Chapter 389 – The Earthquake in Dongqing (Twenty-One)
They didn’t let their guard down; over ten men continued to point their long guns at them, while two others went forward with torches to investigate.
As the torchlight shone, they indeed spotted over a dozen carts hidden in the shadows, filled with medicinal herbs and grain.
“That’s a non-poisonous snake, one bite won’t kill you, stop howling.”
Another person approached with a torch and, under the flickering light, everyone saw that the snake was still clinging tightly to the pale servant.
That person examined it closely and soon realized it was just a common non-poisonous snake found often in the wild. He casually pulled it off and coiled it in his hand, then with a mighty throw of his strong right arm, he hurled the snake far away. After a moment, sounds of rustling grass reached them.
Hearing this, the servant stopped trembling, glancing down at his wrist where the snake had bitten him; the blood was bright red but showed no signs of poisoning.
“However, you should still rinse it with clean water when you get back and apply some anti-swelling ointment, that way the wound heals faster.”
The commotion caught the attention of those ahead in the line, bringing the convoy to a halt.
At the front of the procession, a man dressed as a scholar had dark, heavy eyes, like thick ink that wouldn’t dissolve. “What happened?”
“We found a suspicious group; they claim to be transporting grain and medicine for the common people of the capital.”
Upon hearing this, the man raised his brow slightly, “Oh? Take me to see them. If they truly seek the welfare of the people, why must they hide?”
“Sir, Meng will accompany you,” chimed in a burly man beside him, sporting a thick beard, his muscles straining against his clothing, clearly brimming with explosive power.
Huang Qin led a group of a thousand Imperial Guards and five hundred stones of grain, entering the city from the collapsed East Gate.
The Imperial Guards held up hundreds of torches, appearing from afar like a slow-moving fireball floating in the air.
Huang Qin squinted, using the firelight to get a clearer view of his surroundings, and couldn’t help but sigh—natural disasters were beyond human resistance.
Just days ago, the bustling capital was now reduced to ruins, with the night wind carrying an indescribable stench.
He disdainfully pulled out a napkin, pinching it to his nose, then waved his hand.
“Let’s move—”
At that moment, a weak voice calling for help came from the collapsed ruins nearby.
“Help… help me…”
That feeble voice, combined with the night’s darkness, had a somewhat eerie quality.
The Imperial Guards were restless, many showing signs of fear, but Huang Qin’s expression remained steady as he waved his hand.
“The decree is urgent; we mustn’t delay.”
The capital was clearly a dead city; even a seasoned official like Huang Qin couldn’t help but feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Jiang Pengji lived in the eastern part of the city, and their camp was also set up in that area. Since Huang Qin and his group entered through the East Gate, the distance wasn’t far. Plus, the camp’s flickering candlelight was quite conspicuous in the dark, making it easier for Huang Qin to locate them.
“Is the Second Young Master Liu around?”
As Huang Qin issued orders, the noise attracted attention from Feng Jin, who got ready to receive the decree in advance.
Feng Jin replied respectfully but firmly, “The Second Young Master is currently rescuing the common people; he may not return immediately, so please rest for a moment, my lord.”
Huang Qin appeared to look straight ahead, but he discreetly scanned the makeshift camp with his peripheral vision.
All he heard were the painful moans of the wounded, the air thick with the fragrance of medicine, but more predominant was the overwhelming, pungent smell of blood, which made his stomach churn and his throat sour.
“What is that smell?”
As a high-ranking eunuch, Huang Qin lived a life of comfort; did Feng Jin grow up rolling in the mud?
He too couldn’t bear it, but thinking about the tragic situation of the common people during the earthquake, these discomforts were trivial in comparison.
Seeing Huang Qin frowning, Feng Jin devised a compromise. “My lord, please pardon the crude and unsanitary conditions of the camp. There are many injured commoners. To avoid them contaminating you, I would humbly request you to wait in another area; I shall send someone to summon the Second Young Master back.”
He guided Huang Qin to a different spot where a small tent was set up, with incense burning, which helped mitigate the overwhelming odor.
Huang Qin sat on a small stool, casting his eyes around openly.
Spotting a shadow that looked like a small mountain in the distance, he pointed and asked, “What’s that?”
With the wind blowing in their direction, the stench from there was particularly foul; had it not been for the two incense burners nearby, he might have retched.
Feng Jin followed his gaze and forced a bitter smile, “To report to my lord, that pile consists entirely of the unfortunate commoners who lost their lives in the earthquake. With the hot weather and the multitude of flies, the bodies can’t be preserved; they start to decay within three to five days. If not handled properly, the rotting corpses can lead to various epidemics. That’s why we’re digging them up for burial during the rescue.”
At first, Huang Qin maintained his composure while listening, but as Feng Jin continued his explanation, the redness on his face faded to pallor, then transformed into a ghastly shade… his eyesight was keen enough to see the outlines of that “mountain” even in the dark…
That “mountain” turned out to be entirely made up of piled corpses…
Thinking of this, Huang Qin could no longer hold back; his stomach churned, and a wave of bile surged forth, forcing him to vomit, remnants of uneaten delicacies spewing out—sea cucumber and fatty meat among the undigested matter… Feng Jin discreetly cast a glance, a faint, cold smile on his lips.
After waiting for a moment, Huang Qin found it increasingly restless, as if sitting on needles, feeling utterly uneasy.
Fortunately, at this moment, a melodious sound reached them—the one they waited for, Liu Xi had arrived.
Huang Qin had seen Liu Xi before; he was a talented youth with a distinguished demeanor; if he grew a year or two older, countless young ladies would surely admire him. Now upon their reunion, Huang Qin could scarcely believe his eyes; before him was indeed Liu Xi?
Seeing Huang Qin’s dazed expression, Jiang Pengji glanced down at her appearance and felt a frown creeping in.
She knew she currently looked like a beggar who hadn’t bathed in two or three years, with tattered sleeves and clothes stained with blood and other filth, obscuring any hint of their original color—grey dirt mingling with sweat clung to her face, nearly obscuring her features.
Not to mention Jiang Pengji’s hands were a bloody mess, and her feet were bound in thick coarse cloth, worn down to mere tatters.
Far from a beggar, even someone who had been fleeing for over a decade would look cleaner than her.
“The Second Young Master Liu receives the decree.”
Given Jiang Pengji’s disheveled appearance, Huang Qin couldn’t help but look away, feeling an unexpected sense of sympathy, believing Liu Xi truly cared for the people and wasn’t like those pretentious insects who could only babble sweet words while remaining motionless.
“Commoner Liu Xi kneels to receive the Son of Heaven’s decree.”
Huang Qin took out an exquisitely crafted silk scroll, slowly unfurling it, and began to read aloud in a high-pitched voice.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
“Oh—long time no see, Xiaoyu, why do you look so disheveled?” The Young Scholar rode up with a playful smile.
Xu Ke gasped, wide-eyed in disbelief.
“What are you doing here?”
