Sheng Jiangli's strike with the sabre was decisive and bloodthirsty.
It immediately struck terror into everyone's hearts.
The remaining ringleaders of the riot immediately knelt on the ground, begging for mercy. The other villagers who had been blocking the village entrance and were still reluctant to give up also fell silent.
Sheng Jiangli's devilishly handsome face, with a streak of fresh blood on his cheek, looked extremely demonic.
He sheathed his sabre. His dark eyes sparkled, and the killing intent faded. He smiled at the trembling villagers at the village entrance:
"What are you afraid of? As long as you behave yourselves, don't cause trouble, and cooperate with the court to get through this plague... I guarantee I won't harm you."
"General! Please save us!" One person knelt down with a thud and sobbed. "There's an epidemic in the neighboring village. If we don't run, we'll surely catch the disease sooner or later!"
"Yes, yes! The neighboring village is only a quarter - hour's walk away. Aren't we just waiting for death if we're sealed up here?"
"General, my child was just born. We really can't be sealed up!"
...
"Quiet!" Sheng Jiangli impatiently raised his voice, interrupting their pleas. He said mercilessly, "It's precisely because there are too many people like you who like to spread rumors. At the slightest sign of trouble, you run around everywhere and don't follow the court's orders! That's why the plague has spread out of control!"
"The plague in the neighboring village was caused by someone who fled at the first sign of trouble. On the way, he met another person with the plague who was also fleeing. That's how the disease was transmitted. Now, both of them have been properly quarantined in the neighboring village. So far, no new infections have been found in this village. What are you panicking about?"
"Yesterday, His Highness the Prince of Yan led the Imperial Medical Bureau, some private doctors from the capital, and officials from the Ministry of Revenue up the mountain. Every village with an epidemic will have medical officers to direct the fight against the plague. There are already medical officers and soldiers guarding the neighboring village."
"All you need to do is follow the orders, don't run around without permission, and don't let the epidemic spread! Otherwise..."
Sheng Jiangli drew out his sabre again. His deep eyes flashed with a cold light, and he showed a murderous smile:
"Otherwise, even if you don't catch the plague, I'll sacrifice you to the heavens first!"
Seeing Sheng Jiangli's cold - bloodedness, the villagers were so scared that they turned around and rushed back into their houses. Every door was tightly shut, and no one dared to come out and cause trouble again.
The soldiers of the Five - City Garrison heaved a sigh of relief. The small commander in charge stepped forward and thanked Sheng Jiangli repeatedly.
Sheng Jiangli didn't say much. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he was about to leave.
But Caiyu stepped forward and said, "I heard that people in the upstream village have caught the plague. I think that if we want to prevent the plague from spreading into this village, we must pay attention to the water source... The streams and rivers in the village should no longer be used. It's best to organize the villages that haven't been infected to use well water uniformly. Only in this way can we prevent the disease from entering through the mouth."
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then their eyes showed a look of sudden realization.
The small commander nodded repeatedly. "This young man is absolutely right. No wonder the plague has spread silently even though the villages have been sealed off. We didn't even think about the water source issue!"
"We'll report this to Commander Zhou immediately and act according to this young man's suggestion!"
After the soldiers of the Five - City Garrison left, Sheng Jiangli turned to look at Caiyu, his eyes full of appreciation. "Not bad! You're quite useful!"
Caiyu proudly lifted her chin. "I said I wouldn't be a burden to you. General, can you consider taking me up the mountain?"
"Sure! Sure!" Sheng Jiangli happily put his arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "With a beautiful woman by my side and also able to offer strategies, why wouldn't I be happy?"
Caiyu rolled her eyes and slapped his hand away. "You're such a smooth - talker!"
Seeing that Sheng Jiangli's expression seemed to have softened, Qingqing pitifully stepped forward and asked, "Can I go with you too..."
Sheng Jiangli glared at her and hissed through his teeth. He didn't say a word for a long time.
Just when Qingqing thought it was hopeless, suddenly, the man's cold voice sounded. "Dress up well in your men's clothes. It's a capital offense for a woman to sneak into the army. Understand?"
"Understood!" The two women nodded like pounding garlic, their eyes shining with excitement.
The army regrouped and set off again. Soon, they entered the real epidemic area.
