The first-level Zhaohua Thousand-level Hall

Chapter 51 The source of the plague

Xu Qingluo's eyes slid down, looking at the things in the assassin's belly, the grilled beef and mutton residues were shining brightly, and the rough shape could be seen, the knife in his hand was raised forward again, and the things hidden by the food were exposed In front of her eyes: "Sure enough, I just thought it was strange that these food residues shouldn't be so complete, even the stomach that I just ate will automatically digest a lot, let alone judging from the stiffness of the farmer. , He has been lurking here for at least two hours, and he has digested almost everything in two hours, but now it is because his stomach has already degenerated."

The point of Xu Qingluo's knife pointed at the dark mass between the flesh and blood. The small mass made it impossible to distinguish what it was for a while: "This is his stomach, Gu people look at it." He seems to be alive, but in fact he has already become a living dead, unable to eat or digest at all, there will be these foods in his abdomen, maybe because someone invited him to eat before he came to kill, and he still had to eat. pause."

"If he is the living dead, why is he bleeding?"

Lang Cheng was puzzled, the assassin's chest cut by his sword was really bleeding out, even the blood that stopped flowing between the internal organs and blood vessels of Xu Qingluo's autopsy was also bright red blood.

Xu Qingluo turned to look at Lang Sheng: "That's not blood, or it's not his blood."

She threw the knife in her hand on the ground casually, but took out a silver needle to stir up the red thread-shaped Gu worms on the ground that were divided into two by Lang Cheng.

"What exactly is this thing? I have seen Gu worms when I was fighting in the Western Regions. It doesn't look like this."

Lang Cheng frowned, just now this thing almost got into Xu Qingluo's eyebrows, thinking about it made him afraid.

"This is a Gu worm, but it's not a Gu worm either."

Xu Qingluo took out a bottle from his waist, and put the red thread that was cut in half by Lang Sheng into it. This thing may be needed in the future: "To be more precise, it's blood essence, it's blood. Introduction, there is a mysterious voodoo technique in the Western Regions, called Soul Breaking Manipulation, which is to take the blood essence of the strongest warriors, use the blood essence and some herbs to feed the poisonous Gu insects, and wait until the poisonous Gu insects are approaching. When it is raised to the estrus period, it is crushed with a stone mill, and finally these crushed things are boiled in a stone pot. After the last three drops of venom are left in the stone pot, the primer is initially produced. .”

The cold wind howled outside the farmhouse, blowing between the cracks of the mottled bricks from time to time, and there were bursts of sobbing sounds. In conjunction with Xu Qingluo's somewhat terrifying explanation, an ordinary person would probably be frightened, but Lang Sheng just Frowning: "And then?"

He believed in Xu Qingluo's ability, and believed in Xu Qingluo's knowledge and knowledge in medical skills, but what the other party said at this moment was a bit too unbelievable.

The red line I saw just now was clearly a living thing, but what Xu Qingluo explained was clearly a dead thing.

Xu Qingluo's eyes fell on Lang Sheng's face, looking at the unreserved doubts on his face, he pursed his lips: "After this thing is successfully refined, it attaches the venom to the heart of a living person and absorbs it. The blood essence and life of the new host automatically generates a red thread, which is the most vicious and evil thing. The day the red thread is formed is when the host is completely reduced to a puppet. The red thread is regenerated by the life of the host and becomes a living thing. It can also be said that the mutilated Gu worm manipulated the host to obey the orders of the person who refined the introduction, that is, the original owner of the Gu worm. It seems to be the same as usual, but in fact it cannot control its words and deeds. The red thread transformed by the poisonous Gu is the most greedy for blood essence. The host's blood essence has conceived it, so it can only seek compensation from the outside. This thing should be some kind of instinct that constantly manipulates the host to absorb other people's blood essence to nourish itself. There can be so much seemingly normal blood in a corpse.

The blood you see is not so much his blood, but the blood that the red thread got from outside, and it is temporarily fostered in this Gu person's body. "

What Xu Qingluo explained was like a fairy tale to anyone, as mysterious as the stories in those scripts.

Lang Sheng couldn't believe it, and because of Xu Qingluo's serious face, he couldn't believe it, so he couldn't help asking: "Where did you know this kind of soul-breaking manipulation technique?"

