Xiao Jingcheng took off his hat. His extremely handsome face was now covered with rainwater, making him look even colder and more resolute.
Xiao Jingcheng's gaze lingered on Jiang Mian for a moment, then he shifted it subtly and said to the others, "The carriage is waiting outside the door. Everyone, please get on the carriage quickly. Someone will escort you away."
Jiang Mian strapped the package tightly on her back, held up an umbrella, and supported Jiang Zhiqing on Li Zhao's back. She escorted the two of them out of the door. In the heavy rain, sure enough, a carriage was parked outside. There was a man in a cloak sitting on the carriage. Presumably, he was the coachman.
The carriage was not very big. They could barely all sit down when they squeezed tightly together. Jiang Mian noticed something was missing beside her. She lifted the curtain and looked out. Big Yellow was squatting beside Xiao Jingcheng and didn't get on the carriage with them.
"Big Yellow, come here quickly!" Jiang Mian waved to it. Big Yellow just barked twice but still squatted there motionless.
Through the curtain of rain, Xiao Jingcheng said to her, "Don't worry. I'll return it to you intact."
The coir raincoat on the man's body kept dripping water, and his hair strands were sticking to his cheeks because of the water. There was no trace of the previous impetuosity on him. He seemed to have completely settled down, like a piece of black jade that had been carefully polished and was exuding a fascinating luster.
Suddenly, there was an impulse in her heart.
Jiang Mian propped her palm on the window ledge and called out, "Xiao Jingcheng!"
Xiao Jingcheng had been looking at her. Hearing her call, he walked into the rain, came to the carriage, and got closer to her.
"I also want to stay and help. What can I do?"
Inside the carriage, the others all looked at her, quite surprised by her decision.
The corner of Xiao Jingcheng's lips twitched slightly. "We don't need you here. Doctor Jiang's current duty is to treat the sick and save the injured. After you reach your destination, that will be your territory."
Jiang Mian leaned out a little more. The raindrops dripped on her forehead. Xiao Jingcheng quickly raised his palm to shield her from the falling rain.
"Then... then be careful," Jiang Mian said with a frown. "Can you swim? How's your swimming skill?"
Is she worried about him?
Xiao Jingcheng was secretly delighted. He said, "I can't. I've never been in the water."
"Then don't get close to the water," Jiang Mian exhorted. Suddenly, she said, "By the way! It's raining so heavily. You've been running outside all the time. You'll surely be exhausted. There's a kind of pill in the medical clinic. Taking it can warm your body and dispel the cold!"
She suddenly shrank back. The next moment, she opened the door and jumped off the carriage in the rain.
Xiao Jingcheng was startled by her action. Just as he was about to hold up an umbrella to shelter her from the rain, she had rushed into the medical clinic.
All the medicinal materials packed by Qi Wen were piled up in the corner. Jiang Mian stepped forward and rummaged through them with her head down. Looking at her back, Xiao Jingcheng only felt a warmth in his heart.
"Where are they? This guy Qi Wen didn't even tell me when he packed up the things..." The medicine bottles in the bag were in a mess. After rummaging for a long time, she still couldn't find them. Jiang Mian was anxious and muttered discontentedly.
Xiao Jingcheng was about to say it didn't matter if she couldn't find them. He would be fine. Then Jiang Mian said happily, "I found it!"
She rummaged out a small blue - brown porcelain bottle, grabbed his slightly cold hand, and stuffed the bottle into his hand. "This is it! Take one now!"
Seeing Xiao Jingcheng holding the porcelain bottle motionless, Jiang Mian frowned and urged, "What are you standing there for? Eat it quickly!"
Xiao Jingcheng's Adam's apple rolled up and down. He said hoarsely, "Okay."
He opened the porcelain bottle, poured out a black pill, and took it in front of Jiang Mian. Only then was Jiang Mian satisfied.
"Remember, take one pill every two hours. If you feel anything wrong with your body, such as fever, sore throat, or weakness in your limbs, stop immediately and come back to me!" Jiang Mian said seriously. "Although my medical skills are not as good as my master's, I'm more than capable of treating typhoid."
"I know, Jiang Mian. You talk too much," Xiao Jingcheng said deliberately. "Are you reluctant to part with me, wife?"
This guy! What nonsense was he talking at this time?!
Jiang Mian was so angry that she stomped on his foot hard. "Shut up. You can never say anything nice. Anyway, just be careful. The queen is still waiting for you to go back and save her in the capital."
After saying that, she ran out of the door and neatly climbed onto the carriage.
After waiting for a few breaths and finding that she really didn't say anything else, Xiao Jingcheng stroked the porcelain bottle in his hand and said to the coachman, "Let's go."
The coachman whipped the horse's rump. The wheels turned, and the carriage slowly drove away, carrying Jiang Mian, Li Zhao, Mo Zhizhang, and others.
Jiang Mian raised her hand and held the brocade bag with the yellow amulet hanging around her neck.
The brocade bag had got wet and had long lost its effectiveness. It couldn't do anything. But at this moment, this yellow amulet inexplicably brought a sense of peace.
She hoped that God would have mercy on Dongli Town and not let the flood destroy the houses in the town.
She also hoped that after Xiao Jingcheng had settled everything, he could leave safely and meet up with them.
"Brother Gou Dan is really a bit unexpected," Mo Zhizhang, who was sitting closely beside Jiang Mian, suddenly said. Jiang Mian looked at him. He glanced around with a half - smile. "This carriage still emits the smell of wood. Presumably, it was just built."
On the way the carriage left, besides the sound of rain, there was no other sound to be heard. This indicated that most of the villagers in the town had left their homes and moved to other places.
It had only been three hours since Li Zhao pointed out the crisis that Dongli Town was very likely to encounter a flood.
There was also a look of admiration in Li Zhao's eyes.
With such motivation and courage, it was worth his advice.
Now, it was up to them to fight against the sky and see how much they could gain.
...
After the carriage carrying Jiang Mian and others left, another carriage drove out from the darkness and stopped in front of Xiao Jingcheng.
Several people jumped off the carriage. They were all thugs around Zhao Hu. One was named Liu Er, one was named Li Tie, and the other, who was Li Tie's younger brother, was named Li Zhu.
Coming in front of Xiao Jingcheng, the three of them called out timidly, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, we've collected all the medicinal materials from all the medical clinics and pharmacies in the town as you ordered. They're all in the carriage."
Xiao Jingcheng said indifferently, "There are still some in this medical clinic. Load them onto the carriage and leave immediately."
The several people responded in unison, "Yes." Then they rushed into the house and carefully carried the medicinal materials that had been prepared in the house onto the carriage. After confirming that they had covered the carriage with tarpaulin so that the rainwater wouldn't wet the medicinal materials, Xiao Jingcheng waved his hand. Two soldiers stepped forward, jumped onto the carriage, and escorted this batch of medicinal materials away.
Xiao Jingcheng had only brought four soldiers with him. Now that all four of them had left, there was only him left at the door of Huichuntang, and Big Yellow was sitting beside him, sticking out its tongue and looking at him.
Xiao Jingcheng put his finger to his lips and whistled loudly.
The next moment, Zhao Hu led his men and trotted out from the darkness to stand in front of him.
In the heavy rain, countless dogs ran out from the darkness and squatted in front of him in unison.