Chapter 27 Responsibility
The Two-Faced Young Lady
The first thing Xuan Rui did upon arriving in Ming City was to announce the city’s lockdown, prohibiting any commoners from entering or leaving.
Luo Cheng, standing nearby, couldn’t help but remark, “General, this might cause even more panic among the people and incite resistance.”
“Are the numerous garrison troops in Ming City just for show?” Xuan Rui glanced at him and said sternly, “Since you wrote in your letter that you were concerned about the Daliang civilians near the border being infected, why didn’t you seal the city earlier to prevent the plague from spreading?”
Feeling the immense pressure in the other’s gaze, Luo Cheng lowered his head meekly and dared not say more.
He had long heard that Xuan Rui, commander of the Zhenbei Army, had an unpredictable temperament and fought like a mad wolf. He had gained some fame in his teens, was adopted as a foster son by the prince, and had achieved illustrious military merits.
Such a person was naturally beyond his reach.
However, being optimistic by nature, he didn’t dwell on self-pity and instead joined the team distributing medicine.
Earlier, Xuan Rui had divided the garrison troops into five teams based on the severity of the affected villages, appointing five capable leaders to distribute medicine and provide appropriate aid to the villagers.
He personally led one team to the village most severely ravaged by the plague.
Following his orders, households were to remain in their homes and not wander outside freely.
Granaries, rice shops, and markets were all taken over by the soldiers, who distributed food and necessary medicine door-to-door daily.
In just half a day, the previously chaotic village had become empty and quiet, with only the soldiers working methodically.
Luo Cheng sighed in admiration, realizing he lacked both Xuan Rui’s authority and the ability to procure such ample supplies, so he could only assist where needed.
Suddenly, a slender figure appeared beside the jumble of tiled houses in the countryside, looking utterly out of place.
Beneath a thick felt hat, a small, palm-sized face was visible, with a snow-white, delicate chin that evoked pity.
He hadn’t noticed earlier, but now he realized General Xuan had brought a woman with him on this trip.
However, this woman’s beauty was too striking—a mere glimpse had already stirred his heart.
Unwilling to approach her, he turned and stepped aside.
Li Youqing, unable to find Xuan Rui, wandered around the village on her own.
Observing the villagers’ symptoms, she noted they resembled the yellow fever that had broken out in a village near the imperial city two years ago.
It began with fever, vomiting anything consumed, followed by complete exhaustion, yellowing of the body, and death.
During that outbreak near the capital, the Crown Prince had personally led physicians there, staying for half a month until the epidemic was fully contained before returning to the palace.
But that very night, the Crown Prince developed a high fever, diagnosed by the imperial physicians as yellow fever contracted from the outbreak.
She still remembered her anxiety at the time, fearing her Imperial Brother would fall gravely ill like Father Emperor, confined to bed drinking bitter medicines, barely recognizing her.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince was young and recovered fully after a few days of medication.
“This disease most likely came from Daliang,” she overheard Bai Cha say with some dissatisfaction when she encountered him at the corner of a roof.
Li Youqing looked up and saw him wearing an extravagant crimson fox fur coat, his slender hand bones visible from the wide sleeves.
Like a child trying on adult clothes, it was utterly ill-fitting.
She lowered her gaze, feeling those couldn’t possibly be a man’s hands.
Only the young eunuchs in the palace, having been castrated in childhood, developed such slender figures resembling women.
Moreover, men from the northwestern tribes were generally robust and sturdy. Having traveled extensively these past few days, she had never seen anyone like him.
Noticing her lack of response, Bai Cha realized his earlier words might sound inappropriate to Central Plains ears, and added as if speaking to himself: “Yet everything has its pros and cons. It’s precisely through exchange and integration with the Central Plains that our Rou Lan has grown more prosperous.”
Li Youqing’s expression remained indifferent, as if she hadn’t heard him speak at all.
Bai Cha smiled gently and stepped aside.
Truth be told, he couldn’t quite figure out this young maiden before him.
At times she acted arrogantly and rudely toward him, while at other moments she appeared delicate and vulnerable enough to evoke pity.
He had never imagined that a hardened man like General Xuan would one day be beguiled by feminine charms.
Yet one couldn’t deny it – even he found himself captivated by this face. What normal man could possibly resist?
