37. In the City
"His Majesty……"
The elegant fragrance lingered in the room, hazily covering Xuanyuan Ying's thoughts. He could only vaguely hear the gentle voice of Eunuch Li, calling him.
"Your Majesty, wake up..."
Xuanyuan Ying still had a frown on his face and pursed lips in his sleep. He was probably trapped in a nightmare, his Adam's apple trembling slightly amidst the confusion of truth and falsehood, and then he suddenly woke up.
He broke out in a cold sweat, his white undershirt was soaked, his chest was faintly visible, and his clothes were disheveled.
"call……"
Xuanyuan Ying rubbed his aching forehead, gasped a few times, and his chest was beating fast.
"Your Majesty, is it a nightmare?"
Eunuch Li asked with concern, stirring the medicine in his hand, and carefully scooped a mouthful to Xuanyuan Ying's lips.
Xuanyuan Ying paused, tucked his hair behind his ears, lowered his head and took a sip of the medicine. The medicine was pungent and hard to drink, but he swallowed it with difficulty, his voice hoarse.
“…I dreamed about her.”
Eunuch Li didn't know how to answer and sighed. He had been uneasy ever since His Majesty read the memorial presented to him.
I know that Madam Xiaoyun has a heart to save the world, but, how can I break my vow?
Even her life is in Longcheng. As long as Longcheng is not doing well, she will not return. If the city is destroyed, Madam Xiaoyun will be buried with it.
No wonder Your Majesty has been distracted these days.
He could only go along with the comfort, saying things like, "Mrs. Xiaoyun is a lucky person, she has a kind heart, and nothing will happen to her..."
I felt sad again. No matter how old a man is, he will eventually worry about matters between men and women.
Xuanyuan Ying lowered his eyes and remained silent. His usually cold eyes slowly closed again, and the room was filled with silence.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience."
The silence was broken when the servant outside the palace spoke in a low voice. Xuanyuan Ying paused, frowned, put down the half-drunk medicine, stood up, put on his outer robe, and his face was cold.
"Let him in."
Perhaps because of the nightmare, his face was still a little pale.
Qin Duan walked in, looked at him a few more times with unclear meaning, bowed his head, and spoke in a soft voice.
Xuanyuan Ying had no intention of playing coy with him, so he spoke directly in a low voice, "What's the matter?"
Qin Duan had a smile on his face, the corners of his lips still raised, and he was not moved by the indifference in his voice. He lowered his head slightly, and his magnolia-like demeanor was dazzling, just like a banished immortal from heaven.
"Your Majesty, the troops stationed at the border are in need of food and fodder. For years, the soldiers have been frugal. Now someone has reported that if the food and fodder are not provided, there may be some unforeseen changes."
His clothes were embroidered with gold patterns and white brocade with faint lotus patterns, which made him look particularly noble and compassionate. From a distance, he looked tall and graceful, with a face as white as jade, like an immortal.
But Xuanyuan should know what kind of heart he has.
All the blackness of the Qin royal family was reflected in his eyes.
Xuanyuan Ying sneered after hearing his words.
His thoughts were obvious. Longcheng was in crisis and needed food and fodder. Longcheng was the granary of the world. If there was a major epidemic at this time, the food and fodder would rot and die, and the harvest this year would inevitably be greatly reduced.
There will be a food shortage in the next two to three years.
At this time, Qin Duan asked for food and grass again. Firstly, he wanted to withhold the expenses of Longcheng and make the emperor lose the support of the people. Second, if he could not provide it, he would also lose the support of the generals.
Lou Zhi accepted the order and left the city. However, at this time, the military generals insisted on asking for food and wages, and were criticized by the civil officials for several days.
Qin Duan held half of the tiger talisman given by the late emperor, so his words carried a certain weight.
Xuanyuan Ying's expression was indifferent, his eyes slightly closed, and he spoke bluntly, "There's an epidemic in Longcheng. Are you planning to steal food from the people?"
"I am only reporting the truth. I still need you to decide what the soldiers need."
He calmly pushed the blame onto Xuanyuan Ying, his face expressionless.
