Chapter 439: Just a Chess Piece

The first stone flew over, and with a Bang it struck Gong Sun Heng's shoulder.

He cried out in pain and tilted to the side.

Immediately after, the second, the third…

More and more people bent down to pick up the broken stones on the ground and hurled them at him like raindrops.

Gong Sun Heng's wail was drowned out by the clatter of stones and the crowd's angry shouts.

He tried to dodge but couldn't move, tried to shout, but blood quickly spurted from his mouth.

The last thing he saw was Li Shen standing aside, his cold gaze looking down at him.

That gaze held only a cold indifference.

The execution lasted a full quarter hour.

When the crowd finally fell silent, only four vague pools of blood and flesh remained on the stage, and the ground was littered with blood‑stained stones.

Li Shen glanced at the mess and thought, "If I don't kill you today, I'll be the one who dies tomorrow. Now you've been executed together with all the soldiers; what can the Imperial Court do to me?"

He looked at the panting soldiers before him and, in a serious tone, said, "Today we have eradicated the spies in the Main Camp."

"From now on, anyone in the camp who dares to question the source of the plague shall be beheaded!"

"Those who shake the troops' morale, beheaded! Those who leave the camp on their own, beheaded!"

He paused, then said, "The plague will be cured; no need to panic. The medicinal herbs are already on the way, and the Imperial Court will not abandon us!"

"Remember! We are soldiers! Even in death, we must die standing! Everyone, hold your ground!"

【7】 The crowd fell silent for a moment.

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

Someone, unknown, shouted, "General Li!"

Then the second, the third… all merged into a chorus: "General Li!"

Li Shen turned and returned to the central army's main tent.

The deputy general asked, "General, regarding Jingcheng…"

"The report is already written," Li Shen said calmly, "Da Xia spy Gong Sun Heng, carrying the plague among the troops, was fortunately detected by the soldiers and executed on the spot with the stone punishment."

"Send it to Jingcheng within eight hundred li on express."

The deputy general swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said, "Yes!"

"Issue the order: the entire army retreats twenty li! Re‑establish the camp."

"Yes!"

The next morning, Xiao Er and Lu Qi, with Tuan Tuan never pausing, finally rushed back to Xibei Daying.

A camel had just stopped at the Main Camp gate when Tuan Tuan tried to jump down from its back, but Xiao Er grabbed her and said, "Miss, you mustn't!"

"It's already the fifth day! I want to see Third Young Master!" Tuan Tuan twisted restlessly on the camel's back.

Xiao Er leapt down from the camel, cradling Tuan Tuan, and shouted back, "Lu brother!"

Lu Qi understood, and with all his might shouted toward the Main Camp, "Prince! Quickly have the Prince come out! The Miss has returned!"

The guard at the gate was startled at first, then turned and sprinted madly into the camp.

Moments later, Xiao Yuanhang arrived with his two sons, his face still covered by a thick veil.

"Dad!" Tuan Tuan tried to leap down again.

Xiao Er held her tightly and said, "Prince! The Water Bag is back! Quickly, give it to Third Young Master to drink!"

Lu Qi had already taken the first heavy sack off the camel's back and handed it over.

Water? What water?

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at the ten or so Water Bags on the three camels and, without further question, said, "Send all the Water Bags to the wounded camp!"

"Yes!" the bodyguards surged forward.

Xiao Yuanhang took a Water Bag, turned, and rushed toward the wounded camp where Xiao Ningxun lay.

Xiao Ningxun lay quietly, his face ashen, lips chapped and bleeding, his body convulsing uncontrollably.

The army doctor knelt at the bedside, futilely pressing him, sweat covering his forehead.

Xiao Yuanhang stepped to the bedside, pulled open the Water Bag's wooden stopper; Xiao Ningchen stepped forward to help his brother, Xiao Ningyuan steadied his head and said, "Third brother, open your mouth."

