Chapter 92 Jiang Chengzi (I)
The cock crows mournfully, and the east is already bright.
There is little rain in Yongzhou, but it rained today. A thin layer of moist mist covered the area. Qingqiong went down the well holding a pitch-black pottery jar, which contained the ashes of his father Fan Jiang.
"Does it really not need to be buried in peace?"
Duan Rong couldn't help but ask.
"This dry well is the place that makes Uncle Fan feel at ease." Ni Su was holding a paper umbrella. Raindrops were crackling on the brim of the umbrella, and there was a faint mist between her sleeves.
As soon as Qingqiong emerged from the well, Ni Su immediately stepped forward and moved the umbrella over his head.
The wooden cover on the well was made by Fan Jiang. It was like a door. For more than ten years, he and Qingqiong lived in this well and became aliens in the eyes of others.
Qingqiong fastened the copper lock, and this dry well, from his home, became the burial place of his father.
Duan Rong commanded the soldiers to carry a stone tablet and place it beside the well. The epitaph written on it was carved by Xu Hexue last night under the light of a lamp in the felt tent, one stroke at a time.
He kept carving until his soul became faint and gradually lost its form.
“He who repairs a house for others also has the courage to support a building. Although he was born in a humble family, his heart is as precious as a pearl in Sui Dynasty.”
Last night, Ni Su watched Xu Hexue carve these last sentences.
For sixteen years, Fan Jiangshou has been wiping Xu Hexue's tombstone in Yongzhou City, rain or shine, even though he was treated as an outcast. But now, Xu Hexue has erected a tombstone and written a book for him, so that people will no longer look down on this man with strange eyes.
Ni Su saw Qingqiong’s name and her name at the end of the article, but not Xu Hexue’s name.
She lowered her eyes, a faint mist clinging to her sleeves. Ni Su supported Qing Qiong and said, "Let's go."
Qingqiong said nothing, and followed her slowly like a wandering soul. When they returned to the felt tent, he lay down on the felt blanket, wrapped himself in the quilt, and said he was sleepy.
Ni Su didn't say anything. She remembered Qingqiong once told her that he used to dream about Youdu. He had seen the Hate River in Youdu, the reed bushes, and even the pagoda at the end of the Hate River.
He wanted to see his father and mother in his dreams.
Before dawn, Yang Tianzhe personally executed the two traitors Dong Chengjiao and Hu Da in front of the Yongzhou army and the rebel army, and hung the two heads on the city wall. However, even so, he failed to completely calm the uneasy hearts of the soldiers and civilians.
The people in the city were afraid of the name "Yelü Zhen". The Yongzhou army suspected that there was more than one Dong Chengjiao and one Huda in the rebel army, and the rebel army was worried that the Yongzhou army would strangle them because of this suspicion.
"Dong Chengjiao and Hu Da came to join me after I started the rebellion. They followed me all the way and worked hard for me." Yang Tianzhe bent his right knee and knelt in front of Qin Jixun. "General Qin, I didn't know them well!"
"Why does Commander Yang have to do this?"
Qin Jixun shook his head and bent down to help him up.
"These two are by your side. They have never shown mercy in killing the Hu soldiers under Shi Manu. If I were you, I might not be able to detect their intentions," Shen Tongchuan said beside him with a serious expression. "Yelü Zhen is the top general under the Changbo Tribe Prince. The first queen of the Danqiu King was from the Changbo Tribe. The Changbo Queen gave birth to a son, who is now the eldest prince of the Danqiu King's court, Xin Chuo. Commander Yang, it seems that Yelü Zhen has been brewing this vicious plan since you started the rebellion."
After Queen Changbo passed away, King Danqiu married the princess of Nanyan tribe as the new queen. Although Changbo tribe is not as powerful as Nanyan tribe now, Changbo's ambition to fight for the throne for the eldest prince Xinchuo is not limited to this.
Now that I think about it, the reason why Yang Tianzhe was able to lead the rebel army and the elderly, the weak, women and children to escape from Danqiu's rule safely may have been due to the secret help of the Changbo tribe.
Letting Yang Tianzhe go put Suchile in a dilemma. When Dong Chengjiao and Huda entered Yongzhou City, Yelu Zhen had already led the tribal army and was on the way to attack Yongzhou.
Dong Chengjiao and Hu Da took advantage of the danger of the destruction of the bird path on Tianju Mountain to deplete both Shi Monu and Qin Jixun. This was killing two birds with one stone, as it not only suppressed Shi Monu from the Nanyan tribe, but also reduced the strength of the Yongzhou army.
Wei Dechang was so frightened that he almost broke out in a cold sweat. "That's why Master Ni said not to chase him. If Brother Yang and I had really chased him that day, Shi Manu might have died, but I'm afraid that more than half of our Yongzhou City's troops would have been consumed... In this way, wouldn't it be convenient for Yelu Zhen to take advantage of the opportunity and sneak in?"
There was a moment of silence in the tent.
