Chapter 256: The World in an Uproar

The plague in Changzhou has spread.

The entire Longyan Dynasty is shocked by it.

The Imperial Palace.

Xie Tianyao received the news immediately, his imperial countenance furious: "What are you saying? The city gates were blown open?"

The civil and military officials of the court were as silent as cicadas in winter.

This is a plague!

This is no ordinary thing; in this era, a plague is synonymous with the Grim Reaper! Wherever the plague goes, almost nothing grows!

"Emperor, Emperor... we currently do not know who exactly is responsible!"

"At the second quarter of the Chou hour that day, the west gate of Changzhou was blown up, and thirty thousand citizens fled in the chaos..."

Everyone's heart sank.

Thirty thousand people?

Once they left the city, who knows which direction they would head!

"Emperor, most of them are heading toward Dunhuang..."

The old Emperor's eyes were cold and sinister, his teeth gritted: "A bunch of good-for-nothings, investigate for me, investigate to the end! Bring these thirty thousand people back for me immediately!"

"Order the Liangzhou Army to intercept the plague refugees at Dunhuang; those who do not obey the order are to be executed without mercy!"

"Yes!"

The crowd hurriedly dispersed from the morning court.

But everyone knew, how could it be so easy to bring these thirty thousand people back? In this era, there is no surveillance; once people leave Changzhou City, it is not strange for them not to appear for a year or a half.

Hearts were filled with panic.

The Lantern Festival is coming up soon, and with such an incident occurring, who can handle it?

The Crown Prince was just about to leave, when the Third Prince, Xie Ling, at his side, laughed coldly: "At a time of universal celebration, such a major incident has occurred in Liangzhou; could it be that someone did this on purpose?"

Xie Fang's expression changed upon hearing this, and he rebuked angrily: "Xie Ling, what do you mean? Do you think this was done by me?"

Xie Ling chuckled: "Oh, big brother, what is wrong with you? I am just speculating; the Yinzhou Army is about to pass through Dunhuang, yet a plague of refugees has suddenly surged toward Dunhuang..."

"Tsk tsk tsk... is it really such a coincidence?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of many civil and military officials changed as well.

Indeed.

Is it really such a coincidence? Moreover, this matter is terrifying when one thinks about it! If these plague-carrying refugees surge into Dunhuang, it would be a devastating blow to the Yinzhou Army currently led by Liu Zheng! In this way, wouldn't the greatest beneficiary be this Chen Ping?

And this matter happened in Liangzhou...

Everyone took a deep breath.

Could it really be the work of Chen Ping?

Could it really be at the instigation of the Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince Xie Fang's expression changed several times in an instant.

This Chen Ping, is he too bold and reckless? But regardless, there is no evidence for this matter, so who dares to say anything? Thinking this, he immediately sneered: "Everyone, this matter is a natural disaster, not a man-made one. If anyone dares to wag their tongues again, be careful, or I will punish you!"

The crowd left, each harboring their own ulterior motives.

Xie Fang sat into his Horse Carriage and then laughed heartily: "What a good Chen Ping, what a good plague!"

"Let's see how you, Liu Zheng, die this time!"

"What did you say? A plague?"

At this moment.

Zheng Yueru in Yintan City also turned deathly pale.

This matter had already spread across the length and breadth of the Longyan Dynasty in an instant. Everyone's eyes were focused on one place!

Dunhuang!

On one side, ninety thousand Yinzhou Army troops were about to pass through Dunhuang; on the other, thirty thousand plague-carrying refugees were about to arrive at Dunhuang.

What will Liu Zheng do?

Everyone knows...

This is very likely a conspiracy by Chen Ping!

Didn't you, Liu Zheng, want to take my Dunhuang with great fanfare, riding the momentum of your victory? Fine, I will give you a plague! Let's see if you still come! If you take a detour, don't even think about touching my Dunhuang in the future!

But if you do come...

Then there is a plague waiting for you!

Everyone.

Was in the mindset of watching a show, seeing what this Prefect Liu would actually do.

The civil and military officials of the imperial court were watching.

The various Feudatory Kings were also watching.

The Prince of Wei was watching, the Prince of Shu was watching, and the Prince of Yong was also watching.

Everyone was watching.

Liangzhou Prefecture.

Chen Ping looked coldly at Chen Ruoshi, who was furious in front of him.

"Father... was the plague in Changzhou really your doing?"

