The clouds were low and the sun was sinking, and the mud and water were accumulating. On the 40th day of Ji Hong's journey to the south, the water conservancy repair works in Chunan Prefecture were finally about to be completed. Only the low-lying areas in the city are covered with thick dirty mud, and the collapsed houses can be seen everywhere in the lanes, which show how violent wind and rain this century-old city has experienced.
On this day, the sky is slightly cloudy and misty, and the moisture like rain and dew sticks to the hair of the person, stirring the hot air in front of the person's nose to become more viscous.
A team of chariots and horses rolled along the ruts. The wheels were deeply muddy, and the ground was wet and sticky. It took a lot of effort to pull and push to move forward. Along the way, there were countless hungry and dead victims on both sides, and the corpses of the victims who died of illness and disheveled clothes were left in the wilderness, which actually fed and fattened the animals that lived on carrion. Chunanfu City, a place that has been accumulated for a hundred years, is now desolate in front of the gate, and it has become a hell on earth where crows hover and wild dogs roam.
The convoy stopped at the gate of the city, and the guards guarding the city looked down wearily, and saw a mighty and mighty contingent of luggage that stretched for a mile, black and dense like dark clouds urging the city, but the guards immediately regained their spirits and stood up suddenly. He straightened his back, rubbed his eyes and carefully identified, and saw that the word "Big Xia" was indeed embroidered on the windward flag. From a carriage led by the team, a medical officer in light scarlet official uniform came down, it was Chen Yang.
Seeing that it was a medical officer appointed by the central government, the soldier rushed down the tower excitedly, shouting as he ran, "Here we come! The medicine and food are finally here! We are saved! Hurry up and inform your lord, the imperial court Send someone over!"
Chunan Mansion, which has been in decline for a long time, finally caused waves due to this team of medical supplies from afar. Not long after, the city gate opened, and before Chen Yang and others could take a step, a group of refugees poured out of the city. The guards guarding the city Immediately pulled up the thorn fence, set up the spear and halberd, and stopped the people in the city.
When they entered, the city gate was closed again.
The hot and humid summer wind brought up a strange smell, mixed with the stench of the dead and the strong and bitter smell of medicine. After entering the city, the sight in his eyes was even more horrifying. The city of Chunan Mansion is facing a great river. It is a place where merchants are thriving and wharves are developed. It is an extremely rich place. Now such a huge city mansion is full of death energy visible to the naked eye— The dying victims fell on both sides of the street, and the people who refused to leave wandered in the collapsed houses; the children who lost their parents due to the flood were crying and picking up some rotten fruits washed by the water from the mud to eat; there were even ragged clothes The woman was sitting by the wall with her frozen child in her arms.
Where there is prosperity, where there is prosperity, the illusion of hell is nothing more than that.
The medical officers and soldiers immediately covered their mouths and noses, and some medical officials who were reluctant to go south even started to retreat, thinking about how to retreat in their hearts.
Although Chen Yang had already thought that the situation in the south was not optimistic when he came, but seeing what he saw with his own eyes today, he still couldn't help being horrified in his heart, and sighed regretfully for a moment: "It's so tragic!"
A little doctor in light green clothes and wearing an azure scarf got out of the car. Like other medical officers, he was covered with a white scarf to hide his sickness, only showing a pair of bright and bright eyes, and looked around first. After a while, I didn't see the person I wanted to see, and I was a little disappointed. After hearing what Chen Yuyi said, he also said: "If the epidemic continues to spread, it will be like this in Beijing."
Chen Yang nodded, and asked strangely, "Why don't you see the local government officials?"
Just as he was talking, three or five people rode on horseback from a distance away from the long street. Chen Yang was not familiar with the local government officials. He only heard that he was a potbellied man, so he raised his neck and looked forward. He didn't expect to see the fatty, Instead, a young man with a dusty temperament came.
The person who came, Chen Yang, was very impressive, and no one who took a look at him would never forget it.
——It was Mr. Ji who was ordered to go south to supervise the flood control.
Ji Hong rolled over from his horse and was greeting Chen Yang when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a thin figure passing by, and when he went to look carefully, he disappeared again, only the doctor who came down from the carriages and horses rustlingly. The officials all wore the same light blue low-grade medical official uniforms.
