Hundreds of injured people from the Liyang earthquake have been treated, and the malaria situation in this area has gradually stabilized. Mu Fulan is ready to leave and head to the next place.
Before leaving, she summoned the people who had been selected from the local area to assist her in practicing medicine some time ago, including Yongfu, the daughter of the Liyang leader, and explained to them some precautions in using the medicine.
The chief brought the people and came in person to bid farewell and see them off, and their gratitude was beyond words.
Yuan Handing had been busy distributing grain shipped from Changsha these days. Knowing that she was leaving Liyang, he gave her instructions on the rest of the matters and hurried over to escort her.
Mu Fulan asked him about the grain issue, and upon learning that it had been handled smoothly, she said, "Now that the grain issue has been arranged, please go back, brother. I don't need to bother you any more with my work."
Without waiting for him to speak, she smiled and said, "Don't worry, brother. We have been here for some time. I didn't know it at first, but now you can see it with your own eyes. No matter where I go, there are people to pick me up and escort me. I am safe. Besides, the epidemic is getting better. It won't be long before I can go back."
"I have nothing to do here. You are needed more at home than here!"
The daily training at the iron mine arsenal and military dock in Rudi is complicated and cannot be handed over to others for the consideration that the fewer people who know about it, the better. Although his brother is in charge of the matter when he is not here, his brother is the King of Changsha and is already busy with daily affairs. Without Yuan Handing, he might find it a bit difficult.
Mu Fulan had been waiting for the distribution of grain. Now that the work was finally done today, she naturally urged him to go back early.
How could Yuan Handing not know his own priority? He hesitated for a moment and nodded.
"Okay, I'll go back first. I'll keep all the people I brought with me."
"You should also take good care of yourself and don't overwork yourself. Come back early when you're done."
He stared at Mu Fulan's somewhat thin face and said.
Mu Fulan smiled and said, "I know. Thank you for your concern, brother."
After she finished speaking, she glanced at the crowd not far behind her, took out an exquisite small bag embroidered with local totems, and handed it to Yuan Handing with a smile under his puzzled gaze, saying, "This is something that Yongfu, the daughter of the Liyang leader, asked me to give to you. She said it contains a talisman. She is grateful for your help over the past few days and hopes that you can accept it and it will bless you with a peaceful life."
Yuan Handing was stunned. Following Mu Fulan's gaze, he turned his head subconsciously and saw a local girl of about fifteen or sixteen staring at him from behind the crowd of people seeing him off.
The girl was standing under a blossoming tree. She was dressed in blue, had willow-shaped eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and a face like a full moon. She was very beautiful. When she saw that I was looking back at her, a blush appeared on her cheeks. She turned around, walked around the blossoming tree, and disappeared into the crowd.
"Brother, the people here worship the sun. Yongfu set out in the middle of the night, climbed to the top of the highest mountain here, Liyang Mountain, and prayed devoutly to the gods at sunrise to get this. This is a gift from her, brother, please accept it."
Yuan Handing turned around and looked at Mu Fulan, who was looking at him with a smile, for a moment, and he suddenly realized something.
His princess has always called him brother since she was a child.
In her heart, she will always be just his brother.
The hand that held the amulet was still facing herself.
He finally raised his arm, slowly took it, and whispered, "Please, my lady, thank her for me when it's convenient for you."
Mu Fulan nodded and said with a smile: "Then I'll go first. Brother, you have to take care of yourself too."
Yuan Handing looked at her figure surrounded by a group of people seeing her off, suppressed the melancholy in his heart, and turned away.
Yongfu ran over quietly and secretly asked Mu Fulan whether he had taken his amulet just now.
Mu Fulan smiled and said, "He accepted it and asked me to thank you."
Yongfu's eyes suddenly brightened, his face flushed again, and he whispered, "Thank you, Princess."
Recently, the chief's daughter has helped her a lot. Mu Fulan likes her very much. She nodded and said with a smile: "Remember the treatment methods I taught you. After I leave, remember to continue to take care of the patients who have not recovered. If you encounter any problems, go to me or the doctor in the nearby village cave."
Yongfu nodded in agreement.
At this time, Mu Fulan saw the boy named Wu Ji running towards her from a distance, calling her as if something happened. She thought that his mother was ill again, so she hurried over and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with your mother?"
"No, no! This morning I met a few people who asked me to lead the way to you, my lady. I suspect they are not good people and I am afraid they are going to harm you, so I came to tell you!"
Wu Ji was running with sweat all over his forehead. While panting, he recounted his experience of meeting the group of people earlier.
Mu Fulan was surprised and immediately asked him about the other person's appearance, and Wu Ji described it.
Before he finished speaking, Mu Fulan guessed that the person he was describing was Xie Changgeng.
But what puzzled her was that he had clearly left a few days ago, so why did he come back today and come back to find her
What puzzled her even more was that since he had returned and had already entered the land of Sanmiao, he was obviously not far from her, so why did he suddenly leave again
She was full of doubts and asked Wu Ji to recount the whole incident again without missing a single word.
Wu Ji thought about it carefully and told it again in detail.
"… I asked the leader who he was and what he wanted from the princess, and his subordinates said he was your husband."
"I heard from my mother and the others that General Yuan is your husband. Wasn't that man talking nonsense? I refused to lead them, so they caught me and questioned me. I said General Yuan is your husband and he lied. Then he said nothing and turned around and left. I hurried over to tell the princess to be careful."
After hearing this, Mu Fulan was stunned.
According to Wu Ji, Xie Changgeng turned around and left. But her intuition told her that things were definitely not that simple.
She remembered what he said to her before he left a few days ago.