Finally, they saw the real purgatory on earth.
Bodies covered with straw mats were piled up like mountains. Because of the plague, these dead couldn't be buried. They could only be doused with oil and prepared for cremation.
In the distance, relatives and children knelt on the ground, crying bitterly, but they couldn't get close. They could only watch their loved ones turn to ashes.
An old bare - footed doctor with white hair and beard collapsed on one side. His face was paler than that of the plague - stricken villagers.
The smell of corpse oil permeated every village they passed.
The closer they got to Qixia Mountain, the worse the situation became.
Caiyu's heart gradually sank.
At first, she came here just with the intention of making meritorious deeds. But after seeing such a tragic situation in the world, she began to forget her purpose. She only hated that she was so small and couldn't help everyone through this crisis.
She finally understood what her father used to say, that the poorest and most suffering people in the world were these poor commoners.
Even if she couldn't make meritorious deeds or save the Lan family, she would surely do her bit to help fight the plague this time.
When they reached the mountain gate, they happened to meet Song Yinghuai leading a group of people to arrange anti - epidemic tasks.
Caiyu and Qingqing tried their best to shrink themselves in the team to reduce their presence.
Seeing Sheng Jiangli leading his troops coming, Song Yinghuai just nodded slightly. "General Sheng is just in time. There's a shortage of manpower in the mountain now. Immediately join the anti - epidemic task!"
Sheng Jiangli hooked his lips. "Your Highness the Prince of Yan really moves fast! I haven't even had time to count my soldiers, and you've already left... Why, are you afraid that I'll compete with the Crown Prince for credit, so you're in a hurry to get ahead?"
Song Yinghuai ignored his veiled sarcasm and just said calmly, "The epidemic is serious. I'm just worried about the commoners and the monks. If I arrive one day earlier, the commoners will suffer a little less. I'm not like General Sheng, who can eat and sleep well during the anti - epidemic."
Sheng Jiangli twitched the corner of his mouth.
This was implying that he had no compassion for the people!
Didn't he think about why he was a step behind?
Wasn't it all to give the credit away and prevent the Crown Prince from stealing it?
Sheng Jiangli let out a chuckle and asked, "How are things arranged now?"
Although the two men always argued when they met, they remained calm and cooperative in major matters.
Song Yinghuai still cooperated well when dealing with major matters. "The people from the Imperial Medical Bureau are all researching the origin of this epidemic. The temporarily prepared prescriptions can only relieve the symptoms, but are far from being able to cure the disease."
"The officials from the Ministry of Revenue have started to separate the uninfected, the mildly ill, and the severely ill. The grain they brought is stored in the warehouse on Qixia Mountain. Wait for your troops to go up the mountain and immediately start the disaster relief."
Only when people are well - fed, well - clothed, and well - rested can their resistance be strong, and there is hope for the disease to be cured.
Sheng Jiangli turned around and said, "Immediately select fifty people to transport the grain, cook porridge, and distribute it."
Qingqing was assigned to the kitchen and left first.
Song Yinghuai said again, "I also ordered people to transport sulfur, Chinese honey locust, and lime up the mountain last night. Select another fifty people to disinfect all the way from the mountain to the villages at the foot of the mountain. I'll arrange a second batch of disinfection supplies to wait at the foot of the mountain. When the two groups of people meet, immediately start disinfecting the villages at the foot of the mountain."
Sheng Jiangli waved his hand again. "Select another fifty people to go and do the disinfection immediately!"
Song Yinghuai asked someone to carry a few baskets of things forward. "These are the plague - preventing sachets made by the Imperial Medical Bureau before I set off. Everyone should wear one first. It can prevent infection. General Sheng, please."
Sheng Jiangli picked up a sachet and smiled at Song Yinghuai. "Your Highness, it's rare for you to be kind to me and even give me a sachet. If I were a woman, I'd surely marry you."
Hearing Sheng Jiangli's smooth - talking, Song Yinghuai's eyebrows twitched violently. "Get lost!"
Sheng Jiangli laughed heartily and asked someone to step forward to get the sachets.
Just as Song Yinghuai was about to leave, he was attracted by a somewhat familiar figure squeezing in front of the baskets to get the sachets...