Hello Chang’an

The many words of accountability to the imperial court originated from another proclamation that Bian Chunliang ordered his advisers to spread when he left Yuezhou.

This propaganda article revealed the evil actions of the imperial army in poisoning Yuezhou, deliberately creating a plague, and shooting innocent people infected with the epidemic in Yuezhou. Every word in it was like a knife to the bone, and it was exaggerated based on the original facts. , once spread, it caused shock everywhere and caused countless complaints from the people.

Those who are interested in the various forces all denounced this matter, lamenting that "although the plague is poisonous, it is far less than the intention of being in power" - the target of the attack was directed at the court and the empress, and some even explicitly stated that they would ask the emperor to issue a criminal edict to quell this incident. Disasters and public dissatisfaction.

However, the emperor has no intention of sinning against himself.

The emperor was also furious about this, but he denied that the plague was caused by the imperial army. She ordered a decree to be announced to the world, asserting that the epidemic in Yuezhou was the result of Bian Chunliang's many evil deeds and the consequences of divine punishment.

As for the shooting of infected people, it was because most of the infected people were disguised as Bian Jun, intending to spread the epidemic widely. The imperial army was not at fault in order to stop Bian Jun's conspiracy;

All in all, this epidemic is a manifestation of heaven's punishment of Bian's army. Bian's army was cruel, caused the plague, and then tried to confuse the public and incite the people of the world. It is really not a pity to die!

After the war is over, the imperial court will thoroughly investigate all those who used this matter to fool the people and give the world a complete explanation.

Historically, public opinion has also been a game. There is no possibility of recognizing everything the opponent says, otherwise it will be the same as standing there and being hacked by the opponent, which is no different from sitting back and waiting for death.

But what is the real situation? Most of the officials in the court have an account in mind.

Xiao Min had previously written a letter to report this matter, but the emperor did not publicize it, nor did he make it clear. He only told the army that the war must be the most important thing, and a thorough investigation would be conducted afterwards to discuss merits and demerits -

Firstly, what the emperor cared about most was the war. Secondly, from that time on, the emperor had anticipated the possible public opinion in the future, so he was not in a hurry to accuse anyone, because once the emperor directly questioned the crime, it would be equivalent to taking the initiative to replace him. The imperial court recognized this "mistake" and there was no room for improvement.

The empress is never dim, she is always consciously considering the pros and cons.

But even so, the situation in front of her was beyond the empress's expectation. She thought that Bian Chunliang would make a fuss about it, but she didn't expect that it would arouse such great public outrage...

In the past, things like this would never have reached this point in a short period of time, and there would never have been so many voices daring to question the court without scruples - all because those people could only take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble. Ambition, but no longer the awe of the court in the past!

This knowledge made the empress extremely angry, but she never showed it at all.

Majesty can never be increased by anger. On the contrary, useless anger will only show the incompetence of the monarch. The most urgent thing she has to do is to wipe out Bian Chunliang's rebellious army to deter those voices with different agendas!

Li Xian's plan was too self-initiated, and although it had many shortcomings, if it could completely quell Bian Jun's rebellion, it would not be in vain to cause this turmoil...

As a king, she never protects anyone. She always just makes the choice that is most beneficial to the royal power.

From the day she decided to sit in this position, she was no longer a person, but the embodiment of royal power.

Many officials in the palace also denounced Bian Chunliang's evil deeds of confusing right and wrong and inciting people's hearts.

Wei Shuyi, who had his own calculations in his mind, thought about it again and again, and finally took a step forward: "Sage, I believe that the most urgent thing at the moment is to control the spread of the plague to avoid causing a wider epidemic and unrest."

The war was the most important thing in the emperor's mind, but civil servants like them could not control the outcome of the war, and there was no need for him to say anything about it. Controlling the plague is also an urgent problem that needs to be solved at the moment and does not conflict with the progress of the war.

Prime Minister Ma also said: "... Yuezhou has been recovered. It is said that there are still many people suffering from the epidemic inside and outside Yuezhou City. They should be gathered and resettled as soon as possible, the number of people should be counted, and treatment should be tried."

Seeing that both the left and right prime ministers had spoken, the remaining officials also agreed.

It is necessary to stop the spread as soon as possible. As for treatment... it is difficult, but at least on the surface, such a process should be established to demonstrate the court's attitude, so as to calm the surging public anger to the greatest extent.

The Emperor Shengsi, who looked a little tired, nodded and immediately ordered the arrangements to be made. He also ordered the medical officers from Beijing and China to select a hundred people and set off for Yuezhou three days later.

To show their importance, Fang Ting, the newly appointed minister of the Ministry of Rites, was appointed as the imperial envoy to take charge of this matter.

Usually when traveling under orders, if the head of the imperial envoy is a minister, at least one or two low-ranking officials must accompany him to assist and supervise.