It's not that he suspects Xu Qingluo, but that Xu Qingluo knows the origin of this.

Xu Qingluo tilted his head, with a serious look: "From some unofficial miscellaneous books, there are also many descriptions of the art of poisoning in the Western Regions. You may not know, but I am most familiar with these unofficial miscellaneous books." interest."

Naturally, I didn't read it from some unofficial history books. Such a sinister and terrifying technique, not to mention unofficial miscellaneous books, is not allowed by those who practice this art. How could it be recorded in the case? After such an experience in the court, the maid’s behavior at that time was really weird. Xu Qing couldn’t help but want to find out about it. Although Xu Liang was dissatisfied with her actions back then, when she got married before that, she had She gave many medical books to Xu Qingluo as a dowry. Later, Xu Qingluo found a book that specifically recorded the thaumaturgy of the Western Regions in one of the medical books that Xu Liang left her. A detailed description.

Of course Xu Qingluo hadn't read that book now, after all she was not married yet, so naturally she couldn't tell Lang Sheng the truth.

Lang Cheng felt choked: "The things recorded in the miscellaneous history books are all anecdotes that cannot be fully believed, how can they be taken seriously."

He heard what Xu Qingluo said clearly before, although he was puzzled but a little serious, when he heard Xu Qingluo say the origin of these experiences, he felt a little helpless for a moment: "Luo'er, if you like to read some unofficial histories I'll find miscellaneous books for you in the future, but some things can't be taken seriously—"

The most important thing is that Lang Cheng thinks that Xu Qingluo reads something recorded like this. Although she doesn't look scared, he is worried that she will be affected. Unofficial historical miscellaneous books often contain things that are messy but can be insightful, but Some were too much, Lang Sheng didn't want Xu Qingluo to see those things with needle eyes at all.

"Who says it can't be true."

Xu Liang came out from the inside, his face was serious, and he looked at the corpse of a Gu who Xu Qingluo had dissected on the ground: "Although there are many exaggerated and untrue records in miscellaneous books and untrue history, there are also many misleading statements, but there are also many It is precisely because of being unorthodox that many unknown things can be passed down, I heard what Luoer said just now, and those things should be true."

Xu Liang turned his head and asked Xu Qingluo if he wanted to get the bottle that had just been filled with red thread Gu worms, opened it, and looked at the cut red thread inside: "Luo'er just said, I saw it in a medical book, that medical book is It was passed down to me by my master."

Xu Liang carefully closed the bottle: "There was also mention of this soul-breaking manipulation technique, which is exactly the same as what Luo'er just said."

He looked at Lang Sheng, and paused every word: "The soul-breaking manipulation technique recorded on it is the thaumaturgy of the Western Regions."

He was extremely disgusted with other races, especially those from the Western Regions who might be related to his senior brother's death, which made Xu Liang unable to calm down.

There was nothing suspicious about Xu Liang's words, but Lang Sheng was puzzled by other places: "The Western Region has been surrendered for many years, and it has been very stable in recent years. Why did you choose to make a move at this time, especially in Huai County?" Such a small place?"

Xu Qingluo laughed softly, met Lang Sheng's and Xu Liang's confused gazes, and shook her head: "You are wrong, Huai County is indeed a small place, very inconspicuous, it is located on the map You have to search carefully before you can find the location, but you forgot that Huai County now has you, the Pegasus General appointed by the imperial court, and the first-rank general who made great achievements in pacifying the Western Regions. Can you attract some people's attention? focus on."

Xu Qingluo's throat was a little dry. She walked to the table, poured a cup of cold tea, and rubbed it slowly in her palm, her eyes were full of thoughts: "For people from the Western Regions, you are a The object of great attention either wins you over or leaves you in the dust."

He took the cup away with one hand: "I'll go find some firewood later and re-boil the pot of hot water. Herbal tea will hurt my health."

Xu Qingluo looked up at this man who cared about herbal tea injury at an important moment, and suddenly laughed: "Hey, didn't you hear what I just said? People from the Western Regions are planning to deal with you .”

Lang Sheng didn't answer yet.

"Luo'er, how did you talk—"

Xu Liang frowned and shouted, he felt that Xu Qingluo's tone was a bit disrespectful, although he wondered what was going on between Lang Sheng and Xu Qingluo, Xu Liang still couldn't see Xu Qingluo talking to Lang Sheng like this.