"Originally, the number of troops stationed by the Hu people at Juhan Pass was equal to that of our Yongzhou City. Calculating the time, whether it is the reinforcements of the Hu people or ours, it will take at least ten days. But I am afraid that Yelu Zhen has already passed Rushan..."
Shen Tongchuan clasped his hands in his sleeves, but they couldn't get warm for a long time.
Once Yelu Zhen arrived, Yongzhou would become an isolated city, and its survival would depend on only ten days.
"I am dead,"
The cold wind blew up the felt curtains, and a large area of blue-gray sky light fell. Wei Dechang raised his head and looked at the drizzle outside. "We have to defend Yongzhou City before the reinforcements arrive!"
Shi Manu used to roam the grasslands but had hardly ever fought with the Qi people. However, Yelu Zhen was a general who had fought in bloody wars between nations. Not only had he fought in siege battles, he had also captured Yongzhou City sixteen years ago.
Sixteen years ago, he was driven out of Yongzhou City by Miao Tianning. Now, he must have come with the determination to completely capture Yongzhou City.
On the first day, Yelu Zhen had not yet reached the city of Yongzhou. At nightfall, the scouts sent by Qin Jixun came to report that Shi Monu was seriously ill and had died because he could not get treatment.
But both Qin Jixun and Shen Tongchuan knew very well that Shi Monu did not die from injuries but was murdered by Yelu Zhen.
After Shi Manu's death, the soldiers under his command had no choice but to listen to Yelu Zhen, temporarily put aside the fighting between tribes, and jointly attack Qi.
On the second day, before dawn, the horses of the Hu people came in a continuous stream, raising dust. The dense black-armored Hu soldiers were like a dark cloud. The Hu general riding on the horse, holding a hook-sickle spear, was a burly man. Although he was over 40 years old, his cheeks were covered with fat and wrinkles were invisible. He bit the dried meat and glared at the two human heads hanging on the wall with a pair of gloomy and sharp eyes. "Sure enough, the Qi people who are willing to bend their bones are not as good as the cattle and sheep on my grassland."
Yelu Zhen did not challenge the Qi people, as he knew that the Qi people would never come out of the city to fight easily. He ordered his army to surround Yongzhou City on three sides, but deliberately left a gap on one side.
The fortresses outside the city had already been taken down by Shi Monu. Now he only needed to surround the city of Yongzhou and attack with fire and stone throwing, using every possible means.
Qin Jixun, Wei Dechang and Yang Tianzhe remained fearless in the face of danger. Their newly made crossbows with a range of 1,500 steps did not allow the Hu people to get any closer to the moat in front of the city. They worked together to defend the city until dark, and Yelu Zhen showed signs of stopping.
"General! What is this?!"
The catapult under the city suddenly threw something towards the city wall. It fell to the ground with a dull sound. A soldier exclaimed. Qin Jixun immediately turned around and saw that the thing was wrapped in white cloth and he couldn't tell what was inside.
The soldier bravely used the blade of his knife to cut the white cloth. He was surprised and said , "It's a dead cow!"
The light from the torch revealed a dead object inside. It was a wild buffalo. The stench of decay overwhelmed Yang Tianzhe's expression. "Quick! Everyone, stay away from it! Burn it on the spot!"
"Brother Yang, what's wrong?"
Wei Dechang didn't understand.
"It's a plague cow! It must be a plague cow!" Yang Tianzhe's back was soaked with cold sweat. "When I was in the Nanyan tribe, I saw it in their documents. More than 20 years ago, when they attacked Qingyazhou of Daqi, they sent dead people with plague to the city, causing the soldiers and civilians of Qingyazhou to be infected with plague! After that, they surrounded the city without attacking, and it fell by itself!"
"Quick! Burn it immediately!"
Qin Jixun was terrified.
Even though the plague cattle were burned in time, some of the soldiers defending the city were still in a state of panic. When Ni Su received the news in the city, she immediately said to Qing Qiong, "If anyone comes to look for Xu Ziling, remember to stop them and say that he is unconscious and cannot be exposed to the wind, let alone see anyone!"
Xu Hexue had not yet taken shape, and was only a thin mist on the edge of her sleeves. She had been keeping this secret for the past two days and refused visits from Qin Jixun and others. But now, she had to go find Doctor Tian.
"Put on your face coverings!"
When they arrived at the felt tent where the patients were treated, Ni Su saw Doctor Tian instructing the apprentice doctors to wear face coverings.
"Is it enough?"
Ni Su asked.
"Of course it's not enough! The people in the city, as well as all the soldiers, this is not enough!" Doctor Tian was overwhelmed, "Although we have prescriptions to prevent and treat plague, we don't have enough manpower!"
Ni Su thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, Doctor Tian, let's find a solution together!"
She quickly left the tent and found Madam Zhong. "We don't have enough people now. We need to find some more people."
