Chapter 402 – Relocation to Chenzhou (Part 8)
As expected, Feng Jin came to settle accounts with Qi Guanrang.
But for literati, especially clever ones, their way of settling accounts wasn’t about rolling up their sleeves and having a brawl.
Jiang Pengji glanced around, noticing that Feng Jin and Qi Guanrang were seated on opposite sides, firing verbal barbs at each other, neither willing to concede an inch. The entire tent was filled with an invisible smoke from their feud, and she rolled her eyes discreetly, addressing the audience in the live stream.
Host V: “Bet or not, aren’t these two guys total womanizers? Their argument sounds so poetic, I’m learning so much here.”
Clearly, she was the one who had stirred the pot, yet amidst the commotion, she managed to stay completely uninvolved.
Such a shameless host truly was a breath of fresh air in the streaming world.
[Sugar-free Mint Candy]: “Womanizers aren’t scary, what’s scary is that they have brains. I thought these two were just having a pleasant chat—thanks to the stream’s big shots translating, I realize they’re actually arguing. Ancient literati are truly terrifying; their quarrels are so artistic.”
[Forty-Meter Big Knife]: “Artistic isn’t scary, what’s scary is not understanding it and thinking they’re complimenting each other—now that’d be awkward!”
[Big Red Date]: “Don’t you think the host is the worst one? She’s the one who started this whole mess.”
Jiang Pengji rested her chin on her hand, knowing that neither Qi Guanrang nor Feng Jin would actively tear her apart; they couldn’t overpower her.
After a lengthy struggle where neither could find a way to win, they tacitly chose a ceasefire, opting to brew tea and taste it, completely disregarding the earlier battlefield.
Jiang Pengji sighed internally… she didn’t quite grasp how these literary chaps argued.
In this ancient era, medical technology was terribly lacking. There were far too many casualties, and the Young Doctor was simply overwhelmed. Many seriously injured patients passed away, unwillingly exhaling their last, while those with lighter injuries recovered quickly enough to continue their journey.
Days later, after burying the deceased patients, Jiang Pengji ordered the camp to pack up and set out.
Riding on Big White in her cool wooden sandals, she led the way, followed by several slow-moving carts. The carts held food, herbs, and the severely injured common people, while others who could ride did so, and those who couldn’t walked.
The common people gathered their belongings and followed behind, with Jiang Pengji specifically assigning two-thirds of her troops and Imperial Guards to protect them.
Meng Hunyun took scouts ahead to scout the path, reporting every fifteen minutes.
Feng Jin rode a chestnut horse and approached Jiang Pengji.
“I heard from the troops stationed in Fengyi County that the common people there have already begun to die one after another from the plague. Should Lan Ting consider rerouting towards Xiangyang? These common people are not suited for the plague area. If they catch the disease, it’ll result in unnecessary deaths.”
Jiang Pengji understood that, in ancient times, there were no miracle cures; these diseases were terrifying, spreading could take countless lives.
She nodded, “Let’s reroute to Xiangyang and first settle these common people. Then we can head to other areas of Fengyi County.”
After great disasters, epidemics typically follow due to a lack of sanitation and epidemic prevention measures.
Jiang Pengji acted promptly, opting to bury the bodies and sprinkle lime to reduce the risk of corpses contaminating the soil.
The camp was frequently cleaned, and items used by the injured were disinfected with mugwort water. Plus, with luck on their side, there were no epidemics occurring here in the capital. However, it was a different story in Fengyi County. According to reports from the disaster relief troops there, many corpses were lying in the streets, foul-smelling fluids everywhere, with feral cats and dogs gnawing at them. In the end, not only were the rivers polluted, but the common people’s drinking water was also tainted.
In such circumstances, during the scorching summer, it was hard not to have an outbreak of diseases.
Jiang Pengji could only order her troops to be cautious, ensuring that the food and water they consumed daily were safe, continuously using mugwort water and reed root water. Only by ensuring their own survival could they save more common people.
Xu Ke furrowed his brows and added, “If we do this, Young Master should remember to write to the other county magistrates, and also inform the Governor of Fengyi County. Otherwise, with several thousand troops accompanying the Young Master, it will surely raise suspicions and panic.”
Jiang Pengji was only the Deputy Magistrate of Xiangyang now, not the Governor of Fengyi County; theoretically, she shouldn’t be wandering around outside her jurisdiction.
“What worries me more are the circumstances in Xiangyang.” Qi Guanrang, feeling bored, joined the discussion, his expression grave, “Xiangyang is also within the area affected by the earthquake. When it struck, no one was there to manage things, so it’s likely there’s total chaos there. If there’s also an outbreak, Lan Ting will have a lot on his hands.”
Fortunately, Xiangyang has a sparsely populated landscape, so even if many common people fell ill, it was unlikely to turn into a large-scale epidemic.
Qi Guanrang thought calmly, his pitch-black eyes displaying a chilling coldness.
“I’ve already sent a small team to Xiangyang to investigate. We should have news in a couple of days.”
Jiang Pengji had indeed anticipated these issues and had mostly prepared in advance.
Frankly, having such a worry-free future leader put Xu Ke and the others at ease; a godlike leader was far better than a pig-like one… though, if only she’d change that terrible temper, it’d be perfect.
When Jiang Pengji led nearly twenty thousand people towards Xiangyang, Wei Ci fell ill on the way, suffering from a high fever for two days, almost frying his brain.
“Cough, cough, cough—”
His once exquisite face quickly emaciated under the torment of illness, but a beautiful person remains beautiful; even when sick, he still exuded a mesmerizing charm. Wei Ci struggled to sit up and took a sip of the dark medicinal concoction, nearly gagging it back up.
“Honestly, I really don’t know why you’re in such a rush.” Zhang Ping sighed as he helped him lie down, sending the Book Boy to fetch some candied fruits, “Ever since that earthquake, it’s like you’ve had something weighing on your mind, hurrying along day and night, completely neglecting your health. It’s no surprise you’ve fallen ill now.”
Wei Ci felt feverish all over, the high fever still unbroken, and everything before him appeared fuzzy.
“Xi Heng, I’m fine…”
Zhang Ping scoffed, “Fine? If this fever doesn’t break, your brain’s going to be well done on the table.”
If he hadn’t been traveling alongside Wei Ci, who knew if this guy would’ve collapsed halfway and died on some desolate road?
He’d never seen anyone so careless with their health.
Wei Ci’s health had never been strong; now not caring for himself like this was simply asking for trouble.
He remained feverish, even his breath scorching hot. Wei Ci couldn’t even dare to sleep; any sleep brought forth nightmares, leaving him utterly exhausted. His condition worsened instead of improving.
Given his state, Zhang Ping wouldn’t allow Wei Ci to continue the journey, and the two servants decided to stay at this humble inn for a while.
The next day.
Zhang Ping heard that a monk had come outside, seemingly wanting to stay over, but the farmer had declined, saying there were no extra rooms.
“May I ask, does the施主 (benefactor) have a young man with the surname Wei?”
Zhang Ping was about to brew medicine when he heard that old monk chuckling and asking the farmer, instantly tightening his nerves.
An old monk?
Looking for Wei Ci?
