Chapter 50

In Qizhou, the scorched ruins of abandoned houses were filled with soldiers from the provincial capital. Under the pressure and determination from Luoyang, even this old military town had to bow its head and show a cooperative attitude, ready to meet any demands and fully assist.

...

The journey ahead was filled with a sense of tension and vigilance. Weapons were at the ready, bows were strung, and even the hidden crossbows and bundles of tailless arrows were brought out and distributed. Non-combatants were instructed to stay in their cabins, ready to provide any assistance needed.

Only I was left on the deck due to the need for my presence, as it was said that I could calm people's nerves.

We would be passing through the Huai River region, one of the most chaotic areas between the north and south. The narrow and elongated river basin was home to dozens of large and small factions, with complex and ever-changing relationships.

Therefore, it was difficult to find anyone who could be regularly negotiated with or who could provide regular payments, as the area was simply too chaotic.

I took the opportunity to chat with them to pass the time, which was otherwise dull and boring.

"This place was once the heartland of the Great Cloud Brightness Sect, one of the Five Great Bandits of the realm. They rose up and swept through the southeast and half of Jinghu, known for their presence in every village and household, all devoted to the Light of Heaven."

Standing by the ship's side, explaining to me was the leader of the volunteer soldiers, Mao Xionghui. He had the appearance of a northwesterner and might even have blood from the local tribal groups. However, he had traveled extensively and spoke knowledgeably about these historical anecdotes.

"At that time, they were extremely powerful, establishing their capital in Yangzhou and calling themselves the Earthly Divine Kingdom. They had hundreds of thousands of followers."

"They killed officials and wealthy households, opened government treasuries to recruit the destitute, and those who were starving flocked to them, serving as internal spies and opening city gates."

"The southeast was half-conquered, and the whole realm was shaken. Thus, the combined forces of the north and south were mobilized to suppress them. Even the usually uncooperative foreign sea tribes contributed significantly."

"Thus, when the various government armies finally surrounded them, the resistance was fierce, with men, women, and children fighting to the death. The slaughter was particularly brutal, with the saying 'leave the grass but not the people,' and the region became a wasteland."

"However, many remnants of the sect fled to Jingchu, Lingnan, Minzhong, and the Huai region, and it took several decades before they were finally eradicated in the Shan'nan region."

"Due to the excessive slaughter, the flooding of the rivers, and other continuous disasters, the region was abandoned by the court for a long time, leading to the current situation."

"Because this area has gathered outlaws, fugitives, and bandits from both the north and south, it is said that in some marshy villages, remnants of the sect still exist."

I nodded slightly. The rebellion of the Great Cloud Brightness Sect was also mentioned as a negative example in my studies in the capital, but many details were vague and not thoroughly explained, making his account more vivid.

Geographically, this area is closer to the modern impoverished northern Jiangsu region, known for its harsh living conditions and fierce local customs. Despite the benefits of the canal, the heavy corvée and taxes are among the highest in the realm, and the land's productivity is inferior to that of the southeast or the Huai region. The area also suffers from the frequent flooding of the Huai River.

After the decline of the sea transport, the canal's importance diminished, inevitably impacting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in the region. This led to a period of decline and desolation, with people committing suicide by drowning, filling the canals. Not only commoners but also local powerful clans struggled to survive.

Thus, the Great Cloud Brightness Sect, claiming to gather all the divine ways and save the world, rose through village associations for mutual aid and protection. Even low-ranking officials and scholars in many major cities were swayed and joined the sect. With the help of these former regime's grassroots forces, their destructive power and expansion were far greater than any previous peasant uprising.

This flood-prone region became a haven for outlaws, bandits, defeated soldiers, and even those who failed in foreign tribal conflicts.

I asked about his experience as a volunteer soldier, and while we were chatting and thinking, the boat slowly stopped. A small boat had found a suitable anchorage, and the sound of repairs in the hold began again. The small boat ferried five or six people to shore to cut some trees and branches, setting up a simple guard post. This, combined with the lookout in the ship's sail, ensured a certain level of vigilance on both land and water.

I watched with interest as the men jumped into the water, holding nails and chisels. They placed a thick layer of canvas over the cracks in the ship's hull, secured it with wooden planks, and then applied a paste made from tung oil and quicklime, which, under water pressure, seeped into the small gaps, expanding and forming a barrier with the canvas.

The wisdom of ancient laborers is truly boundless.

I thought for a moment, then, "It's time to change the medicine. I'll use the pretext of checking her recovery to have her perform some specific movements, which are supposed to aid healing."

