34. Longcheng
On the long road, Yun Zhihe looked through the information about Longcheng and the symptoms of the plague.
It was noon and the team was taking a break. She got off the carriage and was about to take a bite of the dry food handed to her by Azhi when she suddenly saw a familiar figure.
"Qing, Qingzhu?"
The man was as pure as jade, with a simple green robe outlining his graceful figure. He carried dry food and distributed it to the guards and doctors around him.
Yun Zhihe was a little surprised. Longcheng was in danger, and she didn't bring anyone from the Yun Mansion except Azhi.
Qingzhu saw her and walked towards her with a smile on his face, with a gentle and docile look.
"Madam Yun."
Yun Zhihe frowned, "Why are you here?"
Qingzhu paused, her expression calm. "Uncle Wang was worried you'd be unwell on your journey, so he wanted to come over and take care of you personally. But he's old, and Longcheng is dangerous. I was worried something might happen to him, so I sent you over."
"I told the person who arranged it that I was Madam Yun's attendant and followed her."
Yun Zhihe's brows furrowed even more tightly.
"Nonsense... If you knew Longcheng was dangerous, why did you come with me? I don't need anyone to take care of me."
"Before you get too far, I'll send someone to take you back."
Qingzhu pursed his lips. It was strange for him to say that a man from a brothel had such an extraordinary aura. He even looked directly at Yun Zhihe at this moment.
"Madam Yun, Qingzhu won't leave."
He knelt down silently again, his hair covering his handsome face, and his hair covering the darkness in his eyes.
"Madam Yun is my savior, and it is my duty to serve you."
"Besides, even though I'm a prostitute, I have a compassionate heart that's no less than yours. I can boil medicine, make medicinal food, and I have some medical skills. I'm also very nimble..."
He raised his head, his eyes slightly drooping, looking so touching that I felt pity for him.
Yun Zhihe sighed softly, agreeing, "Then follow me."
Doing some logistical work, such as serving tea and water, should not be exposed to any danger.
This was the time to rest along the way. Everyone was resting and eating dry food. Qingzhu was making tea and serving them. Perhaps because the utensils were simple, the tea he made was not as fragrant as before, but it was not bad either.
Qingzhu's face was clear and calm. He stared closely at the rising mist, then looked through the mist at Yun Zhihe, his eyes deep.
Yun Zhihe was a little stunned for some reason, probably because he had an extraordinary demeanor, and his gentle and clear appearance always revealed a cold and indifferent look from time to time.
His eyes were long and narrow, with the corners of his eyes slightly drooping, rippling like water. He had cold white skin, and when there was no smile on the corners of his lips, he looked cold and fragile, with an indescribable sense of brokenness.
Yun Zhihe considered it for a moment, and then, seemingly sensing the solemn atmosphere, he spoke casually, "You are truly magnanimous. I haven't even asked where your family is. You've already redeemed yourself, so it's fine if you go look for them."
Qingzhu paused in making tea, looked up at her, pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment.
"Qingzhu was born in a wealthy family in a small town, but he offended the powerful and was framed and convicted." His throat trembled slightly, but he suppressed it and continued speaking.
"My family was forced to die, and I am the only one left."
Yun Zhihe paused. He originally thought that he was sold because his family business failed, but he didn't expect that he was the only one left in the family. From what he said, he thought that it was the powerful who forced him to do so, which led to the destruction of his family. So he asked him.
"Who is that powerful person? I despise those who abuse their power to bully others the most. I can find out and give you justice."
Qingzhu's expression paused, and the smile that always hung on the corner of his lips suddenly disappeared. He was silent for a moment and stirred the tea.
“…No need.”
Yun Zhihe was stunned.
He smiled again, his lips still gentle, "That powerful man is gone, Madam Yun, there is no need to trouble you."
"Hmm..." Yun Zhihe knew he was feeling bad, so he stopped pressing him. However, he still spoke to comfort him, "Justice is in the hearts of the people."
Qingzhu closed his eyes and said softly, "Yes."
“…They died innocent.”
Qingzhu lowered his eyes and stirred the tea, scooped a cup for Yun Zhihe and handed it to him. A few drops of water were stained on his cold white face by the mist. He spoke as he handed it to Yun Zhihe.
"Three feet of white silk, poisoned wine, and a dagger... They died innocent."
Yun Zhihe's hand that had taken the teacup suddenly stopped, and he looked up at him, seeming a little puzzled. His words were particularly shocking.
She wanted to ask again, but Qingzhu refused to speak. He just smiled, his eyes clear, and just looked at her.
Too painful, don't you want to talk about it...
Yun Zhihe gave up the urge to ask further questions. Seeing that there was a hint of emotion in his gaze, he stopped talking.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a special and noble status, and his food is all fine, usually delivered to him in his carriage.
Xuanyuan He probably wanted to get some fresh air, so he got off the carriage and walked slowly. At this time, he saw Qingzhu and Yun Zhihe talking, and his eyebrows suddenly frowned. There seemed to be some disgust in his eyes towards Qingzhu.
He walked forward, lowered his eyes to look at Qingzhu, then turned to look at Yun Zhihe and asked a question even though he knew the answer.
"Sister Zhihe, who is this?"
Yun Zhihe introduced, "This is Master Qingzhu."
