After getting married, she spent every night alone in her room; when she asked for a divorce, he kne

During the height of summer, continuous rain caused the dikes of the Dujiang River to breach, and the houses of the people were swallowed up by the flood. The emperor immediately issued an edict, ordering the left and right vice ministers of the Ministry of Works to lead the officials of the Water Conservancy Bureau, along with materials and craftsmen, to rush to Dujiang River to control the flood.

Jiang Zhihuan, who was then serving as the Director of Water Conservancy in the Ministry of Works, had been working day and night on the dike for two nights without sleep, overseeing the river works.

He was in poor health and suffered from a cough all year round. He would cough and wheeze uncontrollably if he was exposed to wind or rain or overexertion. In the past few days, he had been coughing so badly that his lungs felt like they were going to shatter.

"Immediately allocate bricks, stones, and straw bags to reinforce weak sections of the dikes. Quickly dispatch personnel to dredge and divert water from all ditches to prevent the floodwaters from backflowing into villages, cough cough, towns..."

"Each department head is in charge of overseeing the allocation of materials and laborers. They must keep a close watch, patrolling the dikes day and night in shifts. If any seepage or cracks are discovered, they must be reported and dealt with immediately."

"In the face of this disaster, we must work day and night to ensure the breaches are sealed and the lives of people on both sides of the strait are protected. Anyone who neglects their duties and delays the work will be severely punished. Cough cough, cough cough..."

Jiang Zhihuan coughed heavily as he spoke. His subordinates, unable to bear it any longer, advised him, "Lord Jiang, you haven't slept for two nights. Go to your tent and rest for a while."

"I'm fine." Jiang Zhihuan leaned against the wooden stake to catch his breath for a moment. "Go and get on with it."

"Yes."

As his subordinates led the men away, Jiang Zhihuan blinked his eyes, which were blurred with tears. He subconsciously took out a medicine pouch embroidered with orchids from his bosom, put it under his nose, and smelled it.

The medicine pouch was embroidered with sago pearls, the stitches were exquisite, but unfortunately the flavor has long since faded.

He snapped out of his daze, slightly raised his head, and looked in the direction of the encampment.

A blue-curtained carriage was parked next to the main tent, and a maidservant with her hair in two buns, wearing a yellow silk short jacket and a willow-green pleated skirt, stood beside the carriage.

Ying'er was Liu Yuansheng's personal maid.

The carriage appeared in the afternoon and remained there quietly. Though inconspicuous, it was like a needle pricking his heart, causing him pain. He wanted to look at it, yet dared not.

It's not the right time yet.

Jiang Zhihuan silently put away the medicine bag, stood up, and walked towards the river embankment.

Through the crack in the window, Liu Yuansheng saw that slender and elegant figure walking alone towards the messy riverbank.

She clenched her fists tightly, not letting go even though the medical book in her hands was crumpled.

Outside the carriage, Ying'er asked, puzzled, "Miss, should we call that Lord Jiang over?"

"He seems to have noticed you, but he's ignoring you."

Liu Yuansheng listened silently to Ying'er's words, and after hearing them, he clenched his fists even tighter.

She knew that Jiang Zhihuan had discovered her.

But he still ignored her.

If the first time was an accident, then this time it was intentional.

He really didn't want to talk to her, for whatever reason.

Liu Yuansheng really couldn't understand it.

Unable to understand, the first thing she did after waking up was to ask Ying'er to inquire about Jiang Zhihuan.

Ying'er thought she was just helping Xiao Jingzhuo find out the truth about this "love rival," but in reality, she was doing it for herself.

Upon learning that Jiang Zhihuan had been working to control the floods across the river, she left a note for Xiao Jinghan and then came.

Jiang Zhihuan ignored her.

She felt somewhat lost and lacked the courage to approach him and acknowledge him, because she was afraid he would say something heartless, and then she would no longer even have the right to see him secretly like this.

A wave of bitterness surged through her heart, turning into a pain that seeped into her very bones. Liu Yuansheng withdrew her gaze, slowly loosened the medical book in her hand, and knocked twice on the car door.

This means to leave.

Ying'er understood and said to the coachman, "Madam is going back now, let's go."

The coachman flicked the reins and drove the carriage away.

After the flood receded, the road was covered with thick silt. The wheels of the cart were stuck in the mud. The driver whipped the horse to urge it on, but the wheels just spun and slipped. It took a lot of effort to move the cart forward a few feet. The axle would occasionally hit the broken rocks hidden underwater, and the cart would shake violently.