Xuanyuan Ying didn't seem to want to talk to him anymore. He walked forward, and when they looked at each other, he said in a hoarse voice, "I know exactly where you got the half tiger talisman in your hand."
He lowered his head slightly, his aura oppressive.
“…Take care of yourself.”
The smile on Qin Duan's face disappeared, and his expression suddenly darkened.
"Of course I know. Thank you, Father, for the reminder."
The two parted on bad terms.
It was also surprising, probably because Yun Zhihe's remarks about sharing life and death with Longcheng spread throughout the court, and no military officer submitted a petition to increase food and wages anymore.
Of course, Yun Zhihe had not heard about the undercurrents in the capital. She went to the Liu family to discuss with the head of the family the matter of rebuilding the epidemic prevention in Longcheng. After some bargaining, she finally persuaded the weathered old woman to release the grain.
Although this old woman and the previous Longcheng County Magistrate had worked together to buy up grain and drive up the price of grain, but... now you always have to look at her face to get food.
Even though Yun Zhihe was dissatisfied with her behavior, he had no choice but to ask her for help.
The head of the Liu family was just stroking the jade on his wrist with a smile on his face.
"County Magistrate Yun, you seem quite young and you don't have anyone close to you even though you've come to Longcheng."
Yun Zhihe paused and roughly guessed what she meant.
"My little boy has a pretty face and is about the same age as you. He is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Are you interested...?"
The two exchanged glances, and everything was understood without words.
Merchants in the Ling Dynasty were of low status. Even though the richest man Liu had no worries about food and clothing, his children could not enter the officialdom, and they had to bow and scrape when they met even the smallest official.
Yun Zhihe is a heroic young woman with a beautiful and graceful appearance. Everyone knows that as the daughter of a loyal minister, she will surely have a bright future. If she can get on this high branch, she will be able to take care of the Liu family in the future.
If Yun Zhihe could marry her son, the Liu family would rise to prosper and get rid of the label of being "lowly".
How can I not be moved?
The head of the Liu family was making plans, and the two of them exchanged glances without saying a word.
Of course there were conditions. If Yun Zhihe married her son, she would definitely mobilize the entire Liu family to help her save Longcheng.
"Master Liu, I'm sorry. I haven't accomplished my mission yet, so I haven't thought about getting married."
Yun Zhihe paused and politely declined. The head of the Liu family was not angry. He smiled and sent her to stroll around the Liu family courtyard.
Whether to marry or not, you will know only after trying it yourself.
Liu Yu was told by her mother to stroll in the garden and enjoy the flowers. Although it seemed a little strange, she still obeyed the order, put on a little makeup, and looked very handsome.
He had been familiar with the books of sages since he was a child, and loved to read some martial arts picture books. Although the Liu family had strict discipline, they still asked someone to get him a small wooden sword, which he was now waving clumsily in the backyard.
The head of the Liu family did not expect that the child who was famous for his virtue would wield a wooden sword. As soon as he stepped into the garden, the smile on his face froze and he felt a little at a loss.
Yun Zhihe was obviously also stunned, and a slight smile appeared on his face.
It seems that the youngest son of the Liu family is really interesting.
"My son...?"
Liu Yu turned around and saw the two of them, her face also confused. She stopped what she was doing, her hands suddenly stopped moving, her ears turned red, and she stammered.
"Mother...Mother... County Magistrate Yun..."
The head of the Liu family looked embarrassed. He had thought that his child would enjoy the scenery and smell the flowers in the garden. Beautiful women and beautiful scenery are always pleasing to the eyes, but... he didn't expect it to be like this.
She began to criticize, "How can a man be so rude and wield a sword? How is 'Men's Rings' written?"
Yun Zhihe smiled lightly and stopped her from blaming him. "Master Liu, Young Master Liu has a youthful spirit and is lively and smart. There's no need to blame him too much."
"Oh, County Magistrate Yun is right... I still have some unfinished business." She turned her gaze to her son, "Ah Yu, show County Magistrate Yun around."
"The old lady will take her leave first."
After hearing her say this, the head of the Liu family felt that this matter could be accomplished, and hurriedly found an excuse to leave, completely ignoring the confused looks of Liu Yu and Yun Zhihe.
