“Fifth Master!” Gu Jianli was greatly shocked.
Ji Wujing waved his hand, and a gust of strong wind stopped right in front of Gu Jianli’s feet, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.
“Don’t come closer,” Ji Wujing’s voice was hoarse.
He slowly wiped away the black blood from the corner of his mouth with his finger and then stood up, holding Ji Xinglou in his arms.
“But…” Gu Jianli watched Ji Wujing slowly stand up, pressing her lips together and swallowing the rest of her words.
——This was not the time to talk about so-called righteousness. She was not a doctor and knew nothing about medicine. Approaching them would only risk contracting smallpox and be of no use at all.
Calmly, she had a guard bring a horse for Ji Wujing. Gu Jianli noticed that as the guard brought the horse to Ji Wujing, he kept staring at the unconscious Ji Xinglou in Ji Wujing’s arms, his eyes filled with fear.
Smallpox was terrifying, and Gu Jianli understood that.
But Ji Wujing’s health was already very poor, and now he was holding Ji Xinglou without any precautions. Gu Jianli couldn’t help but furrow her brows, worrying for him.
Ji Wujing mounted the horse with Ji Xinglou in his arms.
Gu Jianli recalled her earlier instructions, ensuring nothing was overlooked before ordering the palace guards to return. She then mounted her own horse, silently following behind Ji Wujing.
Ji Xuanke stood in place, gazing from afar at Gu Jianli, who was following behind Ji Wujing at a moderate distance, heading down the mountain.
Bitterness welled up in Ji Xuanke’s eyes. He prided himself on understanding Gu Jianli’s character well, knowing her kindness and her rationality. So, even though she knew she couldn’t help as she wasn’t a doctor, why did she follow? Was it just because of her kindness and her duty as a wife and mother?
Ji Xuanke dared not think further.
At yesterday’s Hundred Flowers Banquet, he had drunk a lot due to socializing and felt both tired and uncomfortable. Worried that Gu Jianli would be upset not finding Ji Xinglou at home, he had searched all night in the wilderness, now left with a splitting headache and utter exhaustion. Yet, this couldn’t compare to the dull pain in his heart.
He watched Gu Jianli’s figure gradually disappear into the distance on horseback, for the first time realizing in a daze that she was heading in the opposite direction, step by step away from him.
Ji Xuanke’s grip on the reins tightened slightly. However, all he could grasp was the ridiculous reins. At this moment, he wasn’t qualified to stand in front of Gu Jianli and reach out to take her away.
Ji Wujing turned back to look at Gu Jianli following behind and said, “Go back to your own home.”
Gu Jianli pressed her lips together and shook her head.
At a moderate distance, they could just barely see each other’s eyes. After a long standoff, Ji Xinglou woke up in Ji Wujing’s arms, restlessly fidgeting.
“He must be hungry.” Gu Jianli untied a water bag hanging by her horse’s side and threw it over to Ji Wujing.
Ji Wujing pulled out the plug, and a milky fragrance wafted out. The water bag was not filled with water, but with goat’s milk that Gu Jianli had specially prepared for Ji Xinglou before leaving.
Ji Wujing lowered his head and carefully fed the goat’s milk to Ji Xinglou. Ji Xinglou did not open his eyes but quietly drank a few sips.
Gu Jianli then threw over another water bag. Ji Wujing pulled out the plug and smelled a fishy aroma. Inside was fish porridge that Gu Jianli had prepared for him. He had left the palace as soon as he woke up, without eating anything in the morning.
Ji Wujing glanced at Gu Jianli, silently hung the two water bags on the side of his horse, turned his horse around, and continued down the mountain.
Gu Jianli continued to follow quietly behind him.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, the Imperial Guards started blocking their way from a distance, shouting, “Master Ji, by order, I must take this child…”
Ji Wujing rode forward, not slowing down, without even glancing at him. Before the man finished speaking, a flash of red light cut off the front legs of the horses of the first row of Imperial Guards. The horses knelt down in fright, and the guards fell to the ground. Seeing the sudden appearance of people in red from the Xuanjing Sect, the remaining guards dared not obstruct them any further.
However, remembering their orders to eliminate the source of the smallpox outbreak, Cai Yuyi and two other leaders brandished their long spears and blocked Gu Jianli, who had just ridden up.
“Lady Ji, the smallpox epidemic must not be delayed. Please persuade Master Ji!”
Gu Jianli shouted at Ji Wujing’s back, “Fifth Master, they want to take me back and cut me into pieces for research!”
Cai Yuyi, seeing Ji Wujing turn his horse around, broke out in a cold sweat. He had no such intention! How could this young lady slander him like this! She was putting his life in danger!
Ji Wujing’s dark gaze swept over them, sending shivers down their spines. Cai Yuyi quickly put away his spear and retreated, saying hurriedly, “Please, Lady Ji! Please!”
Ji Wujing’s eyes lingered on Gu Jianli’s face for a moment longer before he averted his gaze and continued on his way.
Ignoring the warning in Ji Wujing’s eyes, Gu Jianli feigned ignorance and followed him.
Cai Yuyi breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped a dire situation. It was no wonder he feared Ji Wujing—who in the entire Great Ji didn’t fear this fierce wolf? It was only because Ji Wujing’s health had been poor in recent years that things had been more peaceful.
Cai Yuyi had personally witnessed Ji Wujing killing people. He couldn’t help but recall the one time years ago when he saw Ji Wujing use a blade. The former Crown Prince had been on a mission to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and was ambushed by dozens of assassins. Ji Wujing had appeared, dragging a heavy blade, smirking eerily. In a flash of red, twenty-nine heads fell to the ground. He ordered his men to string up the heads of the assassins and hang them at the main gate of Xuanjing Sect, where they were pecked clean by crows until only skulls remained.