At this time, a young cyan figure at the end of the civil service stood up and volunteered.

"Yu Shitai Song Xian is willing to go to Yuezhou with Fang Shilang. I hope your majesty will allow it!"

Xianguan of the Song Dynasty lived in the sixth rank of the imperial censor. Apart from attending the monthly lunar new year, he was not eligible to participate in the daily morning dynasty. He is here today because he has sent several memorials about the Yuezhou plague in the past two days. Today is exactly the time. After discussing this matter, he was summoned to the court to answer the question.

He was worried about the epidemic in Yuezhou and took pains to learn a lot of news. Therefore, he thought it would be more appropriate for him to accompany Fang Shilang there.

Song Xian entered the official position as the number one scholar, and due to the current situation, he was quickly promoted to the actual position in an exceptional way. The empress was naturally very impressed with him. Seeing him recommending himself, after thinking for a moment, she nodded and agreed. .

After going to court, the imperial censor told Song Xian alone: ​​"When you arrive in Yuezhou, you must be extra careful..."

In official circles, most of the talking is done on the spot.

Song Xian vaguely heard that there was something else in the words, but seeing that Shang Feng had no intention of elaborating, he stopped asking and just bowed in response.

But no matter what, there is only one thing he has to do during this trip, and that is to help the people affected by the epidemic to the greatest extent possible.

The palace medical officer quickly decided on the candidates to leave the capital, and at the same time recruited good doctors from the private sector to accompany him.

"You...you are going to Yuezhou?"

In Xingningfang, in the residence of Zhongyong Hou, Doctor Sun, who had occupied the magpie's nest for a long time, looked at the girl in the green skirt in front of him and stammered a question out of surprise.

Qiao Yumian nodded.

"You..." Dr. Sun couldn't help but ask, "Does the family agree?"

Qiao Yumian said: "I never told my family."

Doctor Sun's eyes widened for a while, then he said: "Then...why did you tell me?"

He didn't want to bear the secret that the daughter of the Imperial Academy's Jijiujiu ran away from home. This would put him under great pressure, and he was afraid that he would not be able to eat or sleep peacefully.

Therefore, Doctor Sun has always been eager to maintain a sufficient sense of distance from others, even if the other person is his only disciple.

"Because I need to trouble Master to cover up for me." Qiao Yumian pleaded: "I am now working in the Imperial College Medical Hall. If I suddenly stop going, my father and mother will be suspicious... So I told my mother that I have encountered a difficult problem recently. I needed to seek advice from Master, so I took a leave of absence from the hospital and lied about staying in Xingningfang for a while. So if my family members ask about it later, I will ask Master to help me deal with it. "

"..." Doctor Sun was visibly panicked.

Does he look like someone who can be entrusted with such an important task?

"You..." Doctor Sun looked extremely embarrassed: "Do you have to go to Yuezhou?"

Qiao Yumian nodded without hesitation: "My disciple just got a few ancient books on the treatment of plague, and I learned a lot from them -"

Those few volumes of books were very rare, and they were secretly copied to her by Cui Lang.

"But this plague... is said to be man-made." Dr. Sun tried to dissuade him: "There are no less than dozens of wind-cold diseases, let alone a man-made plague..."

"Disciple understands." Qiao Yumian thought of the tragic stories about the plague in Yuezhou and said, "There must be no shortage of good doctors on this trip, but disciple wants to try his best, even if it's just to help cook a bowl of medicine." It’s also good.”

Qiao Yumian's eyes pleading: "Master, I really have no other option. Please help me this time." Doctor Sun started to pick his fingers.

Helping lie and deal with Qiao's family...can he really do it?

He said: "I'm afraid that if I fail to do enough, it will be exposed in a few days..."

Qiao Yumian was very talkative: "Even if it is delayed for four or five days, it will be enough."

After Doctor Sun hesitated for a moment, his expression became even more panicked - wait, the most terrifying thing is after being exposed, right? How will he explain it then? How would the Qiao family look at him?

Thinking of that scene, Doctor Sun quickly broke out in a sweat. He wished he could close his eyes and bury him on the spot, just like a corpse without caring about the world.

Qiao Yumian took his panic-stricken silence as acquiescence, smiled and saluted: "Thank you, Master."

At this time, Xiaoqiu came over and said, "Girl, your luggage is all ready."

Qiao Yumian then said goodbye to her master.

"…etc!"

Qiao Yumian had just walked a few steps when Doctor Sun's voice suddenly came from behind.

Qiao Yumian turned around in shock. This was the first time she heard her master speak so loudly.

"I..." Dr. Sun wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I will go to Yuezhou with you!"

