ji turned them all down, and then nothing came of it."
For some reason, he added, "After all, although this Lady Ji has a troubled past, her appearance is truly exceptional."
...
On the other side, Ji Shu returned to her familiar bedroom, lay down on the bed, and found Chunzhi sleeping on the small couch opposite the screen.
Seeing that she had already fallen asleep, Ji Shu couldn't sleep for a long time, her nerves still tense.
Thinking about everything that happened today, and the father and son Pei Yanzhi, and everything they encountered during the siege, they still feel lingering fear.
After an unknown amount of time, she slowly closed her eyes.
Unfortunately, his body was too weak, and he developed a high fever in the middle of the night.
Ji Shu curled up deep inside the brocade quilt, "Cold...so cold..." Chunzhi was awakened by the indistinct voice.
He jumped down without even buttoning his clothes, "Miss...Miss, do you have a fever?"
Chunzhi touched the burning hot forehead and was shocked.
The servants in the mansion had long since fled or run away.
Chunzhi was so frightened that she was completely at a loss. She knew that the young woman was always weak, but she had been so focused during the day that she had drifted off to sleep.
Damn it, there's already chaos outside, where am I supposed to find a doctor at this hour?
Just when I was extremely anxious, I suddenly remembered the young general I had met that afternoon. Their military camp was not far away, and there must be a military doctor in the army.
My eyes lit up, and I didn't dare to delay.
Prefectural Governor's Office.
Before Chunzhi could get close, she was stopped by the Yanzhou cavalry.
"Who are you?" The long sword was raised.
Chunzhi was sweating profusely with anxiety. "Could you please inform them that my young lady has suddenly developed a high fever and needs the army doctor to examine her?"
The cavalryman had seen Chunzhi that afternoon. Thinking of the young master's unusual attitude towards that lady that afternoon, but at this hour, the young master was already asleep, he hesitated for a long time.
Chunzhi was so anxious that tears streamed down her face.
He knelt directly on the ground, pleading, "Please, sir, my wife is too weak. If she doesn't receive timely treatment, her life may be in danger!"
Upon seeing this, the cavalryman was about to report it.
On the deserted street, a group of people suddenly rode up with a "clatter, clatter, clatter".
"Whoa—"
The tall man dismounted and tossed the reins to the guards.
Just as he was about to walk in, Lu Changming caught a glimpse of Chunzhi out of the corner of his eye and stopped in his tracks.
He whispered something in Pei Yanzhi's ear, and Pei Yanzhi's eyes flickered slightly as he turned his head.
A deep voice asked, "What is it?"
The Iron Cavalryman replied: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this maid said that her mistress has a persistent high fever and needs the army's medic to treat her."
Pei Yanzhi went to the military camp at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM). All 100,000 troops were stationed outside the city, and the prefectural governor's mansion was now occupied by high-ranking generals.
The military doctor was also outside the city; it would take an hour to get there on horseback.
Pei Yanzhi frowned instantly and ordered Changming beside him, "Changming, ride my horse and go quickly to the camp outside the city to fetch the general's physician."
The language is concise, yet leaves no room for argument.
"Yes." After saying that, Lu Changming walked to the outside, turned around, and rode his horse out of the city.
The figure grew smaller and smaller. Chunzhi stood up. "Thank you, General. Thank you, General."
Pei Yanzhi stared intently at her with his dark eyes and asked, "Lead the way, I'll go take a look."
At that moment, Chunzhi was too busy thanking him to even think about it, and she quickly got up to lead the way.
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