Chapter 125: Impending, Penicillin

Xuanshi Hall, above the imperial court.

The atmosphere was solemn.

When they heard that Jin Rishi successfully resisted Wei Qing's imperial army using guerrilla tactics tactics, the officials immediately became unsettled, and fierce arguments rose and fell.

The scene was comparable to a battlefield.

An official, face grim, clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, the situation is now grave; Jin Rishi and Sang Hongyang hold heavy troops and occupy advantageous terrain. I think we should temporarily pardon them."

Another said: "As long as they are willing to lay down their arms, we can pardon past offenses and even grant them official positions and fiefs; this would both spare the people from suffering and preserve the dignity of our Great Han."

Their words had barely fallen when Zhang Tang immediately retorted: "Impossible! Your Majesty, these two openly rebelled, their sins are monstrous; if we lightly pardon them, would we not become a laughingstock to the world? Who would then still hold the court's dignity in esteem?"

At this moment, an official who usually had a close relationship with Sang Hongyang stepped forward, his face grim, his tone tinged with resentment: "Your Majesty, if it weren't for a commoner Xu Wei, how could Sang Hongyang and Jin Rishi have been driven to rebel? For a mere commoner, to offend two high-ranking officials of the court is truly not the act of a wise ruler. Now that things have come to this, you too should reflect."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ju's face instantly turned ashen.

Immediately afterward, another official stood up and suggested: "Your Majesty, the Southern Great Development involves many parties, and now, due to the rebellion of Sang Hongyang and Jin Rishi, it has reached an impasse. In my view, we should first abandon the Southern Great Development policy, concentrate our forces to suppress the rebellion, and then, once the situation stabilizes, slowly reconsider it."

Liu Ju could no longer contain the surging anger in his heart; he fiercely slapped the armrest of the dragon throne, a booming 'bang' echoing across the empty hall.

He abruptly rose to his feet, glaring angrily, his voice booming like a great bell throughout the hall: "Enough! You all only know how to spout useless talk here! Pardon? They have committed such heinous crimes—how could mere amnesty resolve this? They betrayed the court, killed the King of Chen, and seized the young prince."

"'Even they have proclaimed their intent to occupy my ancestral lands—such a monstrous act of treason; if I were to let them off lightly, what face would I have to face my ancestors? How could I answer to the people under heaven? Who would redress the grievances of the innocent lives they have slaughtered?'"

His gaze swept over the complaining officials like lightning, his eyes full of icy cold, as he said coldly: "I am the Son of Heaven, mandated by Heaven; I must keep all under heaven in mind, whether noble or common, and treat them all equally."

"'Xu Wei may be a commoner, but he has suffered unjustly; as the Son of Heaven, if I do not uphold justice for him, what face would I have to sit upon this dragon throne? My duty is to protect the people under heaven, not to indulge powerful ministers in their lawlessness.'"

"'If we sacrifice the people's justice to protect the powerful, how is such a Son of Heaven any different from a dim-witted ruler? As for the claim that I have offended high officials, should I really let them trample the law, grind the people's flesh, and throw my Great Han's realm into chaos?'"

Liu Ju slightly calmed his emotions, then turned to the official who had suggested abandoning the Southern Great Development, and said firmly: "The Southern Great Development is a major undertaking concerning the future prosperity of our Great Han; it is a timeless great work for the welfare of our descendants—how could we lightly abandon it because of a little rebellion?"

"'If we shrink back now, not only will we disappoint the world, but we will also lead those with ill intentions to think our Great Han is weak and can be bullied.'"

"'My resolve is firm; I will absolutely not pardon the rebels, nor will I abandon the Southern Great Development. If anyone dares to speak of giving it up again, do not blame me for being ruthless!'"

Above the imperial court, a deathly silence fell; the officials were awed by Liu Ju's majesty and resolve.

Liu Ju, having overridden all opinions in the court and declared his resolve, swiftly plunged into the urgent preparations.

He immediately issued an edict to Wei Qing, requesting a detailed report on the frontline situation, demanding that Wei Qing truthfully report the army's casualties, material reserves, and the difficulties they faced.

