Brother Rong of Red Mansion

Chapter 89 Jia Qiang is dead

Jia Rong is training troops.

War is the fastest way to improve relationships. Because in a dangerous external environment, human beings will unconsciously join forces to stay warm and share the difficulties together.

Jia Rong read "Ningwu Strategy" and consciously studied the methods of military training, but he still had to combine it with practice, go among the masses, and become one with the masses.

Easier said than done, but this is it.

******

But soon, a piece of bad news came, which made Jia Rong's happy mood suddenly sink again. I saw a third-class maid running up to the deck and saying, "Uncle Rong, it's not good, Second Master Qiang has a fever..."

As soon as these words came out, Jia Rong's body was shaken, and the chatter and laughter on the deck fell silent.

"You continue to watch the night, I'll go take a look." Jia Rong ordered, and immediately the golden armor leaves flashed, and he called Military Doctor Xia up with heavy steps to visit Jia Qiang.

"How is it in the dormitory?" Jia Rong asked Doctor Xia.

"It's not very good." Doctor Xia shook his head, "There are a few seriously injured people who may not survive tonight. Those with minor injuries will also have to look at their own fate."

Jia Rong was silent after hearing this.

This is the real war in ancient times.

Casualty rate means that injury means death. It was not until the development of antibiotics such as sulfonamides and penicillin that battlefield mortality was greatly reduced. And this is why he wears gold armor on the deck. Even with a golden finger, Jia Rong is afraid of getting hurt.

Walking into Jia Qiang's cabin, all the girls and servants inside were sobbing. When they saw Jia Rong and Doctor Xia coming in, they cried quickly: "Uncle, Second Master Qiang is not good, he is very hot..."

Jia Rong nodded, walked to Jia Qiang's bedside, and saw that Jia Qiang's face was pale, with beads of sweat on her face and forehead, but her body seemed to be trembling with cold, tightly wrapped in a brocade quilt, and swaying all the time.

"How is it?" Jia Rong asked Doctor Xia.

Doctor Xia didn't speak, only shook his head slightly, and Jia Rong sighed when he saw this. Caiwei saw the expressions of the two of them and knew that Jia Qiang was helpless, so she couldn't help but choke up and cry. The two third-class servants waiting in the room also wiped their tears with handkerchiefs, showing a bit of sadness.

"Give Mr. Qiang another dose of 'Ruyi Badu Decoction'." Doctor Xia ordered a third-class servant to go to the kitchen to get the medicine and make a last-ditch effort for Jia Qiang.

"Okay." The third-class maid left, and soon she brought a bowl of hot decoction, which was the 'Ruyi Badu Decoction' from "The Secret Forbidden Prescription for Golden Sores", which is an overseas fairy prescription for treating traumatic injuries. Doctor Xia opened the medicine box again, pinched a 'Revival Pill' and the decoction and took it.

"Let's have another look." Doctor Xia said, his ability only ended here.

"Alas." Jia Rong shook his head and sighed. He sent Military Doctor Xia back to the tower first, and then returned to Jia Qiang's cabin to guard him. Until the beginning of Yinshi, Caiwei's cry suddenly woke up Jia Rong who was dozing on the brocade couch.

"Second Master, Second Master, wake up..."

At this moment, Caiwei was leaning on Jia Qiang beside the bed in the living room, crying uncontrollably. Jia Rong was startled and quickly walked into the bed.

"Uncle, the second master is out of breath." Caiwei cried.

Jia Rong reached out and probed Jia Qiang's nose. Sure enough, she was not breathing. She then touched the pulse on her neck and wrist and found that there was no beating.

Jia Qiang is dead!

"Brother Qiang, wuwuwu——" Jia Rong cried, her face full of sadness. Mei Xiang, however, wiped away her tears and persuaded him, "Master, my condolences! Second Master Qiang is gone. While his body is not frozen, let Caiwei comb his hair and change clothes quickly. Don't delay."