An ominous premonition suddenly came over her.
She was lost in thought for a moment, and suddenly remembered the night when he entered Liancheng and met Xier, and her heart began to tremble with fear.
She couldn't stay there any longer, so she immediately dropped everything and set off to rush back to Liancheng. On the way, she met someone sent by the Liancheng Order and learned a piece of bad news that she was most reluctant to hear, but it was real and had already happened.
Xier was kidnapped by Xie Changgeng!
These days, since she came here, she has been extremely busy and laborious. Because of the earthquake, the number of people who need treatment has suddenly increased. When she was most tired, she could fall asleep immediately when she sat down anywhere. She didn't get a good rest at all. When she suddenly heard such news, it was as if her internal organs were suddenly emptied. She was so angry that her eyes suddenly went dark.
Her body swayed a few times and was held by someone next to her.
She closed her eyes, waited for the blood in her chest to calm down a little, slowly opened her eyes, and ordered to continue moving forward and return to Liancheng first.
Mu Fulan arrived in Liancheng and returned to her residence. She stood in front of the empty bed, looking at the small clothes and shoes that Xier had not had time to put on. She could no longer control her tears and they burst out.
The maid knelt on the ground behind her, not daring to look up.
Mu Fulan quickly wiped away her tears, turned around and walked out.
Mother Mu, who was already sick from worry, learned that she had returned. She tried to get out of bed, but suddenly she saw her come in. She struggled to get up and kowtowed to her, choking with sobs, "My lady, it's all my fault. I'm useless..."
Mu Fulan quickly stepped forward, supported her, and told her to lie down.
"I already know what happened. It has nothing to do with you. Even if I was there at the time, I'm afraid I couldn't stop him. Mother Mu, don't blame yourself. Get well soon, and I'll be relieved."
She comforted Mother Mu, told the maid to take good care of her, turned around and went out to the front.
Yuan Handing had already rushed over after hearing the news and was waiting there with Liancheng Ling.
The commander of Liancheng knelt on the ground, looking ashamed. Yuan Handing looked anxious. Seeing Mu Fulan appear, he stepped forward quickly and said, "My lady, I will lead people to chase after her. No matter what, we must bring the young master back. You stay here and wait for my news."
"Brother, I'll go by myself."
She said to Yuan Handing.
"Alright. I'll bring some people with you! I'll send someone back to Yuecheng to tell His Highness! Princess, please wait a moment, we'll be able to set off soon!"
After he finished speaking, he turned around and hurried away.
Mu Fulan called him.
She ordered Lian Chengling to stand up and go out with the rest of the people, moving far away, leaving only Yuan Handing.
"Brother, don't go this time."
He can't go either.
If he went, it would only lead to more misunderstandings and anger. Not only would the problem not be resolved, but he would most likely hurt Yuan Handing.
Things start with yourself and should end with yourself.
"Brother, this is a personal grudge between him and me. I cannot tell you the details, but don't worry, he won't harm Xi'er. I will go there by myself, and I will negotiate with him and bring Xi'er back. Believe me."
She said to Yuan Handing.
Yuan Handing remained silent.
Mu Fulan made up her mind.
"Brother, I know you are good to me. You must have had many doubts in your heart all along. There are some things I really can't tell you all, but about Xie Changgeng, I want you to know one thing. He is ambitious and wants to move the throne."
She looked at Yuan Handing and said slowly.
Yuan Handing seemed surprised and glanced at her.
"Although he once promised not to embarrass us and was even willing to protect us, everything was based on a premise that we would not hinder his ambition to move the capital. If one day the imperial court really does not tolerate Changsha and we do something bad to him, he will definitely sacrifice us. The only one we can trust is ourselves."
Mu Fulan couldn't calm down as the past events flashed through her mind.
She said: "My Mu family's ancestors were heroes, and our descendants are fair and peaceful. For two hundred years, we have guarded a piece of land without any second thoughts, and have never coveted others. But things in the world are not controlled by people. In the past, we were restricted everywhere, and our military strength declined. Brother, in a few years, the world will be in chaos. I don't want to be an enemy of Xie Changgeng, but he is really unreliable. If we don't want to be slaughtered by others, we can only rely on ourselves. It's not that we must do this and that in the future, but if we have an army that can resist others, the people are united, and we have the land of Sanmiao as a backing, then in the future, no matter who it is, even Xie Changgeng, when he wants to bite us, he will always have to weigh it first and be cautious."
"Brother, you once said that you still need a year. Now is the most critical moment for Changsha. Brother, listen to me. You don't have to worry about me. Train our troops well. This is your first priority now. Nothing is more important than this!"
Yuan Handing looked at Mu Fulan with a complicated expression. He pondered for a long time, gritted his teeth, and said word by word: "If no one offends me, I will not offend anyone. If someone offends me, I will fight back to the death. I will remember what the princess said. I will arrange an escort for you and return to Yuecheng!"
After he finished speaking, he turned around and walked out quickly.
Early the next morning, Mu Fulan set off.
She took the official road.
According to her original estimate, if she set out from Liancheng and headed north, she should be able to reach Hexi in more than a month. Unexpectedly, only ten days after she set out, when she was about to cross the Yuanshui River, a flood broke out in the upper reaches a few days ago, flooding the road. She was blocked on the south bank. After waiting for many days, the flood finally receded, but the road ahead was washed away again, so she had to take a detour.
She left Liancheng in July, stumbling along the way with many twists and turns. One day, when she finally arrived in Hexi with an anxious heart, she saw wild geese flying south from the north above her head and withered grass stretching across the sky. It was already late autumn in October of that year.