Based on Wei Qing's feedback, Liu Ju at once ordered that large quantities of excellent weapons and ample provisions be drawn from military arsenals across the realm and rushed day and night to the southern battlefield.

He also diverted some elite troops from other border regions, secretly marching to Yuzhou Pei Commandery to reinforce Wei Qing's forces, seeking to establish an absolute military advantage.

At the same time he formed a unit of the elite guards of the Feathered Forest Guard, established a secret intelligence team, and infiltrated Yuzhou Pei Commandery.

These individuals disguised themselves as ordinary civilians, merchants, drifters, etc., scattering around the rebel forces to collect every move of Sang Hongyang and Jin Rishi, including their troop deployments, grain stockpiles, internal divisions, and subsequent battle plans.

Next, on one hand he issued an edict proclaiming to the world the crimes of Sang Hongyang and Jin Rishi, exposing their plot, letting the people see their true nature, thereby isolating the rebels;

On the other hand, he sent messengers to those scholar-gentry not swayed by Sang Hongyang and Jin Rishi, who were merely observing, promising that if they united to resist the rebels, the court would pardon past offenses and even grant them rewards and official positions.

Although the southern situation was tense, Liu Ju did not abandon the Southern Great Development policy.

He reappointed a group of capable officials headed by Xu Wei to handle the affairs of the Southern Great Development, ensuring the project's continued progress.

At the same time he encouraged local populace to actively participate in the development, granting them certain subsidies and preferential policies.

Although the rebels' uprising had not yet subsided, Liu Ju quickly stabilized the court's situation.

At this moment Zhang Qian suddenly memorialized: "Your Majesty, besides affecting the pacification of the rebellion, there is yet another greater problem, also the greatest obstacle hindering the progress of the Southern Great Development, which remains unresolved."

Liu Ju asked in a deep voice: "Is it the miasma?"

Zhang Qian nodded: "Your Majesty, although the court has sent many medical personnel to the site, the medicinal treatments and drugs are grossly ineffective, yielding little result, and many still fall ill."

Zhang Qian's words struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's hearts.

Liu Ju's brows knotted tightly, the worry on his face growing ever heavier.

Inside the hall, the officials whispered to each other, their expressions full of anxiety and helplessness.

Liu Ju fell silent for a moment; suddenly the image of Zhang Shi appeared in his mind, his heart tightened as he secretly pondered: "I wonder how the research on penicillin is progressing? This might be the key to solving the miasma problem."

Thinking of this, he at once loudly ordered: "Summon Zhang Shi immediately for an audience!"

Not long after, Zhang Shi's figure appeared before everyone's eyes.

His steps were unsteady, his clothes disheveled, his hair messy, a few strands weakly drooping over his weary face.

His eyes were full of fatigue and guilt, his eye sockets sunken, dark circles heavy beneath them; he looked utterly disheveled.

He trudged with difficulty to the center of the hall, fell to his knees with a 'thud', his voice hoarse, tinged with a hint of sobbing, and said:

"'Your Majesty, I deserve ten thousand deaths! The research on penicillin has made no progress to date. I have studied day and night, tried countless methods, yet still failed to successfully produce penicillin to counter the miasma, betraying your trust and expectations.'"

Saying this, he knocked his head heavily against the ground and did not lift it for a long time.

The officials' reactions varied.

Some were disappointed, shaking their heads slightly and uttering helpless sighs;

others showed displeasure, whispering complaints: "It's been this long and still no results—how many important matters will this delay!"

"'Exactly, if it had been developed earlier, the soldiers would not have suffered so much, and the Southern Great Development would not have been obstructed. Your Majesty, too, is overly ambitious.'"

Liu Ju looked at Zhang Shi, who remained kneeling unable to rise, drew a deep breath, and said slowly: "Zhang Shi, I know you have done your utmost. This research is inherently difficult; although it has not yet succeeded, we cannot simply give up."

Although artemisinin had been successfully extracted earlier, penicillin is entirely a different concept.

Zhang Shi currently has made no progress, which is also within Liu Ju's expectations.