Xu Qingluo curled her lips helplessly. She and Langsheng have long been used to talking like this, but Xu Liang forgot it on the sidelines, and now her whole body feels a little uncomfortable: "Okay, Dad, I know I'm wrong, I'll make sure to talk to you later. Talk to Big Brother Lang nicely, it's already getting late, father, go and rest quickly."

"What are you going to say to Ah Cheng—"

"The private conversation is finally over."

Xu Qingluo grinned, his teeth were exposed, with a hint of naughtiness, Lang Sheng's body froze, facing Xu Liang's shocked eyes, he tried to smile but failed.

Xu Liang was pushed into the back room by Xu Qingluo.

When Xu Qingluo came out, she saw Lang Sheng coming in, the body in the room that she had dissected was gone, and the man with his back to her was scrubbing the blood on the ground with snow water.

Lang Sheng was used to seeing blood on the battlefield, so he naturally didn't care about sleeping next to corpses or bloody water. What he was worried about was that Xu Qingluo would not sleep well.

Xu Qingluo squatted down and pressed Langsheng's hand: "You are still injured, do you really want to tear the wound?"

"It's a small injury—"

"To me, any injury on your body is not a small matter."

Xu Qingluo resolutely removed the thing that was scrubbing the floor in front of Lang Sheng: "Okay, let's continue the topic just now, don't try to divert the target, how are you going to deal with the Western Regions' solicitation or black hands."

Looking at Xu Qingluo's solemn and serious face, Lang Sheng shook his head helplessly: "It's impossible to win them over. First of all, they are foreigners, and I am Han. That's enough. And they didn't think about people from the Western Regions when they dealt with me. After so many years of being peaceful, why did you suddenly attack me? It’s probably because I couldn’t bear the hatred for me, but it’s not a day or two for those who have been defeated by me to deal with me. People from the Western Regions are not the only ones who want to deal with me, am I still alive and well? I am not a vegetarian in my position as the Pegasus General. Well, don’t worry, everything is up to me.”

Lang Sheng preached to Xu Qingluo very earnestly. Although Xu Qingluo had extraordinary knowledge and was calm in dealing with things, let alone someone of the same age, even Lang Sheng was amazed many times, but the man recognized Xu Qingluo and wanted to To protect her, I don't want her to be involved any more, he is enough, such a weird technique of the Western Regions is impossible to guard against, just now the red thread transformed from the most poisonous Gu insect almost entered Xu Qingluo's body.

Xu Qingluo looked at the man's face as if he could do it by herself, and felt a heartache. She was just worried that Langcheng was like this. Even though she knew it was the poison art of the Western Regions, she didn't think about it at a deeper level. Langcheng is a very strong man. The general is definitely not a qualified politician or conspirator. She told him so much, but he just thought that this was just a war of alien revenge.

Xu Qingluo took a deep breath, and looked directly at Lang Sheng: "You are wrong, Ah Lang, it is true that people from the Western Regions deal with you, and it is even more true to win you over. You have forgotten someone."

Lang Sheng was inexplicable.

"Third prince, it is said that the third prince was relegated to the frontier and entered the Western Regions. The third prince should know your abilities well. The sudden appearance of so many moths in Huai County is not just as simple as killing you."

Lang Sheng was displeased when he heard the third prince. He listened to Xu Qingluo's affirmative tone, and thought deeply: "If you talk about the third prince, he has indeed entered the Western Region, and his methods are indeed vicious, especially the unscrupulous ones." , although he is not a suitable heir to the throne, it may open up a new situation in the Western Regions. It's just that the third prince has done too much, no matter whether he is behind him or not, I will not go to him."

Lang Sheng's last sentence was categorical.

Xu Qingluo asked suddenly: "Do you hate people with vicious methods?"

"nature."

Lang Sheng replied without hesitation.

Xu Qingluo felt a little depressed, and smiled at Lang Sheng: "How many people in the royal family are not vicious, they are not ruthless, they can't stand firm, and their vicious methods—" Most of the time, it's just for self-protection .

Xu Qingluo didn't continue, she might use more vicious methods in the future, in order to protect Lang Sheng, to protect her family, and to seek revenge.

