Song Qingchao answered him directly with action.
She pulled the person along and ran towards the city gate.
However, after only a few steps, she was lifted up by the person she was pulling.
The moment her feet left the ground, she cooperatively wrapped her arms around Bai You'an's neck.
Their goal was the same now: to stop the burning of the city!
"There's a horse!"
Song Qingchao pointed at the horse tied in the distance.
Bai You'an responded, then ran over and helped Song Qingchao onto the horse's back.
He patted the horse's rump, and the horse reared up on its hind legs and charged forward.
Song Qingchao held the reins with one hand, leaned forward slightly, and offered her hand to Bai You'an.
After grabbing it, Bai You'an sprang up and landed on the horse's back as well.
Song Qingchao was embraced by him, and the hand holding the reins was also covered by him.
"Hold on tight!"
The two of them galloped through the streets where white paper was fluttering.
The citizens still mourning their loved ones had no idea what was happening.
Song Qingchao had a bad feeling.
Who was the person sent?
For such a reputation-damaging matter, a general who valued their reputation would not willingly lead the team.
But imperial orders could not be defied.
Those who came were either framed or took a desperate gamble.
She had some confidence in the former, but if it was the latter...
Their chances of survival were slim.
But Song Qingchao never expected that the leader would be Feng Shaocheng!
If it was Feng Shaocheng,
Then this matter could be said to be easy to handle or difficult to handle.
She glanced at Bai You'an, seeing his displeased expression, but still presented her opinion to Chang Pinghe.
"Is there a liaison officer?"
Chang Pinghe nodded, "They were shot back with arrows as soon as they left the city gate. They don't want to communicate at all."
Song Qingchao stood on the city wall, looking down at the soldiers who were constantly piling firebrands against the city wall, her palms sweating with nervousness.
"I'll go."
"No." Bai You'an was the first to object.
"Why?" Song Qingchao asked, confused. "Nothing will happen if I go, believe me."
Bai You'an's face was grim.
He believed Song Qingchao, but he didn't believe Feng Shaocheng.
He wanted to beat such a cowardly person every time he saw him.
"Of course, it's dangerous."
Song Qingchao's heart skipped a beat.
Although she didn't know what feud there was between Bai You'an and Feng Shaocheng, seeing how badly they fought last time, if Bai You'an were to go this time, Feng Shaocheng would lose a layer of skin even if he didn't die.
She still had a use for Feng Shaocheng.
"It's okay, don't you trust me yet?"
She coaxed Bai You'an for a long time before he reluctantly agreed.
Chang Pinghe, standing nearby, was worried. "Miss Song, you don't need to take the risk yourself. I was just about to go and negotiate. If it fails, we can only try our best to retreat the citizens."
"It's fine, I know the commanding general." She grabbed the hem of her skirt and prepared to leave. "Have the citizens been evacuated?"
"Soldiers have been sent to notify each household. If nothing goes wrong, they should all be rushing to Guangji Temple by now."
"Good."
Walking all the way to the city gate, Song Qingchao couldn't help but look back at the nonchalant Bai You'an.
"Are you still going to follow me?"
"Yes," Bai You'an answered as if it were natural.
Song Qingchao felt speechless. Wouldn't it be adding fuel to the fire if Feng Shaocheng saw Bai You'an?
She pondered for a moment, held her breath, and walked forward.
However, Bai You'an was also considerate. He stopped following after the gate opened and retreated to the side.
Only she went out of the city alone.
But as soon as she stepped out,
A sharp sword flew towards her with a "swoosh," narrowly missing the tip of Song Qingchao's shoe.
Song Qingchao took two steps back and looked for Feng Shaocheng on the opposite side.
"Shaocheng! It's me! Chaocao!"
She shouted while dodging, ensuring she didn't get hurt but was lightly grazed by the arrow.
Soon, the continuous volleys of arrows stopped.
From amidst the dense army, Feng Shaocheng, clad in armor, emerged.
With a mixture of surprise and worry, he stepped forward. "Chaocao, why are you here?"
"I..." Song Qingchao lowered her head, covering the wound on her arm, and stepped back, avoiding Feng Shaocheng's touch. "I had contracted an illness and was driven out by people in the team. Fortunately, the people in this county took me in."
She raised her bright eyes. "What are you doing?"
Song Qingchao's illness made her seem weak and pitiable, evoking sympathy.
Feng Shaocheng honestly replied, "The Emperor has decreed that I am to be fully in charge of the plague in Feng County."
"So, your method is to burn it?"
Feng Shaocheng evaded slightly, gently changing the subject. "Shall we go back to the camp to talk?"
Song Qingchao withdrew her Gong Bo from his hand. "I'm not going. If I go, can the people in this city still live?"
"Chaocao, it's not that I thought of this drastic measure. It's just that now several towns surrounding Feng County are also suffering from the disaster. If we don't stop it, I'm afraid it will spread nationwide."
"Since the epidemic in Feng County began, the county magistrate here immediately sealed off the town and went out to seek help. However, for some unknown reason, in the past half month, it has shown a trend of spreading to the surrounding areas, which is why I was ordered to handle this matter."
Song Qingchao's heart sank upon hearing this.
Indeed, things were developing towards the worst possible outcome.
The Chang family was truly incompetent!
"But if you are the one doing this, then the lives of the people in these towns will all fall on you?" Song Qingchao feigned surprise and grabbed Feng Shaocheng's sleeve directly. "This must affect your career, right?"
Feng Shaocheng smiled in surprise. "Chaocao, you care about me so much, my heart is greatly comforted."
He patted Song Qingchao's hand. "Don't worry, if I can save a hundred people by killing one, I will bear the blame."
Song Qingchao felt a wave of contempt.
For the sake of a so-called grand cause, using the salvation of the masses as an excuse, they went ahead and sacrificed others without regard for the consequences.
Ignoring the lives in front of them, erasing their own wicked deeds, and then bragging about being a great savior afterward.
Song Qingchao just wanted to spit.
But for the sake of the city's residents, Song Qingchao endured!
She pretended to be worried. "But I don't want you to be cursed by everyone."
"I don't care."
"I care!" Song Qingchao shook Feng Shaocheng's arm. "I have a better method, and we can stop the spread of the epidemic without burning the city!"
Feng Shaocheng smiled, taking Song Qingchao's words as a joke. "Chaocao, stop messing around."
"I'm not messing around," Song Qingchao said firmly. "The city has already developed a special medicine. Look, I'm fine now!"
She let go of Feng Shaocheng's arm and then spun around several times to show her health.
"How about this, I'll give you the prescription, and you spare the people in this city."