"Master Ji, we are here on order. One is to escort food and medicinal materials, and the other is to help this place get rid of the epidemic." Chen Yang looked around again, but he still didn't see any fat people coming, so he couldn't help but wonder, " However, why are you here to welcome Master Ji? According to the rules, Yifu Zhengyin should personally sign the medicine, stone, food and grass, and we dare to hand over it. If something goes wrong—”
As he spoke, he looked up at Ji Hong, paused for a moment, forgot what he was supposed to say next, and widened his eyes in surprise, "Master Ji, your face is..."
"No problem." Ji Hong raised his brows coldly, still maintaining a stern expression unmoved by external objects, and simply explained the current situation in Chunan, "Chunan's official Zhou Jinhong is greedy for life and afraid of death, fearing the disease, Ten days ago, most of the official wealth of the government office was swept away, and he fled out of the city with his family. Three days ago, the soldiers and guards who followed him found the corpse of his wife and servant who died of illness along the way. Now, Zhou Jinhong is still on the run alone, and his whereabouts are unknown. There is no one in charge of the city of one prefecture, and there has been no reply to the papers submitted, so in desperation, Ji can only take charge temporarily."
"There is such a thing!" Chen Yang shook his head, lamenting in his heart that the world is getting worse, and even officials can abandon the common people! But since the government official Zhengyin had abandoned his post and fled, it was really helpless to hand over the medicine and food to the imperial envoy, so he hurriedly ordered his subordinates to bring over the roster, and handed it to Mr. Ji to review the number one by one.
A medical official took the roster and came quickly, bowing his head and offering it with both hands. Ji Hong stretched out his hand to pick it up, his eyes fell on the medical official, his fingers froze suddenly, he hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly took the roster, turned sideways inexplicably, and then opened the roster for a closer look: "Master Chen Tired from running around, please go to the yamen to rest first. The medicine and food will be placed in the government yamen warehouse, and someone will come to help count. Duan Ming."
Duan Ming: "Sir, please tell me."
"Take all the medical officers to go down to rest." Ji Hong turned his head and glanced at the little medical official who handed him the roster just now, who thought that he only worked for a moment, and he didn't know where he was hiding. Duan Ming was ordered to leave, and he frowned again, "Wait a minute, make some pots of hot tea, don't be negligent."
Duan Ming said: "Yes."
When Ji Hong returned to the yamen, he had to explain the current predicament of Chunan in detail with Chen Yang first.
The water conservancy works in Chunanfu City have been repaired quickly, and the flood has receded, but now the accumulated water is still there, and there is another major epidemic. It is not enough to maintain the daily expenses of the affected people. In the eleven counties under its jurisdiction, it is also difficult to mobilize excess medicinal materials. There are more and more sick people. In order to buy at a high price, it is also difficult to quench the thirst of the near water. Not to mention the absconding of the government officials, the rioting of the refugees, and the rumors in the city, there will be as much chaos as possible.
Doctor Chen's visit really solved his urgent need of lack of medicine and food.
Outside the hall where the two were talking, a few medical officials who carried the medicine boxes hurried past, complaining about something in their mouths, and their faces were extremely impatient. Ji Hong got up suddenly, and said to Chen Yang: "Master Chen, there happened to be another matter. A few days ago, there were disaster victims rioting in the city. The eldest prince was a little frightened, and now he is recuperating in the backyard. My lord, please go ask for a safe pulse."
Hearing that the Eldest Prince was in poor health, Chen Yang immediately became vigilant and left in a panic.
Ji Hong walked to the warehouse next to the mansion. The two medical officials in front were carrying the boxes, and they didn't notice anyone behind them, so they whispered to each other: "What kind of thing is he, dare to order us like this?"
Although the other was a bit dissatisfied, he didn't have the guts to express it quickly, so he just said in a muffled voice: "He was personally recommended by Mrs. Wen, have you heard of Sanyu Building on Shizi Street, who is called Doctor Yu Xiao, who said that. It was him. It is said that he was the first to discover this great epidemic. Since the outbreak of the epidemic these days, there have been countless people living in the third building, and the victims almost stepped through the threshold of his house."
"How can there be such a god? If he is really so powerful, why is he just a folk doctor? You and I have studied hard for ten years before being admitted to this medical department and entered this imperial physician's department. If he is really capable, why didn't he go to the medical department? Exam? So what if Wen Gong recommends it, but it’s just a backdoor doctor.” The man sneered, “I don’t think it’s because he didn’t dare to take the exam at all, but he’s just a deceitful person.”
