Ding Yong died, died several days after using the new dicine, the peach blossom patches on his body had already faded for the most part, yet on this sudden, unexpected night, they abruptly darkened.
The body stained with the plague cannot linger long in the Plague Hospital, Cuicui, despite the dissuasion of the dical Officers, insisted on following to the execution ground, desiring to see with her own eyes Ding Yong being buried, placing a small grasshopper on the grave.
The black soil of the execution ground mixed with the white snow, small and large graves mingled together, those with families might wish to erect a stele, but more were buried where they fell, rged with this damp earth.
Lu Tong stood amidst ice and snow, gazing toward the distant, hazy peaks, and for a mont felt sowhat bewildered.
It was as if she was back many years ago, having descended from Luoi Peak, searching the execution ground for fresh corpses for Lady Yun.
From initial discomfort to gradual numbness, she thought she had beco accustod to this land long ago, but standing here once again, she was still moved by the heart-wrenching separations of the world.
Life is cruel.
She stood in the execution ground for a long ti.
Until Cuicui was led back to the Plague Hospital by the dical Officers, until all the other dical Officers had gone, frost and snow pouring down from the vault of heaven, she stood alone, as if intending to stand there until the end of ti.
An umbrella was raised above her head.
The falling snow was barred by the edge of the umbrella, she turned, Pei Yunng stood before her.
He didn’t speak, only quietly watching her, as if he too understood this mont of her bewildernt, he tilted the umbrella over her head.
The umbrella was not large, it couldn’t fully shelter two people, the snow escaped her, hiding upon the other, falling upon his shoulders, covering him.
"Why haven’t you left yet?" Lu Tong heard her own voice.
Last night her loss of composure after Ding Yong’s sudden death was fully witnessed by him. She hadn’t slept all night, so he had also stayed up with her all night.
Pei Yunng glanced at her, "Are you alright?"
"What could be wrong with ?"
"Don’t be obstinate, Lu Tong." His expression beca solemn, as if seeing through her at a glance, "You’re clearly very sad."
He was still as perceptive as ever.
Lu Tong turned and walked forward, "The Marshal needn’t stay here any longer, this place is full of bodies of the afflicted, although most have been burned and buried, staying for too long could still be harmful to one’s health. Leave early."
The person behind her grabbed her wrist.
Lu Tong stopped.
Pei Yunng frowned slightly, looking at her, and after a while, said nothing, thrust the umbrella into her hands, saying, "Take it."
Lu Tong nodded to him, took the umbrella, and slowly walked away.
Only when the woman’s figure could no longer be seen in the wind and snow did Pei Yunng speak, "Qingfeng."
Qingfeng, who had been standing at a distance, stepped forward.
"Keep an eye on Lu Tong, sothing’s not right with her."
Qingfeng was sowhat puzzled.
Lu Tong was always composed and indifferent, earlier in the execution ground, when she buried Ding Yong’s body, even as Ding Yong’s daughter cried inconsolably, she showed not a hint of comfort, he really didn’t know what was amiss.
In the snowfield, Pei Yunng was silent.
Sothing was not right with Lu Tong.
Last night her expression was vacant, hollow, like a cloud about to scatter, unsure of where to go, if he hadn’t held onto her in ti, who knows what might have happened.
The last ti he had seen her like this was at the Nuo Yi ceremony, after Qi Yutai’s death.
She was really a cause for concern.
...
The death of Ding Yong had caused the Plague Hospital, which had been showing signs of life, to suddenly fall silent.
"Despair" is the "disappointnt" that follows "hope."
It’s more terrifying.
Yet death does not beco rciful for sadness sake, three days after Ding Yong passed, Cuicui started to show symptoms.
Perhaps because she was a child and her body wasn’t as strong as an adult’s, or perhaps because Ding Yong’s death had struck Cuicui too hard, either way, Cuicui’s condition flared up more violently than her father’s.
On the small girl’s delicate arms, large patches of peach blossoms were vividly mottled and had turned purplish in color.
Purple Cloud Patches.
Cuicui’s condition worsened.
In the Plague Hospital, behind a pulled curtain, dical Officers were administering a decoction to Cuicui.
The girl showed an expression of agony, her whole body soaked with sweat, and she kept complaining of bone pain.
Lin Danqing, while holding down the writhing child, poured Qi-raising dicine down her throat, Ji Xun and Lu Tong administered acupuncture to Cuicui.
A series of Golden Needles pierced Cuicui’s body, yet the girl’s breath was still growing weaker and weaker.
"It’s not working, her body is getting colder, her pulse is also getting weaker." Lin Danqing, drenched in sweat, said, "Lu Tong, Ji Xun, add more needles."
More Golden Needles penetrated Cuicui’s body.
She began to tremble violently, shouting for her mom and dad.
Lu Tong held her in her arms, whispering in her ear, "Hold on."
"You have to survive," she said, "it’s what your mom and dad hope for the most."
As soon as she spoke, Lu Tong herself was taken aback for a mont.
Quickly, she recovered her senses, and continued to speak in Cuicui’s ear.
"Living is your parents’ expectation."
Cuicui seed to understand and gradually cald down.
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