Prince Consort

Chapter 21
Bai Zhi had been a light sleeper recently, and was woken up by the sound of the door closing.She raised her head, it was already dawn.She put on her clothes, washed her face, tied her hair in a bun casually, and went out to the White Horse Temple.

It has become a daily routine for her.

She was going to give the guard money to ask about the situation, but Zheng Zicheng, who came suddenly, saw this scene. He didn't scold the guard harshly, nor did he wink at Bai Zhi. Instead, he smiled and said, "Miss Bai is here to see your mother?"

"I can't see it, I can only inquire about it."

"You can go in now." Zheng Zicheng said calmly.

Bai Zhi was taken aback for a moment, but didn't react for a moment.Zheng Zicheng said: "Just now the doctor has checked your mother's pulse, and your mother has recovered, it should have been a common cold before."

Bai Zhi was overjoyed, hurriedly raised her skirt, and quickly walked towards the east wing.She opened the door, and there was a sandalwood scent that is often found in temples. The light in the room was not very bright, and it was faintly visible that Mrs. Liu was sitting by the tea table, threading needles, as if she was rushing to make clothes.

Sensing someone, Liu raised her eyes and saw that it was Bai Zhi. She was not surprised and said with a smile, "Zhi'er, come here."

Bai Zhi took a closer look and saw that Liu Shi was holding a red wedding gown in her hand, at this time she was embroidering mandarin ducks and playing in the water.Bai Zhi was stunned for a moment, and then she heard Liu Shi say calmly: "When I came in, I didn't know if I could get out alive. Mother can't do anything for Zhi'er in this life. After much deliberation, I can only make a wedding dress for you."

Bai Zhi was so depressed that she didn't speak, but her heart seemed to have been stabbed, and she was extremely uncomfortable.

Seeing Bai Zhi sitting there not talking, Mrs. Liu stroked the back of Bai Zhi's hand with her palm, and patted: "Is your residence all right?"

"Not good." Bai Zhi paused, "The family heard that mother was detained, and they all scattered like birds and beasts, leaving only a few prostitute maids in the house."

Liu was silent.

Bai Zhi continued: "Father... I haven't brought any money this month. I sent several letters, but there is no news. I'm afraid Father doesn't want our mother and daughter and Shu'er anymore." As in the dream, they were killed by Bai Yuan. Abandoned.She thought that if she left the only child of the Bai family, she would be able to sit back and relax, but she never expected that Bai Yuan would actually want to make a show of "breaking kindness and tying justice".

Liu's eyes drooped.

"Mother, do you really want such a husband?" Bai Zhi couldn't help it.

Liu Shi turned her head away from Bai Zhi in great pain: "Perhaps your father has some unavoidable difficulties." Bai Zhi was angry and helpless.She really can't understand, even if she loves another person, she should stop in moderation, how can she be so pedantic and stubborn, so stubborn?
Angelica dahurica suppresses the flame in my heart to prevent it from flourishing.She took a deep breath and said, "Mom, let's go back."

"it is good."

Bai Zhi helped Mrs. Liu back home.When they left the gate of the White Horse Temple, Zheng Zicheng was condolences to those who were also confirmed not to be infected with the plague. He was approachable, with a modest smile, and seemed to be an excellent talker.

Seeing Bai Zhi and Liu Shi coming out, he smiled at them.Bai Zhi smiled back, turned to look at Liu Shi, and found that Liu Shi was frantically brushing the broken hair from her temples with her hands, looking cramped.Bai Zhi froze for a moment, always felt that her mother was quite embarrassed when she saw Zheng Zicheng, but Zheng Zicheng looked very casual.

Did Liu Shi know Zheng Zicheng or Zheng Zicheng pretended not to know Liu Shi?Or is she thinking too much?Bai Zhi had doubts in her heart, but she could only bury it in her heart.It's not appropriate for her to ask about the elders' affairs.

The plague in Su City was extremely serious, and it spread to half of the city in less than a month.What Bai Zhi was most worried about was Mrs. Liu. Regardless of Mrs. Liu's objections and protests, she insisted on taking drastic actions and locked Mrs. Liu in her room. Send it in person.Previously, Liu Shi used a hunger strike to resist the disobedient Bai Zhi, but later Bai Zhi burst into tears and said some touching words of filial piety first, and Liu Shi also calmed down the unhappiness in her heart.

Bai Zhi is also sure about Liu Shi.

She is too soft-hearted.

Mrs. Liu stayed in the house, and Bai Zhi took care of Bai Shao.In fact, Bai Zhi didn't take care of him, but let him follow her wherever she went.Due to the large-scale spread of the plague, the doctors were nervous, and Qiu Chan's Mr. Yao Nong also joined the stage.

