Du Gu Luanyue's smile suddenly faded, and she paused. "We're in public. Isn't this inappropriate?"
Huo Wei turned his head. "If we go to my tent, what we do won't be this simple."
Du Gu Luanyue admitted defeat. With her proud nature, it was the first time she had ever admitted defeat in front of someone. She was simply helpless against Huo Wei.
Reluctantly, she leaned in, and her plump, soft lips gently touched Huo Wei's cheek.
Huo Wei's lips curved slightly, and he smiled contentedly. Although he hadn't devoured the juicy pork belly in one bite, just a small taste was enough to make his day.
Du Gu Luanyue's heart was pounding. She had kissed and hugged Huo Wei before, but she had never felt her heart race like this.
She calmly composed herself, helped Huo Wei up, and said gently, "I'll walk you back. I might not be able to come and change your dressing on time tomorrow. I have to make arrangements for entering the city."
Huo Wei nodded and said straightforwardly, "Sure. As long as you let me know in advance, it's fine."
The next day, Du Gu Luanyue and Huo Wei's deputy generals, fully armed, entered the city together and distributed the supplies properly.
Following the locations recorded by Huo Wei, Du Gu Luanyue quickly distributed food and medicinal soup to alleviate the symptoms of the plague in the worst - affected areas of Danyang City.
Shen Guilan told her that the formula to completely cure the plague was still being tested, and the most suitable ingredient hadn't been found yet. It would take some time.
Danyang City used to be a prosperous place. But when Du Gu Luanyue entered the city today,
all she saw was chaos. The shops were closed, and the streets were in disarray.
People would suddenly collapse on the ground and lose their lives.
The entire city was shrouded in a gray - black aura of death.
Du Gu Luanyue wore two layers of masks and a veil hat. Dressed in a black robe, she rode on a fine horse, which was Huo Wei's blood - sweating horse.
Huo Wei said the horse was intelligent and would run away when in danger, so he told Du Gu Luanyue to ride it.
When Shen Guilan heard this, he was extremely annoyed. The last time he just touched the horse, Huo Wei scolded him.
What a friend! He was clearly a man who valued his woman over his friend!
Du Gu Luanyue gave an order. "Aunt Mei Jiang, distributing supplies can only temporarily relieve the long - standing public outrage. But to completely eradicate the plague, we need an antidote.
Take my phoenix seal and gather all the officials in Danyang City. I have something to ask them."
Aunt Mei Jiang nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'll do it right away."
The officials in Danyang City didn't seem to be greatly affected by the plague.
They had plenty of food, many servants, and concubines to keep them entertained. Knowing they were unable to help the people of Danyang City, they simply stayed in their mansions, believing that the imperial court would send someone.
Du Gu Luanyue wasn't from the Northern Yan Dynasty, so she wasn't as angry as she would have been in the Southern Chu.
Wang Huyang rushed over in a hurry.
"Your Majesty, the situation in Danyang City is very serious. The public outrage has been building up for a long time. The people don't believe that the imperial court really cares about their lives.
Now, in several places where supplies are being distributed, the people have attacked our soldiers, injured them, and snatched the supplies!"
Du Gu Luanyue stood in the county government office, looking at the officials kneeling on the ground.
"Danyang City has become like this because of you.
I order you to immediately gather people and announce to the people of the city that the Queen of the Northern Yan has arrived in Danyang City and will share life and death with them."
The prefect, Li Daren, trembled and said,
"No, Your Majesty. The plague is everywhere outside. How can you go up on the city wall to make such an announcement? It's too dangerous to travel such a long distance from the government office to the city wall!"
Another deputy general of Huo Wei quickly reported,
"Your Majesty, there are far more plague - infected people in Danyang City than we thought. Now, many people are collapsing on the streets.
The living and the dead are all mixed up. The people are saying that the imperial court doesn't care about them, and they've started to ram the city gates, demanding to be let out!"
Li Daren shouted urgently, "Guards! Quickly surround the government office. Don't let even a fly in!"
Hearing that the people were ramming the city gates, Du Gu Luanyue was alarmed. "Which city gate?"
Someone replied, "The South Gate. It's the most loosely guarded gate, so the people have flocked there."
Du Gu Luanyue grabbed Li Daren's lapel. "Immediately order the soldiers in Danyang City to lock the South Gate. Don't let the plague - infected people go to the Southern Chu. Do you hear me?"
Li Daren's superior had already hinted to him that after the city was besieged, only the South Gate could be left loose.
By letting the plague - infected people go south, the city would naturally calm down. After all, the south was the Southern Chu, and it was the Southern Chu people who would suffer, not him.
Li Daren cried and said,
"Your Majesty, I have no other choice!
There are so many plague - infected people in the city now, and the imperial supplies arrived too late. The people are extremely angry. If we don't give them an outlet, there will be a great riot in the city!"
Du Gu Luanyue was furious, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger.
"Let them out? Let them go to the Southern Chu, and you'll be free, right! Lord Li, do you think I won't take away your official hat?"
Li Daren knelt on the ground and pleaded for mercy.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I'm just following orders.
My superiors told me that if the plague in Danyang City couldn't be controlled, we should loosen one of the city gates so that the people could disperse, and there wouldn't be a riot in the city."
Du Gu Luanyue angrily flicked her sleeve, drew the long sword from Wang Huyang's waist, and cut off Li Daren's official hat. She roared,
"Danyang City has four city gates. You don't open the other gates, but only the one leading south.
I'm a princess of the Southern Chu, so I know exactly what you're thinking. Your intentions are despicable!"
After saying that, she didn't dare to waste any more time. "Guards! Gather the soldiers in Danyang City at the South Gate. I'll go there myself!"
In fact, all of Huo Wei's deputy generals had secretly received his order to protect the Queen and ensure her safety.
But going to the South Gate was extremely dangerous. Not only was the plague a threat, but if there was a conflict with the masses,
the few soldiers the Emperor had given them would not be enough to protect the Queen.
Wang Huyang frowned. "Your Majesty, why don't you find a safe place to rest first, and let us go first?"
Du Gu Luanyue took the military token from Li Daren, turned around, walked out of the government office, mounted the blood - sweating horse, and said coldly,
"This plague must not spread to the Southern Chu.
I'm a member of the Southern Chu royal family. I must be the first line of defense for the millions of people in the Southern Chu. Even if I have to die, I'll stop it."
The three or four deputy generals standing beside Du Gu Luanyue looked at each other. Then they watched her lonely and determined figure, accompanied by the Phoenix - Feather Guards, riding away. Their hearts were filled with shock.
At this moment, they felt that Queen Du Gu was a bit like Prince Yuzhang, whom they had known on the battlefield. She was also fighting alone, regardless of the danger to her life.
Although the Queen was a woman, her courage and sense of responsibility made these men feel admiration.
Du Gu Luanyue defended the South Gate desperately, but it fell three days later.
Wang Huyang rushed out of the city, went up to Xianyun Mountain, and found Huo Wei.
"My Lord, my Lord! Something terrible has happened! The South Gate has fallen, and Danyang City is in chaos!"