Lang Sheng was also silent. He didn't hear the hidden thoughts in Xu Qingluo's heart, but he heard what she said plainly in his ears and kept it in his heart. What she said was so incisive that he was speechless. It reminded him even more of the current situation in the DPRK, the figures trapped in power, and the danger of stumbling each other in order to eradicate dissidents.

He was not afraid of dying on the battlefield, shrouded in horse leather, but he was afraid that he would not even have the chance to go to the battlefield, and would die under the imperial court's factional struggle.

Seeing Lang Cheng's silence, Xu Qingluo couldn't utter the follow-up words that he wanted to teach him for a while, and sighed, Lang Cheng was really her nemesis: "Actually, I would doubt the third prince It is also because the plague in Huai County broke out too suddenly, and there are other things, whether it is pulling the Xu family into the water or letting you get stuck in it, it takes a long time to prepare. You need to deal with Huai County, me, To know you well is to be successful, and what is more important is to have the ability to set up a situation, of which the Yang family is the most doubtful."

And the third prince is the master who was once loyal to the Yang family, Lang Cheng's frown gradually spread: "Then if we start from the Yang family, we will definitely be able to figure out the plague incident this time."

Xu Qingluo nodded, looking at Langsheng's relaxed smile, secretly decided that those too dark things should be kept in her heart for the time being, she didn't like to see men anxious, worried, disappointed and helpless.

In the future, there will always be a chance for Lang Sheng to recognize many personnel matters.

I don't know when it was snowing outside, and the cold wind was howling. Lang Sheng blocked the door with something, and Xu Qing fell on the bed behind him: "Okay, it's getting late, go to bed quickly, I'm tired today too It's been a day."

Lang Sheng turned his head and was stunned, why there was only one bedding.

Xu Qingluo moved his body inside: "Sick treatment."

Lang Sheng lowered his voice, feeling his face start to burn again: "Uncle is still inside."

She smiled very nicely: "My father is the most reasonable, you have to sleep on the bed today to save me from getting hurt, as for me, do you have the heart to let me sleep on the floor?"

Knowing each other so far, even when he was extremely uncomfortable with Xu Qingluo's words and deeds at the beginning, Lang Sheng was not willing to let Xu Qingluo hit the floor once.

"If you fell in the middle of the night, wouldn't it be more injury than injury."

Xu Qingluo pulled Lang Sheng outside and put the pillow inside.

"I'm really fine—"

"I said you have something to do, and you have something to do. You are an injured patient and you must listen to me."

Xu Qingluo blocked Lang Cheng with a single sentence. Lang Cheng lay flat on the narrow bed, trying to shrink his body as far as possible, but after a while the woman's arm was on his waist, and the man froze.

"Do you not like it when I do the autopsy?"

The howling cold wind covered most of Xu Qingluo's voice, but Lang Cheng could still hear it clearly. He didn't know the girl's face in the dark, but felt the sadness in the other's words inexplicably.

"I just don't want you to see—" I don't want you to see other men's bodies.

Lang Sheng held back these words and couldn't say them out. He never knew that he was such a narrow-minded man.

"what did you see?"

Xu Qingluo asked, she naturally noticed a hint of displeasure on the man's face after her autopsy, and thought it was because the man couldn't accept her autopsy.

"See other men's bodies!"

Lang Cheng gritted his teeth and spit out these words lightly.

"You're jealous."

Xu Qingluo's soft words were like thunder, and he almost cheated the man, but he was pressed down by a quilt and a thin arm, and he couldn't break free without much effort.

There was a trace of sadness in Xu Qingluo's voice, it was clearly undisguised joy: "Those are just patients."

How can I think about their figure.

"I'm your patient too."

"But you are the most special patient. In my eyes, only your body is different."

"Xu Qingluo—"

Lang Sheng's face was really flushed by Xu Qingluo's words, and he wanted to get up subconsciously.

"Shh, my dad is next door."

This sentence is more effective than any warning. Lang Sheng didn't dare to move any more, and subconsciously relaxed his breathing. He felt that it was that time when he lurked in the heavy snow for three days and three nights just to ambush the enemy. I've never been so nervous.

"If you really don't like it, I won't be a doctor in the future."