But Xiao Ningxun clamped his jaws shut, already lacking any self‑control.

Xiao Ningyuan carefully pried open his lower jaw.

Xiao Yuanhang angled the bag's opening to his mouth, and clear lake water slowly poured in.

The first sip spilled from the corner of his mouth.

The second sip caused his larynx to twitch.

The third sip… Xiao Ningxun began to swallow.

After pouring in more than ten sips, Xiao Yuanhang finally stopped, gently laying his son back on the bed.

Everyone's gaze fixed on that ashen face.

After a while, Xiao Ningxun's tense limbs relaxed.

The heart‑wrenching convulsions that had foretold imminent death slowly ceased.

The army doctor, trembling, felt his pulse and then his forehead.

"Pulse, the pulse pattern has steadied!" the army doctor shouted, "The high fever is receding! It's really receding!"

Xiao Ningxun's complexion remained pale, but the veil of death had vanished; his eyes were still closed, yet his breathing had shifted from short, scorching gasps to a long, steady rhythm.

A while later, his head tilted slightly, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Xiao Yuanhang rose slowly and said, "Distribute the water to all the patients."

"Heavier cases get a cup each, lighter cases half a cup, administered by the army doctor; give more if needed!"

"Yes!"

The guards, clutching Water Bags, weaved among the sick beds of the wounded camp.

Soon, all the afflicted soldiers drank that miraculous lake water.

The veteran who was running a high fever, after downing a cup, found the heat fade within moments.

A young soldier who had been coughing so badly he could no longer sit up, after drinking half a cup, propped himself up on the bedside rail and sat up, bewildered: "I—I'm not coughing anymore?"

The seriously ill saw their symptoms ease to varying degrees, the milder cases improved even faster: rashes faded, headaches lessened, vomiting gradually ceased.

The soldiers, hearing the commotion in the wounded camp, swarmed to the tents to look.

Seeing their comrades one by one sit up, get down, and weep together, the entire Main Camp boiled over.

"There's hope!"

"Princess has brought back the miraculous lake water!"

"Heaven finally opened its eyes!"

Outside the camp gate, Lu Qi and Xiao Er waited anxiously, while Tuan Tuan stared eagerly at the interior of the Main Camp.

Hearing the cheers, Xiao Er and Lu Qi felt half their worries lift: the lake water worked! What about Third Brother? Was he rescued?

Xiao Yuanhang walked up to them with his two sons.

Tuan Tuan looked at her father and brothers: "Daddy! Is Third Brother okay?"

"He's sleeping," Xiao Yuanhang's throat was hoarse, "After drinking the water you brought back, the fever subsided, his pulse steadied; after a few more days of care he should recover fully."

Tuan Tuan's eyes instantly curved into crescents: "What about Uncle(s)?"

"The same for them."

She clung to Xiao Er, nearly leaping out of his arms, and looked at Lu Qi: "Uncle Two! Uncle Seven! Did you hear?"

"Third Brother is fine! He's fine! Uncle(s) are fine too!"

The two smiled and nodded: "We weren't late returning, that's great."

The three father and sons looked at them, dust‑covered, sand and sweat staining their faces, looking disheveled.

Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningchen clasped fists respectfully toward the two: "Well done!"

Xiao Yuanhang's hand reached out halfway, then withdrew: "When everyone recovers, Daddy will give you a proper hug."

"Tuan Tuan, you not only saved your Third Brother, but also all the sick soldiers."

A few days later, in a residence deep within Jingcheng, a man wearing a bronze mask opened the urgent military report just delivered from Prince's Mansion.

"Da Xia spy Gongsun Heng, carrying plague‑ridden rebel troops, was fortunately detected by the soldiers and executed on the spot with the chaotic stone punishment."

He stared quietly for a moment, held the report close to the candle flame, watching the fire tongue lick the paper edge, gradually curling, blackening, and finally turning to ash.

He murmured, "Just a pawn, just swap one."