Chapter 1452: 1452: Suspected Plague (8)

Chapter 1452: Chapter 1452: Suspected Plague (8)

After successfully capturing Ji Lin in collaboration with Li Zhaoru, Qi Jingyi came on behalf of Brother Crown Prince to meet with Li Zhaoru, affirming his merit and promising to restore his status.

Li Zhaoru finally relaxed, knowing he had made the right move and felt grateful towards Gu Qingheng.

And Crown Prince Qi Jingchen personally led troops to attack Jin City, eventually reclaiming it back.

But the sight they encountered upon entering Jin City heavily weighed down everyone’s spirit. After the Yuan forces occupied Jin City, they took away all the food and women, and when they couldn’t withstand it any longer, they even set the city on fire.

Thus, the current state of Jin City was nothing more than a ruined mess full of wounds.

“Damn it.” Qi Jingchen, seething with rage upon seeing this, exclaimed, “The Yuan are despicable.”

“Crown Prince, anger harms the body,” Gu Qingheng hastily interjected with words of comfort, “The most urgent task now is to rebuild Jin City and call back the people who fled…”

“Yes, Brother Crown Prince,” agreed Qi Jingyi, nodding, “Now is not the time to be angry.”

“I know,” Qi Jingchen suppressed his anger, “Qingheng, I’ll leave the rebuilding task to you. I want to drive the Yuan out of our Daxuan lands once and for all…”

Gu Qingheng nodded: “Your servant will do his utmost.”

“Take some of the grain you’ve brought and distribute it,” Qi Jingchen sighed, “We must pacify the people’s mood… and call them back to rebuild their homes…”

“Yes,” Gu Qingheng responded with a salute.

Right then, Weng Ji approached Qi Jingyi silently, whispering a few words in his ear.

Qi Jingyi’s expression changed instantly, and he hurriedly approached Qi Jingchen: “Brother Crown Prince, leave the city in our hands and head back to the camp outside the city.”

The Crown Prince’s hundred thousand-strong army was stationed outside the city and had not entered.

“Why?” Qi Jingchen frowned.

Qi Jingyi hesitated for a moment: “There appears to be a plague outbreak in the city.”

“Plague?” Qi Jingchen’s brows shot up in an instant, “Where? Take me to see.”

“Crown Prince,” Gu Qingheng immediately stepped forward, “That’s not advisable.”

Qi Jingchen looked towards Gu Qingheng: “My people are afflicted with the plague; what reason is there that I should not see for myself?” He glanced at Weng Ji, “Lead the way.”

The outbreak of plague was in the General Residence, precisely within the household of the deceased General Peng Pai.

Initially, soldiers who went to clean the General Residence found a delirious beggar covered in sores in the gatehouse; he was mad and lunged at them once the door opened, biting a soldier who entered first. Although the beggar was killed, that soldier quickly developed a fever and is now unconscious…

Afterward, similar mad beggars were found in several other rooms. Fortunately, with prior preparation, no one else was bitten, but soldiers who had close contact with these madmen began displaying various degrees of fever…

Then in the well of the General Residence, dead rats were discovered.

The residence of a city’s Guard is generally the most well-provided and fortified place, hence, whoever occupied Jin City would have their highest-ranking officer take quarters there.

“Crown Prince,” Gu Qingheng still stopped the Crown Prince outside the General Residence, “You are now the commander of the army. Their target is you with these acts. If anything were to happen to you, wouldn’t that play right into their hands? If the army’s morale becomes unstable, that’s a grave taboo…”