Chapter 259: The Old Emperor's Promise

Longyan Jinghua.

Imperial Palace.

Xie Tianyao's face was livid, and he was burning with rage.

"Has it still not been brought under control!"

The civil and military officials were as silent as cicadas in winter, so terrified that they all knelt on the ground.

A mere two days!

The entire city of Dunhuang had fallen, and the number of people dying from malaria was increasing at a multi-fold rate. It was heard that the Xiongnu were stirring again... and the Qiang army was also sharpening their weapons and feeding their horses...

A single plague could affect far too many things.

Originally, it was just Changzhou, and the imperial court had already had enough of a headache.

Fortunately, it was finally brought under control.

As a result, this time, Dunhuang had come along!

And there were those thirty or forty thousand people who had escaped! There were others who might be fleeing to other places! Not everyone had gone to Dunhuang; this was the most terrifying part!

Once this plague could not be controlled, it would be an absolute, massive blow to the Longyan Dynasty. National strength would plummet, and the barbarians who had just been "deterred" would likely take advantage of the fire to loot.

Therefore.

What the old Emperor worried about was not the lives of the common people. He was worried about the situation of the entire Longyan Dynasty, and whether his own empire could remain stable!

The Prince of Qin raised his head and said: "Emperor, the sealing of Dunhuang was very timely; logically speaking, it should not spread too rapidly... The imperial physicians and the doctors from medical halls in various regions are also rushing to provide aid. With the Emperor's boundless fortune, the plague will surely pass!"

The civil and military officials chimed in.

Who doesn't know how to flatter?

Xie Tianyao, however, did not buy it, and coldly barked: "I did not bring you here to sing my praises! I want a definitive answer: when will this plague end!"

These past few days.

People everywhere had been spreading rumors. They said that the current Emperor was tyrannical and capricious, had committed too many sins, and had provoked the wrath of Heaven. Heaven had sent the plague to deal with him!

Although these people were quickly beheaded.

However, rumors were just as terrifying as the plague, and they spread at an extremely fast speed.

This was what Xie Tianyao truly cared about!

This year's Lantern Festival was fast approaching. He had hoped for an unprecedented, magnificent feast this year to celebrate his great achievements in expanding the territory, yet this sudden plague and those rumors had ruined his mood.

Just at this moment.

The Third Prince, Xie Ling, spoke up: "Father Emperor, once the plague broke out, the Feudatory Kings from all regions rushed to provide aid, yet that Liangzhou Inspector Chen Ping has done nothing. This is clearly disregarding the imperial court and disregarding the people!"

"Oh?"

Xie Tianyao's knife-like gaze instantly turned toward Xie Fang.

The Crown Prince, Xie Fang, felt ten thousand alpacas galloping through his heart; he glared fiercely at Xie Ling and hurriedly said: "Father Emperor, your son's Eastern Palace physicians have already sent hundreds, and at this time, the people of Dunhuang are panicked and the situation is chaotic. Your son believes that Chen Ping must have other plans!"

Xie Ling sneered: "Other plans? Father Emperor, your son has heard that those who have contributed the most to this plague are the Western Regions Commissioner and Governor Liu. Their Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce has already mobilized all their strength, sending various supplies and medicinal herbs to aid Dunhuang. Looking at this Liangzhou Inspector, however, he has done absolutely nothing, Father Emperor..."

Xie Tianyao was even taken aback and asked the civil and military officials: "Is this true?"

Everyone nodded one after another.

The Crown Prince's expression was very unsightly.

But this was something the whole world had seen with their own eyes; it could not be denied in the slightest.

The old Emperor, Xie Tianyao, gave a cold laugh: "I never expected this, I never expected this... The criminal official you speak of every day, the one who defies the imperial will, is actually the one who cares for the people and the imperial court..."

"Pass down the order: no matter who it is, as long as they can quell this plague within one month, regardless of whether they have the imperial surname, I will grant them the title of King!"

Boom!

All the civil and military officials were in an uproar.

Granting the title of King?

It seemed the old Emperor really could not sit still this time. Could it be that the Longyan Dynasty would see another King of a Different Surname? One must know that currently, the Longyan Dynasty only had one King of a Different Surname, and that was the King of Wei!

The Emperor had brought out the prospect of a King of a Different Surname.

It could only mean...

The situation of the Longyan Dynasty at this moment had indeed reached a very urgent point.

The Longyan Dynasty, beset by internal troubles and external threats, truly could not afford any more turmoil.

The civil and military officials knelt and departed one after another.

For a time, everyone harbored their own secret agendas.

Granting the title of King!

This was an immense honor!

However...

To eliminate this plague within one month, how could it be that simple? Which plague had not lasted for several months and claimed many lives before it ended...

Everyone sighed slightly.

It seemed that with the rampant spread of this plague, was a war on the border unavoidable?

Wang Mang.

He had barely drunk any water the entire journey, and had returned to Yinzhou as if fleeing.

When he returned to the place where Ma Yong was staying in Yinzhou, his whole body was trembling, and he had even started foaming at the mouth.

Ma Yong was startled.

He had sent Wang Mang to monitor that Liu Chang, so why had he returned in just one day?

"My lord, my lord..."

To this moment, Wang Mang was incomparably horrified in his heart, because he knew this matter was too big, so big that he did not even know how to report it, and for a time he was somewhat incoherent.

Ma Yong was also startled, hurriedly ordering the people nearby to all go out, then tightly closing the door, and personally pouring a cup of water for his subordinate: "Wang Mang, speak slowly, speak slowly..."

Cold sweat poured down Wang Mang, and he finally said it: "My lord, this matter is of great importance, Chen Ping, Chen Ping, this plague was released by him!"

"What are you saying?"

Ma Yong was shocked and turned pale, so frightened that he stood up.

Wang Mang nodded, and only then did he tell everything he had seen.

Ma Yong was so terrified that he could not recover his senses for a long while.

This Chen Ping, his courage was too great!

He had already become so insane that he had lost his reason. This was a plague, how could one joke around with such a thing! He was not just playing with fire, but wanted to use one fire to burn down this Longyan Dynasty!

Audacious and reckless!

Ma Yong was also so frightened that he gulped down a mouthful of water, then wiped away his cold sweat: "This matter, this matter..."

Wang Mang said: "My lord, it is absolutely true!"

"Outrageous!"

Ma Yong slapped the table and rose in anger: "That brat Chen Ping, for the sake of private gain, disregards the lives of the common people of the world! In the face of such great right and wrong, how can he be allowed to act so wantonly!"

"Wang Mang!"

"Present!"

"Draft a memorial, and return to the capital with me!"

"Yes!"

With such a major event occurring, there was no longer any meaning for Ma Yong to continue staying in Yinzhou. If Zheng Yueru's words a few days ago had made him hesitate, then today's news had thoroughly changed his position!

Still wanting to make him target the Prefect Liu?

A fine Chen Ping!

I almost boarded your pirate ship!

If he had truly joined forces with Chen Ping... then when the matter was exposed in the future, his entire clan would not be enough to be executed!

Ma Yong was a stubborn person, but at the same time, he was an even more cautious person.

Of course.

He was also a person who was good at utilizing the situation to seize benefits for himself... Before leaving, he still did not forget to have his subordinate take a letter to Liu Zheng, first stating his own position, and then bitterly denouncing Chen Ping's crimes, which could be considered as finally forming a good connection with Liu Zheng.

With an excited mood, he walked on the road back to the capital.

He would bring to the people of the world a truth that would shock them!

A truth that would shake the imperial court and the public!