Chapter 65

There was no firewood on the ground, the water vat was empty, and nowhere could they find firewood, rice, oil, or salt.

Gu Xixi quickly gave up the idea of cooking herself.

Xiao Hua, however, lightly grabbed her, gesturing for her to keep following.

Gu Xixi followed Xiao Hua, puzzled, around the earthen stove, and suddenly saw five rats lying neatly on the ground.

Each rat was plump, all having their throats bitten through, their bodies basically intact and clean.

Xiao Hua sat with her legs together, raised her head, and let out a meow.

Gu Xixi actually understood, 'You want to treat me to eat?'

Xiao Hua called again, looking even more proud.

Gu Xixi was deeply moved but could only reluctantly refuse, 'Sorry, I might not be used to eating this; thank you for your kindness.'

If we're trapped here too long and really have no food, could we only……

Gu Xixi's gaze once again fell on the dead rats.

Perhaps because she was hungry, such a terrible thought actually popped into her mind!

As she looked, her gaze gradually shifted, drawn to a weed growing under the wooden post.

She skirted the rats all over the ground, quickly ran over, squatted and bent down to examine it closely.

It's unmistakable—it belongs to the same family as millet, or rather a kind of wild millet grass she had never seen before!

If we could bring it back and cross it with the locally widely planted millet variety……

The joy of the new discovery made Gu Xixi briefly forget she was in Shitou Village, her life hanging in the balance.

'Miss Gu! Miss Gu~~!'

The voice was far away; at first Gu Xixi didn't hear it, until her full name was shouted:

'Gu Xixi! Gu Xixi!!!'

Gu Xixi snapped back to her senses and stood up—wasn't that Aunt Zhao's voice?

She casually grabbed a few chipped bowls, jars, and broken bottles, arranging them in a circle around the millet grass as a barrier.

Then she walked out to respond to Aunt Zhao, 'I'm here; what's happened downstairs?'

Before her words finished, Aunt Zhao had already come up, appearing before Gu Xixi.

'Your husband has come looking for you, just outside the village gate.'

Gu Xixi was somewhat dumbfounded, 'My husband?'

'How did he come? Did he say anything?'

Although this wasn't factual, the first thing that came to her mind was Mu Nan Zhao.

Aunt Zhao, carrying a woven bamboo basket, said, 'Old Zhao went to the village gate and heard your husband tell the guard that his wife is called Gu Xixi, not from Shitou Village, yet she was trapped inside last night.'

'He really couldn't rest easy; he just wanted to see his wife through the fence and say a few words, and if you needed anything, he could go home and bring it in.'

Aunt Zhao glanced at Gu Xixi with a teasing smile, 'Because your husband is so handsome, you don't even need to go to the village gate—you can spot him from afar.'

'What's rare is that he's not only good-looking but also very thoughtful.'

Gu Xixi's mouth twitched; Mu Nan Zhao really knows how to act, huh, wife?!

She imagined that scene, and goosebumps would have fallen all over the ground.

Gu Xixi couldn't explain the truth, so she could only give an awkward laugh, 'uh, ah.'

As Aunt Zhao was about to reach the door, Gu Xixi remembered to stop her, 'You'd better not go in.'

'My great-uncle needs to have direct contact with the patient.'

'To be safe, let's keep our conversation at a distance.'

Aunt Zhao went along with it.

She put the basket on the windowsill, 'Alright, I'll head down first.'

'You've eaten your fill—hurry up and see him; they're worried about you, don't keep them waiting.'

Seeing Aunt Zhao walk away, Gu Xixi felt a great weight lift.

Old Doctor Langzhong had already awakened; Gu Xixi opened the food basket, saw the meal, and her feelings were mixed.

The stewed chicken that wasn't eaten last night, along with its soup, had been boiled thoroughly, steaming hot.

A plate of pickled greens, and several sorghum-wheat flour steamed buns.

This is probably the best food Shitou Village can currently put out.

Old Doctor Langzhong sighed, lifted his chopsticks, 'Go ahead and eat.'

What Aunt Zhao just said has confirmed that the village blockade is being handled by the Qing Tian County Office.

For now, no local garrison troops have been deployed; that's probably the only good news at the moment.

Old Doctor Langzhong needs to go negotiate with the government office, and Gu Xixi also has to go see Mu Nan Zhao; they happen to be heading the same way.

The village gate is set up with a spiked fence.

Five constables are outside, either sitting or standing, and someone occasionally chats quietly.

The atmosphere seems relaxed, but in fact each has a saber hanging at his waist.

Mu Nan Zhao smiled, clasped his hands to a nearby constable, pointed at Gu Xixi, and said, 'This is my wife.'

The constable glanced at Gu Xixi, shook his head with a sigh, and walked away, 'You two haven't even had time to arrange the wedding—how pitiful. Say what you need to say, but don't linger too long; this place isn't good for staying.'

The constable actually made room for them to talk; Gu Xixi eyed Mu Nan Zhao suspiciously.

'What exactly did you tell others?'

Mu Nan Zhao's face had lost its smile, 'It doesn't matter.'

'Gu Xixi, do you clearly understand your current situation?'

'Now the rat plague destroying fields and consuming grain is no longer the most pressing matter for the Imperial Court.'

He stared at Gu Xixi's eyes, his voice low and deep, "What's making them nervous is the plague!"

Gu Xixi glanced at the Government Office runner who was talking with Lao Langzhong.

"Hmm, after hearing last night that the village was sealed off, I knew."

Mu Nan Zhao snapped angrily, "What do you know? You still don't know anything!"

"Now, if there's the slightest slip, or if someone hot-headed makes a decision,"

"You could at any moment be buried together with this village."

Gu Xixi lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Just as Mu Nan Zhao wondered if he had spoken too harshly and scared her into tears,

Gu Xixi suddenly lifted her eyelids and stared straight at him, "But I'm already here."

"There's no regret medicine in the world."

"From the moment I decided to come here with my master, I've already considered the worst possible outcome; I will take responsibility for myself."

Mu Nan Zhao stared wide-eyed, then snorted coldly in anger, "Gu Xixi, you always have grand ideas; I shouldn't have bothered coming on this trip!"

Gu Xixi said solemnly, "So far only one plague case has appeared in the village; my master gave him medicine and performed acupuncture, initially effective, his whole family has been isolated, and various parts of the village have been disinfected with medicine several times."

"My master said that after using the medicine for another day, at the latest by tomorrow morning, we'll see whether it works against this epidemic."

Mu Nan Zhao looked back, "Do you want me to buy time?"

Gu Xixi said, "I know you have a way."

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Even if you don't say it, I intend to go find that person."

He gave her a cold glance, "Gu Xixi, if you dare to die here and get me sent back to the exile camp, you won't die in peace."

Gu Xixi watched him go away, saying, "If no one falls ill over the next two days, we'll be much safer in here; don't worry too much!"

She deliberately spoke loudly so that the guarding Government Office guards could hear.

Moreover, after Lao Langzhong introduced himself as able to treat the plague, the Government Office guards finally exchanged a few words in low voices.

One of them said to Lao Langzhong, "I'll take your words to the county magistrate today."