Soon, Xiu Xiu came back. She quietly replied to Xiang Xiaoqiang:
"Sir, Princess Liaoyang is not at the headquarters... Her Royal Highness is ill and is recuperating at home..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang was very surprised and asked in a low voice:
"She is sick? When did it happen? What disease?"
Xiuxiu said softly:
"The princess's secretary said on the phone that on the afternoon of the 20th, the princess felt uncomfortable and went back to rest early. Then she didn't come back the next day and was asked to take sick leave. She hasn't come to the headquarters in the past few days. The secretary said,
The princess seems to have a cold."
Xiang Xiaoqiang was very surprised. Fourteen Gege fell ill on the afternoon of the 20th, and it had been four days now, and he didn't know it at all. Fourteen Gege was the deputy commander of the security team, but she obviously had a stomachache when she fell ill, and her boss didn't know it either.
But...in the past 20 days since the war started, I have lived in the fortress and never returned to the headquarters. Xiuxiu has also lived in Lai for more than ten days. The leaders of the main departments of the People's Guard also live in the fortress.
You can command the following at any time. In any case, it is equivalent to moving a streamlined version of the People's Guard headquarters into the headquarters.
However, this streamlined version of the People's Guard headquarters obviously does not include the fourteenth grid.
The status of Shi Shigege in the headquarters is usually very important. Logically speaking, even if it is "streamlined", she will never be missing. But maybe because of her special status, since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, everyone has
Intentionally or unintentionally, she "downplayed" her, or "marginalized" her. And she herself seemed to also intentionally "marginalize" herself.
Since the war started, not to mention everyone else has almost forgotten the Fourteenth Gege, even Xiang Xiaoqiang has almost forgotten the Fourteenth Gege. And the Fourteenth Gege has never taken the initiative to poke his head out to remind everyone of his existence.
.She was like a snail, deeply retracting into her shell.
From Xiuxiu's tone, it seemed that even Shi Shi Ge Ge's secretary didn't care much about her. When Shi Shi Ge Ge fell ill, even the secretary didn't even visit her.
Besides, Shi Shi Ge Ge, who has a temperament that is both arrogant and inferior, probably does not intend to sit on the bench in the headquarters. She will go home "claiming illness", raise flowers, feed fish, make the cat smile, teach Xiao Wu to learn Chinese, and fight outside.
She doesn't care how the beating ends...
Thinking of this, Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed secretly, a feeling of guilt filling his heart.
When I first expressed my love to Shi Shigege, what did I say? I want to protect others and let them do whatever they want...
What now?
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang glanced at the wall clock. It was past nine o'clock in the evening. But there was still no clue about the discussion on the conference table. He stood up, bent over and walked to Tang Yunsheng, lowered his head and whispered to him:
"Tang Gong, why don't you ask Princess Liaoyang for advice and see if Her Royal Highness has any good ideas. Princess Liaoyang is resourceful and has a solid foundation in the army. The most important thing is that she knows the details and behavior of the Qing army and generals.
If you can grasp the palm of your hand... the student wants to..."
Before Xiang Xiaoqiang finished speaking, Tang Yunsheng nodded frequently:
"Hmm, yes, yes... you are right, I should ask her for advice on this matter. However, I'm afraid I can't explain it clearly on the phone. In this way, I will write a warrant and send a convoy of guards to invite the princess here. Let's all come together
I’d like to ask you for advice…after all, you are your Royal Highness the Princess, and we, as ministers, cannot be rude to you.”
Xiang Xiaoqiang was a little embarrassed and laughed softly:
"Tang Gong, this... Her Royal Highness Princess Liaoyang is currently ill and recuperating at home. It may be inconvenient to come to the headquarters... The student wants to go there in person, and even visit and ask for advice, so we can do it together..."
"Oh... that's it." Tang Yunsheng looked at Xiang Xiaoqiang, a little surprised, and immediately asked in a low voice, "What disease did Her Royal Highness contract? When did it happen? Have you seen the imperial doctor? What medicine did you take? But
important?"