Of course, the fact that she was only wearing undergarments and the resulting visual effects were purely incidental.

"Shinian..."

I called her name, but only an empty echo responded.

In the topmost cabin, which was well-ventilated, a round-faced maid was walking over with a medicine pot. I turned my head and said, "Where's Nian Nu?"

It wasn't the usual pretty maid who often gave me cold looks, whose body would visibly tremble when she was angry.

"Nian Nu has something to do," the maid replied softly.

"Let me take over for her."

"Something to do? What could it be? Is it her period?"

I said offhandedly.

"What's your name?"

"My name is Sushu."

I nodded, not thinking much more about it.

"Alright, Sushu, you can stay and help."

As we walked into the cabin, we saw Shinian curled up on the soft bed, her forehead covered in sweat, her lips tightly pressed together, seemingly in pain, and she had fainted.

I was startled, frowned, and touched her forehead, which was cold. I checked her pulse, which was irregular, and her eyes were slightly unfocused. Could it be an infection? I quickly pulled back her outer robe and examined her shoulder and ribs, but there were no signs of seepage.

Finally, I thought for a moment and lifted the front of her robe, revealing two high, round mounds supported by bandages, which trembled slightly with my touch, causing a slight stir in my heart. I bit my lip, leaned down, and sniffed, but there was no foul smell or sign of an open wound. I touched the bandages, which were warm and damp but dry around the wound.

Then I noticed where her hand was pressed. I gently pulled her arm, revealing her smooth, white abdomen and navel. I pressed lightly, but there were no obvious lumps or foreign objects. I was puzzled and continued to explore, feeling a few hairs, which made my face flush. I applied a bit more force.

She suddenly moaned, and I suddenly realized what had happened. I cursed myself for being so foolish. I had mentioned her period, and it had indeed come. She had been riding all night in the cold, and with her weakened constitution from her injuries, the cold had accumulated in her body, coinciding with her menstrual cycle, causing a severe reaction.

"Ah, just a case of abdominal cold."

I sighed in relief.

"I'll get some red sugar water and prepare a hot water bottle."

I muttered to myself and walked out, but the river breeze made me realize something was off.

I hadn't noticed it before, but now I realized the maid's behavior was abnormal. While I was treating Shinian, she had stood by, seemingly helpless, but she hadn't moved from her spot since entering.

When I turned back, I saw Sushu approaching Shinian and feeding her the medicine.

"Stop it."

She seemed not to hear me and increased the force of her actions.

"I said, stop it. Can you hear me?"

My alertness rose. I shouted loudly, drew my dagger, and held it under my left sleeve, then pushed her with my right hand.

She suddenly turned, a fragrant breeze passing by, and kicked my raised arm with surprising strength, causing me to fall to the side. As I got up, she kicked me again, aiming for my face.

Then she let out a loud cry as my dagger, held in front of me, cut her foot. I took the opportunity to charge forward, grabbing her leg and pulling her toward me. She screamed as she lost her balance and hit her head on the carved window frame, letting out a sharp cry.

Dazed, she tried to push me away, but I twisted her arm, and she hit her forehead on the window frame again. After struggling, I dragged her to the ground, and she hit her head on the threshold. She stopped struggling, and a thin line of blood appeared on the back of her head.

The people below heard the commotion and rushed up.

A moment later, I was supporting the pale-faced Shinian, who was slowly sipping hot red sugar water, with a leather hot water bottle on her abdomen. Her furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

"You know about gynecology?"

She leaned weakly against me, her soft touch making me feel quite comfortable.

"A little, a little."

"How many things do you know a little about?"

"You've really gone to a lot of trouble."

"You've saved me again."

"Um, um, think about how to repay me properly. Last time only counted as half."

"Unfortunately, I..."

She suddenly gasped, unable to continue, her face turning gray, and her eyes becoming unfocused.

"Damn it."

I shouted, noticing that the medicine in the cup seemed to be less.

I pinched her hard, and she woke up slightly.

"Spit it out. Something was added to it."

Her face turned pale, and no matter how I shook her, she couldn't spit it out. In a panic, I grabbed a cup of tea and poured it into her mouth, but it spilled over her chest.

I suddenly saw a ceramic chamber pot at my feet and immediately picked it up.

"I'm really sorry. At least it's your own."

She then vomited violently, even bringing up bile, until there was nothing left, curling up like a shrimp.

But at least she was out of immediate danger, and I had saved her again.