"The Xu Qingluo I know is the one who heals diseases and saves lives!"

Lang Sheng forgot his embarrassment, because the girl spoke impulsively, "It's Xu Qingluo who is more persistent than anyone else!"

He was a little uncomfortable, seeing and thinking that she would look at other men's bodies, but Lang Sheng never thought of letting Xu Qingluo stop being a doctor. She is a natural doctor, and he likes her when she treats patients with confidence Smile, he likes her calmness and composure in the face of any difficulty, he likes her comfortable smile.

"You don't need to change for anyone."

Lang Sheng lowered his voice again. He had thought about it a long time ago. All his discomforts were wrong. He would find a way to restrain himself and even change his mentality as soon as possible to fully support it.

In the darkness, the corners of the girl's lips curled into a moving arc, her eyes were full of affection and tenderness, she quietly moved her body closer to the man's side, and then groped to cover the man's big hand.

Xu Liang is getting old, and he was really tired today. He fell asleep right after he lay down on the bed, but before he fell asleep, a thought popped into his mind. He is also a doctor.

Just in a daze, as soon as this idea came out, I fell asleep.

Lang Sheng woke up very early the next day, the main concern was that Xu Liang would see him and Xu Qingluo sleeping together in the same bed.

"It seems that I can't go back to the county today."

With a creak, he pulled out his leg that had stepped into the snow. Lang Sheng looked at the endless white stretching forward, and saw a silhouette before him. He turned around and met Xu Qingluo's clear eyes: "Are you awake, are you cold?" ?”

Langcheng subconsciously closed the door tightly, turned around and was about to take off his coat and give it to Xu Qingluo.

"Don't worry, my body is better than you imagined, at least better than the injury, even if you take off your clothes and give them to me, I won't wear them."

How could Xu Qingluo let Lang Sheng take off his coat, it was so cold today, even if Lang Sheng was not injured, she would not be willing.

Lang Sheng met Xu Qingluo's stubborn eyebrows and shook his head helplessly. He held Xu Qingluo's hand, feeling a little cold, turned around and walked to the table, poured out a cup of steaming tea, tested the temperature of the water, and put it on. It reached Xu Qingluo's palm: "I just burned it, drink it while it's hot, and all the firewood in the farm has been burned. If the snow is still falling today, we must prepare some firewood."

"I'll go pick up some firewood later, now that the snow has stopped."

Xu Qingluo was holding the warm cup, and there was a small gap in the cup. The tea leaves in it were bitter and astringent, not good tea. The current situation is definitely not comfortable, but the breath seems to be cold. I mean, when I exposed my fingertips for a while, I felt like I was going to freeze, but at this moment, Xu Qingluo felt very warm, her heart was very warm.

Looking up: "I'll go with you."

"Luo'er, what are you going to do? I can pick up the firewood by myself, and you wait here obediently for me—"

"You are hurt, I don't worry about you, either I go by myself, or you go with me—"

It is rare for Lang Sheng to change Xu Qingluo's decision, from the first meeting to now, there has never been an exception.

The two of them found some not-so-good fur materials from this farmhouse and wrapped them around their bodies, especially Lang Sheng's legs. Xu Qingluo specially cut two pieces of leather with a knife and found a needle and thread to make a pair. A simple knee pad was tied on the man's leg, and then the two went out together, Xu Liang was still sleeping, and the two of them tacitly agreed not to disturb him.

Although the snow was so deep that it could reach the thighs, Lang Sheng took Xu Qingluo's hand to find some places with less snow. Although it was slow, he walked very steadily.

Xu Qingluo looked at the footprints stepped on by the man. Before she could react, she stepped on them. Her footprints covered his footprints. He was in front and she was behind. He protected her from the wind. Holding her hand never let go.

Lang Sheng stopped suddenly, and Xu Qingluo, who was enjoying stepping on the man's footprints behind him, couldn't stop and almost bumped into the man's back.

"what happened?"

"what happened?"

The two spoke in unison.

"Slipped a bit."

No matter how bold Xu Qingluo was, she was a little embarrassed to tell Lang Sheng what she had just done.

Lang Sheng checked Xu Qingluo's whole body, and felt relieved: "Be careful."

"Ah."

"The road ahead is not easy to walk, I will carry you on my back."

