Chapter 261: Going Against the Grain

Jinghua Imperial Palace.

The old Emperor Xie Tianyao looked at the civil and military officials in the court with an icy expression.

At this moment, these people were engaged in a heated discussion.

Because of the rampant plague in Dunhuang and Changzhou, the Xiongnu were once again restless, planning to take advantage of this opportunity to plunder the lands of Zhongyuan. The Qi were also repeatedly encroaching on the Liaodong border, and recently, they had even been kicking them while they were down, seizing several towns in succession.

The civil and military officials of the Longyan Dynasty.

Were discussing how to repel the enemy.

"Your Majesty, this humble servant believes that with the plague raging and the Qi eyeing us covetously, Longyan should demonstrate the magnanimity of a great nation and not bicker with them; a marriage alliance should be enough to turn the enemy away!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, the Shangyuan Festival is approaching; it is not appropriate for Longyan to launch a military campaign!"

"Your Majesty..."

The group chattered away, but they all had one goal.

No fighting!

We must have a marriage alliance!

If a war starts, what would become of us? The Longyan Dynasty's treasury is empty, and the Feudatory Kings act in their own interests; wouldn't fighting be the business of those Feudatory Kings? If one can just scrape by, who would be willing to use their own family assets to fight a war? The scholar-official class thought exactly the same way.

If we can avoid fighting, we should; the vast Longyan is broad and rich, so what does it matter if we give those barbarians a few villages and towns?

Wouldn't it be better if we just happily finished celebrating the New Year first?

Furthermore...

It's not like you could win if you did fight!

"Trash!"

The old Emperor could not help but roar in anger: "A bunch of trash, what use do I have for you wine-bags and rice-sacks? Mere barbarians are invading my Longyan, and you actually think of a marriage alliance? A marriage alliance!"

The group fell silent, as if struck by a winter chill.

No one dared to speak anymore.

The old Emperor sighed in his heart.

Suddenly, he remembered the Yinzhou Army that had just conquered the Western Regions; if his dynasty could have more such armies, why would he worry about barbarian incursions?

He also knew.

The plague at this time had become the fuse for war. The most urgent matter now was to quell the plague, so he asked coldly: "Who is willing to go to reinforce Dunhuang and quell the plague?"

He had already offered a royal title!

But still, no one was willing to go!

The civil and military officials and the princes all lowered their heads, terrified that the Emperor might notice them.

Xie Tianyao looked at the Crown Prince Xie Fang: "What about the Crown Prince?"

Xie Fang's expression changed drastically, and he was so scared his legs went weak: "Father, Father... this son is willing to lead troops to resist the Qi! To establish an unparalleled merit!"

Xie Tianyao gave a cold laugh, then looked at the Third Prince.

The Third Prince Xie Ling also trembled all over: "Father, this son believes that the plague is a malevolent ghost, and preventing its spread is the only righteous path. Only by sealing the city and letting them fend for themselves can the dynasty be kept safe! This son does not understand medicine, and if I go, if I go..."

The civil and military officials all sneered in their hearts.

Fend for themselves?

What a fine "fend for themselves"!

Those two places, Dunhuang and Changzhou, held nearly one million people! Usually, this Xie Ling was humble and polite, appearing to care for the world, but when truly faced with a situation, it was clear that this son's heart was just as vicious as his Crown Prince brother's, not a whit less.

"Hehehehe..."

The old Emperor smiled and shook his head: "And you all?"

"And you all?"

"And what about you all?"

He stood up in a rage: "I am offering a royal title, and no one dares to go!"

Just at this moment.

"Report—"

"Report—"

"Your Majesty, news has come from Dunhuang: ninety thousand Yinzhou troops arrived in Dunhuang yesterday and have begun setting up camp to treat the refugees!"

"What?"

In the entire palace, everyone had a different expression.

The Yinzhou Army didn't take a detour and actually went to Dunhuang? And they were even helping to treat the patients! What on earth were this father and son of the Liu family thinking!

Everyone looked at each other in dismay.

Could it be that they didn't know this was a trap set for them by Chen Ping?

However, upon hearing this news, Xie Tianyao finally let out a cold laugh: "Under the heavens, there is not a single person like the Prefect of Yinzhou! Good, good, good! Regardless of the outcome, I will reward them heavily!"

This Prefect of Yinzhou really could bring him a surprise every time.

"Get out of my sight, all of you!"

Looking back at Dunhuang.

Chang Shuwen was on the watchtower, watching the Yinzhou Army begin to set up camp, and he found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Does this Prefect of Yinzhou really intend to rescue Dunhuang?"

"But..."

This malaria was terrifyingly contagious! The transmission route of malaria was through mosquito bites and infection from blood containing the pathogen.

Therefore, malaria had since ancient times been most prevalent in Africa, because there were simply too many insects there...

In the sanitary conditions of ancient times, all kinds of insects emerged one after another, impossible to guard against. Especially now that the Yinzhou army was stationed in the wilderness, this was equivalent to exposing themselves completely to sources of infection.

Was this Prefect Liu really not afraid of death at all?

Chang Shuwen was deeply shocked in his heart.

At the same time, he also really wanted to know how this world-renowned Prefect Liu intended to deal with Malaria! He knew that Liu Zheng had begun treating the refugees outside the city to show him. Could it be that he could really succeed, and then he would welcome him into Dunhuang?

"My lord, the Yinzhou army has already set up camp!"

"My lord, the Yinzhou army has already begun admitting patients!"

"My lord, over at the Yinzhou army, it smells so bad..."

"Bad?"

Chang Shuwen frowned. Could it be that this Prefect Liu had really mastered a Method to deal with Malaria?

"Continue the reconnaissance!"

"Yes!"

Liu Zheng's Yinzhou army had not rested since they set up camp outside the city.

There were too many patients!

Looking at those more than twenty thousand refugees, Liu Zheng felt a pain in his heart. At the same time the Yinzhou army was setting up camp, critically ill patients had already been dying among them one after another.

Wailing rose from all sides.

A Hell on earth!

In the face of the plague, even those Powerful Clan members who had fled from Changzhou were completely without a Method. Before life and death, everyone was equal.

"Everyone, get moving! First, concentrate on treating patients with fevers, then those with chills! Administer medicine according to each person's body weight!"

Liu Zheng immediately began directing the scene.

"Yes!"

Qin Zhangfeng, Jiang Xuan, Pei Qianyun, and a group of generals immediately accepted the orders.

The mobility of the ninety thousand Yinzhou troops was still very strong.

At first, these refugee patients were resistant to this foul-smelling Artemisia annua juice. But after all, good medicine tastes bitter, and traditional Chinese medicine didn't taste any better... So, hearing that this could effectively deal with Malaria, these people who considered themselves certain to die picked it up without hesitation and gulped it down; in the end, fearing they hadn't drunk enough, they even asked if there was more...

Seeing that this group of people was still obedient, Liu Zheng also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Only.

Although one thousand men of the Yinzhou army had survived using this Method, the situation he was facing now was different. Malaria could recur repeatedly...

Artemisinin was not omnipotent either.

He had to make full preparations.

Sure enough.

Just as the Yinzhou army had finished their meal and it reached the evening, several hundred refugee patients in the camp had died of the illness all at once! After receiving the news, Liu Zheng jumped up from his bed instantly and came to the refugee camp with a grave expression.

At this time, those refugees were already habitually about to throw these corpses into the water.

Liu Zheng's expression changed: "Stop!"