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Since entering Cangjun City, Jiang Nian has been traveling with Xiao Yingzhu and the others, so she rarely goes to the place she first went to.
The plague there was serious, but because of the layers of streets and the soldiers guarding the foreign noble areas, the number of people infected with the plague here was far less than that in the civilian areas.
Here, these nobles lived a comfortable life, and not many of them even felt the approaching plague.
But this is not the reason why Jiang Nian doesn't care or think about it.
She had always wanted to ask Xiao Yingzhu and the others about their attitude towards the epidemic.
But judging from his conversations over the past few days, apart from a few mentions of Wu Mi Zhong, he hardly mentioned anything else.
It is impossible to resolve the epidemic so quickly in such a short period of time.
"Have they stopped the spread of the plague?"
Jiang Nian withdrew his attention from Meng Yao and took the opportunity to have a good talk with Xiao Yingzhu to take the initiative to propose.
Perhaps the concern on her face wasn't fake, she really wanted to know. Xiao Yingzhu looked at her for a moment and shook her head slightly.
"Now that we have identified the source of the epidemic, we still need to wait."
"If we cut off the source directly, we will alert the enemy and be detrimental to subsequent operations."
This means that the epidemic has been brought under control, but the number of infected people has not decreased.
When one is cured, a new one will appear.
Jiang Nian frowned when he thought of the group of people behind this layer.
"So they haven't taken action yet. Are they just like us, still waiting and watching? Or are they waiting for instructions?"
We have only been in Cang County for two or three days. It is unrealistic to think that the epidemic can be completely controlled in such a short time.
Perhaps due to the busy schedule in recent days, Jiang Nian always felt as tired as if a month had passed.
Now thinking along the lines of what Xiao Yingzhu said, I was indeed a little impatient.
In modern times, it is not possible to prevent and control the disease so quickly, let alone in ancient times.
"Well, the Flower Festival is a good opportunity. They are planning to take action there, and we will also need to control them at that time."
Counting the days, the Flower Festival will indeed begin in a few days.
Before coming to Cang County, Xiao Yingzhu told her that the Flower Festival would be held in early autumn.
Thinking back now, the days in Pingzhou seem like a distant past, and the memories I recall are covered with a thin layer of yellow shadow.
Jiang Nian nodded thoughtfully, and instead of dwelling on this point, he asked about the mine.
After not speaking to Xiao Yingzhu for only a day or two, she felt like she was out of touch with others' progress.
"So when will we talk about the mine?"
“…”
Noticing that she intentionally or unintentionally avoided the topic just mentioned, Xiao Yingzhu calmly concealed the dark thoughts in his eyes and said lightly as if he didn't notice.
"tomorrow."
So fast.
So when he called me over at night, it was indeed to discuss the task.
Jiang Nian calmed down her wandering thoughts, and a complicated expression flashed across her face, but she quickly concealed it.
"You called me here tonight to give me instructions for what to prepare for tomorrow?"
Xiao Yingzhu naturally would not miss the complicated expression on Jiang Nian's face just now, but after a while, he changed his usual calm approach, as if he was confirming something, and chose to stay where he was.
If Jiang Nian doesn't move forward, then he won't take the initiative to get closer.
Keep a distance that is neither awkward nor lukewarm.
"Yeah. That's the first point."
Xiao Yingzhu lowered her eyes indifferently, her fingertips lightly touching the cleaned table. Her voice sounded emotionless, like a statement of something that had already been finalized.
The faint burning sensation when she asked about the topic of "equality" just now faded away, and a fine coldness spread up again, slowly flowing through Jiang Nian's skin and slowly circling her heart.
If Xiao Yingzhu had not been wearing a faint and casual smile at this moment, Jiang Nian would really feel the distance between them, and would have returned to the time when they first met, when he was the arrogant and surly Duke.
But the feelings that Xiao Yingzhu gave her at that time, looking back now, seemed like they were completely different people.
Is it that what Xiao Yingzhu is doing now is very different from what she thought at that time?
Jiang Nian concealed the indistinguishable emotion, looked calm, and continued to ask.
"And the second point?"
Xiao Yingzhu looked at her intently.
"That depends on what Miss Jiang thinks."
"It's what I wanted to mention, or it's what you think."
"Whatever Miss Jiang thinks, that's what it is."
“…”
Even at this time, Xiao Yingzhu started to play dumb with him.
Jiang Nian subconsciously curled the corners of her lips. It was an instinctive reaction of her body, but there was a hint of bitterness in the smile, which she couldn't tell clearly.
"What does Duke Xiao think?"
"What does Duke Xiao consider a commoner woman to be like?"
She just wanted to share an equal perspective with him, to look at the information within her sight from the same dimension, and to analyze the information obtained on this basis.