Her Royal Highness the Princess is sick. Whether you really care or not, this is the basic etiquette of a courtier and must be asked. Xiang Xiaoqiang also knows it very well. After he briefly answered one by one, Tang Yunsheng nodded and sighed:
"Her Royal Highness the Princess is in ill health. Only now do we, the ministers, know that it is really a sin. Alas, it is also unfortunate that the war is in full swing now, and I am also busy with military affairs. Otherwise, I should have gone to the Princess's house to visit immediately.
…”
Xiang Xiaoqiang immediately whispered:
"Don't worry, Mr. Tang, the students will definitely take the wishes of Mr. Tang and Mr. Ming into consideration."
Tang Yunsheng nodded and said:
"Hurry up, go back quickly, the battle situation here may change at any time... Your People's Guard is still the main force."
"Tang Gong, don't worry."
…
Xiuxiu originally wanted to go with Xiang Xiaoqiang, but Xiang Xiaoqiang told her to keep an eye on her here and refused to let her go. Xiuxiu knew that Xiang Xiaoqiang wanted to go by herself, but despite her reluctance, she was very
Obedient, did not have any objections to Xiang Xiaoqiang, just kissed Xiang Xiaoqiang gently in the corridor, and gently told him:
"Adults, please be careful and pay attention to safety. Don't take the same road when you go and when you come back..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at Xiuxiu's beautiful and obedient face, and felt a little guilty in his heart. He wanted to take her there for a moment. But then he thought that if he went alone, he would have to be lingering with Shi Shigege, and he might not be able to control the blood surge when the time comes.
Come on, a bully came and pushed her down... If Xiuxiu wanted to follow, should she be asked to guard the door for them? That would be more harmful to her.
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang and Hu Jiong were riding in the headquarters bulletproof vehicle assigned to him by Tang Yunsheng, with a military vehicle at the front and rear. The military vehicle was filled with People's Guard soldiers, and they rushed toward Nanjing in the night.
At 9:40 pm, three cars quietly drove into the gate of Princess Liaoyang Mansion.
Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at his pocket watch and felt a little relieved. At this point, Fourteen Gege would not fall asleep. She has always been a night owl and likes to go to bed late and get up late. She is often late for work...
But the maids on duty looked very surprised when they saw Mr. Xiang coming.
"Has your Royal Highness gone to bed?"
Xiang Xiaoqiang walked into the front living room, took off his long coat and handed it to a maid, asking casually.
The maid looked at him in surprise and replied hesitantly:
"Xiang...Xiang, Your Highness the Princess didn't get up at all..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang was stunned.
"Oh, you mean, Her Royal Highness the Princess hasn't gone to bed yet?"
The maid shook her head.
"What's wrong?" Xiang Xiaoqiang was stunned, "You mean, Her Royal Highness has been in bed all day today and didn't get up?"
The maid nodded.
Xiang Xiaoqiang said in surprise:
"Her Royal Highness is really sick? What's going on? What kind of disease is it?"
The maid replied nervously:
"Your Majesty... Your Highness the Princess, she has been ill for several days. She was a little better yesterday morning and got up and walked for a while, but it got worse again at night... She has been resting in bed from last night to tonight..."
"Ah! What disease?"
"Well...the doctor said it was a cold, a cold and a fever...but he wouldn't let us enter the princess's room, saying he was afraid of infection..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang felt sad, but he didn't expect that the Fourteenth Gege was not a "pretended illness" but a real illness. He immediately said:
"I'll go see her."
As he said that, he ignored the maid's obstruction and went straight to the direction of Shifengge's bedroom.
…
After passing through several doorways, he stood in front of the fourteen-square bedroom door.
The entire corridor, the floor was mopped to a shiny finish, and the air was filled with the smell of medicine, like a smell unique to hospitals. There was no light in the fourteen-square room, and the grid sliding doors were closed tightly.
, as if it were an empty house.
Xiang Xiaoqiang felt pain in his heart, and a familiar feeling came into his mind.
This is formalin potion, which represents the smell of death.