This young lady’s beauty was almost supernatural, the kind that etched itself into memory after just one glance.
Roaming the world without powerful protection, she’d likely be devoured to the bone in an instant.
Noticing his covert appraisal, Li Youqing sneered inwardly and said in a cool tone: “You carry the scent of Night Lo Flower.”
There was a time she greatly favored this exotic cold fragrance, even using it to scent her clothes until both Liu Chang Hall and the East Palace were filled with it.
But standing before her was a man – why would he use such perfume?
Hearing her remark, Bai Cha felt somewhat helpless and awkwardly explained: “As you know, young lady, I’m in trade and constantly travel north and south to source goods. I must personally test various fragrances, and happened to be wearing this one today. Next time it might be another. If you like it, I’ll gift you a box of Night Lo fragrance later.”
His words were perfectly diplomatic, his expression revealing no flaws.
Li Youqing had been contemplating how to infiltrate his caravan to escape, and now nodded: “Very well, then go fetch it for me.”
Not only did this man resemble a eunuch in appearance, but he gave her the same impression.
Bai Cha was taken aback, thinking this young lady certainly didn’t stand on ceremony.
He went to retrieve a box of scented ointment from his carriage and presented it to Li Youqing.
“What is this?” A man’s cold, deep voice interrupted. Bai Cha’s hand trembled, nearly dropping the exquisitely packaged Night Lo fragrance, but fortunately the other man’s steady hand quickly took the box.
Hearing the implicit displeasure in General Xuan’s tone, he immediately regretted stirring up trouble.
Stepping back to explain the context of the gift, he was preempted by the girl’s sweet, soft voice: “General, Young Master Bai just gifted me this box of Night Lo fragrance.”
She opened the lid as if presenting treasure, deliberately holding it up before Xuan Rui, and said with innocent charm: “Smell it – isn’t this fragrance particularly unique?”
Both Xuan Rui and Bai Cha’s expressions darkened simultaneously, exchanging meaningful glances.
Seeing General Xuan’s face hardening, Bai Cha found himself tongue-tied. Though the girl had likely deliberately twisted the narrative, he couldn’t pinpoint any actual falsehood in her words.
Any further explanation would only make it more obvious that one was trying to cover up.
He silently resolved to avoid this two-faced young lady in the future.
After letting out a couple of awkward laughs, he turned and retreated.
Xuan Rui stared at the smooth, jade-like ointment in her hand, noticing its fragrance resembled the scent she carried. The thought that Bai Cha also used this perfume made him even more uncomfortable.
“General, are you finished with your duties?” Li Youqing stood on her tiptoes, her sincere gaze fixed on his indifferent eyes. “To be honest, I have cared for someone with yellow fever before, and that person recovered. Why not let me visit each household to check on the sick villagers’ progress? If there are any critically ill beyond recovery, it would be best to have them cremated early to prevent further contagion.”
Xuan Rui couldn’t help but feel surprised. As a young lady from a noble family, where would she have had the chance to care for someone with yellow fever?
But then he considered her status as a concubine’s daughter and the way the Prime Minister’s household had treated her after the incident at Lu Ming Mountain. Could it be that her past life had truly been full of hardship?
The earlier displeasure in his heart transformed into a wave of compassion.
“Aren’t you afraid of getting infected?” Xuan Rui lowered his gaze, resting it on the tip of her nose, reddened from the cold, finding that touch of red particularly endearing.
She seemed like a timid little white rabbit, having to stand on her toes to look up at him just so they could converse.
Yet this delicate figure dared to volunteer to care for those afflicted by the plague.
He feared that as soon as she stepped into one of those rooms, the putrid smell would reduce her to tears.
Lost in memories of the past, Li Youqing was momentarily distracted and murmured blankly, “I wasn’t infected back then, so I probably won’t be this time either.”
Back then, she had personally fed medicine to her Imperial Brother every day, never allowing anyone else to do it, and she never showed any signs of illness.
“You are not allowed to go. If you fall ill, it will only cause more trouble,” Xuan Rui refused firmly, turning to leave again.
Just as Li Youqing was about to chase after him to argue, a man dressed in a straight-collared robe, with a simple and honest demeanor, hurried over and said to Xuan Rui, “General Xuan, cremating those who are still alive might not be appropriate.”