In a short while, they were the only two people left in the huge yard. In order to ease the awkwardness, Yun Zhihe paused and reached out to take the wooden sword from his hand.
Probably because I have been feeling depressed recently, I feel a little relaxed now.
"Master Liu, I have learned a few moves in the palace. Can you perform them?"
She is a scholar, and although she is not good at martial arts, it is okay for her to perform a few fancy sword moves. They have no killing power and are just for show.
This move was taught to her by Qin Zhi from Girls’ Generation.
Qin Zhi is the prince who is loved by everyone in the palace. He is high and mighty and still young. When he saw Yun Zhihe entering the palace and stealing his favor, he always wanted to target her.
Whenever he learned a new move, he would come to her to show off, and then pretend to be kind enough to teach her.
She hid her memories, made a sword flower, the sword energy was awe-inspiring, and her hair and clothes fluttered.
Liu Yu just stared at her blankly, seeing her girlish clothes fluttering in the wind, like a fairy or a crane. The tips of her ears, which were already red, turned completely red. He covered his chest, trying to calm his beating heart.
My heart was filled with bitterness again, and I didn't want to take my eyes off her for even a moment.
He came to his senses only when Yun Zhihe spoke, his expression dazed.
"Young Master is truly impressive. He gives out porridge and charity, and even practices swordsmanship..."
Liu Yu stammered, "County Magistrate Yun, don't, don't tell my mother. She won't allow me to go out to distribute porridge."
He covered his eyes in loss.
His mother was wealthy and looked down on the untouchables in the city. She strictly forbade him to go out, even to safe neighborhoods, for fear that he would contract a disease.
Yun Zhihe understood and nodded, but still gave him a few words of advice.
"I got this idea of swordplay from a storybook..." He smiled, his voice brisk. "Although Liu Yu is a man, he still dreams of helping the world and being a man who takes pleasure in avenging his enemies."
Yun Zhihe chuckled. She indeed didn't meet many men with the same ambitions as her, so she couldn't help but chat with him for a few more words.
"Mr. Liu's ambition is commendable."
The time passed quickly while chatting with the young master, but we had to avoid suspicion, so we bowed and said goodbye after chatting for a while.
After she said goodbye, the head of the Liu family came out from the corner with a smile on his face, and chuckled at his absent-minded child.
"But is there a play?"
Liu Yu was stunned and immediately retorted with a red face, "Mother, what are you talking about?! My child, my child doesn't have that intention!"
She just looked at Yun Zhihe's back with some reluctance, her eyelashes fluttering and her voice slightly hoarse.
"County Magistrate Yun...is a very nice person."
The head of the Liu family left with a hearty laugh, knowing that his son's thoughts were on the young county magistrate, leaving Liu Yu standing there with a red face.
He stomped his feet as he watched his mother leave.
Before he had gone far, a servant came to greet him, saying hesitantly, "Master, that housekeeper Liu, she, she contracted that disease."
The Liu family head's expression froze and his brows instantly furrowed.
"Have you come into contact with other people?"
"No, Housekeeper Liu went out to see her lover and was recognized by the patients. They surrounded and scratched her, leaving her covered in wounds. She's definitely infected. They were stopped at the door. How should we handle this?"
Butler Liu has worked in the Liu family for many years and can be considered a good dog under the Liu family's master, but he is cowardly and cunning. When the plague broke out, he even wanted to secretly bring his little lover to the Liu family.
The Liu family strictly enforced epidemic prevention measures. After learning about this, regardless of whether the lover was sick or not, they simply threw him out and asked Butler Liu to take care of him himself.
She would secretly visit her lover, not really afraid of contracting the disease.
Unexpectedly, the people had long been resentful of the Liu family's greed and unkindness. When they saw housekeeper Liu sneaking around, they pulled her out and made her pay for her sins.
After all, when the plague just broke out, the head of the Liu family and the former magistrate of Longcheng County jointly purchased grain from the entire city, driving up grain prices, causing Longcheng to run out of food so quickly.
Butler Liu was the dog that barked the loudest during the purchasing and exploitation period.