...It was a memory from later generations. He was still in middle school at that time. It was also such a night. He and his whole family sat on the long chairs in grief and anxiety, comforting each other. There was also a smell in the corridor.
The pungent smell of formalin... Opposite the chair is the ICU intensive care unit. At one end of the corridor is the operating room. At the other end are two doors. After exiting the door, turn along the hospital path and there is
Morgue.
Xiang Xiaoqiang's grandma was pushed from the intensive care unit to the operating room. When she was pushed out later, it would depend on whether she was pushed back to the intensive care unit or pushed directly through the entire corridor and pushed out from the two doors at the end...
Life and death are separated by such a short corridor, just a dozen meters.
The "operation in progress" light in the operating room is still on, and the hope of the whole family is inside. Everyone is praying for a miracle.
But the miracle did not come that day. The hospital bed was finally pushed through the entire corridor and pushed out of the two doors amidst the cries of the whole family.
Xiang Xiaoqiang also firmly remembered the smell at that moment - the smell of formalin that represented death.
…
Now, Xiang Xiaoqiang stood in front of Princess Liaoyang's room, breathing this breath, tears welling up in his eyes, his hands trembling, and he couldn't lift up to open the door.
I don’t know how long it took, but he mustered up the courage and said softly:
"Afang...Afang..."
There was no sound inside. The entire corridor was dead silent.
Xiang Xiaoqiang was thinking wildly and almost burst into tears. He was thinking about how he would bear it if he opened the door now and found that Shi Shige Ge was dead.
"Afang...I...I'm here to see you...Afang, it's me..."
…
Finally, a faint sigh came from inside.
Xiang Xiaoqiang was surprised and shouted softly:
"Afang, I'm here to see you...are you asleep?"
Fourteen faint voices came from inside:
"...You...you are such a rare visitor to the Commander...you still remember me...there is a person like me, not bad, not bad...don't come in...cough cough...cough cough cough cough..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang was overjoyed, but when he heard Shi Shige Ge's violent coughing, he felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if the heartbreaking pain was in his own body.
He immediately stretched out his hand and opened the sliding door. It was dark inside, and an even more pungent smell of medicine hit his face.
Fourteen Gege coughed and hissed:
"Don't come in...it will be contagious...cough cough cough..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang turned around firmly and closed the door. Then he turned around and said slowly:
"Now that I've come in, I will never go out again. Even if you have typhoid, cholera, and pneumonic plague, I will stay with you inside."
Fourteen Gege coughed twice and said softly:
"...the doctor doesn't dare to tell me...but I know...80% of it is pneumonia...get out quickly..."
Hearing that it was pneumonia, Xiang Xiaoqiang felt relieved a lot. Pneumonia is not a serious matter. As long as it is not chronic, you can take medicine and get injections, and you will be fine in a few days.
He stepped on the tatami and groped in the dark to the place where Fourteen was sleeping. He knelt down and touched her hand twice. He touched her hand and held it gently.
"Afang, I just realized that...you have suffered."
Shi Shigege wanted to free her hand, but she had no strength at all, so she let him hold it. She coughed twice and said softly:
"Xiang Xiaoqiang...are you willing to die with me?"
Xiang Xiaoqiang nodded quickly:
"yes!"
Fourteen Gege said weakly:
"If I get pneumonia...then if you do this...you might really die with me."
Xiang Xiaoqiang secretly wondered, he didn't know that a case of pneumonia could frighten Shi Shigege like this. Pneumonia is not an incurable disease, just give him a few injections of anti-inflammatory drugs and he will be fine in a few days.
But he had no intention of doing popular science with Shi Shige Ge. He just smiled and said:
"Don't say 'you guessed' it's pneumonia. Even if the doctor tells me directly that it's pneumonia, I will stay with you. If you get sick, we will get sick together, and if we die, we will die together. Why don't I come here tonight?
.”
Fourteen Gege seemed to have her whole body frozen, and there was no sound for a long time. It was not until another burst of violent coughing that she said in a trembling voice:
"Xiang Xiaoqiang...are you...are you crazy?...Is it necessary..."