Jia Rong nodded after hearing this, and immediately ordered Caiwei and two third-class servants to comb Jia Qiang's hair and change her clothes. Accompanied by Mei Xiang, he slowly walked out of Jia Qiang's room.

Soon, all the sailors on the ship and the servants of the Ning Mansion learned the news that "Jia Qiang died of serious injuries", and they couldn't help but look sad and burst into tears. For a time, the whole boat was wailing, and the voices were heard weeping. The news spread far and wide, waking up countless forest birds and burrowing beasts on both sides of the canal.

Even the bright moonlight looked increasingly white. Coupled with the original white curtains and white lanterns with the word "Dian" on the cabin deck, this heavy and solemn atmosphere infected everyone even more.

******

In fact, Jia Qiang is not the only one who died tonight. Even among the seriously injured people in the dormitory, there were only three missing, and there were sounds of crying.

When Jia Rong was taking care of Jia Qiang's funeral, he also came to visit in the tower. In front of many wounded people, he personally "opened the eyes" and "closed the eyes" of the deceased, and solemnly promised that he would personally give the pension money to their families.

Jia Rong's actions moved the wounded in the dormitory. They all burst into tears and were grateful to Jia Rong. Even the sailors on night watch outside the tower and the servants of Ning Mansion were all excited and their blood boiled after seeing Jia Rong's comforting methods. They had the feeling that "a scholar will die for his confidant."

It's daylight soon.

Facing a wisp of white in the eastern sky, the building boat on which Jia Rong was riding rode the wind and waves on the canal. After turning several turns, it sailed out of the "three turns" in the reed marsh area and entered the straight channel again.

The water bandits and hyenas withdrew one after another when the sky turned white.

At this time, as the Ningguofu building sailed into the straight channel, there were also several three-masted merchant ships. Everyone on board was excited and crying, as if they were welcoming new life.

The other ships stayed in the dangerous three turns.

Silent and peaceful.

******

The voyage continues.

After leaving Shenjing City and sailing for a day and a night, the "Dian Chuan" on which Jia Rong was riding had passed Tongzhou and approached Tianjin.

This pearl on the shores of the sacred city is very prosperous with its convenient inland shipping thanks to the Grand Canal and Jinmen Wharf.

We walked for another two hours, until the sky was bright and the sun rose, dispersing the cold fog on the river. Jia Rong ordered the ships to dock and go on land to buy funeral objects.

At this moment, Jia Qiang has already combed her hair, but has not put on her shroud. The same is true for the "dead people" sorted out in the coffin. Jia Rong must dock and go ashore.

With the official title of "Ning Guofu", Jia Rong wore a plain white hemp crown and a red gauze tiger and leopard patch. She led dozens of Ning Guofu boys ashore with a solemn expression. Entering the important town of Jinmen, we found several coffin shops, purchased all the funeral items, and carried four more coffins onto the ship.

Others were curious when they saw it, and a censor who patrolled the city came over to ask what happened. Jia Rong told the story of the water bandits on the road.

After hearing this, the censor who patrolled the city shook his head repeatedly, full of sympathy for the experiences of Jia Rong and others. He scolded the unruly people for wreaking havoc, and sent troops to support the invaders to respect themselves. He vowed to go to Shu to directly remonstrate with him, impeach the governor of water transportation, and eliminate the rule of law.

After hearing this, the servants of the Ning Mansion and the people on the street talked and praised him one after another, thinking that the censor patrolling the city was Master Qingtian.

Although Jia Rong remained skeptical, he acted with this person for a while.

After the funeral objects were purchased, Jia Rong found an express delivery shop and spent money to write a letter asking someone to report the news of Jia Qiang's death.

"Sigh, I don't know how the government will react when they learn this news."

Jia Rong shook his head and immediately left the express delivery shop. He led a group of Ningguofu boys and boarded the boat again and continued southward along the canal route.

(End of this chapter)