The head of the Liu family stroked his jade bracelet, snorted coldly, and arrived at the door of the Liu family. He looked at the housekeeper Liu with disgust as he was crying outside the door with injuries all over his body.
Butler Liu seemed to have seen his savior and kowtowed on the ground like a dog.
His body was covered with wounds caused by bites and scratches.
"Master! Master! Please save me! I was scratched by those sick untouchables! Please save me!"
Butler Liu burst into tears and wanted to move forward, but was stopped by the guards' sticks and swords.
Patriarch Liu frowned in disgust and cleared his throat.
"I'm not a doctor. If Butler Liu is sick, please go get medical help immediately. Don't block him at the door and dirty the Liu family's gate in vain."
Butler Liu sobbed anxiously, "Master, even if I have no merit, I have worked hard... Please save me, save me!"
Seeing that the head of the Liu family was unmoved, she began to speak without thinking in a panic.
"Then, you ordered me to steal the grain and raise the price! Wuwu... I can't let you treat me as a villain!"
As soon as the words fell, the head of the Liu family heard it and instantly became furious, "Are you saying that this head of the family should be scratched by the lowly people like you? You are so bold!"
"I wanted to give you some medicinal herbs, but I didn't expect you, a lowly slave, to be so bold! Come here!" She roared, "Throw away all the things of this lowly slave in the mansion, and don't let her get close to the Liu family again!"
After saying that, she turned away.
Only Butler Liu was left, blocked outside the door, crying loudly and full of despair.
She took advantage of the Liu family's prestige to bully women and men. She was the one who stole the young lover away. Now she has been expelled from the Liu family. The untouchables outside are waiting for revenge!
Housekeeper Liu lay on the ground crying. The fear of dying and the unwillingness to be expelled overwhelmed her, and she screamed like a madman.
"Master Liu! You are so unkind and unjust! You are a master of calculations! You have a vicious mind! Hahahahahaha, you will get your comeuppance! You will get your comeuppance!"
"You stole the food from the disaster victims! And you even tried to curry favor with the new county magistrate! You are so unkind and shameless!"
“—There will be retribution!”
The head of the Liu family paused and cursed, "What bad luck," with disgust on his face.
He wanted to send people to beat her to death with sticks, but then he thought that the slave might scratch and bite people, making them infected with diseases, so he gave up, suppressed his anger, and just considered himself to have suffered a loss.
The sky was dark and cloudy, and the air was filled with dampness and the lingering stench of rotting corpses. Even though there were no more dead bodies on the streets, the smell still lingered.
Housekeeper Liu limped along beside her elder sister, looking distraught. The wounds from being scratched and bitten had begun to bleed black blood. The fear and despair of dying from decay overwhelmed her.
She looked at the disaster victims around her who were like her, taking the medicine developed by the medical officials in Beijing every day, but it had little effect, and they were isolated in this block in a daze.
The imperial court has divided the area into safe places and epidemic isolation areas, and this area is where people infected with the disease live.
Some of their legs and feet had begun to rot and emitted a foul odor, while others had become so emaciated that they were practically skin and bones due to the previous food shortage. They were only able to survive by receiving the government's free porridge.
She came out of a safe place and suddenly realized the difference between the two areas, which was like the difference between purgatory and the divine realm, so despairing.
On the road, one could faintly hear the cries of a child, whose face was already half rotten. The child cried in his father's arms, saying it hurt. The father was like a walking corpse, only gently stroking the child, his own body also covered with blood clots and wounds.
How about it?
The new county magistrate's words were inspiring, and he sent people to encourage and cheer people up every day.
...But no matter how good the medical officer's medical skills were, he couldn't figure out the cause. The patient still had to take the medicine, but the situation was getting worse.
For some unknown reason, the Jining witch contracted a disease and started acting crazy in the neighborhood, always talking nonsense.
Few people believed her at first, after all, the government had posted a notice saying that she was a liar who pretended to be a ghost.
But after so many years of pretending to be a witch, she has some psychological abilities that can bewitch people and mislead others, and she has become her fortune teller again.