Qiu Chan couldn't bear her husband to go down the mountain alone, so she went down the mountain with her and temporarily lived in Baifu.

Ticada leaves early and returns late, sleeping only two hours a day.That's the case with her helpers, let alone how busy her husband is.Bai Zhi felt sorry for Qiu Chan's torment, and she couldn't do what she wanted, so she could only cook some tonic for her.

She brought a bowl of Xueyan to Qiu Chan's room, but saw Qiu Chan lying on the table and falling asleep.Bai Zhi pushed Qiu Chan twice, and Qiu Chan slowly opened her eyes, looking at her in a daze.Bai Zhi gave her the blood swallow: "Drink."

When Qiu Chan saw it was Xueyan, she immediately widened her eyes: "Are you crazy?! Your father hasn't paid you a living expenses for a month, and you still give me Xueyan?"

"These are all left by Er Niang. You know, my mother and I don't eat these, and it's a waste to put them there. You don't need to chew your tongue anymore. Eat it quickly."

Qiu Chan paused, and reluctantly ate a few mouthfuls.Seeing Qiu Chan's preoccupation, Bai Zhi asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Eight more patients were detected today. Although they were either chicken plague or plague. But... Dr. Wang is also infected with the plague today. I'm afraid..." She was naturally worried about her husband who was also on the front line.Qiu Chan has always been strong, but now she cried: "If something happens to him, I will die." Such hypocritical words would never come from Qiu Chan's mouth, unless it was about her husband Song Ke.

Bai Zhi also sank down and became worried.She doesn't have much compassion, and she can only say that she feels a little sorry for Dr. Wang's misfortune, but it's another matter if the partner is her good friend's husband.Qiu Chan and her husband Song Ke can be described as an indirect match between Bai Zhi and a godsend marriage.Qiu Chan, who was a martial artist of Bai Zhi back then, felt sorry for Bai Zhi's injuries all over her body, and she never left her body with Jinchuang medicine all day long.All the "teaching fees" she earned were spent on Jinchuang Medicine.Bai Zhi couldn't bear it and wanted to persuade Qiu Chan, but Qiu Chan was too stubborn to listen.Bai Zhi had no choice but to find medicine farmers to buy medicinal materials to reduce the cost of Qiu Chan, and then found Qiu Chan's current husband.Qiu Chan travels across mountains and rivers to buy medicinal materials every day. The medicine farmers who have been living in the deep mountains have never seen a woman.Everyone outside said that Qiu Chan got a bargain, and a wild girl like Qiu Chan found a handsome and well-behaved medicine farmer. What is it?
Qiu Chan also generously admitted that she did take advantage.Song Ke lived on the mountain with his father since he was a child, and never went down the mountain. His father went down the mountain to sell medicine.His father had just passed away, and the first business he did was Bai Zhi's Jinchuang medicine, and the first woman he met was also Qiu Chan.Even if Song Ke sees the beauty of Bai Zhi in the future, he still firmly insists that there is nothing more beautiful than his wife Qiu Chan.

This is also the reason why Qiu Chan followed Song Ke wholeheartedly, that is, Song Ke loved Qiu Chan wholeheartedly.To use Qing He's joking words, there is only one woman in Song Ke's eyes, and that is his wife, and the rest are all men.

Now that something like this has happened, Qiu Chan should be nervous and panicky.

Bai Zhi said: "Why don't you persuade Song Ke?"

"He has been researching this plague recently, and some days ago, he had some clues. But recently, the scope of the plague has expanded, and he has focused all his energy on the patients."

"Oh." Bai Zhi knew Qiu Chan's state of mind very well, just like she was afraid of her mother getting the plague a few days ago.Facing death, they are not afraid, but afraid of losing. Losing relatives and loved ones is the most painful thing in the world.

Bai Zhi tried her best to protect Liu Shi, she was strong, domineering and even unreasonable.

Will the stubborn Ticada still be inferior?
But in a few days, Song Ke was infected with the plague...

Originally, Song Ke was going to be sent to a concentration camp for infected patients, but was stopped by Qiu Chan.Who dares to take over the sick with the plague?Bai Zhi gritted her teeth, and she took it.In Baifu University, she placed Song Ke in the North Campus, except for Qiu Chan, and no one else could get close.

Naturally, Angelica dahurica cannot be approached either.In fact, Qiu Chan's meaning couldn't be more obvious.

To die, to die together.

This is life and death.Deep love, nothing more.