Li Youqing gave the man a cold glance, thinking to herself how during the plague in the outskirts of the capital back then, even her Imperial Brother—praised by the old ministers as gentle and benevolent—had directly ordered the incineration of those terminally ill patients beyond saving to prevent the virus from spreading.
Gentle? Benevolent?
She suddenly felt a chill, realizing how laughably mistaken her past perception of the Crown Prince had been.
Perhaps many words could describe Crown Prince Li Jing, but “gentle” would never be one of them.
Xuan Rui was growing increasingly impatient with this useless and long-winded city official. Just as he was about to reprimand him, he heard the woman’s clear voice say, “Does this officer know how those with yellow fever ultimately die?”
Luo Cheng was taken aback, realizing it was the beautiful companion General Xuan had brought with him who was speaking.
Unaccustomed to dealing with women, he merely shook his head woodenly.
Li Youqing glanced at Xuan Rui and, seeing that he did not stop her, continued, “First, their throats ulcerate, making it impossible to breathe or eat normally. Then, necrosis starts from the head. They may appear merely jaundiced, but in reality, their minds are no longer clear. They feel nothing but pain. If they can still speak, it’s only to beg for death.”
Luo Cheng observed the young girl’s calm and mature expression as she spoke, finding it almost unlike that of a typical girl.
“This, I have no experience—” He was intimidated by the girl’s aura, standing frozen in place.
Then, General Xuan’s heavy gaze pressed down on him, making him break out in a cold sweat. Not daring to stay any longer, he cupped his hands in salute and left.
Xuan Rui’s eyes fell on her soft hair tips, and he couldn’t help but grow even more curious about her past.
What had she been through to develop such a nature of seeking advantage and avoiding harm?
From their first meeting, she had deliberately tried to please him. In adversity, she could bend or stretch, using both sweet and harsh words.
After being “bullied” by him last night, she had also spoken too calmly about not causing him trouble in the future.
Recalling that situation now, Xuan Rui still felt deeply uncomfortable.
“General, why not let me go door to door to gather information?” Li Youqing persisted, pleading softly in a gentle tone.
Doing these things was originally her duty as a royal princess. Since she was already here, there was no reason to watch the soldiers running around busily while she sat idly by.
Seeing her stubborn expression, Xuan Rui finally agreed, but insisted she must wear a veil to prevent contracting the plague.
Li Youqing agreed readily, then rolled up her sleeves and went to the distribution area to collect a veil and notebook.
Xuan Rui was initially uneasy and silently observed her for a while, discovering that she was actually very meticulous and patient in her work.
Starting from the village entrance, she went house to house. Following the numbers on the doors, she recorded in her notebook how many people were inside, using circles to represent the severity of their conditions. For milder cases, she drew one circle after the number; for serious cases, two circles; and for those near death, three circles.
Compared to distributing medicine, caring for patients, and administering treatments, what she was doing was actually more cruel.
Even Luo Cheng, a grown man, found it difficult to decide people’s fates, yet this young girl could perform these tasks with such composure.
When she saw children burning with fever, their faces flushed red with no one to care for them, her always emotionless beautiful eyes would reveal traces of pity.
No matter how wretched the child’s condition, or if they were about to die, she would speak to them softly in the Rou Lan language, then hold them in her arms and quietly recite Buddhist scriptures.
Xuan Rui recognized that she was reciting the Rou Lan version of the Lotus Sutra.
Seeing this scene, he couldn’t help but recall the girl he had personally killed.
At that time, she had crouched at his feet, humbly begging to be allowed to die.
Seeing her in such agony that she had lost her senses, he had ended her life himself, then threw her body into the burning flames.
All Rou Lan people, young and old, worshipped the fire god. They believed that dying in fire would allow them to be reborn as pure beings in the next life.
Suddenly unable to watch calmly any longer, he turned and found two clever soldiers to follow her method, going door to door in another area to investigate and record each household’s condition.
The entire day, everyone was intensely busy. It wasn’t until late at night that Xuan Rui discovered a serious problem.
There were no vacant houses left in the village to accommodate people. Only the Ancestral Temple used for sacrifices had common sleeping platforms where Luo Cheng and others had been sleeping these days.
Other than that, the only option was to sleep outside in the cold.