Ji Hong's face darkened, and he let out a cold snort as he walked past, frightening the two of them for a moment, without closing their mouths.
Entering the warehouse compound, I saw a young medical officer directing three or five yamen servants to sort out the medicinal materials. These medicinal materials were sealed in boxes, and they traveled long distances from Xiajing to Chunan. , some should be exposed to the sun, and some need to be stored in a high and ventilated place. Seeing that there were not enough manpower, the young man evenly spread a bag of Cangzhu in the basket to dry, and then took a wooden ladder to hang by the wall, intending to hang some stringed medicinal herbs under the beams by himself.
"That white tuckahoe is very afraid of the tide, how can you put it in such a damp corner!" The little doctor stepped on the wooden ladder and was busy looking around when he saw a yamen servant carrying a basket of white powder. He quickly walked back and called him, "Oh, wait a minute, what you are holding now is kudzu root, not poria cocos. Didn't I put a note on it, how could I still get it wrong, you—"
When he was talking, there was a sudden silence, and the ears of several yamen servants had been calloused by him. It was strange that they were silent all of a sudden, so he turned around and saw the chattering little doctor who was talking with someone who didn't know when. Master Ji who appeared stared at him with big eyes and small eyes.
The wooden ladder that had been in disrepair for a long time creaked, and the boy above shook it. Ji Hong instinctively stretched out his hand to hold the side of the wooden ladder tightly. He still had a lot to say, but now his brows were deeply furrowed, and the veins on the back of his hands were tense. Stretching up, he raised his head and reprimanded him: "Climb up and down like this, what if you fall! Come down."
Yu Jinnian stared at his face, didn't speak for a long time, came back to his senses after a while, first subconsciously touched the white scarf that covered his face, and confirmed that it was still there, then boldly said: "I love to climb as long as I Climb up, climb down if you like to climb down. Mr. Ji is busy with work, and he doesn't even have the time to write a small letter, and he still has the leisure to control whether I, a low-ranking official, should climb up or down?"
Hearing that his voice was a little hoarse, and his figure was not as round as before he left, Ji Hongben was a little angry because he didn't tell, but seeing his appearance, his heart couldn't help but collapsed into a mess of loose sand. Is he remembering the fact that he broke his promise and didn't send him a letter for many days? Ji Hong sighed, holding the wooden ladder with one hand, and raised it with the other to pick it up. He said softly, "Okay, don't worry me. Come down."
"..." Yu Jinnian turned his head away from him, suffocating in his heart.
The wooden ladder creaked as if it was about to break in the next moment, Ji Hong quickly stepped forward, and took him off the ladder by the back collar, Yu Jinnian exclaimed, and was carried by Ji Hong upside down on his shoulders. It's not that he deliberately carried it like this, it's just that it saves energy.
All the yamen servants and the medical officials who had just entered the hospital stared blankly, each of them was stunned, forgot what they were going to do, and watched the two of them struggling with each other and walking towards the outside of the hospital.
"Liar, what you say doesn't count!" Yu Jinnian was so angry that he punched the man in the back hard, cursing loudly all the way.
Ji Hong groaned in pain, and said in a low voice, "If you move again, I won't be able to hug you anymore."
Yu Jinnian pursed his mouth inside the white scarf, and finally calmed down.
Since he left Beijing, he only wanted to go to Chunan Mansion as soon as possible. When the medical officials nearby were all sighing, he was the only one who counted the days until he arrived every day. It was okay when I didn't see him, he had a breath of support, now he saw this person standing in front of him well, after the breath was relieved, the grievance in his heart turned up, like a raging tide, making the corners of his eyes red quickly.
He put his hand on it, and pressed it against the back that he had read day and night for more than a month, and felt the fresh temperature under his fingers.
Ji Hong carried him back to his residence, a small courtyard not far from the government office, a table and chairs in the courtyard, covered with a topographic map of Chunan Prefecture, and beside the table were three cups and two cups of remnant tea , I think I was still negotiating business affairs with people not long before I came here. Kicking open the door, he put the young man on his back on the only couch, and was about to discuss with him about going south with the team, but he saw him staring at him, without blinking his exposed eyes.
His heart moved, he got on the couch with one knee, took off the white scarf covering the boy's face, held the back of the boy's neck, lowered his head slightly and kissed him.