Bai Zhi wanted to go to the north courtyard to see Qiu Chan several times, but Hong Qiao tried her best to stop her.Bai Zhi said: "I just look at it from a distance." She was really worried, even though she already knew that Qiu Chan and Song Ke were standing at the gate of hell, but Qiu Chan was her only friend, and she couldn't ignore it.

Hongqiao grabbed the skirt of her shirt and shook her head stubbornly: "Madam told me that Miss is not allowed to go to the north courtyard."

Bai Zhi was stunned, Liu Shi never interfered in her affairs, and had always been indifferent, unexpectedly, at this moment, she stood in front of her.Bai Zhi pursed her lips: "At least let me collect the corpse in time." After saying that, tears blurred her eyes.She has never been so sad, even if Bai Yuan abandoned their mother and daughter, she has never been so sad.

Seeing Bai Zhi crying like tears, Hong Qiao felt sympathetic: "Why don't you just watch at the gate of the North courtyard?"

"En." Bai Zhi nodded like a pounding garlic.At this moment, how could she have the airs of a young lady?

She eagerly came to the gate of the north courtyard.Hongqiao was smart, and yelled inside twice: "Miss Qiuchan, is Miss Qiuchan here?"

It was dead silent inside.

Bai Zhi's heart clenched, and she also raised her voice and shouted: "Qiu Chan, it's me, I should respond."

The guard at the door kindly dissuaded Bai Zhi: "Miss Bai, stop shouting, those two people inside are destined to die." There was indifference in their eyes, Bai Zhi couldn't help shaking, and her heart also turned cold.The relationship between people is really as thin as paper.Isn't she the same?If Qiuchan wasn't a friend, how could she care about Qiuchan's life?
The door opened slowly, and there was a thin figure in the crack of the door. He was wearing a gray robe, and his long hair was loosely tied in his mind. A few strands of hair on his forehead covered his eyebrows and eyes. Only those bright and innocent eyes Bai Zhi can still recognize the eyes.

Song Ke!Skinny Song Ke!But I haven't seen him for a month, and he has lost so much weight.

Song Ke said: "Miss Bai." He eagerly wanted to open the door and come out, but the door could only open a hand-wide gap, because the outside was tied by an iron chain.Bai Zhi was startled, Song Ke had always been indifferent, and Qiu Chan's temperament was like fire and water, but the two got along very well.

Seeing the situation, the guard at the gate hit Song Ke with a long stick in the crack of the door, and the weak Song Ke fell to the ground immediately, but his hand was still stretched out towards Bai Zhi, holding a white silk scarf in his hand.

Hongqiao yelled at the elder guard: "Brother guard, he just wants to give something to my lady. You can help pass it over."

"Who dares to take things from people suffering from the plague? What if you get the plague?" The guard looked extremely indifferent and rejected Hongqiao's request.Bai Zhi was a little angry, feeling that the guards were too greedy for life and afraid of death, so without further ado, she went straight to get it by herself.

Hongqiao wanted to stop her, but she couldn't. She wanted to follow, but she had some scruples, so she stood there and stomped her feet.

Bai Zhi came to pick it up by herself, but the guards still refused to let her go: "Miss Bai, don't make things difficult for me, Mr. Zheng has explained, no one else is allowed to come near."

"I'm just taking something outside the door. Don't you dare, can I take it by myself?" Bai Zhi looked at the two guards coldly, so shocked that they didn't dare to answer a word.

Bai Zhi wanted to step forward again, but the two guards blocked her body.

Bai Zhi took a deep breath, knowing that the two of them would not give in, no matter how "pungent" she was, it would be in vain.She had no choice but to snatch the long stick from the guards at the side, and the two guards were so startled that they thought she was going to be violent, and quickly made defensive gestures.

But Bai Zhi stuck the long stick into the crack of the door and said to Song Ke, "Put the handkerchief on the stick."

Song Ke nodded and did so.Bai Zhi got the veil, looked at Song Ke, and knew that the veil must be watched when no one was around, so she put away the veil and said to Song Ke: "Hello, take a break, and say hello to Qiu Chan for me. Thank you for taking the risk Give me back my handkerchief."

Song Ke still stared at Bai Zhi with burning eyes, as if Bai Zhi was his hope in life.

Bai Zhi went back to her room and sent Hong Qiao to boil water to make tea.After Hongqiao left, Bai Zhi couldn't wait to take out the handkerchief from her cuff, on it was Song Ke's writing, only a few strokes, only five characters, but it made Bai Zhi's heart skip a beat.

——Save the cicada, Qingfengya.