She did not give a detailed introduction. She could not say that she was born a prostitute, as that would be too disrespectful, nor could she say that she was a slave, after all, the indenture was still in her hands.
"Your humble servant pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Qingzhu knelt down to pay his respects. Even though his status as a slave and a lowly person was combined, his status was still low. He kowtowed humbly to the almighty Crown Prince.
Xuanyuan He looked at him condescendingly for a few seconds, and after some time he called him up. Qingzhu lowered his head but kept his back straight, neither humble nor arrogant, and gentle yet resilient.
He wanted to grab more limelight with his words, but he really didn't like the skinny horse. After a pause, he said nothing more and ignored him and Yun Zhihe's discussion about Longcheng.
Although Xuanyuan He was the crown prince and respected by all officials, he did not have much power.
Xuanyuan Ying was busy taking care of himself, so how could he share his rights? Although the Xuanyuan family was Xuanyuan He's strong backing, they only protected him.
After all, the Xuanyuan clan supported him as the crown prince simply because he had Xuanyuan clan blood and was a man, so he was easy to control.
If he does not fight for it, he will probably just be a puppet of the Xuanyuan family when he ascends the throne in the future.
If he seizes this opportunity, he will have a place in the court.
Xuanyuan He concealed the traces in his eyes.
…
After a few days, we finally arrived in Longcheng.
Because of the plague, the city gates were tightly closed and the sky was gloomy, dark and deep enough to drip ink.
From a distance, it looked like a ghost town without any trace of life.
Xuanyuan He's troops and soldiers were already stationed outside the city gate, while Yun Zhihe was about to enter the epidemic area. She paused and stared at the Longcheng city gate for a long time.
The news that the magistrate of Longcheng County was going to be killed had not yet spread, so Yun Zhihe and the others waited for a while, and then someone waved on the city wall in surprise, the city gate moved slightly, and bustling shouts came from inside.
Hoarseness and shouting mixed together.
The city gate moved and then stopped. The gate that had opened a crack began to close again, making a creaking sound.
It was obvious that the people inside were making a fuss and wanted to rush out of the city gate, so it had to be closed.
If the city gates were opened and the victims poured out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Yun Zhihe frowned, thought for a moment, and shouted behind him, "Prepare the ropes! Climb into the city!"
This was an extreme method. Some medical officers were too old to climb up, so they could only wait for a group of people to go in, take control of the situation, and then open the city gate.
Yun Zhihe and several strong guards went ahead, covered their mouths and noses with masks soaked in medicine, gave instructions to the people behind them, and started to act.
She was a scholar and not as agile as the guards. The city wall was high and it was a bit difficult for her to climb up. Yun Zhihe broke out in a sweat and her fair face turned red.
There were no protective measures. Yun Zhihe looked at his feet hanging in the air and felt a little scared.
“Haha…”
The higher you go, the more physical energy you consume.
There were already guards climbing up ahead.
"Sir, huh... stretch out your hand."
A breathless guard grabbed her hand, and the two of them worked together to finally pull her up from the rope. She stood firmly on the city wall, panting.
He staggered a few steps and looked towards the inner city.
Yun Zhihe's unsteady breathing choked, and he stared blankly at the scenery below.
The city was desolate and dilapidated, no longer prosperous. In the distance, there were scattered motionless people, and it was unclear whether they were corpses. It was already dusk, and the dim light enveloped the city, swallowing up the people inch by inch.
She saw the people in tattered clothes, with disheveled hair and dirty faces, crying and banging on the city gates. The officers and soldiers were pushed and squeezed in the crowd under the force and let out several shrill screams.
Even on the city wall, with her mouth and nose covered, she could still feel the stench, as if a long-rotten corpse was evaporating in the summer, raising white mist.
"vomit……"
Yun Zhihe couldn't control his urge to vomit, and the guards next to him also vomited uncontrollably.
The situation in Longcheng was even more tragic than what the victims described.
The plague has been going on for several months and has dragged on to the current situation. The previous Longcheng County Magistrate was really stupid!
Someone came over hurriedly, "Oh! Sir! Sir!"
The man also covered his mouth and nose with a cloth, and knelt down crying as if he had seen his savior, crying tears of joy.
"The imperial court has finally arrived! Longcheng is finally saved!"
Yun Zhihe calmed the nausea rising in his chest and asked, "Who are you? Where is the Longcheng County Magistrate?"
The man was still crying, "I am a servant under the Xuanyuan County Magistrate. Since the court sent a swift notice a few days ago, I have been guarding here every day..."
"My lord, this place is too noisy and unsafe. Don't let yourself be infected by those untouchables. Let's go to a safe place and talk."
Yun Zhihe frowned slightly at the word "untouchables", but followed her along the city wall.
"Sir, the west is safe. There's no plague there, and the defenses are tight. Those sick people can't get in. The county magistrate is also there, just waiting for you to come."
Azhi next to him wanted to remind this person that the new magistrate of Longcheng County was Yun Zhihe, but was stopped by her again.
Yun Zhihe winked at her, and Azhi suppressed the words that were about to come out.
I don't know the intelligence, so I can't just point out that the county magistrate is going to be killed. I need to meet that person first before making a decision.
Yun Zhihe concealed his thoughts, tightened his fingertips, and pursed his lips when he thought of the tragedy he had just seen from the top of the city wall.
Ridiculous...really ridiculous.
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