"Watch out, watch out, ouch!"

Ying'er slipped and fell into the mud. Liu Yuansheng swayed in the carriage, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

Suddenly, the horse's hooves slipped in the mud, its front hooves sank into a puddle, and the carriage tilted violently to one side.

Liu Yuansheng, who was sitting in the carriage, was caught off guard and rolled out of the tilted carriage. His shoulder hit the wooden edge hard, and he slid off the carriage floor in pain, leaning on the armrest to catch his breath.

Ying'er was terrified. Ignoring her muddy clothes, she scrambled towards the carriage, crying, "Miss! Miss!"

Liu Yuansheng opened her eyes wide and tried to lift the carriage curtain to tell Ying'er that she was alright, but she saw a large hand with distinct knuckles reach in, grab her arm, and pull her out of the carriage.

The other party was extremely strong. In the blink of an eye, she flew out of the carriage and landed steadily in his arms.

She instinctively hugged the man's neck, looked up, and saw his face clearly.

It was Xiao Jinghan.

Xiao Jinghan held Liu Yuansheng in his arms, but placed one foot on the carriage shaft to prevent the carriage from tipping over.

"You really know how to cause trouble! You always run off to where there's chaos! Didn't you used to love staying cooped up in the mansion?"

Xiao Jinghan scolded Liu Yuansheng in his ear, then pressed down hard with his toes, lifting the carriage out of the mud.

The coachman hurriedly stepped forward to right the carriage, and Ying'er rushed over, "Young Master! Miss, are you alright?"

Liu Yuansheng withdrew her gaze inch by inch, shaking her head expressionlessly in Xiao Jinghan's arms.

Xiao Jinghan carried Liu Yuansheng into the tent.

Inside the tent, the two vice ministers of the Ministry of Works were discussing flood control strategies when they saw the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo carrying a woman enter. They immediately stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, what's going on?"

"There was a slight accident, so I'd like to borrow your tents for a moment." Xiao Jinghan placed Liu Yuansheng on the soft cushion, looked her up and down a few times, and asked, "Are you injured anywhere?"

Liu Yuansheng pulled her arm back and then shook her head.

Xiao Jinghan grabbed her arm and rolled up her sleeve.

The two adults had vanished without a trace, and in the vast tent, only the mud-covered oriole guarded them.

Liu Yuansheng tried to struggle, but Xiao Jinghan scolded her, "Don't move."

He slowly rolled up Liu Yuansheng's sleeve and, sure enough, saw a patch of bruises on that section of her snow-white arm.

"You got hurt?" Xiao Jinghan scoffed. "With your cursed fate, you'd be better off staying home. Don't go wandering around aimlessly, what do you say?"

Liu Yuansheng looked at him indifferently.

Xiao Jinghan didn't take it seriously. He stood up, rummaged through the tent, and then came over clutching a small black medicine bowl.

He opened the medicine mortar, took out the ointment and melted it on his fingertips. Just as he was about to apply it to Liu Yuansheng's arm, he suddenly remembered something and froze on the spot.

Liu Yuansheng was also stunned.

Seeing Xiao Jinghan stop moving, she suddenly realized and did it herself.

"You do it yourself? Forget it." Xiao Jinghan looked at Ying'er beside him, "You apply the medicine to your young lady."

"I can't," Ying'er said, spreading her hands. "My hands are covered in mud."

"Then I'll have to do it myself." Xiao Jinghan positioned Liu Yuansheng's arm and said, "Don't worry, I'm quite good at applying medicine."

As he spoke, his fingertips gently touched her bruised arm, slowly and gently circling to melt the ointment, slowing down the pressure with each stroke.

Seeing Liu Yuansheng frown slightly, he immediately softened his movements, his eyes filled with tenderness, but his words were venomous as he said, "Tell me, what brings you to Dujiang? Have you abandoned medicine and taken an interest in water conservancy instead?"

No sooner had the words been spoken than an anxious voice rang out from outside the tent.

"How could it be lost? I definitely put it in the tent! Go find it, cough cough cough..."

Liu Yuansheng was taken aback upon hearing this.

She suddenly looked up and saw Jiang Zhihuan, dressed in a blue official robe, hurriedly stepping into the tent, his face full of worry.