Cai Yuyi patted his chest, regretting not finding an excuse to take leave when given the order today. He decided to resign and return to his hometown as soon as possible.
Ji Wujing hesitated about where to take Ji Xinglou—whether to Xuanjing Sect or back to the Marquis of Guangping’s mansion. He chose to return to the Marquis’s mansion. He wasn’t afraid of contracting smallpox himself, but he didn’t want to bring it into Xuanjing Sect. If someone in the Marquis’s mansion contracted it… so be it.
The Marquis of Guangping’s mansion was already surrounded by layers of imperial guards, allowing no one to enter or leave. Imperial physicians had arrived from the palace, each with a grave expression. Doctors did fear smallpox, but they knew that if they couldn’t contain the spread in time, everyone in Yong’an City could catch it.
Ji Jingyi also received news of Ji Wujing and arrived with Luo Muge.
Back at the mansion, Ji Wujing immediately placed Ji Xinglou on a bed. Several physicians covered their mouths and noses and came to examine him.
Gu Jianli was a step behind. She dismounted, her leg aching. Wearing a skirt and riding for so long had chafed her delicate skin. Ignoring her discomfort, she hurriedly inquired about the situation in the mansion.
As expected, a maid had also contracted smallpox. She had contracted it earlier than Ji Xinglou and was in worse condition. It seemed the maid had caught it outside the mansion and then infected Ji Xinglou after returning.
Gu Jianli’s heart sank.
If Ji Xinglou was the first to contract smallpox, the epidemic could still be controlled. But if it was brought in from outside, the consequences could be unimaginable. Many commoners, lacking money for medical treatment, might not even realize they had smallpox, mistaking it for chickenpox.
Gu Jianli had guessed correctly.
Ji Lan immediately ordered a city-wide inspection, and one after another, those infected with smallpox were rounded up. Suddenly, a heavy rainstorm poured down in the evening. The Imperial Guards braved the rain, capturing the smallpox-infected people and gathering them for the imperial physicians to study. Everyone who had contact with the infected was forcefully given medicine by the guards. Given the urgency, they did not differentiate between actual contact and potential contact; anyone possibly exposed was administered the medicine.
The guards claimed it was a cure for smallpox. But how could there be a cure for smallpox? It was merely poison. After poisoning those who had been in contact with the smallpox patients, the guards gathered the bodies and burned and buried them together.
Ji Lan’s swift actions to prevent the epidemic were in vain, as within half a day, the number of smallpox cases continued to rise.
Jixia, holding an umbrella with one hand and two heavy food boxes with the other, walked to the backyard to deliver food, spotting Changsheng kneeling in the rain at the door, where he had been for half the day.
Lizi squatted beside her brother, bewildered and helpless.
“What are you doing kneeling here? No one could have anticipated smallpox! Get up, you’ll get sick!” Jixia urged.
Changsheng remained expressionless and unresponsive. He was supposed to return at noon yesterday but stayed at Xuanjing Sect, drinking and reminiscing with his fellow disciples. It was his dereliction of duty that allowed Ji Xinglou to be sent out of the mansion. His guilt was not solely because Ji Xinglou was abandoned, but more because Ji Wujing had once again used his inner strength due to this incident. If anything happened to the master, he would follow him and continue to serve as his guard in the netherworld!
Jixia, looking at the food boxes in her hands, stopped trying to persuade Changsheng and handed her umbrella to Lizi. “Hold this for your brother!”
A group of imperial physicians gathered in the outer room, some flipping through medical books, others whispering among themselves.
Gu Jianli sat by the window, frowning as she read a medical history book.
Jixia set the food on the table, inviting the physicians to eat, and then brought the other food box to Gu Jianli, setting out the contents one by one. Concerned, she said, “You haven’t eaten anything since you left the mansion this morning. You should at least eat something.”
Gu Jianli blinked, easing the soreness in her eyes, and her gaze fell on the fish porridge. She stood up and took the fish porridge to the inner room.
Ji Xinglou had woken up briefly in the afternoon and had fallen asleep again. His fever had subsided, but red rashes covered his face. Ji Wujing sat by the bed, leaning lazily to one side, his eyes empty and his expression lethargic.
Gu Jianli placed the fish porridge on the table and noticed that the medicinal decoction on the table had not been touched by Ji Wujing. She frowned and gently scolded him, “Why haven’t you taken your medicine?”
Ji Wujing remained unmoved, as if he hadn’t heard her.
“Please eat something and take your medicine, alright?” Gu Jianli used a tone reserved for coaxing children, but Ji Wujing still showed no reaction.
Gu Jianli had never known Ji Wujing cared so much for Ji Xinglou. Suddenly, she remembered what Ye Yunyue had said to her that morning—”I never thought the Fifth Master cared so much for Sixth brother. It seems he has always kept Sixth brother’s birth mother in his heart.”
Gu Jianli furrowed her brows, pushing the thoughts away, and picked up the medicinal decoction, approaching Ji Wujing with a gentle voice, “Just drink a little, alright?”
Irritated, Ji Wujing pushed her away, causing the medicinal decoction to spill, wetting her sleeve. Gu Jianli quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her sleeve. Seeing the red spots on her forearm, she froze.
Ji Wujing’s eyes narrowed sharply as he glanced at her, then he grabbed her hands, staring at the red spots on her forearm. He hoarsely shouted in a dark tone, “Why didn’t you go back to your own home!”
Startled by his outburst, Gu Jianli’s long-held tears finally spilled over. She cried out in grievance, “Why are you yelling at me? I’ve been in contact with Xinglou every day; it’s clear I was already infected long ago!”