"Do you all know this? Madam Yun, the magistrate of Longcheng County, is just a rich lady who came here to take on a job. She has no real ability. Otherwise, why don't you think we have seen any improvement for so long?"
Her voice was hoarse as she chuckled softly, "I, an old woman, have been a witch for so long, how come she saw through my tricks so easily?"
The Jining witch looked haggard, but with a hint of madness in her eyes. "It's obvious that she sees that I'm incapable and is afraid of exposing me... I know everything about astronomy and geography, and I have spiritual energy in my heart. It's hard to stop her evil thoughts... I've let this old woman get sick for no reason..."
She coughed a few times, coughed up blood, wiped her cheek, and looked extremely gloomy.
Everyone looked hesitant.
That Madam Xiaoyun... cut her hair and swore an oath, dressed in a radiant and elegant manner, distributed food, managed Longcheng, and even sent people to enlighten them. She doesn't seem like a bad person...
Looking at the hesitant crowd sitting below, the Jining witch tapped her cane and whispered.
"This is my tribulation. I've gone through eighty-one tribulations, and this is the last. When I die, I'll ascend to heaven and become a deity. But what about you?"
The crowd began to surge.
She started laughing, her throat cracking, and she shouted.
"You are cursed by the Mother Goddess! If you die, you will not be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation—!"
The Jining witch laughed heartily, "There's no cure! This isn't a disease! It's a curse!"
"Really?! Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, I don't want to die..."
"Father, my body hurts..."
"I don't want to be a demon, I don't want to be a demon..."
The crowd began to cry, and the stench and cries intertwined.
"Throughout history, there has been only one outcome for such an incurable disease—"
The Jining witch stretched out her voice and chuckled.
"—Burning the city."
Burn these sick people!
...and their souls were also buried in the fire!
The place that was initially filled with hope due to Yun Zhihe's arrival became silent again, and even more desperate.
A thick despair filled the air, and the cries, shouts and curses solidified together.
"I don't want to become a lonely ghost!"
“Wuwuwu…”
"Someone come and save us!"
"You will be burned to ashes, and become wandering evil spirits, living in eternal pain!"
"You will die in agony, burning in the flames of hell!"
"You will rot into a pool of flesh and blood, but you will still be conscious and feel the most painful curse in the world!"
"You've been deceived! The court has no cure! You will all die!"
"Everyone will die!"
She finished her words in one breath, panting, the pain from the slowly decaying limbs in her hands and feet bringing her to her senses.
The Jining witch saw the crowd crying, took a few breaths, and tapped her cane, and the crowd suddenly quieted down.
"Don't be afraid...I have a way. God loves the world..." She smiled, and her wrinkles deepened.
"It is said in ancient times that the flesh and blood of immortals can cure all diseases and curses."
A group of people looked at her, watching her smile wildly and kindly.
"If you eat the flesh and blood of a virtuous and beautiful person, or flesh and blood stained with dragon energy, you will be healed and even live a hundred years!"
Her voice began to sharpen.
"That Yun Zhihe has lived in the imperial palace since she was a child. She must have been contaminated by dragon energy. If we eat her flesh and blood, the people of Longcheng will definitely be healed!"
One call out will be answered by hundreds of people.
"Eat her flesh and blood!"
Butler Liu was stunned, and his face became obsessed with the atmosphere.
The wounds on her body from the beatings no longer hurt, and even a warm current rose and flowed into her encouraged chest.
She listened blankly to the gradually rising voices of the crowd.
Flesh and blood... the flesh and blood of dragon energy...
Flesh and blood... the flesh and blood of the most perfect man...
Perfection and beauty...
Her condition was not serious and she still had some sense.
Butler Liu took a deep breath and thought about what happened to him in the Liu family.
She laughed softly, looking particularly embarrassed and crazy.
Look...retribution has come.
These were the words she had just roared and given to the head of the Liu family.
"——Retribution is coming."
The author has something to say:
I pondered it for a long time, but the turn was so abrupt, ah...
I wrote a crazy literary critique. If you are interested, go and collect it! It is still female supremacy, modern female supremacy, called "Mad Dog" next door.
