Chapter 537 – The World’s Turmoil (7)
Cheng’an County was severely short on personnel, with the City Gate Guards consisting of male and female soldiers taking turns on duty.
The guard who approached for an inquiry was a Female Soldier. The Book Boy was a beat slow to realize her gender, his face turning to a mix of awkwardness.
Something felt off about Cheng’an County; why on earth would they assign a woman to guard the city gate, exposed to wind and sun?
The Female Soldier, unaware of his thoughts, noticed that the Book Boy wore tattered old clothes, patched all over, and that their horse was a feeble old mare, shuffling along with a battered cart… they must have endured a lot on their way to Cheng’an County, right?
Feeling a pang of sympathy, the Female Soldier softened her tone and asked, “Are you here to find Mr. Wei?”
The Book Boy relaxed a bit at her friendly demeanor.
As long as they could communicate, it was a relief to avoid someone looking down on them.
“My master’s surname is Yang, given name Si, a close friend of Mr. Wei. May I ask this… lady, if you could kindly relay the message?”
Upon hearing that Yang Si was a friend of Wei Ci, the Female Soldier immediately took it seriously.
She instructed the Messenger to deliver the note, then politely asked the Book Boy to move the cart aside to avoid blocking other visitors entering the city.
The Book Boy stared in amazement at the orderly scene by the city gate.
“Sir, this place is rather interesting.”
It was his first time seeing a woman as a city gate guard.
Yang Si replied, “It really is quite interesting, but this isn’t exactly Zixiao’s style…”
He hit the nail on the head; this was definitely not Wei Ci’s doing.
Wei Ci was frail and currently in a season change, a time when one was prone to illness. If he overworked himself, he’d proudly fall sick.
In order to avoid being criticized by the audience in the live stream, Jiang Pengji had taken on the miscellaneous tasks of Cheng’an County, with Wei Ci assisting from the sidelines.
She admonished Wei Ci, saying, “You really ought to take better care of yourself…”
He seemed as delicate as a porcelain doll.
Jiang Pengji was usually ruthless in pushing her other subordinates, but with this sickly fellow, her hands were tied.
Fortunately, Wei Ci was merely running a slight fever, and after a few days of rest, he’d almost recovered.
He was already able to help handle official matters.
However, his lips still appeared somewhat pale, and coupled with his complexion, he was the very picture of a fragile beauty.
“Thank you for your concern, my lord. I will take good care of myself from now on,” Wei Ci replied gently, as if attributing his illness to his own failure to work.
So considerate, the live stream audience couldn’t help but feel Jiang Pengji was shameless.
This wasn’t about Wei Ci’s lack of care but rather that Chen Ke’s work didn’t allow anyone the time to recover.
【Yue Tong】: Trashy streamer, constantly bullying my dear husband. It’s really painful to watch.
【Salty Eggman】: Wei Ci really does take health seriously, taking medicine and all. I could feel the bitterness just looking at those herbal concoctions on-screen. No wonder the streamer hasn’t stabilized her foothold. Even if he wants to recuperate, how could he do so in peace?
【Yen Ri’an】: I think you all should stop cursing the streamer. Let’s just grab some weapons and deal with her directly.
【Shen Jia】: While you all feel sorry for Wei Ci, I also pity the streamer. She’s the classic hard-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside type. When Wei Ci falls ill, she just obediently takes the work, ultimately sparing him from further strain. Reflect on the live stream these past few days—all we see is the streamer handling files in the Administration Hall, watching those intricate scribbles makes it feel like I’ve enrolled in a fake school.
Given Jiang Pengji’s nature, if she wasn’t genuinely concerned for her subordinates, how could she possibly stay in one place for so long?
She’d have already flown off to have fun, and we wouldn’t have seen her at all, right?
That said, the streamer was quite kind to Wei Ci.
Just look at Feng Jin, Xu Ke, Qi Guanrang, Meng Hunyun, Luo Yue—they were all hustling around like crazy, and had they seen the streamer soften?
For now, Wei Ci couldn’t exert himself too much, but he carefully organized the bamboo slips in order of priority, placing the most important ones where Jiang Pengji could easily reach, while the less crucial ones were sorted into the first category… with a serious expression, he was extraordinarily meticulous.
As Jiang Pengji scribbled on documents, issuing commands or annotations, she occasionally glanced up at Wei Ci.
Noticing her gaze, Wei Ci chuckled and asked, “Why does my lord look at me like that?”
Jiang Pengji candidly replied, “You’re gentle and virtuous, if we were married in a past life, you would definitely be the ideal spouse.”
Wei Ci jolted, and the bamboo slips slipped from his fingers with a loud thud. He leaned down to pick them up, inadvertently knocking over a precariously stacked pile on the desk… His pale face lowered, he rapidly scrambled to put back everything in order.
After a moment, he calmly asked, “Why does my lord have such a ridiculous thought?”
Jiang Pengji said, “I have a little habit when handling official business; I wouldn’t let those I don’t trust know.”
Having ascended from a regular genetic warrior to the pinnacle of power in the Federation’s military, she’d certainly faced a fair share of competition and trials.
She had to guard against external enemies while being wary of abnormalities within.
Given such a scenario, how could her vigilance possibly weaken?
Wei Ci understood “Jiang Pengji’s” habits quite well. If not for their long-term interaction, it’d be impossible to know those things.
She had tested a few times before, and now she was merely confirming her internal conjecture.
Wei Ci’s lips moved slightly, but Jiang Pengji suddenly said, “Just joking. Don’t take it to heart, Zixiao.”
He felt the sweat pooling in his palms; the atmosphere in the Administration Hall had turned rather chilly.
At that moment, the Messenger’s arrival broke the stalemate.
Wei Ci let out a secret sigh of relief and eagerly stood to inquire of the Messenger, his back carrying a flavor of hasty retreat.
“What is it?” he asked.
The Messenger replied, “There’s a master and servant outside, claiming to be friends of the sir.”
After Cheng’an County was taken, Wei Ci had drafted several letters, planning to invite a few friends over.
However, he’d been too busy lately, coupled with his mild illness, and hadn’t sent the letters out yet.
“Who are they?”
“They claim to be Yang Si from Jiangding County.” The Messenger answered.
Yang Si?
Wei Ci’s mind went blank for a second.
Jiang Pengji’s ears perked up and she asked, “Aren’t Zixiao’s friends here?”
Wei Ci, shedding his previous anxiety, felt joy bubbling up within him, his voice noticeably brighter.
“Yes, Jingrong has come.”
“Jingrong?”
“From Chenzhou, Jiangding County, his name is Yang Si, courtesy name Jingrong.” Wei Ci was unable to hide his smile, “This person is truly talented.”
Jiang Pengji appraised Wei Ci’s frail little figure.
She calmly asked, “How talented is he?”
Wei Ci, baffled, replied sincerely, “I’m unworthy compared to him.”
Jiang Pengji crossed her arms and looked at him, “I actually think Zixiao is better than anyone else.”
Wei Ci: “…”
Seeing Jiang Pengji return to the desk, Wei Ci was surprised, “Aren’t you going to see him with me, my lord?”
“He’s here looking for you, not me. Why should I poke my nose in? That would only lead to misunderstandings.”
What if she went over enthusiastically, only to find out he was just there to see Wei Ci? That would be super awkward.