During the war, most of the people in Yongzhou City were relocated to the back of the city. Ni Su asked Madam Zhong and others to call out all the people they knew, but when they heard about the plague, they were so scared that they refused to take the risk to help.
Ni Su had no choice but to find Duan Rong and ask him to ask the two clan leaders Qin and Wei to leave. Clan leader Wei still remembered that this woman was ungrateful, so naturally he was not in a good mood at this time, "Miss Ni, it was harder than ascending to heaven for me to see you before. Now, if you want to see me, do I have to come?"
"Didn't Patriarch Wei come after all?"
Ni Su looked at him, "General Qin, Commander Wei, Commander Yang, they are all guarding the city day and night, but the Hu people are so vicious that they threw plague cattle in an attempt to cause Yongzhou to be trapped in the epidemic and let us get sick and die. If the soldiers get sick, who will guard the city? If you all die, how can Yongzhou survive?"
Patriarch Wei was suddenly speechless.
Patriarch Qin was standing nearby, once again examining the woman. She was not from Yongzhou, but she was here to treat the wounded women and soldiers.
"Qingya Prefecture fell into the hands of the Hu people because of the plague. Please do not underestimate it. If one person is infected and cannot be treated in time, the lives of the entire city will be in danger." The cold wind blew Ni Su's veil and skirt slightly. She stood in front of these people and leaned over. "I, Ni Su, implore you, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, to stand up and help the soldiers defending the city, and help yourselves."
"My life was saved by Miss Ni. Even if I am going to die now, it will be worthwhile." Among the refugees who fled with Yang Tianzhe's rebel army, a woman stood up without hesitation.
She was the woman who had been tattooed by the Hu people.
As soon as she spoke, almost all the refugees, both men and women with ample mobility, came out. They were tired of fleeing and had finally stepped on the territory of Da Qi. Even if they died, they would rather die in Da Qi.
Madam Zhong was standing nearby, and when she saw her husband stand up, she couldn't help but secretly wipe away her tears.
Then, more and more people stood up.
"Anyone in the clan who can help, please go!" said the old clan leader Qin.
Chief Wei turned around and looked around, "Did you hear that? The soldiers are defending the city, so we have to defend it together!"
The plague cattle most likely brought the plague fever toxin, which proved that the Hu army already had this problem. They used this method to quickly disintegrate the Yongzhou city.
When rat lice injure the limbs of animals or humans, or when the mouth and nose are exposed to the stench of dead diseased animals, the plague can spread quickly. If a person is infected with this disease, the symptoms will not be obvious at first, and the person may live and work as usual, feel hungry but have no appetite, or have numbness and soreness in the limbs and alternating chills and fever.
But whether it was Ni Su or Tian Yigong, doctors like them knew how serious the harm of epidemics was when they first started learning medicine. And since the incident in Qingya Prefecture, over the past twenty years, countless doctors in Da Qi have done their best to research prescriptions to treat the plague.
To date, there is a set of methods to prevent and treat plague.
"Everyone must wear shoes, you must wear shoes, and you must not take off the long scarf tied around your face..." Doctor Tian's apprentice loudly taught the people how to prevent the epidemic. Ni Su led Madam Zhong and the others to prepare medicine, and the men followed Doctor Tian to grind and decoct the medicine.
On the third day, Yelu Zhen came to attack the city again.
When it failed to build a high lookout tower, they used carts as cover, filled up the moat outside the city gate, and built dams close to the bottom of the city wall.
Qin Jixun dug a pit at the corner of the city and placed an urn in it to prevent the Hu people from digging tunnels into the city. When the Hu people dug tunnels, he dug a ditch to divert the tunnel and put smoke in it to prevent the Hu people from entering.
But the gap between the Yongzhou army's strength and that of the Hu people's troops was too big.
From time to time, thunder cannons exploded. On the city walls and outside the city gates, there were continuous deafening shouts and clusters of fire. A soldier fell from the city wall and landed heavily in front of Ni Su.
She staggered back two steps and saw the wide-open eyes and dozens of sharp arrows piercing his chest.
A hand grabbed Ni Su, and a chill as cold as ice and snow enveloped her in an instant. She found that the mist between her sleeves had disappeared . She raised her head, but saw that the glass lamp placed not far away had been picked up by the man in front of her without her knowing when. His robe was snow-white, with a scarlet collar, and he held a sword in his hand. It was the sword transformed from his Yingchen, and it belonged only to him.
His eyebrows were cold and he looked at her with lowered eyelashes.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He said.
Ni Su pursed her cracked and pale lips. She said nothing, just shook her head.
She lit lamps for him every day, filling the entire felt tent with light, and finally he was able to gather his body together and appear in front of everyone with dignity.
Ni Su couldn't tell whether the wound hidden under his clothes had healed.
The Qi soldiers on the city wall shouted loudly, and some Hu soldiers climbed up the city wall under the rain of arrows.
"I am on my battlefield,"
Ni Su looked at the sword in his hand and said, "You should also go to your battlefield, young general."