Lang Sheng bent down.

Only then did Xu Qingluo see a large area of ​​potholes and ups and downs in front of him, probably a hilly low slope.

"Come up quickly."

The man urges.

"I can walk by myself, you hurt your shoulder—"

"Could it be that the injured shoulder can't carry you?"

Lang Sheng grabbed Xu Qingluo, and then, not allowing her to refuse, put her two hands on his neck. With one force, the girl landed on his broad back.

"Langsheng, I haven't agreed yet—"

"Heal the disease and save lives, listen to you, march to explore the road, listen to me, we have been out for a long time, we must find dry firewood as soon as possible, and go back before it snows again."

Xu Qingluo saw the gloomy point above the sky that was rendering this way, and finally clasped his hands on the man's neck.

"You're completely in my hands, aren't you afraid?"

Being carried on the back by Lang Sheng, Xu Qingluo felt the hard spine, the broad back, and the man's faint heartbeat and panting. For a moment, he was a little dazed, and subconsciously clenched his hands even tighter.

"Not afraid."

"Because you believe I can't touch you?"

"Because I believe you won't hurt me."

Even if Xu Qingluo really hurt him, Lang Sheng believed that she was doing it for his own good.

She saved his leg, and she took him to heart.

Lang Sheng kept all these in his heart.

It took a long time to walk out of the high and short hills. The man's legs and feet were already muddy. Xu Qingluo glanced at the man's knee pads from time to time, fearing that the other party's injury would recur, he hugged the man even tighter. , Carefully cover each other's shoulders to prevent the cold wind from invading.

There was a river beach ahead, Xu Qingluo insisted on getting down, Lang Sheng saw that the front was fairly flat, so he agreed.

Ice had already formed on the river beach, and it was crystal clear from a distance, like a crystal, shining with colorful light under the weak sunlight.

Lang Sheng took Xu Qingluo's hand and walked carefully on the ice. Xu Qingluo looked at the especially beautiful river beach after freezing, and suddenly said: "This river connects the county town, and it is the mother river of Huai County. According to the county records, The Seventh Year of Qianhe was a year of catastrophe, and the drought was particularly severe. There was no rain for half a year, the river dried up, and the fields dried up. Almost all the land in Huai County was barren. Many people felt that they could not live that year. After going down, someone wanted to dig a grave for himself, but accidentally opened an underground river. This river ran through the county and saved many lives in Huai County and the surrounding counties. The river has become the mother river or the Huaihe River—"

Xu Qingluo said casually, walking side by side with Lang Sheng on the mother river that saved countless lives, she just felt relaxed, she liked the feeling of walking side by side with him, talking and laughing casually: " Because this river runs through Huai County, people in the county drink the water from this river, and only some wealthy households in some counties with wells in their homes don’t drink the water from this river—"

Xu Qingluo's voice stopped abruptly, she and Langcheng looked at each other, both eyes were in a trance and serious: "The poison of the plague was born in the county almost overnight, if the plague wants to die so quickly The only thing that everyone can use when caught off guard is the drinking water that the people of the whole county can use."

Lang Sheng said decisively: "This is probably the transmission route of the plague, let's find the source!"

The two of them were no longer relaxed and comfortable, so they quickened their pace and walked along the direction of the river beach.

Lang Sheng and Xu Qingluo stopped in their tracks, he supported the girl, she was panting heavily, her face was stained with sweat, but her eyes were shining brightly: "It should be here."

It was a frozen deep pool, and its location was extremely hidden. If it wasn't for Lang Sheng lying on the ground several times to explore along the way, and Xu Qingluo had studied the county annals, which also contained structural maps of the county seat and its surroundings, I'm afraid it would have been impossible to find it. here.

There was silence around the deep pool, nothing but the sound of the wind, looking down it was pitch black and bottomless, Lang Sheng asked Xu Qing to wait for him to explore.

Xu Qingluo also knew that she didn't have much physical strength now, so she didn't insist on exploring with the man this time, but she never stayed idle. Her eyes wandered around the deep pool and suddenly stopped.

It was a puddle of sheep dung that had dried up. Maybe it would be normal to see it on a daily basis, but at this moment and here, a puddle of sheep dung appeared, which was the most unusual.

(End of this chapter)