The Empress' Livestream - Chapter 398
Chapter 398: Moving the Capital to Chenzhou (V)
In less than two hours, the news that Jiang Pengji was taking people with her to Xiangyang District was spread throughout the entire camp for the wounded.
Some people were severely injured and unable to travel normally, so Jiang Pengji had purposely delayed her departure a few days. They would depart when their injuries healed so that the people could recover without any worries. The troops and imperial guards who were free were transferred elsewhere to continue serving.
Jiang Pengji’s thoughtful and considerate gesture moved many people to tears. It also gave her a good reputation.
A few indecisive people finally made up their minds and were willing to leave Shangjing with Jiang Pengji.
“Luo Yue? What’s the matter?” Jiang Pengji was sitting inside the tent. She peeled the dead skin off her left foot with her right hand. Her limbs were seriously injured because she had been rescuing people. Fortunately, her body was strong and recovered quickly. The soles of her feet were fair once again.
However, now that her injuries had healed, the newly generated skin was forcing the dead skin out, so it made her very itchy.
Anyway, she was bored and there was no one else in the tent, so she just chatted with the audience in the streaming room while she peeled the dead skin.
Well, the audience said that the streaming that day was particularly unique. The viewers in the streaming room teased her, saying that someone was going to walk in on her. Unexpectedly, someone came into the tent the next second.
According to Jiang Pengji’s five senses, she naturally knew in advance that Luo Yue was coming. She did not look embarrassed, as if she had been caught red-handed.
She pointed at the mat not far away from her dismissively, then put her left foot down and signaled Luo Yue to have a seat.
“You don’t have to beat around the bush.”
Luo Yue was a tough man. He had lived in the imperial guard camp, so there was not much he hadn’t seen. Jiang Pengji was just a person who silently peeled the dead skin off the soles of her feet. She was considered to be decent already. Luo Yue had seen the general coach of the imperial guards scratch his buttocks and rub mud on his skin. Therefore, he was very calm.
“I heard that you are planning to leave for Xiangyang District to take office?” Luo Yue asked bluntly.
Jiang Pengji frowned and knew why Luo Yue had paid her a visit.
1,000 imperial guards were still a military force. Small things should not be looked down upon. The 1,000 imperial guards were all young men who were carefully selected, so Jiang Pengji did not intend to let them go at all. She would not agree to let Luo Yue leave.
She sighed and replied, “It’s true. Shangjing is a mess, and it’s not easy to rebuild it. I heard that the Tsing Yi Army and Red Lotus Group are harming people. If these people are left behind, they may not survive. However, the earthquake has affected a lot of places. Shangjing was affected, sure, but Fengyi County and Chengde County were also seriously affected. There are rioters out there too…”
Luo Yue looked straight at Jiang Pengji and listened to her silently.
As the minor coach of the imperial guards, Luo Yue could act proudly, but he was a reasonable person who respected honorable people.
Without a doubt, people could not find a single fault in Jiang Pengji’s actions lately.
“You’re worried about the people, and you plan to protect them to Xiangyang District in Fengyi County?”
“If I don’t do this, am I supposed to leave them alone and let fate determine their outcome?” Jiang Pengji asked him rhetorically.
“I admire you for your benevolence. It’s just that I don’t know if I should say this.”
Jiang Pengji responded, “Go ahead.”
“You only have about 1,000 troops, and the other troops are providing disaster relief in Fengyi County. How can only a few people protect tens of thousands of people?” Luo Yue asked, his tone worried. “Why don’t you ask the Emperor and let him make the decision?”
Jiang Pengji ridiculed with a smile, “Do you really not know about it, or are you pretending to not know about it? Not to mention anything else, I had to boldly request for the 1,000 imperial guards that are here. If you weren’t here, you would be preparing to protect the Emperor as he moves the capital to Chenzhou.”
She was quite blunt. The look on Luo Yue’s face changed slightly.