Those lips were a little dry, but they were soon moistened by the young man's lips and tongue. Yu Jinnian half opened his lips, hooked the tip of his tongue that was tentatively towards him, and slowly sucked it in his mouth. There was a knock on the door outside the courtyard, but Ji Hong didn't answer, he just concentrated on tidying up the person in his arms, intertwined with him with every cluster of tiny taste buds on the surface of his tongue, telling the mutual thoughts of each other during these days through the interaction of body fluid.
The person who knocked on the door quickly retreated. Yu Jinnian raised his hand and gently stroked the edge of the man's ear. He saw that there was a finger-length scar on the left side of his face, which was a fresh scar. It was still bright red, like flaws on the man's fair face. He said distressedly: "How did this happen?"
Ji Hong smiled, and covered the back of his hand: "It's nothing serious. A few days ago, there was a riot by refugees, which almost hurt the prince. I just blocked it for the prince."
Yu Jinnian said angrily: "What do you mean by blocking it a bit, and if you deflect it a little bit, you will stab your eye!"
Ji Hong was still looking at him, with extremely gentle smiles all over his eyes, even seeing him sulking would make him feel sweet in his heart. Yu Jinnian was seen as spineless by him, although he thought he was thinking hard, but his face was still a little arrogant, and he refused to bow his head and give in first. So Ji Hong bent down first, pulled him into his arms, kissed him close to the hairline, and took the initiative to admit his mistake: "I know I was wrong, I will be more careful next time."
Yu Jinnian leaned sideways on his lap, although he was facing outwards, he held a corner of Ji Hong's clothes in his hands, for fear that he would leave suddenly. Days and nights on the road, he didn't know how many times he dreamed that Ji Hong was seriously ill, and he dreamed that he was going to travel alone with his back turned to him, and when he woke up all night, only great uneasiness and fear remained in his heart.
Ji Hong patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, and asked softly: "You followed like this, who is looking after you in the house?"
"It's Su Ting." Yu Jinnian answered one by one. Jin Youting is now his home for him, so he naturally arranged everything properly before he dared to go south with the team. "That kid's medical skills have improved a lot. Things became more and more smooth, so I entrusted my family to him. Although he is still a little immature in medical skills, there are many famous doctors in the capital, and he taught him the methods of disease prevention and treatment. Now under strong pressure, he may not be able to stand alone."
Ji Hong didn't expect Su Ting to be so outstanding, he turned to think of other people in Jin You Ting: "How are the children?"
"Children..." Yu Jinnian said slowly, as if his tongue was a little heavy, and his mouth was becoming more and more difficult to open, as if it weighed a thousand catties, "Sui Sui and Ah Chun are escorted to Tucheng, Qing Huan Follow along. Tucheng is located in the northwest, the weather is dry, and the epidemic has not yet occurred. It is safer to come than to stay in Beijing... "
"Tucheng is indeed a good place to go. I heard that there is a fairy mountain there. There are exotic flowers and plants on the mountain, and fresh fruits and wonders. After this epidemic, we might as well go to Tucheng for a few days. Enjoying the flowers, sea and forest, how about...Jinnian?" Ji Hong asked, but no one answered. He looked down strangely, only to find that the boy closed his eyes without warning, and fell asleep on his lap.
It took only a moment to speak, and he was so soundly asleep. Also think about his temperament, when the epidemic broke out in Beijing, since he is a doctor, it must be difficult for him to stand idly by. The two medical officials also said earlier that there are countless living people in the Sanyu Building. I'm afraid he didn't even have a good night's sleep.
Now that the epidemic in central Beijing has not been eradicated, he has traveled thousands of miles non-stop, and came to Chunan Prefecture, the most severely affected area—you can see how he did not touch the ground during this time, if he was not really exhausted, so what Can fall into a coma in an instant.
Ji Hong sighed very lightly, he really couldn't bear to wake him up, so he stretched out his hand to wrap him carefully to prevent him from rolling down, and willingly made a meat pillow. And Yu Jinnian was finally able to calm down, immersed in the long-lost gentleness, smelling the familiar scent of clothes in his breath, and fell asleep for more than an hour.
It seems to be as calm as water, without waves and waves.
It's just that both of them knew in their hearts that after this lingering dream of reunion, what they would face together was a devastated and howling plague city, the most serious plague in the history of Great Xia.