NOVPUBLiu Bei had led his troops away from East Sea Commandery not many days ago, when Chen Xi, having dealt with the Troop Deployment Order, was frantically managing a plague in the rear. When he brought back a Troop Deployment Order, the plague in Langya and East Sea actually showed signs of expanding.
Fortunately, whether Tao Qian had a change of heart or Chen Gui was trying to curry favor with Chen Xi, in short, before the Tuntian Soldiers of Mount Tai arrived, the Xuzhou Soldiers had already rushed over.
"How’s the situation recently?" Chen Xi drank a cup of strong tea, then ordered someone to fill Chen Gui’s cup as well, and then, rubbing his temples, he inquired.
Chen Xi wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or something else, but ever since they started fighting Cao Cao in Xuzhou, the growth rate of his Spiritual Capacity seemed to have slowed down a lot, or even almost stopped growing altogether. However, after consulting Hua Tuo, Hua Tuo stared at Chen Xi for a long time before saying, "Perhaps you’ve become an adult…"
At that moment, Chen Xi almost spat out a mouthful of water, was he joking that he hadn’t been an adult before?
What Chen Xi didn’t know was that if Tao Qian’s subjects hadn’t started recognizing Liu Bei, his Spiritual Capacity couldn’t have stopped growing because this situation would have been equivalent to an expansion of territory. However, because of the spiritual power support from Mount Tai and various regions of Qingzhou, even the newly added territories didn’t need to tap into the reserved Free Spirit Energy, achieving a basic balance in income and expenditure. The downside, however, was that the peculiar balance prevented Chen Xi’s Spiritual Capacity from increasing any further.
"The people of Langya, East Sea, and the nearby counties have already been relocated from the plague-stricken areas for quarantine. The felt tents sent from Mount Tai still have plenty of space, and the deep wells that Marquis Chen needed have also been dug at each of the resettlement sites," Chen Gui took a sip of tea, then reported in detail the recent situation to Chen Xi. It seemed he was ready to fully integrate into Liu Bei’s camp.
In truth, Chen Gui greatly admired Chen Xi’s methods. From the discovery of the plague to the current series of actions, he had managed to control the situation, and even if no further management occurred, at most around ten thousand more people would die.
"Is there panic, has anyone deliberately caused trouble?" Chen Xi asked.
"Not for now," Chen Gui shook his head, "We’ve already informed the people that a plague could break out nearby and that they needed to relocate. We’ve also provided a large number of felt tents. For those who have already lost their homes, this is an excellent arrangement. As for the troublemakers, they have been dealt with by me, and, according to Marquis Chen’s instructions, we have managed to pin this matter on Cao Cao."
"These are minor issues. Do we still have enough medicinal materials gathered? And can Physician Hua’s medicine be simplified even further?" Chen Xi waved his hand, indicating these matters were not too significant. Hua Tuo had developed an effective treatment for this epidemic, but the problem was the same as in history—it couldn’t be popularized. Hua Tuo had made the prescription public, but one of the medicinal ingredients was too expensive to be widespread…
"Physician Hua has already researched three different prescriptions that can treat the epidemic," Chen Gui sighed, in his eyes Chen Xi was being too demanding.
About this, Chen Gui was at a loss for words. He felt that Hua Tuo was already invincible. Having lived for so many years and witnessed dozens of different plagues, he had never seen any that could be treated. One could only resign to fate once afflicted by an epidemic. Yet here was Hua Tuo, having come up with prescriptions, and you still wanted him to find a way to simplify them even more? Was this even something a person could do?
"Will it work, Hua Tuo should be capable. I only remember there being two prescriptions that can treat it. The kudzu root used in tea before can treat most epidemics of this period except hemorrhagic fever, something that Zhang Zhongjing came up with later on for a treatment plan. But who can tell me what kudzu root was called in this period? What does the actual kudzu root look like? And there’s another decoction primarily made of Artemisia. Who knows what the other main medicinal ingredient is?" Chen Xi thought frantically.
Chen Xi was at a loss with the medical practices of this era—why would you name a single medicinal ingredient with more than twenty different names, and there are several ingredients that share a single name, how am I supposed to manage that? The real pitfall is not having physical illustrations, who knows what’s what! I clearly know that kudzu decoction can wipe out plagues, but who knows what kudzu root looks like? And what was it called eighteen hundred years ago?
"I can’t take it any longer!" Chen Xi watched helplessly as hundreds died each day. Deaths, endless deaths, had left him feel utterly despondent. Despite having gathered so many medicinal herbs, dozens still died every day, and he was incredibly frustrated.
Chen Xi knew that at this rate, perhaps over ten thousand would die and then the plague would pass. Compared to the historical plagues that killed five million or several million, his efforts were immeasurably meritorious.
But as a modern person, watching ordinary people powerless in death before him, knowing he could’ve saved them due to certain reasons, yet unable to do so now, he felt an indescribable sense of frustration and helplessness.
"Marquis Chen, please be patient and listen to the full report concerning the plague," Chen Gui said with his head lowered. He found Chen Xi peculiar; sometimes cunningly astute, yet at other times like a rough and tumble kid.
"Speak, then. What else is there?" Chen Xi asked calmly.
"The latest intelligence reports that the plague has re-emerged in Yinping and Changlu," Chen Gui stated, bowing his head.
"What? Didn’t I relocate the people from there? How could the plague have broken out again?" Chen Xi asked in confusion.
"It’s suspected that the plague spread due to the movement of people from Pengcheng State," Chen Gui shared his speculation. 𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝒐𝙢
"Cao Mengde, you’re about to die and yet you leave us with such a big problem!" Chen Xi said, frowning.
Because of Cloud Qi and a variety of reasons, the military camps had been spared from the afflictions of the plague, so Chen Xi hadn’t thought about the significance of a plague outbreak in Cao Cao’s territories. With Cloud Qi protecting them, even if a plague did break out, it wouldn’t be significant. Defeating Cao Cao and then dealing with the aftermath wouldn’t be too troublesome.
"It seems the problem lies with us. Because of the war, people have left Cao Cao’s territories. Those several hundred thousand people are likely carrying the plague with them. This is a disaster! Send word to Lord Xuande at once. Inform him of the situation and provide a copy of detailed methods for plague prevention and treatment," Chen Xi said, slamming the table and standing up to instruct Chen Gui.
Chen Xi was at his wit’s end. He hadn’t yet fully dealt with the situation in East Sea and Langya, and if Pengcheng were to descend into chaos, all the efforts in Xuzhou would be for naught. What he feared most was the plague sweeping through the Four Prefectures; while Cao Cao’s slaughter hadn’t injured the foundation of Xuzhou, if the plague spread, it would ruin the foundations of Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and Yuzhou!
"Marquis Chen, please wait a moment," the elder Chen Gui nodded and then ordered someone to fetch paper and ink.
"Just send it in my name to Lord Xuande. I’m going to check on Physician Hua. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll need to take matters into my own hands!" Chen Xi said with a grim face.
Instead of letting a plague that could sweep through the Four Prefectures happen, Chen Xi felt he’d rather test all the medicines himself, using thousands of types of Chinese herbs. At worst, a few hundred might die, which compared to millions, was a price he was willing to pay, even if it meant blood on his hands! (To be continued. If you like this story, please visit qidian.com to vote for it or give a monthly pass. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to continue reading.)