In two years, Chen Ruoshi had grown even more beautiful; she now possessed the aura of a woman, lacking her previous naivety. Her beautiful eyes were now fixed firmly on her father, her heart filled with utter disappointment.

Chen Ping remained silent.

Chen Ruoshi rebuked angrily: "Father, that is four hundred thousand people; over in Dunhuang, there are four hundred thousand people! Is it just because you want to play a game against the Liu father and son that you disregard the lives of the common people! Father, how could your daughter not know, when did you become so cold and heartless, having lost all conscience!"

"Presumptuous!"

Chen Ping finally could not hold back, and coldly barked: "You are a young woman, what do you understand?"

"What do you understand of the Great Trend of the world?"

"What do you understand of the infighting in the imperial court!"

"What do you understand of the Bitter Remonstrance over the succession!"

"What do you understand of the state and the nation! Ruoshi, that Liu father and son have now become a force too powerful to control, even threatening the Crown Prince. Do you think that we, the Liangzhou Prefecture, have no responsibility in this?"

He stood up, spittle flying: "Liangzhou at this moment is in a state of water and fire! If I want to live, they must die! If they want to live, I must die!"

"You tell me, who do you want to die? Hmm? Who do you want to die!"

Chen Ping roared.

Chen Ruoshi's delicate body trembled, tears fell like rain, and at the same time, her heart was in chaos.

Question after question, contradiction after contradiction, filled her mind at this moment.

She bit her lip tightly, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes slightly: "Father, no matter what, the common people are innocent. How could the struggle between you lead to such a great disaster for the world!"

Chen Ping gave a desolate smile: "Ruoshi, this matter..."

Chen Ruoshi smiled faintly, bowed, and left.

Chen Ping sat alone in his study.

Suddenly, his expression changed drastically: "Quick, quickly bring the young lady to me!"

However, it was already too late.

The steward came to report immediately.

Chen Ruoshi had already mounted a horse, carrying a small medicine chest, and was galloping toward Dunhuang.

She thought to reduce some of the karmic obstacles for Chen Ping.

……

Like facing a formidable enemy.

Dunhuang at this time.

Like facing a formidable enemy.

Chang Shuwen, as the Prefect of Dunhuang, had also been suffering through torment these past few days.

When he learned that the plague had begun to spread, thirty thousand refugees carrying the virus had already arrived at the place across the river from Dunhuang. Changzhou was originally only two days' journey from Dunhuang.

Thirty thousand people!

Chang Shuwen's face was full of despair.

After receiving the news, he immediately issued an order not to allow these people to come even half a step closer to Dunhuang! For this, he dispatched fifty thousand Dunhuang Army soldiers to hold the moat at all costs.

And so.

He stood on the watchtower of Dunhuang, watching with his own eyes as the people on the other side of the river died day by day.

Dying in wails.

A living Hell!

They kowtowed toward Dunhuang, they shouted toward Dunhuang, they wailed toward Dunhuang.

And then...

He watched as they threw all the dead corpses into the river!

Into the river!

How could they do this!

The people of Dunhuang drank the water from that river; although it was not upstream, it would certainly contaminate the water source—this was the method these refugees used to retaliate against Dunhuang for not opening the city gates to welcome them!

Who doesn't want to live?

There are so many medical clinics in Dunhuang, why not save us?

Everyone, in the face of life and death, is this selfish.

"My Lord, save us!"

"These are all human lives!"

"I beg you, let my child in, it doesn't matter if we live or die..."

From far away, one could hear the painful cries of those refugees.

Facing this scene, Chang Shuwen had softened his heart several times, wanting to send physicians to help with the treatment. However, he still held back; he knew that once the city gates were thrown open, these crazed refugees would do anything.

The torment of conscience.

The contradiction between internal and external.

The four hundred thousand people of Dunhuang inside the city naturally did not want these people to enter, and in this regard, they put pressure on Chang Shuwen.

And across the river...

It was a living Hell.

Chang Shuwen could not help but sigh deeply; he knew that the troops sent by the imperial court to clear out these refugees would arrive soon. It was very likely that they would face a purge...

But even so, the plague had already been brought over by them.

Sure enough.

On the third day.

In the city of Dunhuang, the first person with Malaria appeared, and that very day, they did not survive the night and died inside Dunhuang.

The entire Dunhuang was in a state of panic.

The entire Longyan was in an uproar.

【Author's Note】

Thank you, Brother Zeng Jie, for the "Bullish" tip, thank you. Since you brothers are so generous with your tips, I will try my best to add an extra chapter today.