Whenever he thought that the Qiao family would come looking for him at any time, he felt as if his feet were stepping on red-hot irons... He couldn't stay in the Zhongyong Hou Mansion any longer.

Qiao Yumian looked at her master in surprise: "Master is going to Yuezhou?"

Doctor Sun nodded. It was much easier to save people than to deal with them.

Seeing his expression, Qiao Yumian vaguely understood. She was a little embarrassed for a moment. She was just thinking about whether she could make up for it when she heard the voice say: "I once... participated in the treatment of a plague... More than ten years ago, there was a severe drought in Sichuan. Second-rate."

Hearing about the incident in Yuezhou this time, he was also a little shaken, but he could not make up his mind.

Qiao Yumian was overjoyed.

Dr. Sun: "But on the way and after arriving in Yuezhou..."

"Leave everything to my disciple." Qiao Yumian immediately said, "Master, there is no need to speak to others."

Dr. Sun breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, turned around and packed his bags.

…

Outside Tanzhou, Li Xian camped here for ten days, but was unable to move his troops again.

Since that battle, due to galloping all the way and being overtaken by Bian Jun, most of his soldiers fell ill one after another. Although they had been taking preventive decoctions, it was not very serious and could not be cured easily. life, but it was impossible to continue fighting in a short period of time.

Most of the tens of thousands of troops led by Xiao Min and his troops at the rear were already sick, or they were more seriously ill because they had been fighting in close quarters with the infected Bian troops for too long. Even Xiao Min had a high fever that would not go away for several days.

In addition, the hot weather is not conducive to the body's heat dissipation, and many soldiers themselves are not suitable for the sultry climate in western Jiangnan. Some soldiers were injured, and several complications occurred, and nearly a thousand people died of the disease.

Even though Li Xian was anxious and angry, he had no choice but to let the army continue to rest and recuperate.

For him, the only "good news" was that due to Bian Jun's stay in Tanzhou City, there were signs of the spread of the plague. Bian Chunliang was very worried about this.

During the confrontation between the two sides, Li Xian also heard Bian Chunliang's inflammatory rhetoric and accusations of guilt from all parties.

Li Xian sneered at this. He looked through the history books and found that poisoning was not uncommon. There were also people who massacred cities. Those people talked about benevolence, justice and morality, but they had their own purposes.

However, the emperor's denial made him realize that he needed to be cautious about this matter and not continue to expand its influence, otherwise it would be a handle that would be handed over to others.

Li Xian pursed his lips. He could not care about others' opinions, but he could not go against his aunt's expectations.

In front of my aunt, my merits outweigh my faults, and it’s easy to say no matter what. But if the deeds outweigh the merits, it’s hard to explain...

In fact, at first, he just wanted to use this to deal with Bian Chunliang. After taking back Yuezhou, he could burn out the plague in Yuezhou City... But he didn't expect that Bian Chunliang would expel the plague-stricken people and soldiers from the city, harming those people. People are now running around causing trouble.

The more people fleeing outside, the harder it will be to control the plague, and the fewer people alive, the more controllable the trouble will naturally be...

Li Xian turned to ask the lieutenant beside him: "Do you know where Xiao Min will place the people who are suffering from the epidemic?"

Bian Chunliang had previously driven out the infected people from Yuezhou City several times, and he ordered them all to be shot. However, Xiao Min ignored his orders and forcibly took away some of the sick people and resettled them together.

Xiao Min asked people to give him food and medicine, but people still died every day.

Even so, Xiao Min still sent people to search for people affected by the epidemic and take them to resettlement places.

Thinking of this, Li Xian sneered in his heart. There are always some stupid people who do some useless things and think of themselves as the savior.

The deputy general replied: "I heard it is in the northernmost villages of Yuezhou."

Those villages had long been looted by Bian's army and were almost uninhabited. Xiao Min had others build simple shacks to house those affected by the epidemic.

Li Xian raised his eyebrows and said, "General Xiao is short of manpower. Send more people to help search for the person together."

"And spread the news appropriately, saying that the medical officers sent by the imperial court can cure the epidemic, so as to draw out the people who are hiding in Tibet, and then take them to those villages together -" Li Xian's final voice was slow and long. Authentic: "Place them well."

The deputy general took the order and left.

The people outside also heard to some extent about General Xiao's resettlement of the people and the provision of medicine and food. Now they heard that the court had a way to cure them, so they no longer hesitated. Most of them stopped hiding and followed the resettlement with hope. at.

In just a few days, the number of resettled people in several villages has increased from thousands to nearly 10,000.

On this day, several soldiers laid firewood along the back of the shack where the people were housed, and poured kerosene on it.

A six or seven-year-old boy with a dirty face saw it and asked curiously: "Master, are you going to light a fire?"

As he said that, he took two steps forward diligently: "Let me help you carry firewood!"

See you tomorrow~