——————————Copywriting————————————
Double C, everything the male protagonist does in the story is to make the female protagonist jealous and pamper him. He has mysophobia and his body is clean without kissing or hugging.
Everyone would think she was a bootlicker.
The campus goddess of University A, who is famous for her looks and abilities, turned out to be a bootlicker of the famous wild and scumbag boy of University A.
She could personally deliver condoms to him when he checked into a hotel room, and she could also watch her lover being intimate with another woman with a smile on her face, and then hug him when he was drunk and leave the KTV box, all tenderness on her face.
She didn't fight, compete or get jealous, but just watched him play and not care with a smile.
...As everyone says, she is a bootlicker.
Shen Lin also believed it firmly.
After taking a puff of his men's cigarette, he would raise his head arrogantly, breathe on her face with misty eyes, and then look into her eyes with obsession.
He will deliberately challenge his lover's bottom line to see if she will get angry about it.
He was arrogant and unruly. He lived like a flame, not caring about his life when racing, and then hiding in her arms like a winner.
He is a mad dog with a sharp bite.
So pitiful.
...But he was just a toy at the hunter's mercy, and he even felt complacent because he had the upper hand.
————
Mingluo loves his face. He is the substitute of her childhood lover. That face that looks 80% like him can extinguish all her rationality.
I like it very much.
Ming Luo concealed his obsession.
She tolerated his willfulness and unreasonableness, loved his face and tone of voice, liked his charm when he was sleeping, and was happy to feel the softness and fragrance of his hair when she hugged him.
I just don't love him.
Until that day, a scar appeared on his eye, and the shadow of his lover was gone.
Ming Luo turned away without mercy, even chuckled, and extended an olive branch to another similar boy. Her voice was gentle and soft, and then she asked.
"Date with me, okay?"
Shen Lin watched her rejoice with others, watched her give her previous favor to others, and watched her express her love to others.
It seemed like she didn't care about him at all, as if she was looking at a stranger.
Chen Lin was filled with jealousy, with pain surging in his chest. He went up to her with red eyes, rarely putting away his thorns, and acted coquettishly to her with a hoarse voice.
"...Don't be angry, hug me, okay?"
He tried every possible means, burning with jealousy, crying and begging for mercy, just to let her see him again.
But she never thought that she was just the shadow of a man she had never met, and all her love was fake. From beginning to end, it was just a ridiculous lie.
Resentment and love surged in his heart.
He has completely turned into a mad dog, and will even wag his tail for mercy at the slightest bit of intimacy, his eyes filled with obsessive sweet love.
If she doesn't love me, I will love her back twice as much. As long as I can get her, anything is fine.
He was a mad dog that had been infected with a disease. He stared at all the men and women who approached her, and bared his teeth to guard the last bit of pity he had left.
He cried in panic because he didn't get love, tugged at her clothes and begged for mercy, his voice hoarse.
"Please, love me a little..."
"Just a little is enough. I'm not greedy."
Ming Luo was a little confused. She slowly leaned over and wiped away his tears with her fingertips. Her eyes were gentle and puzzled, like a god who had mercy on the world.
"Don't think about it. I won't love you."
Everyone is crazy about it, the paranoid and ruthless female protagonist is soft on the outside and cold on the inside x the arrogant and wanton crazy criticizing extremely inferior and loveless male protagonist
Double C, a boy with a son, who abuses the male protagonist. In the text, the male protagonist made a bet with his friends to check into a hotel room to tease the female protagonist. He himself adheres to male ethics and is extremely lacking in love. He lost his first kiss and first night, and he has mysophobia and hates women touching him.
Both the male and female protagonists are sick and crazy. The female protagonist didn't love him at all in the beginning and didn't care about him at all.
The male protagonist is extremely in love! Extremely in love! Extremely in love! This includes but is not limited to trying to trap the female protagonist by getting her pregnant before marriage, flaunting her pregnancy in front of Bai Yueguang, threatening suicide and self-harm, and even competing for the male protagonist's affection with the boy she gave birth to, being jealous of her own son, and a series of crazy operations. It abuses the male protagonist physically and mentally. It's dog-raising literature, two-way redemption, too yandere, don't read if you don't like it
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