Chapter 581: Boiling Over

Latest website: "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"

"Thirteen years have passed, Ningjin has been recovered, and Your Highness's meritorious deeds are as dazzling as the bright moon in the sky."

"The Northern Di have fled to the North Territory like stray dogs. With the Ningjin Dusi as a barrier, Yanzhou will be safe and secure from now on."

"..."

In the Prince's Council Hall, Liu Fu and other officials from the Government Office gathered together.

Upon learning the news, they immediately came to the Prince's Mansion to personally offer their congratulations to Yan Wang, each of them filled with wild joy.

This time, the Prince's Personal Army not only forced the Northern Di to retreat north but also reclaimed the territory of the Great Song that had been lost for thirteen years; how mighty this was.

This battle filled them with confidence in the future of Yanzhou, leaving not a shred of doubt.

Zhao Xu's eyes crinkled into slits with a smile, even though he had believed he would win.

But now that the definitive result had arrived, he still found it hard to suppress his excitement.

The Northern Di suffered heavy losses this time and would not have the capability to challenge him again in the short term.

Otherwise, they would not have chosen to retreat north.

Besides this, his victory over the Northern Di would also deter Gaoli, making them behave and honestly serve as his dumping ground for commodities.

Thinking of this, he said loudly: "This heavy blow to the Northern Di and the recovery of the Ningjin Dusi is not my credit alone. Without you creating the fake plague and the soldiers fighting bravely, this victory would not have come. Therefore, the glory belongs to everyone!"

Hearing this, Liu Fu and the other Government Office officials looked at each other, their faces beaming with broad smiles.

A sense of pride welled up within them.

Indeed, every one of them had directly or indirectly participated in this war against the Northern Di.

The victory belonged to Yan Wang, and it also belonged to them.

Zhao Xu gazed at the excited officials with a constant smile on his face, then continued: "Do you want to accompany me to the Ningjin Dusi and personally set foot on the land of the Ningjin Dusi?"

"We do!" Liu Fu was the first to shout, completely losing his image as a tutor to the Prince.

Ever since the Ningjin Dusi was occupied by the Northern Di, setting foot on the land of the Ningjin Dusi again had been the wish of every man with aspirations.

Moreover, their Yanzhou was right next to the Ningjin Dusi.

Although officials like Zhu Tuo were not as exaggerated as Liu Fu, their yearning could not be concealed.

Zhao Xu nodded.

It was not just the officials who wanted to; he wanted to as well.

After all, the Ningjin Dusi would be his territory from now on.

But before going to the Ningjin Dusi, he still needed to solve one problem.

This was the fake plague that was still being rumored among the common people.

Thinking of this, he said to Mi Wen, who was standing below: "Mi Wen, tomorrow, in addition to publishing the news of the great victory at Ningjin, you must also explain the truth about the plague in the newspaper, and at the same time, announce to the world that Yanzhou possesses a secret method to curb smallpox."

After saying this, he said to Liu Fu: "The Government Office shall send officials to every county and village to explain this matter."

"Yes, Your Highness," Mi Wen and Liu Fu responded in unison.

This episode of the fake plague had caused a certain impact on Yanzhou's commerce.

Now it was time to get to the root of the matter and restore order in Yanzhou.

Then he remembered that Yan Wang had once said there was a way to recoup losses after the war, so he couldn't help but ask: "Your Highness, you once promised your subordinate one thing."

Zhao Xu was stunned for a moment, then immediately remembered.

He smiled and said: "Actually, this method is very simple. Now that the Prince's Mansion has the secret method to curb smallpox, do you think merchants from other prefectures will come to seek the method?"

"Naturally they will. They travel north and south, come into contact with many people, and fear smallpox the most," Liu Fu said, suddenly realizing, "Is Your Highness planning to make the merchants from other prefectures pay silver to receive the Cowpox Inoculation?"

Zhao Xu nodded, "Not only that, I also want the powerful clans to cough up a large sum of silver to buy the method of Cowpox Inoculation."

In his view, with the plague rampant in Yanzhou, the neighboring powerful clans would inevitably be afraid.

But if they learned that Yanzhou possessed a method to curb smallpox, the powerful clans would be even more afraid.

After all, they would certainly fear that he would poison them just like the Northern Di did.

Of course, he would not do such a thing.

If smallpox could precisely kill these powerful clans, he might be able to use it.

But obviously, it couldn't; he didn't want smallpox to run rampant in the Great Song and kill a large number of commoners.

Moreover, he was very clear that the real danger to the Great Song came from overseas.

To deal with the attacks of the wolf pack in the future, population size was very important.

Doing such a stupid thing would only lead to self-destruction.

However, the powerful clans were wicked and would always project their own nature onto others, assuming he would do exactly that.

In that case, there would be no problem in fleecing them.

"Your Highness is wise!" Liu Fu's eyes rolled, and he immediately understood the crux of the matter, unable to help but beam with joy.

Yan Wang had not lied to him; this time they would not only recoup their losses, but they might even make a huge profit.

Having settled this matter, Zhao Xu let the officials return.

The next day.

The Yan Prefecture Newspaper Office, headed by Mi Wen, released a new edition of the Yanzhou Daily.

On the front page of the newspaper, the huge headline seemed to roar.

"Northern Di suffer a crushing defeat and retreat north, the Prince's Personal Army recovers the Ningjin Dusi!"

"Yan Wang foresaw the Northern Di's plague conspiracy in advance and curbed it with a secret method; the Yanzhou plague was merely a false illusion."

"..."

Getting the newspapers, newsboys shuttled through the streets and alleys to hawk them.

Everyone who encountered a newsboy did not hesitate to pay silver to buy one.

Those who are illiterate, find someone who is literate to read it for you.

Those who are literate stood rooted to the spot, unable to bear taking their eyes off the Newspaper.

In an instant, the entire Yancheng was in an uproar.