Without waiting for him to speak, Jiang Pengji continued, “You’ve gotten a point wrong. There are not only 1,000 troops. Aren’t there still 1,000 imperial guards under your lead? Have you forgotten why the Emperor allocated 1,000 imperial guards?”
Luo Yue looked awkward. “But…”
“The earthquake has yet to stop, and the people have yet to really settle down. Plagues are spreading in Fengyi County. The people are destitute and homeless, and the rioters have been rampaging and looting… The earthquake has caused all of this. Do you really think that the earthquake is already over?”
After a long time, Luo Yue cupped his hand in the other before his chest and said that he had something else to attend to. He then left the tent.
Jiang Pengji curled her lips. She was in a good mood.
Luo Yue had boarded her pirate ship, and he could no longer take people away.
After a while, the drapery of the tent was lifted once again and someone else came in. He held a feather fan and a wide silk kerchief in his hands. He had a graceful bearing while he walked, displaying the charm of a scribe.
As soon as he came in, he said, “According to what you said, Coach Luo can’t go back now.”
“What for? There’s still a shortage of people here.” Jiang Pengji rolled her eyes snappily.
Qiguan Rang sighed with emotion. “Only Lanting can express such bandit-like words in such a justified and confident manner.”
Jiang Pengji looked askance at him and answered, “Why are you here? Could it be that you’re here to tease me?”
“Of course not,” Qiguan Rang responded, “I have nothing to do, so I wanted to borrow a few books from you to pass the time.”
A competent teammate could save her from worry. Qiguan Rang was not someone who liked to show off. He usually did things in a very low-key manner.
He usually let Xu Ke and Feng Jin do most things, and now he had a half-day to spare so he slacked off while he could.
Jiang Pengji glanced at him and said suddenly, “I remember that you had a daughter last year.”
Qiguan Rang’s wife, Qiguan Weishi, was the daughter born of Wei Yuan’s mistress, and she was young. He was a perfect middle-aged man, and she was a Lolita. They were a good couple.
After Qiguan Weishi married him, she got pregnant after two years. She gave birth to her first child with difficulty. It was a daughter, like Feng Jin’s.
Although the child was a daughter, Qiguan Rang liked her a lot. He mentioned her several times when he was communicating with Jiang Pengji by letter previously.
Qiguan Rang secretly frowned. He did not understand why Jiang Pengji suddenly mentioned this. He responded, “Yes.”
Jiang Pengji suddenly revealed a malicious smile and replied, “Okay. I’ll show you something good. Bring it back to study.”
Qiguan Rang’s heart jolted and saw that Jiang Pengji took out four books from nowhere. “These are beginner’s readings for your daughter. They’re enough for you to pass time.”
He looked at them. The first book was Analects for Women.
Qiguan Rang remained silent.
Jiang Pengji added, “Remember to let Huaiyu read it when you’re done.”
He put the books in his sleeve, but there was a look of a dilemma in his eyes.
“It’s impossible for men to just be grandfathers in their lives. They may be a father-in-law, too.” Jiang Pengji smiled brightly and no longer had the demeanor of the son of an aristocrat. “Just like you and Huaiyu, you both have daughters and you’ll have half a son in the future. Read more, so that you’re mentally prepared in the future.”
Qiguan Rang knew that Jiang Pengji did not have good intentions, but he still read it when he went home. Then, he felt deeply fooled and almost tore the four books apart.
He then lent these four books to Feng Jin for him to read. He euphemistically asked him to read them to his daughter.
Seeing that the books were the Four Self-Accomplishment Classics for Women, Feng Jin suddenly recalled the conversation he had with his wife previously.
“Thank you, Wenzheng. I’ve been thinking about looking for two beginner’s readings for Changsheng.”
Qiguan Rang glanced at him like he was a fool. He walked away silently. Feng Jin did not understand him. He packed up and returned to the carriage.
Wei Jingxian was still in confinement, and she looked good. Changsheng was born at full-term. She was now strong, healthy, and fair.