This is what she considers collaboration.
But so many days have passed, and she has lived in this era for at least three months. Until now, what she believes and remembers deeply in her heart is still very different from what the people here think.
This is something that neither side can change.
She has her own ideas, but Xiao Yingzhu also has her own opinions.
No one will compromise for anyone, and no one will give in for anyone.
This was the reason why they could see each other and reach cooperation in the beginning.
And this reason also bound them at this moment.
Jiang Nian didn't know how to explain or account for all this.
Do I have to dissect the ideas hidden deep in my heart and lay them bare in front of Xiao Yingzhu?
She doesn't want to do this.
Besides, even if I did that, Xiao Yingzhu might not appreciate it.
...It's really strange. She has nothing to do with him, they are just allies. And she, a person who lives under someone else's roof and temporarily in this era, actually wants the prominent people in power to bend down and change their way of doing things because of her ideas.
How could this happen?
Jiang Nian lowered his eyes and listened to the cool raindrops falling on the wooden windowsill outside the house. He was silent for a long time, until the noisy sounds outside the screen faded away, and then he came back to his senses in a trance.
It was as if they were separated by a thousand years of time and space, staring at each other. As if to penetrate his thoughts, he asked softly:
"What does Duke Xiao think? I really want to know."
Her words were distant and polite, but she didn't want to give in to him. She didn't stop at the point, but insisted on getting an answer.
Ask the question she wants to hear and the answer he thinks is right.
Xiao Yingzhu unexpectedly did not play word games, and even her casual and indifferent expression became serious.
Jiang Nian looked at him, his eyes not missing a single detail.
"serious."
"Motivated."
"Courageous."
He did not acknowledge the intelligence of her thoughts.
Perhaps it was because her behavior wasn't that good of a chess piece.
Jiang Nian understood what Xiao Yingzhu meant, and also knew that what she should change at this time was her innate concept of "equality".
In this era, this word does not seem to be so important.
After all, the rules are set by those in power.
Xiao Yingzhu used to be very humble in front of her, even though he seemed so unpredictable and difficult to approach in the eyes of others.
But in Jiang Nian's eyes, even though he is casual and sometimes unpredictable, he is always a positive image.
He would take the initiative to provide her with clues, guide her to analyze based on the existing intelligence, help her with some things, and even take the time to chat with her in his spare time.
She did this because it was an important part of her plan.
So now she wants to break away from his plan and think and make choices differently from the usual way of thinking in this world.
This is out of control and out of his control.
Jiang Nian understood and she wanted to laugh.
Only if he goes in the direction he wants to go, can he be considered "smart".
But looking at it this way, the topic has returned to the starting point.
Back to the origin of the "cage" and "canary".
I don't want this.
She just wants to make her own choices.
But Xiao Yingzhu has already drawn an equate between what she can give and what he should give.
An equivalence that cannot be changed.
......
Jiang Nian suppressed the inexplicable feeling of absurdity in his heart. Although the smile on his face remained, he became much quieter and finally just shook his head.
Her tone was very flat, with a tired feeling, like a lamp that has burned out, leaving only a wisp of ash, which will be blown away by the breeze.
"Xiao Yingzhu, what you give me and what I can give you are not equal at all."
"That's not how it works."
Jiang Nian calmly raised his hand, with his thumb and index finger separated by a distance, forming the shape of a small funnel.
"Apart from the insect repellent I can give you, you should not have forgotten that herb."
She raised her eyes, suppressing all unnecessary emotions. A sharp, cold, dark light flashed through her eyes, staring directly at Xiao Yingzhu.
"The plague in Cang County is still spreading, but as long as I can identify the herbs and find them, I can also discover the rest of the herbs."
"Miss Tao definitely wants more than just one or two herbs. I can develop a simpler version of her recipe."
"Along with it, there is a mine."
"Minerals are very scarce in Huandu, but I can bring the dead back to life just like Shouzan."
The funnel in the void was slowly flowing down with fine sand, which was moving towards the other side as time went by.
On the side with less sand, sand is constantly being added and gradually becoming full.
Jiang Nian's expression was no longer as gentle and peaceful as usual, and even revealed a cold and sharp look.
The usual pretense finally faded away in Xiao Yingzhu's eyes.
In order to get a higher position and stand shoulder to shoulder with him, Jiang Nian must give up something.
The first thing to give up must be pretending to be gentle and harmless in front of Xiao Yingzhu just to keep himself safe.
After all, this is not her true self.
That kind of personality might be more suitable for the original owner.
But it doesn't fit her.
After all, she is not a pampered young lady, nor is she a vase that has no ability to fight back and has no advantage in front of others.
At this time, this foggy veil should also be removed.
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