Qiu Chan absconded and went to Qingfengya?Qingfengya is the peak of the mountain where Song Ke and Qiuchan live, and a gathering place for rare medicinal materials.But Song Ke and Qiu Chan seldom go to Qingfengya, unless a group of medicine farmers go up together.Because there are no mountain roads on it, it is very easy to get lost. According to legend, there are beasts in the mountains, and it may be more dangerous to go alone.

Qiu Chan went to Qingfengya alone because she undoubtedly wanted rare medicinal materials. Could it be to help Song Ke cure his illness?Is there a cure for the plague?All kinds of possibilities are circling in Bai Zhi's mind at this moment, and her worries are getting heavier.

Song Ke didn't need to dictate, but told it with pen and ink. Obviously he didn't want to tell others, but what's the use of telling her?Her physical strength is not as good as Qiu Chan's, and her kung fu is even worse, so what can she do?
After thinking about it carefully, Bai Zhi suddenly understood.Song Ke just wanted to tell Master Zheng through her!Those guarding guards obviously won't help, wishing they would die early.She is different, she is the daughter of the former magistrate, and she is easier to get close to Zheng Zicheng than ordinary people.Song Ke knew that she was unable to save Qiu Chan alone, but Zheng Zicheng could and could keep his face.

It's just that Song Ke thinks highly of her, Bai Zhi, how can she let Zheng Zicheng send people up the mountain to look for her quietly?She is just the daughter of the former Zhizhou...Suddenly, the scene of Mu Tusu saving her from the fire under the eyes of everyone appeared in his mind.

He said that she was his woman...

She is the son of the world...

This...maybe.

She went to ask Zheng Zicheng to see Mr. Zheng.As she wished, she was not rejected and was entertained.Zheng Zicheng's government office is much simpler than her father Bai Yuan's, and it seems that he is a more honest official than her father.

Seeing Zheng Zicheng, she didn't go around the bush, and went straight to the point: "I beg Mr. Zheng to save Qiu Chan."

"Tiu Chan? The wife of the medicine farmer who got the plague? At the beginning, she voluntarily wanted to live and die with her husband." Zheng Zicheng disagreed.

Bai Zhi pursed her lips and said with a sigh of relief: "Yao Nong Song Ke seems to have developed a cure for the plague, but it has not been confirmed yet. This cure lacks a single medicinal material, which needs to be picked on Qingfengya. To try it, Qiu Chan went alone , now life and death are uncertain, and I beg Mr. Zheng to save me." Bai Zhi knelt down with a sincere expression on her face.

Zheng Zicheng hastened to help her up: "Miss Bai, please get up. I just don't understand why Song Ke didn't tell me about this at the time, but waited until it happened?"

"Master Zheng didn't know that Song Ke's father was a doctor with strong medical skills. Because he was too confident, he misdiagnosed a patient and died. He felt guilty, and he returned to Lin Jian as a drug farmer. Under the influence of his father, Song Ke has developed an extremely cautious temperament, and he is not absolutely sure, so he will definitely not try."

Zheng Zicheng nodded his head: "Then what does Miss Bai want me to do?"

"There seems to be a cure for the plague. Don't make it public. Of course, the most important thing is to ask Mr. Zheng to send people up the mountain to save people."

"Just do what Miss Bai wants."

Bai Zhi smiled as a thank you.

Zheng Zicheng is so forthright, must it be Mutusu's face?

Bai Zhi was worried about Qiu Cicada, so she followed her.Bai Zhi was quite familiar with Qingfengya, she took the lead and walked in front of the searchers, shouting Qiuchan's name all the time.

Having not exercised for several days, Bai Zhi felt a little tired after spinning around on the mountain for two hours.She stopped, put her hands on the tree, panting, and rested for a while.After recovering, she gritted her teeth and continued to climb.

"Miss Bai, do you want to rest for a while?" A policeman walked up to her and asked her.

Bai Zhi waved her hand, seeing that several policemen had already surpassed her.Bai Zhi thought, she might be old and unable to keep up with these young people!Thinking about it again, if this old girl doesn't marry again, she really wants to jump into the lake again.

When Bai Zhi looked up and could see the cloudless blue sky, Bai Zhi's worries became deeper.If at the mouth of the cliff, she hasn't seen Qiu Chan yet, she can only jump off the cliff and go to the underworld to look for it.

Bai Zhi had only walked a few steps when she heard a wolf howling.Bai Zhi shuddered all over, as if possessed by ghosts and gods, and followed the sound of wolves in a strange way.When she came to an open field surrounded by trees, there were three or four wolves surrounding a tree, hissing.Bai Zhi moved her gaze upwards, only to find that Qiu Chan was hugging the tree trunk with bruises all over her body, looking at the hungry wolf waiting for her unable to hold on with her face full of panic.

(End of this chapter)